Tuesday 26th March 2024

Woke around 0630...managed to doze a little before I heard Katherine get up. I rose to prepare breakfast. Made them some tea, and set out the breakfast table...overnight oats soaked in mocha and coffee, which went down well. Jim and Kath then headed out to go visit chums in Brockley. I sat at the computer for a couple of hours whilst Aki worked on tonight's meal for intended guests. Lunched on cheese on toast, as dinner was shaping up to be a Japanese epic. Aki working hard in the kitchen, throwing everything at it, so we were disappointed when Jim rang to say Barney was too exhausted after his eight date European Tour to contemplate hauling himself back to Finsbury Park ...understandable....he looked a bit weary at the restaurant last night, it has to be said. So our freezer is going to be a bit full tonight! Oh well, can't be helped. 

Worked at the computer until 1700. Jim and Katherine turned up around 1730. Very pleasant evening...Aki had prepared a stunning Japanese feast, which we kicked off with sake...Jim and Kath got stuck in and tried everything, despite being entirely unfamiliar with the food. Jim loved the belly pork, mouli and mange tout, while Katherine enjoyed the sesame coated fried aubergine. The sashimi seemed to go down well,though Jim didn't eat much of it, preferring to stick with the meat and vegetables. Chocolate Guinness cake and marmalade ice cream to follow. We repaired to the easy chairs and, it raining rather heavily outside, decided to cancel a walk up to the open mic night at the North Nineteen, and instead sang a few songs and played some tunes in the living-room.