5332 - Close but have a cigar

That was a close call in the England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 match 

Late winner from Maguire against Poland 🇵🇱 

Saved our English bacon 🥓, won by a scratch 

Stones made a bad boo-boo in defence, and

We nearly lost two points - that wasn’t planned 

But unlike with former internationals

This lot fought hard and seeing that ball go plant 

Itself in the Polish net, those ripples

In the netting before final whistles

Blew, such a relief!  Poland weren’t a patch

On England in the first half. The second

Half was different and I watched their struggles 

Increasingly pessimistic I watched 

But in the final five minutes - England!!!!

5331 - Fish and chips

The first fish and chips I’ve had in ages

After sitting in the sun with some beer 

On the first warm sunny day since last year’s 

Late autumn sunshine. Spring is really here!

All this after a day’s work. Seasons cheer

Us up, especially at this time. I’m drunk

And since then have had fish and chips- d’you hear?

I added gravy, and its taste’s still sunk

All around my mouth. I’ve been like a monk

Behaved myself but got plastered on this 

Nice day. So much fun I can hardly bear 

Got Jaffa Cakes yet to get my teeth sunk

Into, and so I must go, goodnight, cheers 

Into the void now I must disappear...

5330 - Hot and cold star

Just played guitar like crazy, then realised 

It had gone 10pm, and thought, oh shit!

Time flies like an insect, yes how it flies

I’m tired this evening but so hard to quit

When you’re blasting the hell out of each hit

Not got no main course in the fridge tonight 

But that’s ok - there’s a big bag of crisps 

And even Jaffa cakes, so I just might 

Make it without starving - should be alright!

And tomorrow my new keyboard arrives

And folding chairs and tables too. Could sit

On the balcony in comfort these nights 

When the sun shines bright in the April skies

It all sounds so exciting doesn’t it?

5329 - Rainy Sunday

It rained, but not on me when I walked out

Think I’m tired from yesterday’s walkathon!

So usual route to the Quays. And I put

On some classical music thru my phones

It’s complexity stimulates my brains 🧠 

Which will improve guitar playing, I trust!

Wanna go online shopping after these 

Lines are completed, keyboards are a must!

Musical keyboards, not computer - just 

So that’s clear. If I’m in my bedroom, that

Will also need a folding table and

Chair, and balcony chairs. Stools do hurt butts!

Shall I watch Line of Duty? I am shut

In my room, to give Gerard space. Ho hum

5328 - Not as bad

Better today, got off to a good start

Checking mortgage stuff on phone to the bank 

Reply to Hannah on Facebook about 

My wedding invitation, both to thank 

And say Josephine messaged me but thinks

She might be unable cos starts Uni 

Round that time so she won’t be home near Manc 

Could be in Wales or home of the Geordie 

Then walked for over 20k, City

Of Salford, til my feet’s falling apart

Salford Shopping City, Irwell riverbank

Peel Park to Cromwell Road bridge, there I see 

The walk continues, Kersal Dale, feet hurt

Broughton, Charlestown, The Meadow by Uni...

5327-Fed up

Can I be a dickhead too, seeing as 

Everyone else is? I’m fed up being nice

Don’t give me your bullshit, I’m fine as is

Just thought maybe that you were worth the price 

Of my efforts, but I know I’m not wise

So goodbye, fare thee well, and leave me out 

Let’s be singletons, friendless, play games, why’s 

It my job to sort it out? All about 

Is evidence that you aren’t worth effort 

You know you’re not, so why is it my biz?

I’m self-sufficient, I’ve got memories 

Not prepared to undergo your bullshit

Live your shit life then, you want it to last

I’m not ecstatic but ok. Goodbyes!

5326 - Blazing row

It’s happened, it’s been coming for a while 

Me and Gerard have had quite a big row

Life with him is turning into a trial 

And we have exchanged some real harsh words now 

He tried to act unaffected somehow 

But he’s since gone out, could it be to buy

Some booze or fags? Not booze don’t think - a brew

Is being made, and food, but if so, why

Did he go out at 10pm? Well I 

Don’t know. Arguing’s not my preferred style 

But whoever it is, I won’t allow 

Rudeness he’s been guilty of recently 

And occasionally previously too. I’ll 

Not shrink from conflict not ever, no- how!

5325 - Greetings, it’s my meeting!

Was so tired yesterday I turned to drink

Well, today was worse. Woke at half past three

In the morning. I had a big meeting 

I was hosting coming up today, me

Hosting, but this wasn’t causing worry

At all. Sometimes the drink can disturb your 

Sleep pattern, other times it seems to be

Pretty effective, but this time it’s poor

Anyway, the meeting was popular 

And they liked my funny style of hosting 

Did no harm to my popularity 

More meetings after, then managed a snore

Or two on the sofa, much reviving 

Spirits. Guitar next, inevitably!

Wed 24 March

5324 - The tired excuse

I woke maybe about 6, possibly 

Woken by Gerard coming and going 

To and from the bathroom, and this left me

By the end of the working day struggling 

To think how I would get through the evening 

This was used as a reason to get beer

The only way out, that was my thinking 

The tired excuse is a good one, that’s clear 

I’ve used it before and will do from here

On, no doubt. That’s more or less it, really 

Listened to a prog playlist, shivering 

After a while, continuing to shiver

Even when inside. Feels like I may be

Catching a virus, a cold or something 

Tue 23 March 

5323 - Not a good start

Not a good start to the week I’m afraid 

Workwise didn’t do all I meant to do

That’s not unusual, but at least I made

Some progress with all my emails, thank you 

Exercises at lunchtime, walking to

Salford Quays after work, keep my weight down 

I can’t last much longer with my left shoe

The heel’s worn away, hard to walk around 

Comfortably with one of your heels ground

Down and your bare foot is touching the ground

Fish fingers for tea, and with them I had

Spinach, mushrooms, chick peas - fairly full now

My next task, find a film, and when it’s found 

I’ll watch it til the end unless it’s bad

And I decide the end’s not worth the view

5322 - Whatever happened to football?

Football - casualty of the pandemic 

I’m going to watch a live match today though 

It’s the FA Cup, yes, that historic

Competition (they always tell you so)

Leicester v Man U. It’s likely that Jo

Will be watching. Might message her. Not been 

In contact for a few days, not with no 

Body outside of work, or posts for seeing 

On social media, that rabid machine 

Sometimes I just want to relax, not stick

My head into that display of ego

By bores, like those who used to be so keen 

To comment on The Guardian or Beeb. Thick

Or pseudo-intellectual - so so-so!!

5321 - Downward film trend

I’ve started watching films that aren’t all good 

Got to reverse this. Recommendations 

Partly to blame. Sometimes these films are crud 

Especially horror. It’s aggravating 

Take today - two crap films testing patience 

If this is horror, where’s the scariness?

Finished with Trafficked, sex trade indecent 

A few more cans, but I feel less and less 

Even if I’ve waited a week to mess

Myself up at the weekend, lately could

Have just not bothered. Weekends - a licence 

To get wasted, work’s suspended, yet this

Hasn’t satisfied me lately. I should 

Search for something that engages passions

Sat 20 March 

5320 - Too dehydrated to get drunk

Yes I’m too dehydrated to get drunk 🥴 

I was stressed yesterday so I drank then

So though it’s Friday I’ll not drink, I thunk 

Instead I went for a walk, saw the scene 

In Manchester town centre, fewer men

Women and children than normal. Friday 

Early evening used to be eye-openin’

For the sheer number of drunks in doorways

Tottering in heels and short skirts, on their way

To collapsing, maybe blubbering, these women 

While the men might fight and fall with a thump

Might end up in the nick or A&I. Hey -

It’s the traditional way. They were no monks 

But for now bars are shut and they’ve hidden

5319 - Sibelius

A 5 hour Spotify playlist, Sibelius 

I’m two thirds through it, each piece sounding great 

Symphony number 4, first part, that is

Playing now on my phones, it’s on my plate 

So to speak. Back in the 90s a mate

Sent me a tape of some of it. It’s not 

Forgotten. Classical music can grate

Or can, if heard while driving, be drowned out

That’s a shame because it’s subtle and fraught 

With quiet bits, so it demands the utmost 

Attention. It’s getting it now. I’m sat

On the sofa, beer at hand, trying to get 

What I should’ve got back in the 90s

Just needs to be loud and uninterrrupted 

5318 - Mank in Manchester

Yes I’m watching Mank here in Manchester 

I’m not a Manc myself, from the Midlands 

I am, although for decades I’ve lived here 

So long sands of time became time of sands

And I’ve been energetic today and

I’ve worked hard, walked far, played guitar hard too

This film’s over two hours long, but in hand 

I now have Shakespeare’s sonnets here to view 

If I’m still energetic after two 

Hours of viewing Mank. Two books delivered 

Today - Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Planned

More poetry after the sonnets are through 

And then it’s Neville Shute, three stories there

In one volume. Now do you understand?

5317 - Lovely Day

It’s a lovely day, sunny, temperate

After work, a nice walk, accompanied 

By music from my headphones. Final part

Of Mahler’s Second, then I continued 

The classical style, Sibelius, indeed 

Sounding better than expected, as well

Maybe because you need headphones to heed

That kind of music when outside, with all

The background noises, and it sounded real 

Dramatic, somehow. CDs just are not

The same, especially classical. Sounds dead

Somehow, too cold and quiet. Classical 

Needs to be thrilling, and the quiet parts heard

Not drowned out. Look forward to more, indeed!

5316 - Sunny Monday

Cold weekend, gloomy but Monday’s sunny 

Exercised on the mat this lunchtime- great!

Finished work quite late, at six, time for me 

To eat, then strap on the guitar - but wait!

What should I play? An internal debate 

Then played some of Spotify‘s suggestions 

As ever, stepped up to the guitar plate

And boogied on down. Made muddy patterns 

On the floor, I was dancing to the tunes

I was playing - how’s that for quality?

When I play now I can’t help move my feet!

The way I play causes all twists and turns 

Just how it should be. Good music, you see

It can create an effervescent state!

Mon 15 March 

5315 - Seen

I’ve seen Chelsea Girls and now Amelie

I’d seen the second one first, years ago 

And now, Lost in Paris is cued for me 

As suggested by Amazon, they’re so 

Thoughtful! Quite pleased with today. Don’t you know 

It’s been better than yesterday, I’ve done 

More with my weekend. Walked the place I go

I even ordered books on Amazon 

Changed a password, mopped the floor- it’s been fun!

Watched those two iconic films, read forty

Pages of Deronda, near the end now

Cooked Pearl’s recipe, spinach in a pan 

With garlic, nutmeg, ricotta and the

Addition of parmesan. Tasted wow!

5314 - Weekend wasteland

Got well wasted last night but felt all right 

In the morning, nice walk though noticeably 

Fewer people out than normal, not quite 

Sure why that was. The weather, probably 

Although it was ok, a bit cloudy 

Back home I ate half a quiche, then I played 

Guitar while starting more beer. Well, it’s Saturday 

After all. Then two films followed. I made

Ok choices, not classics. ‘Us’ displayed 

Doppelgängers from below come to fight 

And murder those above ground cruelly 

As they’d lived sad lives underground and they 

Wanted what ‘we’ had. Then a war film. Site

Was Mauthausen, about photography 

Sat 13 March 

5313 - TV diet

Nice day at work, but still working from home

Because it is a Friday it feels good 

Lubricated by thoughts of beer to come 

Helen seemed distant so i knew I would 

Not have her to chat or message. My mood

Dipped a little, but listened to music 

On the balcony for a while, my food 

Of the soul, patterns of delight, logic

Becoming beauty, pleasures of instinct 

Films followed, first The Girl Next Door, then some

Birthday Girl nonsense, then it’s Eight-Legged

Freaks, then Graham Norton, Fern Brady kicks

Back in comedy, then Mum’s List, a glum

Cancer-based drama, English neighbourhood 

Fri 12 March 

5312 - A much better day

Slept well, got up quite late but not too late 

No Piers Morgan to liven up mornings 

So started work without much of a wait

And began reading emails and such things 

Unlike tense Monday, Tuesday’s tirings 

Today I felt better and stronger too

The post-jab tiredness gone, a brisk walk brings 

Positivity at lunchtime. Can do

Things like that today, unlike days when you 

Don’t have time for lunch breaks. Anticipate 

My mum’s excitement when the postman flings

My Mother’s Day card on her mat. Renewed 

My home insurance after work. How great 

 That I spent that time giving them a ring !

5311 - Brain Damage

About to watch Brain Damage having just 

Watched Tetsuo (Iron Man) which wasn’t great 

Apart from its shortness - that was a plus!

Brain Damage, albeit temporary, won’t wait 

I’ve got it in spades along with slow gait

At the moment, post-jab, a vegetable 

But Gerard’s getting more and that’s my fate

Tomorrow I won’t be too capable 

Like today if it happens. Terrible 

But also irresistible. I must

Say this horror film should be up my straight

And narrow path, should be enjoyable 

From the last scene all the way to the first

It’s not black and white, that makes me irate!

5310 - Mars bores

I watched the end of Perrin (missed the start)

Began a documentary about Mars

Gerard was there and he wasn’t about 

To sit through it, but on YouTube there was

Something more to his taste, but no applause 

It was a talkative geologist 

Talking about The Flood but not Noah’s

Alone. It was caused by melting ice sheets 

Huge ones in America - Atlantis

Was of course submerged - the UK was part

Of continental Europe, sea just pours

Everywhere and now it’s an island, sits

Off the mainland. Civilisations cut

From memory except for ancient stories 

Tue 9 Feb

5309 - Monday night excitement

Yes, Mondays can be exciting round here 

A hard day at work, even quite stressful 

But contrast with the evening, sitting here

Watching Shrooms, then the interview that all

The talk’s about, and the airwaves are full

The comment columns they’re all full of drole

Observations. Sadly the fallout caught 

Piers Morgan, who on live TV just walked 

Out of the studio while everyone gawped

It’s good really because when he appeared 

I used to watch and work’s delayed until 

He had finished that day’s bullying sport 

Not funny if you’re a victim. But here

I’m giving away tomorrow’s news! Fool!!

Mon 8 Feb

5308 - Side effects

I told Helen to get the jab because 

There were no side effects, and I meant it

But then went for a walk and found I was

Quite tired compared to normal. Couldn’t get

Up to normal speed, energy limit 

Slowing me down, even slight staggering 

But it’s Sunday at least, no work to fit

In, nothing that urgently needs doing 

So two sessions of Deronda reading 

And YouTube educational videos 

City losing at home to United 

Liverpool lost at home, they’re collapsing 

Losing their top four place, a fall from grace 

Forgot to buy spinach- but time to eat!

5307 - Jabber and jabbee

Jab 1 day, jab 2 day still weeks away 

Twelve weeks, I think, before my vaccine card

Can act as a passport. But a big day 

Inoculation, the worst illness barred

By the hand of a nurse. We shared a word

Lots of words as she saw my arm tattoos 

Looking for a spot there, my arm covered 

With souvenir images to discuss 

Wales, Derby, Athens, Croatia, Paris 

It was inspiring, I was moved to say

These efforts to protect us all forward 

Over the next year until the virus 

Mutates significantly, but hope they 

Can mutate the vaccine 💉, maintain our guard 

Sat 6 March

5306 - Fried egg day

Friday is fried egg day possibly but

This time I didn’t have one I recall 

I’d sat on the balcony through habit 

The end of the working week after all

But though pleasant the Arctic wind it bit

So I kept the heat on to warm up when 

I came back inside for a wee (no shit)

Nonetheless I was out there ages in

My coat and jumper almost shivering 🥶 

But listened to some music, had my fill

Classical, Lou Reed (Blue Mask) guitar thrill

Then watched music documentaries upon

Netflix - Biggie, followed by the Grateful 

Dead, and then The Jam, live to end the night

Fri 5 March

5305 - Busy busy TB

Busy day busy week busy busy 

But tomorrow’s Friday time to relax

Already excited at what’s to be

Just a shame this weekend’s colder than last 

According to the damn weather forecast 

Finished an intense day just about 4

Then went for a brisk walk and did it fast 

To Aldi weekend shopping saving more 

With cheap prices but forgot to buy beer 

Never mind I’ll do it tomorrow free

From about 3 hopefully. Next guitar 

As soon is this is written then TV

Enjoy my job these days it’s just a blast 💥 

5304 - I Care A Lot

I care a lot. Or do I? I don’t know 

And I don’t care whether I know or not!

Got up early and my mind has been slow 

Hope I’ve more energy than I have got 

When tomorrow comes when today has shut

Even so, went for a walk. A different 

Route, almost into town, the office route 

Some big flats and offices there that weren’t 

There not so long ago. Some builders went

In and out of them as I passed. A new

Sainsbury’s opposite Ralli Quays, nice spot

For shopping when I’m back, not permanent 

I hope, three days a week I’ll have to go

And two days I’ll still work at home, that’s what!

5303 - High energy

Had high energy today, worked quite hard 

But well prepared for the rest of the week 

Didn’t finish til after 5, but had

Made up my mind I’d go for a brisk walk

Before it was too late, completely dark 

Enjoyed the sunset and the dusk, and met 

A comedian friend at the Quays and talk 

Lasted a good few minutes. Post sunset 

I put an end to it or wouldn’t get

Much more light to walk in. Porridge was bought 

First time for a while. Things have more mystique 

If you don’t have them constantly. I ate

The last Holland’s pie, with beans by its side

Guitar, Reggie Perrin, a film now that’s unique 

5302 - Springing into action

Spring has sprung, so let’s spring into action 

Spring is fun after winter’s cold darkness 

So tired after last night’s intermission 

Of sleep due to noise below. But success

catching forty winks on the sofa yes

That really can revive your energy 

Just 20 minutes of unconsciousness 

And I was fine, went shopping after tea

Watched Land And Freedom- incivility 

In Spain in the 30s. Next I’ve got on

It Happened Here, imagines the Nazis

Conquered Britain back in 1940

What did they do with Churchill? Did he run?

Or did he really fight in the beaches?