Woke at 0730. Got up and did some work at the computer. Aki called...she'd rung one of her uncles in Kyushu, and they would arrange for a family get together when Aki arrives. The trip is pencilled in for next week. Made a packed lunch and got back behind the wheel, this time headed out east to Southend, then onto Burnham-on-Crouch, Maldon, where I stopped off for petrol at a large Morrisons superstore. Had my lunch in the car on a new-build development in Heybridge, before heading on to Colchester, then double-backed to Chelmsford, and my final port of call, Great Bardfield, near Sudbury. Aki called as I was driving to say that she had booked a hotel and a return flight to Kyushu for next week. She sounds a bit over-whelmed by all the stuff she's had to do and organise this last month or so...and it ain't over yet! Still, it's keeping her busy, and hopefully she'll get to catch up with a few chums before she has to fly home. Wanted to get home to change and grab a bite to eat before attending the play reading rehearsal at the Tower, but the traffic on the A406 North Circular was painfully slow, and eventually I gave up on the idea and drove down to Stoke Newington, hoping to find something to eat...in the end I made do with a packet of crisps purchased from the theatre bar, and a banana that one of the cast members kindly donated. Martin South, who is to read Henry VIII, cried off sick, so Simona asked me to read in...I've always been a good sight reader, so got stuck in and enjoyed myself. Henry has a song to sing halfway through, and not knowing the piece, I made up a 16th Century folk tune on the spot...as I sang out my last phrase, the room erupted in spontaneous applause!!! We finished just before 2200, and having been sat in the car on a 200 mile round trip today, I made my excuses and hurried off home for a soak in the bath.
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