Tuesday 19th September 2023

Woke around 0830. Got up and made tea. Porridged, and had some prune juice. Very tasty! Aki took herself off to meet Tammy at the Royal Academy, where they were going to take a look at the current Herzog & de Meuron exhibition. Heated up some ham and pea soup to take as packed lunch, then headed east on inspections. Stopped off at Tesco in Bow and bought some odds and ends. Got to Stanford-le-Hope just before lunchtime...only had one unit to visit, and luckily the tenant opened the door and let me in. He turned out to be a retired painter and decorator, and was obviously up for a chat...his wife had passed away 5 years ago, so I guess he feels a bit lonely rattling around in a three bed terraced house on his own, save for his dog. Drove round the corner to East Tilbury and parked up at Coalhouse Fort and ate my lunch. Very windy outside, but I took a turn around the fort...it was built in the 1860s in response to Lord Palmerston's urging to beef up the nation's defences, fearing French aggression. Bought tea and cake in the little on site cafe, then drove home. Did some work at the computer before warming up the lasagne...added some more cheese sauce to bulk it up a bit. Aki said Tammy had showed up at the RA with a walking stick...and has been diagnosed with stomach cancer! That's not stopping her flying to Japan in a couple of weeks, though, for a three week tour with husband Franco.