Sunday 6th October 2024

 

Woke to alarm at 0800. Got up and made tea. Cooked myself breakfast before Aki rose. Logged my musical equipment to the car and headed for Stoke Newington. Very little traffic about, and I got lucky with the green lights. Got to the Fire Station a bit early but managed to find a free parking space right outside. Peter was already there…his wife and daughter were helping him lug his drum kit into the building. We were in a room on the second floor. Peter evidently not too fit…his breathing gets very heavy as he mounts the stairs, and his wife insists he doesn’t carry anything himself. We all mucked in. He apparently has a scan booked for next weekend! Adam turned up, while Matthew hauled a Casio keyboard over from the theatre. Tamara showed up, and Laura, who is playing Mildred…we worked through her show number before letting her go. Tom then joined us with his sax, and we worked through all the music in Act One. Broke for lunch. Peter and I had brought packed lunches…the rest trooped out to buy takeaway wraps on Church Street. We worked through Act Two. Miranda then rocked up and we worked on her two numbers before rounding off with the Finale, and breaking at 1715. Gave us plenty of time to haul everything back downstairs. I gave Peter a hand once his missus rocked up with their car, then drove for home. Aki had gone to meet Kearsey and Kieran to discuss their plans for reconfiguring their kitchen, so I got home a little before she did. Aki cooked a mushroom spelt risotto for dinner. Watched a bit of telly...interesting little documentary recalling the birth of the BBC's "40 Minutes" strand, followed by their 1991 film following a day-in-the-life of the staff and passengers using Angel tube station just before it's failing Victorian layout was reconfigured by a modern refurbishment. 

Saturday 6th October 2024

Woke around 0900. Hauled myself out of bed and made tea. Porridged. Caught a No.43 bus on Holloway Road… very busy for some reason, but managed to find seats. Got off at Angel and joined the walking group…where we bumped into Jane and Carlos from No.36. The hour long walk took us around the Angel and Islington Green area, ending at the Business Design Centre, which was originally the Victorian era Agricultural Hall.

We took in Owen’s Field, named after a14th Century woman named Alice Owen…she founded the Dame Alice Owen school, which moved to Potters Bar in the 20th Century, but still accepts pupils from Islington. We stopped outside the house of Douglas Adams at No.22 Colebroke Row, and the 18th century home of Charles Lamb, a little further up. Aki and I persuaded Jane and Carlos to join us for coffee in Camden Passage. Kipferl was full, so we ended up in a little creperie and lunched on ham and cheese crepes. Parted company with Jane and Carlos on Upper Street, and walked home via Waitrose. Ran through some "Witch" numbers in the back bedroom. Aki cooked hake for dinner. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Friday 5th October 2024

 

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. I got up shortly after she'd cycled off...porridged. Walked over to the pharmacist on Holloway Road, and queued up inside the pharmacy for my flu and covid jabs, then walked down to Hornsey Street for my appointment with the physio in respect of my frozen shoulder. Not much progress made, but at least things seem to be stabilising. Caught a Piccadilly line train from Holloway Road station, to Leicester Square, and walked up to Foyles bookshop. As I was heading upstairs to the cafe, I happened upon the newly published documentary on Lawrence, and Mozart Estate...found a chapter entitled Itchy Teeth, so too the book up to the cafe to have a read of the relevant chapter. It's pretty dull reading, but I enjoyed the chapter nonetheless, as the author focussed on a meeting with Xav and Charlie, of Itchy Teeth, who now make up half of Lawrence's backing band. I sent Xav a photo of me reading it. After my coffee, I sauntered across to Denmark Street, and found myself in a Boss store...which was fateful, as I was after purchasing the Boss Mega Distortion guitar pedal. Also bought some power leads, then wandered over to Uniqlo and bought a new pair of house-pants. Walked up Tottenham Court Road, and sought out Miel on Warren Street, a bakery that has been receiving glowing reviews in the foodie press. They appeared to concentrate mostly on sweets, rather than savouries, so I sauntered onward and bought a chicken satay bahn mi at Mini Bang Bang, and ate it on a bench in Fitzroy Square. Caught a No.29 bus home. Played about with my new guitar effects pedal...not sure it adds much, but useful to have in the sonic armoury. Aki still out...she had gone to meet a couple of JCUK big-wigs for dim sum in Marylebone. I cooked dinner once she was home...linguine with fried mushrooms in a tahini and lemon sauce...very nice! Watched episode two of "Ludwig"...it was OK, but I felt the joke was already wearing a bit thin. Watched The Ten before bath and bed...

Thursday 3rd October 2024

Woke early for some reason. Aki talking in her sleep...she was apparently on a trip to Slovakia, and thanking banking staff for their help in transferring her state pension payments into a new bank account! I got up and made tea; porridged. Sat about listening to music and reading Farrell. Rehearsed Act One numbers after lunch. Aki on a Zoom call with Tammy, so I took the opportunity to slip out for a constitutional, walking up to Archway to buy some milk, then back home again to cook dinner…mustard marinated pork chops, with sautéed potatoes and greens. Walked down to Highbury Corner to catch Tom McConville at Islington Folk Club. Good turn out. Quite a few floor singers before Tom came on, some of whom were decidedly ropey…Aki not impressed. Tom hails from Scotswood, where his dad ran a pub. He started singing for the clientele at the age of four! He has a good baritone singing voice, and a personable stage persona, but his fiddle playing was a bit pedestrian. Aki left at half time to head home for an early night. I stuck it out to the end, then walked home via Holloway Road. Got in just as Aki was getting out of the bath…perfect timing!

Wednesday 2nd October 2024

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. She cycled off at around 0930. I got up and made tea and porridge, and got back into bed to read Farrell. Got up and headed for Winchmore Hill in the car. Popped into Sainsbury’s to get some greens to have with lunch. Picked up the AER amp from Electrohill, minus the heavy batteries that Richard had removed for me. It’s still weighty, but manageable now. Drove home. Ambulance outside No.29…hope Lucien is alright! Prepared lunch...Aki got in just as I was wilting the Swiss chard. Sat about reading, and listening to music. Did some exercises. Cooked dinner early...tortellini with a tomato soffrito sauce, and fried mushrooms. Walked to Stoke Newington via Highbury Barn, getting there in good time for this evening's "Witch" run through. I helped Laurence get some of the props out of the prop cupboard before the witches turned up en masse. Matthew joined to watch. Some new faces in the cast...one or two are very weak...hope they get more solid on their lines...lots of bum cues. But I think the fun of the piece will win through. Janet South's Miss Hardbroom is shaping up very well. Walked round to the Fire Station with Matthew afterward...we are due to rehearse all day Sunday there, so I wanted to sus out the parking. Double yellow lines all round the property, so it'll be a bit of a struggle lugging all the equipment in and out! I just missed the No.106 bus, and noted the next one wasn't due for 15 minutes, so I walked five bus stops, jumping on at Lordship Park. Got home around 2215.

Tuesday 1st October 2024

Alarm at 0830. Got up and made tea. Porridged at the dining table. Sore throat not as bad this morning, but voice has almost vanished. Joined Savills' Teams Meeting at 1000...sub-contractor's refresher session. Lunch. Spent half a hour on the throne…things not right down there! Walked to Holloway Road tube station and took a train to Covent Garden. Rocked up at the Garden Cinema in good time and took our £5 seats in Screen Two to watch The Outrun…it’s almost a one woman show, with Saorise Roman giving a stunning performance as a young alcoholic who leaves Hackney to return home to Orkney to turn her life around…very intense, and oddly moving. Descended Holborn tube station for the journey home, coming up at Holloway Road to be greeted by crowds of Arsenal football supporters…they take on PSG tonight. Aki cooked teriyaki salmon for dinner, with rice and miso soup. Nowt much on telly, so sat about reading Farrell. 

Monday 30th September 2024

Aki up early to breakfast before catching a bus to Camden for a work meeting. I got up around 1000. Made tea and read in bed for a bit, before rising for porridge. Rehearsed some Act One Witch numbers before Aki returned. Made some lunch. Rehearsed Act Two songs. Grey day. Needed to venture out for some fresh air, so took a walk. Wandered down to Highbury Fields, and back up the Holloway Road to Waitrose. Aki had gone to bed for a nap whilst I was out, and was still asleep when I got in, so I cooked dinner...peeled and trimmed some fresh beetroot, roasting them with oil and cumin; served with roasted chick peas, and a chickpea and tahini dip. Also made some flatbreads. It was all tasty enough, but felt more like a starter than an evening meal. Nowt on telly, so we read our Farrell instead. Watched the ever-depressing News at Ten, as Israel begins a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.