Wednesday 31st May 2023

Alarm at 0700...Aki got up to get ready to head for a meeting in Camden. I got up around 0830 and porridged. Worked at the computer for the morning. Broke for lunch when Aki got back from Camden Town. Headed for Tottenham after lunch, driving on to Hornsey, and over to Harlesden. Ended in Willesden, stopping at Gail's in Willesden Green for a coffee and a sausage roll, before driving home. Got in around 1700. Aki warmed up the pea and basil soup as a starter, followed by the lasagne I'd made a couple of days ago, and a slice of the Victoria sponge cake that Brett had made for last night's party. Watched MasterChef...it's The Final tomorrow. Shane Meadows' "Gallows Pole", set in 1760s West Yorkshire, was suitably earthy, though the script was a bit turgid. 

Tuesday 30th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. Got up and made tea, and did a bit of work at the computer. Porridged. Warmed up some pea and basil soup to take for a packed lunch. Headed out west to Hanwell, Southall, and up to Northolt, before heading for Wembley. Ate my lunch in the car outside Daltrey House next door to Harrow and Wealdstone station, and named for Roger Daltrey of The Who, who used to play at the Station Hotel back in the 60s. The other three blocks of flats are named Townshend House, Entwistle House, and Moon House. Drove on to Stanmore, then back down to Kingsbury, Harlesden, and Willesden, before heading for home. We went round to Brett's at No.7 at 1815 to await the arrival of Rebecca and Sush. Kathleen and Andrew from No.49 were already there. Rebecca arrived with one of Sushi's nieces, Sush having had to go and pick up Rebecca's mum and dad from the Travelodge in Finsbury Park. 

Other neighbours then drifted in. Duncan from

No.9, who was feeling a bit rough after a heavy night, Daniel and Kate from No.86, with their three kids in tow, Dave and Lou from No.17, Sechs and Julia from No.29, and Margaret from next door, among others. My cake went down surprisingly well. Enjoyed a chat and a couple of glasses of prosecco, before we managed to sidle out to eat our dinner back home. Aki had cooked a mapo. Watched MasterChef before Aki opted for an early night, as she has to leave early tomorrow morning for a meeting. 

Monday 29th May 2023

Alarm at 0800. Aki got up to ready herself for Rowing Club. I got up and porridged. Listened to R4 coming from the Hay Book Festival, with the delightful Barbara Kingsolver talking about how Charles Dickens influenced her latest novel, "Demon Copperhead", and Michael Rosen about re-writing MacBeth for youngsters. Aki cycled off for Stoke Newington. I did some exercises. Simona texted me to say the chap playing Captain Cat in the up-coming Tower production of "Under Milkwood" had dropped out....could I step in? It opens in 9 days! Tempted, but my voice hasn't recovered from the One Hundred Day Cough, and I've too much work on to spare the energy, sadly...would have loved to be involved. Took a walk up Highgate Hill and bought a coffee at Gail's, which I drank on a bench in Waterlow Park. Read a bit of "A Golden Age", then walked back down the hill, stopping off at M&S on the way to get some odds and ends. Got home and made some lunch...Aki came home shortly afterward, having eaten at the cafe next door to the Rowing Club. I made a gluten free chocolate cake for tomorrow evening's get together to mark the forthcoming marriage of Sush and Rebecca...I wanted to do Nigella's chocolate Guinness cake, but remembered Rebecca is gluten intolerant, so went to Waitrose and found a gluten free chocolate cake mix, and a can of gluten free beer in the Indie Beer shop on Holloway Road. Busy evening making the cake and icing it, cooking an aubergine parmigiana lasagne for dinner, and making a pea and basil soup. 

Sunday 28th May 2023

Another late start. We eventually rose, and Aki cooked brunch. Ma and pa FaceTimed us from 12 High View for a quick catch-up. Dad was about to plant his beans! We ventured out to take advantage of the afternoon sun...took a tube to Embankment, and crossed Hungerford footbridge for a coffee in the foyer of the SBC. Wandered slowly eastward beside the Thames...a lot of people about. Took a detour to Tate Modern and had a brief gander at the modern art collection on Level 4...Roy Leictenstein's "Whaam!" particularly drew our attention.

As we walked back over the Millennium Bridge toward St Paul's we ran into the Women's Ride London cycle race as the peleton sped down Queen Victoria Street. Took a tube back to Cally Road, and a No.17 bus to Nag's Head. I cooked Lahore chicken for dinner, using the yoghurt whey I'd strained in the fridge overnight to make a creamy cashew nut sauce with dried fenugreek leaves and melted butter...it was delicious! Raspberry spoom and chocolate brownie for afters, with double cream and pomegranite seeds. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Saturday 27th May 2023

It was gone 0900 by the time we got up. Made ourselves a late breakfast, then walked up to the Farmer's Market beneath a cloudless sky. Bought a sourdough from our Italian baker, and had a chat with the Farm Shop owner we'd met yesterday...he's a tall, gangling young man with a faint whiff of public school privilege, but very friendly...his name is Edmund. Walked back down to Sainsburys on Holloway Road and bought some odds and ends. Made salad Nicoise for dinner before wandering up to meet Kevin and Laurence from No.93. I drove us all to the Tower Theatre. Had a quick drink in the bar before going in to see their production of "Richard III", set in Boris Johnson's cabinet...so Richard Duke of Gloucester wore a fluffy blonde wig (more reminiscent of Michael Fabricant than Boris!), and the conniving Duke of Buckingham was dressed in Dominic Cummings' Oxbridge scarf and denims. I had no problem with the concept, but regrettably the delivery of the Shakespeare was on the whole appallingly bad! Only got about half of what came out of Richard's mouth, and Kornelia, playing Queen Margaret (and the director of the production) should really not be allowed near a stage! Fortunately it was heavily cut and we were home by 2200...

Friday 26th May 2023

Woke around 0600. Had trouble getting back off to sleep, as my hernia repair was giving me gip, so I got up and made myself a mug of tea, and started work at the computer. Aki woke to alarm at 0730 and I took her some tea...she's looking a bit perkier than yesterday. Worked until lunch break. Finished off the gnocchi and mushroom sauce that was in the fridge, with a bit of soup and some salad. Sun was shining, so we walked up to Fairbridge Road with some finishing samples to hand over to Helen and Martin, then walked back down the hill via the Farm Shop on Holloway Road. 

Had a coffee in the Green Room cafe, sat out

back in the sunshine, and bought half-a-dozen eggs from the chatty fellow at the Farm Shop...turns out he runs the Farmer's Market at Yerbury School. Walked over to Finsbury Park at 1800 to meet Katrina in Osteria Tufo. The singing waiter was on duty, and kept coming out with snippets of Tina Turner songs. Enjoyed a burrata starter with grilled tomatoes, and nduja toast, followed by boscaiola...very tasty. Walked round to the Park Theatre...we were in the Studio to see Philip Ridley's "Leaves of Glass". Katrina hadn't come across his work, nor been to the Park Theatre. 

Thursday 25th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. Aki feeling a bit rough, so I got up and made her tea. Porridged. Did an hour or so at the computer. Warmed up some soup to take for lunch, then set off for Shepherd's Bush. Traffic very heavy, but got there by 1100, and met up with Zeke, another rookie who I had been asked to accompany on external inspections. Found him in what I'd taken to be a cafe, where I'd arranged to pick him up, but turned out to be an ice cream parlour, so we decamped to a Costa a few yards away. He told me he'd recently completed an Estate Management course at Westminster University, but had been groomed for a career as a pro footballer....on the books as a youngster at Spurs, and then at Brighton, but things hadn't worked out, and he'd sought an alternative career path, having left school at 16. Long day in the car. Took us down to Fulham, Brentford, then to Hampton, before doubling back to Hounslow, and ending up in Northolt, where I put him on a train back into London. I mopped up the final postcode stop in Harlesden, on the busy North Circular, then headed for home via Waitrose. Got home around 1800. Aki had warmed up the fish curry, which we ate with rice, spicy vegetables, and chapati. Watched a bit of telly...entertaining episode of MasterChef which saw the final five cooking with a whacky experimental chef, at the Crick Institute...some extraordinary invention on display. Aki retired to bed early...still nursing a sore throat. 

Wednesday 24th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. Aki got up and brought me a mug of tea. I got up at 0830. Porridged. Aki cycled off to Rowing Club. I did an hour or so at the computer before preparing a packed lunch and heading out on inspections. Mostly in Islington and Hackney, so didn't go far, but the roads all seem to be snarled up, largely because of burgeoning roadworks. The ones on Holloway Road are due to go on for about a year! Still, I get paid by the hour. Had my salad lunch in the car on Wenlock Road. Had to park up in Dalston, so grabbed a coffee from a local cafe, and a dessert. Ended the working day in EC1 with an internal inspection of a ground floor maisonette. Old Turkish guy in there...friendly chap. We had a little chat in his back yard...he'd come to England 40 years ago, and proudly informed me that he was now 80. He'd lost his wife a couple of years ago...as we chatted on the patio he let out a loud, burbling fart! Lucky we were outside!!! Headed for home, via Waitrose. Bought some beers, as the weather is hotting up...23C today! Got home around 1800. Worked at the computer while Aki sorted dinner out...we had the spinach potato gnocchi, with a mushroom and parmesan sauce, preceded by Aki's homemade leek and potato soup. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Woke at 0400 with some abdominal pain, but eventually managed to get back to sleep. Woke around 0800. Aki got up and made me a mug of tea. Got up and porridged. Sat at the computer until lunchtime. Aki headed off to Clerkenwell Design Week seminar with Helen. She returned for a late lunch...I made tagliatelle with butter, garlic and parmesan, with a little side salad. Aki wanted the computer for the afternoon, so I wandered up to the Medical Centre round the corner, with my urine samples. Walked over to M&S at Finsbury Park and bought a jar of posh tuna for tonight's dinner. Bumped into Clare from No.98...she has been trying to find a builder to work on her Cardigan house, but said she hadn't had much luck yet. Came home and worked at the dining table for an hour or so. Aki threw together a salad Nicoise for dinner, with boiled eggs. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Monday 22nd May 2023

Woke around 0800. Aki got up and brought me a mug of tea. Got up around 0900 and porridged. Did some work at the computer before making an early lunch...a ploughman's with Parma ham and cheese. Drove to the Isle of Dogs to do some inspections for East End Homes, stopping off for petrol at Manor House. Some of the stock was hard by the river, with a good view of the Royal Naval College. Got home around 1600 and did another hour or so at the laptop. Warmed up the daal for an early dinner, which we ate with rice and chapatis. Cycled over to Stroud Green Road in the company of Ben from No.38 and partook of the tai chi class he goes to. Bizarrely, it's run by a barber of Sicilian descent, in his little barber shop. Fortunately there were only five us there, otherwise it would have been a bit of a squeeze! Did a good hour and a half's gentle exercise, which can't be bad though...but whether we will go back for more is debateable. Cycled home and watched a bit of telly...interesting, and sometimes moving, documentary featuring Paul Simon recounting the creation of his classic "Graceland" album...he thinks the title track the best song he ever wrote, which is saying something, given his back catalogue! He's pretty much the only songwriter whose lyrics can still bring a tear to my eye...superb!

Sunday 21st May 2023

Woke around 0830. Aki got up to ready herself for Rowing Club. I had my tea in bed, before rising. Aki cooked breakfast. I then came down with a nasty bout of constipation. Aki left for Rowing Club, and I rode it out in the bathroom. By 1400 I was in constant agony. I rang for an ambulance, but wasn't considered urgent enough, and told to phone 111 instead. Spoke to a receptionist, who informed me that someone would ring me back. By this time I could barely move. Aki returned, and I sent her out to buy incontinence pads, so she could drive me up to the Whittington. It was a very painful drive, but the discomfort, the potholes and sleeping policemen, seemed to get things moving to the extent that I had to make a dash for the toilets in A&E, and blessed relief finally followed!!! Aki drove us back home. I took a shower before cooking pork shoulder steaks for dinner, with a marmalade sauce (using dad's homemade marmalade), mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Matt FaceTimed us this evening. He alerted us to the fact that they are due to come down to London in July for Sarah's final year exhibition on her creative design course, and we promised to hook up with them for that. Watched a bit of telly before bed...

Saturday 20th May 2023

Woke around 0830. Got up and porridged. Walked up to the Farmer's Market at Yerbury school to buy bread, and Aki bought some vegetables. It was a lovely morning, so we continued our perambulations up Highgate Hill and stopped for a coffee in the gardens of Waterlow Park. There were some stalls set up outside Lauderdale House selling plants, so Aki bought a couple to bring home to furnish her pots on the window sill. Walked back down the hill, popping in to M&S on the way home. I cooked mussels in white wine sauce for lunch, with slices of the fresh bread on the side. Aki did some gardening out front during the afternoon, and I pitched in with a bit of tidying up of the burgeoning wisteria, which necessitated climbing the step ladder. Warmed up the tarragon chicken and burnt oranges for dinner, with orzo, vegetables and griddled asparagus. Ma and pa FaceTimed while we were eating. They were worried about Jim and Emma's decision to invest in a camper van rather than find themselves a new flat...the sale of their property is going through, and they've got to be out by the end of the month...their purchase fell through. I'd told Jim they could still pull out of the sale prior to exchanging contracts, but they seem to be happy to live in a van for a bit! Watched a bit of telly. Bath and bed...

Friday 19th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. We dozed on for a bit, though. Got up around 0830 and porridged. No work to do this morning, so we opted to make a dash for the Natural History Museum in Kensington to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Caught a No.29 bus to Finsbury Park, and took the Piccadilly line to South Kensington. Quite busy at the museum...long queue for free entry. We had tickets for the exhibition, so by-passed that. The photography exhibition was great...the winner was a ball of bees fighting over the Queen, but my favourites were of the polar bears investigating abandoned houses on the north Russian coast, presumably up in the Arctic Circle. The photographer was on a boat, and spotted the bears, so he sent the camera in on a drone to get his shots. Got back home by 1345 and Aki made a late lunch. I walked round to the surgery to see Dr Marsh...wanted to follow up the results of the ultra-sound scan. She reckoned my umbilical hernia was probably best left alone, but recommended a further scan on my right testicle, which I think is giving me a bit of gip courtesy of the bad inguinal hernia repair of old. The abdominal problem is apparently the result of a divarification of the recti...I said it sounded like a play by Euripedes! Aki had gone out on her bike when I got home. I managed to do a couple of hours work, prepping for next week's inspections. Warmed up the lasagne for dinner, and made some basil oil to drizzle over the vegetables. Watched a bit of telly before collapsing, exhausted, into bed...

Thursday 18th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. Aki got up and made tea, which I drank in bed. Got up around 0830 and porridged. Set off for town. Walked to Finsbury Park tube station, and got the Piccadilly Line to Covent Garden. Aki had a 1000 appointment at the Apple Store. I left her to it and walked over to the Dr Marten's shoe shop in Neal Street and bought a pair of shoes. They didn't have the black leather version in store, so I ordered a pair via the shop online system, and the assistant gave me a 10% discount for my trouble. Picked Aki up from the Apple Store and we walked toward Charing Cross Road, stopping at a little cafe for a coffee and a nata doughnut...watched the chef preparing the rolled dough to make more doughnuts ...fascinating. Walked on to the Royal Academy on Piccadilly and visited the "Souls Grow Deep like the Rivers" exhibition of southern US Black artists, mostly working in the 20th century.

Some powerful pieces in there, and a remarkable facility to create art using the few materials they had to hand. There was a painting made of mud, berry juice, and grass stains which looked like an out-of-focus old photograph. Visited a neighbouring gallery afterward and came across the Belvedere Torso, a plaster cast of a Greek antiquity which inspired many RA artists over the past three centuries. Walked north and visited John Lewis's on Oxford Street, where we had lunch at the rooftop eatery and bar. Walked through Noho and caught the No.29 bus from Tottenham Court Road. Got home and did a couple of hours work at the computer before warming up the fish curry and daal, which we ate with rice and chapatis. Watched "Masterchef"...some excellent amateur cooks on show! They had a trial in the kitchen's of the Piazza, the restaurant at the Royal Opera House...looked fab, so resolved to go there to celebrate my 65th in July.

Wednesday 17th May 2023

Alarm at 0730...Aki got up to ready herself for Rowing Club. I dozed on until 0900. Porridged. Did a couple of hours work at the computer. Aki cycled home for lunch...I made a burrata and ham salad with roasted plums. We wandered over to meet Kate, one of Aki's Wednesday rowing mates....she has an allotment near the Emirates Stadium, and she gave us a tour. I found a ten pound note in the street as we walked there! The allotment is on a railway embankment, and is quite steep in places...they have had to build terracing to the lower reaches. Kate grows asparagus, lettuce, broccoli, among other things. We cropped some wild garlic leaves in the neighbouring woodland. Walked back home via Waitrose...bought some chicken and tarragon to make tonight's dinner with. Came home and cooked dinner...we ate the chicken with sauteed potatoes, baked oranges, and boiled vegetables. Raspberry spoom with amarreti biscuit to follow. Watched a bit of telly before bed...

Tuesday 16th May 2023

It had gone 0900 by the time I got up. I read a bit of "A Golden Age" in bed before porridging. It's just beginning to get going as the civil war starts and the protagonist's relatives come over from Pakistan, making things very uncomfortable for the young Bangladeshi revolutionaries in the family. Aki was at the computer for most of the morning, but I managed to get half-an-hour or so done before lunch. Hernia repair giving me much gip at the moment. Drove up Camden Road to the Garden Centre so Aki could pick up some compost. Got back and did some vacuuming before wandering over to Waitrose late afternoon to get some bits and pieces. I cooked an aubergine parmigiana lasagne for dinner, followed by raspberry spoom. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Monday 15th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. Dozed until 0830. Got up and made tea. Porridged. The plumber turned up around 1030 and stuck some leak sealant into the system...he said to give it a couple of days, and to get back in touch if the boiler was still losing pressure. Not holding my breath! Spoke to Jim on the blower...he had taken Emma to the RSC's current production of "Julius Caesar", bemoaning the overly 'woke' decisions made by the creative team...female Brutus and Cassius, a servant who delivered his lines in BSL...he nearly didn't go back in for the second half! Put a ham salad together for lunch. Worked at the computer until 1730. Cooked a lentil dahl for dinner...Aki cooked up a fish curry and rice to accompany it. Watched a bit of telly...rather moving documentary charting the life of Amy Winehouse in 10 photographs. Shower and bed...

Sunday 14th May 2023

Aki up early, but complaining of a sore throat. She decided not to go rowing. Lay in bed reading for a bit. Got up and porridged. Aki spent some time applying for a passport renewal, which appears to be done online these days. I threw a mackerel salad luncheon together. We walked up to the North Nineteen for our monthly folk session. Just Ben (violin) missing today...he'd forgotten all about it, and messaged an apology from Oxford, where he was on a day trip. Mum rang just as we were about to kick off...they were OK, though she mentioned dad was struggling with tooth ache and planned to visit the dentist next week. Enjoyed our folk session. Celia (accordion) has been looking after her 101 year old mother...she had had a very nasty accident a month or so ago, getting her coat caught in closing tube train doors, and the train moving off with her still trapped, forcing her to fall on the station platform and badly break her arm...she is of an age when such breaks turn out not to knit back together, and her right arm now hangs limp and useless, which has necessitated her having to have pretty much round-the-clock care. I suggested we go round to her flat next month and play our tunes for her, and Celia reckoned she'd love it, so that's the plan for June's meeting, subject to Celia checking her diary. Walked back home with Kathryn and George, who are off to Italy during the week...George's Italian brother-in-law is celebrating his 65th birthday. Aki cooked a tasty pasta carbonara for dinner, with cheese and biscuits to follow. Watched MOTD2. Arsenal's title fight ended this afternoon with a home defeat to Brighton...Man City should win the title next weekend.

Saturday 13th May 2023

Got up around 0900 and porridged. Walked over to the Picturehouse in the new Finsbury Park development for an 1100am showing of "Between the Bars", a short film charting the creation of Harvey Brough's oratorio, "The Sun Does Shine", which we'd seen premiered at St Luke's last year, featuring his Vox Holloway choir, of which Helen is a member...she and Martin had bagged us a couple of seats. The song cycle was inspired by a book of the same name, written by a black man who had wrongly spent 30 years on Death Row in Alabama, convicted of a crime he didn't commit, and his journey to inner and physical freedom. The film sketched out the phases of the piece's creation, interspersed with shots of north London streets which seemed familiar. We adjourned to the Member's Bar afterward for a natter, then accompanied Helen and Martin across the road for lunch at the ramen noodle house. It was tasty enough, though not quite the convincingly Japanese experience Aki was hoping for...these places rarely feature Japanese staff or chefs...the waitress was Korean, and the chef looked Indian...Aki reckoned that the miso soup was overly salty. We walked home via Lidl, where we managed a little grocery shopping. Aki cooked pork tonkatsu for dinner...pork shoulder steaks in breadcrumb, and deep fried. They turned out a little tough, though. Ice cream and aragostine to follow. Watched a bit of telly... managed to avoid the stridencies of Eurovision by checking out the 2015 re-make of "Far From the Madding Crowd"...not a patch on the 60s vision with Julie Christie, Terrence Stamp, and Alan Bates! Aki booked our flights to Berlin for September...she flies out of City Airport, which will be a first. I'm flying out from Heathrow, but we both come back in via City Airport.

Friday 12th May 2023

Had a slightly disturbed night's sleep, so had a bit of a lie in, and read a bit of "A Golden Age" before rising for porridge. Did a bit of work on some valuation research before lunch. Aki had cycled off for a meeting with Helen and Martin, but was back in time to eat. Felt very weary after yesterday's long day. Ended up nodding off on the sofa in the afternoon. We warmed up the chicken stew for dinner, followed by ice cream and chocolate brownie. Watched "Queen & Slim" on BBC iPlayer...a black Bonnie & Clyde tale following a couple who are forced on the run after a run in with a traffic cop goes horribly wrong...immaculately filmed, with good performances, but some plot twists that defied credulity.

Thursday 11th May 2023

Alarm at 0730. Eventually rose to make porridge, iron a shirt, and put a packed lunch together. Left Aki working at the computer, and headed for Finsbury Park on the No.29. Took a tube to Oxford Circus, then the Central Line to Notting Hill Gate. Grabbed a coffee, then hooked up with Sebastian outside the first inspection...he's a young German chap from Berlin, who's been working for Savills for a few months, and needed a little chaperoning on his first internal inspections, so muggins here was given the job. He'd hired a Zip Club car, and we drove round south-west London knocking on doors for a Shepherds Bush Housing Association valuation exercise. Seb turned out to be a personable young man...he'd worked in Hong Kong prior to him and his Hong Kong-Chinese girlfriend coming to London...she's a museum exhibition curator. He was part brought up on his dad's farm, and developed a passion for hunting, and organises hunting trips to Norfolk and Scotland for like-minded Germans who want to hunt deer! We had a long day...Seb dropped me off near Victoria train station and I got in around 1915. Aki cooked a tasty mushroom risotto, followed by ice cream and chocolate brownie. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Wednesday 10th May 2023

Slept through for a change....Aki not coughing this morning, which is a good sign too. Got up and porridged. No hot water from the boiler this morning...pressure had dropped, so had to work out how to add pressure...hope we haven't sprung a leak! Nice morning, though showers forecast for later on. Had a brief chat outside with Lynne from upstairs, and Becky and Sush at No.5...they are in the final throes of planning their wedding for the end of this month. Worked at the laptop for the rest of the morning, breaking for lunch. Aki cooked up a noodle soup with egg. I made some raspberry spumone, and stuck it in the freezer, then wandered over to Waitrose to gets some bits and pieces. Came back and made raspberry and lemon ice cream...the spoom uses egg whites, the ice cream uses egg yolks...the perfect match! Cooked a creamy chicken stew with potatoes for dinner, followed by cheese and biscuits. Watched a bit of telly before bed...

Tuesday 9th May 2023

It was gone 0900 by the time I got up. Porridged. Aki at the computer this morning. I managed to do some work at my laptop before lunch. Arranged some inspections in west London for Thursday. Worked through the afternoon. Broke at 1800 and made a fish stock, which I then turned into a sauce to have with a packet of prawn, chilli and garlic ravioli. Made a nice side salad to go with it. Spoke to Tony McB on the blower...got news from Katrina that his mum has been having treatment for breast cancer, so wanted to clock in with him. She's back home in Seaford and doing OK, all things considered...she's her husband's main carer, though...he has Alzheimers, so Tony has had his work cut out this past few weeks. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Monday 8th May 2023

Rose late again...porridged. Kathleen from No.49 came down to borrow our hedge trimmer. Pottered about in the front garden in the morning before it started to rain. Aki did a bit of re-potting, while I tried to tidy up the wisteria, which is going a bit bonkers. No sign of any flowers this year, but will wait until July before I cut it back a bit. Lunch. Walked over to Waitrose and Morrisons to do a little shop, then back home. Warmed up the last of the lentil "shepherd's" pie for dinner, followed by the last of the crumble, and custard. Watched a bit of telly before showering and bed...

Sunday 7th May 2023

Got up and cooked a late late breakfast.... finished off the bubble and squeak. Kath FaceTimed from 12 High View...they were enjoying the garden. Talked a bit about plans for August 16th...sounds like a trip out to Horton Grange for dinner a famille, and maybe a BBQ in the garden the following evening. Soup for lunch. Walked to Finsbury Park in the afternoon, and took the North London line into Moorgate. Wandered over to Bishopsgate to investigate Eataly, a couple of floors of Italian deli's and eateries. It was busy, so we decided to walk on over to Spitalfields... but it was even busier there! Said hello to Mallet at the hat stall...he'd sold me a hat a few years ago, so I reminded him, and we had a brief chat. He was the drummer for indie rock band Transvision Vamp...nice chap. We decided to walk up Commercial Street towards Old Street station, stopping on the way to grab a coffee and doughnut at a little cafe on Great Eastern Street. Walked on up Pitfield Street, then crossed Shoreditch Park to pick up a bus back to Holloway. Stopped to take a look at the massive iron sculpture of Alfred Hitchcock's head in the courtyard of the Gainsborough Studio flat complex, built on the site of the old Gainsborough Film Studios. Aki baked trout for dinner, with couscous and vegetables, followed by crumble and custard. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Saturday 6th May 2023

Aki woke up a couple of times during the night with a coughing fit. Got up around 0900 and made her a mug of hot lemon and honey. Cooked breakfast...made bubble and squeak, which we ate with salad and poached eggs. Got hooked on watching the Coronation of King Charles III. They certainly know how to put on a show! The ancient ritual of the anointing, and the presentation of various intriguing knick-knacks, rings, orbs, rods and sceptres, all adorned with historical symbolism, was fascinating. Watched the procession back down The mall, and the fly past by the Red Arrows in the rain. Aki made a carrot soup, which we had for late lunch. I cooked a mushroom and anchovy pasta sauce for dinner. Watched Penelope Cruz in "Official Competition", an enjoyable satire taking aim at the film industry...stunning cinematography...pin-sharp and beautifully lit. 

Friday 5th May 2023

Aki had another disturbed night's sleep, waking a couple of times for a bout of coughing. I got up around 0900 and made her some tea and porridge. Pottered about doing nothing very much. Aki got up to do some work at the computer. Made some lunch...fried up the left over saag aloo from last night, which we had with spinach and rice, topped with a poached egg. Went for an afternoon walk. Bumped into Six outside No.29 and stopped for a chat about food and music, before walking on to Stroud Green and popping in to Green & Glory for some celeriac and pumpkin. Walked home via Finsbury Park...noticed that the Park Theatre were due to stage another Phillip Ridley play...exciting! Came home and cooked dinner....roasted some celeriac and pumpkin, which we ate with roast chicken, vegetables, and a carrot puree, followed by crumble and custard. Watched "Black Ops"...very funny. Written by the two lead actors...bath and bed!

Thursday 4th May 2023

Woken by Aki's coughing around 0730. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Did a little work at the computer, and booked our hotel for the trip to Berlin in September. Made lunch...fried some tinned sardines, with salad and toast. I took my constitutional up Highgate Hill. Stopped at Archie's for a coffee, and read a bit of "A Golden Age", before walking home via Sainsburys to pick up some broccoli and milk. Cooked up a saag aloo to accompany the fish curry we'd defrosted. Walked up to No.93 to call on Kevin, and we knocked up Gareth at No.120, then walked to the bus stop on Holloway Road to catch the No.43 to Highgate. Aki too poorly to join us, so she was left behind on the sofa with the TV remote. Went to see Ridiculsmus, a comic physical theatre duo formed back in the early 90s...they were reprising their piece, "Beautiful People", at Jackson's Lane Theatre, a study of an ageing couple as they near the end of their lives, moving painfully slowly about the stage before sitting at a table, heading off to the corner of the room (painfully slowly) to emit a fart out of earshot of their better half, taking their tablets, spilling their drink, and so on...it was nicely performed, with great attention to detail, and mesmerising movement, but narratively it felt a little confused, and we came out a little non-plussed. 

Wednesday 3rd May 2023

Sleep was interrupted on a couple of occassions by Aki's coughing. She rose early to make herself a mug of hot water with lemon and ginger, which she brought back to bed. I got up around 0800 and did a little work at the computer before porridging. Put lunch together. Wrapped asparagus in parma ham and fried them...yummy, with poached eggs. Needed some exercise, so walked down to Islington council's offices on Upper Street to try and find out why the online system wasn't allowing me to pay for our parking permit. Mahreen tried and failed, but then came up with a workaround and we finally got it done...I high-fived her and promised to be back same time next year! Wandered up to Euphorium for a coffee, and read the Prologue to the current Book Club choice, A Golden Age, by Tahmima Aman...beautifully written, with a gentle poetic undertow. Walked back via Waitrose. Cooked a lentil and mushroom 'shepherd's' pie for dinner, served up with broccoli and peas, followed by crumble and custard. Aki coughing a lot this evening, so went to bed early. I had a bath...

Tuesday 2nd May 2023

Good night's sleep, but coughing again this morning....Aki seems to be joining in now! She got up and made tea. Porridged. Pottered about doing a bit of work on the laptop, and trying in vain to pay for my annual Parking Permit....what a palaver...it's all supposed to be made easy by the fact that you do it online, but their systems aren't fit for purpose! Maddening!!! Made myself a packed lunch and headed east, picking up some petrol at Sainsburys in Manor House, then driving on to Tottenham, where I ate my lunch in the car on a rather rundown 90s era housing estate. Then it was on to Woodford, and down to Beckton. Got home around 1715. I made a rhubarb and apple crumble, then warmed up the chicken norma that Aki had made last week, which we ate with penne, followed by crumble and ice cream. Aki not feeling too good...the cough is getting worse...she went to bed early. I read a bit about Bulgakov before heading to bed...

Monday 1st May 2023

Another good night's sleep. Got up and made chocolate porridge. Still coughing a bit in the mornings. Nice day, so decided to take a walk...we strolled trough Highbury Fields, past the Arsenal Women fans who were amassing for this evening's European Cup semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg. Had some lunch at Belle Epoche, sharing a quiche, and a slice of apricot and pistachio tart...can no longer afford to eat a portion each, as their prices have shot up! Bought a pestle and mortar from the kitchen shop on Upper Street, and did a bit of window shopping before turning for home. Aki cooked salmon teriyaki for dinner, with rice, miso aubergine, and miso soup...very tasty! Watched Dev Patel in "David Copperfield"...there was a lot of storyboard cutting and splicing, but we enjoyed seeing who was playing our favourite characters...Daisy May Cooper turns up as Peggotty, and Tilda Swinton as Betsey Trotwood...we recognised the front of The Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds, which was used for a few seconds for an atmospheric exterior shot! They also used the interior of the Theatre Royal there for the beginning, where Charles Dickens is giving a reading from his latest magnum opus. Enjoyable take on the novel, but it felt cut to ribbons. Bath and bed...

Sunday 30th April 2023

Slept well, but hernia repair still giving me gip! Had planned to meet Aki at the Rowing Club for Sunday lunch, but decided to postpone it until next week, and rest up. Aki cycled off as usual. I did some work at the computer, then broke for lunch. Kath FaceTimed from mum and dad's. They all seemed in fine fettle. Pottered about in the afternoon  not doing very much. Warmed up the aubergine parmigiana lasagne for dinner, followed by ice cream. Watched Daisy May Cooper in another episode of the superb "Rain Dogs" before bed...