Sunday 29th September 2024

Woke with a sore throat at around 0530. Managed to nod back off. Aki up early to ready for Rowing Club...she brought me a mug of tea. Got up for brunch. Aki cycled off. Did some playing along to "Witch" backing tracks. Seems to be in pretty good shape with three weeks to go before get in. Plagued by bowel problem this morning. Took some Strigol, but it didn't have the desired effect, so took a more powerful dioctyl tablet. Aki lunched at the cafe...I wasn't hungry, so skipped lunch. Aki picked up a little shopping on her cycle home. I finally found some relief around 1800. Aki made a pumpkin and noodle soup for dinner, which I felt able to partake in. Watched a bit of telly, or read some Farrell until The News came on. Watched MOTD2....bath and bed.

Saturday 28th September 2024

Woke around 0900. Made tea and got back into bed. Read some Farrell before getting up for brunch. Finished annotating Act Two of my Witch sheet music. Aki popped out to buy bread. I made a peach tarte tatin and stuck it in the oven. Phoned ma and pa…they seemed in good nick, though dad still unable to drive for another week or two. Masumi and Kiko turned up late, having had to cycle through the Arsenal football crowds. Kiko is now 6 years old...we hadn't seen her for about 4 years, I guess. She was a little shy at first...I greeted her in my chef's hat, and gave her a large glass of ginger cordial. Aki and Masumi caught up, largely in Japanese, while Kiko and myself played Subbuteo on the dining table. 

We broke for some peach tart and creme fraiche, before some ad hoc improvised music was struck up, with Kiko on ukulele, then kazoo, and finally, and probably much to the annoyance of the neighbours, on tin whistle...she played one note in varying rhythms! Then she got the Subbuteo out again, this time on the floor in front of the telly...it was a miracle no players got kneeled upon! Finally, she insisted on showing us some Super Mario stuff on YouTube, specifically a song growled by the monstrous Bowser...she sang along in a deep growl, and danced the movements! She's got a certain talent for performing and improvising...we encouraged her mum to bring her along to the Tower Theatre to see The Worst Witch at half-term. They left around 1830. Aki baked trout for dinner, with spelt and vegetables. Watched "Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter"...a strange film, the first half set in corporate Tokyo and following the ups and, mostly, downs of a depressed office girl who fancies the loot buried in the snows of Minnesota in the film "Fargo" is real, as the film states the narrative to be based on a true story. She flies out to Minnesota on the company credit card and begins a journey, largely on foot, through the snow-scape to find it. It was beautifully shot, but ultimately pointless.

Friday 27th September 2024

Woke around 0830 to the sound of rain hammering on the bedroom roof. Bit of a sore throat this morning. Got up and made tea…got back into bed to drink it. Aki reminded me that I’d diaried a guided walk around Joseph Grimaldi Park, so had to leap into action, porridge, and get dressed. We hopped on a No.91 bus to Pentonville, and rocked up at the meeting place on time. About a dozen of us turned up. The park was once the graveyard of St James’ episcopal church, but had been decommissioned in the 1850s. 

The church was mostly demolished in 1980 when Islington Council re-purposed the space as a public park. Joseph Grimaldi, being buried there, lent his name to the venture. The front of the church was retained, and a dull 80s era office block built behind it. The frontage boasts an 18th Century Coade stone (named for Eleanor Coade, who ran the business). We ended the walk near Joey’s grave, where we sang along to a rendition of Hot Codlin’, Joey’s theme tune apparently, a version recorded by the Worcester based Grimaldi Band, and played to us via a small portable speaker held by the guide. It was cold and wet, so we walked to Angel to find a hot coffee. Found a seat at Kipferl, an Alpine themed establishment, in Camden Passage…we decided to plumb for an early lunch, and shared a cheese omelette, and a slice of Mozart chocolate cake. Walked to Highbury Corner, with a stop for a browse in Waterstone’s. Caught a No.43 bus from Highbury Corner, getting off at Waitrose to buy some pastry for tomorrow’s visitors. Spent most of the rest of the afternoon going through The Witch script and noting the musical cues. Made a tomato and onion chutney…warmed up the chicken curry , which we ate with the chutney, rice and chick pea dal. Watched a programme mapping out the career of Maggie Smith, who died today aged 89…what a life!

Thursday 26th September 2024

Aki up to ready herself for a visit to the dentist. I dozed for a bit then rose for porridging. Aki cycled off...I repaired to the back bedroom to make a noise on my electric guitar. Aki back, having popped into Waitrose on her cycle home. I read some Dickens. Lunch. Aki at the computer for most of the afternoon. I researched guitar distortion pedals, and did a little rehearsing in the back bedroom. Warmed up some pizzaiola sauce for dinner, which I poured on top of some tortelloni, and added some vegetables and cheese. 

Caught a No.253 bus to Manor House, and from there hopped onto a No.141 heading south toward Green Lanes. Rocked up at the Scolts Head pub around 1945. Very busy establishment. We found the back room where Peter Werth and his jazz quintet were just starting up. Matthew and Tamara already there. Tom turned up about an hour later. The band were good, though the trumpet player was a bit all over the place…they specialise in 40s/50s era jazz standards…a bit of Monk, a bit of Parker, a bit of Timmons…and they were joined occasionally by a young female singer with a nice vocal tone. Peter came over to say hello in the interval, and introduced his wife, Amanda. There were a couple of grown up daughters in the room too. Altogether a very pleasant evening. We made our way home via the routes we had come…bath and bed.

Wednesday 25th September 2024

Fitful night's sleep for some reason. Dreamt I was having a meal out in a restaurant somewhere, and happened upon Geoff from Savills sat at a table. Got up around 0930. Porridged. Hauled the AER amp into the passenger seat of the car, and drove up Green Lanes to Winchmore Hill...traffic was dreadful. Took the best part of an hour to get there. Dropped the amp with Richard at Electrohill, and then popped into the nearby Sainsburys before driving home. Fried some tinned sardines for lunch with a side salad and toast. We walked to the Park Theatre to see a rehearsed reading of a new play, "Holy Fool", about Shostakovich and his battles to get his work performed under Stalin, and Krushchev. It was very well attended, being a free event. The theatre were evidently looking for feedback as the play was still in development. I thought it was excellent...compact, intelligent, funny, and ultimately very moving...all the major chords are in place, methinks. Walked home...luckily the rain kept away. Pork belly for dinner, with vegetables, lentils and beans. Watched the first episode of "Ludwig", starring David Mitchell...very funny. Particularly enjoyed the sight gag in the police car as Mitchell's character got covered in mints as his driver sped off to the scene of a crime. 

Tuesday 24th September 2024

Woke around 0900...lay in bed until 1000. Porridged. Aki working at the computer. I read some some Farrell. Did some physio for my frozen shoulder. Marinated some chicken for dinner tonight, in yoghurt and turmeric. Lunched...made some caesar style beans, which we had on toast with poached egg on top. Walked to Finsbury Park station and caught a North London line train to Palmers Green. Walked north up Green Lanes, toward Winchmore Hill. Finally found Electrohill, run by a chap named Richard, who assured me he could take a look at my AER amp and remove the heavy batteries for me, and ensure that it worked via power supply cable only. I said I'd return tomorrow with the amp. Walked on up to Winchmore Hill station, and caught a train back to Finsbury Park. Walked to Morrisons and bought some odds and ends, and popped in to Rio's on the walk back home. Made a chicken curry for dinner, with rice, dal, and roti. Watched a bit of telly before bath and bed...

Monday 23rd September 2024

Woken at 0330 by the sound of heavy rain on the bedroom roof. Managed to nod back off again. Got up around 0900. Porridged. Kath FaceTimed from High View…dad seemed to have over-dosed on his medication, tipping into comic free-form monologue the gist of which escaped us. He’d written a letter of condolence to Beryl…hope it’s more cogent. Read some Farrell before warming the last of the minestrone soup for lunch. We ventured out for a constitutional to Highbury Fields, popping in to Waitrose on the way home. Looked in on Pierro at Nags Head Market and bought some tortelloni. Read some more and listened to some music…Barney’s flatmate Jack has brought out his debut single, Midnight…nice…reminds me of Bonnie Prince Billie. Warmed up the chick pea and aubergine stew for dinner, with vegetables and flat bread. Nowt on telly. Sat about strumming some guitar. Dipped into some YouTube clips…came across MRCY doing three numbers for WorldCafe…nice. Watched The Ten before bath and bed...