Friday 6th May 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Rolled out of bed and made tea. Porridge for breakfast. Heated up some soup to take on my journey, and bagged one of the sushi trays we bought last night. Got out of the house around 0930, and drove to Sainsburys in Manor House to fill up with petrol, then made for the M1. Stopped off at Toddington Service station to buy some lunch items, then it was on to Milton Keynes, my first port of call on a long day. Took the A5 toward Coventry...took about half an hour to crawl through Towcester...then on to inspections in Keresley, Exhall, Bedworth and Nuneaton. Had my lunch sitting in the car on a side street in Bulkington. Finished in Nuneaton about 1600...the traffic was dreadful, so I was glad to get back on M1. Last port of call was Kempston, a suburb of Bedford. Got home at 1900 after doing 260 miles! Exhausted. Aki had cooked chicken and chorizo with white beans and tomato, followed by rhubarb crumble and mango ice cream. Aki had a zoom meeting at 2000. I wanted to listen to Sunderland's play-off tie with Sheffield Wednesday, but couldn't find it. Kept an eye out on the live text feed. Did some lines, concentrating on the long second half section. In bed by 2200!

Thursday 5th May 2022

Woke around 0630 for some reason...dozed until the alarm went off at 0730, then listened to the radio until 0830. Got up and made porridge. Worked at the computer all morning. Aki popped out to Waitrose for some bits and pieces, then came back and made a pumpkin soup which we had for lunch. Worked at the computer all afternoon. Broke at 1745 for dinner. We finished off the aubergine baclava I made last weekend. Wandered over to No.36 to see if Jane and Carlos were ready, but they were finishing eating, so we Aki and I went ahead, catching the No.43 bus in Holloway Road. Got off outside Jackson's Lane Theatre, opposite Highgate tube station. Wanted to get there early enough to take a quick look at the refurbishment, but part of the venue was being used as a polling station, so I couldn't access much. The entrance has been moved, and the cafe area is still pretty similar to before. A lift has been put in, which has reduced some of the foyer space. Jane and Carlos caught us up, and we had time for a quick chat in the cafe. There's new seating in the auditorium, and a slightly steeper rake, which made for a good view. We had come to see a show by renowned Spanish clown, Leandre, who usually performs solo, but has formed a quintet of talented compradres. It was a delightfully creative hour and ten minutes, involving doors, sofas, kitchen utensils, raining doorkeys, aerial work and bags of invention. A real treat. We wandered back down the A1 afterward to investigate a Japanese deli we'd noticed on previous drive-bys. We popped in and came out with mango ice cream balls wrapped in rice dough, and two half-price sushi boxes for lunch tomorrow! Got home and caught up with the MasterChef final...Eddie Scott, a very talented young fella from Humberside, took the crown. It was a lacrimose edition!!!

Wednesday 4th May 2022

Woke around 0730. Got up to make tea, and listened to the radio in bed until 0900. AKi cycled off to Hackney and the rowing club. I worked at the computer until about 1130. The biker tee-shirt I'd ordered from Amazon turned up...it fitted well, so Sir Toby can wear it at the fitting this evvening. Popped out to the Pound shop to get a butter brush to use in the next run to flick 'holy water' at Malvolia. Wandered up to The Green Room for a coffee, and bumped into Angharad, one of the Tower AD's. It transpired she was working at the surgery on Holloway Road...she's a community psychiatric nurse. I assumed therefore that she lived locally, but no, she lives in Tooting! I had a coffee and a cinnamon bun at the cafe, then walked home, Aki had gotten back by the time I got in. She prepared some noodle soup for lunch. I got back in front of the computer for the afternoon. Broke at 1730 for dinner...tortelloni with a butter sauce, mushrooms, and some veg on the side. By the time I drove off to Stoke Newington, it had started raining. Had a fitting in wardrobe for a pair of jeans, and a denim jacket. My new tee-shirt got the thumbs up. Did some fight rehearsal in the Smith studio...Nic, who plays Antonio, managed to pull a calf muscle, so that put the mockers on things....hope he's fit for the next run on Sunday! Got home about 2030. Watched MasterChef, then listened to the last few minutes of the Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Man City...Real scored twice in the last 2 minutes to take the tie to extra time, and scraped a win with an extra time penalty....cruel on Man City!

Tuesday 3rd May 2022

Woke at 0730. Got up and made tea, which we drank in bed listening to the radio, then up to make porridge. Worked at the computer most of the morning, breaking to make lunch at 1300. Went over my lines for the mammoth Act 3 Sc2, which got away from me a bit in the run last night. Feedback from the three or four bods (wardrobe and sound) who came to see it was good...one of them said it was much funnier than he'd envisaged, and that the Shakespearean lingo came across with clarity. It needs fore-shortening, though! More work at the computer this afternoon. Bad news from the valuation team negotiating our freehold purchase...the freeholder's team are asking for an extra £15,000 to reflect hope value in respect of a possible roof garden! Fortunately for us, it will be linked to the value of the upper maisonette...unfortunately, however, it looks as though it will mean the upstairs neighbour pulling out of the purchase! See what happens...I've urged her to give our valuer a bell tomorrow. It seems Jim has been speaking out of turn...he intimated last night that the Hagues were planning to come down to see Twelfth Night, but Kath says Dad feels he's too old to make the trek...can't say I blame him! Warmed up the last of the Goan fish curry for dinner, and watched a bit of telly. Gave "Undone", an interestingly put together anime...the second season has been getting good reviews, but we've begun at the beginning. Did some more lines before bath and bed...

Monday 2nd May 2022

Fitful night's sleep. Eventually hauled myself out of bed around 0930. Porridge for breakfast. Did a slow vocal warm up...voice seems in reasonable condition after yesterday's excesses in song rehearsal. Phoned Kath, who was on her way to Berwick on the train. Phoned mum, who sounded in good fettle...they are excited to have Bruno Guimarres, the new Newcastle mid-field dynamo, as a neighbour in the £1.2m house across the road!!! Jim will be hovering around in the front garden, no doubt. Did some line work in the back bedroom before lunch...Aki warmed up the aubergine baclava. She made me some soup for me to take to rehearsal today. Set off for Stoke Newington at 1415...called Jim on the hands-free...he corrected me...it's Joelinton, not Guimarres, who has moved in opposite ma and pa. Still, pretty extraordinary...why on earth would he want to spend that amount of money to live on High View!? Jim said he and the clan were determined to come down to see Twelfth Night...bit of a blinkin' trek for ma and pa...but it's been awhile since they saw me tread the boards, so I guess it makes sense...it will be good to see them. Rehearsal went OK. Did the party song, and the drunken party scene, as well as the Sir Topas scene, then broke to swallow some soup before the run at 1900. First half was in great shape...second half less so, with people dropping their lines in ever increasing numbers as the play progressed...probably put half-an-hour on the projected running time!!! Got home exhausted at 2230. Aki ran a bath...

Sunday 1st May 2022

Slow start...lay in for a bit, but eventually got up and cooked breakfast. Drove over to Stoke Newington around 1230, lugging various bits and pieces with me, the cajon, my mandolin, and a tambourine. Rehearsed the box-tree scene, which is getting there...still trying to match lines to bits of comic business, but it felt we made progress. A long rehearsal of Act 4 Sc3, which feels like a whole play within a play...first I taunt Malvolia, then get Sir Andrew to draw up a challenge for a duel, then manipulate Viola into agreeing to take on Sir Andrew in said duel. I was knackered before the end of it, losing my lines as my brain turned to mush...hopefully tomorrow's run will hold together better. Then I had to teach everyone the finale song...fortunately Tamara the composer came in to watch, so I could defer to her from time to time. Got it into a vaguely stage-able state, and we tried it with instruments. It needs work, but we've made a start at last. Got home just after 1900, exhausted. Aki had cooked stuffed cabbage in a broth with new potatoes, and had made individual trifles...we had our trifle on the sofa watching the ever inspiring BBC Young Dancers of the Year going through their paces...some of them reduced us to tears, and the tissues got handed round. Watched "Ten Percent", Amazon's British version of "Call My Agent", the French production which took off during lockdown. It was good...some nice performances, and looks to be worth persevering with...

Saturday 30th April 2022

Woke around 0800. Dozed for a bit before leaping out of bed to cook breakfast...made corned beef hash fritters, which we had with poached eggs, salad and a tomato sauce. Aki went off to meet her client in Balham, to take some photos of the completed refurbishment. I did an hour or so's work at the computer. Walked up to Big Jo's for lunch...a pizza slice and a decaff latte. It was 1430 and the place was packed! Wandered to the Turkish shop to get some dates to put in my aubergine baclava. Developing into a glorious day. The baclava took time to put together, griddling slices of aubergine, then buttering and layering the filo pastry...Aki came home and interrupted my efforts, but I got it in the oven, and boiled some vegetables to have on the side. Made six portions, so that should keep us going for most of next week! Bon Maman creme brulee for dessert. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...