4714 - My good health!

I was so tired but overcame it by
Buying Kronenbourg and necking it quick
And so now I'm ready for bed if I
Can have another piss before I flick
Myself under the covers, but must stick
Where I am right now, cos Chan's back, and is
Showering, back from Spain, the hot water licks
Her fat body, hard to imagine this
Is my life, but it's funny nonetheless
I wish we could live longer, then we'd try
To learn from our mistakes. If we can lick
Old age by keeping fit, we hope for bliss
Did exercises, worked on my show, why
Not try, not trying would be lunatic...

4606 - The spy who came back to the cold

Slept late, adjusted clocks, washed clothes and put
Souvenirs around the flat. Love my new
Rugs from Morocco. Bye bye, the carpet
In the bedroom. Now there'll be red and blue
Rugs in there, African designs! I do
Love my wooden sculpted woman's face on
The living room wall. Incense holder. Two
New fridge magnets, the bigger one upon
The washing machine. I was happy when
I tried on my blue Berber-style jacket
It fits nicely and looks great! Toggles too!!
Made albums from all pictures on my phone
It really drains the battery doing that...
Chan's still in Spain. It's work tomorrow. Boo!!

4 April

4581 - New Musical Expression

A freezing day with bursts of hail and rain
Popped out only to recycle some waste
Two nights of drinking, dehydrated. Chan
Left just after lunchtime for many days
(A month) in Malaga studying ways
Of speaking Spanish. After she left I
Recorded by phone musical ideas
And sent by Messenger to Helen, prep
For when we rehearse together this next
Weekend, hopefully. My next task is plain -
Set up a website where stuff can be placed
As Edinburgh nears. Need funny pics
Could also post my musical refrains
Momentum gathers at a steady pace

4412 - Grub and pub

I'm a day late with this one - it's Friday
Again, one day ago, no time to write
Til now, and also too drunk, I might say
It was Sonia's birthday bash. Went to eat
At La Vinya Spanish place on Deansgate
Had wine there and three tapas, a good price
After that, went to The Bridge, stayed til late
Had fun with Helen, Sonia and the guys
Naming songs, singing along, was real nice
After all left, it was me and Steve K
I seemed to have no trouble with my pint
But, though as is traditional my prize
Once home, was more beer, my mouth wouldn't obey
Could only drink half a can. Return, slight

4399 - Spain in the arse

A day in which I have done little else
But listen to music, all classical
Stuff I've not heard in years, I speak not false
Looking for a change in what I hear all
The time as I walk around. It's a thrill
To learn some new tracks I can play along
To, finding stuff that is more difficult
Is the aim, keep forward momentum strong
Played uke well today, hammered every string
But Spotify tracks for a change, it feels
Fresher than playing my MP3, usual
Tracks I know so well. Now for football. Eng-
land are being outplayed by Spain, so all's
Back to normal then - we're crap at football!

4319 - Choc tactics

Still tired today when afternoon arrived
Still recovering from my holiday
When I had just one good night's sleep. Contrived
To forget my soup - still not in the groove
So bought two steak bakes, got me through the day
Along with cakes and biscuits that the team
Had brought in. I confess, forgot to buy
Anything on my holiday. It seemed
That at Toulouse Airport, not much to dream
About, choc-wise, nothing that came alive
And said 'Buy me!'. Just watched a game. Spain played
Iran, and won by a lucky goal. Deemed
Offside, Iran's equaliser. Spain lived
Dangerously, but went through anyway...

Wed 20 June

4145 - Nightmare in Bolton

First day back at work, but first, the trauma
Of driving the hired car back to Bolton
Through hail and rain and slush and ice and the
Poor visibility, wrong way taken
Found Avis in the end, having driven
In circles trying to find it. Got the train
To Salford Central. At ten past eleven
Finally walked in the office again
Ending their worries, wondering where I'd been
Two meetings, a late lunch, then left at four
Although I'd meant to stay for a late one
This evening, we tasted the food of Spain
At Evuna in the Northern Quarter
Pearl's 30th birthday meal was super yum!

4137 - Tapas fracas

This quorn mince it's lasted a whole week now
And there's still a bit left for tomorrow
Which I'll have with mushrooms. They go like wow
Together, like peaches and cream, like snow
And Santa. Talking of him, and the glow
Of Rudolf's knob, sorry, nose, and presents
I've hardly done any shopping, you know
And a handful of cards, what with recent
Oils team departures, no-one to present
Them to, at work, anyway. Was allowed
To join the Environmental Team who
Went for tapas at lunchtime. Excellent
Fish, beans and patatas bravas, washed down
With red wine. Memories of Spanish trips flow

4098 - Highlighters of the day

A fun day hanging with Jo, Manchester
Saw lots of street performers - King No-One
And the old reggae guy was also there
At last, Café Istanbul! Sampled some
Of its culinary delights. Some yum
Soup, and lamb, and some nice rocket lettuce
The Christmas markets, they have now begun
They were crowded, guarded by armed police
With machine guns, like Spain, just like somewhere
With real problems. And the Arndale Centre
Was so busy! Festivity has stirred
Commerciality... Well, it takes the piss
Even bought fudge from a stall - great flavour
And me and Jo bought yellow highlighters!

Sat 11 Nov

4055 - Rumble in the jungle

What's new in the news? Catalonia
Holding an independence referendum
On Sunday, Spain's police hysteria
Trying to stop it happening to them
Meanwhile a volcano's starting to hum
And hiss on Bali, residents beware
The monkeys and snakes have gone on the run
They feel the rumblings and they're getting scared
Humans, take note and move on out of there
In Yosemite Park, California
Could there be an earthquake about to come
The mountains are shedding their stone and the
Climbers are at risk. In Estonia
About Brexit, Theresa must keep schtum

4013 - Ramblas shocker

The big shock of the day, while ironing
Was seeing news about Barcelona
Only a few days ago, was walking
With Jo along Las Ramblas with no care
And now I see people have been killed there
Reports varied about how many, but
It reached 13. It must have been a scare
And a half for the thousands who were caught
In the panic, on the floor, feeling hot
Crushed against others, trapped, and panicking
Mothers without their children, unknown where-
abouts, the police hunting, atmosphere fraught
With tension. Although I'm always missing
Spain, I'm glad I'm home, away from the fear

Thur 17 August

4004 - Safely back from Barcelona

Phew! Despite all the tension and worry
Me and Jo are safe and sound back home. What
Was the cause of this partic'lar worry?
Well, firstly, reg'lar strikes at the airport
Which, out of interest, is known as El Prat
Then the news broke that a regional group
Called Arran, had started to protest at
The tourists in Catalonia. Saw daubed
Graffiti in Parc Guell, and heard they'd popped
The tyres of a tourist bus. Home journey
Fraught with other issues, like our passports
Being put in the hold with my bag. We coped
However, slept OK, and caught taxi
From hotel to train, dropped Jo off. Byeee!! xxx

4000 - Barcelona Day 2

A hot and sweaty, but a great first day
With Jo in Barcelona, North-East Spain
We had no breakfast here, as it costs a
Whopping 25 euros each - insane!
Shuttle bus into town, so hot, the strain
Of sweating on the Metro, midsummer
During a heatwave! Tasty lunch, then main
Tourist drag, Las Ramblas, the entire
Length, to Colom Column, then rode on the
Metro to Sagrada Familia, way
More complete than last time I saw it. When?
September '82! Rain, Manchester
According to Facebook video. Hey -
This hotel has automatic curtains!!

Fri 4 August

4003 - Barcelona Day 5

The final day went well - a few mishaps
But nothing serious, so cannot complain
Last day in Barcelona, a few laps
Of the grid street pattern, causing slight strain
To soles of feet and patience. All the same
We did Ramblas and the Diagonal
Then rested for an hour or more, half lame
I thought, dammit, my quest I must fulfil
To see Casas Batllo and Mila - well
I managed it, and it was great for shops
The Passeig de Gracia is one of Spain's
Top streets, and Jo found a Puma bag well
To her liking, spent her euros, so claps
All round. Now in Premier Inn, Scousepool, man!

Mon 7 August

4002 - Barcelona Day 4

A touch breezier today, but still it's hot
We had pondered walking the shopping streets
But I pointed out, Sunday shops are shut
So instead we should spend time at the beach
But first we went to the Spanish Village
And I had octopus / omelette tapas
The Metro's so hot, its sauna-like heat
Makes you sweat waiting for the train. We passed
The Maritime Museum, had a blast
At the Titanic exhibition - what
A treat, a great model of that great ship
Then a lovely walk by the sea - at last
The beach and port!!! Fun evening with Jo at
The hotel. Tomorrow - last day of treats!!

Sun 6 August

4001 - Barcelona Day 3

Another hot and sweaty day we spent
In Barcelona - the worst's the Metro
When you go down there, it's like hell - intense
Heat, sweat from every pore, just want to go
Barcelona FC, Nou Camp, I know
Few have been there, so we feel privileged
The Facebook crowd liked all those great photos
The comments and likes came without stoppage
After that, and a meal, it was Montjuich
The hill with palaces, sports stadiums, spent
A while in the hot sun, feeling its glow
At least I've not felt the mosquito's itch
We got the shuttle back, and my intent
Was to drink the hotel wine - woh woh woh!

Sat 5 August

3999 - Barcelona Day 1

A relaxing morning at home, TV
And coffee, mainly packed my bags last night
The big question - would I get soaked on the
Exposed walk to Piccadilly? Got quite
Damp, but avoided nasty downpours. Flight
From Liverpool to Barcelona was
Our intent, and we made Lennon Airport
In good time, and the flight was a success
Arriving 15 minutes early - yes!!
Walked around the airport trying to see
An info booth or the Metro. Tickets
Bought, lasting four days, fifty-five euros
For both of us. Metro and then taxi
Got to hotel, seventeenth floor - what height!

Thur 3 August

3998 - Barca farce

Excited about tomorrow's trip to
Barcelona for five days with lil Jo
She's fallen out with her mum. Hmm, I do
Remember a similar scenario
With Tania in '04. She wouldn't go
To Newquay, had to go on my own, just
Because of her arguing about no
More important thing than my driving. Most
Likely she gets tense about it all, past
Traumas revived, maybe. I hope those two
Make it up tonight before bedtime. So
Little time in the morning. My defrost
Of the fridge is done, packing bag done too
I'll see her about 2pm, Wilmslow

3997 - Fun to be a punter junta

Time's counting down til Barcelona now
Penultimate day in the office and
Completed lots of stuff in effort to
Clear the decks. Afterwards, wrote some new fun
Material, but no delivery. Stand-
Up preview by Tony Burgess. Impressed
Only four in the room to watch, could end
In embarrassed boredom, but was the best
Edinburgh preview I've seen, a blast
A comedy and drama mix, a wow
Had three pints in the King's Arms. I had planned
To do a set but Dave thought, let it rest
That's OK, I've written new stuff, allows
Me to do it some other time, dear friend

3996 - Bed of poses

Broken night's sleep, but got through a long day
At work, before heading off to acting
Last class until after my holiday
In September, a trip that's now looming
Although Barcelona's first. It's starting
On Thursday. Meanwhile, tomorrow night, it's
Comedy, but don't think I'm performing
At least not for long, as there may be acts
Doing extended festival-type sets
I'm tired so about to go to bed. May
Use the time before I doze off thinking
Of some ideas. Had no time to perfect
An act this time. Acting trumped comedy
On this occasion, don't mind admitting!