Sunday 25th January 2026

Woke at 0130, and again at 0730. Managed to nod back off relatively quickly…don’t know why I can’t sleep through any more…very frustrating! Woke again at 0900. Back hurts. Aki cooked brunch before she braved the drizzle and cycled off to Rowing Club. Did a little work at the laptop, uploading Friday's property photos. Ventured in to town. Coffee and Chuzzlewit at Foyles, then walked up to Hobgoblin to buy a kazoo or two to help pipe in the haggis this evening. Caught a bus to Camden and popped in at GuitarGuitar to buy a stand, then headed for home. Got in just ahead of Aki who had been celebrating one of her rowing colleague’s birthday in the cafe. Drove up the road to No127 to deliver a couple of Burn’s songs at Katherine and George’s Burns bash…Ben joined me on violin for my rendition of Now Westlin’ Winds…then Aki and I jumped back in the car to hightail it round to Helen and Martin’s for their Burns Night supper. They had a couple of Japanese guests, plus their church pastor and his wife, and their niece Ruby, as well as Iveta, who we had met at their Burns Night bash a couple of years ago. We shared some verses from the Ode to a Haggis, then tucked in to cock-a-leekie soup, haggis, neeps and tatties, and cranachan, interspersed with malt whiskey tastings. Aki and I brought the evening to a close with a rousing rendition of Green Grow the Rushes-O…