Monday 14th March 2022

Woke at 0430 to visit the loo...was kept awake for the next hour or so by the sound of the boiler firing up every ten minutes. It shouldn't be coming on during the night. Eventually got back to sleep, but had a long lie in. Got up and made a large coffee. Aki at the computer, so I read through my script again, making changes where I need to refer to Malvolia as 'she', rather than 'he', which I did on occassion at the read through last night. Aki made ramen soup for lunch, and we tried the tiramisu...it's very buttery, and the buttery bits are solid rather than creamy. We decided to freeze it and see if it works as a Vienetta style cake!?! I ended my relationship with Esure, and bought car insurance from Churchill...saved me £400!!! Ridiculous!!! Aki went out for a cycle ride to Clissold Park...I walked up to the dry cleaners' to give him a pair of trousers to take up for me. Did a bit of work at the computer before making dinner....warmed up the chorizo and bean stew, and made some mashed potato. Drove to Stoke Newington for a 1900 rehearsal. Worked up Act 1 Sc 3...my first scene, with Maria, played by Sangita Mogdil, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, played by Matthew Ibbotson. Some nice ideas, and the scene is shaping up well. As I enter ostensibly from the beach, it was suggested I enter in swimming trunks and a towel...ample opportunity for some comic business!!! Got home around 2230...dropped Emma at Manor House, and Feiyang at Finsbury Park. Watched Newsnight from Warsaw...very impressive city Mayor on saying that the UK's refugee system was too slow to react to the reality on the ground, and they need urgent assistance!

Sunday 13th March 2022

Woke early...had a bit of toothache in my lower jaw, which stuck around for most of the morning. Aki cooked omelette for breakfast. Bit of a grey day outside. Loaded my guitar and cajon into the car and drove off to Stoke Newington. Got to the theatre around 1245. I had a 1300 start for the Twelfth Night read-through in my phone diary, but no-one appeared. I checked the schedule print out to discover it wasn't til 1800...I got back in the car and drove home. FaceTimed ma and pa, who were hosting Jim and Kath for Sunday lunch. Everyone seemed in good fettle. Aki made a tiramisu, but over-whipped the cream, so it'll be a bit buttery. I made some raspberry spoom, then cooked chicken thighs with onion marmalade, carrots, cavolo nero, and rice. It was OK...but not sure I'll do it again. Not quite as tasty I was anticipating. Drove back to the theatre for the read-through. Emma got some simple introductory games going so we could start to get to know eachother. The read-through went well...I enjoyed myself. One or two rather weak voices, though, and one or two poor speakers of Shakespeare...it'll be interesting to see if Emma can knock 'em into shape. Retired to the Jolly Butcher for a half of Guinness afterward...only four of us went, though, which was a bit of a poor show. I gave Emma a lift back to Manor House, and dropped Feiyang and Paul at Finsbury Park. Aki was getting out of the bath as I entered the flat, so I dived in after her. Hopefully I'll get a lie in tomorrow morning...

Saturday 12th March 2022

Woke around 0730. Got up and made tea. Cooked Turkish eggs for breakfast, with salad and toast. Took a walk up Highgate Hill. Bought ices and ate them on a bench in Waterlow Park, before heading back down to Archway to do a little shopping on our way back to Sussex Way. Finished "Nowhere Man"...really rather enjoyed it after a slow start...the writing seemed to get better as the rather odd narrative progressed. Interesting artist...felt I'd like to know more. Aki's Croatian friend, Anna, says she went to school with him, though he was the year above her. Aki steamed some dim sum for starters this evening, and I cooked a main of linguine with anchovy, chard and chilli sauce. Shared one of Aki's homemade chocolate puds, with a dollop of cream on top. Watched the Netflix series, The Diaries of Andy Warhol...interesting insights into the man himself, plucked from the diaries he kept over the final ten years or so of his life. I'd forgotten he'd been shot! He was really lucky to survive his injuries...he was five hours on the operating table!

Friday 11th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Woke to news that the Ruskies are now moving in on Dnipro, and have half encircled Kyiv. Porridge for breakfast. Headed north in the car today....Enfield, then on to Cheshunt and Broxbourne, before ending up in Buntingford. Put some petrol in the car at Tesco in Enfield...£1.59 a litre!!! Stopped for lunch in Hoddesdon, visiting Captain Cod, my favourite chippy....voted 3rd best chippy in England a couple of years ago. Had the lunchtime special, which I ate in the car. Got home around 1700, just before Aki, who had been to Essex Road to visit her hairdresser. Aki cooked a salmon teriyaki for dinner, with a tasty miso soup. Watched "The Street", a film charting the gentrification of Hoxton, and its' impact on the local eastenders, most of whom seemed to be mildly racist Brexiteers!!! Good riddance to 'em, I say! 

Thursday 10th March 2022

Alarm at 0730. Brought a mug of tea to bed and listened to R4 for a bit. Read some more "Nowhere Man"...in to the final furlong now. Aki off to central London for lunch with the JCUK gang...their much delayed Christmas gathering. Spent the morning at the computer writing up the notes on what I'd seen over the past two days. Broke for lunch, then back to the coal face. Broke at 1600 for a zoom meeting with Emma, Joel (Feste), Tamara, our composer, and Fang, to talk through the music we are planning to include in the show. Looking forward to getting to work on it. Aki came home around 1730. Broke to watch the News. Warmed up the lentil ragu I'd put in the freezer last week, which we ate with tagliatelle, and some vegetables. Watched Nigella...particularly taken with her lemon and elderflower drizzle pudding! I downloaded and printed off the recipe! Did a bit of work on the C&W song we're planning to use in the show, then bath and bed...

Wednesday 9th March 2022

 

Woke to alarm at 0730. Hauled myself out of bed, and made tea and porridge, as well as a packed lunch. Headed back to Surrey to do more inspections...stopped for a coffee at Betchworth Stores, then drove to Dorking. Parked up in Waitrose in the town centre, and walked round the town centre stock...mostly flats in various small infill developments. Broke for lunch and called in on retired Savills boss, Geoff, and his wife. Ate my packed lunch in their kitchen, and had a quick catch up...Geoff certainly seems to be enjoying his retirement, and doesn't miss Savills. He ran a surveying concern in Moscow in the 1990s, and said he felt for his former comrades, who certainly wouldn't be supporting Putin's war in Ukraine. Headed south of Dorking after lunch, ending the working day in Charlwood, to the west of Gatwick, before turning for home. Got back home around 1900. Aki had cooked a Spanish style chorizo and bean stew for dinner. Watched a bit of telly, including a QT special on the Ukraine crisis. Can't say the panel had any answers that might contribute to a halt in the current situation. Bath and bed...

Tuesday 8th March 2022

Fitful night's sleep, but woke to alarm at 0730. Got up and made tea, and heated up some minestrone soup for my packed lunch. Headed for east London this morning, then on to the Isle of Dogs. Filled up with petrol at Sainsbury's in Charlton...£148.9 per litre! Not too bad...saw it going for £179.9 at a Texaco garage in Westferry!!! Stopped off at M&S to pick up some extra lunch items, then headed for Ashstead. Happened upon a Ukrainian flag fluttering in the breeze in someone's front garden! Ended the day in Leatherhead and environs, before driving home. Got back to Holloway at 1930. Aki had cooked some trout, which we ate with cous-cous. Nowt on telly, so revised my lines for Sir Toby ahead of Sunday's read through of Twelfth Night...there's a lot to get under my belt!!! Moving scenes from the House of Commons on the Ten O'Clock News, as President Zelensky addressed Parliament.