Tuesday 19th December 2023

Had to haul myself out of bed this morning...feeling very weary. Porridged. Drove over to Manor House to fill up with petrol and pick up a coffee, then north-westward to Wembley. Driving conditions were pretty miserable, with heavy rain all morning. Stopped off at Tesco in Harrow, then drove on to Pinner, before turning for home. Aki had gone into town by the time I got home. Had some of her spinach and dill soup for lunch, and uploaded my day's photos. Headed into town via the Piccadilly Line, and walked from Russell Square to Doughty Street for the show at the Dickens Museum. Aki was already there, and I bumped into Jane and Carlos in the gift shop, before we ascended the stairs to the front parlour to see the one-man show, Dickens's "The Haunted Man", one of his five Christmas novellas, adapted by the actor James Swanton. The performance took place in a little front parlour on the first floor of the house next door to Dickens' former home, and now part of the Dickens Museum. Mr Swanton was very good, his thin features and unruly hair giving him a Scrooge-like demeanour, and he portrayed several characters by changing his voice at the drop of a hat. Jane and Carlos seemed to have enjoyed it. We repaired to the Duke, a 30s era public house around the corner, and enjoyed a swift half of Black Sheep, before heading back to Russell Square. Got off the tube at Holloway Road and walked up to the Upper Place. Pierro wasn't there...he'd apparently departed for Bologna for his Xmas holidays. Aki and I ordered from the Italian Cucina, while Jane and Carlos went for a huge sharing plate from the BBQ Meat counter opposite. Walked home, saying a festive farewell to Jane and Carlos. Fell into bed exhausted after a soak in the bath...