Thursday 31st March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Dozed until 0830. Aki got up to prepare for a site visit to Balham. I got up and made coffee. Spent most of my morning trying to find the best way to play "Rain & The Wind" in the key of D, rather than in G that I had been using...Feste now wants to try it there to make his life easier on the guitar part...I'm trying to find a way of playing it in Open D tuning. Broke for lunch at 1300. Aki got back for her lunch at 1400. Transferred my attentions to trying to plot the song out in DADGAD tuning during the afternoon...slow going. Warmed up the leftover goulash for dinner, which we had with penne and pan fried aubergine slices. Drove to Stoke Newington in the snow! Only a light sprinkling, but it gone blown about a bit in a cold wind. Rehearsed in the theatre space this evening, which made a pleasant change. Worked on Act 2 Sc5, in which Sir Toby and his pals listen in on Malvolio reading the forged letter from Olivia...lots of comic business...it should be a hoot! Home by 2230 for bath and bed.

Wednesday 30th March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730, and dozed in bed till 0830. Got up and made porridge. Spent the morning working on "The Wind & The Rain", our finale song...hard work! I think I'm just about there, though....just need to learn the lyrics by heart. Made a ham salad lunch, with toast, and Aki's freshly made hummus. Did some exercises after lunch, and worked on the scene we are due to rehearse this evening. Aki tested negative this afternoon, so we decided to go out for a walk, as she had been housebound for 10 days. Walked up to Crouch Hill and had coffee and cake in a little cafe that recently opened in the old ticket office at Crouch Hill station. Quite nicely done. Walked back home via Shaftesbury Road, and Aki baked trout for dinner, which we ate with potatoes and green beans. Had to wolf it down as I needed to get off to rehearsal. Traffic on the Seven Sisters Road terrible at present, due to on-going waterworks at Finsbury Park. But got to Stoke Newington just before 1900 and parked outside the theatre. Worked on the drunken party scene, Act 2 Sc3, this evening. It went well. Loads of comic detail already, which bodes well. Improvised a drunken sing-a-long around a fire on the beach, which saw us bellowing out Maggie May. Good fun. I had a vocal problem toward the end of the rehearsal...a sliver of black pepper from my dinner lodged itself on my vocal cord, and I had to stop and drink water...rather threw me off for the last 10 minutes of the rehearsal, but my voice seemed fine in the aftermath. Most of the gang went off to the pub round the corner, but I drove home. Got in around 2230. Bath and bed.

Tuesday 29th March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Dozed until 0830. Aki got up to take a call from her Balham project client. I did some line learning in bed before getting up to make coffee. Pottered about trying, and failing, to work out some guitar chords as backing for a couple of the Twelfth Night songs. Fortunately, Tamara the composer sent fresh copy over with the chords on...just in time! Made some lunch, then popped out to do a bit of shopping...bough daikon at the Chinese shop round the corner, then went to Michael's greengrocers for aubergines, then on to Morrisons, and finally to Waitrose on the Holloway Road. Cooked a roast aubergine goulash for dinner...it was OK...not as meaty as a meat goulash, but then that was the point of the exercise. Aki downloaded a French film, "Le Famille Belier", made in 2015, and pinched by Hollywood to be re-made as "CODA", which one an Oscar or two last night. It was a pretty thin script, but had its' enjoyable moments, and the finale had us both snivelling into some tissue! 

Monday 28th March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730...dozed until 0830, then did a bit of line learning in bed. Chocolate porridge for breakfast. Aki feeling better, but still testing positive. I downloaded a line learning app onto the iphone, and recorded my first scene...it's quite useful. It reminded me when I did my first amateur production in Basildon, I recorded all my scenes on a cassette recorder, leaving gaps for me to fill with my lines...as it was a five month rehearsal period, I knew everybody else's lines by the time we went up, as well as my own, which came in handy on a couple of occassions when the chap playing my butler jumped ahead a couple of pages...I was able to bring the scene back to where it needed to be! Fried some sardines for lunch, with potato, salad, and avocado toasts. Did a bit more line learning during the afternoon. Popped out to Poundland to get Aki some rubber gloves. Warmed up the mabo and rice for dinner, with pak choi and leeks. Spent a bit of time working through a couple of the songs for Twelfth Night. Tamara had sent me the dots, but I had to add the lyrics, working out which note to apply to which syllable by listening to the mp3 she'd made. It was a torturous process, and will be difficult for cast members to follow it, but I'm sure we'll get there, slowly! 

Sunday 27th March 2022

Woke at 0730...but as the clocks went forward last night, it's now 0830 already! Got up around 0900 and cooked breakfast, then abluted and trimmed my burgeoning beard. Took a LFT prior to heading off for rehearsals...proved negative. Aki holding back for the moment, planning to take a test tomorrow to see if she can honour her dental appointment next week. Drove over to Stoke Newington for afternoon rehearsals. Whole company was gathered this afternoon to do a bit of bonding through some impro games...got to learn everyone's names. Most left at 1600, and we rehearsed Act I Sc5 until 1815...I've only got four lines in it, but it requires some very drunk acting. Joel (Feste) and Ruth (Malvolia) both excellent in the scene...Sangita as Maria is shaping up very well...Sophie's Olivia needs a more sombre aspect in keeping with her mourning weeds, but hopefully that can be teased out of her as rehearsals progress. Decamped to Tamara's flat thereafter with Joel and Matthew. Tamara has composed some original music for the show, and Joel's guitar skills are top notch...really good. He's going to be terrific in the show. Gave Feiyang a lift to Finsbury Park, and got home around 2100. Aki still up and about...she doesn't look ill...hopefully she'll get a negative test result tomorrow and treat herself to some fresh air!

Saturday 26th March 2022

 

Got up around 0900 and cooked breakfast. Aki still coughing a bit, but otherwise seems OK. Still treating her as positive, but she's up and about. I took a walk up to the Farmer's Market at Yerbury School to buy a loaf of bread...wandered through Whittington Park on the way back, bumping into Dick Whittington's cat, Privet. Did a wee shop in Morrison's, but they didn't have any skimmed milk, so I walked up to the mini Tesco on Hornsey Road. Getting quite warm outside. Made cheese and tomato sandwiches for lunch. Spent the afternoon doing a bit of line learning before making dinner...did a pumpkin risotto with some vegetables on the side, followed by Aki's tiramisu with a dollop of yoghurt. Watched Stephen Graham in "Boiling Point"...filmed in one continuous shot, which gave it a dizzying feel to watch, as Graham's stressed out chef finally melts down. 

Friday 25th March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730....dozed until 0900. Aki still testing positive, but feeling OK. Phoned ma to tell her to expect a delivery at lunchtime...she seemed pleased with her tits and boobies, and vowed to show them to the delivery man later when he brings her the tin of hot chocolate! (She'll do anything for a tin of hot chocolate, that woman!). Sounds as if their hob has died...they are surviving on grass and whatever's still growing in the greenhouse. I made a single contribution to top up my pension pot...needed to bang it in before the end of the tax year to benefit from the tax relief! Warmed up some mushroom and spinach quiche for lunch, and I made a sort of ploughman's on the side. Pottered about in the afternoon, before going for a short walk...had a decaf at The Green Room, then ambled over to Big Jo's to get Aki a slice of cake, as requested. They were packing up, and gave me a free pain au chocolat which we can have with our morning coffee tomorrow. Cooked a tofu mabo for dinner, with red rice rice on the side, and pak choi. The salted black beans I bought in the Chinese supermarket round the corner gave it a distinctive flavour. Watched MasterChef in the hope of garnering some inspiration for tomorrow. Early bath and bed...

Thursday 24th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Dozed to the radio until 0900. Aki got up and discovered the tap to the bathroom sink had been running all night...lucky we're not on a water meter, and that it was the cold rather than the hot tap!!! Kath FaceTimed from Renee's...sounds like she'd had a tough week with a couple of client-side silage incidents! She said Jim had been on the waggon for two weeks now, and was looking in good shape. He's been helping out with the cooking and stuff lately. Aki not feeling too bad...still a bit of a cough, which mainly manifests itself when she's lying down, but other than that the affliction has been fairly mild. Spent three quarters of an hour on the phone to IT trying to get my scan to email working on my Savills printer. Only managed to get it to send a scan to the laptop...but I can then attach the resultant pdf to any email. Warmed up the quiche I'd bought yesterday, and griddled some lettuce and potatoes to go with it...had to wake Aki up, as she'd nodded off on the sofa. The valuer got in touch with us regarding the freehold purchase. They have advised we accept the final figure of £20,000 for the two leasehold interests. The upstairs neighbour emailed the valuer to say she was happy to accept £20,000...as I thought, she thinks it should be a straight 50/50 split, when in actual fact the valuations suggest a 60/40 split, our flat being smaller, and the interest being of slightly less value, as her ground rent is stepped. So I emailed the valuer stating that, based on the initial valuation report, this would infer a split of £12,000/£8,000, to which the upstairs neighbour replied stating that £10,000 was her maximum. I pointed out, therefore, that we would be willing to pay no more than £7,000 for our share of the freehold...I knew she'd put a spanner in the works, as she doesn't understand the valuation principles at play. I spoke to the valuer, who said it was highly unlikely that they would sell for less than £20,000, and I agreed. The valuer will go back to Lynne to explain the principles involved, and that a lease extension would cost her at least £12,000...a lease extension may be the only way forward, though, if her upstairs is going to dig her heels in. See what happens next! Went for my constitutional...walked through to Stroud Green Road, popping in at Green & Glory to buy some vegetables, before walking on past Crouch Hill railway station...where there appears to be a new tapas bar...will have to try it out one lunch time. Cherry blossom out in Sussex Way...very Oriental! Cooked a one-pot chicken chasseur for dinner...very tasty. Email from Lynne upstairs, saying she'd taken note of our email correspondence with the valuer, and was willing to accept a 60/40 split...hurrah! Hopefully, it will soon be sorted once and for all!

Wednesday 23rd March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Dozed to R4. Got up around 0930 and made porridge for breakfast. Looks like another glorious day shaping up outside. Did some voice exercises this morning and recapped the lines I think I've got under my belt so far. Made a sardine salad with the leftover lentils from last night, for lunch. Aki not feeling too bad, so got up and had lunch at the dining table. Took my afternoon constitutional and headed for Highbury Fields…had a decaf at the little Japanese cafe on Corsica Street, then walked down Upper Street to buy a mushroom quiche from Belle Epoche for lunch tomorrow. Popped in to the refurbished Central Library on Holloway Road...didn't look much different to before, as far as I could tell, aside from new carpet tiling. Picked up some food waste bags. Walked up to the chemist opposite the Odeon, and picked up a box of covid-19 test kits. Warmed up the aubergine parmigiana lasagna for dinner, with steamed vegetables on the side. Watched a bit of telly. Re-visited "Derry Girls", as the series was referenced last week in an episode of "The Simpsons", which reminded me that we hadn't finished series one. It's a cracking script, though delivered at break-neck speed in thick Ulster accents...fortunately we are able to turn on subtitles! 

Tuesday 22nd March 2022

Woke around 0800. Aki had had a fitful night's sleep, interrupted by several bouts of coughing. But her symptoms remain mild. Got up and made porridge for breakfast. Did some exercises in the front room. Warmed up some homemade minestrone soup for lunch, taking Aki's in on a tray, as she's languishing in bed. Walked to Waitrose...lovely day. Sun was out, and it felt very Spring-like. Did some line-learning when I got home. Grilled hake in parma ham for dinner, with puy lentils and yoghurt. Watched the third episode of "Holding"...Brenda Fricker is amazing in it...she had a long almost Beckettian monologue, but the west Cork accent made it virtually impenetrable...it's a shame ITV don't supply subtitles! Relatively early to bath and bed...

Monday 21st March 2022

Woke around 0800. Aki got up and took a lateral flow test...which confirmed her as positive! Half the Book Club have now got covid...who'd have thought reading could be so dangerous!? I got up and made tea. No sign of any work in the pipeline, save for a small job for Apna Ghar HA, which will only take me a couple of days. Learnt a bit of script, then did my voice exercises, before cooking up a light lunch. Aki had hers' in bed on a tray. I ambled over to Waitrose in the afternoon sunshine to get some ingredients for an aubergine parmigiana lasagna. Tried FaceTiming ma and pa, but the app infers that Margaret is no longer hooked up to FaceTime...she must have accidentally pressed something last time. No joy FaceTiming Kath either. Cooked the lasagna for dinner, with some grilled asparagus and broccoli. Aki sat up at the table. Watched a bit of telly. Managed to FaceTime Kath, but she and Jim were just settling down for University Challenge, so we left them to it. FaceTimed Lou in Worthing...she's planning a trip to Japan so wants to hook up to pick Aki's brains. Suggested she come and see "Twelfth Night"...it's the play I met her on forty years ago, at North London Poly...she stage managed the London run, but didn't come out to Malta with us. I played Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Early bath, and bed.

Sunday 20th March 2022

Woke around 0900. Hauled ourselves out of bed. Made an omelette for breakfast, with ham and salad. We alerted Nick, who was due to pay us a visit for his Sunday lunch, to the fact that Aki was feeling a little under the weather, and that a contact had tested positive, but he opted to take the risk. Aki kept her distance, and went to bed once Nick had turned up. He'd brought his guitar, but we didn't get much playing done. Instead he talked through his multifarious mental health issues...he is bi-polar, and has been institutionalised. He related his travails with someone at the Tower Theatre, with whom he had a brief fling, which she ended without explanation, and the after effects have been rumbling on, dragging numerous Tower members into it's toxic aftermath! Rather regretted having invited him round!!! He now seems to think I'm his best friend!!! I surmise he's about to have his theatre membership terminated....we'll see what happens! Sad, really, as he's intelligent, and not un-talented, and confesses to feeling lonely...but he obviously has issues, and props himself up with cigarettes and alcohol. I cooked up roast chicken with sumac, lemon, and zaatar, with roast potatoes and vegetables, followed by tiramisu. Aki had her dinner on a tray in bed. Nick left around 1600, and I washed up. Watched Forest take on Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final...they put on a good show, but went down 2-0 to the Reds. Made a light evening meal...smashed avocado on toast, with salad, and a chunk of Comte. Watched the final episode of "This is Going to Hurt"...well made, but a grim watch! 

Saturday 19th March 2022

Woke at 0800. Got up and made tea, which we drank in bed listening to Saturday Live! Siobhan McSweeney was on talking about her role in "Holding", which we'd watched during the week. Porridge for breakfast, as we were going out for lunch. Cycled over to Stoke Newington, where Bee lives...she'd cooked up a tasty Thai curry for lunch, and I was reunited with the "PMQ" cast, and George, our director. Matthew had brought his wife Kate along, and Bee had also invited Rosanna, who had directed one of the other shorts. I'd found her fiver on the floor as I left the theatre last night! A pleasant meal, with some shared feedback on one or two Tower members who appear to be developing reputations as local 'divas', which proved interesting! Cycled home...Aki veered off toward Islington Green to visit the butcher on Essex Road, while I cycled home, then walked to Waitrose to get some items to make tomorrow's lunch. Made a mushroom and anchovy pasta sauce for dinner. Watched the rather moving penultimate episode of "This is Going to Hurt"...shocked by the suicide of the young female trainee doctor! Followed that with "Holding", and another episode of "Seinfeld", which matures like a classy wine.

Friday 18th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Putin's dirty war continues unabated. Got up around 0900 and made tea and porridge. Looks like another sunshiny day today. Aki had to go visit Howden's Kitchens on behalf of her client. I stayed home and did some exercises. Put lunch together from yesterday's lunchtime leftovers. Nipped out to Tesco to get some milk in the afternoon sunshine. We cooked an aubergine parmigiana for dinner...different recipe to our usual, which added fried panko, mixed with parmesan, oregano and basil. It was good. Drove to Stoke Newington, with Kev from No.93 in tow, to see the Tower Theatre production of "Bouncers". Bumped into Nick Hall in the bar...he's coming over on Sunday to play some guitar and have his Sunday lunch. The show was pretty good, especially the choreographed set pieces, but the actors didn't find the right level of menace in their bouncer guises...needed a bit more oomph. Kev seemed to enjoy it very much. We shared a beer with him in the bar afterward, and then drove him to his door at No.93.

Thursday 17th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. News was headlined by the arrival of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at Brize Norton after 6 years detention in Iran...some good news, for a change. Sunshiny day outside. Aki went off to Balham to meet her client. I did some exercises then took a walk up to Archway and bought some treats for lunch. A few people sat outside The Landseer in the sunshine…should have had lunch there! Got up on the roof, via the neighbours’ upstairs flat, after lunch to clean the Sahara desert off of the skylight. Warmed up the last of the Spanish stew for dinner, which we had with mashed potato and puréed swede. Book Club meet this evening at No.38 to talk over “Nowhere Man”.  New member, George from No.127, was celebrating his birthday, so a cake appeared, which was washed down with Guinness as a mark of respect to St Patrick. Everyone seemed to have gotten something out of "Nowhere Man", except poor old Dulcie, who had given up about halfway in. We chose "Fleischman is in Trouble" by Taffy Brodesser-Akner as our next read.

Wednesday 16th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Aki brought me a mug of tea and I listened to Today on the radio. Sounds as if a breakthrough in talks between Ukraine and Russia may be imminent, but nobody holding their breath. Did a couple of hours work at the computer. It's all gone very quiet again...am glad of a bit of a rest after a frantic couple of months! Aki cycled off to Barnsbury to get some tile samples. She got back just as it began to rain. Minestrone soup for lunch. Did some voice exercises and sang some Simon & Garfunkel. Aki did a shift on the Japanese 'Samaritans' text chat line she joined this year. Noticed that a load of Saharan red sand had landed on the skylight! That'll need cleaning! Warmed up the chicken and rice that had been in the fridge for a couple of days, for dinner. Watched episode 1 of "Holding" on ITV Hub...a gentle bucolic police procedural set in a sleepy village in West Cork...and based on the novel by Graham Norton! Beautifully directed by Kathy Burke...

Tuesday 15th March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730, but failed to haul myself out of bed until 0900. Worked until lunch break...Aki made a ham salad. I finished off the chocolate pud for dessert, with some double cream. Back at the monitor most of the afternoon. Aki nipped out in the motor to get some potting compost from Waitrose. Packed up at 1700 and watched Pointless, then the News. Cooked a mushroom and anchovy pasta sauce for dinner. Watched After Love, for which actress Joanna Scanlon won a BAFTA last night. Moving tale of a marriage that was not as it seemed…

Monday 14th March 2022

Woke at 0430 to visit the loo...was kept awake for the next hour or so by the sound of the boiler firing up every ten minutes. It shouldn't be coming on during the night. Eventually got back to sleep, but had a long lie in. Got up and made a large coffee. Aki at the computer, so I read through my script again, making changes where I need to refer to Malvolia as 'she', rather than 'he', which I did on occassion at the read through last night. Aki made ramen soup for lunch, and we tried the tiramisu...it's very buttery, and the buttery bits are solid rather than creamy. We decided to freeze it and see if it works as a Vienetta style cake!?! I ended my relationship with Esure, and bought car insurance from Churchill...saved me £400!!! Ridiculous!!! Aki went out for a cycle ride to Clissold Park...I walked up to the dry cleaners' to give him a pair of trousers to take up for me. Did a bit of work at the computer before making dinner....warmed up the chorizo and bean stew, and made some mashed potato. Drove to Stoke Newington for a 1900 rehearsal. Worked up Act 1 Sc 3...my first scene, with Maria, played by Sangita Mogdil, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, played by Matthew Ibbotson. Some nice ideas, and the scene is shaping up well. As I enter ostensibly from the beach, it was suggested I enter in swimming trunks and a towel...ample opportunity for some comic business!!! Got home around 2230...dropped Emma at Manor House, and Feiyang at Finsbury Park. Watched Newsnight from Warsaw...very impressive city Mayor on saying that the UK's refugee system was too slow to react to the reality on the ground, and they need urgent assistance!

Sunday 13th March 2022

Woke early...had a bit of toothache in my lower jaw, which stuck around for most of the morning. Aki cooked omelette for breakfast. Bit of a grey day outside. Loaded my guitar and cajon into the car and drove off to Stoke Newington. Got to the theatre around 1245. I had a 1300 start for the Twelfth Night read-through in my phone diary, but no-one appeared. I checked the schedule print out to discover it wasn't til 1800...I got back in the car and drove home. FaceTimed ma and pa, who were hosting Jim and Kath for Sunday lunch. Everyone seemed in good fettle. Aki made a tiramisu, but over-whipped the cream, so it'll be a bit buttery. I made some raspberry spoom, then cooked chicken thighs with onion marmalade, carrots, cavolo nero, and rice. It was OK...but not sure I'll do it again. Not quite as tasty I was anticipating. Drove back to the theatre for the read-through. Emma got some simple introductory games going so we could start to get to know eachother. The read-through went well...I enjoyed myself. One or two rather weak voices, though, and one or two poor speakers of Shakespeare...it'll be interesting to see if Emma can knock 'em into shape. Retired to the Jolly Butcher for a half of Guinness afterward...only four of us went, though, which was a bit of a poor show. I gave Emma a lift back to Manor House, and dropped Feiyang and Paul at Finsbury Park. Aki was getting out of the bath as I entered the flat, so I dived in after her. Hopefully I'll get a lie in tomorrow morning...

Saturday 12th March 2022

Woke around 0730. Got up and made tea. Cooked Turkish eggs for breakfast, with salad and toast. Took a walk up Highgate Hill. Bought ices and ate them on a bench in Waterlow Park, before heading back down to Archway to do a little shopping on our way back to Sussex Way. Finished "Nowhere Man"...really rather enjoyed it after a slow start...the writing seemed to get better as the rather odd narrative progressed. Interesting artist...felt I'd like to know more. Aki's Croatian friend, Anna, says she went to school with him, though he was the year above her. Aki steamed some dim sum for starters this evening, and I cooked a main of linguine with anchovy, chard and chilli sauce. Shared one of Aki's homemade chocolate puds, with a dollop of cream on top. Watched the Netflix series, The Diaries of Andy Warhol...interesting insights into the man himself, plucked from the diaries he kept over the final ten years or so of his life. I'd forgotten he'd been shot! He was really lucky to survive his injuries...he was five hours on the operating table!

Friday 11th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Woke to news that the Ruskies are now moving in on Dnipro, and have half encircled Kyiv. Porridge for breakfast. Headed north in the car today....Enfield, then on to Cheshunt and Broxbourne, before ending up in Buntingford. Put some petrol in the car at Tesco in Enfield...£1.59 a litre!!! Stopped for lunch in Hoddesdon, visiting Captain Cod, my favourite chippy....voted 3rd best chippy in England a couple of years ago. Had the lunchtime special, which I ate in the car. Got home around 1700, just before Aki, who had been to Essex Road to visit her hairdresser. Aki cooked a salmon teriyaki for dinner, with a tasty miso soup. Watched "The Street", a film charting the gentrification of Hoxton, and its' impact on the local eastenders, most of whom seemed to be mildly racist Brexiteers!!! Good riddance to 'em, I say! 

Thursday 10th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Brought a mug of tea to bed and listened to R4 for a bit. Read some more "Nowhere Man"...in to the final furlong now. Aki off to central London for lunch with the JCUK gang...their much delayed Christmas gathering. Spent the morning at the computer writing up the notes on what I'd seen over the past two days. Broke for lunch, then back to the coal face. Broke at 1600 for a zoom meeting with Emma, Joel (Feste), Tamara, our composer, and Fang, to talk through the music we are planning to include in the show. Looking forward to getting to work on it. Aki came home around 1730. Broke to watch the News. Warmed up the lentil ragu I'd put in the freezer last week, which we ate with tagliatelle, and some vegetables. Watched Nigella...particularly taken with her lemon and elderflower drizzle pudding! I downloaded and printed off the recipe! Did a bit of work on the C&W song we're planning to use in the show, then bath and bed...

Wednesday 9th March 2022

 

Woke to alarm at 0730. Hauled myself out of bed, and made tea and porridge, as well as a packed lunch. Headed back to Surrey to do more inspections...stopped for a coffee at Betchworth Stores, then drove to Dorking. Parked up in Waitrose in the town centre, and walked round the town centre stock...mostly flats in various small infill developments. Broke for lunch and called in on retired Savills boss, Geoff, and his wife. Ate my packed lunch in their kitchen, and had a quick catch up...Geoff certainly seems to be enjoying his retirement, and doesn't miss Savills. He ran a surveying concern in Moscow in the 1990s, and said he felt for his former comrades, who certainly wouldn't be supporting Putin's war in Ukraine. Headed south of Dorking after lunch, ending the working day in Charlwood, to the west of Gatwick, before turning for home. Got back home around 1900. Aki had cooked a Spanish style chorizo and bean stew for dinner. Watched a bit of telly, including a QT special on the Ukraine crisis. Can't say the panel had any answers that might contribute to a halt in the current situation. Bath and bed...

Tuesday 8th March 2022

Fitful night's sleep, but woke to alarm at 0730. Got up and made tea, and heated up some minestrone soup for my packed lunch. Headed for east London this morning, then on to the Isle of Dogs. Filled up with petrol at Sainsbury's in Charlton...£148.9 per litre! Not too bad...saw it going for £179.9 at a Texaco garage in Westferry!!! Stopped off at M&S to pick up some extra lunch items, then headed for Ashstead. Happened upon a Ukrainian flag fluttering in the breeze in someone's front garden! Ended the day in Leatherhead and environs, before driving home. Got back to Holloway at 1930. Aki had cooked some trout, which we ate with cous-cous. Nowt on telly, so revised my lines for Sir Toby ahead of Sunday's read through of Twelfth Night...there's a lot to get under my belt!!! Moving scenes from the House of Commons on the Ten O'Clock News, as President Zelensky addressed Parliament. 

Monday 7th March 2022

 

Woke to the sound of Aki getting up and dressed....she brought me a mug of tea, which I drank whilst listening to the BBC's Jeremy Bowen coming under Russian fire in Ukraine! Got up and abluted, then drove Aki to site in North Finchley, before driving on to the VW service centre in Colindale. I was a bit shocked to find it under refurbishment, a fact that hadn't been mentioned when I booked the car in! I got redirected to the VW commercial van centre next door. Dropped the car off then walked to Colindale tube station and got the tube to Camden Town, where I got the No.29 bus toward Finsbury Park. Got home about 10 minutes before Aki. Ramen noodle soup for lunch. Sat at the computer for a couple of hours or so in the afternoon. Heated up the meatballs and ragu, which we ate with linguine on this occassion. Watched a bit of telly before early bath  and bed.

Sunday 6th March 2022

Woke around 0800 and got up to make tea. Aki cooked breakfast. Took a late morning hike up Highgate Hill for a coffee and a slice of cake in Waterlow Park. Sun soon disappeared to be replaced by darkening skies. Walked back home Spent an hour or so practising our jigs and reels prior to this evening's get-together in the North Nineteen. Kath FaceTimed us...she had ma and pa round for lunch. They all looked quite drunk! Walked up to the North Nineteen...good turn out, with Kath on cello, George on flute, Aki on guitar, and Ben, Christine and Lorraine on violins. God knows what the locals in the snug make of it!?! Came home for us dinner, and I did an hour's work at the computer before bath and bed...early start tomorrow morning, as Aki needs a lift up to North Finchley, and I need to get the car in for a service in Colindale.

Saturday 5th March 2022

Woke around 0900 and listened to Saturday Live. They had Andy McCluskey on, from OMD, talking about exhibiting his collection of the work of painter Maurice Wade...he was a Potteries man, and painted the canals and pot banks...I'd never heard of him. Paintings looked exquisite online...maybe we'll pop up there for the exhibition!? Cooked breakfast...the polenta stuck to the frying pan, so we thought it time to ditch it for a new one...Aki looked up some Which? recommendations. Rain stayed away, so we took a walk to Stroud Green and bought some items in Green & Glory. Colder out there than I'd anticipated...bit of a strong breeze coming in from the north. Did an hour or so's work at the computer. Jane and Carlos rang the doorbell at 1900, and we accompanied them on the short walk to Girasole for dinner. Eglal, the proprietor of the Italian cafe, a favourite haunt on Seven Sisters Road, hosts an evening dinner menu once or twice a week...there were the four of us, another couple, and three others, in all. We partook of four courses...very impressed by the egg starter...how do you fry a yolk without it's albumen? That was followed by a very tasty seafood risotto with mussels and clams. The main course was baked cod, followed by a delicious dessert of gnocchetti, stuffed with white chocolate and pistachio, served hot with ice cream...like profiteroles, but ten times better!!! Jane and Carlos looked well...they are planning a trip to the US to visit family in May. Walked them home. Bath and bed...

Friday 4th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. News of the Ruskies bombing Europe's largest nuclear plant! Great...hope there's a westerly wind blowing when or if it goes up!!! Sat in front of the computer with a mug of tea and one of Aki's freshly baked almond biscotti. Warmed up a couple of portions of minestrone soup for lunch. Worked on until 1730. Cooked up some beef and parmesan meatballs in a ragu, with cheesy polenta and broccoli. Watched "Pieces of Her" on Netflix, with the great Toni Collette...but it was pretty ordinary despite it's best efforts not to be! A bit of "Seinfeld" followed to cheer us up.

Thursday 3rd March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Aki brought me a mug of tea. Got up around 0830 for porridge, and sat down in front of the computer once more. Broke for lunch...Aki cooked up a sweet aduki bean soup with rice cakes. She waltzed off to Morrisons after lunch to get some bits and pieces for the aubergine dahl recipe what she's cooking up tonight. Kath FaceTimed us as we were about to sit down to eat. She's been over working again...and was complaining of the hike in petrol prices...she doesn't get travel expenses for driving to her clients! Outrageous, really! Jim was at his computer...he's been signing up for various sporting activities, which sounds like a hopeful sign. Watched a bit of telly...the news from Ukraine gets darker by the day...before bath and bed.

Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Dozed till 0900. Received email from Emma with the rehearsal schedule, so spent an hour or so transferring dates into my phone diary, and going through the script to detail her proposed cuts. Blimey...I've got a lot of lines!!! The performance dates run from 18th May to 28th May. I thought we would just be on for one week, as per the short play programme we've just done! Hope I haven't taken on more than I can chew! Broke for lunch...we ate the parma ham salad I'd forgotten to serve with the pasta last night...we found it still in the fridge. Spent the afternoon at the computer monitor. Broke at 1800 to catch up on the news from Ukraine. Aki pan fried some duck breast for dinner, with a tasty orange and soy sauce, pureed swede, and mashed potato. Watched Luton Town take on Chelsea...they were 2-1 up for a bit, but the Blues came back to win it 2-3. Luton were impressive, and are fighting for a play-off place.

Tuesday 1st March 2022

Yay...it's Pancake Day!!! Got up and made pancake batter, and whipped up some cream, which I mashed into some banana. Eaten with a dollop of cream, chopped hazelnuts, dried sour cherries, strawberry, and maple syrup. Worked at the computer until lunchtime. Warmed up two portions of minestrone soup for lunch. It was OK...not as good as I was hoping, which is a shame, as we've got another eight portions to plough through! FaceTimed ma and pa...dad suffering with blocked ears, so could only wave. More depressing news from Ukraine, as a 40-mile convoy of Russian military hardware snakes it's way toward Kyiv. Worked till 1730. Made a sauce for some aubergine ravioli for dinner, followed by the last of the apple crumble and custard. Watched some FA Cup football...enjoyed Middlesbrough's performance as they knocked out Spurs. Unremittingly depressing news from Ukraine...my 88 year old mother offered to take up arms and go assassinate Ras-Putin...we are organising a whip round to get her on a plane to Moscow at the earliest opportunity...glory to the Motherland!!!