Wednesday 7th December 2022

Woke at 0230...needed the loo, but took ages to get back to sleep again afterward. Alarm at 0730. Given the lousy night's sleep, I decided not to head for Norwich, as planned. Aki feeling under the weather...a bit nauseous...she decided to stay in bed. I porridged, and warmed up some soup for my packed lunch. Bumped into Andrew from No.49 on the way to the car, who said that Kathleen had been up half the night vomiting...sounds like Aki's maybe caught the Winter Vomiting Bug!!! Eventually set off for Margaretting, stopping off in Brentwood to get some odds and ends in M&S, and pick up a coffee from Gail's in the High Street. Happened upon some very odd looking, nay, downright ugly, 80s era ex Council stock in the village of East Hanningfield. Had my lunch in the car in an ASDA car park in South Woodham Ferrers. By the time I finished up in Danbury, the light was fading fast, so I turned for home. Got home around 1745. Aki still in bed, though doesn't appear to have gotten worse. Did some work at the computer. Aki not hungry, so I warmed up the remains of the mushroom and anchovy pasta sauce I found in the fridge, which I ate with linguine, and a side salad. Listened to music and read a chapter or two of "David Copperfield". Watched the News before shower and bed...

Tuesday 6th December 2022

Woke at 0830. Got up and made porridge, and heated up the remains of the mapo to take for my lunch. Aki left for rehearsals in Kensington, and I set off for Bushey via the M1. Stopped at Sainsburys in St Albans to pick up some items, and fill the car with petrol, before heading north to Wheathampstead...stopped on the way at a car park serving a pleasant little woodland spot and ate my lunch. Nice sunny day. Drove on to Luton, then ended the working day in Maulden, a little village just south of Bedford, on a new build development. Drove home via the M1. Got home before Aki, and tuned in to the end of the Morocco v Spain game...Spain went out on penalties. Aki got back, and I warmed up the haggis and lentil lasagne for dinner. Aki didn't have much appetite...she ate too much at lunch time! Watched Portugal demolish a lacklustre Switzerland, then early shower and bed...

Monday 5th December 2022

Woke around 0800...Aki already up...she brought me a mug of tea. Hauled myself out of bed, porridged, and put together a packed lunch. Did a bit of work at the computer before heading northward in the car for inspections, firstly in Potters Bar and South Mimms, then on up to Broxbourne, before heading west to Hertford. Stopped to pick up some lunch items, and a coffee, at Tesco in Potters Bar, and had my lunch on a Council estate in South Mimms. Got home around 1730, in time to watch Japan crash out of the World Cup in a penalty shoot out against Croatia. I cooked mushroom and anchovy pasta sauce for dinner, which we ate on our laps, watching the Brazilians take South Korea apart. 

Sunday 4th December 2022

Woke around 0900. Aki brought me a mug of tea...felt a bit dehydrated after last night's Guinness! Got up and Aki cooked a breakfast. FaceTimed Kath, who was at ma and pa's...quizzed them over what we needed to bring up to Newcastle with us, but they seem to have it all covered. Sat and read yesterday's paper and listened to music. Watched the France v Poland game before driving down to Pentonville to listen to a concert by the Angel Orchestra, an amateur outfit including George from No.127 on flute, and Ben from No.38 on violin. The concert was conducted in St Silas's church, which was well lit and comfortably seated, but there were bits of polythene on some of the arches, which presumably leak when it rains....fortunately, the rain stayed away, though temperatures have suddenly plummeted. The programme included Elgar's Enigma Variations, and Vaughan Williams' Lark Ascending. Enjoyed it very much, though the French horn sounded a bit wobbly, and some of the violins were a little off key! Congratulated the neighbours on their endeavours, then hightailed it back home in time for the England v Senegal game, and Aki warmed up the mapo, which we ate in bowls on our laps in front of the telly. England got off to a slow start, but came good at the end of the first half, and ran out 3-0 winners....France next up!!! Kath texted to say that Reg, one of her aged clients, had died while she was with him this afternoon...his wife passed away yesterday! Sounds like a rough day for Kath!!! She repaired to ma and pa's later for a stiff drink...

Saturday 3rd December 2022

Woke at 0915. Aki brought me a mug of hot water with lemon, honey and ginger. Got up and cooked us a breakfast. We walked round to Waitrose to do a bit of shopping...Aki used the scanner to make things quicker...a wasted effort, as at the checkout we were selected for a random check by a member of staff. Blinkin' ridiculous. Came home and had a light lunch, then watched Netherlands v USA, for a place in the quarter-finals. The Dutch won 3-1. Aki prepared some food to take round to Brett's later, and Julia and Ottie came round for band practice. We then repaired to Brett's at No.7...good turn out. Got Ottie set up with her guitar, and we led the community sing-a-long-a-Brettmas. Ottie's relaxed concentration was impressive for one so young...we may have a guitar prodigy on the street. I managed to gobble some food down before departing for the theatre. 

Parked up outside and listened to the end of the Argentina v Australia game...Australia were 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go, and got a goal back, which made for an exciting final act...but they went out 2-1. Got into the theatre expecting the audience to be going back in after the interval, but the show had gone up 15 minutes late, as half the audience had got stuck in the local traffic, due to on-going roadworks. So I delayed going up to dress until Act II had kicked off. Did my Santa entrance and ho ho-ed briefly, and stood for the curtain call...as the rest of the cast were slow out of the blocks, I took a solitary bow! Stayed for a beer in the bar, and chatted with various people before we were ushered into the studio for the end of production gift giving...as there were so many people involved in the show, it took rather longer than usual, so I left before the karaoke got started. Got home around 0100 and crawled quietly into bed...

Friday 2nd December 2022

Woke around 0830 and dozed for a bit. Aki brought me a mug of hot lemon water. Read a chapter of "David Copperfield"  before rising for porridge. Cleared the boot of my car prior to driving up to the VW service centre in Colindale. Had booked a slot at 1200 on the basis that I was to wait around for a couple of hours, so walked back into Colindale and had a coffee at the little Costa cafe, then wandered back to the Oriental supermarket, and bought some chicken bao and pak choi. Had lunch at Bang Bang, the large Far Eastern food hall next door. tried chicken rendang with udon noodles...it was a lot spicier than I'd anticipated! The service centre rang to say my rear brake pads needed replacing, so it would be another hour or so. I wandered around Morrisons, still in a bit of a sweat, looking in vain for pecan nuts that Aki needed for a recipe she planned to take round to Brett's Xmas bash tomorrow evening. Ended up finding a small pack of them in M&S for £2.65 (blimey!), then ambled back to the VW place. Car cost me £650!!! I presume the ever rising price of oil had something to do with that! Drove home listening to the climax of the Portugal v S Korea game...the Koreans came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 and find themselves up against Brazil in the last sixteen...great stuff. Warmed up the haggis ragu lasagne for dinner. Aki still in some discomfort. The GP prescribed her some anti-biotics today, so we'll see how she gets on with those over the course of the weekend. Watched the penultimate episode of "The English", and a bit of the Graham Norton Show before retiring to bed exhausted...

Thursday 1st December 2022

Woke around 0830. Aki suffering a bit of stomach ache, so she got up and sought out some medication...unfortunately it was past it's use by date. She rang the GP, who recommended buscopan, or paracetamol, So I ventured out after porridge, and got some fresh supplies from Superdrug on Seven Sisters Road. By lunch time, she was still in discomfort. I cooked a light lunch, and she took some more buscopan and had a lie down. I made a move to turn on the central heating, as it's getting a bit colder every day. Down to 15C in the flat. But on opening the boiler cupboard, I found a couple dozen droppings...they were too big for a mouse, so I suspect a squirrel...rats we don't want to think about! I put a mask on and vacuumed the cupboarding out, then read on an internet site that you shouldn't do that, as it can send pathogens into the air! Maybe that's the cause of Aki's stomach cramps! Switched the heating on for a bit to take the edge off the cold. Watched Belgium go out of the World Cup after drawing with Croatia. Baked salmon for dinner, with rice and vegetables, and some sauce leftover from the fish pie...went down well. Watched the first half of the Japan v Spain game...Japan were 1-0 down at half-time, and looking short of ideas, but burst into devastating life at the start of the second half, scoring twice in quick succession, and holding on for a win that takes them through to the last sixteen. Germany went out, despite beating Costa Rica 4-2. I listened to the second half of the japan game in the car on the way in to the Tower Theatre. Got there for the interval, and went backstage to sort out my Santa costume. The wig made me look vaguely like Billy Connolly! Once I'd got the whole costume on, I had to very tentatively walk down the fire escape steps bearing my heavy cape, the through the bar, and up the stairs to the theatre door. The hood and wig made vision poor, and I could barely hear the action on stage through the theatre door, what with the sound of traffic on Northwold Road...but I made my entrance with perfect timing, and even got a laugh, though I've no idea what for. Managed a quick word with Janet, who'd written the piece...she complemented me on my ho-ho-ing. I departed and drove home to see how Aki was doing. She was still basking in the glow of Japan's victory, and had been texting friends and family! They've got to get past a tough Croatian team next...