Thursday 6th & Friday 7th March 2025

Aki up at 0730. She brought me tea in bed. Read some Dickens before getting up for porridge. Aki had a zoom meeting. I did some ironing and finished my packing. Lovely, sunny day. Emptied the fridge for lunch. Headed for Heathrow...caught a No.91 bus to Cally Road, then Piccadilly Line to Heathrow T3. 

Kath ahead of us having flown down from Newcastle this morning. Got ourselves through security and found Kath waiting in the seats outside Boots. Bought some water supplies, and a neck pillow. Flight departed on time. We hadn’t been able to book seats together. I found myself sat between two Japanese chaps toward the rear of the plane. It was an uncomfortable 13 hour flight. Watched Ralf Fuentes in Conclave and read some Dickens. Only managed an hour or so’s sleep. By the time we landed in Tokyo my knees had atrophied, my hernia was giving me gip, and I had stomach ache. 

It was slow getting through security…Kath slowed us down as she hadn’t filled in a Landing Card, nor Customs Declaration. We staggered out into the concourse and got the Monorail, and from thence jumped into a taxi to the hotel…but got dropped off at the wrong establishment and had to flag down another taxi. It was gone 2000 hours by the time we got to our rooms. Tiny accommodation with barely enough room for our baggage, let alone more than one human being! We repaired to a little local ramen joint across the road for dinner. Very tasty…then back to the hotel and bed…

Wednesday 5th March 2025

Woke around 0830…Aki already up to ready for Rowing Club. I made tea and climbed back into bed. Got up and porridged after Aki cycled off. Put some washing out…cold but sunny. Did a little more packing and pottering about. Put lunch together when Aki got back from the River Lea. Spent some time at the computer sorting out home contents, and motor insurance renewals. Aki cooked a mushroom risotto for dinner. Set up an eSim for my iPhone for use in Japan. Aki went onto the BA website to check in…and discovered there were literally only three seats left, all in separate rows, so we will be journeying with strangers. Phoned Kath…she can’t check in as the return flight still showing as cancelled…what a mess BA are! Watched a bit of the Champions League highlights…astonishing game between PSG and Liverpool…PSG hammered them, but were unable to score…Liverpool stole it with a goal in the 87th minute…

Tuesday 4th March 2025

Woken by a fox in the backyard at 0330…it sounded more like a robot than an animal, shouting “Da da” at regular intervals…I thought it an alarm at first! Aki up at 0800 to ready herself for a site meeting in Harringay. I porridged in bed once she’d cycled off. Got up and read some Dickens. Made pancakes for lunch...with ham and cheese; Nutella and oranges for the dessert pancakes. Drove round to the car wash at the Sainsbury’s petrol station in Manor House. Popped into Sainsbury’s afterward to buy something for dinner. Had gammon shanks this evening, and I cooked some lentils up with pancetta and onions to go with it. Nowt on telly…Sat about listening to Wot’s Hip With The Chadster 2025, and reading Dickens. FaceTimed Kath…she had reported for first day at work in Hetton-le-Hole today…and was able to confirm, it’s a bit of a hole!

Monday 3rd March 2025

 

Woke around 0830…got up and made tea. Got back into bed and read some Old Curiosity Shop…hoping to finish it on the flight to Japan on Thursday! Pottered about doing nothing very much. Aki working at the computer. I made lunch…grilled mackerel rolls with butter and a salad. Walked to Finsbury Park in the sunshine. Caught a Piccadilly line train to Holborn and walked south toward the Aldwych to pay homage at the Old Curiosity Shop…named by the then owner shortly after Dickens’ novel was published. Turned up on time for my gait analysis appointment at Runners Need only to find some other bloke called Richard on the treadmill…turns out I’d booked the 1445 slot next week! On explaining that I’d be in Japan then, they saw to me once Richard had been dealt with. The gait analysis seemed OK, and measurements were taken on a fancy machine to determine optimal shoe size…computer recommended an 8, but the shoe I tried on was too tight so I ended up with an 8.5…so much for their technology! Walked up to Tottenham Court Road and caught an Elizabeth Line train to Liverpool Street, and walked to the Barbican. Bought Aki’s birthday present…a Japanese designer necklace she’d had her eye on. Got a train back to Finsbury park from Moorgate, and walked home via M&S. Aki warmed up the last of her chicken and bean casserole for dinner. Nowt on telly. Talked to mum on their new landline number. She has an appointment for an ECG at Hexham next week. Did a little packing before bath and bed…

Sunday 2nd March 2025

Woke around 0900. Aki got up and made tea, then cooked breakfast. I did a little work at the computer, tidying up the loose ends on the Peabody job. Aki cycled off to Rowing Club. I took a No.91 bus into town. Walked through Covent Garden to scout training shoes in Snow + Rock…have an appointment tomorrow afternoon for some gait analysis. Tried some Birkenstock shoes on, but they weren’t comfortable. Wandered over to Flitcroft Street to take a gander at Mick Jones’ Public Library of Rock ‘n Roll exhibition…looked like a load of old tat he’d collected over the last 50 years. I think most of it should have remained in his attic. 

Walked across to Foyles hoping to grab a bite to eat, but it was rammed…decided to take a No.29 bus home instead, getting off at Waitrose to buy some rolls. Got home ahead of Aki. Made myself an avocado and ham roll with a little side salad for lunch. Watched some FA Cup football. Phoned Kath to find her languishing in bed with a cold! Hope she’s feeling better by Thursday!!! Knocked up Carlos and Jane from No.36 and walked up to the Great Indian, a new eaterie on Sussex Way, for our dinner date. The pub refurbishment I thought rather ordinary, but the food wasn’t bad…we shared a platter, a lamb curry, and curried sea bass…desserts were good. Chatted about Carlos’s recent visit to Paris, and Jane’s trip home to New York. Got home in good time for bath and bed…

Saturday 1st March 2025

Woke around 0900. Got up and made tea. Porridged at the computer. Took most of the morning to finish the VP research. Made a lavish ham and chicken salad lunch. Worked on until 1730. I walked to Stoke Newington…Aki off to Blackhorse Road for dinner with Rowing Club comrades. I dined at the City Kebab shop on the High Street before repairing to the Tower Theatre to see “Afterlife”, an adaptation of a Japanese film that Aki and I had enjoyed very much when we saw it some years ago, set in a Purgatory during which the recently deceased have five days to decide which memory from their lifetime on planet Earth, they would like to take with them into eternity. It's a lovely idea, and the film has a certain spiritual glow about it.  The Tower production was rather slow and dull. I can't figure what it is...whether it's simply the amateur actor has no verve, or whether it can be blamed on the fact that rehearsal time is so truncated compared to the intense day-by-day rehearsal schedules of the profession...I suspect it is the former, though, unfortunately. Got a No.106 bus back to Finsbury park, and walked through the crowds of Muslims marking the beginning of Ramadan outside Finsbury Park Mosque. Watched some FA Cup MOTD before Aki got home...she'd had an enjoyable evening of Mexican food and cocktails at Ellie's flat in the new development at Blackhorse Road.
 

Friday 28th February 2025

Aki woke to alarm at 0730…she got up to ready herself for Rowing Club. She brought me a mug of tea in bed. Got up and porridged before she cycled off to Stamford Hill. Made a packed lunch, and headed out on the road once more. Headed for Pitstone, near Tring, first, and then on to Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, where I ate my lunch in the Tesco car park, before heading for Wallingford, and finally up to Oxford. I had been tempted to go off grid for an hour or so, and head for Pangbourne, and pay homage to Jimmy Page outside the Boathouse, but decided I needed to finish my inspections. Got home around 1830. Watched some FA Cup football on the telly before bath and bed...

Thursday 27th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and porridged at the computer...got to finish this Peabody job before we head for Japan next week! Put together a packed lunch, and drove back out west, this time working my way from Datchet, and Slough, over to Maidenhead, then up to Marlow, and ending the working day in Hazlemere, to the north of High Wycombe. Managed to get into two or three units. Drove home in good time for dinner with Aki, before we ventured to the South Bank for the evening showing of "Becoming Led Zeppelin" at the IMAX. Really enjoyed it...sat there grinning from ear to ear as the film documented the member's early lives and musical careers before coming together rather randomly when the Yardbirds broke up, and forming Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page emerges as the quiet, unassuming genius behind the whole project...they wrote and worked on the songs for the first album in the Boathouse at Pangbourne, which Jimmy owned by then, having worked from a comparatively young age as a session musician for the likes of Lulu, Donovan, The Kinks and The Stones, before joining the Yardbirds when Jeff beck left. The cinema was all but full, and everyone seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves...great stuff. We walked back across Waterloo Bridge, and caught a No.91 bus from opposite Holborn tube station...

Wednesday 26th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up, made tea, and porridged at the computer. Made myself a packed lunch, and jumped back in the car for another day out west, mostly doing inspections in the Hayes, Yeading, and West Drayton areas. Drove home in good time for an early dinner. Drove over to the Tower Theatre for this evening's Moby Dick rehearsal. We basically did a read-through, on our feet, of the whole thing. I thought Angharad's script hung together very well, though she has a lot of work to do on marshalling her Furies, an ingenious addition who will act as a chorus, and off-set the otherwise male crew of the Pequod. I shot off fairly promptly afterward to avoid the pub social...but we won't reconvene now until the end of April...

Tuesday 25th February 2025

Woke around 0730. Got up and made tea. Porridged at the computer. Aki cycled off to Harringay Ladder for a site visit. I made a packed lunch and headed west in the car for inspections in Hillingdon. Lunched in the car on a street in Hounslow. Got home around 1615. Did some work at the computer before Aki served up a salmon and lentil dinner. Walked to Finsbury Park station and caught a Piccadilly Line train in to Leicester Square. Walked down to the Noel Coward Theatre where we met Kate and Titus before taking our seats in the circle for the opening night of the West End run of "The Last Laugh", starring, among others, Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe...I shared a dressing room with Bob at the Vic in Stoke back in the early 1990s. 

He does a grand impersonation of Eric...I saw his one-man show on Eric and Ernie about 15 years ago, which remains one of the best solo shows I have seen. We repaired to the Lamb & Flag around the corner for a swift half afterward. Bob unable to come meet us, as he was having to schmooze with his producers, it being first night. We walked to Covent Garden and caught a Picadilly Line tube train to Cally Road, where we said farewell to Kate and Titus, and caught a No.91 bus home from outside the tube station...

Monday 24th February 2025

Woke around 0700...dozed on until 0800. Got up and porridged at the computer. Worked on until lunchtime...prepared poached eggs and ham for lunch. Back at the coalface for the afternoon. Finished working around 1900. Aki had cooked dinner...a chicken traybake with beans, and broccoli. Nowt on telly, save ever more depressing news of far right gains...AfD making gains in German elections, and Trump refusing to call Putin a dictator, and siding with Russia, North Korea, and China on a UN resolution. I suspect Trump has talked to Putin about sharing Ukraine's mineral wealth...WW3 advances ever nearer! Caught up with my online diary. Early bath and bed...

Sunday 23rd February 2025

 

Woke around 0700...red sky in't morning, shepherd's warning. Eager to get away early so we can stay ahead of the forecast gales and heavy rain. Packed our stuff and ventured downstairs for porridge with mum and dad. Said our goodbyes in the porch at 0830, and headed south down the A1(M). Very little traffic about. Decided to avoid the M1 round Leeds, as we'd noticed heavy traffic through roadworks on our way up on Thursday...took the A1(M) down to the M18...and hit heavy traffic through roadworks south of Darrington! Eventually got to Tibshelf around 1130...stopped for coffee, then drove on to Watford Gap service station, where we stopped to eat our packed lunch. Managed to avoid the rain, but the wind got stronger as we headed south. Made a detour to Waitrose on Holloway Road to stock up with provisions. Aki cooked a spaghetti carbonara for dinner. Flaked out on the sofa in front of the telly before bath and bed...

Saturday 22nd February 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and descended to the kitchens to make tea. Aki cooked porridge. Sat at table with mum and dad…Kath out working. Nice sunny day. Aki and I walked down to Darras to buy milk. Stopped for coffee at No.9. Walked back up Whinfell Road...Aki waved hello to a woman who was doing some gardening out front of No.36, and she came over for a chat...she and her husband are in the eighties, but look good on it. She used to be a county swimmer! I mentioned that my dad went swimming at the Sports Centre, and that he celebrated his 95th birthday yesterday, at which point she said, "Weren't you in The Blackbird yesterday? Turned out they were on the table behind us! As we said goodbye we found ourselves falling in step behind a couple of blokes carrying shopping from the Co-op...I thought I'd seen one of them on the phone outside Bruno Guimares' old house opposite mum and dad's, and asked them if they had moved in...turned out Newcastle United's young left back, Lewis Hall, has moved in, and the blokes were Lewis's dad, and grandad. The dad asked me what I knew of the Halliday's, who had lived in the house in the 1970s when we first moved to High View...it turned out he had been a policeman, working with William Halliday in Slough with the Thames Valley police force!!! I used to baby-sit William!!! Extraordinary stuff! Buffet style lunch. Decided to take advantage of the sunny afternoon, and drove to Northumberlandia, near Cramlington, for a walk. Took two cars, as Kath needed to head off for work in Morpeth afterward. Dad only managed it to the moat, and turned back to wait for us in the car...mum decided it was too windy for her to mount the face, and Kath took her back to the car park while Aki and I successfully climbed to the summit. Took in the views, and hurried back down out of the cold wind. Drove back to High View to cook dinner...boiled a ham, which we ate with mashed potato and greens...Aki did a mustard sauce. Cooked up a chicken tikka masala to put in the freezer. Watched a bit of telly and pottered about upstairs on the computer before taking an early night...hoping for an early getaway tomorrow morning.

Friday 21st February 2025

 

Woke around 0800. Descended to the kitchen to make tea. Mum and dad already pottering about…Kath had gone off to work. Porridged with Aki. Dad had to pop down to see his GP…returned to report that his PSA reading was zero! I nipped out in the car to buy food for this evening. Drove down to Darras to put air in my tyres, but found the machine only took cash (after I'd unscrewed all the caps!). Decided to try the garage at the Airport...the machine took contactless payment, so got that sorted, and filled the petrol tank ahead of Sunday's drive home. 

Drove on to Kingston Park and did the food shop in M&S, then headed back to mum and dad's. Jim and Emma rocked up in their van. We drove in convoy down to The Blackbird for lunch to mark dad’s 95th birthday. We were seated in the vaulted annexe...the pub was packed. The food looked great, but tasted rather ordinary...the fish and chips were good. Drove back to High View afterward for chocolate cake and prosecco. I was a bit surprised when Jim and Emma drove off in their van...had bought them a load of food for the evening meal! Prepared a buffet style evening meal, which we helped ourselves to at the dining table. Watched a bit of telly before retiring for the night...exhausted!

Thursday 20th February 2025

 

Woke around 0800. Got up, made tea, and porridged. Packed the car. Set off at 1030…made for Sainsbury’s at Manor House, intending to put air in the tyres, but the machine was out of order. Popped into the store and bought lamb shanks for dinner tonight. Drove up the M1...busy south of Luton, as usual, but not bad going. Broke the journey at Tibshelf service station and ate our packed lunch in the car...bought coffee, and Aki took to the driving seat for the rest of the journey. Hit some very heavy downpours, and there was a lot of spray from lorries...Aki didn't enjoy herself very much! Wish we'd gotten the train! Arrived at 12 High View around 1700. Unloaded the car, and stuck the oven on to cook dinner...lamb shanks, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Dad looking OK, if a little weary. Mum in fine fettle. Kath turned up later after work. She is due to quit the job next week. Watched a bit of telly before shower and bed...

Wednesday 19th February 2025

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. Got up and porridged at the computer. I worked until Aki returned for lunch. We ate the last of the mapo, with noodles. Managed another two or three hours at the coalface before an early dinner. Drove to Stoke Newington and parked up outside the theatre. Song rehearsal in RR3 this evening. Colin Guthrie MD-ing, and he introduced a couple of self-penned shanties which we had a go at singing parts to. Sound really good...am looking forward to getting them under my belt before rehearsals begin in earnest at the end of April. Still a few coughs and sneezes amongst the gathered actors...a few still missing, nursing symptoms at home. Drove home around 2100...

Tuesday 18th February 2025

Woke around 0845. Leapt out of bed to make tea. Porridged at the computer. Put a packed lunch together and headed off to Leytonstone, stopping off at Manor House for petrol and coffee. Lunched in the car in the car park of Tesco in Leytonstone. Managed to get into half-a-dozen units this afternoon, before heading back home through heavy traffic. Early dinner, then headed for Stoke Newington in the car, parking outside the theatre. Had tickets for "Hangmen", a Martin McDonagh black farce. Had it's moments, but the pacing was a bit slow, and a couple of the actors were mis-cast, which diluted the requisite menace. A bit disappointing, truth be told...

Monday 17th February 2025

Woke around 0830. Got up to make tea. Porridged. Did 30 minutes at the computer then headed for Notting Hill. Cold out. Lunched on a big breakfast at Golborne Deli, on Golborne Market, which I had never heard of before...just north of Portobello Road, and within sight of the Trellick Tower. Traipsed the streets...the Peabody stock in the vicinity is all a bit Dickensian! Very depressing! Pushed westward, to Shepherds Bush, then South Acton, where I managed to get into a lot of flats. A good haul today. Drove home via the A40. Aki warmed up the leftover chicken and orzo for dinner. Nowt on telly...listened to music and pottered about on the computer. Booked tickets for the IMAX showing of "Becoming Led Zeppelin" for next week. 

Sunday 16th February 2025

 

Woke around 0245 by violent coughing. Had to get up and make myself some tea. Sat on the sofa for an hour listening to music through my headphones. Got back into bed and eventually nodded back off. Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. I got up a little after she had departed. Worked at the computer for a few hours, catching up. Made myself a tasty smoked salmon brunch. Aki returned having souped at the cafe. We walked to the Picturehouse in Finsbury Park to see “A Complete Unknown”….fabulous film dramatising the rise of Bob Dylan in early 60s New York, culminating in the famous gig at Newport in 1965 when he went electric, triggering his ejection from the folk music community that had helped create him…great performances from Chalamet as Dylan, and Ed Norton as Pete Seeger. It was all rather overwhelming. Walked home…Aki cooked mapo for dinner. Not much on the telly. watched a bit of MOTD2 before bath and bed...

Saturday 15th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Run out of tea! Made extra large lattes instead. We drank them in bed. Got up and cooked brunch. We walked down to Angel stopping at the occasional shop on Upper Street for a browse. Aki wandered off toward Essex Road to visit the fishmonger, while I sauntered on down to Muji to buy sox. Walked back up toward Belle Epoche, bumping into Aki on the way...bought quiche from Belle Epoche, then took a No.43 bus up the Holloway Road. Aki headed for Boots, while I ventured into Waitrose to buy milk before walking home. Lunched on quiche and salad. Pottered about on the laptop. Aki pan fried some hake for dinner. Watched the final episode of the first season of Twin Peaks...Aki hoping to borrow the DVD of the second series from a rowing chum...

Friday 14th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Aki found her Valentines gifts…I’d left a card, chocolate almonds, a potted plant, and a half bottle of champagne out on the dining table before bed last night. She had to shoot off to Harringay for a site visit. I worked at the computer until lunchtime. Aki back for lunch. My new trainers arrived via DPD. I drove over to Leytonstone to knock on doors…managed to get into nine units. Still way off the requisite 100 in total. Cold out, traipsing the streets. Got home around 1730. Aki cooked a chicken, lemon and orzo one pot, and we drank champagne. Cheese and biscuits for afters. Watched David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet”…saw it at the cinema when it was released about 40 years ago…still stunning…Dennis Hopper is terrific in it.

Thursday 13th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Drove north to Bushey for inspections...knocking on doors again. From thence it was on to Oxhey. I parked up at a big Tesco superstore in south Watford to eat my packed lunch, and did a little shop in store, before heading on to Markyate, and ending my working day in Dunstable. The last flat I saw was tenanted by a nice Indian couple, who pointed out that water was collecting on the bathroom, and second bedroom ceilings...I've never seen anything quite like it...there seemed to be too much water to suggest a simple condensation problem...the unit is single storey at this point, and I assumed a flat roof...but on inspecting externally it proved to be a pitched tiled roof...I can only surmise that the roof tiles have failed and that water is puddling in the eaves. I promised to send her an email with my thoughts on the matter...her English wasn't great...but she really needs to make contact with Peabody as a matter of urgency! Drove home down the M1. Got in around 1815. Aki cooked a carbonara for dinner. Watched a great hour-long interview with David Lynch that had been conducted back in the mid-90's...he came over as deeply interesting, funny, unassuming, and gently eccentric...a delight. 

Wednesday 12th February 2025

Aki up with alarm at 0730 to ready herself for Rowing Club. She cycled off just before I got up. Porridged at the computer...wrote up yesterday's notes and uploaded the photos. Colin G has been taken ill, so no singing rehearsal tonight...several other cast members have also gone under. Made myself some lunch. Aki lunched at the cafe next the Rowing Club. She returned early afternoon with a loaf of bread from the Dusty Knuckle on Harringay Green Lanes. Read Angharad's "Moby Dick" script, which she'd sent over last night. It's a bit of a slow burner, but the last quarter of the piece is dramatic and oddly moving. It's going to be very interesting to see how Angharad stages this...there's a lot of chorus work to be created out of nothingness...intriguing. Tonight's re-jigged rehearsal cancelled as most of the crew appear to be suffering from an outbreak of influenza! Baked salmon fillet for dinner, with lemon, and a creme fraiche and parsley sauce, with sauteed potatoes and vegetables. Aki went off to the South Bank Centre for a choir concert involving several members of the Rowing Club...I stayed home nursing my cough. Did an hour’s work at the computer. Watched “Amandaland”, and “Am I Being Unreasonable”. 

Tuesday 11th February 2025

 

Woke to alarm at 0730. Got up and porridged. Headed off at 0930 to drive Aki to West Reading for her appointment at the Biobank. She signed up for tests about 25 years ago, so today is another session to update her records...it's all about logging the ageing process for research purposes. I had work in the vicinity, so drove on to Newbury, then back to Tilehurst. Broke for a meatball lunch at IKEA, then headed for Caversham. Gave Lawrence a wave as I drove swiftly past 254 Gosbrook Road. Spent a couple of hours knocking on doors on a large modern infill development owned by Peabody...the usual low quality kitchens and bathrooms. Finished around 1600 and drove back to IKEA to find Aki, who had wandered through the marketplace to get some odds and ends after finishing at Biobank. Drove back down the M4. Aki cooked an improvised chicken, egg and rice dish for dinner, with miso soup and pickled mouli on the side. Watched Exeter City put up a good fight against Forest in the Cup, but they went out on penalties. Bath and bed...

Monday 10th February 2025

Coughing woke me around 0700...got up and made tea. Put a packed lunch together. Rather grey outside...looks like rain. Porridged, then set off in the car for Colchester, stopping at Manor House for petrol and coffee. Got to Old Heath for the first visit, but couldn't find the property...asked a passing postman who directed me to an unmade, puddled track. Wandered down it to eventually find a detached bungalow and annexe...felt like the middle of nowhere. Luckily, no-one was in. Took some photos and hightailed it back to civilisation. Remainder of the inspections were all in Layer Road. I parked up in the car park for a large kitchen and bathroom showroom...it started to drizzle, so I sat in the car and ate my packed lunch. Had to walk up a shared driveway to photograph half the units...again, nobody about, thankfully. Drove home via Leytonstone, where I stopped for a hot drink. Aki cooked prawns and pasta for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Sunday 9th February 2025

Woke around 0730 with a bit of a cough, so got up and made tea. Aki cooked omelette for breakfast. Read some Dickens. Aki departed for lunch at the Riwing Club. I headed for rehearsal in Stoke Newington. Walked to Finsbury Park and jumped a No.106 bus. Decided on fish and chips for lunch at Sutton’s…nice bit of cod…but £20 for fish, chips and mushy peas! First couple of hours saw us crammed in to RR3…not ideal. Enjoyed the foley workshop which culminated in us creating a squall at sea utilising copious materials. After a break, we convened in the Smith Studio for movement workshops…exhausting! Not sure my knees enjoyed it much...I ain't cut out for scrubbing the decks!  Finished at 1800 and headed for home…shared a bus ride back to Finsbury Park in the company of Feiyang…she’s hoping her mom will be coming over to see the show in Cornwall…should be quite a culture shock! Warmed up chicken and red lentil stew for dinner. Watched a bit of telly…but needed an early night after the day’s exertions!

Saturday 8th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Languished in bed for an hour or so. Got up and cooked a generous brunch. Read some Dickens. Headed for Stoke Newington around 1300. Walked to Finsbury Park in the drizzle and caught a 106 bus. Got to Stokey with enough time to spare to grab a coffee and a sandwich in Pret. There were about 30 of us for the first Moby cast get together. Intro games etc…all good fun. Shared our research on the 19thC whaling industry…I crept away early to hook up with Aki and Tokiko at the ICA to watch Japanese film In The Wake…nice performances, but it all ended up with a silly plot twist. Came out around 2000 and headed for summat to eat in Chinatown…

Friday 7th February 2025

Aki up early to ready herself for a site visit to the Harringay Ladder. I got up and porridged. Sat at the computer for most of the morning, writing up yesterday's inspection notes. Aki back in time to make lunch. A bit more work this afternoon. Aki worked the computer, so I sat at the dining table on my laptop. Damp, grey day...outbursts of rain and sleet. Warmed up the last of the chicken and ham pie for dinner, with mashed potato and vegetables. Watched Man Utd get lucky in dumping Leicester City out of the FA Cup...four Reds clearly offside for Harry McGuire's winner...unbelievable! Trust the linesman has been demoted back to the Sunday League! 

Thursday 6th February 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Put a packed lunch together. Set off for west London, via Manor House to pick up some petrol, and a coffee. Cold but bright day. Parked up near Ladbroke Grove tube station and walked the streets, knocking on doors. All the stock is flat conversions in 4-storey Victorian terraced houses or villas on the Notting Hill border. Not in great condition internally...usual Peabody quality...not good! Broke for lunch...sat in the car and ate my lunch, then warmed up with a tea in The Knight, a pub across the road. More foot slogging after lunch, but broke a little early, as I'd had enough...got home around 1700. Warmed up some puttanesca sauce, which we had with linguine. Aki went out for the Book Club meet. I watched Liverpool knock Spurs out of the League Cup...they meet Newcastle in the final next month. Aki came back...they'd chosen "Prophet Song" by Paul Lynch as their next read. I might dip into that one myself, once I've finished "The Old Curiosity Shop".

Wednesday 5th February 2025

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. She brought me a tea. I got up and porridged once she had cycled off. Worked at the laptop for a bit, and then on the computer, before preparing some lunch. Aki got back a bit late, having wheeled her bike in to the bike shop on Seven Sisters Road for some badly needed maintenance. Kath sent us some photos of her birthday lunch, with ma, pa, and Jim, at The Blackbird...looked good. I popped out after lunch...managed, after a good ten minute wrestling match, to get the car door rubber seal back in position, though how much longer it will last is anybody's guess. I walked down to the car parts shop near Highbury Corner, but he recommended I contact VW Parts. I walked back up to Waitrose to do a bit of shopping. Cooked the frozen chicken and leek pie I'd bought from the Farm Shop last week, with mashed potato, carrot, and steamed greens. Tasty. Watched "Amandaland", and the new series of "Am I Being Unreasonable"...the former was a bit pat, but had it's moments...good cast...the latter very dark. But not as dark as footage of Trump on The Ten suggesting the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza, so that he could turn it into one of his playgrounds! 

Tuesday 4th February 2025

Aki up early to prepare for a site visit on the Harringay Ladder. She brought me a mug of tea. Worked at the computer for half the morning, breaking for lunch...Aki turned up just in time! Worked at the computer all afternoon. Aki warmed up the fish curry for dinner, which we ate with rice, vegetables, and chapatis. Watched a bit of telly while Aki worked at the computer, tweaking her drawings post site visit.

Monday 3rd February 2025

Woke around 0830. Got up to make tea…had to field a call from Andy Garrett about the Peabody stock list. Porridged at the computer. Worked through until lunchtime, and managed another three hours after lunch. Kath and Jim rang…it seems the Talktalk mystery continues, and Jim reckons there’s some kind of scam going on…someone really needs to phone Talktalk…baffled as to why this seems such a problem. Aki cooked dinner…chicken, leek and mushroom. Watched a bit of telly...

Sunday 2nd February 2025

 

Woke a little before 1000. Got up to make tea. Brunched on pastrami and salad. Called ma and pa. Surprised to find dad still offline and getting messages from Talktalk asking for £25. Dad reckoned Octopus Energy had taken over Shell…Aki googled it and discovered that was the case, but that Octopus had sold the broadband business to, you guessed it, Talktalk!!! We took a No.91 bus into KX…walked along the canal and popped into the Nike outlet store…Aki wanted to try on a shoe, but they didn’t stock it. Walked up to Uniqlo at Coal Drops Yard to return the tee I’d bought yesterday…swapped it for a black tee with a floral design in the hope of encouraging Spring to come along. Had coffee and lemon tart at an Italian joint on the new build estate, then headed for Holloway by bus. Got some odds and ends in Waitrose, and made our way home through the throng of Gooners heading for the stadium…Man City visit this afternoon. 

Saturday 1st February 2025

 

Woke around 0800…lower back giving me hip…dunno why. Put a smoked trout brunch together with poached eggs. Aki still feeling a little under the weather so didn’t join me for a trip into town. Took a bus down to Angel and had a look at the running shoes in Cotswolds. Nothing caught my eye, so headed for Tottenham Court Road. Got off the bus on Oxford Street and found myself in a branch of Ecco…bought some walking shoes, and walked round to Denmark Street to buy guitar strings. Walked on toward Covent Garden. Found another Cotswold outlet, where I happened upon a North Face puffa jacket going for £120 in the half price sale…snapped it up. Aki rang to ask me to buy some goods at the Japanese shop in Brewer Street, so I walked westward through Leicester Square and Piccadilly. Stopped for tea at a little Italian cafe, then walked up Carnaby Street. Popped into at the Stones store…they were flogging Ronnie Wood’s dreadful paintings of the Stones in various guises for half price! Still too much in my opinion! Took a couple of buses home. We warmed up the prawn curry for dinner, with rice, and roti. Sticky toffee pudding and custard for afters. Watched a documentary on Bob Marley and his relationship with London, marking 45 years since his death. MOTD, bath, and bed…

Friday 31st January 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and porridged. Spent the morning at the computer writing up yesterday's inspection notes. Aki made marmalade...and smoked the flat out...it all resulted in ignominious failure. She made soup for lunch. More work stuff during the afternoon...Aki popped out for a cuppa tea with Helen in Fairbridge Road...and brought back a couple of jars of...marmalade!!! I cooked pasta with chicken, mushrooms and walnuts in a creamy Parmesan sauce…yum! Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed…

Thursday 30th January 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and porridged. Put a packed lunch together and headed north once again. Stopped at Brookfield Centre, Cheshunt for coffee, and made a final visit to Pearce's Farm Shop before heading on to Buntingford, Aspenden, and Cottered. Ate my lunch in the car. Then headed down to cover three little villages to the east of Stevenage, before turning for home down the A1(M). Stopped at South Mimms service station for a coffee to celebrate finishing the inspections, then headed for Holloway. Aki cooked a pumpkin and mushroom risotto for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Wednesday 29th January 2025

Woke around 0830. Got up and made tea. Porridged at the laptop, as I wrote up some notes from yesterday's inspections. Put a packed lunch together and headed back out on the road. Stopped off at Brookfield Centre, Cheshunt, for coffee, then headed for Pearce's Farm Shop, before aiming for Buntingford, and several satellite villages to the east. Had my lunch in the car. Got home after dark...traffic was appalling...very slow going down the A10. It seemed as if there was some kind of blockage on the M25, which was backing up traffic for miles. 

Tuesday 28th January 2025

 

Woke around 0845…Aki had got up in the night with a coughing fit and had decided to sleep on the sofa. She looked well rested when I came in to make tea and put a packed lunch together. Porridged. Set off for Hunsdon a little later than planned. Stopped for petrol and coffee at Manor House. Grey day with outbreaks of heavy rain. Lunched at Pearce’s Farm Shop. Then inspections in Braughing, and Albury. The single track lanes were heavily puddled, and I was glad I wasn’t required to drive the ford at Braughing, which appeared to be in full flow. Packed in around 1600 as the weather was getting me down...headed for home down the A10. Got in around 1745. Warmed up the fish curry for dinner, which we ate with rice. Watched "Twin Peaks"...Aki seems to think it more like Eastenders than I recall! Bath and bed...

Monday 27th January 2025

Aki up early to get herself to UCHL for an 0830 appointment with the audiologist. I got up and porridged after she’d set off. Worked at the computer until 1215, by which time a hungry Aki returned to make lunch. Did another hour at the chalk face. Cooked  a chicken and lentil dish for later in the week. Popped out to Waitrose to get some supplies. Kath rang to say she was worried that dad might have been scammed. Gave him a ring…he had received a message on his computer saying that Talktalk hadn’t received payment and his telephone and broadband provision had been cut off…he’d given his bank card details and provision seemed to have been restored…alarm bells rang when he confessed to having long ago ended his Talktalk contract! I urged him to phone his bank. Got a text from Kath later to say he’d been advised to cancel his bank card. Hope it all works out! Warmed up a vegetable lasagne for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed…

Sunday 26th January 2025

Woke around 0900. Aki brought me a mug of tea. Got up and cooked brunch. Grey day with occasional showers. Aki still coughing violently! Sat about reading, and listening to music. Phoned Kath...she has a job interview next week...bridal alterations...right up her street. Phoned ma and pa...they seemed OK. Sounded like dad has given up hand-sawing his own stair handrail for the front steps, and is looking to make a purchase instead. Sounds sensible! I cooked a spiced roast chicken with coconut gravy for dinner, and crispy roast potatoes with breadcrumbs, roast carrots, and spring greens. Chocolate brownie and ice cream for afters. Aki decided she was too ill to venture out tonight, so I travelled to Dalston alone. Queue was already building when I rocked up at Cafe Oto for Milkweed’s sell out gig. Managed to bag a seat and a beer…but gig didn’t start till 2045. Ten members took up their instruments, sat in a circle as if around a primitive campfire. The one-hour piece had been inspired by ancient Irish chronicles pertaining to the myths of Ulster. There was a theatrical undertow to the performance, and I really enjoyed the music…most of the time it sounded like the Velvet Underground trying to remember how to play All Tomorrow’s Parties whilst chemically inebriated…great stuff. Aki was out of the bath by the time I got home…I caught up with The Ten and a bit of MOTD before bath and bed…

Saturday 25th January 2025

Woke around 0845. Got up to make tea. Aki cooked a brunch, then we walked up to Yerbury Farmer's Market to buy bread. Aki's cough getting worse. She walked home while I headed for Waitrose to do a bit of a shop. No sign of Vince this afternoon...surprise, surprise. Aki cooked cod for dinner, with baked sweet potato chips, and vegetables. Chocolate brownie and ice cream for afters. Watched some telly. Bath and bed after MOTD...

Friday 24th January 2025

Woke around 1000. No sign of Storm Eowyn during the night…heavy rain had been forecast, and I had expected to be woken as it drummed on the roof. Made tea and got back into bed. Arose around 1100 and porridged. Booked a room at The Ship Inn in Mousehole for the night before our AirBnB sojourn. It means we can have a wander about and discover the fishing village before the hard work starts. Cooked a puttanesca sauce to have for a quick dinner tonight. Popped out to get some cash to pay Vince for his hard work plugging our leaks and unblocking our pipes. When I returned from the bank, he was here...started taking up the tiling in the shower tray...looks like there has been a leakage for some time...reckons it's to do with the poor workmanship of our Polish builders, who failed to properly cement the trap in place...surprise, surprise! Paul from No.27 came round with his Kango, and they stripped the flooring...Vince said he'd come back tomorrow to try and remove the bottom wall tiles prior to the bespoke shower tray team coming over to measure up. Dined on tortellini and puttanesca sauce before heading on foot for Finsbury Park station. Caught the train to Moorgate, and walked round to the Barbican to see a production of "Moby Dick" by a French based company, as part of the Mime Festival. Hooked up with Piers, who nearly didn't make it, as he'd thought the show was down in The Pit. Show was OK as far as it went...a mix of life-size puppets and human actors, and a hugely impressive light show, but ultimately a bit dull on the narrative front. Hope the Tower Theatre adaptation is a bit more exciting. Piers hated it! Accompanied him back to Finsbury Park on the train, where he took the Victoria Line...we walked home.

Thursday 23rd January 2025

Fitful night's sleep as the hacking cough made a return. Got up at 0800 and made tea. Aki still under the weather. Decided not to venture back to Bishops Stortford today. Worked at the laptop for most of the morning. Broke to make lunch. More of the same this afternoon. Uploaded my RICS CPD record with seven days to spare! Ambled over to Waitrose for milk once it had stopped pouring with rain! Warmed up the last of Aki's pork stir fry for dinner, with egg noodles. Watched a bit of telly...not much on, so resorted to Twin Peaks. Bath and bed...battened down the hatches ahead of Storm Eowyn.

Wednesday 22nd January 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Prepared a packed lunch. Aki got up as I was leaving. Drove to Manor House to pick up a coffee, then on to Bishops Stortford. Lunched in the car at a Leisure Centre car park just north of the town centre...a bit nicer than the car park at Birchanger Service Station. They have a little cafe, where I picked up a takeaway tea. Called it a day at 1600 and drove home, stopping off at Birchanger Service station to use the facilities. Wanted to get home before Holloway got busy with Gooners...they are playing Zagreb this evening. Got in at 1730. Warmed up a couple of portions of vegetable lasagne for dinner. Watched some telly…including an old BBC programme in which Mo Mowlem sings the praises of Winston Churchill in a bid to get the nation to vote him the greatest Briton of the 20th Century…she made a compelling and moving case.

Tuesday 21st January 2025

Woke around 0900…leapt out of bed to make tea…porridged and put a packed lunch together. Aki feeling under the weather…probably picked up my bug! Drove car round to KwikFit on Camden Road…sure enough there were two or three nails embedded in the left rear tyre! Had to fork out £114 for a new one! Headed up the M11 to Bishops Stortford. It was lunchtime by the time I stopped at Birchanger Services. Had my lunch in the car park. Confined myself to external inspections only today. Cold out. Headed home at 1630. Slow going around the North Circular, and towards Turnpike Lane. Got in at 1815. Warmed up the prawn curry…ate with dal and rice. Watched Twin Peaks. Aki feeling under the weather...she's developing the cough I've been plagued with for the last two weeks! Early bath and bed...
 

Monday 20th January 2025

Woke around 0800. Took tea back to bed. Got up and porridged. Aki cycled off to Crouch End for her annual eye test at SpecSavers. I bought a hose clip from the boys at ImproMill, and came home to attach it to the washing machine waste pipe, and an adjacent copper pipe, in order to steady the former once the washing machine starts emptying. Took ages to tighten the clip screw…very awkward space to do DIY in! Made lunch while Aki on the phone to Hachan…she lost her mum last week, after a lengthy battle with dementia. Vince and Paul turned up early afternoon...Vince filled the hole in the floor beneath the kitchen sink. They vowed to return on Friday to start digging up the shower tray. Aki cooked a pork stir fry, with egg noodles. Watched a bit of telly. Aki had a zoom meeting, so I took the opportunity to watch episode 1 of The Traitors. 

Sunday 19th January 2025

 

Woke around 0830. Lazed in bed for a bit before getting up to cook breakfast. Pottered about not getting very much done. Phoned Vince to urge him to come round with his extendable auger…said he’d come around 1530. In the meantime we ran a desperately needed wash…emptying the washing machine waste into several buckets to throw down the loo! Vince eventually turned up with said extendable…and proceeded to saw off the kitchen sink waste at the elbow to minimise the number of awkward turns for the auger. Paul from No.27 came to give him a hand, bringing a drill that he attached to the auger to assist it’s travel…after about 15 minutes of vigorous rodding, something splattered its way out…god knows what it was! Didn’t smell bad, thankfully. Paul sloped off to cook some potatoes for his dinner, and we rewarded Vince with a well deserved cup of tea before seeing him off the premises. Aki cooked salmon for dinner, with haricot beans and creme fraiche. Washed up…in the sink! Watched Twin Peaks before bath and bed…

Saturday 18th January 2025

Woke around 0800. Got up to unlock the gate, then made tea and got back into bed. Still coughing! Alerted the band to the fact that I wouldn't be fit in time for tomorrow's rehearsal...therefore, cancelled my appearance at the North Nineteen open mic on Tuesday. Aki cooked breakfast, then we walked up to the farmer's market at Yerbury school to buy bread, stopping at Sainsbury's on the way home. Cold out. Sat about inputting Moby Dick rehearsal dates into my iPhone calendar. Bit of toast sufficed for a light lunch. FaceTimed mum...and got a young chap named Charlie! Dunno what happened there! Very odd. He asked me how I'd gotten his number...I said "I was phoning me mam". FaceTimed Kath who was about to go to work...several of her colleagues are off sick, so she's having to take on extra shifts! Phoned ma and pa for a wee chat. They sounded in fine fettle. Vince texted us to say he'd been delayed by a callout to a leaking boiler, so he plans to see us tomorrow afternoon. Lasagne for dinner. Watched Twin Peaks in honour of the passing of David Lynch. MOTD, then bath…

Friday 17th January 2025

Woke around 0815. Aki up readying herself for Rowing Club. Still feeling under the weather…cough shows no sign of leaving off. Got up and porridged. Decided to make a vegetable lasagna in my new lasagne dish, so nipped round to Waitrose for some bits and pieces. Came home and roasted the vegetables, made a tomato sauce, and a cheese sauce…think I made too much! Couldn’t fit it all in the lasagne dish. Baked it before Aki got back. She prepared lunch. I washed up…which currently means endless trips to the bathroom to empty the washing up bowl down the loo. No sign of Vince this afternoon…assume the auger hasn’t been delivered yet. I cooked a prawn curry for dinner, which we ate with rice and dal. Watched WILTY. We sat at the laptop for an hour booking hotels in Japan and planning our routes. Bath and bed…

Thursday 16th January 2025

Night’s sleep occasionally disturbed by my cough. Still feeling under the weather. Aki brought me tea in bed. Got up and porridged. Rehearsed some song and guitar before lunch. Vince popped in this afternoon to say he’d ordered himself a 12mm auger, and is hoping it’ll arrive in the post tomorrow. I ventured out to get some milk. Warmed up the last of the chicken chasseur for dinner. Watched a bit of telly. Interesting documentary on dementia…

Wednesday 15th January 2025

Woke around 0830...feeling a bit under the weather, so decided to stay home today. Aki got up and cycled off to Rowing Club. I got up and porridged. Worked at the computer for the rest of the morning. Broke for lunch, by which time Aki was back. Vince turned up with his rodding equipment. Tried rodding below kitchen sink, and below washing machine waste...neither resulted in unblocking the system. It’s all getting a bit frustrating…having to do the washing up in the bath, and  unable to use the washing machine or dishwasher. Vince left promising to come back with an 8mm auger…though didn’t sound too convincing about where to find one. We warmed up the last of the parmigiana lasagne for dinner. Nowt on telly. Listened to some of the Arsenal v Spurs game on R5Live. 

Tuesday 14th January 2025

Woke around 0830. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Kitchen sink still blocked. Headed back to Hertfordshire to knock on doors in Much Hadham, Widford, and Stanstead Abbots. Had my lunch in the car on a 50s Council estate in Hadham Cross. Getting gloomy by 1600 so turned for home. Got an alert on my dash that the left rear tyre was compromised! I was driving past Turnpike Lane at the time. It didn’t feel or sound like a flat tyre, so continued home. Will check it out tomorrow. Aki cooked trout for dinner. 

Monday 13th January 2025

Woke around 0900. Aki brought me a mug of tea and I surfed my iPhone for a bit. Got up and porridged. Tried to progress repairing the pipework under the kitchen sink, but failed. Phoned Vince and he agreed to come down and take a look for us. Played some guitar and sang some of my folk repertoire before making lunch. Popped out to Waitrose to get a few bits. Vince turned up with walking stick…he had knee replacement surgery six weeks ago. Felt a bit trepidatious seeing him get down on his knees under the sink! Drove him up to Toolstation on North Road to get an S-bend, then up to Chris Stevens to buy some more unblocker solution. Vince fitted a new upstand for the washing machine waste, clearing it away from the electrics. Poured some unblocker solution down there, and down the kitchen sink. It failed to shift the blockage. Vince vowed to return. Managed to cook up a quick pasta dinner before heading for Stoke Newington. Good turnout for the Writers’ Room session, lead by a very impressive young lady named Anna Blackburn, who works as an actor and director. We worked on nine script excerpts, in the company of the authors…it was very inspiring…hope the writers got something out of it. Got home around 2130.

Sunday 12th January 2025

Woke around 0830. Got up and made tea. Sink still blocked. Cooked brunch then headed for Stoke Newington on foot. Cold outside. My hands got cold, even with gloves on. Bought a tea at the cafe opposite the Tower Theatre, to warm my hands on. Colin Guthrie came out of the studio to get me, and I was surprised to find two other actors auditioning for Stubb…we auditioned in front of each other…very weird…typically amateur of the set up. Even more bizarrely, one of my competitors was the director’s fella, Paul, who I thought was co-writing the piece! I was singularly unimpressed! Nick Hall stood in as Ahab…he’s a good pick for the role. Walked to the bus stop afterward not too sure what to make of it…happy to play in the band, though, rather than play Stubb…we’ll see what transpires next! Got home well ahead of the congestion resulting from the Arsenal v Man Utd FA Cup game. Watched it on telly. 

Saturday 11th January 2025

Woke around 0900. Got up and made tea then walked up to the Farmer’s Market to buy bread. Aki preparing brunch when I got back. Couldn’t do the washing up afterward as the sink blocked! Spent half an hour taking the trap to bits and cleaning it out…a lot of gunk got spat out of the overflow, but no joy. Aki nipped round to the DIY shop and bought a litre of high performance no acid unblocker. We decided to leave it til later as we had tickets for a matinee…caught a bus to Stamford, then another down the A10 to Dalston. Sat in the foyer of the Arcola Theatre where we met Katrina…the show, Tarantula, a new solo piece by Philip Ridley, was on in the small studio…it was a full house. Aki recognised a lavishly moustached fellow sat behind us…he’d been a contestant on MasterChef! 

The 90 minute piece took place on a bare set…just a rubber mat for a floor…but Georgie Henley filled the space with character, and Philip’s stunning script filled our imaginations…Georgie was given a well deserved rousing reception at the end…she’s got to do it all again this evening! We walked up Kingsland Road and got a bus to Stoke Newington. Managed to get a table at Rasa for dinner…very tasty as always, and great value in this day and age! 

Katrina told us that Tony is selling his Hastings house…his mum and dad are selling their Seaford bungalow, and they’re all going to live in Egham, near Tony’s elder brother, so as to look after mum and dad in their declining years…dad has dementia, and mum is struggling to cope. Said our goodbyes to Katrina on the corner of Church Street and High Street, and caught a couple of buses home. Tried the sink unblocker, but it didn’t work…suspect it’s something to do with the waste from the washing machine…

Friday 10th January 2025

Woke around 0900. Got up and porridged. Aki cycled off to Essex Road to buy fresh fish. I worked at the computer before breaking to put some lunch together. Worked at my laptop after lunch. Broke early to rehearse some song. Aki cooked a fish supper. Watched some telly.

Thursday 9th January 2025

Alarm at 0745. Hauled myself out of bed to make tea. Porridged. Headed for my car. Bit icy this morning, so had to apply de-icer to my windscreen...got collared by Andrew from No.49. He kept me talking in the sub-zero temperatures for about 15 minutes! Eventually made my escape, and headed back up the M11, stopping at Costa at Manor House for coffee on the way. Stopped at Birchanger Green Service station to use the facilities, then drove into Bishops Stortford. Parked up, and walked around the Oak Street/Trinity Way sheltered scheme, knocking on doors. Got into 10 units before heading back to the car to warm up. Drove back to Birchanger Green, and ate my packed lunch in the car in the car park. Got chatting to the tenant of No.6 Burley Road during the afternoon shift, as he had several guitars in the living-room, and photos of the Sex Pistols on the stairwell walls...he had been in a band, and gave me a CD...they were called Guns of History...fortunately, I no longer have a CD player in the car! Finished for the day with some internals on Scott Road, then headed for home. Popped in to Waitrose to pick up some odds and ends for Aki. Got home and warmed up the parmigiana lasagne for dinner. Aki had a small portion prior to heading up to No.127 for the Book Club meet. I stayed home and read some Dickens and ran through the Robbie Burns song. I sent the Book Club a short email stating that I had to decided to step away after an entertaining seven years...

Wednesday 8th January 2025

Woke around 0845. Got up and made tea...took one to Aki who was still in bed. Porridged. Did some work at the laptop. Broke to put some lunch together. Aki cycled off to a site meeting on the Haringey Ladder. I worked at the computer. Phoned mum…she seemed to have much recovered after yesterday’s inconveniences. Dad cooking a chicken tikka for dinner tonight! I cooked a chicken chasseur…very tasty. Ate with mashed potato and carrots. Cheese and biscuits for afters. Rehearsed the Robbie Burns song before bath and bed...

Tuesday 7th January 2025

Alarm at 0730. Got up and made tea. Put together a packed lunch to take on the road with me. Porridged. Headed for Sawbridgeworth to do some knocking on doors…required to get into 50 units between now and end of month. It was sleeting rather heavily when I set off, but soon cleared up. A bit cold out, though. Stopped in Manor House for petrol, and a coffee. Managed to get into 7 units before breaking for lunch. Parked up at Pishiobury Park to eat my packed lunch. Got into 3 more early afternoon…had finished in Sawbridgeworth by 1500…too late to head on to Bishops Stortford. Turned for home. Got into at 1615. Did some work at the laptop. Kath rang to say mum not well…she has had a bad reaction to some prescribed indigestion medication…Kath keeping an eye on her between shifts. Warmed up a chick pea curry that had been languishing in the freezer. Ate with rice, and naan.

Monday 6th January 2025

Woke around 0930. Got up and made tea. Got back into bed and read some Dickens before rising for porridge. Did some prep work ahead of inspections in East Herts this week...weather permitting! Lunch. Ambled down to the Central Library after lunch to return a book on Aki's behalf, then wandered up to Waitrose to get some bits and pieces. Popped into the stationer's on Holloway Road to get a ream of paper...which now costs twice what it did last year! Thankfully, Savills will be paying for it! Did a little more work at my laptop before dinner. Aki cooked salmon, Japanese style. Nowt on telly. I rehearsed Aki on guitar for the Burns Night song, and recorded it, sending the result over to the WhatsApp Group so the rest of the band can try and play along. See what happens with that! Early bath and bed...

Sunday 5th January 2025

Woke around 0900...felt very cosy underneath our two duvets. Made tea and got back into bed. Got up to breakfast on toast and cheese, and lime marmalade. Read some Dickens before venturing out into the weather. Last night's snow had been washed away by the ensuing rain. Walked over to Waitrose and did a hefty shop. Carried our loads back home. Lunched on a Coronation chicken sandwich I'd bought at Davidson's on Darras the other day, which had proved surplus to requirements at lunchtime yesterday. Listened to some music before prepping dinner...made an aubergine parmigiana lasagne. It was tasty enough but didn’t make quite enough sauce. Watched “Lanuna: A Yak in the Classroom”, a rather charming tale of a teacher posted to a remote school in the Himalaya. Caught Liverpool v Man Utd on MOTD2 before bath and bed…

Saturday 4th January 2025

Alarm at 0800. Got up and made tea, then did some to-ing and fro-ing with luggage ahead of packing the car. Aki came down and made porridge, and we ate at the dining table with mum and dad, before Kath surfaced. I ventured outside to defrost the car before reversing it up the driveway, then packing our stuff. Said our farewells and drove gingerly down an icy High View. Stopped for coffee at Wetherby Services, and for our packed lunch in the car park at Tibshelf Services. M1 was busy, but kept moving. Got home around 1630 and unpacked the car. FaceTimed Kath to say we'd arrived safely ahead of the snowstorm. Aki put together a simple meal...dal with spinach and rice, followed by cheese and biscuits. Watched "All of Us Strangers", an intriguing film about traumatic childhood memories, starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal. By the time the bath was running, it was snowing heavily outside.

Friday 3rd January 2025

Woke around 0815. Got up and brought tea back to bed. Eventually descended for porridge. Aki arranged for a prescription to be sent to Boots on Darras Hall, so we drove down. Popped into Davidson's to get takeaway coffees. When we returned to the car, we discovered the door fob didn't work. We had to walk back to High View bearing our coffees. I picked up the spare car key and walked back down to Darras...managed to get the car door open, but it wouldn't lock! It would appear that either both batteries had gone at the same time, or there's something amiss with the on-board computer system. I drove up to Western Way Garage, but it was shut. Drove back to High View for lunch while we planned what to do next. Aki found a handy YouTube clip showing how to access the lithium battery in the fob...dad found a couple of spares, and hey presto we were back in working order! I celebrated by driving down to Waitrose to do a final shop. Returned to High View to get the ragu on the hob. Once that was cooking, I made some meringues with the left over egg whites, to plonk on top of the chocolate orange pudd. Worked a treat. Watched a bit of telly before opting for a relatively early night...plunging temperatures tonight, and the threat of heavy snow tomorrow afternoon, so we need to get a reasonably early start for London.

Thursday 2nd January 2025

Woke around 0945. Hauled ourselves out of bed and descended for tea, and porridge. Jim and Emma surfaced, having spent the night in their van on the driveway. They abluted, then departed for Killingworth. Aki prepared a small Japanese New Year lunch. I managed to cut a finger whilst trying to chop the lobster up! Couldn't play guitar...had planned to record my version of "Now Westlin' Winds"...it'll have to wait. Kath back in time to join us for lunch. Prepped tonight's dessert...a chocolate orange pannetone bread pudding! Dad took mum down to the GP for a check up. Came back reporting that she had passed her blood test with flying colours, but had failed utterly with the cognitive tests the doctor put to her. Dad came back shaking his head, though they were able to laugh it all off! 

The doctor is calling mum in for further tests at some point in the not too distant future. Really need to get that LPA sorted out! Warmed up the lamb stew for dinner, adding some vegetables, and some dumplings. Sadly, I could only find plain flour...what I thought would be self-raising turned out to be granulated sugar! I added some baking powder, but I guess it's old enough to have lost it's potency! The pudding made up for it though. Watched an entertaining documentary about Roger Moore, narrated by Steve Coogan doing a passable impersonation of the great man. Read some Dickens when everyone had retired for the night...though not before catching Kate Layden's memorable turn in one of the opening scenes of "The Full Monty"...the film came out shortly before we worked together on "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Stoke. 

Wednesday 1st January 2025

Woke around 0945. Descended for tea, and porridge. Kath did mum's hair in between client visits. Sat about not doing very much. Started prepping the lamb stew. Used one of ma and pa's old beef stock pots...didn't taste too good! Jim and Emma turned up for some lunch. I fried potato cakes, and nut roast, adding spinach, meat, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. It seemed to go down well, but was a bit of a palaver serving it all up! We opened our presents from Jim and Emma, and they opened theirs from us. They gave us a load of cheese and chutney, half of it past it's use by date! Jim has very little work lined up for the New Year...needs to get himself signed up with a Recruitment Agent.

Aki cooked a fish curry for dinner. We had enough leftover dal to feed Emma. Mince pies and ice cream for afters, followed by cheese and biscuits. Watched a bit of telly...including an episode of "Sykes" with a guest appearance by Peter Sellers...very entertaining! Jim and Emma sloped off to bed down in the van on the driveway. I stayed up and read some Dickens before bed...