4995 - Waterloo after sunset

Tonight I'm watching a film, Waterloo
Starring Rod Steiger as Napoleon
After three or four nights when sleep took too
Few hours, too tired to do much once again
Played devilish good uke though, glam rock once reigned
And returned to the throne here in my flat
Last night, couldn't sleep, got up, buried in
My excellent Stephen King book. I sat
On the sofa, half-dressed in the cold, but
Was engrossed in my reading, and when through
After reaching a good place for stopping
Was still wide awake, but the lack of heat
And the disappearing night forced me to
Try to sleep a while, until work began

4977 - I know my John Bunyans

Much more relaxed, though still no time to waste
Wrote song lyrics for a musical sketch
It wasn't hot enough to have sunbathed
Fifth exercise session this week - I stretched
And pulled my muscles taut. Ate. Then I fetched
The next Bony Tony t-shirt - it's pink
I knew then the Punk Panther would well match
My pink shirt and hair, and it matched a punk
Version of the Pink Panther tune, I thunk…
But had less than an hour til the quiz. Haste
Was then required. Listened a few times, checked
The chords to play on the uke, a quick plink
Then launched into it, in the best of taste
Then won the lit quiz, as they all expect...

4971 - Mexico Ditty

A pleasant day, got most of my tasks done
Exercised, recycled, cleared out old files
And put main ones I use in desk drawer in
The living room. Rang Mum and Josie, smiles
Created, I hope! Watched a 60's style
Dean Martin film, fun, fighting, sexy girls
Then deleted almost all my emails
Though kept a few faves, e.g. my travels
Or interesting links, or other marvels
But the highlight - filming my Mexican
Song medley at last. Been waiting a while!
Big hat put away, shaved off my stubbles
Doing subtitles when this sonnet's written
A fun weekend, with things achieved in piles!

4970 - The new Mr Clean

A day dominated by flat-cleaning
I was about to do exercises
Then began clearing out and tidying
The room, which was full of rubbish, old shoes
Coats and caps I never wear, and won't miss
Were tossed out like the rubbish that they are
And other things were moved out. Now there's space
In there. Even the wardrobe's much better
Inside. After a late lunch, began the
Task of tidying the tings in the living-
Room store cupboard, containing suitcases
Underneath which was chaos, disorder
Now all neat, and mould treated, all looking
Great, and in there were my cables for guitars

4966 - If music be the food of rejection...

Felt a bit better after bleary start
Finished by five, hopeful of an easy
Video tonight, no words to make it hard
Few subtitles to type, so there was me
Eating, thinking all optimistically
Just play some loneliness tunes, was the plan
Anticipate jazz methodology
Just do it, no boring rehearsal, plain
I didn't need it, confident my brain
And fingers would play the medley, and what
A surprise to viewers those skills would be!
Chose clothes, lamplight, ornate backdrop, yes, and
Not til 8:30 had I built my set
But can't post it, because I played badly

4935 - This is the new sheet

Where's Storm Jorge? I thought it would pour down
I think it did last night, but today it's
Been cold and sunny, suitable for goin'
Out for a walk, no rain, not even spits
Popped to the shops, got new holiday bits
And bobs as Prague draws near, some underwear
I needed that - and some good new t-shirts
Also new bedsheets, though those are for here!
Might throw the old one out, the wear and tear
Has made it feel bobbly, can't move around
My feet and legs without slight discomforts
It needs to be super-smooth lying there
Rolling around, enough to bring on spurts
Here come the clouds, darkness sudden, profound

4903 - My room's not a balloon

So glad I found time last night to work on
My set, it's tomorrow night, yes, that soon
Although sleep-deprived and hard-worked, I've done
More on it since getting in, searched my room
And various boxes for props and costume
I'll get up early, finish work early
Then home to change, think I'll wear the maroon
T-shirt for the Middlesbrough gig. Must be
At Dane Road tram station by 5 in the
Afternoon, so Barbie can get us gone
Up the road, and not too far from the Toon
Got Thursday off as leave, yes thankfully
So enough sleep tonight's wish number one
No sneaking in my room to pop a balloon!

4886 - Gimme Refuge

Nice lie-in, relieved, cos I woke at six
Then went to the loo and dozed off again
Felt a bit sickly, overdid the drinks
Slightly last night, thought there might be some gain
In getting rehydration powder, then
Felt better. now at long last it was time
To meet Helen in town for a session
She looked great, sexily dressed, so sublime
Went to The Refuge, some of her crew came
Too to see a DJ they knew, who mixed
The vinyl as we all chatted as friends
Finally, she had two burgers, hunger games
I hope soon our creative muscles flex
Saw her off on the bus - bye bye Helen!

4880 - East was east

Wrote the second Saturday Sprite Fever
Sketch. I'll film them one night when Harry's out
Went out tonight, played new song, Anozzer
Brick In Ze Vall, wearing my army hat
A Soviet hat, but I was playing the part
Of an East German military man
Singing about the Berlin Wall and that
It must be built to keep restless kids in
Jamie Heath videoed it, and when I've seen
It, I'll decide if it's good and whether
To put it on YouTube, though I forgot
To do my planned intro gag, but thinkin'
I could write it under the title where
Viewers could see it and smile like a trout

4874 - No alarms

Went to work, did some things but I struggled
To concentrate. It was fairly useful
As a memory jogger, attempt to meld
Together my broken brain after full
Days and evenings of drinking and slow fall
Into stupor. I got some momentum
But left early, walking to the Arndale
Managed to get a refund for that bum
Bedside alarm clock. Argos will have one
That's better, I'm sure. My new boots niggled
And I'll get blisters soon, so I've now pulled
Out some plasters from the kitchen. Good strum
On the uke, exercised, forgot it'll
Be a party at Tom's tomorrow. Cool.

4873 - Ashton fashions

Got up slightly drunk after last night's binge
Of almost ten Guinnesses while I soaked
Up the Disgraceland stories, hearing strange
Tales of excess and death from rock stars coked
Up and more, doing stuff as careers choked
Like Brian Jones in his pool, stoned and drowned
Rock or soul stars, shot, who could not be woke
Most bought their drugs with dollar, some with pound
But today, took a break from Disgraceland
And had a day out in the car which ranged
From Uppermill to Ashton as we Merc'd
Along. I bought new boots, waiting around
For Pearl and Jo finally to re-emerge
From Ashton's arcade, we talked, laughed and joked

4860 - Nothing stirred, except a mouse

Day off, new boiler installed, main event
What a relief after a week, freezing
No more, whacked it on when convenient
And did my laundry washing, floor cleaning
My exercises and my recycling
Popped to the shop, then haircut, shave, shower
Then enjoyed myself ukulele-ing
As my clothes dried on the radiator
Popped out for Secret Santa stuff later
Harry came home, stays hidden and silent
If he don't want to know, no explaining
From me how it works, bored now with his mere
Mouse-like hiding, it's a disappointment
Fine mate, I'll forget you're there, do my thing

4858 - Cold cold Christmas

A boring day at home, and cold throughout
The boiler's dead and I sat in my coat
I was recovering from my drinking bout
So took it easy, played uke note for note
Along with some Spotify tunes by rote
In the evening, forgot my shivers by
A fun spell on Facebook, though still not put
My songs on from a week ago, so I
May do that on Monday, when at last my
New boiler is installed, when I will shout
For joy, whack the heat on, remove my coat
Looking forward to the heat, I won't lie!
Meanwhile, was so engrossed in online chat
Match of the Day was completely forgot!

Sat 14 Dec

4855 - Off the boil

Less work done today, but lots of vital
Other stuff. Firstly, I emailed Helen
Arranged another meet just before Yule
That meant I knew better than before when
I should hire a car from Avis, Bolton
And it's Christmas Eve, though a working day
I'll collect it late morning, drive it home, then
Go to work. Not many in anyway
Jo will be pleased, she likes those drives away
Around Christmas. It's easier to see Pearl
And Louis too when I'm driving. I went
To the T-shirt shop, Oldham Street, to buy
More, same design, new colours. Boiler hell
It won't ignite, got plumber appointment

4833 - Let the right one in

Just watched the Johnson-Corbyn live debate
It was a draw, I'd say. may not affect
Anyone's votes, not yet at any rate
Maybe if gaffes happen later, they'll wreck
Their chances, but if they keep tongues in check
Avoid offence, and stick to policies
They stand a chance of having their box ticked
Now I'm watching jungle celebrities
But not closely, for those creepy crawlies
Are off-putting, of that there's NO debate
And not only them, also the insects!
Got responses this evening for flat. Please
Let me get someone in, it's getting late
I need cash in the pocket of my kecks!

4793 - Lie-in of Judah

Again, awake part of the night and I
Finally woke up, checked the time, it was
Just before nine, so I leapt out for my
Wash and breakfast. Could not immediately dress
So headed for the kitchen wearing less
Than I should, then Chan appeared to collect
Her clothes from the machine. Not quite shameless -
I did have a shirt and pants on! Cold sucked
My energy levels, haven't yet kicked
The virus into touch, runny nose high
Point, the source of waterfalls of mucus
Nostrils getting tender. So what is next?
Upload some videos of my comedy
Soon I'll need to decide next year's ideas!

4777 - Doctor in the park

Been filming in the park with Barbie and
AJ, the rain just holding off enough
And not deluging us as it threatened
To allow us to do our comedy stuff
They were all my ideas, should raise a laugh
When I post them over the next few weeks
We went to Buile Hill Park, Salford, a tough
Area but some nice houses too. The leaks
From the clouds earlier made the grass wet, streaks
Of mud here and there, and I rolled around
In it in my white doctor's coat. I love
My new character, Dirty Doctor, seeks
Employment at your gig, he has laughs planned
Phone storage full now, got to take pix off

4775 - Filming in the rain

Very tired, worked hard this week, Friday night
For me tonight won't be much fun but still
It's nice to have a flat empty and quiet
Nothing that needs doing, nothing that will
Not wait, and there's not much more time to kill
Til bedtime, hopefully waking refreshed
Working on comedy ideas until
The afternoon, then I'll expose my flesh
To the sun's rays, if warm enough. We're blessed
With a sunny Saturday. Sunday might
Not be as nice, but that's not too evil
If we get to film in rain when we're dressed
In office clothes in a field, some strange sight
Like that would be funny, make people smile!

4758 - Find me find me find me

Gone colder - I'm now actually sitting here
With a jumper on, first time for a while
And Josephine's back to school, September
The fourth (tomorrow), or college it's styled?
I've messaged her to ask, adding a smile
From an emoji, but it's really me!
After this, the next thing that I think I'll
Do is 'surf the net' (old phraseology?)
Research the best ways and places for me
To find partners. I need them, it is clear
Even if I think I don't, why not trial
It until someone good turns up, maybe
On the net, or maybe at events where
Like-minded women go that extra mile

4718 - Tone loves the sun

Felt more energetic today, felt good
At lunchtime, bought more hairspray and a watch
To time my act. In my shorts, felt I would
Be able to fit in an hour and catch
More sun, which I did, tan topped up a touch
Looks good as I sit here now typing this
In the humid evening, though rain's a much
Closer prospect than it would seem unless
You'd seen the forecast. Now need to rehearse
The show, having strummed tunes on uke. I did
Exercises in the heat. I'll be such
A busy boy soon, but must shun excess
Try real hard to stay fit, eat well, fresh food
Through August, get my sleep, and just relax...