Wednesday 31st March 2021

Woke around 0400 with waves of stabbing pain in my right testicle...a bit perturbing! Eventually  managed to get back to sleep, and no recurrence this morning. Very odd! Aki up early, this time shooting off to the rowing club, now that Coronavirus restrictions have been lifted a bit. She couldn't get out of the front door fast enough! Spent the morning killing ants and gouging more plaster out of the bedroom ceiling prior to effecting some repair. Nipped out to TescoExpress for some odds and ends, and got some tiramisu for Saturday, from Girasole. The sun didn't really come out today, after all, but I ventured out back to assist Margaret with cutting away some creeper that grows over the church hall roof...should guarantee me a hot-cross-bun come Friday! Cooked a rather bland aubergine biryani with a lentil dahl. Watched the England v Poland World Cup qualifier. A nervy 2-1 win. Nodded off on the sofa...

Tuesday 30th March 2021

Aki up and about early, as she had work to do. I eventually got up for breakfast, and did some sanding of the plasterwork repairs I'd done yesterday. Tried painting over it with what was left of the touch up paint, but it is too old and viscous, and full of flakey bits of hardened paint that's fallen off the inside of the lid. Gave up, and walked up to Chris Stevens' to buy a fresh pot. Took delivery of Aki's birthday present...wrapped it up while she was on site in the afternoon; also took delivery of some replacement attachments for my CPAP machine...the DPD delivery guy took a photo on the doorstep, which popped up with a text later to confirm delivery. Pan fried duck breast for dinner, and tried fondant celeriac...wasn't particularly flavoursome, but will give it a go with potatoes for Aki's birthday meal on Saturday. Watched some telly. Aki happened upon a massing of black ants near the dishwasher as she made for the bathroom...they looked freaky against the white floorboards. I sprayed them with mint-flavoured rodent repellent, which sent them scurrying off in all directions...managed to kill a few. Not sure exactly where they are coming in from...looked under the dishwasher, and under the step down into the 'office' lobby area. It'll be the moths next, as they all start gadding about once the temperatures begin to rise...it's going to be 25C tomorrow!

Monday 29th March 2021

Slow start...read a bit more of "Girl, Woman, Other" in bed this morning, before getting up and having some porridge. Pottered about in the back bedroom making more holes in the plasterwork. Nice day...brightening up outside...looking forward to temperatures in the mid-20s tomorrow! Aki went off on her bike and came back with the remains of a plastic bag woven into the bike chain gearing cassette...took her about an hour to pick it all out. Beef ragu and pasta for dinner. Watched "Fawlty Towers", followed by MasterChef. Aki needed an early night, as she has another site meeting tomorrow morning...

Sunday 28th March 2021

Made croque madame for brunch. Kath FaceTimed us just as we started eating...we had a quick chat about possible dates for a late June meet up in Ponteland. I did some more plasterwork in the back bedroom, while Aki went off for a bike ride, and came home with some rhubarb. Zoom bombed Jim's mum and dad's 90th birthday celebrations in Southwell, and sang my song. Went down very well. Aki cooked baked trout for dinner, and I did a rhubarb crumble with star anise and almonds. Watched a bit of telly. Jim sent me the video his niece had recorded of the zoom party...I was mortified to discover she had recorded the meet, but on her iphone rather than directly from the zoom meet...as a result you can't see people's reactions to the gags, most importantly, no Bri and Barb in shot! Very disappointing indeed...can't quite believe it! 

Saturday 27th March 2021

Aki up early, as she had planned another site meeting this morning. The smell of her frying the bacon and eggs got me out of bed. As it happened, the meet was cancelled until next week. I decided to try and fill the holes I'd made in our bedroom wall with patch repair plaster. Took ages! Professionals can plaster whole rooms in the time it took me to fill these holes! It's a very frustrating process, as the filler knife keeps ruining the nice smooth finish you got on the previous pass! A lot of swearing emanating from the back bedroom!!! Aki went out for an afternoon cycle ride to get away from it all. I cooked Pommes Anna to go with the chicken tonight, and a kumquat sauce. Watched "County Lines", a new British movie following a young lad as he gets drawn into the mire of the County Lines drug gangs. It was a tough watch. Early to bed, as the clocks go forward at midnight!

Friday 26th March 2021

Aki left for a site visit before I'd managed to get out of bed. No work to do today, so took up a chisel and made holes in the bedroom wall plaster where the former kitchen window had been filled in by the cowboy builders. Patch up plasterwork to commence over the weekend! Spoke to Tony McB on the phone. He is keeping sane by volunteering to deliver food parcels to struggling families in and around Hastings. I asked him where he was investing his monies, and he revealed he had been recommended a SIPP through a company called Vanguard. He seems to be getting a good return on his investments to date! I decided to close my Halifax ISA and transfer the funds directly into my pension pot, so spent several hours organising that! May go for a SIPP next financial year...need to buy a new car first, and maybe the freehold of our flat, so don't want to tie everything up in any investments for the present. After dinner it was a date with the Pandemic Playhouse Players, and a reading of Harold Pinter's "A Kind of Alaska"...a suitably timely piece about a woman coming out of a virally induced coma! 

Thursday 25th March 2021

Aki up early to chat to her mum in Tokyo. Slow start for me...I was still in bed when Aki cycled off to the fishmonger! Had to visit Hornsey Rise Health Centre to see my ENT specialist. Walked up there for 1300. I was pretty much in and out, as my ears were clear of wax, and the swab she had sent off last month came back negative, my ears being clear of infection. Walked back down the hill to Big Jo's bakery and bought a fresh loaf; we had a couple of slices with our lunch...smashin'! Aki cooked scallops and clams with peas for dinner, then we watched MasterChef...yum yum! Jim Lister phoned on his way back from visiting his mum to mark her 90th birthday. He's commissioned me to write a song, which I'm to deliver via zoom on Sunday afternoon!

Wednesday 24th March 2021

Feeling very tired after yesterday's exertions, so got off to a bit of a slow start, though I haven't got a great deal to do workwise at the moment...it's all gone very quiet again. Pottered about in front of the computer. Kath phoned while we were eating lunch...she doesn't think it worth hiring a cottage for a week, and that we'd be better off organising a few day trips with ma and pa in tow, and we concurred. Aki popped out to Waitrose this afternoon to get some odds and ends. Spoke to Katrina on the phone; Aki wanted to quiz her about her financial adviser's fees. I made a mushroom and anchovy sauce for dinner, which was partially used as a filling for Aki's homemade ravioli squares....what a palaver ravioli is!!! Still, it worked out in the end, and we had ice cream and plum spoom for pudding. Telly, bath, bed.

Tuesday 23rd March 2021

Headed for the Medway towns this morning, stopping off to use the facilities at Morrisons in Strood, and popped into M&S to spend my lunch allowance. Nice day...spring definitely in the air. Got home around 1800 and cooked chicken, with kumquats and red onion, served with baked potato chips and steamed vegetables...then watched MasterChef. Aki had managed to cycle to the butcher on Essex Road, so we are well stocked up for protein. Made some no-churn kumquat ice cream before bath and bed...as you do!

Monday 22nd March 2021

Aki up early to chat with her mum in Tokyo. I spent the morning, and indeed, much of the day, pottering about in front of the computer, between work, and researching Stocks and Shares ISAs. Think I might go for an Investment ISA with the Halifax...better the devil you know, and all that. Aki fielded a couple of calls from prospective financial advisers, as she's trying to gain some kind of insight in to how to maximise her rather poor pension pot...I'm in much the same boat, I fear! Aki cooked mapo for dinner, a firm weekday favourite. Watched Fawlty Towers...brilliant...and a tense episode of Homeland.

Sunday 21st March 2021

Got up at 0700 in order to do my covid test...sample due to be picked up some time after 0800. Struggled to get the swab onto my tonsils...my gag reflex is second to none, and just taking the swab out of it's packaging had me gagging! Waggled it about a bit in the direction of my left tonsil, and gave up...then had to stick the thing up a nostril! Don't think I managed to do it properly, in all honesty...await the results with little enthusiasm. It's all part of an on-going study run by Imperial College, so not desperately relevant as far as my current day-to-day existence is concerned. Cooked pancakes for breakfast, then went for our constitutional, walking up Crouch End Hill to join the old railway line, and walking back down toward Finsbury Park. Lots of people about! Aki waited in vain for a train at Crouch End Hill station. Bumped into Kathleen in the street, who had just discovered a screw embedded in a rear tyre of her BMW. We popped in at Green and Glory for some vegetables, and I nipped into TescoExpress for some odds and ends. Bumped into Six and Julia and their kids...Six was wheeling his fold-up bicycle. FaceTimed ma and pa over lunch, and Kath joined in too. We briefly discussed the notion of finding a getaway venue on the Northumbrian coast come mid-June, assuming lockdown is sufficiently relaxed by then.

 

Accidentally FaceTimed Matt and Mimm...had a brief chat before my phone battery died. Matt said Uncle Pete was doing well, and getting visited once a week by members of the family. Watched some FA Cup football on TV this afternoon. Aki made some pasta to go with my ragu for dinner tonight. We tried the new series of "Line of Duty" but found it all utterly unconvincing...can't see what all the fuss is about, quite honestly. Booked a cottage for a week in August/September near Worthing for our summer break.

 

Saturday 20th March 2021

Slow start this morning. Aki cooked brunch, then went out for a bike ride to Kings Cross. I languished on the sofa and listened to the final instalment of "Klara & The Sun"...looking forward to reading the novel. Watched as someone tried to open the door to the flats opposite...looked like a homeless chap, and we realised he was trying to force the door...he got increasingly frustrated. About 15 minutes into his exertions, two unmarked police cars pulled up, and he found himself surrounded by about 8 policemen and women....quite why so many needed to attend, I don't know! Then a police van rocked up, and he was eventually bundled in and driven away! Cooked a bolognese sauce to stick in the fridge-freezer, Watched a documentary on Aalvar and Ainio Aalto, the Finnish modernist architects and designers...very stylishly put together...made us want to visit Helsinki as soon as travel restrictions are lifted...though the News put the notion in some doubt, for this year, anyway. Looks like a staycation will be the only option this summer! 

Friday 19th March 2021

Aki up and out early for site visit. I hit the road at 1000 and headed for inspections in Brixton, south-west London, and Hammersmith. Made one stop, at Tesco on Acre Lane, where I sat in the car and ate my lunch...the sun was shining, and it felt like spring was in the air. Sat in a lot of traffic jams...the fad for LTNs has lead to bottlenecks on all major through routes...and lockdown hasn't even been lifted yet! London will grind to a complete halt then! Got home around 1730 and warmed up my Spanish bean and sausage stew. Watched a bit of telly, but nothing very inspiring on...tried to get into the Comic Relief show, but the presenters were so bad, we could bear it for long, and reverted to Netflix.

Thursday 18th March 2021

Worked from home today, trying to log all the photos I've taken so far this week, and catch up on research. Had a webinar to attend, run by Savills, looking at the changes to the planning regime for new housing developments. Didn't sound very inspiring! Cooked dinner early as Aki had a zoom meeting lined up in the evening. I put some headphones on and listened to R4's adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's "Klara & The Sun"...really well read by Lydia Wilson.

Wednesday 17th March 2021

Back on the road this morning...first of all to Poplar and Bow, then south of the river. Needed to find some ablutions, so ended up at Tesco in Bromley-by-Bow. A lot of new build going up around there. Happened upon a little bit of Japan in a back street in Peckham! Ate my lunch in the car somewhere near Catford. Got home around 1830. Aki baked hake for dinner. Joined a zoom concert involving neighbour Clare, who is a professional violinist. I was surprised at how avant garde her self-penned pieces were, particularly the piece inspired by the sound of traffic going round the Archway gyratory! Needed another serving of MasterChef after that...!!!

 

Tuesday 16th March 2021

 

Surprised to find myself awake at 0715...got up and prepared to hit the road. Drove down the A2 to the Medway towns, stopping off in Strood to spend my lunch allowance at M&S, and nip into Morrisons for a leak. Hit Hoo, Rochester, and Chatham after that, having my soup parked up near a sheltered scheme in south Chatham. Got home around 1900 to find that Aki had made homemade pasta for dinner, having bought some more flour from Eglal at Girasole. She'd hung it from a cantilevered chopstick to dry. Definitely the best yet! Eaten with chicken, mushrooms, walnuts and mushroom sauce....yum! Watched a very moving documentary following several patients, doctors and nurses as they battled through 2020. Included the participation of Michael Rosen who got very tearful at the end when he went back to the Whittington to say thank you to those who had saved his life. 

Monday 15th March 2021

Aki up early to chat with her mum in Tokyo. I did an hour's work in front of the computer, Aki disappeared for a site visit in Finchley. I headed off to inspections in north-west London, stopping off at Tesco in Harrow, before returning in time for lunch. Found myself behind a Royal Mail truck with an UBU reg...tried desperately to think of a riff on Ubu Roi but couldn't find a way of shoe-horning the Mail bit into the pun! Aki had managed to visit Big Jo, which meant Basque cheesecake for lunch! Out again in the afternoon, inspecting property in Tottenham, Walthamstow, and Plaistow. Spicy sausage and bean stew for dinner. Watched Fawlty Towers...genius undimmed! Followed by a tasty serving of MasterChef.

Sunday 14th March 2021

Tony McB was about to open a show in Hastings, and celebrate his forthcoming marriage with a stag night, so I caught a train from London Bridge. I entered the train carriage and made my way down the aisle, but felt the people behind me pressuring me to move quicker than I was willing, so I made way, and three black musicians passed me, carrying their instruments. They bagged their seats, and I got talking to them about music, and said I might be able to get them some theatre work, so one of them gave me their card. Another complimented me on my large-print brown and yellow suit....and then I woke up! Cooked brunch. Read about the incomparable Michael Rosen's new collection of very moving prose poems, inspired by his near-death experience in a covid-induced coma up the road at the Whittington Hospital... Aki went for a short bike ride after lunch, before the rain came in again. I stayed home and listened to a recording of Beckett's "All That Fall" I found on Youtube...wanted to hear what they did with the sound effects. Aki cooked up some twice fried mackerel and tempura vegetables for dinner...very tasty. Bit of telly before bath and bed.

Saturday 13th March 2021

Listened to Poly Styrene's daughter Celeste on Saturday Live talking about the film she has made of her mother's artistic legacy...found I can download it from my local cinema for £10...a belated response to the pandemic enforced enclosures which means I can bypass Amazon Prime, though at a cost. FaceTimed mother to warn her that her Mother's Day chocolates were about to be delivered...the DPD man arrived as we were talking, and she unwrapped them live on screen! They then put some C&W on the CD player and danced about the dining room. Walked over to Finsbury Park, and ambled up the disused railway line toward Crouch End, and back to Stroud Green and the organic grocer. A lot of people out and about. Screened new film "Mouthpiece" after dinner...intriguing, artful low-budget Canadian film dissecting a daughter's grief for her mother, using two actresses to play the daughter...apparently started life as a theatre piece. Nicely done.

Friday 12th March 2021

Finished reading "A House For Mr Biswas" in bed this morning...an enjoyable read. Like a cross between Fielding's "Tom Jones", and a sort of prototype Homer Simpson! Bit of weather out there this morning, but not as bad as the forecasters had led us to believe. Kath rang to say she'd managed to snap the petrol flap off of the car when filling up! She was quoted £260 to replace it!!! Aki drove up to Finchley for a site inspection meeting, so I worked from home...once I'd downed my pint of coffee! Aki made her Pandemic Players debut this evening in a reading of a short, whimsical piece set at a speed dating event, called "Hello, Nice to Meet You, Goodbye!" Everyone got a small part, and had fun. Watched "Homeland", followed by "Later With Jools...",which included a new song from Paul Weller. He's still in great voice...but looks suddenly very aged in the face...he's heading down the Ronnie Wood route to grandpappydom...

Thursday 11th March 2021

The wind and rain that was forecast didn't show up...but I worked from home rather than doing inspections out in the weather. Aki cooked a risotto for dinner. Watched telly. Started looking for a summer holiday destination...aiming for the West Sussex coast this time.

Wednesday 10th March 2021

Didn't get a great night's sleep...woke about 0530 and dozed in and out until rising at 0830. Feeling a little under the weather...presumably the after effects of yesterday's AZ jab. Working from home today, partly as a result, but partly because it's going to rain all day. Ordered a little something from John Lewis's for Mother's Day on Sunday...for mother, not me! 

Made homemade Chinese noodles and a chicken laksa for dinner...inspired by a Scottish-Chinese gal on Masterchef. It was a winner!

Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed.

Tuesday 9th March 2021

Working from home today. Aki nipped out on her bike to visit the fishmonger on Essex Road...nice day for a cycle ride. Gobbled some lunch, then I drove up to Crouch End for my Covid-19 jab, and waited in line. Painless and efficient set up, though I had to wait fifteen minutes afterward to make sure there was no allergic reaction, before I was allowed to drive home. Aki still feeling OK after her jab yesterday...so fingers crossed.

Worked till 1830. Watched two episodes of Better Call Saul after dinner...becoming addicted! Also caught Ben Fogle's journey into the heart of Chernobyl...he had to wear pretty much what I wore to the health centre this afternoon!!!

Monday 8th March 2021

 

Aki up early to chat with her mum in Tokyo. She set off for the site in Finchley after breakfast, on her bike...I drove south to Penge to inspect some stock. Aki rang me to say she had got up Highgate Hill but wasn't feeling well, and decided to turn back for home. I got home for a late lunch. Drove Aki to the Health Centre in Crouch End, where she received her first AZ jab. 

Watched a bit of telly after dinner...getting hooked on Masterchef...again! Listened to Book At Bedtime on R4...Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel. Similar themes to Never Let Me Go, but nicely read, and looking forward to seeing how it develops.

Sunday 7th March 2021

Late start this morning....cooked omelette wraps for brunch, with salmon and cream cheese fillings. Aki had a long chat with her niece in Tokyo, and we FaceTimed Kath, who was entertaining ma and pa at Peary Close for lunch. Dad was hooked on radio commentary of the Newcastle game; Mum was guzzling the red wine...hope she didn't drive dad home!

I FaceTimed Jim Lister and gave him a rendition of the song he has commissioned to mark his mum and dad's 90th birthdays at the end of this month. I've done a reversal of When I'm Sixty-Four, the lyrics now looking back on a comparatively youthful 64th year! Seemed to get the laughs in all the right places, but it still needs a bit of tidying up.

Took advantage of some early Spring sunshine and walked to Highbury Fields. A lot of people about. Caught Carlos practising his saxophone at No.34...we had a jig about in his front garden, but he was obviously too wrapped up in the music to notice us staring through his window! 

Aki cooked a slow roast chicken for dinner...can't go back to the old way now...the meat is moist, tender, and falls off the bone...delicious!

Tuned into a livestream from Ronnie Scott's this evening, featuring the Electric Lady Big Band...big band jazz re-interpretations of songs from Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album...groovy!!!

Saturday 6th March 2021

 

Managed to drag myself out of bed around 1000 and cook up some brunch. Went for our constitutional, ambling over to the greengrocer in Stroud Green Road, and popping in on Eglal at Girasole for some n'duja. Discovered Aki in the back garden later, talking to Brett across the garden divide...she came back from Australia a week ago, and has a few more days self-isolation to get through. Watched a Glasgow Film Festival offering this evening..."First Cow". Gently unfurling tale of male friendship and enterprise in 18th century Oregon. 

Friday 5th March 2021

Aki up and out early...Martin picked her up, as they had a site visit in Finchley lined up. I headed back the Chelmsford to finish the inspections for Chelmer. Took advantage of a comfort break at ASDA in Chelmsford, and had my lunch in the car park of the church on the green at Sandon. Got home about 1730. Spent my lunch allowance in TescoExpress around the corner. Aki fried some salmon for dinner. Bought a virtual ticket to "Hymn", at The Almeida. Cracking script by Lolita Chakrabarti, and great performances from Adrian Lester, and Dan Sapani. We gave them a standing ovation as they took their bows at the end.

Thursday 4th March 2021

Another day on the road. Headed back out to the villages surrounding Chelmsford. Happened upon the Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre, and parked up in the trees to have my lunch. Nice spot. Did a bit of bird watching, but it was cold outside the car! Got home about 1830. Aki grappled with an aubergine biryani, and we watched a bit of telly. Persevered with Wormwood, which is beautifully shot and put together.

Wednesday 3rd March 2021

Got up early so as to get on the road. Headed for the villages around Chelmsford today. Stopped off for a comfort break at Waitrose in Woodford and spent my lunch allowance. A lot of mist and fog around out in the countryside. Had another break at ASDA in South Woodham Ferrers, and ate my lunch in the car park. Raining quite heavily by the time I turned for home. Got in about 1830. Aki had cooked some duck breast for dinner. Watched a bit of telly. Tried the new gothic drama The Terror...but couldn't understand half of what was being said over the continual soundtrack of Arctic winds and creaking timber...it's like The Luminaries, but set in a fridge-freezer.

Tuesday 2nd March 2021

Picked up the car this morning...came home £260 lighter! Popped into Waitrose to get some daffs for Aki. Managed to get a bit of work done over the course of the day, but not much. Not feeling very enthusiastic, at present. Aki went to the post box in the afternoon, and stuck her nose in at Kilo to see what they had to offer...she came back with a small bag of almonds dipped in dark chocolate, which weren't very nice. Read some V S Naipaul after dinner. Early night.

Monday 1st March 2021

Up early to take the car in for MOT at Holocene Motors round the corner in Camden Road. Popped into Waitrose on the walk home. Not much work to do today, in the absence of a motor vehicle. Pottered about not doing very much. Garage phoned to say the car needed new rear brake pads, and they'd need to wait for the parts. Looks like I won't get the car back until tomorrow. Aki cooked dinner and we watched a bit of telly before bath, and bed.