Wednesday 21st February 2024

Aki's alarm went off at 0730. She got up and made tea...I read in bed for a little before getting up to make porridge. Aki left to get a train to London Bridge to attend what she hopes is the last day of her jury service at Southwark crown Court. I worked at the computer for most of the morning. Broke for lunch and wandered over to the Upper Place and Piero's Cucina. I was the only customer...ordered the tagliatelle with n'duja cream. Walked out into the rain afterward, and popped in to Waitrose to get some spuds for dinner tonight. FaceTimed ma and pa...they had had Jim, Kath, and Emma round for lunch to mark dad's 94th birthday. Dad reported that his swollen foot is getting much better. Did some prep work ahead of inspections in the Medway towns. Aki returned from Southwark...still haven't reached deliberation stage, but may be tomorrow. I cooked a peach and rosemary tarte tatin, then cooked some lentils with fried onions and pancetta, baked a couple of haddock fillets, and sauteed some potatoes for dinner...very tasty. The peach tarte tatin was meant for tomorrow evening's Book Club meeting, but we couldn't resist cutting ourselves a couple of small slices, which we augmented with some ice cream. Headed for Finsbury Park after dinner, jumping on a tube train to Covent Garden, to attend the launch of our friend Franco's book of photographs covering the River Thames from Hampton Court down to the Thames Barrier. His wife, Aki's old chum Tami, was there too, as well as one of their daughters. The launch took place in Stanford's Book & Map Shop in Mercer Walk, and it was well attended...we arrived as Franco was giving a little speech thanking his publisher, and announcing the fact that they'd signed him up to do a follow-up, concentrating on London's Art Nouveau architecture. Enjoyed a post-launch beer, and chatted with a couple of Tami's acquaintances before slipping out and wandering back home via the Piccadilly Line, and the No.91 bus from outside Caledonian Road tube station.