Saturday 6th May 2023

Aki woke up a couple of times during the night with a coughing fit. Got up around 0900 and made her a mug of hot lemon and honey. Cooked breakfast...made bubble and squeak, which we ate with salad and poached eggs. Got hooked on watching the Coronation of King Charles III. They certainly know how to put on a show! The ancient ritual of the anointing, and the presentation of various intriguing knick-knacks, rings, orbs, rods and sceptres, all adorned with historical symbolism, was fascinating. Watched the procession back down The mall, and the fly past by the Red Arrows in the rain. Aki made a carrot soup, which we had for late lunch. I cooked a mushroom and anchovy pasta sauce for dinner. Watched Penelope Cruz in "Official Competition", an enjoyable satire taking aim at the film industry...stunning cinematography...pin-sharp and beautifully lit. 

Friday 5th May 2023

Aki had another disturbed night's sleep, waking a couple of times for a bout of coughing. I got up around 0900 and made her some tea and porridge. Pottered about doing nothing very much. Aki got up to do some work at the computer. Made some lunch...fried up the left over saag aloo from last night, which we had with spinach and rice, topped with a poached egg. Went for an afternoon walk. Bumped into Six outside No.29 and stopped for a chat about food and music, before walking on to Stroud Green and popping in to Green & Glory for some celeriac and pumpkin. Walked home via Finsbury Park...noticed that the Park Theatre were due to stage another Phillip Ridley play...exciting! Came home and cooked dinner....roasted some celeriac and pumpkin, which we ate with roast chicken, vegetables, and a carrot puree, followed by crumble and custard. Watched "Black Ops"...very funny. Written by the two lead actors...bath and bed!

Thursday 4th May 2023

Woken by Aki's coughing around 0730. Got up and made tea. Porridged. Did a little work at the computer, and booked our hotel for the trip to Berlin in September. Made lunch...fried some tinned sardines, with salad and toast. I took my constitutional up Highgate Hill. Stopped at Archie's for a coffee, and read a bit of "A Golden Age", before walking home via Sainsburys to pick up some broccoli and milk. Cooked up a saag aloo to accompany the fish curry we'd defrosted. Walked up to No.93 to call on Kevin, and we knocked up Gareth at No.120, then walked to the bus stop on Holloway Road to catch the No.43 to Highgate. Aki too poorly to join us, so she was left behind on the sofa with the TV remote. Went to see Ridiculsmus, a comic physical theatre duo formed back in the early 90s...they were reprising their piece, "Beautiful People", at Jackson's Lane Theatre, a study of an ageing couple as they near the end of their lives, moving painfully slowly about the stage before sitting at a table, heading off to the corner of the room (painfully slowly) to emit a fart out of earshot of their better half, taking their tablets, spilling their drink, and so on...it was nicely performed, with great attention to detail, and mesmerising movement, but narratively it felt a little confused, and we came out a little non-plussed. 

Wednesday 3rd May 2023

Sleep was interrupted on a couple of occassions by Aki's coughing. She rose early to make herself a mug of hot water with lemon and ginger, which she brought back to bed. I got up around 0800 and did a little work at the computer before porridging. Put lunch together. Wrapped asparagus in parma ham and fried them...yummy, with poached eggs. Needed some exercise, so walked down to Islington council's offices on Upper Street to try and find out why the online system wasn't allowing me to pay for our parking permit. Mahreen tried and failed, but then came up with a workaround and we finally got it done...I high-fived her and promised to be back same time next year! Wandered up to Euphorium for a coffee, and read the Prologue to the current Book Club choice, A Golden Age, by Tahmima Aman...beautifully written, with a gentle poetic undertow. Walked back via Waitrose. Cooked a lentil and mushroom 'shepherd's' pie for dinner, served up with broccoli and peas, followed by crumble and custard. Aki coughing a lot this evening, so went to bed early. I had a bath...

Tuesday 2nd May 2023

Good night's sleep, but coughing again this morning....Aki seems to be joining in now! She got up and made tea. Porridged. Pottered about doing a bit of work on the laptop, and trying in vain to pay for my annual Parking Permit....what a palaver...it's all supposed to be made easy by the fact that you do it online, but their systems aren't fit for purpose! Maddening!!! Made myself a packed lunch and headed east, picking up some petrol at Sainsburys in Manor House, then driving on to Tottenham, where I ate my lunch in the car on a rather rundown 90s era housing estate. Then it was on to Woodford, and down to Beckton. Got home around 1715. I made a rhubarb and apple crumble, then warmed up the chicken norma that Aki had made last week, which we ate with penne, followed by crumble and ice cream. Aki not feeling too good...the cough is getting worse...she went to bed early. I read a bit about Bulgakov before heading to bed...

Monday 1st May 2023

Another good night's sleep. Got up and made chocolate porridge. Still coughing a bit in the mornings. Nice day, so decided to take a walk...we strolled trough Highbury Fields, past the Arsenal Women fans who were amassing for this evening's European Cup semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg. Had some lunch at Belle Epoche, sharing a quiche, and a slice of apricot and pistachio tart...can no longer afford to eat a portion each, as their prices have shot up! Bought a pestle and mortar from the kitchen shop on Upper Street, and did a bit of window shopping before turning for home. Aki cooked salmon teriyaki for dinner, with rice, miso aubergine, and miso soup...very tasty! Watched Dev Patel in "David Copperfield"...there was a lot of storyboard cutting and splicing, but we enjoyed seeing who was playing our favourite characters...Daisy May Cooper turns up as Peggotty, and Tilda Swinton as Betsey Trotwood...we recognised the front of The Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds, which was used for a few seconds for an atmospheric exterior shot! They also used the interior of the Theatre Royal there for the beginning, where Charles Dickens is giving a reading from his latest magnum opus. Enjoyable take on the novel, but it felt cut to ribbons. Bath and bed...

Sunday 30th April 2023

Slept well, but hernia repair still giving me gip! Had planned to meet Aki at the Rowing Club for Sunday lunch, but decided to postpone it until next week, and rest up. Aki cycled off as usual. I did some work at the computer, then broke for lunch. Kath FaceTimed from mum and dad's. They all seemed in fine fettle. Pottered about in the afternoon  not doing very much. Warmed up the aubergine parmigiana lasagne for dinner, followed by ice cream. Watched Daisy May Cooper in another episode of the superb "Rain Dogs" before bed...