Monday 1st January 2024

Woke late after getting to bed at 0100. Lay in for a bit…Aki brought me a mug of tea. Got up for her traditional Japanese NY mochi soup…very tasty! Practised "Ae Fond Kiss" for a bit. Decided to take advantage of a break in the bad weather to walk up to Highgate. Aimed for the cemetary, but had just missed the last tour. The guy on the ticket office didn't appear to know that there were Dickens family members buried in the west cemetary...it's £10 to get in if you don't want to take a tour, and we vowed to return at a more opportune moment. Walked though Waterlow Park, hoping for tea and cake at the cafe in Lauderdale House, but it was closed for NY. 

Wandered down Highgate Hill, and popped in for a light lunch at Archies...really enjoyed the burrito, and we shared a generous slice of Basque cheesecake. Walked home in a light drizzle. I cooked a roast chicken dinner, with roast parsnips, sweet potato chips, and bread sauce, followed by tiramisu. Watched the comedy film "Eurovision", from the Spinal Tap team, starring Will Farrell as a delusional Icelandic Eurovision song contestant. It had it's moments, but "Spinal Tap" it wasn't...we switched off before the predicatble ending hoved into view. Early bath, and bed...