Wednesday 6th January 2021

Not a great night's sleep. Kept waking with the impression that my breathing was getting shallow! When I awoke for the final time, my neck was aching...getting old!

Did a little bit of work after breakfast, and spoke to MD on the phone. Aki and I walked to Stroud Green, and popped into the greengrocer, and got some odds and ends in TescoExpress. Received a package from Paul Smith...but the trousers were too small, so I had to repackage them and queue up at the Post Office to return them from whence they came. 

Shocking scenes from Capitol Hill as Trump's "blackshirts" stormed the US Congress. Disgraceful scenes, that should, hopefully, lead to Trump being arrested and tried for treason. What a fuckin' mess he's made of it all, pardon my French!!!

Tuesday 5th January 2021

Aki up early, as she had to drive up to Finchley for a site visit. The site had been broken into last night, but nothing taken, as the alarm had frightened them off. I cleaned the bathroom, and got under the kitchen sink to see if I could stop the leak...I failed.

Savills are apparently classed an essential business, much to my bemusement, which means we can carry on with external inspections, so no furlough for me this time around.

Richard Willis posted on FB that he is still in hospital on oxygen...he's been there almost two weeks. The good news is that his missus has been discharged, but he reports that there are six beds in his dorm, and he has seen four of his fellow inpatients pass away. Scary situation out there, as the hospitals sink beneath the sheer weight of demand. Richard recommends buying an oximeter...I ordered one from Amazon! Our evening's TV viewing was interrupted by some scratching sounds in the ceiling below Lynne's kitchen floor. I think we have a mouse! Went up to Lynne's flat and sprayed some mint repellant about in her kitchen, but I doubt it'll do much good. 

Monday 4th January 2021

Dreamt I was opening a show for Graham Fellows in some enormous theatre. It was packed. I ventured into the Green Room to make something to eat, then realised I was going to be late for my cue. Came out into the auditorium and bumped into the Stage Manager, who seemed to be Lennox Greaves, and he complained that I'd set the grill on fire, but he led me down to stage level where everyone was waiting impatiently for my arrival. By way of apology, I bought Graham a bag of chips for 50p, after the show.

Ventured out into Covidland late morning to buy some stationery from the shop on Holloway Road, and got a few bits and pieces in Waitrose. The Asian guys in the stationery shop wanted a wee chat, asking me whether I was working from home. 

Started reading V.S.Naipaul's "A House for Mr Biswas" this afternoon, having finished the rather grim Book Club choice, "Will and Testament". 

Cooked an odd evening meal of baked cauliflower and cabbage, with cheese and pancetta, to mark the start of my low carb/no carb January diet. See how things pan out!

Boris announced that the country is to go into full lockdown mode once more as of midnight tonight!!! So it's back to watching livestreams from Ronnie Scott's...

Sunday 3rd January 2021

Managed a late morning walk to Finsbury Park, returning via the organic greengrocer's on Stroud Green Road, and TescoExpress. 

Not much else to report today. Bit of rain and sleet this afternoon, so stayed in and read the paper. I cooked dinner, which Aki seemed to enjoy. 

Watched the new David Attenborough TV spectacular, and the second epsiode of The Serpent. Then bath and bed!

Saturday 2nd January 2021

Another fitful night's sleep. So off to a slow start this morning. Aki had risen early to contact her mother in Japan for her weekly chat.

Aki persuaded me to don my thermals, and we drove up to Highgate, and had a walk through the mud at Kenwood, and on Hampstead Heath. A lot of people about doing the same. Back home for a mug of hot chocolate, and fried Xmas pud.

Lynne, from the upstairs flat, turned up, having spent the festive season at her sister's. Had a quick chat at the front door as she hauled Boston in on his lead.

Watched "Clueless" this evening. Smart, sassy script, and great performances from a young cast. Laughed out loud lots! Wished I'd watched it 25 years ago!!!

Friday 1st January 2021

A new year dawns. Didn't get a great night's sleep. The CPAP machine woke me a couple of times, and I had problems with a chronically dry mouth and throat, which needed hydrating. Woke up with a blocked nose.

Aki produced the traditional Japanese soup and rice cakes, or mochi, for breakfast, washed down with an unusual herb infused saki.

Got a FaceTime call from Ma and Pa wishing us a Happy New Year. They are worried that their second covid jab will be postponed, but they haven't heard anything concrete yet.

Katherine and George passed by, and wished us a Happy New Year through the living-room window.

FaceTimed Kath...she'd gone to bed early last night, as she had been sleeping over at Muriel's the night before, which means being woken up every 30 minutes!

Thursday 31st December 2020

Funny dream last night. Aki and I seemed to be holidaying in a rundown seaside town. Wandering about in the twilight, we bumped into an old friend of Aki's, and he invited us out for dinner. I declined, as I had another engagement. I arranged to meet them back at the hostel we were staying in. It was a bit rundown, too, and all the doors were painted purple. On my return, I entered the building from a back entrance, and found that I had to make way through small occupied rooms, even at one point having to walk across a dining table where a woman was just finishing her evening meal...I nearly knocked her drink off the table with my foot! 

Back in the real world, Aki and I decided to walk to the fishmonger on Essex Road. The sun was shining, but it was very cold. I queued at the butcher's, and the cheesemonger, while Aki joined a particularly long queue at Steve Hatt's. By the time I got home, I couldn't feel my fingers, and my knees had frozen!

Ma and pa successfully made it to the GP today for the first of their Covid jabs. 

Aki spent most of the afternoon preparing our special Japanese New Year menu, while I did a bit of work on the computer, so I could put my timesheets in before the year was out. 

Ate sumptuously, and cracked open the champagne, then watched a bit of telly. Goodbye 2020, and good riddance!