Thursday 28th September 2023

Hauled myself out of bed this morning. Porridged. Worked at the computer for most of the morning, plodding away at the VP research for Thurrock District Council. Back in my Basildon days, I used to rehearse in Grays with my short-lived blues band...the place hasn't improved any! Had dinner for lunch...ate the tortelloni with a pizzaiola sauce and broccoli. Aki had to walk up to the Whittington for a blood test, so I accompanied her as far as the pharmacy opposite the National Youth Theatre on Holloway Road. I went in and queued for my covid jab, while Aki continued northward. Popped in to Sainsburys afterward to buy hot dog rolls for this evening's film night. The guests began arriving around 1915, first Carlos and Jane from No.36. Bumped into Lynne from upstairs, who revealed she had had a tick removed from her upper back...has no idea where she picked it up, possibly off her dog would be my guess...she has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease! George from No.127 showed up without Katherine, but with a homemade banana loaf; Dulcie turned up unexpectedly, and stayed for a quick chat, but then left; Ben and Gayu turned up with a huge bowl of popcorn. I put the sausages on, and people served themselves once they'd been cooked, then I put some 70s era Pearl & Dean ads on the big screen, that I'd found on YouTube, then we watched "Wise Blood". Really enjoyed it...John Huston did a great job of staying true to the novel, and the casting was very good, especially Ned Beatty as the huckster preacher. Picked up messages from Kath afterward saying dad wasn't feeling well, and had taken himself off to bed. It appears they forgot he was due to have his catheter removed until alerted by a call from the Freeman asking where he was! He'd driven himself across there, with mum in tow, but they decided to put the catheter back in as his bladder wasn't emptying...sounds like a prostate problem to me...hopefully all will become clearer tomorrow!

Wednesday 27th September 2023

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. I woke around 0815 and made tea...got back into bed and read some "Milkman". Got up and started up the computer. Porridged on coarse cut oats...very dense, a bit like eating quick drying cement mortar. Worked until 1115, then took my constitutional, walking up Highgate Hill to Gail's...took a takeaway latte into Waterlow Park, and sat on a bench to read more "Milkman". Happened upon a little historical plaque in one of the little shops fronting Highgate Hill...it had been run as a butcher's for many decades, the butcheress having three sons, one of whom became a local fishmonger, one a dentist, and one other took over the butchery. The text informed me that the brothers were known locally as "Fishy", "Toothy" and "Porky"! Walked back down the hill, popping into M&S to get milk and leaf salad. Aki back home by the time I got in. I threw lunch together, then got back in front of the computer. No sign of the much heralded Storm Agnes...in fact, it's quite warm out. Aki made a pork and black bean stew for dinner, with a little cake and banana ice cream for afters. Watched "Race Around the World". I made a butter bean and chilli oil dish to stick in the fridge...tasty on salads. Shower and bed...

Tuesday 26th September 2023

Slow start this morning. Aki brought me a mug of tea. I eventually got up and porridged, and worked at the computer writing up notes from yesterday's inspections, and uploading the photos. Tried one of the mushroom and leek sausages for lunch which I'd bought for the vegetarians we are due to host on Thursday evening...it was excellent...firm, and flavoursome. Worked for most of the afternoon at the computer. Aki baked trout for dinner, which we ate with savoury lentils and vegetables. Had a small piece of biscuit cake for afters, with a dollop of ice cream on top, then signed in to this evening's nutrition zoom meeting. My weight is now down to below 74.5kg, which means I've lost about 8kg over the last two months or so. Nowt much on telly so ended up watching another episode of "Better Call Saul", which saw our hero having to trudge through the New Mexico desert lugging $7m in two large carrier bags...it made me very thirsty! Shower and bed...

Monday 25th September 2023

Woke around 0800, feeling weary. Aki brought tea. Got up and porridged, and got my packed lunch together. Set off southward at 0930, the Isle of Dogs being the first port of call. Stopped off at the ASDA opposite Crossharbour DLR station, to use the facilities. Then I pointed the car south of the river, via the Rotherhithe Tunnel. Stopped for lunch in the car park at Sainsbury's in New Cross. Then it was on to Bromley, Croydon, Thornton Heath, and Raynes Park, before ending the working day in Clapham. Turned for home. Got in just after 1900. Aki was just sitting down to her dinner...I followed about 15 minutes later. Had the chicken and mushroom pasta sauce with tagliatelle. Watched the first episode of ITV's "The Long Shadow", outlining the stories behind the victims of Peter Sutcliffe...Toby Jones plays the dogged detective, and the 70s era clothing and decor etc are well done...bit of a grim tale, though!

Sunday 24th September 2023

Woke around 0830. Aki up to ready herself for Rowing Club. Brought me a mug of tea. Aki cooked breakfast. Nice cheesy omelette. She cycled off, and I got in front of the computer to do a couple of hours work. Broke to make lunch...had the poached fig, with paneer, parma ham, and toast. Aki rang to say she'd spotted Tim and Lynne (an actorly couple I'd worked with at Stoke), whom Aki had met in Bury St Edmunds when we went up for Tim's 60th birthday earlier in the year, on their barge, Johannes, near Tottenham Hale! They had managed to exchange a few words in transit. Amazing! I ventured out once the Arsenal v Spurs game had kicked off...did a little shop in Waitrose, and called in on the Italian pasta maker in the new food hall above the Nags Head Market...bought some of his delicious tortelloni. Came home and cooked a pizzaiola sauce, and then made dinner, a chick pea and aubergine stew, with a rich tomato sauce, which we ate with vegetables; ice cream and banana for afters. Watched a bit of the Wales v Australia rugby World Cup game. Noticed that Newcastle had beaten Sheffield United by a rugby score this afternoon. Sunderland, on the other hand... 

Saturday 23rd September 2023

Woke around 0830. Aki got up and made tea, which we drank in bed. Read a little "Milkman" before getting up to prepare brunch. Aki cycled off to the fishmonger on Essex Road. Did a little work at the computer. Aki brought a loaf of fresh sourdough back with her, so we had toast for lunch. Walked to Finsbury Park to have a quick gander in the new French bakery on Blackstock Road...we were greeted with a "Bonjour" on entry from the friendly staff, who talked us through some of their produce. We promised to return to try the coffee. Caught a No.106 bus toward Stoke Newington. It's London Design Week, so there are a number of venues hosting open days over the weekend. We first visited a gift shop on Church Street which specialises in selling stuff made by local practitioners...Aki liked a little backpack, and persuaded me to buy it for her for Christmas! Walked on into Stoke Newington. Aki couldn't resist popping in to Hub...and ended up spending over £200 on a very nice yellow hoodie, and a pair of baggy black pants in a heavy linen mix. Walked on to Praxis on Belfast Road, an old Victorian factory building now housing studios hired out to local artists, milliners, furniture makers etc. Had a wander through the rooms, and a look at the small exhibition. Then it was on to the Tower Theatre, who were staging an exhibition of some of their past set and costume designs. Bumped into Janet South, who was propping up the, in the company of Max Batty and Jude Chalk, who are probably the most prolific of the theatre designers to be found at the Tower. Got home around 1800. Aki cooked mackerel for dinner, with miso paste, sticky rice, vegetables and kimchi. Watched "Women Talking" on Amazon Prime. It had gotten bigged up when it came out last earlier in the year, but I found it all a bit mannered and unconvincing...a bit of a waste of an hour and three quarters! 

Friday 22nd September 2023

Woke around 0815. Got up and made tea. Grey day outside, after yesterday's heavy rain. Porridged, then did some work at the computer until breaking for lunch. Afterwards, we walked to Finsbury Park station, and caught the Victoria Line tube train to Green Park, then sauntered down Piccadilly to the Royal Academy. Went to see the Herzog & de Meuron exhibition...it was smaller than I'd anticipated, occupying just three rooms in the north wing, the first comprising various models of historical architectural projects housed in large glass fronted cabinets, which made some of it difficult to get a good look at, especially the models on the top and bottom shelves. There were some great photos on the walls, though, blown up to enormous proportions. The second room housed a double screen, and we sat and watched a 30 minute compilation of moving pictures filmed inside and outside some of their iconic builds...it made us want to go and visit them! Especially taken with the Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg. The final room detailed a current project for a huge children's hospital in Switzerland. Wandered onto to Regent Street afterward, and popped into Uniglo to buy t-shirts, then took a tube train to Caledonian Road, and a No.91 bus home. I cooked a chicken and mushroom pasta sauce, which we had with wholewheat tagliatelle, and some vegetables. Bread pudding and ice cream for dessert. FaceTimed Kath, who told us dad had been discharged from the Freeman and was now home...FaceTimed them for a quick catch-up. Dad looked a little drawn, but otherwise none-the-worse for wear. He's got to keep a catheter in for week, though, which is always a bit discomfiting. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...