Wednesday 7th June 2023

Alarm at 0730. Got up after the News at 0810 and porridged. Warmed up some soup to take as a packed lunch. Aki cycled off to the Rowing Club. Headed for Thamesmead, stopping off at M&S in Charlton on the way, and then picking Zeke up on Yarnton Way, where I'd left him yesterday evening. I sent him off on inspections of a long 5-storey block of concrete framed flat accommodation that would probably take all day to cover. I resumed inspections of the three-storey concrete framed houses. Found one damaged by fire, and another with chronic mould and a continual stream of water leaking in to the hallway from the downstairs cloakroom...I recommended she contact her local MP, or the Housing Ombudsman. Broke for lunch and drove us to the Sainsburys superstore in Abbey Wood. Ate my packed lunch in the car in the under croft car park. Then it was back to where we'd left off. Called it a day just after 1600, as it was getting uncomfortably hot, and my feet were hurting. Dropped Zeke at his motor, and drove home, stopping at M&S for a cold Coke from the cafe. Got home about 1830. Cooked up some mushrooms, and covered them with the noci pasta sauce I'd made a few days ago...we ate it with the turmeric pasta. Finished the Book Club read...a sad and traumatic tale told with a gently epic sweep, and a humane touch. Enjoyed it, though...very well written.

Tuesday 6th June 2023

Alarm at 0730. Did an hour at the computer before making a packed lunch...spinach and mushroom quiche with salad. Drove off to Abbey Wood and hooked up with Zeke. Undertook internal inspections in Thamesmead. Broke for lunch. Zeke went for a KFC while I ate my lunch in the car park, then popped over to Morrisons to get some odds and ends. Finished in Belvedere at around 1700 and dropped Zeke at his car, then drove home. Got in around 1830. Aki had warmed up the mapo, and cooked some rice. Did a bit more work at the computer before watching a bit of telly. Extraordinary footage of damage to a huge dam in Ukraine, which is flooding towns and villages below it...why would the Russians flood the areas they currently occupy?...very odd! Bath and bed...

Monday 5th June 2023

Alarm at 0730. Sluggish in rising, but eventually got up to make porridge. Did a couple of hours at the computer. Heated up some soup for my packed lunch and set off for inspections in Islington, firstly the Canonbury and Highbury New Park areas. Got in to one unit on Petherton Road. Stopped at Belle Epoche to buy some lunch for tomorrow. Ended the working day traipsing around the New College Mews development, a strange 80s era scheme of pokey 'mews' houses, and flat conversions in an old two storey warehouse. Pretty poor quality stock, and lots of complaints about Peabody. Got home around 1700. Aki had baked hake fillets with ham, which we ate with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Headed for Finsbury Park tube station, and got out at Shepherds Bush Market. The Bush Theatre is on the opposite side of the Uxbridge Road. Full house to see Lenny Henry deliver his one man 'play' exploring the Windrush scandal. Lenny was in good form, delivering plenty of laughs as he built up a picture of a young immigrant who had come over to England in the fifties with his mum, been schooled here, worked, played, and brought up family here...in short, becoming unquestionably British, only to fall victim to May's Hostile Environment programme, finding himself in a deportation centre. He got a standing ovation from a full house at the end, blew us all a kiss, and departed the stage. 

Sunday 4th June 2023

Woke around 0800. Got up and made tea. Cooked brunch before Aki cycled off to Rowing Club. Tidied up the flat a bit prior to Bianca turning up for rehearsal. She was half-an-hour late. Ran through "Stormy Monday" and "I Can't Stand the Rain", and had a go at "Malted Milk". I promised to get to know Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" for next time. Served up Aki's parsnip and turmeric soup for lunch...B said she wanted the recipe. Pencilled in another rehearsal for the end of June. Aki returned, having lunched at the cafe next door to the Rowing Club. Strolled up to meet Katherine and George at the bus stop near Sainsburys on Holloway Road, carrying our instruments...we had arranged to do this month's folk band practice session at Celia's mum's flat...she's 101, and had been invalided by a nasty accident on the tube a few months ago, which had resulted in a badly broken arm, meaning she couldn't get out and about anymore. She lives on the fourth floor of a 6-storey block of flats near east Finchley tube station, and Katherine, George, Aki and I piled into the small lift with our instruments. Celia was already there, as were Christine, and Lorraine. We decided to play in the living room...there was an invitingly large roof terrace we thought of playing on, but it was getting the full sun from a cloudless sky, and the acoustic wouldn't have been great. Played for Celia's mum until 1800. She seemed to enjoy the distraction. Said our farewells and caught a No.263 bus back to Holloway. Warmed up the last of the parmigiana lasagne for dinner. Watched a Japanese film, "Plan 75", which explored themes of aging...in a not too distant future, the Japanese government had decided to offer people over 75 the option of having their lives terminated. It may soon become reality!

Saturday 3rd June 2023

Got up late. Aki cooked brunch. We took a slow walk up Highgate Hill, stopping to pick up a coffee at Archie's halfway up the hill, which we carried up to Waterlow Park. Glorious weather...sat on a bench and drank our coffee. Walked back down the hill, popping in to Sainsburys on Holloway Road to buy some bits and pieces. Got back home in time to watch the FA Cup Final. Manchester City scored within the first 12 seconds...astonishing start. Manchester United got a goal back through a dubious penalty, but City deservedly got a second and lifted yet another trophy! Cooked a noci sauce, which we ate with some turmeric spaghetti which Aki had bought the other day from the Italian deli on Essex Road. The drained pasta water stained the kitchen sink a dull yellow... FaceTimed ma and pa and caught up with Emma and Jim...Emma has been billeted at No.12 High View since her op on Tuesday, and seems to be making a good recovery. They plan to stay for a couple of weeks, by which time Emma should be fit enough to drive the minibus as they begin a trip around the Scottish coast! Wandered up to the North Nineteen with Lynne and Boston from upstairs...only to get there and discover the band had cancelled...disappointing, but we stayed and had a chat over a beer before walking back home. Extraordinary strawberry moon hung above Sussex Way illuminating our route!

Friday 2nd June 2023

Slow start this morning, but eventually rose and did some work at the computer. Porridged. Worked through until lunchtime. Set off in the car after lunch, undertaking inspections in Muswell Hill, Tottenham, Chingford, and then ending up in my old stomping ground in Clapton. Beavered away until 1800, then turned for home. 

Thursday 1st June 2023

Woke around 0700. My hernia was giving me gip, so got up and made tea, then porridged. Set to work at the computer. Broke to make lunch...heated up the sausage roll I'd bought in Gail's yesterday...tastiest sausage roll I'll ever had! Even Aki liked it! Ventured out in the car in the afternoon, as the weather was rather inviting...stuck to inspections in the Finsbury Park area, before returning home. Aki cooked pan fried sea bass for dinner, with lentils, and we had the pea and basil soup on the side. Cheese and biscuits to follow. Watched the final of MasterChef ...great cooking from all three participants, but the little Thai woman, Chariya, was a worthy winner...we got rather moved and had to reach for the tissues!