Wednesday 22nd September 2021

Woke at 0830. Nice sunny day greeted me when I opened the shutters to the living-room window. Did some work at the computer  before setting off on the road. Drove up to Hampstead, where I stopped to pick up a coffee, then back to Tufnell Park and various areas of Islington. Popped in at Girasole at lunchtime, and had a catch up with Eglal. She asked me to send on my best wishes to Aki, and that she was thinking of her. Drove on to Tottenham, Hornsey, and then down to Dalston. 

Got caught in football traffic on the way home. Arsenal play Wimbledon tonight in a League Cup tie. Slow going through the Finsbury Park area. Took the budino over to Ben and Gayu at No.38. Gayu had cooked a vegetable curry, which we had with rice and salad, followed by double helpings of budino, which went down a storm. Filled them in on Aki's trials and tribulations in Chiba. Took my guitar over and Ben got his violin out, and we had a go at some Stones numbers. Left them at around 1030 and headed home feeling rather stuffed! Just before bed, I texted Barney to ask what Guy Garvey had said about him winning an Ivor...Guy works out of the studio next door to Barney, and is, of course, the lead singer of Elbow, and the nicest man in rock music. I was astonished to receive a text back from Barney almost immediately...iphone film footage from tonight's Elbow gig at the huge Hammersmith Apollo...Barney was standing up in his circle seat saluting the huge crowd, Guy having bigged him up from the stage, the massive crowd clapping and chanting Barney's name...gave me goose bumps!!!