Saturday 29th June 2024

 

Woke around 0830. Aki brought me a cuppa tea. Louise FaceTimed us from her bed, wanting to know if I was planning to do a couple of songs at her birthday bash. I told her I’d been rehearsing some Bowie numbers. Aki cycled off to Yerbury Farmers Market to buy bread, while I prepared brunch. Sat about after eating, reading some Lampedusa. Set off on foot for Stoke Newington at 1345. Nice sunny day. Stopped at Peggy’s Corner to buy ice cream. Met Piers in the bar at the Tower Theatre…watched Colin Guthrie’s production of an adaptation of Crime and Punishment. It was painfully long, but the guy playing Raskolnikov was very good and carried the epic manfully. Colin had written some nice music with a bit of help from Shostakovich. We repaired to Suttons afterward for a fish ‘n chip supper, then walked home. Got in in time to see the Germans beat Denmark 2-0. Early bath and bed…

Friday 28th June 2024

 

Woke around 0900. Dozed for a bit before rolling out of bed and porridging. Did some gardening out front...the wisteria needed another pruning, so I perched atop the step ladder, wielding the shears. We took an early lunch, then walked to Finsbury Park, catching a Victoria Line train to Oxford Circus, where we changed for the Central Line. Got out at Wanstead, and walked, my Paul Hathway mandolin on my back, to No.47 Langley Drive...the home of said Paul Hathway. I want him to add a pick up and jack input to the mandolin I bought five years ago, so I can do some tunes on it at the open mics. We were surprised to find Paul operates out of a residential 30s era semi, rather than a unit on a light industrial estate. He answered the front door, and lead us up to his 'shop', where scores of mandolins, mandolas, parlour guitars, and bazoukis hung from every wall of the upstairs box room. They made a sort of shimmering sound as we spoke in the small room. We also got to glimpse his workshop, in a small back bedroom...there were a couple of large lathes, and countless pieces of sapele and cedarwood...it was all quite a sight! He works alone, and reckons to make about 100 instruments a year...gobsmacking! He revealed he used to work in jewelry, and ran a jewelry shop on Seven Sisters Road at the Nags Head...I'm pretty sure I bought Kerry's engagement ring in there in 1987!!! We left the mandolin with him, and he promised to give me a shout when it was ready. We took a walk down Wanstead High Street, which wasn't as attractive as I'd been lead to believe, but we stopped for a swift half in the Bull, which had a sizeable beer garden out front, hidden from the High Street by a high hedge, and a bronze bust of Sir Winston Churchill...he had been MP for Woodford from 1945 onwards. Took the tube back to Holloway Road, and walked up to Waitrose, then headed home. We had smoked eel for dinner, with rice, aubergine, and miso soup, followed by blondie and ice cream. Watched a bit of Glastonbury coverage...all very uninteresting, P J Harvey, and LCD Soundsystem aside...and the presenters, bar Lauren Laverne, are appallingly bad...

Thursday 27th June 2024

Woke at 0830. Had had a dream where I was investigating a woman for killing her policeman husband, and five other policemen, with a crossbow! Got up and porridged at the computer, working for a couple of hours. Aki cycled off to the hairdressers after lunch, so I ventured in to town. Took "The Leopard" with me, and read over a coffee in Foyles on Charing Cross Road. My ulterior motive had been to try on some baseball caps in a shop next door to Tottenham Court Road tube station, but they didn't suit me. Took a No.29 bus home from outside Goodge Street tube station. Aki was back working at the computer when I got home. Warmed up the last of the Toulouse sausage cassoulet for dinner, then headed for Finsbury Park, taking a Piccadilly Line train to Leicester Square, and walking down to the ICA on The Mall. We had tickets to see an obscure 70s era avant-garde Japanese movie, called "Pastoral: To Die in the Country"...it displayed the influence of Pasolini, Godard, Bergman, with a bit of Monty Python thrown in...it was great. When we came out, we noticed the British and Japanese flags adorning the masts in The Mall, marking the state visit of the Emperor of Japan. We had a drink in a pub on the south side of Trafalgar Square...£13.50 for a half a lager, and a G&T!!! Won't be going back there again! 

Wednesday 26th June 2024

Aki up before 0800 to ready for Rowing Club. I got up and porridged. Put a packed lunch together. Headed for Edgware first, then across to North Wembley, before heading south to Neasden, and Park Royal. Stopped off at the Tesco on the A406 near Brent Cross. Then headed westward on the M40. Stopped at Beaconsfield services and ate my packed lunch in the car; grabbed a coffee from Starbucks, and carried on my way to Princes Risborough. Final port of call was Weston Turville, near Aylesbury, from whence I turned for home. Got in around 1600 and did half-an-hour on the computer before the football started. Watched the Ukraine take on the faltering Belgians. Made a creamy mushroom and chicken pasta sauce for dinner. Watched the Georgians stun Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal 2-0...they qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in their history...great stuff!

Tuesday 25th June 2024

Woke around 0800. Dozed until 0830. Got up and porridged. Aki working at the computer, so I did a little work on my laptop, uploading yesterday's photos. Broke for a ham salad lunch with fried halloumi and mushrooms. Worked at the computer for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Watched France v Poland, which ended in a 1-1 draw, before dinner...warmed up the aubergine parmigiana lasagna, which we ate with a side salad. Walked over to St Luke's on Hillmarton Road for Vox Holloway rehearsal. The bloke sat on my right was making it all up! He should be sacked!!! The rehearsal was cut short by the company AGM, which allowed my escape...hurried back home to catch the second half of the England v Slovenia game...a dull 0-0 draw...England fans booed the team off the pitch. 

Monday 24th June 2024

Woke at 0830. Got up and porridged. Slung a packed lunch together. Headed off in the car to mop up some Peabody stock inspections. First stop was Marylebone...had to find somewhere to park, then walk down Lisson Grove. Stopped off at Pret a Manger in Marylebone railway station. Then headed west to White City, before dropping south to Fulham, then double-backed to North Acton. Stopped off at Tesco on the A4 near Earls Court and did a little food shopping. Ate my lunch in the car park there. Ended the working day in Bedfont, near Heathrow Airport, then drove home through slow traffic. Aki had warmed up the Toulouse sausage and butter bean cassoulet for dinner, which we had with orzo and vegetables, then we walked up to Hanley Road for gospel choir rehearsal. Rather a low turnout this evening...presumably half of them were out sunbathing or something! Only three tenors turned up! Walked home to catch the second half of the Croatia v Italy game...the Italians were lucky not to go out, salvaging a 1-1 draw in the last minute of injury time...it's never over til it's over! 

Sunday 23rd June 2024

Aki up early to ready herself for Rowing Club. I read in bed for a bit...finished off Dickens' "The Chimes". Got up for a cooked breakfast. Aki cycled off. Lovely summer's day, so walked up Highgate Hill for a coffee from Gail's. Sat in Waterlow Park to drink it before wandering back down the hill to M&S. Couldn't find any leeks, so ended up in Morrisons. Came home and watched the back end of the Queen's Club final between Paul & Musetti...Tommy Paul won, and looks in good shape for Wimbledon. Cooked a sausage and butter bean cassoulet to put by for emergencies during the coming week. FaceTimed Kath who was at High View cooking dinner for mum, dad, Jim, and Emma. Everyone seemed in good fettle beneath a cloudless blue sky. Cooked a chicken traybake, with mango, rice and kidney beans for dinner, which we ate before the Scotland v Hungary game kicked off...a must win for both teams. Scotland never really looked like scoring, Hungary stealing a last gasp winner.