Jigsaw 5, series 2

Tried taking this picture under the artificial light of the dining room, rather than in the natural light of the extension door. Maybe natural light is the answer. Note festive table cloth, from the famous Discount Dave, possibly in the far off days when he still operated from the Epsom indoor market.

The bridge is that over the Medway at Aylesford in Kent, a very ancient place with the first battle being recorded in 455. And at some point Horsa was killed by Hengist. The place subsequently fell into the hands of the Conquering Bastard.

A Waddingtons regular, rather than deluxe. A relatively easy puzzle, completed in almost exactly 5 days, to the hour. The 99p Oxfam sticker is just about legible top right.

Started with the edge, then the skyline. Then the bridge parapet which was not as easy as I had expected as the parapet fell along a cut - evidence perhaps that jigsaws are cut for each image, with the cutter having a bit of fun, rather in the way of a crossword compiler, rather than using the same cut for lots of images. Solution was to do the upper parts of the masonry, with the ties, at the same time. Took in the larger hydrangea at the same same time. Then the edge to the riverbank, again falling along a cut.

By the third day the puzzle was down to 5 ponds. Two sky, two river and a large pond across the middle of the image. Onto the river ponds, made easier by the slight irregularities which had been included in some of the pieces, irregularities which made picking a piece out of the heap much easier than it would otherwise be.

Drove through the buildings - church then white then balance - in good order - with the large pond steadily silting up and I was eventually left with a couple of small ponds of tree which were quickly knocked off, leaving just the two thin ponds of sky which had been more or less untouched since they had formed early in the solution.

Completed to the strains - of every sort - of the Kirov Ballet.