5179 - The Crown

I’m going to watch The Crown on Netflix now

Only three series, but then how many 

Episodes?  Still, it’s popular and how!

It might be fun acting out royalty

It’s hard to look like people so ugly 

Casting is problematic, I would think

Friday night in, in front of the TV

Might actually be ok 👌, make boredom shrink 

Even though it’s a beer night off, no drink 🍷 

Allowed, need to replenish stocks, allow

Rehydration, feel better Saturday 

Do more in the day, maybe later, clink

The glasses, to make up for alky drought 

A big tub of choc mini rolls all for me!

5178 - Yet again

I think because work has been so hectic

No that’s not right, it wasn’t always so

But while working away as the clock tick

And tock took me towards when I could slow

Down at last, free to relax, couldn’t go

On without wanting to let off some steam

So like a vision of heaven, a glow

In the distance, an oasis, a dream 

The thought of some reward, preferably extreme 

Was hard to shake, and the reward I’d pick

Was the usual one, where the beer would flow 

But because it gives me a flushed face, keen

Nowadays to try more wine, do the trick 

Of getting sloshed 🥴 with less beer, more vino 

Thur 29 Oct

5177 - My type of hangover

After last night’s wine and beer, didn’t feel 

As energetic as just yesterday 

Struggled to focus in the morning, real

Foggy mind, mental cogs stuck in thick clay

The colour of my mind a cloudy grey

No pain, just lethargy, my hangover 

I’m fairly lucky how I feel next day 

Unlike many who are forced to beware 

Of drink when later pain’s so hard to bear 

I’d hoped it might be a short day. No deal!

Always drags on beyond when I would say 

That’s when I’ll stop, I’ve earned it, can’t defer

A shorter day no longer, but I feel 

Unable to stop. Work gets in the way!

5176 - After work

After work, as it gradually grew dark

Unnecessarily spent the evening 

Sitting outside but enjoying the craic

Just listening to the music and drinking 

The last week or so it’s been increasing 

To every other day or so it seems 

As autumn sunshine cools and dark sets in

Round late October, get these foolish schemes 

In my head, that through winter I’ll have been 

Unwilling to drink because of the stark

Bitter weather, the sheer cold that’s stopping 

Me. Why, when I can sit inside with scenes

On TV, tunes playing, heat on?  It works

I do it every year. You just stay in

Tue 27 Oct

5175 - Relaxing

A horrid rainy day, I just stayed in

Tried to work but was hard to concentrate 

Mainly because of wine and some smoking 

Last night, as Gerard dropped by until late

We sat and chatted. I enjoy the chat

It’s great to share some wine and other stuff

But my mind’s been quite foggy as I sat

At the computer, finding thinking tough

That fun team quiz was too hard, and enough 

To do that I just couldn’t face. Though grim

Outside, it’s warm in here, it’s feeling great 

Did exercises despite feeling rough

Now it’s time for documentary watching 

Mainly music, for this YouTube’s so great!

5174 - Sudden news

Poor old Helen’s having a real rough time 

And me I’m doing my usual nondescript 

Livening things up with bottle of wine 

Punk documentaries on TV that lift

The mood, though then it all seemed fuckin shit

Now Gerard’s stopping over, he’s texted

Shaking things up, I didn’t expect it

I suppose expect the unexpected 

Wonder if he is going to get wasted?

This crazy life I find hard to define 

But this is exciting, a real uplift 

Writing this quickly, soon interrupted 

Especially if he has stuff that’s forbid

If not, I’m slightly drunk, and that’s a gift!

5172 - Bottle of wine and two beers

Couldn’t resist finishing work at 3

It’s Friday afternoon, you understand 

And it’s sunny out on the balcony 

So put the stool out, grab headphones for sound

A bottle of wine’s an idea that’s grand

Nip to Sainsbury’s to get one, and get two 

Beers with it, they will taste nice beforehand 

Indeed after the beers, already you

Feel affected, but first taste of wine, phew!

Makes your head swim. So it’s a mystery 

How you drink the rest and you can still stand 

When I was done I felt tired, that was true 

And went to bed at ten, yes, real early 

With a glass of water real close at hand 

Fri 23 Oct

5173 - A miserable rainy day

A miserable rainy day - happy inside 

The heat and light’s on. Tonight clocks go back

The autumn’s in its later phase. Can’t hide 

From the wind if you’re a leaf. Odds are stacked 

Against those at the ends of branches. Plucked

By strong gusts, they sail onwards in the gale

To find their final resting place, they’re tucked 

Against a wall, a tree trunk, they prevail 

For a few days, beautiful red and pale

Yellow. For a week or two they abide 

Then break down into mush under heel’s clack 

Or organic decay on grassy vale

Meanwhile I’m safe and warm, not stuck outside 

Might watch a film, energy has gone slack

5171 - Tired but happy

Yes one of my eyes is shut, how I feel 

Today after broken sleep and early 

Meetings, a stressful start, quite a big deal 

And they carried on intermittently 

Throughout the day, talking near constantly 

Or sometimes listening. Overall it went well 

I even had some praise so quite happy 

Celebrated with a shave, recycle 

Of glass, tins, plastic, cardboard, off to fill

The bins outside. And then I had a real

Blast on the old acoustic guitar- three

Hours, almost, played a blinder. Bloody hell!

Forgot my tiredness. The guitar can steal 

Time, absorbing the mind so completely 

5170 - Henry the Eighth

He was the top king of English history 

Our kids all learn about his selfish reign 

He was a bastard but his legacy 

Is to separate England from well Spain

As well as the Vatican’s holy chain

All because Anne Boleyn she resisted

In the end he split from Rome, not in vain 

He became God’s representative, bid

Himself the new pope, unprecedented 

Hard to appreciate now, revolutionary 

More important than his emotional pain 

The power structure of ages upended

Thomas Cromwell aided him because he

Was not high born and helped him in his gain

5169 - Hidden treasure

Late last night, by chance, browsing on Facebook 

I came across a YouTube link. It was

Complete Rehearsals (Joy Division). Luck

Was mine. It lasts for one and a half hours 

The sounds from their rehearsal studios

Before anyone knew them, and the best

Thing about it, it’s those hidden treasures 

Unheard songs back then didn’t pass the test 

Got left out of the repertoire, suppressed

Not played in gigs if you had gone to look 

Unknown treasures not on Unknown Pleasures

Pictures added by someone. The lads rest

Eating chips on Oxford Road. Soon they’d cook

Up their own feast that the world still devours

5168 - Watching the detectives

Last night I watched Roadkill, episode one

Starring Hugh Laurie as a minister 

It was ok, a bit cliched, but some 

Good scenes inside Number Ten and other 

Nearby locations. Hugh will come under 

The gaze of the police as they find out

The naughty things he’s done all over the

Country, probably. Then afterwards I put

On a film I wanted to see - ‘Detroit’

I’d seen trailers for it when I had gone 

Before Covid, to that Home cinema 

About police brutality. They were not

Nice guys to the innocent on the run

When the whole ghetto area was on fire

5167 - Guitar god

I’m slowly becoming a guitar god

I can now play along to anything 

Today I treated my own neighbourhood 

Well, those who could hear me madly strumming 

To sixties and late seventies rocking 

And new waving and reggaeing besides 

I could hardly believe what I’m hearing 

Though my own skill is the thing that provides

It’s a weird feeling that never subsides

All the years I had this guitar but could 

Barely play it. I remember buying 

It in Birmingham, teenage dreams so wide

Of the mark, but eventually persevered 

And now I hear my own superb playing!

Sun 18 Oct

5166 - Brrr

It’s starting to get noticeably cold 

And dark early, oh what a bloody shame 

Saw Josephine again and yes I told 

Her, we’re supposed to meet tomorrow. Blame

Was accepted. The prices aren’t the same 

Tomorrow, eat out to help out applies

At Don Marco’s on Sunday, but she came 

Today. It cost me twice as much. It’s lies

To say it was a great meal, and a fly’s

Buzzin’ in my face as my tales got told 

Penne pasta with salmon, she chose. I’m 

Having it too, I said, but not so wise

In the end. Went to Archies, got a hold

Of a milkshake each, bye, and head for home!

5165 - Fun on Friday

It’s fun on Friday, and it always has

Been. The day when work turns into freedom 

I’m watching tv now but before was

Listening to music, til the cold then won

But despite this it has still been good fun 

Now watching Rock Against Racism and

Before that, Guy Garvey’s From The Vaults. In

My home I’ve seen some good stuff and good sound 

I love it from my head down to my hand

Old music but it’s still cool and because 

It’s raw, sometimes well played, or less well done 

It’s nostalgic to listen to old bands

Old racism such as the law of sus 

So good it was defeated and it’s gone 

5164 - It’s getting to the stage

I can’t imagine this thought applying 

To Frank, him in the picture, him up there

But for me, strangely, frankly, it’s getting 

To the stage where work, though hard, is better 

Than the evenings that follow. That’s so rare!

Perhaps I should be grateful that I just 

Need to rest and do nothing more after 

I close the laptop on the desk, just rest 

With a clear conscience since I’ve done my best 

The problem though is it’s become boring 

No company, and even if there were

A desire every two days to get pissed 

That’s more like Frank isn’t it, don’t you think?

Except for him it’s each day of the year!!

5163 - Stuff you

So stop bullshitting, asserting you’re right 

You’re not, because you’re not considering 

Anyone else, as usual, think it’s white 

And black, and you’re right and any differing 

Views must be wrong. I am not dithering 

I have an independent brain, that’s what 

I have been trained to have, and I’m using 

It to debunk your egocentric rot 

So spare me from your assertiveness, not

Impressive, it’s just ego, and can quite 

Easily be debunked, I’m resisting 

Your utter rubbish, not scared, heard the lot 

You think you know it all but it’s all shite 

I’m ready and able for arguing! 

5162 - Insomnia

I haven’t got insomnia really 

But last night sleep just wouldn’t come for hours 

I’d dozed off briefly earlier you see

So today I’ve been knackered, but was forced

To work anyway, it doesn’t stop, pours

On with emails, meeting invites and calls 

All to help the UK Transition cause 

I hear the nutter below through the walls 

And floors, muttering, bellowing, a fool’s

Life, even clapping, singing tunelessly

Dropping things on his floor as if he’s lost

Coordination and mind, alone, dull

Survival, pointlessness, perhaps pity

Is appropriate, though he makes me cross

5161 - Woah!

What a great day, it just ended so well 

Had to get a bottle of wine and neck

It, which I did, and you don’t have to sell

Madness to me, and so it’s what the heck

Right now I’m recovering but while not sick

I’m not a hundred percent either, no

Sometimes you feel you’ve got to pick

Between health and well being. Hard to quite know 

What to do anytime or how to grow 

Another good day and evening. Rebel -

Tune out, if things are good or bad. Just stick 

To your guns, do what you feel, with the flow 

We’re stuck in our bodies and minds, a cell

It’s natural to break out, break out, break!

5160 - The long march

Here I am, in front of the new mural 

In Manchester’s Port Street. I came back here 

Because I filmed a video by this wall 

Yesterday, but I discovered later

I must’ve pressed the wrong button and there

Was no video on my phone- a photo

Was all I had. So I came back, a clear 

Determination for a second go

And though it wasn’t as much fun you know 

When you do something again, and you’re all

Alone, the film was a little better 

I walked from there to Salford even though 

It was a long way to the shopping mall

Ordered table and chairs to deliver

5159 - Last orders

Possibly the last Saturday pub crawl 

For a while. In Manchester it seems that

The government just wants to close them all 

For three weeks maybe is the estimate 

It started with a nice welcome invite

From Paul to meet in Manchester to see

The Ian Curtis mural, new street art

On the side of a building, and then we

Went for a few pints, having more than three

More like six. I had videoed the mural 

But I had pressed ‘photo’ not ‘video’ - twat!

I was talking to a phone pointlessly 

In front of others by the mural wall

Cameras at the ready they had to wait!

Sat 10 Oct

5158 - TFI Friday

After more hard work 😓 I felt great relief 

And I only wanted to do one thing 

After the efforts of the week, a brief 

Trip to the shop in order to buy drink 

Sit on the balcony, watch the sun sink

And when my four beer bottles had all gone 

I walked round the room and began to think 

I’ll get some more, and did the Co-op run

It was now half eight, darkness long set in

I couldn’t finish four more bottles. If

I had, then I could have made myself sick 🤢 

But I really needed relaxation 

If not quite oblivion. Drink is time’s thief

But in a strange way it helps my well- being 

Fri 9 Oct

5157 - Ingsland versus Whales

Watching a live international match

First one for months, England are playing Wales

Danny Ings, surprisingly, on the pitch

For England. Mings is a sub!  For Wales, Bale’s

Not there for some reason. The ball just sailed

Into the Wales net. Giggsy is gutted

While Southgate smiles. Calvert-Lewin can’t fail

In almost every game he has netted

Everton are top, couldn’t have predicted 

A nice relaxing evening just to watch 

After a hard day’s work. I’m hard as nails

Or need to be in this job. Was tested

Today, not helped by some, but it’s now such 

A demanding role, even for this male!

5156 - Now or even sooner

OK so I have ordered my will stuff

From Amazon and it will soon be here 

I know I’ll die like everyone, so tough 

Though it is, time to acknowledge that we’re 

All in the same boat, floating on the mere 

This is for future generations that 

Depend on us to keep our minds quite clear 

And I won’t let them down, won’t be a twat 

I sit here now in this miserable flat 

But I’ll help them, won’t make things tougher, stuff 

Is bad enough without boomers, so they’re 

Doing our best to pass on what we’ve got 

That’s not always a lot, but it appears 

Our duty to do what we can. So cheers 🍻 

5155 - Trump lives

Great to see Trumpy Trump Trump doing so well 

Straight outta hospital, he’s such a man 

He doesn’t need a mask, no girly veil

Into the White House, scaring everyone 

They back away, more than before even 

He stuffs the hated mask in his pocket 

He’s the kind of leader you all would want 

Illness is for pussies, hard men stay fit

Although he dodged the army, wouldn’t fight 

White Christians vote for him, but black ones will 

More likely vote Democrat. Religion 

Can’t make whites vote the same as blacks, the white

Agenda is reduce crime, meaning fill

Prisons with blacks, vote Trump, God understands!

5154 - Lennon lives

Lennon responded to my ad for an

Assistant in comedy or podcast 

Although it was late, I texted him and

Said shall we talk, and he rang me back fast 

The reception wasn’t great, hard to grasp 

At times what he was saying, but he’s quite 

A character. A lot of water’s passed

Under his bridge. So the rest of the night 

I’ll upload the film it was a delight 

To shoot yesterday, ruminating on

What happens to us when we breathe our last 

Do not go gentle? I say lie back, right 

At the start of eternity, become Ready for a long ride by being relaxed 

5153 - He’s here at last

The lodger’s turned up almost two months late

He’s carrying lots of bags up from the van

I was agonising, having debate 

With myself whether it’s safe to begin 

Uploading today’s video, off-putting 

Earlier, expecting a guy to ring me 

About doing a podcast and helping 

My comedy. He seemed keen but sadly 

Didn’t get in touch. Gerard puzzlingly 

Said he might move stuff in or he might wait 

Til later in the week. Uncertain then

Uploading takes two hours and it would be

In vain if he broke the connection. Write

This first, I thought. Then he came waltzing in!

5152 - The Never-Ending Supper

By God I’ve been hungry today given 

The fight against the urge to get more beer

It’s not been all that hard, I easily won

But I’ve been eating more than my fair share 

Maybe that’s not so bad if my hunger 

Has replaced my thirst for the alcohol 

Especially if I enjoy my food more 

Even if that food is nothing special 

Omelette for breakfast, had no cereal 

Bought a small bag of porridge. Not eaten 

It for a few weeks. When ill, nowhere near 

Able to eat a normal-sized bowlful 

Kept throwing half of it into the bin 

I’ll try to go back to it. No sugar...

5151- Now

This is now, not yesterday, tomorrow 

What occurs to me now is what I’ll say 

I don’t plan these things, I just write and go 

I don’t care how it looks or who will pay 

They won’t part with their money anyway 

Screw them and their idiocy, they’re not 

Important to a rational approach. Hey 

Better be true and fill your own piss pot

Just looking for rhymes to mean all but naught 

I’ve drunk my share and soon I’ll have to show 

That hard work will pay off or maybe they 

Are fooling me. But anyway, I’m caught 

In their web of deceit. But all I know 

Is I love it. The weekend’s here, okay 

5150 - Good stuff

A good day at work, actually at home 

Decided to celebrate with some beers 

And sent some music to Helen Horton 

And added comments saying have no fears

We’re great friends and there never need be tears

Listened to music on the balcony 

The autumn sun and music in my ears 

Then watched women’s football, it’s Man City 

At home to Arsenal, and victory

Went to the Blues, although goals had gone in

Before I tuned in, next up it appears 

Is Motherland, then Frankie Boyle, hee hee 

So nice to work well, then relax. All done

Apart from bedtime, dreams can be so weird!!