Wednesday 30th August 2023

 

Slightly disturbed night's sleep, courtesy of the old war wound, which was giving me gip before I went to bed. Got up and showered, then descended to the breakfast room. Did a little work at the laptop after breakfast, then headed back for Strood. Finished there around lunchtime, so took a detour to M&S and bought some lunch, which I ate in the car on Church Green, overlooking the Medway, and Rochester Castle, and cathedral. Spent the afternoon in Chatham's suburbs. Visited No.11 Ordnance Terrace, where the young Charles Dickens lived between the ages of 5 and 9, before they moved to Camden. The terrace is over 200 years old, and looks in bad need of a facelift...dread to think what they might look like inside! The young Charles and his elder sister played in the field opposite the house, which is now Chatham Railway Station. Got back to the hotel around 1800. Walked to the Ship and Trades for dinner, alongside the busy dual carriageway. Ordered the lowest calorie meal on the menu, wholewheat spaghetti with artichoke hearts...it was OK, but lacked flavour. Walked back in the gloaming, dodging the occassional cyclist. FaceTimed Aki...there was a knife murder outside Poundland yesterday lunchtime, so there is an enhanced police presence in the vicinity. Caught sight of the Super Blue Moon through my hotel window as I got in to bed, as it hung above the suburbs of west Gillingham...

Tuesday 29th August 2023

Got up around 0800 and prepared breakfast. Finished off the smoked salmon, with egg and hollandaise sauce. Made a packed lunch to take on my travels, and packed a bag. Popped round to the GP with my stool samples before starting the car up and heading south-eastwards via the A2. A few miles north-west of Strood, I took a detour to the village of Higham to get sight of Gads Hill Place, Charlie Dickens' final home, where he died at the age of 58. Bumped into a small group of ageing pilgrims doing the same thing...but the house has long been a girls' school, and there's no entry to the general public. Noticed there's a foot tunnel, the entrance of which is on the other side of the road...a local reckoned Charles had had it built to allow his mistress to visit without disturbing the rest of the household!

Stopped off in Strood to get some lunch items and pick up a coffee, then headed out to Grain. Had my lunch in a car park overlooking the coastal path, and had a brief walk in the sunshine afterward, taking in the view across the estuary to Southend. Carried out inspections in Cliffe and Hoo before ending up back in Strood. Drove to Gillingham and checked in to the Premier Inn. Looked at the menu for the Ship & Trades pub, but the calorie counts were too high, so ended up walking to ASDA and getting a pot noodle for dinner! 

Monday 28th August 2023

Aki up with the lark to ready herself for Rowing Club. By the time I woke up she had already cycled off. Got up and porridged, then did a bit of prep work ahead of this week's trip to the Medway towns. Aki had lunch at the cafe in Springfield Park, so I warmed up the pasta and tomato sauce I'd made last week for my lunch, with a tasty fig salad on the side. Aki got back about 1400...she said Kersey had fallen into the canal whilst launching the rowing boat! She'd managed to shower afterward and get back on board! She's due to share a room with Aki in Potsdam on the Berlin trip. Read some Flannery O'Connor...really enjoying it...sections are uproariously funny, though a vague sinister threat remains bobbing beneath the surface. Aki baked hake in bacon for dinner. Managed to burn her left hand on the handle of the frying pan she'd heated in the oven! Sat for an hour with a glass of iced water in her hand, hoping it hadn't damaged her chances of rowing on Wednesday. Watched "Fish Tank" on BFIPlayer. Saw it first time round, but Aki hadn't seen it...a powerful piece of gritty realism set on a sink estate in Rainham, Essex, with a great performance from the mouthy Katie Jarvis, who the director discovered on a railway platform...she's now an EastEnders regular!

Sunday 27th August 2023

Fitful night's sleep. Aki up around 0900, and brought me a mug of tea. Eventually rose...Aki cooked us brunch. Weather looked to be holding so we decided to take a hike up to Hampstead Ponds. Got rained on on the way, but it was light, and brief. Walked across the Heath to Kenwood House, and sat outside in the terraced garden and partook of a light lunch, and coffee. Walked into Highgate, and wandered through Waterlow Park...listened to a Mexican band who had set up in the North Pavilion, then walked on down the hill. Warmed up the pork and bean stew for dinner, with bulgar wheat on the side. Watched the final evening of World Championship athletics from Budapest, and gave new crime thriller "The Woman in the Wall" a go...nice script, and well filmed and edited, even if the storyline is rather over-wrought. Watched a bit of MOTD2 before shower and bed...

Saturday 26th August 2023

Woke around 0800. Got up and porridged. Walked up to Yerbury Farmers' Market only to find it wasn't on today, presumably as it was Bank Holiday weekend. Mounted Highgate Hill, and bought a sourdough loaf at Gail's, and takeaway coffees, which we drank in Waterlow Park. Aki left to get home in time to take a zoom call. I sat on a park bench and picked off a couple of chapters of Pickwick Papers, before ambling back home via M&S. Aki still on call when I got in, so made lunch...smoked salmon with poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Thunder storm came in mid afternoon. The car got a good 'washing'. Warmed up the chicken and mango curry for dinner. Ate it on our laps whilst watching the athletics. 

Friday 25th August 2023

Felt a bit better this morning. Aki up early to cycle off to Rowing Club. I got up after she'd left and porridged, then did a bit of work at the computer. Managed to get an 1100 appointment with the GP...another new face. He was on a one-year work placement, still in training, and commuting every morning from Strood! He was good. Sorted out blood and stool sample tests, and referred me for an endoscopy. Took my constitutional up Highgate Hill, buying a flat white at Gail's, and sitting on a bench in Waterlow Park to drink it, and read a bit more Pickwick Papers. Nice sunny day. Walked back down via Tesco. Got home in time to catch Aki preparing lunch. Did a bit more work this afternoon, then made some herb laminated pasta sheets, and a pizzaiola sauce to go with it. Looked amazing as the parsley leaves seemed to get stretched in much the same way as the egg pasta dough. Watched some athletics, and some TV comedy before shower and bed...

Thursday 24th August 2023

Got up around 0900 and porridged. Went to the loo around 1000...didn't get out until 1500!!! This was the second impaction in less than a month...summat ain't right! Too exhausted to do much once relief had come. Ma and pa happened to FaceTime us, asking what we'd been up to...!!! Aki cooked a black bean stew with cubed pork shoulder for dinner. Watched a bit of telly, and read a bit before bed...

Wednesday 23rd August 2023

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. She brought me tea, and I read in bed for a while. Got up and porridged. The Toto Washlet repair man, Mark, tuned up at 1100. He replaced the faulty switch, and then tackled the internal leak...the cistern has been overflowing into the bowl for years. He replaced a couple of gaskets, which seemed to do the trick, but he discovered another mystery leak that has been rotting the ply surrounding the cistern, which is placed behind the tiling. May have to get Vince back to undertake some further investigations! Aki had lunch at the cafe in Springfield Park, so I lunched alone on ham and poached egg. Aki got home around 1330, and we went for our afternoon walk. She had picked up a puncture on her bicycle so wheeled it to the bike shop on Seven Sisters Road for repair...left it with them, and wandered on to Finsbury Park, taking the steps up beside the railway bridge into Gillespie Park. Walked on to Highbury Fields, and then to Upper Street where we bought ice cream. Sat under a tree outside Islington Town Hall to eat them, then wandered home via Canonbury Square. Cooked a chicken and mango curry for dinner, with rice and vegetables. It was a bit disappointing. Watched a bit of the World Athletics Championships, and a terrific gold for Josh Kerr in the 1500 metres. Unsurprising news from Russia that the leaders of the Wagner Group have been killed in a plane 'crash'...!!!

Tuesday 22nd August 2023

Woke around 0900. Aki got up and made tea, and I read some "Pickwick papers" in bed for a bit. Got up and porridged. Aki cycled off to Highbury Pool for a swim. Lunched on figs and mozzarella cheese, with speck on toast. Walked to Finsbury Park station and got a Piccadilly Line tube train to Knightsbridge. Walked through Hyde Park to the Serpentine Gallery for our annual pilgrimmage to the summer pavilion...this time a timber edifice with tables and stools, a small cafe bar, encouraging to people to mingle with strangers and meet new people. We managed to drink our coffees in peace, undisturbed by the general populace, much to our relief. Walked northward along the west bank of Long Water to the Italian gardens at the Lancaster Gate entrance. Took the Central Line and changed at Oxford Circus, and got home in time to cook dinner before my zoom appointment with the dietician. It was as dull as the first experience...just 9 more to go! Watched a bit of telly and read some "Pickwick Papers" before shower and bed...

Monday 21st August 2023

Tea in bed...read for a bit. Got up and porridged. Phoned MD at work, as he had some inspections lined up for me in Chatham. He has yet to receive the stocklist from MHS, though. Nice sunny afternoon, so went for a walk after lunch, climbing up Hornsey Rise, then down into Crouch End. Browsed in a couple of shops, then walked back via Crouch Hill, down to Stroud Green and Finsbury Park. Aki baked trout for dinner, with boiled potatoes and courgettes she'd bought yesterday at the church next door. She'd also managed to procure three huge, ripe, sticky figs. Not much on telly so spent the majority of the evening reading...I've got three books on the go at the moment! Showered before bed, though I was late as I sought to explore how I get from Brandenburg Airport to our Kreuzberg hotel in a couple of weeks time...didn't look to be much in the way of public transport, so may have to opt for a taxi. 

Sunday 20th August 2023

Woke late, exhausted. Had tea in bed, and read for a bit. Rather grey morning, but it brightened a bit as the day progressed. We walked across to Waitrose after lunch to buy some supplies for the empty fridge. Walked Aki back home, then went for my constitutional, walking up Highgate Hill to Waterlow Park, where I sat on a bench overlooking the sunbathers, and read some Flannery O'Connor. Walked back down via Sainsbury's. Warmed up the tarragon chicken I'd defrosted for dinner, with orzo and vegetables...very tasty. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Saturday 19th August 2023

Got up and breakfasted, then packed up in readiness to leave for our return trip to London. Kath came round, having offered us a lift to Central station. Jim and Emma showed up just before lunch, having gotten their camper van going. Jim gave us a quick tour...it's not quite as big as we thought, the bed space being very cramped. Don't think I could stand it for very long, tbh...they've put it up for sale in the hope of upgrading to something slightly bigger, but interest seems to flag when they give out the dimensions of the bedspace to any prospective purchasers. They drove off to lord knows where, and we had lunch....I literally fried up all the leftovers to make one big hash, and dumped fried eggs on top. We said our farewells to Margaret and John on the porch steps, and were driven into town. Got to the station in good time, so sat and had a coffee at the Centurion on the station concourse. Our train was delayed by half-an-hour, and when it finally turned up, there were very few passengers! Only about 6 of us and a dog in our carriage. We read or dozed off, getting into Kings Cross half-an-hour late. Took a No.91 bus home. Aki feeling a bit nauseous after the journey. Used up some tomato sauce I found in the freezer, which we ate with bucatini, then flopped in front of the telly before bath and bed...

Friday 18th August 2023

Not much to report today. Weather a bit grey, and it drizzled a bit on our walk down to Darras Hall. Kath came with us, and we sat and had a rather watery coffee outside Davidson's bakery. Walked back up Woodside in the rain. Dad had received a letter from the Freeman Hospital inviting him in for pre-op tests next month. Next door neighbours had hired a tree surgeon to take down the huge maple in their garden, as it's branches have started interfering with our roof. We approached them about digging up dad's birch tree in the front garden, which he has been trying to remove under his own steam! They quoted us £60, but can't do it for a few weeks as they are tied up elsewhere on a big job. Did a bit of cooking in the afternoon. Finished off the leftovers from Wednesday's Indian takeaway for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bed...

Thursday 17th August 2023

A slow start after yesterday's exhausting efforts. The weather had improved so we decided to take a drive out to Kirkharle for a walk around the grounds, and a nose about the gift shops. The cafe was busy. We circumnavigated Capability Brown's ox-bow lake, then returned to the farm buildings and had a wander round the shops. Kath found some items by people she's met at her craft fairs, and there was a bunch of Chilli Bizarre stuff, mainly rather pricey but colourful tea towels. Drove home for coffee and cake...there's a lot of cake! Spent the afternoon making tomato passata using tomatoes from the greenhouse, and some chocolate truffles for the freezer. We finished off the fish pie for dinner, and watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Wednesday 16th August 2023

Alarm at 0745...got up to make mum her birthday breakfast...smoked salmon and cream cheese pancake. She didn't seem very impressed with the Mondrian themed presents. I'm sure they'll come into their own when she next visits the Laing. Kath turned up to set table and blow up some balloons...she'd bought a giant balloon on a stick with Happy Birthday Margaret written on it, which lit up and flashed. Watched the England gals beat Australia to reach the World Cup Final...there were a couple of cracking goals, that Bobby Charlton would have been proud of! 

We prepared the dishes for lunch. Jim and Emma turned up, and finally Stewart arrived, and we ate out on the patio. Dad delivered his song, then the cake was brought out, complete with flaming candles...at this juncture, Keira and her two kids showed up...Keira turned out to be Emma's daughter. Her kids ran amok in the garden and about the house, Cillian becoming very overcome when his Happy Birthday balloon floated off into the blue yonder. Keira helped with the washing up, and then departed with said children, allowing peace to descend. Jim and I drove down to Darras Hall to pick up the Indian takeaway...very friendly staff in there. We got it all back to High View and plonked the various dishes in their takeaway tubs on the dining table for people to help themselves. It was surprisingly good, though a little over reliant on cream as the sauce base, even in the dal! There was a bit of dancing to some C&W tracks after dinner...everybody joining in...groovy!

Tuesday 15th August 2023

Woke around 0800. Aki got up and brought me tea in bed. Came down for porridge. Drove Aki to Kath's in Westerhope after breakfast, so that she could start decorating the cake. I drove back to High View in order to drive father to the Freeman Hospital in Jesmond...took the Up! Got there in good time, and parked up in a disabled bay. Walked dad up to the Urology department on Level 3, and made sure he got booked in, then I went for a wander...found my way down to the "restaurant" in the basement...more of a canteen, in reality. People already queueing for the cheap lunches. I bought some water and sat on a bench outside for a bit. Headed back up to Urology and found dad discharging himself after tests...they have identified a 'restriction' and he'll need to come back in for further tests to see if an op is suitable. Drove him back to High View, then drove to Westerhope to see how Aki was getting on with the cake...she had applied a smooth layer of ganache...it looked promising. I drove round the corner to get a sarnie from Greggs, and we ate in Kath's kitchen, before I headed for Kingston Park and did a shop in M&S. They didn't have all I wanted, so I drove to Waitrose in Ponteland, and got some more bits and pieces, and delivered them to High View. By the time I got back to Westerhope, Aki was struggling to complete the icing. I finished off the black piano keys, and she cut out some letters to place on the base...the completed edifice looked mighty fine! We drove back to High View and secreted the cake in the garage under a kitchen towel.

Monday 14th August 2023

Fitful night's sleep...woke in the middle of the night with trapped wind! Aki got up around 0800 and brought me tea. Joined her downstairs for porridge. Dad drove off for his swim. Rather grey day, but the rain held off for most of the morning. Aki had a zoom call with Leia and family in Japan...they waved at ma and pa. Drove myself and Aki down to Waitrose in mum's VW Up! and did a shop...got cake ingredients, and bits and pieces for Wednesday's lunch. The rain was really coming down by the time we trundled the trolley across the car park to the car. Got back to High View just in time for lunch. Spent the afternoon in the kitchen. Cooked the chocolate and Guinness cake, made plum spoom with plums from the plum tree in the back garden, and put together a fish pie for dinner, which was accompanied by peas and carrots, followed by Waitrose tiramisu for dessert. Ordered Wednesday's Indian takeaway via Haveli's online ordering site. Sliced the top off the cake ready to take to Kath's tomorrow for decorating. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Sunday 13th August 2023

Woke around 0700. Aki got up and made tea...I followed shortly thereafter, and fixed some porridge up for breakfast. Aki made sandwiches to take with us on the journey. Joan messaged Aki to say she'd changed her mind and that they were going to stay in the hotel in Liverpool Street area, rather than utilise our vacant premises ...maybe the tales of drug taking dealers hanging about outside put them off! We gave the cake we'd saved for them to Lynne upstairs, with what remained of the double cream. We caught a bus to Finsbury Park, and tube to KX. Got there in good time...bought coffee and awaited our platform number. Got into Newcastle at 1315 and took a taxi to High View, which cost us £30. Dad was weeding the footpath in front of the house, and mum came out to join us. They look in good nick, all things considered. We took tea in the back garden. Mum had cooked a ham, and served it up with potatoes from the garden, cauliflower and beans, and a tasty mustard sauce. Dad provided dessert of rhubarb and custard. Aki and I took a constitutional after dinner, walking down to Darras, where Aki picked up a bottle of wine at the Co-op, and we walked back via Woodside and Edgehill. Watched some Proms with ma and pa in the living-room. I stayed up to catch MOTD2 before shower and bed...

Saturday 12th August 2023

Woke around 0800. Aki made tea. Got up to watch the Australia v France game. Some really good football from the Aussies. Went to penalties...twenty of them! Nipped out to the bank to get some cash for Vince, then sat on the sofa to watch the England game...we were lucky to come through as 2-1 winners, and will face Australia in what promises to be a raucous semi-final. Aki cooked mushrooms on toast for lunch...very tasty, with a bit of garlic and tarragon thrown in. Just as we sat down to eat, Vince turned up. He switched the water off and adjusted the valve to the shower tap, which has continued to gently leak, and checked our electrics, as we've been having trouble with the Toto Washlet. Paid him for his work so far, and he promised to catch up with us on our return from up north. Aki's NY chum, Joan, turned up at 1700, with 10 year old Tey in tow...they are en route back to NY having sojourned in Europe for a week or two, and are going to flat sit for us until they fly back to NY on Friday. Joan used to lodge with Katherine at No.127, some 12 years or so ago, so we had arranged to meet up with Katherine and George at Osteria Tufo for dinner once we'd shown them the ropes here. Enjoyed my dinner...I had the pork fillet with mashed potatoes and a creamy red wine sauce, with some fried courgettes with mint on the side...yum! Walked back to Katherine and George's for dessert and tea. Gave Joan Aki's set of flat keys, and saw them off in an Uber.  Finished packing our bags for tomorrow's journey to Newcastle. Watched MOTD before bed...

Friday 11th August 2023

Aki up early, as she planned to go rowing...but changed her mind, deciding to watch Japan v Sweden instead. I got up in time for the anthems. Porridged on the sofa. Japan were ineffectual for the first hour of the game, and were 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go...missed a penalty, got a goal back, hit the post...but couldn't turn it around. Iced the cake, with a lot of swearing. Aki did a good job of squaring the edges. Lunched on a ham salad. Vince turned up just as we sat down to eat. He did a bit of siliconing then departed. Aki cycled off to Highbury Pool in the sunshine. I made some chocolate truffles with the leftover ganache. Julia from No.29 came round with Oty to go through some of the Scottish folk tunes planned for September's street party. She took it all in her stride. Julia and Sechs are trying to get her into Camden School for Girls, which has a very strong music department. Took some slices of cake round to the neighbours...Brett at No.7 took some, as did Carlos at No.36, and Ben and Gayu at No,38, who had guests. Came home and decided to silicon the bathroom wash hand basin, and the bath, as it was looking a bit untidy. Broke for dinner...Aki warmed up the last of her aubergine parmigiana lasagne. Did a bit of tidying up before bath and bed...

Thursday 10th August 2023

Aki up early to cycle off to a meeting in Camden. I read some "Pickwick Papers" in bed for a while, where I drank my tea and did my porridge. Aki back in time for lunch. I threw a ham salad together. Drove over to the Warehouse District to pick up my guitars from Angus the Luthier. He'd done a good job. Vince had turned up by the time I got back. He grouted the shower tray repair and did some checks on the light switches he'd put in yesterday. Said he hadn't been well this morning, so he was a bit quieter than usual. Aki baked hake in Parma ham for dinner. My calorie count was really low for the day, so I made it up with some cake and banana ice-cream. I made the ganache for the cake...Aki applied it, and did a great job. Left it to set a bit in the fridge. Had some left, so thought I'd have a go at making some chocolate truffles. Watched "Better Call Saul" before bath and bed...

Wednesday 9th August 2023

Aki up early to head off for Rowing Club. I had a lie in...which was interrupted by the doorbell going. It was Gabe the postman with a couple of items that wouldn't go through the letterbox. Made myself a mug of tea, and porridged. Decided to make a cake. I was just stirring the lumps out of the batter when the doorbell rang...it wasn't the postman, this time, but Vince. He replaced the dimmer switches on the downlights in the living-room, and swapped the halogen bulbs for LEDs. Aki turned up just as I took the cake out of the oven. Vince was up a ladder. He went home for his lunch break. Aki put together a ham salad. Vince returned to have a go at repairing the damaged shower tray that Aki had partially destroyed the other day. He'd brought an angle grinder...we set him up in the back garden with the workmate. We went for a late afternoon constitutional after Vince had gone, walking up Highgate Hill to Waterlow Park, and back down via Tescos. I cooked a creamy tarragon chicken dinner with boiled potatoes. Watched a bit of telly before bed...

Tuesday 8th August 2023

Woke around 0800. Got up and realised I'd locked the gate last night, so the bin men couldn't get in to take the recycling away! Made tea, then porridged. Watched a bit of the Columbia v Jamaica game. Drove the rubbish to the tip. Traffic on Holloway Road was terrible, so I went round the back streets to get to the incinerator, but had to wait in a queue for 20 minutes while a large lorry manoeuvred one of the massive bins out. Drove over to Waitrose and got some odds and ends, and a sushi platter to share for lunch. Aki made some miso soup to have with it. Broke into No.5 to get on their back addition roof....from there I can clean our skylight, so took a mop and bucket. Spitting with rain. Aki cooked an aubergine parmigiana lasagne for dinner. Sush next door gave us some of his mum's homemade garam masala...smelled good! Had my first MoreLife zoom meeting with my weight management monitor. It wasn't one-to-one. The guy leading it was very under-whelming...I noticed one woman on the zoom gallery who appeared to have nodded off halfway through. Watched "Better Call Saul" before bath and bed...

Monday 7th August 2023

Terrible night's sleep...my bad hernia repair giving me gip. Aki got up and made tea, then turned the telly on for the England v Nigeria game. I got up to watch. Porridged. Aki decided she wanted to de-scale the shower head...unbeknownst to me, she removed it without the step ladder...I heard a crash and a yelp, and assumed she'd dropped her cosmetics on the bathroom floor...no, it turned out to be the shower head, which smashed a hole in the shower tray tiling! So the shower is out of commission exactly one day after we got it all going again!!! She alerted Vince, and we awaited his arrival. Meanwhile I set about transferring my smaller Phoenix Life pension pots in to my Savills' Royal London pot...did it all on-line; confirmation may take a few weeks. Made a ham salad lunch. Headed off for Kings Cross and my aortal aneurysm scan...caught a No.259 bus to Killick Street...got there a bit early, so took a turn around the block. It was an ultra-sound scan...it turned out the guy needed to press quite hard, which disturbed my numerous hernia. Felt a little uncomfortable afterward. Walked over to Waitrose and bought a bottle of water, then sat out at the back of Kings Place, overlooking the narrow boat marina at Albert Dock, where Walter is due to dock Arcona tomorrow evening. Read a bit of Dickens then got a No.91 back home. Vince was there when I got in...he'd cleaned up the smashed tiling, and had resolved to cut a bit off a spare grey tile with an angle grinder, hopefully tomorrow. Aki set about cutting the hedge out front, and I did a bit of wisteria pruning before we warmed up the chicken and lentil pie for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Sunday 6th August 2023

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. She brought me a mug of tea in bed. Got up and porridged before Aki cycled off to the River Lea. Half-watched USA v Sweden whilst pottering about. Went to penalties after a rather uneventful 120 minutes. Decided to abandon plans to head for Broomfield Park this afternoon for the free blues festival, as we fancied the ground would be sodden after yesterday's downpours, and showers are forecast for late afternoon today. Tried to get hold of Roz to see whether we might hook up with the boat this afternoon, but went to voicemail...she's probably opening a lock or something. Aki cycled home for lunch. I ventured out mid afternoon to get some odds and ends from Morrisons, and had a browse around Selby's. Came home and picked up the cake, and walked up to No.43 with it...knocked on the door expecting Vince or one of his off-spring to answer the door, but no-one home, so walked back home with it. Cooked bucatini all amatriciana for dinner, with the guanciale and tomatoes I bought yesterday on Brecknock Road. I was just about to serve up, when the doorbell rang and Vince showed up, with Paul from No.27 in tow...he wanted to sound Paul out about repairing the gaping holes he'd left in our plasterboard. Vince took the cake with him to feed his off-spring. Ate dinner, washed down with a glass of prosecco. Nowt much on telly...watched silly reality TV show "Alone" on C4...11 Brits are lowered into the Canadian wilderness to fend for themselves, on their own, with just a few basic tools...needless to say, there are loads of bears!

Saturday 5th August 2023

Woke around 0800. Aki got up and made tea. Got up to watch the Japan v Norway game...I prepared the salad portion of the brunch, and Aki cooked up a mushroom omelette at half-time to have with it. Japan were pretty good...put some lovely flowing moves together at times, and deserved to come out 3-1 winners. Grey, wet day. Drove over to Manor House with a couple of guitars for Angus the luthier to look at for me...left them with him. Drove to Waitrose and did a little shop...bought fish for dinner tonight. Vince had arrived by the time I got back...he'd found another leak behind the shower tap gubbins, which meant he had to remove even more plasterboard! Won't be much left at this rate!!! I lent a hand, sawing wood, and nipping to the DIY store to gets bits and pieces for him. Aki treated him to a lunch of pork gyoza, and egg soup. He left about 1700 having finally got the new shower tap cartridge fixed in place, so we can shower tonight. Disappointed to see Reading get off to a losing start to the season, losing at home to Peterborough...we are now in League One in to the bargain! Aki made a bean stew to have with the haddock for dinner...it was a bit bland. Baked a cake this evening and had a go at icing it...it's very frustrating...lots of little niggly imperfections that spoilt the effect. Gave up at 1030 for shower and bed...

Friday 4th August 2023

Aki up early to ready herself for a meeting...she cycled off before I got up. Rose and porridged. No word from the car service centre this morning...they were going to put two new tyres on the front, and new brake pads to the rear...the initial call in was for the front brake pads....going to cost me a small fortune! Vince turned up to put the shower tap back together with the new cartridge. Made him a coffee. He was installing the water system limescale filter when we were having lunch, and had to turn the water off. I headed off to collect the car from Colindale. I walked up to Brecknock Road first, calling in on the little Italian deli to buy some cured pig cheeks and a pack of bucatini. Caught a bus on Camden Road, then got a tube from Camden Town...the station was rammed. Walked from Colindale station the mile or so to the VW service centre. My bill was just over £800! Brake pads front and back, two new front tyres, MOT, and new wipers. The young woman who was dealing with my case kept calling me Mr. Huge...funnily enough, I found out via her paperwork once I was home that she was named Ms. Small...!!! Drove home via Tool Station on North Street, where I picked up some dimmer switch units to replace the faulty ones in our living-room switch plate. Cooked a chicken, lentil and prune pie for dinner, with red cabbage and spinach. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Thursday 3rd August 2023

Alarm at 0740. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Brought the car down so I could empty the boot prior to heading for the MOT in Colindale. Drove first to the tip to get rid of some bits and pieces, then up the A1 to Colindale to drop the car off at the service centre. Walked the mile back to Colindale tube station, and took a bus from Camden Town, back home. Aki still out by the time I got back. Prepared a ham salad lunch, which we ate on her return. Vince turned up mid afternoon to do the grouting in the shower. Aki cooked an early carbonara dinner, after which I walked to Finsbury Park tube station and headed for the Southbank. Tony had gotten hold of one freebie for James Graham's "Dear England" in the Olivier, as he was audio-describing the first half of tonight's performance. Had a quick catch up on the roof terrace. It was a sell-out...very engaged audience who got all the football related gags. Very funny little character sketches of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Raheem Sterling etc. The play itself was a bit lumpen theatrically...not as good as Graham's "This House"...but it was an entertaining evening, which got quite emotional at points, most notably the three black lads missing their penalties in the Euro '21 final against Italy. Walked back over the river...darkness had fallen and the lights of the city were sparkling on the water. Ambled up to Leicester Square, where I got the tube to Caledonian Road. No bus for 5 minutes, so walked on up to Parkhurst Road, and hooked up with a No.259 from there. Aki in bed reading by the time I got in...

Wednesday 2nd August 2023

Woke around 0800. Aki got up and made tea. I rose a little later...porridged. Grey day, with rain and thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon. Read some "Pickwick Papers". Warmed up the remnants of Aki's vegetable and bean stew for lunch...it had gotten very flavoursome in the fridge, as we'd added a bit of chicken thigh to the mix. Read a bit more Dickens. Cooked a pumpkin risotto for dinner, with cavolo nero on the side. Watched a bit of telly...

Tuesday 1st August 2023

Aki up at 0700 to ready herself for a meeting in Camden. She'd cycled off by the time I got up around 0900. Porridged. Read a bit of "Pickwick". Aki back in time for lunch...I threw together a smoked mackerel salad with cream cheese and avocado on toast. Watched a bit of the England v China game...Lauren James is fast becoming the breakout England superstar! Vince turned up late afternoon and finished applying the Fix-a-Floor filler to the shower tray....says he'll come back tomorrow to do the grouting and siliconing. We ate an early dinner...warmed up the fish curry Aki had made the other day. Walked to Finsbury Park station and took the Piccadilly Line to South Kensington. Got to the Royal Albert Hall with seconds to spare before Isata Kanneh-Mason took to the stage with the Welsh National Orchestra. She gave an impressive rendition of Prokofiev's piano concerto, her performance greeted enthusiastically by a full house. The second half of the evening gave us Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. Wandered slowly back to the tube station afterward, down Exhibition Road, and took a train to Caledonian Road tube station, and a No.91 bus from there to Sussex Way. 

Monday 31st July 2023

Woke about 0730....Aki wished me a Happy Birthday and gave me my birthday card. I got up and made tea. Switched on the Japan v Spain game...the Nipponesses won 4-0. Overnight oats soaked in strawberry milkshake for breakfast. Had a bit of work to do at the computer. Ma and pa FaceTimed to sing happy birthday to me. Kath there too. Made a ham salad lunch...Vince turned up just as I was serving up...the underfloor filler hadn't arrived, so he vowed to come back tomorrow...it arrived just after he'd left! Read a bit of "Pickwick" before we headed in to town. Walked to Finsbury Park and got a tube to Warren Street, where we then caught a bus to baker Street. 

Aki wanted to pop in to the Conran Shop...couple of floors were closed off, suggesting they are cutting back, and although there was some nice stuff in there, it didn't seem as exciting as I recall it last time we visited. Popped in to Daunt Books and bought a copy of "Wise Blood", the current Book Club read. Walked southward, crossing Oxford Street, and Grosvenor Square. Nobu, the Japanese restaurant, is located amongst the hotels of Park Lane, overlooking Hyde Park Corner. 

We arrived for a 6pm slot. Nice table near a window. We ordered the five course tasting menu, and a glass of prosecco each. The first course, caviar atop a salmon carpaccio, was delicious, but nothing thereafter really came anywhere near it. It was followed by tuna and salmon sashimi salad, a selection of assorted sushi, black miso cod, beef and mushrooms in an overly salty soy based sauce, and chocolate melt in the middle pudding with matcha ice cream. Not sure it quite lived up to what we expected...doubt we shall return, but an enjoyable, if rather expensive, evening all the same. Walked to Green Park tube station via the park, and caught a train back to Finsbury Park. Reckon I managed to walk 3 miles all told.