Tuesday 20th January 2026

Woke at 0900. Got up and porridged. Aki headed off to tai chi. Did my exercises. Aki back for lunch...warmed up some spinach and dill soup. Ventured into town, taking the Victoria Line to Pimlico, and then walking to the Tate to view the Turner/Constable exhibition. We came out much preferring JMW's work; some of his small watercolours are exquisite. The Royal Academy only taught watercolour...he had to teach himself how to use oils. Came home and stuck dinner in the oven...a Waitrose chicken and leek pie, served with lots of vegetables, and sweet potato chips. Watched some telly.

Monday19th January 2026

Took hours to nod off. Thus got up very late. Aki up early to take a call from the GP about her skin condition…he prescribed some steroid cream. Got up and did my exercises. I headed for the gym. Did 15 minutes on the bike and some leg curls. Came home and put lunch together. We rehearsed some tunes ahead of this weekend’s Burns Night bash. Did my exercises. Drafted some emails. We rehearsed some tunes.  Warmed up the leftover mushroom sauce from Saturday and poured it over tagliatelle for dinner. Put my neck out in the gym this morning…got worse as the evening progressed! Watched some telly…still working through series 1 of The Night Manager. Tom Hollander very good in it…

Sunday 18th January 2026

Long lie in after yesterday’s efforts. Eventually rose. Aki cooked brunch. Did my exercises. We took a walk down to Upper Street...Aki looking for a flower vase to use for her new Japanese flower arranging hobby...needs to be a specific shape. Ended up in the very expensive designer ware shops, but fortunately couldn't find anything suitable. Stopped for coffee and cake at Paul's, then returned to Holloway on the No.43 bus. Got off at Waitrose and did a little shop. Enjoyed watching Ski Sunday...stunning Swiss Alpine backdrop. Warmed up the chicken curry for dinner, with spiced vegetables and rice. Aki cooked up a dal to serve on the side...very tasty. Watched some telly. Enjoyed David Attenborough’s Wild London, particularly the peregrine falcons…

Saturday 17th January 2026

Woke at 0600…took a long time to nod back off again. Woke at 0900. Aki already up and about. Got up and made brunch before Aki cycled off to the fishmonger on Essex Road. I read some Chuzzlewit then cooked a mushroom sauce to pour over my homemade gnocchi this evening. Tidied up the living room, cleaned the loo, and laid the table. Katrina arrived first, bearing cheese, closely followed by Tony and a bottle of Prosecco. We sat and chatted over some nibbles before serving dinner…homemade chestnut gnocchi with a cheesy mushroom sauce, followed by Aki’s fish stew, then my meringue zabaglioni semi-fredo and raspberries…various cheese and biscuits to follow. Katrina had been tested for throat cancer just before Christmas but was now much relieved to be able to report it had been diagnosed as chronic tonsillitis. Tony juggling work, home improvements, and keeping an eye on his folks. They left around 2300 and Aki and I tidied up before bath and bed…

Friday 16th January 2026

Woke around 0845. Aki had already cycled off to rowing club. Porridged, then headed for the Whittington for a blood test. Walked back down the Holloway Road afterward and did a little shopping in M&S and Waitrose. Came home and prepared lunch. Aki back in time to cook and add an omelette to the mix. Ventured into town to see Hamnet at the Garden Cinema. Needed a box of tissues! The scene depicting Hamnet’s death elicits an astonishing performance from Jessie Buckley…it’ll probably secure her the best actress Oscar. We adjourned to the Japanese restaurant around the corner for dinner. The black sesame ice cream was delicious. Got a slow No.91 bus home and watched The Traitors before bath and bed…

Thursday 15th January 2026

Woke around 0900. Read in bed for a bit. Aki already up and porridging when I surfaced. I did some exercises the headed for the Sobell Centre in the drizzle. Did 15 minutes on the bike, followed by some leg extensions. We decided to have dinner for lunch, as Aki is hosting the Book Club this evening. Cooked confit of duck with boiled potatoes and vegetables. Did some voice work and sang some songs. Prepared a savoury tart to feed the gathering. Had some soup before people arrived. Full house turned up to chat about their views of Mrs Dalloway. Chatted to new recruit Alice from No.87…turns out she’s married to Rupert Orton, erstwhile guitarist with the Jim Jones Revue, and brother of songstress Beth! My savoury tart went down well, as did Katherine’s quince tart. I retired to the office zone with my headphones and watched The Traitors. People departed around 2200 and Aki and I tidied up before bath and bed…

Wednesday 14th January 2026

Woke around 0715. Dozed for another hour or so. Aki got up the ready herself for rowing club. Got up and porridged, by which time Aki had cycled off to Stamford Hill. I took myself off into town. Dropped my old work laptop off at the Margaret Street office. Had to get the lift up to the third floor…massive office covering IT, residential sales, letting, and marketing…must have been about 300 people in there sat at their computer screens! Went in search of a specific pair of shoes…but no luck…tried shops in Berwick and Poland Street. Gave up and headed home on a No.29 bus. Did a little shopping in Waitrose. Aki back for lunch…hot smoked salmon and salad. Did my exercises. Warmed up the last of the lentil lasagna for dinner…tasty! Watched The Traitors…some ingenious twists have been worked into the game. Very entertaining. 

Tuesday 13th January 2026

Woke around 0745...dozed back off for  bit. Aki up and about around 0930. Got up and porridged. The night in the spare room had yielded no benefits in respect of her skin condition. She went off to tai chi with Jane from No.36 and Katherine from No.127. I did my exercises. Aki back for lunch…I defrosted and warmed up some pea soup. Tidied the desk up a bit. Early dinner…Aki cooked a chicken curry. Had planned to venture up Highgate Hill for the beginner’s Irish session at the pub Brendan The Navigator. I took my mandolin. Aki decided to come along for the ride. We walked to the bus stop in the rain and got to the pub in time for the 1830 start. The session was run by a whistle player called Pete, and a squeeze box player called Caitlin. There were two other whistlers, a guitarist, an accordion player, and a fiddler, and we were joined by some young children on violin, and concertina. There was no sheet music to work with…it was lucky the guitarist had come along as I was able to watch his left hand and pick up the chords…but it wasn’t a very satisfying evening. Don’t think we’ll be back. The pub is a bit grim…the gents toilets were two portaloos out back. We caught a bus back down to Holloway, and walked home. Watched the last half hour of the League Cup semifinal game between Newcastle and Man City…the latter take a 2-0 lead back to the Etihad.

Monday 12th January 2026

Woke around 0330 with chronically dry throat…seems to be getting slowly worse. Managed to nod back off again eventually. Woke around 0930 after strange dream about first day of Good Golly rehearsals in a labyrinthine building which the theatre seemed to share with a populous secondary school. Got up and headed for the gym. Did 15 minutes on the bike, followed by some leg curls. Walked up to Tollington Dry Cleaners afterward to take in a pair of trousers that need the legs shortened. Popped in at the GP surgery to pick up a blood form ahead of Friday’s blood test. Came home and made brunch. Tidied up the spare bedroom…Aki wants to try sleeping in there tonight to see if she can better control the room humidity…she feels this may be key to controlling her terrible skin complaint. Managed to aggravate my many hernias lifting the upstairs neighbour's food waste bin...god knows what's in it! We took some detritus to the tip, and then did a shop at Waitrose. Aki cooked a carbonara for dinner. Watched some telly…

Sunday 11th January 2026

Woke around 0800. Read in bed for a bit. Aki decided not to go rowing…too cold out, and drizzle was forecast. Put a brunch together. Did my exercises. Cooked a roast beef lunch with cauliflower cheese. Spoke to mum on the phone. Wandered up to No.127 for band rehearsal. Focussed mainly on some Burns material. No fiddlers showed up so it fell on George and his flute to carry the tune. Next meet is at Katherine and George’s on Burns Night. Walked back home and had some soup. Watched some telly. Bath and bed…

Saturday 10th January 2026

Woke around 0700…got up at 0800 to find the heating wasn’t working! The thermostat control reckoned it was 0640 on the 2nd January 2010!!! How did that happen!?! Climbed back into bed to keep warm! Aki cooked brunch before heading out to meet Carlos and Jane…they were taking her to watch Arsenal Women v Man Utd at the Emirates in 2C temperatures! I went into town. Bought a cap to go with my rust coloured suit, then headed for soup at Foyles cafe…it was rammed. Walked down to Covent Garden to buy reading glasses at Izipizi before heading home via the Piccadilly line. Warmed up lasagna for dinner. Watched the Spurs v Villa FA Cup game and stayed up to watch MOTD before bath and bed…

Friday 9th January 2026

Woke around 0900. Got a call from Trade Force to say our boiler engineer was on his way, so leapt out of bed to await his arrival. He turned up shortly afterward…nice bloke…we made him a cuppa and he gave us a clean bill of health. I made some cockaleekie soup…had to pop over to Waitrose for some prunes. It was OK…I was expecting more flavour though to be honest. Did my exercises. Practised some songs. Read some Dickens. Aki cooked hake and beans for dinner. Watched The Traitors. 

Thursday 8th January 2026

Woke around 0900…headed for the gym and managed 15 minutes on the bike, plus some leg extensions. Bumped into Gareth from No120…he was booked in for a bit of badminton. Aki made ramen soup for lunch. Did a little voice work and rehearsed some songs. Read some Chuzzlewit. Warmed the last of the chicken cacciatore with lots of vegetables and some Puy lentils. Watched Traitors. Bath and bed…

Wednesday 7th January 2026

Aki up promptly to ready for rowing club. She had cycled off by the time I got up and porridged. Did my exercises. Aki back in time for some soup for lunch. Finished working through my crowded wardrobe…managed to throw out three or four items. Popped over to Waitrose to do a bit of a shop. Spent an hour putting together a lentil, spinach, mushroom and butternut squash lasagna…it was OK but the flavours didn’t shine. Watched The Traitors followed by MOTD…Sunderland got trounced 3-0 at Brentford! We are now below Newcastle…finding our proper level at last! Gabby Logan disappeared from the presenter’s chair a quarter of the way through the programme…a family emergency was cited…learned later that her dad, Terry Yorath, had passed away.

Tuesday 6th January 2026

Woke around 0830. Aki got up, and managed to do what I’d been trying to do for several hours yesterday…unscrew the underfloor heating actuator. The pin is very stiff, and I sprayed some WD40 on it…see what happens. Got the plumber coming round on Thursday to service the boiler…see what he makes of our efforts. Porridged. Aki headed out to t’ai chi. Did my exercises. I put lunch together when Aki returned. Read for a bit. Started working through my clothes…need to chuck some stuff out. Fish pie for dinner. Ventured into town to see “Marty Supreme” at Regent Street Cinema. It was pretty packed…great film…a wild ride! 

Monday 5th January 2026

Woke around 0500…dozed until 0900. Read in bed for a bit. Headed for the gym at 1030. Did 20 minutes on a bike, then some leg curls and leg extensions with weights. Had a wander round…the Sobell Centre had had a nice facelift since I last attended (pre-covid!). It’s a great facility to have on your doorstep. Walked home. Aki returned from the GP with a bagful of prescription drugs…she’s desperately trying to calm her itchy skin! Soup for lunch. Aki ventured out into the Arctic once more to go visit the dentist following yesterday’s toothsome disaster. I did some voice work and rehearsed my Burns tunes. Aki returned with the gold bullion reinstated in her lower jaw. Phoned the people who supplied our underfloor heating system…they urged us to remove the actuator, but we couldn’t get it to unscrew. So another chilly night in store…-5C forecast! Chicken with a mango sauce for dinner. Watched some telly before bath and bed…

Sunday 4th January 2026

Woke around 0700…dozed until 0900. Aki cooked breakfast before cycling off to rowing club. I went into town to try on a casual suit in Toast, just off Oxford Street. After much debate I went for the rust rather than the blue version…will look good in Palermo! Walked across town to Foyles…had some soup in the cafe and perused an Italian tutor. Got a No.29 bus back home. Worked on taking my new suit trousers up. Rehearsed some Burns tunes before warming up a ready made moussaka for dinner. Aki’s 40 year old gold filling fell out! Chocolate melt in the middle puds with ricotta ice cream for afters. Watched The Night Manager…thought we were watching the new series but it turned out to be episode 1 of the first series…stuck with it. MOTD, bath and bed…
 

Saturday 3rd January 2026

Woke around 0900. Languished in bed for a bit. Aki popped out to buy bread…too cold to cycle up to the Farmer’s Market, so she walked round the corner to Big Jo’s. I made brunch then did some exercises. We walked down to the Central Library to pick up a couple of guide books on Sicily ahead of a planned trip in September. Bought straciatella ice cream in Harvest then walked back up the Holloway Road to Waitrose. Aki cooked teriyaki salmon for dinner. Watched The Traitors, followed by MOTD…bath and bed.

Friday 2nd January 2026

Woke around 0700…dozed on until 0830. Stayed tucked up in bed reading. Got up for porridge. Did my exercises. Worked on guitar part for Ae Fond Kiss. Made a tasty pea soup for lunch. Rehearsed some tunes with Aki. Booked some train journeys! Ventured across the road for dinner with Jane and Carlos at No.36. Sat in the front parlour listening to John Mayall records and eating blinis before retiring to the kitchen table to partake of Jane’s coq au vin…my chicken thigh looked a bit undercooked and the dish was rather lukewarm…not as good as my chasseur. Ice cream and rhum baba for afters. Nice to see ‘em. Got home around 2245…bath and bed…

Thursday 1st January 2026

Woke around 0800. Aki got up to prepare her annual Japanese breakfast…very tasty! She then handmade some sushi to take to Ellie’s this afternoon. She cycled off to rowing club. I vacuumed. Wandered over to the shop to get celery and potatoes. Aki returned to pick up the sushi…I decided to stay home and cook a chicken cacciatore rather than venture over to Walthamstow with Aki…felt I’d be a bit out of place among the five or six girls…let them get on with it. Changed the strings on my MacClaren guitar. Started learning a couple of tunes ahead of Burns’ Night later in the month. Dined alone shortly before Aki got home from Walthamstow…she had eaten there so didn’t need feeding. Watched a bit of telly…particularly enjoyed a re-run of the first episode of “Outnumbered”…the kids in it are fantastic. Watched MOTD and sat on the edge of my seat as Sunderland somehow wrangled a point in an exciting 0-0 draw with mighty Man City!

Wednesday 31st December 2025

Woke around 0900 after a fitful night’s sleep. Aki suffering from very itchy skin. Has arranged a GP appointment for next week. Read in bed. Got up and breakfasted before Aki cycled off to the fishmonger’s on Essex Road…cold out! Mounted Lynne’s new doorbell. Made lunch. Pottered about. Did some exercises. Aki cooked a fish stew for dinner, with tuna carpaccio for starters. Watched “When Harry Met Sally” in honour of the great Rob Reiner. Bathed before watching a bit of Jools’ Hootenanny and seeing the new year in with coverage of the fireworks on the Thames…