Tuesday 29th September 2026

Woke around 0700 with back pain, so got up and re-arranged the pillows so I could sit up for a bit. Managed to nod back off again for awhile. Got up and made tea, which I brought back to bed, with a bowl of porridge. Read for a while. Aki popped out to tai chi. I got up and took my constitutional...walked to Highbury Fields. Enjoyed a coffee at Maison Bleu, then headed for Waitrose. Aki home by the time I got back...I put a light lunch together. Accessed Lynne's flat...she's on her way back from Penzance. Cut away some wisteria and passion flower which has all gone a bit AWOL at the front of the building. Did a little work at the laptop ahead of inspections later in the week. Tidied up the cuttings in the front garden. Ambled round to No.7 for dinner chez Brett. Jane and Carlos from No.36, Lynne from upstairs, Margaret from No.5, and Kathleen and Andrew from No.49, also in attendance. Pleasant evening sat out in Brett's arbour. She'd cooked up a feast of Ottolenghi inspired dishes...I particularly enjoyed the baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic, which paired beautifully with the Moroccan chicken stew. The almond orange cake for afters was great, too. Brett is preparing to return to Australia in a couple of weeks, so won't be around for Xmas. It was gone midnight by the time I got to bed...