Friday 24th July 2021

Not so warm today. Aki up early and off to Rowing Club before I'd got myself out of bed. Back at the computer screen all morning, but broke for the Olympic Opening Ceremony from Tokyo at noon. Aki got home just in time. Had some lunch, then back to work. Phoned mum...she had been entertaining Jim, who had gone down the Diamond with a mate, and came back while I was still on the phone. He sounded in good shape, and intimated that he was determined to kick the booze. Said he planned to speak to his GP on Monday. Wandered over to No.38 and knocked Ben and Gayu up...walked to Bisha on Holloway Road, a little Eritrean restaurant we'd noticed on one of our constitutionals. The food is served on a huge round plate on a basket, with a large basket weave tagine type edifice atop...this is removed to reveal your meal, which in turn sits on a thin layer of fermented sour bread, which is a bit of an acquired taste, it has to be said...I found myself yearning for a bowl of rice. 

We adjourned to a small cocktail bar that had opened on the opposite side of the road, and had a nightcap at an outside table before walking back to Sussex Way. Bumped into Carlos and Jane outside No.36 and had a brief natter in the street. A very pleasant evening. Came home and watched several hours of Amy Winehouse tribute TV...a sad and salutary tale!