Saturday 20th July 2024

Woke around 0945. Rolled out of bed and cooked brunch while Aki popped out to buy milk. Kath and mum called from the back garden in High View. Dad feeling under the weather and complaining of a headache. Aki popped out to do some shopping at Waitrose. I stayed home and rehearsed the Bowie songs ahead of tonight’s 60th birthday party. Plugged my parlour sized guitar into my amp but it didn’t work…something amiss with the cabling inside I reckon. Phoned the tech guy who’s overseeing tonight’s turns and checked that he could mic me up, rather than my lugging the jumbo across town on public transport. Listened to the Kinks songs for a bit, having missed Tuesday nights' rehearsal. Cooked a pizziaola sauce, which we ate with spaghetti and peas for an early dinner, then set off for Kingston with my guitar strapped to my back. I was wearing my blue party brogues…the most expensive shoes I own, and the least comfortable! 

Hobbled from Kingston train station to the venue, a void beneath the John Lewis store, fronting the river. We descended into the void to be greeted by our hostess, Louise. Caught up with her briefly, and chatted to a few other familiar faces…Debbie and Phil Dean, the latter dressed in a kilt; Sian; and Rachel, who I had met in Perth when I visited Lou. The entertainment got underway at about 2030…a young female vocalist who accompanied herself on piano, followed by Phil Dean, who gave a rather good folkie rendition of a Marc Almond hit of yesteryear. I got up and sang a couple of Ziggy Stardust era Bowie songs, interspersed with a rendition of Happy Birthday given via my Ziggy sock puppet. The entertainment was rounded off by a Black Widow drag act, then the tables and chairs were cleared for the 70s disco. 

At this point, Linda, Tina, and my ex-wife Kerry showed up. The latter two had been flatmates of Louise back in the early 80s. I introduced Aki to Kerry, and Kerry to Aki, and they briefly embraced in mutual support! I actually said, "Aki, Kerry; KerryAki...", which sounded rather aptly like a Japanese dish. The music was rather too loud to permit us much in the way of conversation, but we hugged and swapped news of mutual friends and family. Kerry had given up teaching and now works at a community food hub in Stone; her brother Tim still works with the photographic team at the local newspaper and has two grown up children. Younger brother Chris has lost his house…not sure how! I passed on news of mum and dad…then it was back to the dancing before we managed to slink off to catch a train to Earlsfield, as we’d arranged to stop over at Tami’s. Got there about 2315 and Tami showed us to our bedroom…fell into bed exhausted!