Monday 19th October 2026

Woke around 0800. Got up in anticipation of the roofers turning up. Sat in the living-room with a mug of tea. Porridged. Gary and a roofing mate turned up around 1000...they reckoned they wouldn't be able to start work today, as the forecast was bad for tomorrow, so he didn't want to expose the roof...he's planning to get a tin hat put on, which he is hoping will happen on Wednesday! Spent an hour waiting for someone to answer the phone at Islington Council. Eventually got through...but they weren't much help. Next to useless!!! Put a simple chicken salad lunch together. We headed in to town to watch "Naza" at the Garden Cinema. It's a series of interviews with anonymous Israeli Army operatives, spelling out a very deliberate Israeli government policy aimed at taking out as many Palestinians as possible when targeting Hamas operatives, namely whole families executed by association. It was chilling, showing the Israeli government to be the Fascists we all think they are! The audience sat in contemplative silence while the credits rolled, and we staggered back out into the day. Walked across town to the Japanese grocery near Piccadilly Circus. Found a table at Bolo, a little Italian canteen set up in the name of Gennaro Contaldo, the now 77-year old Italian chef and cookery writer. Portions were small, which allowed prices to be kept reasonable for central London, and my al forno was very tasty. Aki wasn't quite so convinced by her octopus bolognese. Hopped on a No.19 bus back home. Watched 63Up and The Ten before bath and bed...