Tuesday 30th August 2022

Woke at 0745. Worryingly, the giant spider has left his moorings, and may be anywhere in the flat! Got up and switched on the TV to watch the replay of last night's US Open match featuring Serena...she won through in straight sets, and there followed a lengthy tribute from Oprah Winfrey and the ever youthful Billie Jean King, marking Serena's swansong at Flushing Meadows. Porridge for breakfast. No work in my in tray, so pottered about doing nothing very much...awaiting the delivery of my silicone finishing kit before I try to complete my bathroom shower repair works! Made us some lunch, then did a bit of prep work using the silicone to fill the small gap under the length of the shower step...will add a deeper layer when my kit arrives, hopefully affording it double protection once the shower is back in use. Aki spent the afternoon tidying up the back yard. Made a cheese sauce to pour on top of the lasagne I'd made the other day, and warmed it up for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed.

Monday 29th August 2022

Slow start this morning. Got up around 0900 and had porridge for breakfast. Aki had a zoom exercise class, so I put the washing out on the line in the back garden. Headed for Finsbury Park station at noon, and from thence to Euston where we caught an Overground train to Hatch End. Walked up through leafy suburban streets to No.4 Thornton Grove, Lynne's departed sister Carole's house. Lynne had organised a get together for friends and family to mark Carole's passing. The back garden soon filled up with friends of Carole's children, Max and Charlotte, and various old school chums etc. We didn't know anybody, except Max and Charlotte, of course, so stood around in the back garden for a bit with drinks in hand admiring the different trees and shrubs...the grape vine had loads of black grapes on it, but they looked too small to eat...maybe there will be a few bottles of 2022 vintage red wine next year. We sidled out after the buffet lunch, and caught a bus to Pinner for a cup of tea and a biscuit at Tokiko's Tok and Aki chatted in Japanese, whilst I watched yesterday's FedEx Cup action, which Rory won for a third time. Caught a No.183 bus to Harrow-on-the-Hill station, and the Metropolitan Line took us in to King's Cross, where we picked up a No.259 bus to Nag's Head and home. Warmed up Aki's Spanish chicken stew for dinner, and cooked some orzo and vegetables to go with it. Watched some first round action from the US Open before switching to the News and footage of catastrophic flooding in Pakistan. A third of the country is under water!!!

Sunday 28th August 2022

Aki up early to prepare herself for her cycle ride to the Rowing Club. I got up as she left, and took a walk up Highgate Hill, for coffee and croissant at Lauderdale House. Walked back down to M&S at Archway and bought some cheese and mascarpone to make tonight's dinner. They didn't have any lasagne sheets, so I ended up in Morrisons on the Holloway Road. Popped in to pick up some meths at the local DIY shop...the proprietor gave me an '! Love Nag's Head' carrier bag, which he professed to be giving away to favoured regular customers! Aki back around 1400 so I made some lunch, frying up some tinned sardine which we had with a salad. Pottered about this afternoon, not doing very much. Prepared my vegetable lasagne for dinner, but it wasn't as good as the one I'd done at High View last week. Needs half a tub of four cheese sauce in the mix to perk it up a bit. Watched "Licorice Pizza", a recent Paul Thomas Anderson movie set in 70s era California...it starred Alana Haim, one of the three sisters who make up US indie band, Haim. She was good, but the script was a bit odd, shooting off on several tangents...some laugh out loud funny, it has to be said, most notably the slick owner of local Japanese restaurant 'Mikado' who gets through two Japanese wives over the course of the film, and talks to them in English with a heavy cod-Japanese accent...when the wife retorts in Japanese, he confesses that he had no idea what she said, as he didn't speak Japanese!!!

Saturday 26th August 2022

Got up around 0900 after a fitful night's sleep. A large spider had taken up residence on the bedroom ceiling yesterday, and he was still there in the morning...I kept having half dreams about him crawling over the duvet cover! Got up for Aki's cooked breakfast. Decided to head for the South Bank, as today was the last day of a Tayoi Kasuma inspired installation at Tate Modern, which Aki wanted to see. Walked to Finsbury Park and got the tube to Southwark, then walked along the Thames path to Tate Modern. There was a very long queue in the Turbine Hall for the installation, so we browsed around the gift shop instead, and had a light lunch in Gail's Bakery to the rear of the Switch House. Walked back across the Millennium Bridge, and caught a bus from St Paul's. Got off on Holloway Road and did a bit of shopping in Morrisons. Aki baked trout for dinner, which we had with boiled new potatoes, and a parsley sauce. Watched "Conversation with Renzo Piano" on Netflix. It endeavoured to take in his whole career to date, and as such could only really scratch the surface. Aki wants to go see a couple of his European edifices...we've done Le Pompidou, of course!

Friday 25th August 2022

Woke around 0715 so got up and made a mug of tea, then sat down at the computer to upload the photos I'd taken yesterday. Aki got up and made porridge for breakfast. I headed out on the road around 0945, taking the A1 down to Highbury Corner, then on to Spitalfields, crossing the river at Tower Bridge. Rotherhithe was my first port of call. Drove down to Surrey Quays to use the loos, and grab a coffee in the retail park, before driving on to Brixton. As I was heading back to the car, I was stopped by a woman waiting at the bus stop with her baby...she'd seen the Savills logo on my jacket..."How on earth do people manage to afford to buy property in London?", she asked...good question! I wasn't much help, needless to say! Drove home, stopping at Belle Epoche on Upper Street to pick up a mushroom and spinach quiche, and a slice of their delicious custard flan, to take home for lunch. Aki had just got back from a swim at Highbury Pool when I got home, and we ate lunch at the table. I worked the rest of the afternoon, before breaking for an early dinner at 1730, then we headed for Finsbury Park tube station, and rode in to Leicester Square. The place was mobbed! Walked up through Soho, to the Soho Theatre on Dean Street, to see Isy Suttie's stand-up show, fresh from Edinburgh. She first came to my attention in "Peep Show" on TV, but I really admired a short series on R4 about 5 years ago, called "Isy Suttie's Love Letters", wistful, wry tales of unlikely love affairs amongst the good people of Matlock, where she was brought up. The show was in the downstairs cabaret space, which we hadn't been in before...nice thrust stage, with table and chair seating...very atmospheric. "Jackpot" was a charming ramble through Isy's thoughts on child-rearing and childhood, augmented with a couple of her quirky songs, expertly sung, accompanying herself on guitar. Lovely evening's entertainment. Caught a No.29 bus back home. Sat and watched a bit of telly...extended viewing on today's grim news of energy price hikes...lord knows how people are going to survive it all!?! Ma and pa will have to shut themselves away in their bedroom for the winter, under several duvets...as, indeed, shall we!

Thursday 25th August 2022

Woke to sound of heavy rain on the bedroom roof at around 0230...thunder and lightening! Got up at 0800 and made some tea, before breakfasting on a bowl of porridge. Set off for the south-west at 1000 in the car, picking up some petrol in Harringay first. It was still raining, but not particularly heavily. Traffic wasn't bad until I got to the short section of the North Circular between Acton and the Gunnersbury roundabout, which leads onto the M4. Took three quarters-of-an-hour to got half a mile! There was no sign of any blockage when I finally reached the roundabout...mental! Broke for a coffee at Heston services, and for lunch at the new Fleet service station on the M3. It was rammed...never seen a service station so busy! Fortunately the queue for fish 'n chips at Harry Ramsden's was short, so I plumped for cod bites and chips with mushy peas, and ate outside at a wooden table. Drove on to Fareham, and to Wickham, five miles to the NE. Had to do a couple of internal inspections...the second one I called at, the guy who opened the door told me he had covid! His wife shut him in the living-room with the dogs, and I donned a mask and latex gloves, and had a quick look at kitchen and bathroom specification...the tenants had done a good job of putting in their own. Got home at 1900. Aki cooked a Spanish chicken and chorizo stew, with rice. Watched a bit of telly...fascinating doc following the fortunes of several young kids at Crystal Palace football academy...the pressure they have to cope with is intense! 

Wednesday 24th August 2022

No work to do today, so got off to a slow start. Aki cycled off to the Rowing Club, and I made porridge for breakfast. Did some more grouting in the bathroom. Next step is to apply some silicone sealant, and we can get the shower back on tap. I put together some lunch. Pottered about for most f the afternoon. We took a late afternoon constitutional and walked down to the Central Library, then on in to Highbury Fields, before heading home. Walnut and mushroom bolognese for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed.

Tuesday 23rd August 2022

Woke at 0815. Got up and made tea, then sat at the computer. The Mac had been uploading the advised OS update (as advertised on the News last week), but wasn't responding this morning, so had to work on the laptop instead. Got the Mac up and running by 1000, so was able to revert to the desktop. Aki cycled off to the shops to stock up, as the fridge is looking rather bare. Worked through until 1230. Nipped out to the DIY shop to buy a grout rake. Aki prepared some lunch. I did some grouting on the bathroom shower step...looks good. Aki baked some fish for dinner, with homemade pesto sauce. Watched a bit of telly, before bath and bed...

Monday 22nd August 2022

Woke around 0830. Got up and stripped the bed before heading downstairs for breakfast in the company of ma and pa. Kath showed up briefly to say farewell, on her way to see Renee. Noises from the garage alerted us to the fact that dad was trying to bring the mini fridge in single-handedly. Managed to help him haul it into position in the dining-room cabinet, and get plugged back in. Aki and I put some lunch together, finishing up most of the leftovers in the fridge, so it was an odd mix of sausage, egg-fried rice, potato cakes, and baked beans. Still, it filled a hole. Packed our belongings into the boot of dad's Passat, and he and mum chauffeured us over to Callerton Parkway, from whence we caught a Metro train to Central Station. Train turned up on time, and we got aboard. We got held up just north of Newark, as the train in front was on fire and was being attended to by the fire brigade! It made us about 40 minutes late getting in to Kings Cross. Caught the 259 bus from York Way, which drops us virtually at our front door. Dropped our baggage off at home, then proceeded back out in search of an evening meal. Bumped in to Lynne...she's still struggling a bit with the recent loss of her twin sister, and she invited us over to Pinner on Monday for a little memorial get-together...I offered to sing a couple of her sister's favourite Stones songs. Ate at Osteria Tufo in Finsbury Park...very tasty pea and mushroom lasagna, lathered in parmesan. Got home in time for the final episode of "Marriage"...it has received much praise for it's realism, but I found it increasingly unrealistic as it progressed...some very odd dialogue in places. Thank Gawd it's finished! Enjoyed a long-awaited soak in the bath, before bed.

Sunday 21st August 2022

Woke around 0830. Yesterday's grey clouds had given way to bright sunshine. Breakfasted downstairs with ma and pa. Borrowed the Up! and drove over to Westerhope to pick up Kath, and drove to the cafe at Dunston Staithes. Managed to bag a table in the conservatory which gave us a view of the bend in the river, so we could watch the Tyne Row 2022 in comfort. The boats were starting from outside the boathouse at Newburn, and making their way to the mouth of the Tyne. By the time they got to us they were pretty strung out, so any notion of a tight race was sunk. Enjoyed the atmosphere in the cafe...very busy, with lots of families, and a few dogs...friendly staff. Drove Kath back to Peary Close afterward, then back to High View. Sat out in the back garden for a bit and read the paper. Aki picked some courgette flowers with a view to stuffing them with ricotta for our starter this evening. I used the duck in plum sauce we'd bought in Waitrose, which we had with mashed potato; coconut rice pudding to follow with fried banana and toasted desiccated coconut. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed.

Saturday 20th August 2022

Woke around 0800. Had breakfast downstairs with ma and pa. Rather grey day, threatening rain, so decided to give the Newburn Regatta a miss. I made some coconut rice pudding, intending to take it to Kath's for dinner tonight, before remembering that Kath was planning a rice based main course! I put lunch together, using mum's grilled sausages, with salad, a slice of Kath's spinach pie, and what remains of the tortilla. Aki and I drove down to the village this afternoon to pick up some breakfast cereals, as they are running low. Had a wander round the new Leisure Centre and a look at the pool, then ambled around the village looking for the butcher's. Stopped outside the old Maynard's sweet shop where a young man was cleaning the windows...he turned out to be joint owner of what is now the "Eleven" restaurant....they only do set tasting menus, but look worth a try at some future juncture. Found a butcher on Merton Way parade, but he was closed...in fact, I wasn't altogether sure he hadn't ceased trading. Watched some of the competition at the European Championships...enjoyed the synchronised diving. Dad drove us over to Kath's for dinner...in pouring rain. The back road to Westerhope was becoming a bit of a lake. Kath cooked us a tasty paella. Avoided the back road on the way home to High View, taking the dual carriageway instead, though the rain had stopped. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed.

Friday 19th August 2022

Woke around 0900, exhausted after our exploits of yesterday...too much fresh air! Got up and breakfasted downstairs with the folks. Phoned Jim...he is going to see a house in Wallsend with Emma this afternoon, then they go for a weekend break in Kielder Forest. Hopefully will see them in October for the London Marathon. Aki and I prepared lunch, using up some of the leftovers in the fridge...Aki made a tasty tortilla. Drove out to Hexham in mum's Up! to visit the rowing club there...it's situated on a really lovely stretch of the Tyne just west of the old 18th century bridge. The building just looks like a shed to keep boats in...there are no windows, so it doesn't look nearly as sociable as the Newburn club. But it's in a great spot...and the town is not unattractive, though they seem to be digging up half the roads at the moment. Drove back via the Co-op on Darras and bought some milk. Aki cooked up a tasty stir fried pork dish, with fluffy rice; followed by Rollo cheesecake and ice cream. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Thursday 18th August 2022

Woke around 0800...got up to check the spider was still in the trap. Made tea, and found a bit of card to slide beneath the tupperware in readiness for the final phase of the operation. In the end, we managed to persuade father to throw it out of an upstairs window. Dad trying to get his energy smart meter monitor up and running this morning...couldn't get it to work. It's asking for a PIN number. Went on the British Gas website, but there is no information pertaining to PIN numbers...tried phoning them, but got precisely nowhere...that was most of the morning gone! 

Kath turned up at noon. We had some lunch, after which Jim turned up in the back garden. Aki and I jumped in the Up! and we headed for the Rowing Club in Newburn. Nice modern two-storey boathouse overlooking a wide section of the River Tyne, opposite Blaydon. We were introduced to Dennis Hunter, a club member, who showed us around. He kept trying to get me to sign up for the gym. Then drove on to The Staithes, a large modern development which Jim had been involved with when working for IDP. We weren't very impressed. 

Most of it looks low quality build, and bits of timber cladding are looking in decidedly bad shape. Drove on to Heaton and parked the car. Had a walk up Heaton Road, and back down Chillingham Road to get the measure of the place...not quite as buzzy as I had hoped. Drove to Tynemouth, via Walkergate, Wallsend, and North Shields. Tynemouth has a nice village-like feel, but the house prices are top end. We walked along Front Street onto the promenade, stopping at the Grand Hotel for tea-for-two with a view across the bay. Got to Graeme's in Heaton Grove around 1845 and got to say a brief hello to Tess, and eldest son Daniel, who was acting very shy...more like a six year old than the twelve year old he actually is! Very peculiar. Graeme walked us down to the Ouseburn, and we dined at the Brinkburn Street Brewery. Caught up with Graeme, who is now working for Gateshead Council. Tess got made redundant early this year, and has been trying to set up a private concern of her own. It was dark by the time we drove back to Darras Hall. Got back in time for the 10 o'clock News. I stayed up and watched some of the replay of Raducanu's 2nd round win over Azarenka at the Cincinatti Open, a warm up for the US Open which starts a week on Monday.

Wednesday 17th August 2022

Woke around 0830...exhausted after yesterday's efforts. Dragged myself out of bed and breakfasted with ma and pa downstairs. Kath arrived around 1100, and she and Aki put together a simple sandwich picnic, and we piled into Kath's car for the drive to Derwent Water. Nice day for it...the sun was shining, though the air was a bit chilly. Got to the visitor car park...Dad limped over to the picnic tables, while we took a short hike to the water's edge....which had receded somewhat in the drought conditions. 

The reservoir looked about half full, if that. Had our picnic lunch and then drove on to Blanchland, a picturesque Victorian village all of sandstone...we had a brief walk around, Dad making it with the aid of his walking stick. Drove home for tea in the back garden. We were briefly interrupted by the next door neighbour, David Tanner, who lost his wife to cancer about three weeks ago. He had come to invite ma and pa to her memorial service at the end of the month. I repaired to the kitchen to prepare a spinach and courgette lasagna for dinner...the idea was to avoid the traditional tomato sauce based recipe, as it is considered a cause of irritation to the oesophageal lining, which mum seems to suffer from occassionally...though apparently half-a-teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda neutralises the acid content...however, there was a lot of creamy cheese in the recipe which probably causes as much trouble! Rollo cheesecake and ice cream to follow. Nowt much on telly...gave "Shetland" a go. After everyone had gone to bed I watched episode 1 of "The Sandman" on Netflix, but wasn't hooked...a sort of adult "Harry Potter" with swearing meets "Game of Thrones". As I mounted the top of the stairs on my way to bed I was confronted by a large spider sat on the top step...I had to phone Aki, who was in bed...she managed to find a T-square, hoping to encourage it to flee into the master bedroom, but I found a tupperware box in the kitchen and trapped it under that, leaving it there for the night....hope Dad doesn't trip over it and fall down the stairs tomorrow morning!

Tuesday 16th August 2022

Woke around 0800. Breakfasted downstairs with the old folks. Gave Margaret her birthday present, the black cardigan she had requested. It seemed to fit OK. The chocolate brownies I had ordered failed to materialise, courtesy of DPD...hopefully they will turn up tomorrow. Needed some odds and ends, so borrowed the Up! and drove down to the shops at Darras Hall in the rain. Bought bread at Davidson's, and some cheese and things in the Co-op. Back at 12 High View, dad decided to defrost the drinks fridge in the dining room, which resulted in some leakage on to the laminate flooring...we had to remove the fridge from it's position in the dining room cabinet, and wheel it out to the lobby, but not before we witnessed 92 year old John lying on the floor hacking away at the ice that had collected to the rear of the fridge! Somehow, we managed to fit in a cheese omelette lunch around the ensuing chaos. 

The kitchen got a bit busy post lunch, as Aki beat a mascarpone cream for the birthday cake, and Kath made a spinach pie for the vegetarian guest. Jim and Emma turned up around 1730. Emma had brought a homemade Rollo cheesecake, which we added to the dessert fund. Kath and Stuart arrived around 1800. Stu had brought Margaret a big bunch of flowers. They re[aired to the living room, and we started to get to know each other. I repaired to the kitchen to prepare the chicken bourguignon with mushrooms. Sat down for Margaret's crispbread starter, with prosecco...Jim and Emma stuck to fizzy water, rather impressively. Then repaired to the galley to cook the main course, which we had with sauteed potatoes, peas, and carrots. Aki was on hand to assist, and we got eight portions plated up and on the table. It seemed to go down fairly well, though I didn't think it as tasty as the beef version I've done before. Aki then prepared the birthday cake, a store bought chocolate fudge cake which she had smothered in whipped cream and raspberries. We stuck a candle on top and sang Happy Birthday. This was followed by Emma's Rollo cheesecake! We staggered from table to living-room for post prandial drinks and chat before Jim and Emma headed off, soon followed by Stuart and Kath...

Monday 15th August 2022

Woke around 0800. I got up and made tea, and brought two mugfuls up to drink in bed. Got dressed and breakfasted downstairs, and read yesterday's Observer for a bit. Mum alerted us to a large adult hedgehog that was sitting peacefully on the patio outside the kitchen. It didn't look to be breathing, as far as I could tell. Mum insisted it just needed a drink of water, and hastened outside to garner a bowl put out for the birds...hedgehog didn't move...Margaret put the water bowl in front of the hedgehog's nose...it didn't move. Dad walked up behind it...it didn't budge. At that point they realised it had been mortally wounded, probably by the local Renard...poor thing! Dad drove us over to Westerhope for coffee at Kath's, and we partook of Aki's homemade banana loaf in Kath's back garden.  Went back to No.12 High View for lunch. Aki and I borrowed the Up! to do a shop at Waitrose in the village; got ingredients for various meals for the rest of the week. Dad received a phone call from his GP saying they had written to his preferred surgeon regarding his hip op...fingers crossed it does the trick in speeding up the process! Aki cooked a Goan fish curry and rice for dinner this evening. Jim stuck his head in, on his way to five-a-side at the Leisure Centre. He's looking very fit...Emma has him on a strict regime, though she has pulled or torn ligaments in her left leg, and is now in a leg brace and unable to train for the up-coming London Marathon. Watched another episode of "Marriage"...it seems painfully slow...not sure we are going to make it through the next two episodes! 

Sunday 14th August 2022

Woke around 0800. Got up and made porridge for breakfast, then finished packing our bags for the journey northward. Booked a taxi for noon, and got to Kings Cross in good time. Journey was hassle-free...looked like a relatively new carriage, and there was no sign of any spill-over from yesterday's rail strike, which was a relief. Rolled in to Newcastle Central station on time at 1550, and took the Metro to Callerton Parkway, where we were met by our chauffeur in his VW. Dad evidently struggling with his bad hip, and now has the support of a walking stick. Ma looking well. We repaired to the back garden and sat out with cups of tea. Dad still awaiting word on when his hip op might materialise. Going private does not seem a preference at the moment. Ham and a potato salad for dinner, followed by rhubarb and cream. Kath came over later once she had finished seeing to one of her aged clients. We watched Sean Bean in "Marriage"...nice use of the silences that abound between those who have lived with each-other for perhaps longer than they would have wanted, given the choice.

Saturday 13th August 2022

Woke around 0800. Aki up and watering the plants...I dozed until 0900-ish, then got up and cooked breakfast. Headed for a neighbourly meet up at The Green Room cafe...bumped into Carlos and Jane outside No.36, so walked with them from there. Katherine and George from No.127 were already there and waiting. We sat out the back and caught up with Katherine and George's recent three month honeymoon in northern Italy...sounded idyllic! We told them we were off to Umbria tomorrow...North-umbria. While we were sitting there, a chap came along to water the various plants in the cafe garden...he had introduced himself to Jane and Carlos a few weeks ago, and they were going to hire him to come and sort out there back garden...we asked if he might be willing to come and give us some advice on where to prune the wisteria, and he said he would. Nice bloke...had just become a dad, and showed us some photos of his new born. Walked back to No.127, via the North Library, to take a look at cracking to the rear extension at Katherine and George's house...it looks as though the clay has shrunk in the heat, and caused some cracking both horizontally, and vertically...they have an insurance man coming, so hopefully he can give them the proper advice. Walked back down the street in 34C...you could feel it bouncing off the pavement. Had spoom for lunch, with pancakes and chocolate brownie! Things sounding a bit rowdy on Seven Sisters Road, as Gooners began to congregate ahead of their first home game of the season against Leicester City...wouldn't fancy playing in this heat...or standing in a stadium watching, for that matter!!!

Friday 12th August 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Aki leapt out of bed to water her plants, before the hosepipe ban comes into force...not that we've a hose! I dozed on. It was gone 0900 by the time I shifted myself. Chocolate porridge for breakfast. Aki nipped out to the library to pick up a copy of the Ishiguro we chose last night. I did a a couple of hours at the computer before making lunch…finished off the dressed crab, which I spread on avocado toast. Managed a bit more desktop work before retiring for the next nine days. Aki cooked a pork shoulder for dinner, eaten with sautéed potatoes and cabbage, followed by the last of the tiramisu. Watched another episode of “Better Things” on iPlayer. Late to bed as it’s a little too warm…20C at midnight!

Thursday 11th August 2022

Woke around 0730. Got up and made a mug of tea, then showered, before ambling across to the pub next door for breakfast. A lot of families in there...I presume they are about to jump on a train from Ashford International and head off for a continental holiday...either that, or they are having a family holiday in Ashford, Gawd help 'em! Checked out and headed for Stelling Minnis, then on to Faversham, before turning for home. Arranged to meet Aki in Waitrose to buy some odds and ends. Bought some dressed crab for lunch. Sat in front of the computer for the remainder of the afternoon. Broke at 1800 to catch the News. Aki made teriyaki salmon for dinner, which we had with miso soup, and sticky rice. Wandered up to Gareth's at No.120 for this evening's Book Club meet in his back garden. Everyone seemed to have gotten something out of "Farenheit 451"...though Gareth thought it sub-Orwellian. Ishiguro's "A Pale View of Hills" chosen for the next read...which I had read last year. But worth a second go...I reckon it's his masterpiece! 

Wednesday 10th August 2022

Woke at 0615 so got up and made tea. Porridge for breakfast. Need an early start today to beat the heat. Set off south-eastward at 0745, and headed for the M25, stopping in Manor House to put some petrol in the motor. Inspections for English Rural, so all small infill developments in hamlets and villages in Kent. Stopped for lunch in Ashford, and booked into the Premier Inn at 1500. Had resolved not to do too much driving in the afternoon heat. Did some work at my laptop in my hotel room. Bit alarmed that the window doesn't open, so hope the A/C is working!!! I did some work at the laptop, then had a lie down and dozed off for a bit. Aki's phone call woke me up...she was halfway through making a food shopping list for our trip to Darras Hall. I drove back into Ashford and dined at Unit 4, a fairly new Italian in the town centre where they make their own pasta on site. Friendly staff. Had arancini for starters, followed by tagliatelle in an egg yolk sauce with wild mushrooms, fried lemon courgette, topped with sliced sirloin steak. It all left no room for dessert, so I drove back to the hotel. Watched a vaguely interesting documentary about the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as experienced by the likes of the younger Alexei Sayle, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Eddie Izzard. Read some "451" before nodding off in my air conditioned room...

Tuesday 9th August 2022

Alarm at 0730. Languished in bed, dozing, and then doing a bit of reading, before getting up to make porridge. I resolved to do a bit more work on the shower step, and finally got round to sticking the top tile on. Once it has dried out properly, I can grout and apply mastic...should be ready by Christmas! Aki cycled off to Highbury Pool for a swim. I popped out to The Green room for a coffee. Got home and put the hat rack up in the lobby...on a roll today! Aki got back and made cold sesame noodles for lunch. Sat in front of the computer for the rest of the afternoon, doing some work. Broke at 1800 to watch the News...doom laden energy price forecasts getting increasingly doom laden!!! Aki warmed up the chicken tagine she'd made at the weekend, which we ate with cous-cous and some vegetables. Watched "Better Things" before early bath and bed...

Monday 8th August 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Hauled myself out of bed. Managed half-an-hour at the computer before driving the car round to Holocene on Camden Road for an MOT. Left it with them, and walked briskly down to Central Library to pick up a copy of "Improbable Fiction" to take to the audition tonight. Got there 15 minutes prior to opening, so grabbed a coffee at Vagabond across the road. One of the librarians hunted down the play for me, and we had a little chat about the Tower Theatre. I walked back northward, but found I couldn't walk underneath the railway bridge adjoining the Emirates Stadium as the road was taped off and under water...seems there's a burst water main in Tollington Road outside the Sobell sports centre, and all the side roads are flooded too. It was coming out of the burst water main like a geyser! Loads of firemen and Thames Water types hanging about wondering what on earth to do! I asked them if this was the newly re-opened Highbury Pool! Picked up the car, and drove home. Worked at the computer until breaking for lunch, then got back on the treadmill. Aki cooked up a mushroom risotto for dinner. I drove off to Stoke Newington for the "Improbable Fiction" audition. It was a bit chaotic...which had me wondering about the director's skills. There were eight of us auditioning, mainly for different roles, but some overlapped...so it was a tortuous hour-and-a-half of having to listen to different people reading the same parts. Not much talent on show...one or two passable performers present. My bits went very well...see what happens. Got home around 2130, having forgotten that Tollington Road was still closed. 

Sunday 7th August 2022

Woke around 0830. Aki got up, as she wanted to go rowing, but I languished in bed for a bit, and read some "451". Got up and made porridge. Aki cycled off to Springfield Park. I did a bit of work at the computer, still trying to catch up with last week's work. Aki rang to say she'd stop in the park and have lunch with the rowers at the cafe, so I made my self a little salad with parma ham and avocado toast. Wanted to do a bit of DIY and put the hat rack up in the lobby, but I'd run out of plasterboard rawl plugs. Walked round to the little B&Q mini store in Holloway Road, but they didn't have any, and the DIY shop in Hornsey Road had shut, so I bought some ice cream in Tesco instead! Aki baked trout for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Saturday 6th August 2022

Woke around 0830. Left Aki snoring, and did some work at the computer, mug of tea in hand. Aki got up and cooked breakfast. Lovely day, so decided to walk up to the farmer's market at Yerbury school and buy some bread, then walked westward, ending up in Tufnell Park. Had our coffees in a shaded spot in the back yard of the Tufnell Park Tavern. Aki then headed off to Morrisons, and I walked home. Bumped into Dave from No.17...asked him how the new build was looking behind his house...he took me through to show me five terraced 3-storey units going up, at present just the steel frames. It's about 2m from their back garden wall, and their windows will look straight into Dave and Lou's back garden! Came home and put the washing on the line before Aki got back. I did a little more work, and we had a bite to eat...a slice of the fresh loaf, and some Fili cheese we'd bought on our sojourn in west Wales a couple of months back. Lounged about for most of the afternoon...when we went out front to look at the ever expanding wisteria, Lou and Dave walked past, and invited Aki in to take a look at the development abutting their rear boundary. As an invitation to partake of a cold beer was proffered, I followed. Spent a pleasant half hour in their little courtyard chatting about their road trip around Japan in a hired camper van. Came home a warmed up the lasagna for dinner, and watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Friday 5th August 2022

Bad night's sleep...woken around 0130 by the extractor fan in the bathroom making a sort of screeching drone-like noise...it went on for about an hour-and-a-half! I eventually got up and shut the bathroom door, then stuck a pillow over my head. The remainder of the night seemed to be taken up with vivid dream sequences...but I couldn't recall much on waking in the morning. The only snippet that resurfaced was as I walked out of a dark pedestrian tunnel into a verdant park, I happened to meet a lady dressed in white coming toward me...she had bare feet, and was holding her white shawl up to her face...when she got within two metres of me, she started walking backwards, maintaining the two metre gap, still holding the shawl to her face, and said "You look like a brown turd". Charming! Alarm at 0730. Went downstairs for breakfast, then packed up and checked out. Needed to get on the road fairly promptly. The inspections took me up the Tawe valley, then across the Heads of the Valley road and down to Porth, near Pontypridd, then on down to Barry. Got held up by a lorry fire just off junction 33 of the M4, so was a little behind schedule by the time I finished in Barry. Drove down to the beach at Barry Island to find some lunch. What a dump it is! Tatty old buildings barely more than shacks, a noisome fairground, and it was heaving. Had to walk the length of the Promenade to find the loos, then bought an uninspiring ham and cheese panini and a chocolate muffin for lunch. I was going to sit on a bench and brave the dive-bombing seagulls, but it was very windy, so I ate in the car in the car park, then set off for the M4 and home. Stopped for a brief rest stop at Reading services, and got home at 1900. Aki had cooked a tasty chicken tagine for dinner.

Thursday 4th August 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Got up and made tea, then showered. Decided to skip breakfast, and checked out. Headed for north Swansea, then on to Llanelli. Had lunch at the bistro on St Elli's Bay...fish finger burger with chips. Very nice. A good find, right on Llanelli Beach. Then it was back to Loughor, then Penclawdd on the Gower Peninsula, before doubling back to Gorseinon. Furthest flung stop was Penygroes on the way to Carmarthen...stopped briefly at the service station where the M4 stops and becomes the A48. Headed back to the Morriston area, then Clydach...found myself going past the end of Nigel's street, so turned up there for a quick cuppa tea, but they weren't home...found them up at the new pad doing work on the interior...Nige had been using a plasterboard lift to wedge the plasterboard to the ceiling joists before screwing them in place. Julie seemed very pleased with her new kitchen. I left them to it, and finished my Clydach inspections before heading back to Swansea, and booking in at the City Gates branch of Premier Inn. Sports news on R4 this evening had news that my actor mate Phil's son, Fred Wright, had won a silver medal on his bike at the Commonwealth Games! Dined across the road at Wagammama's...very disappointing. Returned to my room to upload photos etc. Aki rang....she had been helping cook dinner at the Rowing Club, part of their fund raising efforts. 

Wednesday 3rd August 2022

Woke a bit late, so got up and showered, and decided to skip breakfast. Did half an hour's work, but the internet connection is lousy in the hotel. Booked a room in the city centre Premier Inn for tomorrow night. Hopefully, they'll be better connected. Drove round the corner to the Starbucks at the Village Hotel. New parking restrictions there, so had to download an app and register to park. The minimum parking time was one day, which cost me £5.20. Complained to the receptionist, who told me it's free for the first 4 hours!!! She organised a free coffee and a croissant in recompense. Inspections took me up the valley toward Merthyr, and I lunched at a KFC joint on the A465. Then it was back down the valley to Neath, Briton Ferry, and Port Talbot, before ending the day in Winch Wen, and driving back to the hotel. Nige came to pick me up at 1930...Julie had decided to stay home, as she wasn't feeling too good. Nige and I went to Gigi's Chinese, which had got a good write up from Jay Rayner in The Guardian the other day. It's all a bit of a mess on the interior design front, but the food was simple and very tasty. I walked back to the hotel, and did some work. 

Tuesday 2nd August 2022

Woke at 0730. Got up and made tea. Porridge for breakfast. Got my things together, and packed the car, then headed for the M4. Stopped at Leigh Delamere services to pick up a coffee, and a wrap for my lunch. Drove on to Monmouth, then to Abergavenny, stopping at Raglan Castle to eat my lunch. Then it was down to Newport, Risca, and Blackwood. Weather was miserable...very wet, and a lot of spray on the faster roads. Long drive from Blackwood, down the Heads of the Valleys road, to Swansea. Booked in at the Waterfront hotel, my usual port of call. Dined at Rasoi, the Indian in the J Block a short walk from the hotel. Then back to write up my inspection notes, and upload photos. Aki FaceTimed me as I worked...she'd had a chat with her financial adviser, and was going to hold fire on putting her inheritance into shares...see what happens, as things very uncertain at present. 

Monday 1st August 2022

Woke around 0700 so got up and made some tea, and began work writing up some of last week's inspection sheets. Broke for porridge, then ploughed on. Aki had a zoom exercise class at 1000. She made cold noodle salad with a sesame soy sauce for lunch. I needed a lie down mid afternoon, the sheer tedium of filling in inspection form after inspection form felling me shortly after lunch. Aki popped out to the shops. Worked through what was left of my afternoon while Aki went next door to help Margaret find her way around the Emirates website on her new iPad...she's flying out to New Zealand tomorrow. Aubergine parmigiana lasagna for dinner. Had a quiet evening in. Lynne upstairs lost her twin sister today after a long battle with cancer, and had her sister's children over in the evening, so we kept the noise down. Watched a bit of telly..."Better Things" followed by an episode of "Seinfeld" before bath and bed...