Friday 13th February 2026

Woke around 0530. Took a couple of hours to nod back off! Aki cycled off to Rowing Club before I managed to rise. I walked round to Big Jo's for coffee and cinnamon bun, then wandered over to Waitrose to buy bavette steak, and Prosecco, for tomorrow night's Valentine's Day menu. Had time to drop everything back at home, then head for Newington Green via two buses. Got there a bit early, so had a coffee in Brags & Brams, with a nice window view of Newington Green. I liked the cup and saucer...I assumed they were made from bamboo, but it turned out they were made from re-cycled coffee beans! Walked across the Green for a half-hour osteopathy session with Chris Harris. Picked up my jacket from Stitch & Stitch, then walked to Highbury Corner in search of a Valentine's card. Found one at a little florists' shop, then headed home on the No.263 bus. 

Aki had cooked ramen for lunch...very tasty. Watched some Winter Olympics. Cooked up some beetroot soup...most of it destined for the freezer. Then cooked a creamy mushroom and parmesan sauce which we had with tagliatelle and peas. Finished off the damson jam wreath and custard for afters, then headed for Notting Hill. Had tickets to see Kyoto-based Chiten Theatre Company and their adaptation of Dostoevsky's novella, "The Gambler". It was highly stylised, involving a long table which rotated for most of the piece on a floor pained as a roulette wheel. The performers yelled out bits of text, in between hammering on the table with pool game balls...it was quite invigorating for the first 15 minutes or so, but became increasingly unengaging as the eight actors continually moved in a circular motion with the table...nowt much else happened, really...a show that literally went round in circles...not sure what Fyodor would have made of it...I had to fight to stay awake!