Wednesday 5th August 2026

Woke around 0630 with back pain. Sat up in bed for a bit before getting up to make tea. Climbed back into bed with my laptop and downloaded the last of yesterday's inspection photos. Porridged. Aki cycled off to Rowing Club. I headed for Southwark and another visit to Tate Modern, this time to catch the Tracey Emin exhibition before it closes. Had a coffee in the Member's Cafe to strengthen my resolve. 

The exhibition was stunning...the honesty, the vulnerability, the visceral exposure of her physical and mental states. I had to wipe away tears on a couple of occasions. The little bronze figurines were deeply moving, as was her use of text. Fearless! I came out an emotional wreck! Took a long walk in search of luncheon...set off across the Millennium Bridge, then took the Thames Path before cutting up to Cannon Street station, and on to Bishopsgate. Ended up lunching on a burger in Spitalfields Market...Bleekers are apparently the best burgers in the world, and mine was certainly very tasty...well done, so crisp and caramelised around the edges. Wandered across to Eataly and bought some lasagne, then headed for home. Aki back before me. I cooked a dhal, then set about an aubergine coconut curry, for dinner. Nowt on telly...

Tuesday 4th August 2026

Radio alarm at 0730. Hauled myself out of bed and made tea. Porridged. Shaved. Set off in the car for Chelmsford at 0845...stopping off at Manor House for petrol. By the time I got to Chelmsford, it was nearing 30C outside. It was hot work...rang a lot of doorbells...people either flaked out in the their back gardens, or on their holidays! Had only gotten into two by the time I broke for lunch. Drove over to Hylands House and had my lunch in The Deli there...sat outside in the courtyard. Then drove to Writtle to continue door knocking. It was hard going...but finally notched up six internals...finished off the external inspections, then turned for home. Got in at 1700. Aki pan fried some sea bass for dinner, with pearl barley and vegetables, followed by a fruit salad and yoghurt. Nowt on telly. Did some Italian...not getting very far! It's almost as bad as my schoolboy Latin!!! 

Monday 3rd August 2026

Alarm at 0800. Got up and made tea. Drank it in bed. Got up to await the arrival of another roofer to scope out a quote for the repair/replacement of the butterfly roof above Lynne's maisonette. He hadn't arrived by 0930, and when I texted him to see if he was nearby, he texted back that he'd forgotten! Sorted out some hazardous waste from the garden shed...had to detail it all can by can on the waste collection form. Gazpacho for lunch. Accompanied Aki to UCLH...she had an appointment with a dermatologist; I sat in A&E to have my grumbling inguinal hernia looked at. Sat there for three-and-a-half hours before eventually being seen by a very nice young black doctor. She assured me there were no signs of strangulation, and advised that I flag up the change in symptoms to my GP, which may get my referral brought forward. Couldn't get on a No.29 bus home, as it was packed, so headed for the Victoria Line at Warren Street, and walked home from Finsbury Park. Aki had cooked a chicken and tomato pasta dish for dinner. Nowt much on telly. Showered and had an early night...

Sunday 2nd August 2026

Woke around 0830. Took a mug of tea back to bed with me. Got up and porridged. Aki cycled off to rowing club. I did some exercises. Headed for Tottenham Hale via bus and tube. Had a quick look around...the area has been under re-development for the last ten years...a sea of high-rise blocks, and a new tube and rail station...it looks impressive, but the area between the tube and bus stations is already looking ropey. The bedding and mattresses of the homeless scattered over the paving...very depressing. What a hole London has become. Had a coffee in a small, modern coffee shop opposite Starbucks...despite being pretty new, it already showed signs of neglect. The coffee was under-whelming into the bargain. I walked over the railway to the wharf on the River Lea Navigation. Modern high-rise blocks have gone up there, too. Walked down the tow-path toward the rowing club, stopping off for much needed refreshment at a quirky little cafe in Markfield Park, hard by the Beam Engine Room and Museum. Enjoyed a chocolate milkshake, and found some precious shade beneath the pergola outside. Walked on down to the rowing club...Aki and her team were in the process of stashing away their boat. I bagged some tables and chairs in anticipation of their joining me. Aki ordered us vegetarian brioche rolls with fried eggs. The girls talked of plans for the forthcoming Sicily trip. We eventually broke up, and Aki cycled off home. I walked up to Clapton Common to get a bus back to Holloway. Got off outside Waitrose and bought some beans, carrots, and a tin of fish, then walked home. Tried phoning High View, but got no reply. Put together a mackerel salad for dinner. Watched a bit of telly. Got suckered into watching The Piano...a bunch of disparate amateur pianists tinkled the ivories at London Bridge station...the autistic kid who played his own composition blew everyone away! 

Saturday 1st August 2026

Fitful night's sleep roof-fretting. Got up around 0900 and made tea. Porridged. Texts from Kath saying they had taken mum back to the RVI for scans on her swollen leg. Loaded some detritus into the car to take to the tip. Aki wanted some stuff from Boots, so I parked up and waited for her in the Waitrose car park. Home for gazpacho lunch. Kath rang to say mother had been diagnosed with secondary lymphoedema, and her leg will need regular washing and moisturising...she's thinking of getting some help in to do this. See what happens. Warmed up the last of the chicken and harissa beans for dinner. Walked over to the Park Theatre to see "Kidnap"...a one-woman show that had been praised when at the Edinburgh Festival last year...it was OK as far as it went...only an hour long. It was more a piece of self-counselling on behalf of the writer-performer, surrounding her and her brother's kidnap by her Saudi father...a rather unpolished performance, which gave it a certain charm, but she didn't have the comedic punch to take the show to the next level. Bumped into Dulcie on the walk back home and had a pleasant chat in the street...she's struggling to keep her allotment going in the dry weather! 

Friday 31st July 2026

Aki had left for Rowing Club by the time I rose. Porridged. Decided on a birthday treat, so walked up to the Green Room on Holloway Road for my morning coffee. then walked down to Waitrose to find something for lunch...picked up two scallop shells stuffed with prawns and smoked salmon. Walked home to prepare lunch. We ventured back out mid-afternoon...headed for KX on the No.91 bus, and ambled along the Regent's Canal, then up York Way to take a look at the newly opened Story Garden, a community project that opened on wasteland close to the railway line coming out of KX. Had hoped there'd be a cafe, but no. Wandered around some of the new development behind KX, then popped into Waitrose and bought up their meagre supply of gazpacho. Took a slow walk from there, up through Thornhill Square, to the Tamil Prince on Hemingford Road for dinner. Very popular spot...had to book three weeks ago. It's basically a small ex public house, with a kitchen at back, with a big glass window, where you can see the staff making dosa. The food was OK, and the staff very friendly...they picked up on the fact that we were there for a celebration, and brought me a small dessert with a candle stuck in it before we paid the bill. Walked up Hemingford Road, intending to pop into the Hemingford Arms for a beer, but we were both uncomfortably full after our food. Hopped on a no.153 bus home instead...too old to rock 'n roll! Got home to find a text from Kath...she'd gotten to High View to find it deserted...Emma and Jim had been advised by the GP to take mum into A&E to get a diagnosis concerning her swollen leg...they are worried she may have a blood clot.

Thursday 30th July 2026

Fitful night's sleep...plagued by roof fret! Aki brought me a mug of tea in the morning. Eventually got up and porridged. Drove over to Sainsburys at Manor House. Dropped Aki at the store, while I queued for the car wash. Picked up Aki from the front of the store, as she manhandled a large bag of compost into the boot of the car. Drove home...put some lunch together. Cleared out the shed, but discovered the local tip had been temporarily closed due to a fire on site! Ben and Gayu popped round at the behest of Aki, to show them through our flat configuration, thus giving them an idea of what their ground floor flat conversion might vaguely look like. Aki cooked teriyaki salmon for dinner. Watched a bit of telly...interesting "Fake or Fortune" episode on the trail of a painting by Fauvist, Andre Derain.