Saturday 1st August 2026

Fitful night's sleep roof-fretting. Got up around 0900 and made tea. Porridged. Texts from Kath saying they had taken mum back to the RVI for scans on her swollen leg. Loaded some detritus into the car to take to the tip. Aki wanted some stuff from Boots, so I parked up and waited for her in the Waitrose car park. Home for gazpacho lunch. Kath rang to say mother had been diagnosed with secondary lymphoedema, and her leg will need regular washing and moisturising...she's thinking of getting some help in to do this. See what happens. Warmed up the last of the chicken and harissa beans for dinner. Walked over to the Park Theatre to see "Kidnap"...a one-woman show that had been praised when at the Edinburgh Festival last year...it was OK as far as it went...only an hour long. It was more a piece of self-counselling on behalf of the writer-performer, surrounding her and her brother's kidnap by her Saudi father...a rather unpolished performance, which gave it a certain charm, but she didn't have the comedic punch to take the show to the next level. Bumped into Dulcie on the walk back home and had a pleasant chat in the street...she's struggling to keep her allotment going in the dry weather! 

Friday 31st July 2026

Aki had left for Rowing Club by the time I rose. Porridged. Decided on a birthday treat, so walked up to the Green Room on Holloway Road for my morning coffee. then walked down to Waitrose to find something for lunch...picked up two scallop shells stuffed with prawns and smoked salmon. Walked home to prepare lunch. We ventured back out mid-afternoon...headed for KX on the No.91 bus, and ambled along the Regent's Canal, then up York Way to take a look at the newly opened Story Garden, a community project that opened on wasteland close to the railway line coming out of KX. Had hoped there'd be a cafe, but no. Wandered around some of the new development behind KX, then popped into Waitrose and bought up their meagre supply of gazpacho. Took a slow walk from there, up through Thornhill Square, to the Tamil Prince on Hemingford Road for dinner. Very popular spot...had to book three weeks ago. It's basically a small ex public house, with a kitchen at back, with a big glass window, where you can see the staff making dosa. The food was OK, and the staff very friendly...they picked up on the fact that we were there for a celebration, and brought me a small dessert with a candle stuck in it before we paid the bill. Walked up Hemingford Road, intending to pop into the Hemingford Arms for a beer, but we were both uncomfortably full after our food. Hopped on a no.153 bus home instead...too old to rock 'n roll! Got home to find a text from Kath...she'd gotten to High View to find it deserted...Emma and Jim had been advised by the GP to take mum into A&E to get a diagnosis concerning her swollen leg...they are worried she may have a blood clot.