Tuesday 31st August 2021

Woke around 0830 and read a bit more Hilary Mantel...can't put her down! Another rather grey day in store. We haven't really had a summer this year...so much for global warming!!! Drove over to Hove to pop in on Colin and Trudi in Modena Road. They showed me their new rear extension...very nicely done. Cost them £110,000 though! Had a cuppa tea then strolled down to the sea front to meet Ray and Stef for lunch at Morrocco's. 

A new building has gone up next door to the restaurant, which turns out to be David Gilmore's new pad...or one of them! Appears to be built of white brickettes, which give it an elegant feel. He's got a recording studio just around the corner. Colin and Trudi left, and I waited for Ray and Steph to show up. They managed to find a parking space right outside the restaurant. Updated them on Aki's situation, and chatted about trying to find somewhere suitable to live down this way, only to learn that they are thinking of heading northward, and are planning to check out Lancashire next month! We enjoyed our food...I had the parmigiana with a ball of burrata stuck in the middle of it. Parted company outside the restaurant, and I took a walk toward the city centre along the prom. Got as far as the Odeon, a little beyond the wreckage of the West Pier, then headed back to Morrocco's for an ice cream. 

Drove back to Findon. Called Aki who has had a negative PCR test...but now needs to get the flight certification properly stamped, so is planning to head for Heathrow early tomorrow to make sure she can get everything sorted before arriving at the departure gate. Drove to West Worthing and picked up Lou before driving on to The Brewhouse to meet Debbie and Phil. The hostelry has recently been refurbished, but as soon as we got there they began having problems with the electricity supply, so the place kept getting plunged into darkness before the lights would flicker back on again. It didn't seem to affect the kitchens so we managed to get food, but had to eat by a mix of candlelight and mobile phone torches! Phil's daughter Tatiana joined us, as did Casper the dog. Phil has just finished cycling round Great Britain...took him 12 years, doing a section every summer, totalling about 45 days & nights on the road. He's kept a diary and is planning to write it up and publish it. Put my bid in for a signed copy. Got back to Findon around 2200.

Monday 30th August 2021

 

Aki's alarm went off at 0800. Got up and breakfasted. Drove Aki to Worthing station to get the 1035 to London Victoria and waved her off from the ticket hall. Drove round to Louise's in West Worthing. She had put a friend up in the yurt in the back garden. Ryan is the son of a friend of Lou's in Perth, but has been living in Kilburn for five years, and has virtually lost his Aussie accent. Lou drove us back toward Findon, hanging a right before getting that far up the A24, and parking at the bottom of the Cissbury Ring. Walked up to it, then promenaded round the motte and bailey, affording views across the Downs to the north, and out across the English Channel to the south. Walked back down to the car park and bought coffees from the pop up in the car park, then drove back into Worthing. Bought fish 'n chips at Chipwick...easily the best chippy in town. Ate our lunch on the sea wall overlooking the east beach, where we gathered an audience of young herring gulls! Went to take a look at Lou's prospective new flat...it's a ground floor garden flat in a converted 50s era semi to the east of the town centre, and a short walk from the seafront. Then drove on to Brooklands Park, on the fringe of Lancing, where Lou had organised a festival last week, based around local ecologically based projects. She's using it as leverage to try and get Council grant money for further, more permanent projects in the park. We dropped Ryan off at Worthing station, and drove back to Lou's where I picked up my car and drove back to the cottage. FaceTimed Kath for an update on the Jim and Karen saga...it seems Jim has earned a stay of execution, and is staying in Morpeth...we await further developments. FaceTimed Aki. She had changed trains at Victoria, and had headed out to Heathrow to take a PCR test...results promised tomorrow, together with a certificate to fly, hopefully! Nowt on telly. Warmed up the remains of last night's chicken tikka biryani for dinner. Read some Mantel.

Sunday 29th August 2021

Had a bit of a coughing fit at about 0230...so didn't feel very rested on waking. Had breakfast sat out in the back garden, before setting off in the car for Chichester. Had a wander round the city centre...some impressive Georgian buildings, and an extensive cathedral quarter. Drove on to Lymington, a journey which took us along the eastern fringes of the New Forest. Lymington was much bigger than I'd imagined, and very quaint down by the quayside...there is a vast marina. The Elderflower, which we'd spotted on a TV programme, was on the quayside, and benefits from a fresh supply of locally caught fish. We enjoyed a 4 course tasting menu. First up, sea trout tartare with avocado & wasabi, gin and tonic cucumber, and basil. Second course was pan fried halibut with St Austell Bay mussels, pickled roscof onion petals, lemon puree and a crab veloute. 

Next up, fillet of beef, crispy sweetbread, smoked marrow, sauteed mushrooms and a wheatgrass veloute; dessert was elderflower parfait, marinated strawberries, strawberry and lime sorbet, gooseberry cloud with a strawberry jus frais, and a white chocolate and strawberry doughnut. We really enjoyed it! Drove back down the M27, and got back to Findon around 1815. Had planned to buy some soup or something equally simple for supper, but the village shop was closed, so we crossed the road and ordered a chicken biryani to share between us. FaceTimed ma and pa...it seems they are to take Jim in tomorrow, as Karen wants him out of the house while she beds in with her new job. Not fair on ma and pa, but they seem very philosophical about it. Watched a bit of telly before bed.

Saturday 28th August 2021

Got up around 0830. Had breakfast out in the back garden. Not especially warm out, yet, but a sunny morning developing. Drove to Worthing station so we could get our bearings for Monday morning. Parked up at Waitrose and bought some bits and pieces, then walked down to the seafront. Found ourselves outside Worthing Rowing Club, which enthused Aki...until she realised that they had to carry the boat across a wide expanse of pebble beach to get to the sea! Wandered up to the other end of the prom, and took in the pier, and the lido. A lot of tacky fairground rides line the prom. Town centre wasn't very appealing. Drove back to Findon for our lunch in a now very sunny back yard. Took an afternoon walk up Nepcote Lane to the gallops. Drove into Worthing and took a drive along the seafront to Goring-by-Sea, then back to Ringmer Road to visit Louise. She's been flat sitting for a chum who is sailing around Britain! It's given her time to catch up with some of her old mates, and look for a suitable property purchase...she's awaiting exchange of contracts on her St Neots house, and has had an offer accepted on a flat in East Worthing. We took her back to the cottage and cooked her some dinner, and did a bit of catching up. 

 

Friday 27th August 2021

Got up and started packing up for the trip to West Sussex. Aki spent most of the morning trying to sort out a pre-flight covid test...everything seems booked up well in advance. Packed the car and set off after a late brunch. Sat nav reckoned we'd get there around 1500, which would give us an hour to mooch about and look the place over before picking up the keys...but the sat nav had reckoned without the Bank Holiday traffic. Lost half-an-hour queueing on the Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road, and another half-hour queueing to get off the A2 and onto the M25. Got to Findon at 1615 and Paul came down to meet us and show us round the cottage. Very smartly presented, and cosy...basically a one-up-one-down with added kitchenette downstairs, and shower room and WC upstairs. Nice little rear garden with table and chairs. Drove down toward Worthing and bought some supplies at the M&S garage. Aki wanted me to squirt some sanitiser on her hands when we got back in the car, but the thing had got bunged up, and the ethanol shot out at an unexpected angle, hitting her squarely in the left eye! The garage toilets were out of action, so we had to request they open it so she could wash her eye out with some running water. She seemed none the worse for wear. 

Sat out in the back garden with a drink before walking into the village centre. Colin and Trudi were already sat in the Gun Inn...had a drink there before walking across the road to the Sylvan Oak for our dinners. It passes for fine dining in these parts...but not too expensive by London standards. I had pate de foie gras with brioche toast to start, followed by beef fillet on a smoked aubergine mash. Aki had halibut. Very tasty. Colin and Trudi came back for a look at the cottage before driving back to Hove.

Thursday 26th August 2021

Aki went to bed last night expressing the desire to go to Tokyo a bit earlier than planned, to see her mum, things being a little uncertain as to her state of health at present. I suggested she sleep on it. It's the fact that she has booked a flight on September 14th, but then has to isolate for 14 days in Japan, meaning she won't get to visit Toshiko until 1st October. By morning she'd decided not to go on holiday, but to book a flight out this Saturday. In the event, there were no seats on direct flights out until next Wednesday. So we decided she should come to the cottage in Worthing, then get a train back to London on the Monday, as she has to arrange a pre-flight covid test. Walked down to Girasole to buy something for lunch, but they had pretty much sold out of lunch items, and we didn't fancy lasagna, so came home and I made a sardine salad on toast. Aki did some preparatory packing, and I read more Hilary Mantel...can't put it down...proper writin', innit!? Made an egg and tomato curry for dinner, as we have a surfeit of tomatoes to plough through. Dread news from Kabul, as suicide bombers strike at the defenceless crowds of people queuing at the airport to get out of the country. 

Wednesday 25th August 2021

Aki up early to make contact with Tokyo....news was that Toshiko had regained her appetite...there's life in the old gal yet!!! Aki cycled off to rowing club. I got up and finished the book club read. Donned my Stones cap in memoriam of Charlie, and walked down to the cycle surgery to purchase a pedal spanner...but they were shut...looks as though they've shut for good! Ambled back up to The Green Room for a quick coffee, before heading home via the pharmacy to pick up more supplies of Amitriptyline. Aki back in time for lunch. Phoned our cottage renter-outer this afternoon. She sounded a little elderly, and said she was recovering from a mild stroke! She managed to confuse me by going on at length about not letting the dog out into the back garden...she laughed heartily when I told her we didn't have a dog!!! Anyhow, I'm to phone her partner, Paul, when we arrive, and he'll hand us the keys. Let's hope he's a bit more compos mentis! Started reading The Mirror & the Light, the final part of Hilary Mantel's Tudor trilogy...gripped from the first page onward...she is a masterful storyteller. Hosted the Book Club this evening. One of our number, Dulcie, voted to join by Zoom, as she didn't feel comfortable being in a room with the rest of us. Mixed reviews for Ocean Vuong's book...some felt it a little pretentious and self-indulgent...Dulcie was so horrified by the monkey brain eating scene, which was pretty early on in the narrative, that she couldn't pick up the book thereafter. A shame, as he had interesting things to say about trauma and survival, family and relationships, put over in a largely poetic fashion. We decided to choose two novels for the next read, one very short Japanese classic, and one set in more familiar British surroundings. My chocolate orange tiffin went down well!!!

Tuesday 24th August 2021

Woke at 0845. Slow start. Had research to finish, so plonked myself in front of the computer. Aki nipped out to get some ingredients from Waitrose. She was back in time for lunch...savoury pancakes and a side salad. More computer interfacing this afternoon. Made chocolate orange fridge cake this evening, in readiness for our book club guests tomorrow night...Aki made an aubergine lasagna for dinner. Sad to hear of the passing of Charlie Watts...another one bites the dust, and a little bit of me seems to go with them...definitely NOT a Ruby Tuesday!!! Played a couple of numbers I've been learning off of the Exile on Main Street album, in tribute. 

Monday 23rd August 2021

Aki woke me up with a mug of tea around 0845. Bit of work came through via email, so got on with that, sat in front of the computer all day. Broke for lunch. Aki nipped out to Morrisons. That was about as exciting as it got, really. I cooked Spanish chicken and chorizo for dinner, which we ate with some quinoa rice, and vegetables. Watched a bit of telly and read our bookclub read...nearly finished. Listened to R4's Master Tapes...talking to Ray Davies about a couple of seminal albums written in the early 70s when they were at the peak of their powers...The Kinks were the first live band I went to see at Newcastle City Hall in 1972!

Sunday 22nd August 2021

Woke around 0900. Aki had gotten up early to partake in a zoom call with her brother-in-law, and the manager of Toshiko's care home. Then she cycled off to rowing club. I read in bed for a bit, listening to the chanting coming through the brick wall from the Greek Church next door. Sometimes we get a whiff of incense into the bargain. Made a pancake for lunch, using Helen's apple puree as a filling. Aki had lunch in Springfield Park. FaceTimed ma and pa when she got back...dad showed off his prize cucumber. Listened to the second half of Arsenal v Chelsea from the Emirates...the Gooners haven't got off to a great start again. Already getting booed off the pitch only two games in! Cooked stuffed squash for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed.

Saturday 21st August 2021

 

Woke late and read in bed for awhile. Got up and Aki cooked eggs for breakfast. Noticed blue flashing lights out in the street...two police cars and a police van outside the Greek Church next door. The police were loading several of our local drug cartel acquaintances into the police van. Turned out Lynne upstairs had called the Old Bill, having seen some dealing going on from her upstairs window. It remains to be seen whether or not that gets rid of them or not...I suspect it only cuts the head off the hydra, and there will be new acquaintances to get to know next week! And they'll probably poor petrol into our letterbox!!! We had planned to go to Helen's for a late lunch, and sit in the garden, but rain forecast for most of the day, so we invited her down to ours instead. I did flat breads with Levantine chicken and a feta and pomegranate salad. Took ages...so we didn't eat till gone 1500. Helen had brought dessert...compote of apple, and of plum, from her garden harvest, with lemon shortbread rounds, which we had with spoom and yoghurt. Don't think we'll need dinner!!! Helen on her own at the moment, as Martin has gone up to Newcastle for a few days to look after his dad, who is showing increasing signs of dementia. When Martin rang him to tell him he was half an hour away and would pick up some fish 'n chips, his dad said he'd warm the plates...but put them on the hob! They were shattered by the time Martin arrived, fish supper in hand. Dinner was burrata with salad, and tomatoes from the garden. 

Friday 20th August 2021

Aki up early to get off to rowing...they'd planned a long day of it, rowing down the Limehouse Cut to the Thames, where they stopped for lunch at The Grapes, Ian McKellan's historic pub that backs onto the river. I meanwhile languished in bed until gone 0930. Got up and worked at the computer until breaking for lunch. George rang the doorbell, bearing more unwanted gifts from Gail's bakery...I took two loaves...good timing, George!!! More computer interfacing this afternoon. Aki got back exhausted, but managed to cobble some dinner together before nodding off on the sofa. Watched the magnificent Nubya Garcia's Proms concert...Joe Armon-Jones on keyboards blew me away. Superb. Watched Kate Winslet in "Mare of Easttown"...a very promising first episode. 

Thursday 19th August 2021

 

Woken around 0900 by Aki screaming in the bathroom...she had surprised a large tarantula that had taken up residence in the bath tub. We got the spider trap ready, and waited until he'd shifted to flatter ground in order to make sure of an accurate takedown. I left it for a few hours, but then Aki had to go for her hair appointment, and needed to wash her hair...in the bath. Got it first time, and dropped him in the gutter outside...he sprinted off for the other side of the road. Did some work at the computer after lunch. Aki cooked dinner...pan fried cod with rice and quinoa, cabbage and leeks, and a mustard mayo. Very nice! Watched Sean Lock's stand up show on the telly, shown in tribute to the great man who passed away with skin cancer yesterday. He was a genius...hope they repeat Fifteen Storeys High, which was very funny, and somewhat overlooked at the time.

Wednesday 18th August 2021

Woke around 0900. Aki stayed in bed for another half hour, having had a disturbed night's sleep...complained of feeling cold, so we got the winter duvet out for tonight! Did a bit of work at the computer this morning. Nothing much to do now, as no work in the pipeline...might have to consider doing a spell in south Wales come September! Made savoury pancakes for lunch. Sun came out this afternoon. Took a walk up Highgate Hill late afternoon, heading for the ice cream in the Italian deli, but found it closed for the summer vacation. Had to make do with Magnums from the convenience store across the road, which we scoffed in Waterlow Park while inspecting the tennis courts. FaceTimed Kath, who told us that Jim and Karen had turned up yesterday at Kath's to wish mum a belated happy birthday. A bit surprised to learn that they are due to trundle off in the caravette rather than getting Jim to sit down in front of his GP. Aki cooked a tasty mushroom risotto for dinner. I spent most of the evening trying to sort out our ever expanding collection of magazine recipes. Too many recipes, too little time!!!

Tuesday 17th August 2021

Woke around 0900 and hauled myself kettleward. Bit of work to do today, so spent the morning at the computer. Aki nipped out to Waitrose to get some odds and ends. She bought a couple of bottles of kefir, which had been bigged up on telly last night as being good for your gut health, and a couple of pomegranites, which are supposed to ward off dementia. She made a drink out of the pomegranite, cutting the whole thing up and putting it in a blender, then sieving out the detritus...it was absolutely revolting! Made some lunch to get rid of the taste. Back at the computer this afternoon. Aki cooked dinner...lamb kleftico with couscous and dates. She had a zoom meet at 1900. I wandered up to the North Nineteen, as they had flagged up the first open mic night since the March 2020 lockdown. Tony, the publican, recognised me, and tried to persuade me to do a couple of numbers, but I wanted to sus out the covid protocol to see if I wanted to come back. There was no through draught, just one exit door open, and that only occassionally. The mic was wiped with a sanitised wipe of some kind between acts, and there was no mask wearing inside...well, you can't drink and wear a mask at the same time. It was very raucous. Aki joined me after her zoom meet, but didn't feel comfortable, so we left after three acts. But not before I'd had a word with Tony, who is a builder by day, and grabbed his phone no. with a view to him coming to look the bathroom over...see if he can find the mystery leak. Walked home in time to catch more depressing news from Afghanistan, before bath and bed.

Monday 16th August 2021

Aki up early to call Tokyo. Her mum was dozing, and not very communicative. Aki had a chat with the care home staff, who are aware of Toshiko's declining state, and monitoring her. Aki still toying with when to time her journey to Tokyo...tricky. Read in bed for a bit. Have gotten a little behind with the book, to the extent that I can't remember who some of the fringe characters are when their names come up! FaceTimed mum on her 88th birthday...she had Anne from the bottom of the garden round for a cup of coffee and a biscuit. Promised to phone back this afternoon when she is due to be at Kath's. Drove to Waitrose and did the shop, getting back for a late lunch. FaceTimed mum at Kath's, where dad had been digging over the front garden in preparation to laying a lawn. They were about to head back to High View to receive a visit from Jim and Karen. Spent some time trying to determine whether we could get our bikes into the back of the car with the seats down. Took off the front wheels, which meant we just about managed it...leaving a little room for luggage. Cooked a tomato sauce with pancetta and onions for dinner, mixed into bowls of pasta. Watched a moving documentary following the development of six US children of men who were expectant fathers at the time of their deaths on 9/11...which dovetailed with depressing irony with Newsnight's coverage of the fall of Kabul to the Taliban.

Sunday 15th August 2021

 

Hauled myself out of bed by 0930 and had some porridge...Aki was hoping to go rowing this morning, but too many people were away, so couldn't get a team together. Bit of a farce getting us all to Broomfield Park for the blues fest...had rung Jane and she'd agreed to come knock on our door at 1310. We stood outside waiting for them, and when they didn't appear we knocked on their door at No.36. No reply...we thought they must have already departed for Finsbury Park station, so walked briskly in that direction. Aki phoned them and they said they were on platform 2, but no sign of them, and I thought this odd as the trains went in the wrong direction...we headed for platform 7 where we bumped into Kath and George. Rang Jane again, who said they were at a bus stop! We got on the train and said we'd meet them there...Carlos texted photos of our tickets, which allowed us to get in. We had pulled chilli beef burgers for lunch, washed down with a pint of Redemption, a locally brewed ale, apparently. Two bands interspersed with a solo act entertained us from the bandstand. Katherine didn't stop dancing throughout, but we all got up and had a jig about to a couple of numbers...people enjoying getting out and about at last. Carlos brought his harmonicas and gamely tried to play along with some of the more standard blues numbers. Last encore rang out at 1700, and we hightailed it for a train from Palmers Green. Had a small bowl of Spanish chicken stew with a hunk of bread for dinner, then listened to the BBC Proms from the Royal Albert Hall. MOTD2, bath, and bed.

Saturday 14th August 2021

Rose late and cooked brunch. Rang ma to alert her to expect a delivery this afternoon. She had been mowing the lawn, while dad was pruning trees in the back garden. Set off for Earlsfield early afternoon. Our first journey by tube this year, changing to Overground at Vauxhall. It was quite busy, and a lot of people not wearing face masks on the trains. Got to Tammy and Franco's around 1400, and were ushered into the back garden. Sun was out and Franco broke out with the prosecco, before he fired up the bbq grill...octopus, king prawns, and sea bream were the stars of the show, together with Tammy's delicious griddled vegetable salad. Very pleasant afternoon talking Stones, book clubs, and binge-worthy TV. Got home around 2130 in time for the first MOTD of the season.

 

Friday 13th August 2021

Aki up early to ready herself for a cycle ride over to Springfield Park for a row. Got up and tidied a little before the valuer turned up. He looked over Lynne's flat upstairs first, and then shot round our flat. Reckoned it would all be pretty straight forward. I cycled into Kings Cross afterward, and had a coffee in Coal Drops Yard. Aki rang to say she would cycle over for lunch, so I nipped up to the Samsung store to see if I could garner any advice regarding our TV's refusal to access BBC iPlayer. A very helpful chap called Gregor took me through some things to try, none of which I could recall on leaving!!! Aki and I bought a rice bowl each from a van in the market, and ate on the banks of the canal before walking to Evans Cycles round the corner. I broached the tricky subject of genital parenthesia by showing the guy behind the counter the web page Aki had found on the subject. He recommended a Adamo Berkely ISM saddle, but didn't have any in stock, and he adjusted the handle bars to allow me to sit up and back a bit more. Seemed to do the trick as far as the cycle home was concerned. Rang Louise to say we were due in Worthing at the end of the month...she said she is trying to coordinate a Downs walk for August Bank Holiday Monday, so I told her to count us in. She has sold her house in St Neots, and is looking for a small flat in Worthing. She'll show us around the best bits when we're there, which will be handy. 

Thursday 12th August 2021

Up at 0900 and made a mug of tea...settled in front of the computer. Aki cycled off to Essex Road to her hairdresser, despite it spitting with rain. She got back in time for lunch. I ran out of work mid-afternoon, which coincided with Aki needing the computer for a zoom meet with her JCUK colleagues. I tried a new chicken and chorizo recipe...wasn't as good as the usual one I use, which includes a hearty splash of red wine. Nowt much on telly, save for more depressing news from Afghanistan.

Wednesday 11th August 2021

 

Slow start this morning. Got up around 0900. Aki wanted to try and fit the bike rack on the new car, but after much fiddling about with wing nuts etc we gave up, defeated. The Golf SUV is a different shape to my old Golf. Aki cycled off into Noho to meet Tokiko for lunch at a Korean restaurant, while I walked round to Waitrose to buy some ingredients to make a lasagna. Back to work this afternoon. Made an aubergine lasagna, which uses aubergine and lasagna strips to build up the layers...bit of a faff frying many slices of aubergine before I could build the layers and pop it in the oven...looked good when it came out, but lacked the flavour of a beef mince version. Watched a bit of telly before bed...enjoyed a piece on the phenomenon that is People Just Do Nothing, which previews their film shot in Tokyo...looking forward to seeing that when it's released.

Tuesday 10th August 2021

Aki up early again to try and make contact with her mum. Didn't get to speak to her, but was assured by staff that she was better than yesterday, and back eating again. Bit worrying, though. Got up and made for the computer. The excel sheet I was working on before going on leave a couple of weeks ago has gone ape, for some unfathomable reason, meaning I'm going to have to trawl through the stocklist again and re-apply values and rents. Tried to elicit the aid of the IT department, but they couldn't fathom what had happened either. Broke for lunch, then back at it until 1830! Aki managed to cycle down to the fishmonger on Essex Road...weather much improved on yesterday. Pan fried trout for dinner.

Monday 9th July 2021

Aki up early to call her mum...didn't get very far this morning, though, as Toshiko was under the weather and was dozing. No visitors allowed at the moment, due to the surging covid cases in Tokyo. I hit the road at about 0915 and headed south of the river. The first inspection was a terrace of houses that back directly onto Charlton Athletic FC's stadium. Then drove on to Woolwich. The only place I could park to get anywhere near the blocks of flats I needed to look at was the basement car park at neighbouring Lidl...but you need a customer receipt to get out of the car park, so had to buy my lunch items there! Ate my lunch in the car in Greenwich, then wended my way to Eltham, and down to Anerley and Sydenham, before double-backing toward Rotherhithe and Deptford. Wanted to cross the river over Tower Bridge, but it was cordoned off by policemen, so was forced into the Congestion Charge zone. No cars allowed over London Bridge these days, so had to aim for Blackfriars. The heavens opened as I drove over the river! Got home around 1730. Aki cooked up some gyoza for dinner, with various vegetable sides...tasty!

Sunday 8th July 2021

Still raining! Stayed in bed and read a bit more of the Ocean Vuoung novel. It's intriguing in that it conjures an air of poetical imagery, but yet feels a little bit awkward...he's taken the English language and used it to express a Vietnamese spirit which doesn't quite dovetail or translate. Got up around 1030. Aki cooked up a late brunch, and we managed an afternoon walk up to Stroud Green and back. Looks as though The Dairy, an above average gastro pub on Stroud Green Road, has gone under. All boarded up. FaceTimed Kath, who had had a good time up in Dunbar, and ma and pa, who were pickling onions, amongst other things. I cooked a tagliatelle in lemon and parmesan as a starter this evening, followed by roast chicken thighs & pesto sauce, with roast tomatoes off of Aki's tomato plants, and vegetables. Watched a bit of telly. 

Saturday 7th August 2021

Slept well after a long day in the saddle yesterday. Woke to more torrential rain battering the flat roof above us. Got up and watched some of the Men's Madison...mental!!! Aki cooked a late breakfast of French toast with fried banana and maple syrup. Managed to fit an early afternoon walk up to Archway and back in between the showers. Aki picked up her ski jacket from the dry-cleaner...he had left it in the dryer too long and a 6" square of the green surface material had melted, revealing the down beneath. Aki cooked teriyaki salmon with miso soup for dinner, and we watched "Baby Done" via the BFI Player...solid kiwi comedy starring the redoubtable Rose Matafeo. 

Friday 6th August 2021

Up at 0730, but failed to get away before 0900. Spent the day in the car. Headed for west London, then crawled over Wandsworth Bridge, and spent the rest of the day in south-west London. Got as far south as Croydon before heading for home. Traffic terrible, and the weather didn't help. Sporadic torrential downpours...at least I had the car to shelter in...there were some pretty damp cyclists about! Got home around 1900. Aki cooked an aubergine curry. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed.

Thursday 5th August 2021

Slightly perturbed by pain in my left shin for a couple of minutes prior to nodding off...exactly the same as that described by Aki the night before! Can you get covid in your left leg!?! Spent most of the morning sorting out paperwork in relation to our proposed purchase of the freehold interest here. A s5 Notice looks imminent from the freeholder, which will lock us in to a fairly tight time schedule, so thought we ought to get things moving. Had to take a letter to the solicitor to the Post Office, as it needed to be posted recorded delivery. Popped in on Eglal at Girasole and bought a couple of paninos for lunch. Managed to get a bit of work done this afternoon. Aki cooked up the shoulder of pork we bought yesterday, with lentils and veg. Watched Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" which Jim had recommended. It was OK...but a rather thin idea, which duly came over as a rather thin film, though there were some nice gags in there.

Wednesday 4th August 2021

 

Aki woke in the night with shooting pains in her left calf...went on for ten minutes or so before dying down, but it meant she had a disturbed night's sleep. Mystery as to the cause. But she was able to walk to the Oil Can Cafe for breakfast. It's a 15 minute walk from Jim's house along country track, and is housed in a re-purposed carpet mill. There's a vintage motoring theme, and a garage next door full of vintage motors which are in various states of refurbishment. The cafe is huge, and we had the place pretty much to ourselves for a late breakfast. We had walked there in glorious sunshine, but halfway through the meal the heavens opened and it came down in stair rods, forming rivulets on the steep road outside. In the end we had to call Kath's brother Alex to come and pick Jim up in his van and take him back to his car...Jim then came out and picked the rest of us up. We set off for Nottingham around noon, driving through flash floods and pools of muddy brown which rendered my efforts at car washing the day before pretty much redundant! The storm had been very localised, though, and by the time we hit the parish borders of Barnsley, we were driving in sunshine on dry tarmac. Got to Bob's at about 1400 and had a cup of tea and a slice of toast before heading southward once more. Drove to Waitrose to buy some food for tonight, then home to unload. Cooked a mushroom and anchovy dish to have with some pasta, and a generous side salad. Bit of telly, bath, and bed.

Tuesday 3rd August 2021

 

Up and about around 0900...the sea air yesterday had taken it out of us! Started packing. Decided to take the window of opportunity to wash the car...don't think I've done that for nigh on 20 years!!! But it needed a going over...don't know why, but the blue paint job seems to show up the dirt more than the silver on the previous motor. Ma made us some lunch, and we said our farewells afterward. Glad to see them both looking so well. Drove to Holmfirth in the afternoon, getting to Jim and Kath's around 1700. They took us on a 30 minute walk to the top of the neighbouring moor and back, which got our appetites up. They treated us to a chilli con quornie, and in return we gifted them one of mum and dad's prize cucumbers, which went down well. Did a bit of catching up. Barney doing well...currently in Devon in a studio working with a young Glaswegian singer/songwriter called Joseph, who's being bigged up as the next big thing. Meanwhile, Ro's boyfriend Rob has tested positive for covid, so it's only a matter of time before Ro comes down with it in empathy. Katherine has taken over a ceramics business, buying it off a retiree, and she's currently gearing up for a September re-launch.

Monday 2nd August 2021

 

Woke up around 0900 and showered. Nice sunny morning, so we decided to head to the coast while the opportunity presented itself. Kath drove mum, and I drove pa and Aki. Got caught up in a terrible traffic jam in the village due to a road closure, and eventually turned around and made our way cross country to the A1 via Prestwick. Got to Druridge Bay just as mum and Kath were figuring out how to pay for a parking ticket. Walked down to the beach, but it was very windy, so we made our way back to the cars and picked up the picnic, then found a picnic table by the man-made lake and had our lunch. 

Jim, Karen and Luke turned up, with their young pup, Bailey, on his lead. He's very cute, and greeted us with great enthusiasm. We decided to drive down to Cresswell in convoy, as it was very busy at Druridge Bay. Went for a walk along the beach and played football with the dog. Jim looked in good shape, if a little drawn. Aki and Karen had a chat about the situation, but it doesn't appear that Karen has explored much by way of medical leads which might address the drink problem. See what happens. Drove home and had a cuppa in the back garden just as it started to cloud over. I made a fish pie for dinner, and used Aki's meringues to make an Eton Mess for afters. Watched a bit of telly before bed. 

Sunday 1st August 2021

Woke around 0800. Took a shower. Watched a bit of Olympic coverage before driving us all over to Peary Close for a late morning coffee in the back garden...it wasn't really sitting in the garden weather. Not raining, but a bit cold, and certainly rather grey! Kath has had a new timber fence put in at the bottom of the garden, and has cleared some space for a shed. She's also considering a rear extension, though dad reckons she should do a house swap with the next door neighbour, who owns a bigger plot. Drove us back to High View for lunch. Aki and I walked down to the shops at Darras to buy a lemon for Aki's lemon and chicken risotto this evening. Mum played the piano and gave us a bit of Mozart. Watched "All Is True", a rather sweet and canny film by Kenneth Branagh, written by Ben Elton with some very knowing nods toward the canon, both Shakespeare's, and his own!

Saturday 31st July 2021

My 63rd birthday started slowly...got up and took a shower before heading downstairs for some breakfast. Rained pretty much all day, so any plans to meet up with Jim and Karen at the Festival in Alnwick were swiftly shelved. Spent most of the morning watching Olympic coverage. Leigh popped round with some fresh eggs. Kath came over for lunch, and we managed a brief walk round Big Water out Hazelrigg way. Lots of swans, ducks and geese, many of whom came aground to greet us in the forlorn hope that we'd brought some food with us. 

Drove back via Sainsburys in the village, nearly getting stuck in traffic in the car park. Took a gander at the new pool and leisure complex which has replaced the old sports centre. Quite an impressive looking edifice. Got back for a cuppa tea and some birthday cake before ma started preparing a roast chicken dinner. Watched "Chappaquiddick", a film with a made-for-TV air about it, detailing the scandal that surrounded Ted Kennedy after a car accident in which his passenger died. He didn't come out of the tale with flying colours, it has to be said. Yet he managed to hang on and become a highly respected and long-serving senator.

Friday 30th July 2021

Woke around 0240 to the sound of a car outside, and stayed awake listening out for further noises...suspicious sounds came from downstairs. I got up and stood at the top of the stairs and put the light on, only to find father sheepishly exiting the downstairs bathroom. We exchanged a wave, and went back to bed. Got up around 0930. Aki already downstairs having her breakfast. Decided to make a red currant spoom to go with dad's red currant flan. Picked red currants off the bush at the top of the garden, and then rather laboriously de-stalked them prior to boiling up in some sugar water. Kath turned up for her lunch, then drove us down to Darras to shop for ingredients for tonight's dinner. Walked back up Whinfell in the rain. Watched some Olympic coverage before I helped Aki do some prep for the carbonara she cooked this evening. Kath came for dinner, then headed back to Westerhope. Rain finally stopped, but doesn't look much better tomorrow!

Thursday 29th July 2021

Got up around 0800...Bob already up and about preparing the breakfast spread, which included Lottie's ace sourdough loaf, to which Bob added crushed avocado with chilli oil...very tasty. Bob had dug out the old final year UES degree team photo, wanting help remembering names, but I'm hopeless at that. Will have to get Jim on it. Hit the road around 1030, and headed for the city centre to give Aki a feel of the Nottingham. Drove over the River Trent and pointed out the green roofs of County Hall, and then headed northward up the Mansfield Road, past our final year flat share, which is now a, very, low-budget hotel. Stopped off to use the facilities at the Robin Hood Visitor Centre in Sherwood Forest, then joined the A1(M). Stopped for a late lunch at a farm shop near Scotch Corner. Surprised to find three large camels in the first field, and ostrich and rhea in the barns! The ham baps were comparatively unprepossessing. Took a detour via Barnard Castle, then re-joined the A1 at Durham Services. Got held up in very slow traffic coming over the Tyne near Scotswood, so veered off onto the A69 and came in to Darras via Callerton. Ma and pa had got the gardens looking great, and we sat out back with a cup of tea before Kath turned up and mum served dinner. Nowt much on the telly. Felt a bit whacked after the exertions of the last two days, so it was early to bed.

Wednesday 28th July 2021

Got up and did some ironing prior to packing before the journey northward. Had ourselves a large late brunch, Aki being keen to use up what was left in the fridge. Set off early afternoon, and drove to Great Glen near Leicester to pop in on Chris Martin and Mary Jo...they live in two small cottages on the village High Street, which have been knocked together, though not knocked through, so the rooms remain very cramped. Mary Jo had baked a lemon drizzle cake, and we had an hour to enjoy a catch up and a cuppa tea. Can't believe Chris is nearly 80. He retains a youthful enthusiasm for life which I fondly recall from working with him at the New Vic in Stoke, though his time is now largely spent tending a profusion of vegetables that they cultivate in the back garden.

Drove onward up the A606 to West Bridgford. Bob came out to greet us looking very trim. He's had the all-clear on the prostate cancer, but was very ill a couple of weeks ago, having contracted some kind of infection which got on to his kidneys and threatened to turn into sepsis. Thankfully, he is now regaining his health, and was on good form. Lottie made us a cup of tea, and then showed us to our room, which they have been renting out as an AirBnB. Drove out to a country pub for dinner, making a detour into Keyworth to visit No.34 Ashley Road, where I lived from 1959 to 1965. It's still recognisable in terms of shape, but has been rendered externally, and the garage turned into habitable space. Can't quite believe it was that small...but then I was small at the time!