Sunday 28th February 2021

Slow start...bed is getting too comfortable! Aki eventually got up and cooked breakfast. FaceTimed ma and pa...Kath was there, and says she has decided to get the back op she was offered. She is now in so much pain that she can barely walk when it's at its' worst! Dad was up the garden, digging, as you do when you're 91...

Jim Lister called to see how my song for his mum and dad's joint 90th was coming along...I sang him a bit, but now need to get my thinking cap on if I'm to finish it in time. He said Ro has landed a job with a charitable organisation based in Kensington; Barney, meanwhile, has been writing tunes with Jesse Ware. 

Walked up Highgate Hill and through Waterlow Park. Aki bought some strawberries, then we walked back via the Co-op, and TescoExpress. 

Made an apple and pear crumble for dinner tonight. Had it with Tesco Finest custard. Watched some telly before bath and bed.

Saturday 27th February 2021

Slow start this morning. Eventually rose, and cooked a fry up. Aki had a zoom meeting at 1130. I looked into the possibility of staging a zoom production of Beckett's Ohio Impromptu...I need to make a couple of wigs, though! Ordered a couple of white beanies to form the caps...

Aki dragged me out for an afternoon perambulation. Nice and sunny out. Walked down to Highbury Fields, then on to Islington Green. Didn't fancy the movie on at the Screen on The Green. Walked back northward up Liverpool Road, and through Paradise Park, stopping off at the posh cheese shop to buy some Carre du Vinage. I also picked up a couple of items in TescoExpress, getting home in time to watch Wales beat England in Cardiff. Phoned the Afghan Kitchen for a takeaway...drove down to Angel to collect it. Delicious!

Friday 26th February 2021

Decided to have today off, so the weekend starts here. Aki had to get up for a site visit to Finchley, so I stayed in bed and read some more Biswas...very enjoyable. Like a colourful, exotic Henry Fielding novel.

Tried to progress Casino Boogie...getting there slowly...tried adding some harmonica, which may work but needs practising. Made a Spanish bean stew with chicken and chorizo for dinner. The Pandemic Playhouse Players met on zoom, and Tim, Lynn, and I gave them our Chekhov. Aki did a couple of olde time title pages for me to hold up, giving the location, and signalling the end with a 'FIN'. The opening title got a round of applause! Good fun and went down well...sadly no-one had recorded it this week!

Thursday 25th February 2021

Late start this morning. Walked up Hornsey Rise to the ENT clinic for an 1140 appointment, calling in at Tesco in Archway on the way to buy some custard. Dr Asma sent away a swab from my ear canal to check on the progress of the infection she thinks is still hanging about. Not much to do today. Read a bit more V S Naipaul this afternoon. Still only just over half way through! Phoned Nigel in Swansea...seems very busy. Says he feels much better, and doesn't seem to be affected by any Long-Covid symptoms. Now working a four day week. Book Club zoom meet this evening after dinner. No-one save Jane seemed to have much enjoyed the McGahern novel, That They May Face the Rising Sun. I hadn't read it, being still bound up with the V S Naipaul. Girl, Woman, Other was chosen for the March read. Watched a bit of telly, then bath and bed.

Wednesday 24th February 2021

 

GP rang me this morning in response to my request for an annual scan on my left kidney. She will arrange an appointment. Not much to do today, other than visit a couple of locations to the north-west, namely Hirst Crescent, North Wembley (pictured...it wasn't very crescent-shaped!), and a housing estate in Bushey. Got home in time for lunch at 1330. Sat at the computer this afternoon before making a tuna bake for dinner. Practised some Stones songs, then watched a bit of telly. News on Tiger is that he has multiple leg fractures, and may never play championship golf again! But he's a fighter, that's for certain...

Tuesday 23rd February 2021

Another day on the road. Headed for East Herts...stopped off at Birchanger Green service station on the M11 for a comfort break and a coffee, returning there after inspections in Bishop's Stortford, for lunch in the car park. Drove on to Hertford, and Stevenage, before driving home via Waitrose to spend my lunch allowance. Still light by 1730...nice driving weather today! Aki cooked up a fish supper, and we watched some old 70s era comedy on BBC4...the first episode of Yes Minister, followed by The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin. They don't make 'em like that any more! Tiger Woods reported to have been pulled from the wreckage of his car south of LA.

Monday 22nd February 2021

Vivid dream state this morning. I followed a Muslim woman into a post office. Once in the hall way, there was another door up ahead, and I waited for her to go through it to keep social distance. I shut the front door behind me, and a dog poked itself through the cat flap at the bottom and followed me in. Inside the post office, I got in the queue...I had to shout at a young man who was invading my space...he had a mask made out of the fabric of a black duffle coat wrapped around his face with two tiny holes for his eyes! I got to the front of the queue...the woman serving me motioned me to move within earshot around the corner of the counter, and tried to persuade me to join the commune she was evidently a member of...they would keep me fed and watered in return for my assistance building churches. I said I'd think about it, and she left her post and went off for lunch, leaving my cheque book on the counter...the new occupant of her desk refused to return it!

Spent the day doing inspections in Hackney. Had my lunch in the car in a street down Shacklewell way. The mileometer finally rolled over to six figures as I inched my way toward Highbury Corner. Took a quick detour to Waitrose in Holloway to spend my lunch allowance. Got home around 5pm.

Watched a bit of telly after dinner.

Sunday 21st February 2021

Made pancakes for breakfast. FaceTimed Ma and Pa...Kath answered. She pointed the lens at Dad, who had been unwrapping his 91st birthday presents...which included an apple peeling and coring device, which looked like a piece of Medieval torture equipment! We had to search Youtube for an instructions video. He seemed to have got the hang of it by the time we rang off!. Had a zoom call with Lynn and Tim in Bury St Edmunds to read through the Chekhov one-act piece. Went well, with one or two tweaks prior to the big night next Friday. Bit of telly after dinner.

Saturday 20th February 2021

Rang Ma this morning to warn her that Dad's birthday present was due to be delivered imminently. It arrived safely. Walked to Stroud Green Road to purchase some supplies in Sainsbury's, and Green & Glory. Nice day for a walk...suddenly very much milder than it has been of late. Aki was sporting her new dual face mask and hair band. 

Watched Naomi Osaka take the AO title. Not a great game, but she's going to dominate the women's game for years to come.

Joined Katherine Lowe's 60th birthday zoom party this evening. A lot of people tuned in, and we danced to a selection of Katherine's desert island discs/ Got up quite a sweat in the living-room, especially as I kept having to bound over to the oven to keep dinner under control.

Also managed to cook up a brioche and nutella pudding with baked egg custard. We ate it watching Better Call Saul. Also tuned in to Later With Jools Holland...particularly enjoyed the archive footage of Radiohead doing Bodysnatchers, and a live recording of Mork & Mindy by the peerless Sleaford Mods...more pudding please!

Friday 19th February 2021

Local inspections today in Haringey, mostly out Tottenham way. Came home for lunch behind a Clash omnibus...London Calling at all stops! Thought the design would look good on my car! Aki cycled down to the fishmonger on Essex Road for supplies. Raw fish for dinner tonight! Nom nom! Watched The Ground Beneath Her Feet, a rather impenetrable Austrian psychological drama. 

Thursday 18th February 2021

Too tired to venture far today, after the last three days of driving. Worked a bit from home this morning. Aki took the car to site in Finchley. Didn't do much this afternoon. Popped out to the postbox with cards for Dad, and Karen, and nipped in to Girasole for some bread. Made an aubergine parmigiana for dinner. Watched a bit of telly. Early-ish to bed!

Wednesday 17th February 2021

Had to climb back in the saddle today to finish off the Kentish inspections, though didn't set off until 1045. Had to stop off at Tesco in Lamberhurst for a comfort break. Driving conditions almost as bad as yesterday's...a lot of spray on the roads. Had my soup sitting in the car on a street in Cranbrook. Managed a bit of lunch shopping at Waitrose in Hawkhurst. Got home around 1730. Aki served up stuffed cabbage for dinner...delicious! Watched a bit of telly. 

Tuesday 16th February 2021

Another long day in the saddle. Managed to leave the flat earlier than usual, and headed for Barking, then stopped off at the Service Station on the M25, just north of the Dartford Crossing. Grabbed a coffee, and drove over the bridge. I was making good time until all lanes were brought to a standstill just west of Medway Services. Didn't move from thence for two-and-three-quarter hours! There was a big smash a few hundred yards further east, and I guess the Air Ambulance was called, as the west bound carriageway was closed too. So no chance of completing my planned inspections today. Finished in Dover at 1615 and drove home. Rained most of the day...driving conditions were fairly appalling. Drove past another accident on the eastbound carriageway on the drive home! Carnage!!! Stopped for a sandwich at Medway Services. Got home around 1900 and warmed up the dinner. Made pancakes for pudding!

Monday 15th February 2021

 

Back on the road today! Drove to Eastbourne, stopping off at Clacket Lane Services, and Pease Pottage Service station, on the way. Had my soup in a car park near the beach to the east of the town. Bit too cold and windy for sunbathing. Drove onto Tunbridge Wells, via a stop off at Waitrose in Crowborough. Finished at dusk in a village near Tonbridge having been waylaid by a road closure...middle of nowhere! Got home by 1930. Aki had done stuffed cabbage for dinner...delicious! 

Sunday 14th February 2021

Valentine's Day cards and flowers exchanged before a late breakfast, with prosecco on the side. 

Watched a bit of tennis from Melbourne...Aki delighted to see Naomi Osaka go through to the quarter finals after a great game. FaceTimed Tim and Lynn in Bury St Edmunds to propose they read the star crossed lovers in Chekhov's 'The Proposal'. Fortunately they acceded. Quizzed them about their civil partnership...they seemed to think it a good idea, and Aki and I are looking into the notion.

Cooked a chicken dinner (with prosecco on the side!), and Kath FaceTimed just as I was serving up. She has yet to find anyone to come and mend her boiler, so is sitting at home with several layers on!

 

 

Saturday 13th February 2021

Lay in bed listening to Saturday Live on R4 before getting up for breakfast. David Gray was on plugging a new album. Ma and pa FaceTimed us to show us the 30cm of snow covering the back garden. Kath's boiler has packed up...she can't find anyone to come and repair it! Walked up to Archway market for some bread, and got some smoked salmon from the organic store on Navigation Square. Picked up some milk from the Co-op on the way back down Holloway Road. Still cold out. Watched some rugby this afternoon, and Uncle Vanya after dinner...great performance from Toby Jones, and Roger Allam is always good value.

Friday 12th February 2021

Aki up promptly as she was being picked up by Martin and Helen to go visit the Finchley house refurb this morning. I managed to get my act together and begin some inspections for Clarion in the N& postcode. Stayed in the car with the heater on...it's a but nippy out there. Found myself on Lorraine Road, so took a brief detour into Waitrose, and picked up a couple of reams of printer paper. Meant I could go home for lunch. Went back out again in the afternoon. Had to fill up with petrol, so headed to Sainsburys. The guy at the pump in front of me was looking for disposable gloves, and there weren't any, so I offered him one from my boxed supply. He gave me a wave when he headed off. This evening saw the debut performance at the Pandemic Playhouse, a zoom reading of Eugene O'Neill's 'Ile', set aboard a whaling ship in 1895. I volunteered to arrange the next episode, a reading of Chekhov's 'The Proposal'. Good fun, and lovely to see a few familiar old visages.

Thursday 11th February 2021

Stayed under the warm duvet until 10am...it's cold out there! Not much work to do today. Read a bit of V S Naipaul, and had a go at trying to nail the lyrics to Rip This Joint. FaceTimed Ray and Steph after dinner for a chat...they've both had their first jabs and look well. Watched Barnsley take on Chelsea in the FA Cup...sadly, the Tykes couldn't pull off a famous victory over Russian Oligarch United...too bad. They gave a good account of themselves, though. Due another cold night tonight...getting down to -5C by early morning.

Wednesday 10th February 2021

Slow out of the blocks this morning. Managed about 3 hours at the computer before running out of enthusiasm. Made French garlic soup for lunch...having drooled over footage we saw last night of a French chef preparing the dish for Rick Stein. My version was disappointing. 

Walked up to Katherine and George at No.127 to drop off a couple of slices of Aki's cheesecake. I'd earlier made some liquorice sauce, and we took them some of that to go with it.

Temperatures due to fall to -5C tonight...and set to stay below freezing all day tomorrow!

Tuesday 9th February 2021

 

Not much snow overnight, but very cold out there. Certainly not driving weather...it doesn't look good for the rest of the week, in truth.

Managed six hours at the computer today. Broke for lunch and a delivery from Waitrose. Two lads turned up in the snow outside the front door...I asked them if they were from Iceland!?

Aki baked a tasty Basque burnt cheesecake...had some for pudding at dinnertime

Watched a bit of FA Cup football...well, tried to...I fell asleep on the sofa!

Temperatures plunging again tonight...

Monday 8th February 2021

A dusting of snow in the back yard. It snowed all day, albeit very lightly. Quite heavy snowfall reported in Kent, though, where I was due to head this week in the car...I'll be putting that off until the back end of the week! 

Worked at the laptop all day, though failed to clock up more than six hours at the coal face...too bored.

Warmed up the fish pie for dinner. Started watching Greenland, a new apocalypse movie from Amazon which got four stars in The Guardian...we gave up halfway through and switched to Netflix for the more reliably entertaining Better Call Saul.

Cold night tonight...may dip to around -4C!!! So much for global warming...

 

Sunday 7th February 2021

Aki rose early to call Noburu in Tokyo for a catch up. I prepared eggy bread for breakfast. Snowed for most of the day, but very lightly. Nothing sticking on the ground.

Nothing much to do but watch telly and read. Invested a couple of hours in All The President's Men. I could do with following up by reading Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's source material. 

Saturday 6th February 2021

Slow start this morning, but eventually got my act together and served up pancakes for breakfast with caramalised apple in maple syrup. FaceTimed Kath who was at ma and pa's opening her birthday presents. Jim and Karen turned up on the doorstep, and the party gravitated to the porch. Jim had been for his 5k run this morning...he's a man possessed! We went for our Saturday constitutional and walked up the hill to Waterlow Park, where I communed briefly with John Davison...well, his bench to be exact.

Bought bread at Archway market, and Aki got milk at TescoExpress. Got home before the rains came down.

Friday 5th February 2021

Nothing to report today. Spent most of the day in front of the laptop. Aki popped out on her bike for some exercise after lunch, and that's about as exciting as our day got!

I cooked omelette strips in a tomato sauce for dinner, a version of tripe a la Romana without the tripe. FaceTimed Kath to wish her a Happy 60th. She'd been celebrating with a number of zoom parties with various chums. She'll be at ma and pa's tomorrow to pick up her birthday presents...

Watched Better Call Saul...Season One being brought to an intriguing boil.

Thursday 4th February 2021

Worked from home all day today. Aki used the car and drove to The Angel in the morning to collect a generator from a colleague of Mr Kurata, whose house refurbishment she has been working on, then later drove to Finchley for a site meeting.

I cooked a Spanish bean stew, with chicken and chorizo, for dinner, then plonked myself on the sofa and watched telly.

Wednesday 3rd February 2021

Managed to rise in good time and get some work done on the computer before setting off for east London one more time on the Local Space job. Stopped for a break at ASDA in Beckton, and had my soup in the car park. Finished around 1600 and drove home via Waitrose for some odds and ends.

Aki made a 'next level' fish pie this evening...very tasty. She had ventured out to the fishmonger on Essex Road on her bike.

Slumped in front of the telly for the evening.

Tuesday 2nd February 2021

Had to drag myself out of bed this morning. Had to do a bit of work at the computer before I could set off for east London. Stopped for a break at Morrisons in Chingford, and had my lunch in the car park. Got home around 1800.

Sad to hear the news that Captain Tom Moore passed away today...the covid got him in the end!

Aki stir fried some pork, and we watched The Investigation.

Monday 1st February 2021

Drove back up to Wellingborough for another day of inspections. Stopped off at the Post Office in Olney to hand over three packages of clothing returns, then did some shopping in Sainsburys before heading for Tesco in Wellingborough for a comfort break. Had to pay two more visits there during the course of the day, having my soup in the car park at lunchtime.

Got home at 1900. Aki had made pasta. 

Phoned mum to make sure Kath's presents had been delivered. Everything seemed to have arrived, but hadn't been opened, so can only hope the electrical items didn't get bashed about by the postman!