Sunday 21st April 2024

Woke around 0930. Slow start for me...put my back out yesterday, so sleeping on my back is a little uncomfortable. Aki got up and headed off to Springfield Park to assist with the Rowing Club Regatta. Cold day...chilly northerly wind. I got up and headed for Finsbury Park station, stopping at Gail's for a coffee and a pain au choclat. Read some Marias, then caught the tube to Leicester Square, and walked up to Foyles, only to find it didn't open until 1130. Had to wander about for 45 minutes killing time...couldn't really justify another coffee! Found the Dickens section on my return, but no copies of "The Chimes", nor "Our Mutual Friend". Picked up a copy of "Pickwick" and took it to the counter, only to be told I had to wait until 1200!!! I walked out and headed through Soho to Waterstones on Piccadilly. Found "The Chimes" in there, and picked up "Pickwick" too...looks like I'll have to order "Our Mutual Friend" via Amazon. Caught a tube train to Caledonian Road, then a No.91 bus to Sussex Way. Got back a little ahead of Aki, so I slung some lunch together. She turned up in good time, and we ate, before heading for the No.91 bus stop, getting off the bus at North Road and walking up to Caledonian Park. A guided walk had been planned for 1400, marking the 190th anniversary of the march on Parliament to protest the transportation of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs. About 20 people showed up, and we walked the circumference of the park, which was then named Copenhagen Fields. The guide was very good...enjoyed it. Some 100,000 protestors, members of the nascent Trade Union movement, gathered in the Fields on 21st April 1834, and led a cart carrying a petition of 250,000 signatures protesting the harsh sentence given to the six farm labourers, who had refused to work without a decent pay rise. They were eventually pardoned, some three years later, and made their way back from Australia to a heroes welcome. Walked back to Nags Head, and popped in to Waitrose to do a shop. Got back in time to watch the Man United v Coventry City FA Cup semi-final...cracking game, that went into extra time...Coventry were very unlucky not to win it, having a goal disallowed for a marginal offside a minute before the end of extra time...they lost it on penalties...it's a cruel game! Aki cooked a mackerel based pasta dinner, and we had chocolate brownie and ice cream for afters. Watched "Ripley", The Ten, and a bit of MOTD before bath and bed...