5027 - Changes afoot

It’s time to shake things up. I’d like to sell

My flat but I would need a new mortgage 

I’m sick of people hearing through my wall

It stops me doing videos, can’t engage 

My voice, singing or speaking, feeling caged

Jealous of all those with a detached house 

That’s what I need. A small one, but purchased 

Outright or mainly paid off. It’s no use

Though til I’ve paid this one off. Meanwhile, mused

Today on dating again. That would help 

Sort myself out a bit, start a new stage 

Of life’s journey. It could keep me amused

A numbers game, a goal, love? Who can tell?

Why not? A partner is an advantage 

5026 - Today and Today

Among the graves, a sunny afternoon 

Walking round Salford checking out places 

A new graveyard to me, old though, new mown

So many stones in rows, life replaces 

The dead quite rightly, unlike old traces

Of religious thought quoted on these stones 

When you’re dead you’re dead, forgotten cases

The earth moves on, it isn’t sad, no moans

For life itself is temporary loans

Of land and air and water, films and tunes

While bodies work they take many paces 

And we think it’s permanent and our bones

And skin are exceptionally immune 

But see these graves and question your basis!

5025 - Yesterday and Today

Yesterday was Friday and I was pleased 

I did a good piece of work even though 

I wasn’t in a good place, not appeased

By recent events or responses. No

Apologies forthcoming. They should know 

That’s no way to treat people who are good 

You wanna fuck with me, then I will go 

What else do they expect? I wish they would 

Treat me as they’d like themselves. The sun should 

Cheer us up, and it did. My tan has eased 

Itself effortlessly so it will show 

Looks like I’ve been on holiday abroad 

Lying on the grass every day, sun’s rays 

The perfect medicine. Now drinks will flow!

5024 - True lying

Some people never lie, or so we’re told

Like this man. No, not me - the Big Fella!

But if we only knew, blood would run cold

It’s almost enough to make you follow 

Him, except that the truth ratio is low

There also. Where do you go for relief

When time and time again you’re left solo

It just feels wrong to rely on belief 

To find some comfort, sneaking like a thief

Into a house of thieves, hypocrites, old

Or simply boring. That’s not the answer 

Only doing what I want, there’s less grief 

That way. But what is that? Nothing to hold

On to or for right now. Feels eviller 

5023 - Back to work, back to reality

So - first work day since Thursday. Five days off 

Had good weather, and it’s continuing 

I must say, for my tan this is good stuff 

At lunchtime did an hour of sunbathing 

Then back inside for Covid home working 

Felt ok physically so I went out

For a walk in the evening sun, seeing 

Progression of new building round about 

The tax offices, my old haunting grounds

Including the new tax office. It’s off-

Red, with a wavy weave pattern. The thing 

Is, it’s not needed. We can do without 

Commuting, dressing smart, feeling we have 

To all be physically in one setting 

5022 - Eyes wide open

Not much sleep last night in Helen’s spare room 

Felt like shit to be honest, got no rest

Sick of this shit, got up early, went home

At least enlightened, and that’s for the best 

Took day off, assumed I could seek my bed’s

Sanctuary and doze off, but just couldn’t 

Partly cos the lawnmowers all blessed

Me with a big turnout, the noise constant 

The plus, I finished my book ‘The Planets’

Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Voyager’s roam

Beyond. Then finished watching Money Heist 

First series. Refused to watch the second 

And began watching The Stranger. And some-

How stayed up til eleven! Shouldn’t boast!

5021 - Garden of Earthly Delights

Sunny day, two things happened. The lodger

Harry collected his things from the flat

Didn’t see him cos I’d gone out the door 

With a bag of picnic stuff tightly packed

So he collected his things, we’re apart

Safely, as I stood waiting for the bus 

Excitedly to go to Leigh, the park

Being where we’d head and sit down on the grass

But H decided to stay round the house 

And garden, for more privacy and more 

Facilities and overall comfort 

This meant we weren’t alone but nonetheless 

It was good, turning into a twelve hour

Binge and chat, oh yeah, quite some binge and chat 

5020 - Masks

Today I ordered face masks on the net

Eight in all, and all with my own designs 

From a website that looks like quite a hit

It’s made me look forward to wearing mine

Four pics from Berlin, four from Israel. Times

Of happy travelling memories from years past 

They should look cool on public transport rides

I won’t have them in time for when I catch 

The bus tomorrow to Leigh. Could do that 

Wearing a scarf cos then I’ll still have met 

The governmental recommendation

It’s a Man U scarf, an Old Trafford match

Me and Jo went to, 2-0 to the Reds

Against Derby. Going to meet Helen!

5019 - Walk to Salford Quays

Salford Quays devoid of life. The TV

Studios lie silent, weekend walkers few

See the canal, the old docks, the windy

Weather whips up the waves so much that you 

Might think it was the sea and not a view 

Of an inland city, Salford, which is

Joined to Manchester. Not as famous. Who

Outside the north west of England knows this 

Place? But it has its fair share of business 

And a high profile from the BBC 

Being partly based here, though also goes through 

Hard times in its poorer parts. The virus 

Has hit hard here, even though this country 

Itself has been hit hard and has been screwed 

5018 - Now

The swan is in green, Salford Quays it’s sad

But I’m walking to stay fit and that’s fine 

Poor old swan surrounded by rubbish, had

You knew, would you have swam there or declined 

You didn’t know or maybe don’t you mind 

In any case you’re there and I am here 

Bank Holiday approaches and we find 

It’s not all good but this at least is clear 

The water is green and it looks so queer 

Although the picture’s colours aren’t all bad

Maybe the swan’s happy enough but I’m 

Not sure myself. Walking around the area

Is a good thing and so I’m really glad 

It’s a long weekend and I have some time 

5017 - Fog On The Mind

Beer bottles but you cannot see the wine

Bottle I sank last night after the beer 

Couldn’t stop, but a good music session 

And I needed strong drink to try to clear 

My head of sadness and also prepare

Me for sleep. Therefore not surprising I

Was not at my best mentally, it’s fair

To say, after such an intake. Tried my

Best to write a song and video, but try 

Hard as I did, it didn’t work out this time 

So I’ve not posted it, but just before 

My brain stopped, attempted to simplify 

The song. It’s shorter now, with more rhythm 

The one I recorded was a real bore! 😆😴🥱

5016 - Missed her blue sky

Sunshine yes but lonely at the same time 

Shame we couldn’t meet as we said we would 

So did my best to enjoy the sunshine 

Topped up my tan and this has been the third

Time in this month of May that I have spread 

My purple towel on the grassy ground 

I put The Planets book beneath my head 

To prop it up facing the sun, so brown 

Is evenly facially spread around 

I don’t wear shades because they’d undermine 

The even facial tan project- not good!

Then all day and evening, balcony bound

Listening to music, drinking beer and wine

No work tomorrow, so I knew I could

Wed 20 May

5015 - The sky is turning blue

Blue skies tomorrow, but Helen says no

She’s busy and she can’t share it with me

But maybe Sunday I can finally go

And meet up with that girl who’s so lovely 

Fingers crossed once again for unlucky 

But also lucky me for having her 

Although it seems she is a recipe 

For confusion and makes me feel unsure

She’s still so thrilling and I love her more

As I learn more there’s more I want to know 

And that’s enough to make me feel happy 

The lockdown’s partly unlocked, so let’s pour

A drink to ourselves. Going to talk to Jo

Then watch Netflix. One episode to go...

5014 - Decades

Four decades since Ian Curtis passed away 

Tonight (Monday) I watched a live stream from

United We Stream and Headstock and they

Paid tribute to the man. Watched on my phone 

Interviews with New Order guys - the drum 

Merchant, Steve Morris, always amusing 

And Bernard, wry humour as always shown

But no mention of Hooky, the missing 

Component these days. Even remembering 

Seeing them in ‘02 round Old Trafford way 

Hook seemed disconnected. He liked to roam

As far away from the rest by using 

A bass with no cable. 18th of May

‘80 Ian died, half a lifetime away 

5013 - Senses

Sunday benefited from having done

So much on Saturday that I just had 

To go for my morning walk. Afternoon

Was free, so ideas were short in my head

Of what to do with my time. In the end

I got some beers in, lasted me all night 

Until the moment came to go to bed

Walked round an empty Manchester, the sight

Of Oxford Road empty of cars was quite

Incredible, and Deansgate too - all gone

Apart from joggers and cyclists. I did

Exercises, then boozed, but what a treat 

A website with Peel sessions, on and on

For hours, then Dogs of Berlin filled my need 

5012 - It May be May

It may be May but it’s been colder than

It should be for May. It has been sunny

But a cold wind’s blown, too cold to sit down 

Please let’s have the warmth now that I am free

To go out and meet Helen near the trees

But Friday eve was fun, Saturday too

Woke with a tune in my head. Hurriedly 

To the kitchen where I hummed it into

My phone, and it dominated all through 

The day, as I worked out the chords and tune

Recorded, uploaded eventually 

I thought I’d spend time on Netflix but no

Not yet, and it’s gone ten! Dogs of Berlin 

Here I come, I postponed you. So sorry!

5011 - Weak ending

The weekend starts here for what it’s worth now

We can’t go and meet people, go and stay

Places, go to bars, restaurants, take trips. How

Soon it will return, don’t know, heard it may

Be three years minimum! I went away 

Enough in recent years at least so can’t 

Complain too much. Even in February 

Visited Lisbon with Jo, my last jaunt 

Apart from one night in Prague, trip cut short 

By early Czech lockdown. To fate we bow

Like grass in the wind. Forgot we obey 

Stronger forces we thought we could surmount 

Adjust accordingly we must somehow 

Keep fit and well, find instruments and play 

5010 - Yoga bear

Just waiting for a conference call to end 

I’ve done a few things today while my eyes

Stayed on my inbox. Yoga, lots of bend 

And stretch, wobbles as Bony Tony tries

To stand on one leg! Popped to shop, my buys

Including fish for the next two main meals 

Wrote a comedy script - Morecambe and Wise

Beware - involving jokes to produce squeals 

(Of pain). When it’s all done, tonight reveals

Dogs of Berlin on Netflix. Recommend

It to Helen, may bring back memories 

Of our days there. A place that still appeals 

Work’s done now, so comedy time, my friends 

The second of my Jesus interviews 

5009 - Return of the Mackerel

Second day blogging by phone, just checking 

It still works but it seems to, so that’s good 

Worked late, shopped, ate, was really enjoying 

The soft and tasty mackerel, then thought, should 

Play uke, I do it every two days. Could

Play every day but it would leave little 

Time for much else, walking the neighbourhood 

Maybe, chatting to someone, write a while

A comedy sketch, whatever I feel 

But there’s still time tonight for more watching 

On Netflix. Dead To Me, it’s episode 

Seven I’m up to. Series One is all

I want to watch for now. Then I’m choosing 

Something new. Need to get right up to speed 

5008 - Phoney Tony

For first time doing this blog from my phone

Using an app, Blog Touch. And the reason?

Last night while watching Netflix I sneezed on

My laptop keyboard. Now it won’t function 

My mouth was full of beer and that’s all gone

Under the keys and made everything stick 

Why did I sneeze? I only did it once

The whole day. I’ve got no cold, I’m not sick

But it may have cost a laptop. How thick

Of me it was. Don’t want to buy new one 

If it’s screwed for good cos I’ve a work one

And failing that, this phone, so I will pick

Either or both to write this from now on 

Crossed fingers, that should be the solution 

5007 - After strife

So happy, everything's good, sun shining
Birds singing, I'm drinking, but out of joy
A dream is taking shape, no regretting
No hesitating, this is not a ploy
It's not delusion, this is no decoy
There's someone there who can bring happiness
So now before anything can destroy
This moment, I'll think just how much I'm blessed
And now I'm going to watch After Life. Yes,
It covers these same areas I'm feeling
Life is often shit, but now here's a toy
That makes me recall childhood when you get
The thing you've craved at Christmas, been waiting
So long, forever, but it's here now, boy!

5006 - Manchester near united

Today felt low at times but still used it
Wisely, going for a long walk, something
I've not done enough since the lockdown hit
Cold wind and grey sky, Salford Quays, crossing
The Ship Canal, continued following
The tram track for a while round Trafford Park
Thought about possibly continuing
To the Trafford Centre, but that's a walk
And a half, so turned back. At Booth's, bought pork
Pie and shepherd's pie, but no fear, didn't
Eat both! Played uke pretty well. Practising
Is paying off. Though Netflix called, thought, Dork!
Beforehand, do a new comedy skit
United versus City recording

5005 - Bassic instinct

So yesterday - cos I am one day late -
Sunbathed late morning thru almost to lunch
I knew the weather would deteriorate
Certainly by tomorrow, had a hunch
And saw the forecasts predicting a plunge
In temperature. Exercised to music
Lee Perry's Super Ape still packs a punch
That phased reggae piano sounds so slick
And the always good bass sure does the trick
Missed hearing from Helen, she has gone quiet
Hope she's OK and soon gets back in touch
Drank wine in the evening, with more music
Nice sunset, but I'd have preferred a date
With Helen on the screen, not left in lurch

Sat 9 May

5004 - Stinkin' drinkin'

Doing my diary early, 2pm
Already on the beer, and I've got wine
But the quiz looks like being later, but when
Not sure yet, may be 9:30, when I'm
Gonna be well pissed. It should be just fine
A good laugh, hopefully. Will try to talk
To Helen before it starts, as I find
It hard to miss out on my fix. My 'work'
Is almost done, quiz questions now all worked
Out on paper, some changes and amend-
ments from a previous music quiz. My plan
Next is to go on Netflix, as the talk
Has been about Afterlife. Think I can
Watch one or two before calling Helen

5003 - New drools

Worked until fairly late in the day so
Didn't really have time left for walking
Or filming. Bank Holiday tomorrow
And the weekend after that, so hoping
I can do lots of stuff, try not watching
Telly for a start, though might watch Netflix
Afterlife looks good, people are saying
They love it or hate it. Should get some kicks
Watching that, as I should watching this chick's
Sexy moves as we talk by video
Helen likes to get me salivating
She knows how to throw chili in the mix
Might watch The Cotton Club, a film I know
By name, so I hope it's entertaining

5002 - Loving it

It's all good, I happen to know the best
Woman in the world, bar none, so so nice
Why am I so fortunate, am I blessed
Things don't normally work out this way, why's
It working out now? It's life's mysteries
But if you stay alive, you'll find the one
OK I'm drunk, but I'm still right. Queries
May come and go but things have become fun
And that's what I want, fun, abandonment
Craziness, unadulterated, most
Uninhibited, impulses once, twice
In the moment, each day is a new one
Unleash the hitherto restricted beast
And let me loose to claim the deserved prize

5001 - Facts is facts

So nice to have energy - second day
Of feeling hale and hearty, up for it
Worked until twenty-past six. Must delay
My next comedy video, time is tight
I thought, and so instead, thought why not write
At least some of this coming Friday's quiz
And I've completed general knowledge. Might
Just re-use the music questions amassed
For my family quiz two weeks ago. Best
Think of some new ones too, cos that's the way
To enjoy it more, find out cool facts. Might
Be amazed at what I learn as I test
Helen's friends. Work has also said I may
Host a team quiz soon online when we meet

5000 - Cherry-picking

Felt wide awake today, at last, thank God
Concentrated better at work, for once
First time in two weeks, because I was good
And had an OK night's sleep, though not tons
After work, went for a walk. Lots of runs
Going on, post-work joggers all around
The sky was blue, but faintly felt the sun's
Heat. Kept my jacket on. Should've pulled down
My zip to show my T-shirt, but I'd found
An unexpected place to film, forgot
About the t-shirt and about my plans
To head for a park bench. Liked this background
Of the cherry pickers across the road
So filmed right there as I downed all my mints!

4999 - Bony Tony's funny bone on loan

What did I achieve today? First video
In well over a week. Mainly tiredness
Stopped me doing more, a few days ago
But this weekend I didn't wanna face
Doing one, funny bone had gone some place
Half-four in the afternoon, sky gone grey
Sat in my seat, packet of mints in place
But beyond eating them on film, to say
I lacked inspiration was no foray
Far from the truth. So decided to go
Out for a walk. During the week I miss
The chance, too busy, but now think I may
Do it after work, or maybe before
It would keep my weight down and reduce stress

4998 - TVOD

It's been a quiet day here on my own but
Posted a few things and comments online
And played uke to a Traffic playlist that
I'd put together on Spotify when
Spending a long sober night Thursday in
Listening to the radio and reading my
Book. Heard some good tracks that night, now they're on
My 'People' playlist, they were suggested, I
Didn't have to search, and anyway why
Would I when by then I had quite forgot
The names of songs and bands. Lucky coin-
cidence! Thought a walk might be nice. Should try
Tomorrow. There's time if that TV's not
On all day. Should do comedy. It's time...

4997 - I Can Get Me Some Satisfaction

No time to write this yesterday, busy
All the way through from morning to the night
First with work, then socialising on the
Internet til I was all out of fight
Early as eleven turned out the light
I do find it hard sometimes to join in
Sometimes I can't be bothered, don't feel right
But usually I do get some enjoyment
And that leaves me with some satisfaction
Which then keeps me more mentally healthy
Like anything, must make it a habit
Or else the habit becomes forgotten
Laziness wins, atrophy, apathy
Where nothing matters, life becomes a blight

Fri 1 May