Friday 29th April 2022

Alarm at 0730. Aki brought me a mug of tea, then I got up for porridge. Aki went off to meet Tammy on the South Bank. Made myself a packed lunch, then headed out to Roehampton, and Wimbledon to look at some Metropolitan Housing stock before driving on to Walton-on-Thames, then on to Tunbridge Wells on behalf of Hastoe Housing. Stopped at Clacket Lane service station on the M25, and ate my lunch in the car park. Got home at 1730. Aki cooked a monkfish curry, with dahl and rice, for dinner. Cold evening...had to watch MasterChef with a blanket on our knees, like a pair of old folks! 

Thursday 28th April 2022

Woke to alarm at 0730. Got up around 0830. Headed off to Hornchurch to do some inspections on a Council Estate there...drove past the Queen's Theatre...quite an impressive looking 60s edifice. Drove on to Langdon Hills, near where I used to live in Basildon some 40 years ago, then on to Wickford, and Billericay before heading home. Had my lunch in Sainsbury's car park near Wickford. Got home around 1630. Had to park in the adjoining street, as the roadworks in Sussex Way are playing havoc with the number of spaces available on the street. Bumped into Kathleen from No.49, with Katerina and Artur, who had arrived today from Odessa. I welcomed them to Sussex Way. Artur is only 3 years old, and they were venturing out to the nearest park so he could play on the swings. I assume his dad has been conscripted into the Odessa defence corps! Hope they get on alright here in North London. Aki cooked a mushroom and pumpkin risotto for dinner, with pan fried asparagus, before heading out to Book Club at No.127. I stayed home and went through my lines, and caught MasterChef. Aki back at 2230...no-one had liked the Fleischman novel, so I was very glad I'd missed out! Virginia Woolf's "The Waves" chosen as the next read...

Wednesday 27th April 2022

Woke to sounds on the bedroom roof at around 0630. Went on for an hour. Eventually got up, dressed, and put the ladder up, but no sign of anything animal, vegetable or mineral! I did see a blackbird flay off, but couldn't be sure where it had come form. Noticed an umbrella on the roof above the extension, which is blocking the DWP hopper! Where the hell did that come from? Will have to get the neighbour to get on his roof and lean over the parapet to pick it up. Worked at the computer until 1230. Walked over to Girasole to get something to warm up for lunch, and bought some vine eyes at the DIY shop. Aki back for lunch...lasagna and salad, and half a tomato muffin. Spent an hour or so drilling holes in the external wall behind the wisteria plant, and screwed in some vine eyes, linking them with wire for the climber to climb up....hopefully. Aki made an apple strudel, having been inspired by Rick Stein's visit to Vienna. 

Warmed up the Spanish fish and bean stew for dinner, followed by apple strudel and custard. Drove off to Stoke Newington at 1815 for this evening's rehearsals. Was only required for the first half hour, and the last half hour, so had to kill a couple of hours in between. Bought some snacks and sat in the car listening to Liverpool v Villareal on the radio. Helena the pedantic stage manager we were introduced to last week has been replaced by the redoubtable Laurence Tuerk...much preferred choice! Got home around 2230. 

Tuesday 26th April 2022

Alarm at 0730. Got up around 0815 and made tea, which we had in bed...I did a bit of line-learning before getting up and doing some work at the computer. Headed off to south London at 1000. Bumped into Andrew outside No.49...they are expecting their Ukrainian refugees on Thursday! Did inspections in Streatham, then on to Battersea...the majority of the property at the latter location were on a large 1874 housing estate, which must surely be a Conservation Area. Intrigued to know whether it was originally built by the Peabody Trust. Aki's tasty dill soup for lunch. Ended the day in West Kensington, at a late Victorian block of flats opposite Queen's Club. Got home at 1645, and did some more work at the computer before dinner. Aki did tarragon chicken with orzo and vegetables. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Monday 25th April 2022

Alarm at 0730. Got up at 0800 and made tea, then had porridge for breakfast. Did some work at the computer before heading out in the car to Tottenham and environs. Had lunch in the car, having purchased a mac 'n cheese from Costa on the Tottenham Hale retail park. Then drove south to Thamesmead, before heading back west to a late 19th Century Peabody Estate on the Old Kent Road, near the Bricklayers Arms junction. Got home around 1815. Had to park outside No.99, as they are still digging up the road at our end of the street! Aki cooked up a lentil dahl for dinner, which we had with mushroom rice. Watched a bit of telly...really enjoying "Derry Girls"...it gets better by the episode...cracking script!

Sunday 24th April 2022

Alarm at 0730. Got up and made a mug of tea, and some porridge for breakfast. Cycled off to Stoke Newington at 0920, getting to the theatre at about 0940...it's faster than driving! Had time to get a coffee before going in to rehearse Act 3 Sc2. Matthew (Sir Andrew) was suffering from a hangover after being up late last night, and going to bed betimes! But the session went well, and my voice seemed in remarkably good condition for a 1000 start! Broke at 1115 and cycled over to Springfield Park.

Nice sunny afternoon in prospect for the first Rowing Club regatta of the season on the River Lea. Aki cycled over with some sandwiches, and we bought some cake from the cake stall before watching a bit of the racing...can't say it's ever grabbed my attention as a spectator sport. Cycled home. Cooked the pork shoulder, which we had with sauteed potatoes and chargrilled broccoli. Watched a bit of telly...really enjoying the BBC Young Dancer of 2022...very inspiring young talent involved. Phoned ma and pa who were about to watch John Simm's new TV drama, "Grace". They seemed in good fettle, dad having been working in the garden, and they had enjoyed a day trip to Druridge Bay which had involved various locals asking them if they had broken down, or needed directions. Macron managed to keep Le Pen at bay in French Presidential elections today...a little bit of good news at last!!!

Saturday 23rd April 2022

Woke around 0830. Aki got up and made tea, then fielded a phone call. I got up around 0930. Exhausted after yesterday's legwork! Weird dream in which I appeared to have purchased a five-storey block of flats in which to house Ukrainian refugees, then found myself on a Council Estate evading a rogue truck driver who was careering around the residential streets in a dumper truck. He eventually got out and appeared at an upstairs window with a gun, so I dived for cover behind a tree. Aki cycled off to the fishmonger on Essex Road before the fans started drifting in for the Arsenal v Man Utd game. We did a shop at Morrisons while the game was in progress. Nice sunny day, but very windy, and it clouded over as the afternoon progressed. I cooked a Spanish cod, bean and chorizo stew for dinner, with griddled asparagus, carrots, and a hunk of bread. Cheese and biscuits to follow. Watched a bit of telly before retiring for an early night...