Sunday 12th April 2026

Woke at 0230, but managed to get back to sleep...the cervical pillow seems to be doing a good job. Woke around 0730 and dozed until 0900. Descended to make tea, and brought a bowl of porridge back up to bed. Lindsey was in the kitchen at her laptop...they went up to see a fisherman's cottage in Embleton and have had an offer accepted...looks very nice...very small, but well kitted out. A perfect holiday bolthole. Pottered about on the laptop for a bit...raining outside! Showered (in the shower, not the rain). 

Drove over to the theatre to pick up Connor and Sam. Shirley was already waiting, and she took Georgie and David, and we hooked up at the Upper House in Barlaston. We were very excited to be ushered in to the Darwin Suite and sat at a large dining table. I had an interesting pearl barley and mushroom cake starter, followed by the roast beef...the latter was sadly underwhelming...the roast potatoes were hard, and the vegetables a little under cooked. The beef was OK, but nowhere near as good as that I'd eaten last week at the Swynnerton Arms. We paid up then I walked the team up the track to the start of the circular woodland walk, where I left them and headed back to the hotel. Listened to the last twenty minutes of the Sunderland v Spurs game...we won 1-0...Spurs remain in the relegation zone! Then I repaired to the hotel lounge and read my book before the others rocked up. We all decided we were too knackered to do anything but go back to our digs and rest up ahead of tomorrow night's show. Spoke briefly to Andy Smith...he and Stuart Hewlett are driving up to see the show later in the month. FaceTimed Kath, who was having dinner with ma and pa. Dad reckons he's started a new novel recounting the tale of Stench Coleville, an adventurous lad from the small market town of Much Clattering. I can't wait!!! Drove back to Bakewell Street. Headed in to Newcastle in the evening to see The Drama at Vue Cinema. Not many fellow punters in...it's a rather strange piece, with unlikeable lead characters...in fact, pretty much every character was unsympathetic, to the extent that their behaviour became tiresome...but I was happy to sit in the dark for a couple of hours. Got back to Bakewell Street around 2200. Watched The News and some football highlights before crashing out...