The equinox has occurred, marking the end of the year and the beginning of longer days as light wins over darkness. The day before was the shortest day, and it’s a time for reflection on the year that has passed. The author is on vacation and has completed all necessary work, throwing a few “electronic grenades” over walls before taking a break. Their partner, Jools, is still working but has an afternoon event to celebrate at a fancy location in Folkestone, paid for by their employers. This is a rare occurrence in the author’s work life, where recognition is lacking. The author drops Jools off at work early, and goes on a church crawl across the west of Kent.
They take the main road and motorway up to Ashford before turning off to the A road to Mereworth, which turns into a winding and twisting road through Tonbridge. They end up in Penshurst at the church where Gilbert Scott was busy creating many memorials from the 19th century. The Sidney family, who lived in Penshurst Place since the Tudor times, are buried and remembered in the Sidney Chapel. The author pays a fee of five pounds before leaving to travel to Speldhurst, where they see the closed doors of the church from the car and decide not to enter. The author instead heads to Groombridge and onwards to Tunbridge Wells, where they revisit a church they saw a decade ago.
The church is across from The Pantiles, a Georgian square with shops, and the author takes photographs of the ceiling and other details. A warden confronts the author, asking why they’re taking photographs. The author can only reply that it’s an enjoyable activity for them. They leave after observing a service and encounter a young man who sells the Big Issue, who they promise to buy from on the way back. They return to their car, enduring rain, and go to Stop 24 services to eat and drink as they wait for Jools to finish work. They pick her up in Folkestone at 4:15 PM to celebrate with colleagues.