4951 - Should've been in Prague Day 5

Yes, even today, should've been in Prague
Although the flight was early-ish, it's true
And we'd have been back in Manchester, back
By lunchtime, but we left on Friday, flew
Back after just one night, robbed of a new
And fabulous time, irreplaceable
Memories and excitement. Can't even do
Anything here now either, once the full
Lockdown begins in a week, probable
The day's leave spent busily, but the rug
Pulled at 5pm on the TV news
All social activity has to fall
By the wayside, the virus in its rage
Is shutting us all down just like wars do

4948 - Prague Day 2

Didn't get much sleep, neither did Helen
The flat was warm, kept throwing bedclothes off
Before long, Helen was checking her phone
The news was bad, borders were closing off
And Monday's flight home's prospects looking rough
I rang easyJet, they couldn't help us
Said we could switch flights for free, but too tough
To do that in such a rush. Hel had sussed
We had to get flights booked, paid in a rush
Before all seats were sold, and us marooned
She chose Luton, booked hotel rooms. Enough?
No - she even booked train back north. Goodness!
What a star! Let's hope we can get refunds
But at least we're not stranded and cut off

Fri 13 March

4947 - Prague Day 1

Day one of the Prague trip, In Manchester
I popped to the art shop for my drawing
Stuff, then met Helen for a coffee, the
Usual place. The plane was full of shouting
Lads, probably a stag do. Taxi charging
Too much. Pavel, Air BnB host, said
All restaurants were suddenly now closing
At 8, and no more flights to Czech, so I'd
Thought we'd got lucky, but may have misled
Myself. Czech's closing its borders sooner
Than we expected or were predicting...
Our late night in that bar, we drank and fed
It was the last late night there in Czechia
It shuts down at 8 from now on. Shocking!

Thur 12 March

4927 - Lisbon Day 4

Another good night's rest in the hotel
Woke Jo withj music once again - The Ruts
Then searched Spotify for new tunes as well
Compiling a new playlist - Hate Their Guts! -
I've actually called it People, adding cuts
About what little shits people can be
They try to use us like we are puppets
An unreasonable thing to you and me
The rest of the day has been a journey
From Anjos to the airport, arrived well
On time, and while waiting, ate late breakfast
Flew to Munich, stuck in the airport three
And a half hours, so I'm drinking dunkel
Beer, might be merry by time of the flights!

Fri 21 February

4924 - Lisbon Day 1

No sleep at all. Watched Gone Girl on sofa
Then tried to sleep there, fully-clothed, waiting
For the taxi to the airport. Here's there
Early, I thought, at five to four, hearing
His email in my inbox. Josephine
Was ready when we called at 4:30
And got the plane after some breakfast in
Balzar Café, Manc Airport's top café
Changed at Munich, and left it dangerously
Late boarding our Lisbon plane, catching a
TRAIN to Gate K - that was rather shocking!
Found hotel, Turim Luxe, eventually
Then caught metro to seafront. The cold air
Was hard to bear, so hotel - we're coming!

Tue 18 Feb

4923 - Relax, don't do it...

So tired, not enough sleep, but sanity
Prevailed, Helen cancelled, so the whole day
In the office, not film-watching, drunkly
Getting all excited the Helen way
Dashing back home, then to Piccadilly
And the late night airport train, then to sit
In that noisy chaos, exhaustedly
Unable to relax, feeling like shit....
No, it was not to be - grateful for it!
Finished more work, though not done completely
Saw sense, better to go home anyway
Order a taxi for middle of night
Or rather, 4:15, and til then, be
Comfy on my sofa, dozing, TV...

4921 - Expecting to fly

Storm Dennis hits, though real rain's tomorrow
As half-term holiday week gets going
And family holiday flights cannot go
Ahead, ruining their hopes and plans, costing
An arm and a leg if organising
Replacement flights to their destinations
If not, all wasted time, disappointing
The kids and parents. Me and Jo's Lisbon
Trip's two days after the storm disruption
That was a close one. Even if we flew
Through the storm, at first, returning
To the start in peril of destruction
Would be a possibility, and so
Fingers crossed we'll get cool calm journeying

4901 - Going going going

Sunday, a bit of a failed day today
It's my crap phone and Dropbox both combined
Trouble uploading anything, all day
Kept trying, but it was a long, failed grind
I'll hope another day will be more kind
My only consolation, a booking
Of a holiday literally just round
The corner - mid-February, it's looming -
Me and Josephine then will be flying
To Lisbon for three or four days to stay
In the much-praised Portuguese stomping ground
Even before Prague with Helen, happening
Soon. Hope the office lets me go away
And hope my tech demons to hell confined!

4887 - It'll be all right on the Sprite

Still recovering from yesterday in more
Ways than one, but although I'm physically
And mentally drunk, I did recover
And went on to do quite a lot, really
Wrote a new Sprite sketch which is quite funny
Looked at Prague flights, went shopping, searched for nights
Out, planned the next few nights, so much to see
Comedy, films, and all stuff that excites
Think I'll go to the Frog and Bucket, might
See some acts I know from Worst Night take the floor
Will they survive, or raised cards will they see?
Was tired, but took a new song to Worst Night
Good response to Walking In Austria
A new video for YouTube, hopefully!

4695 - Milan Day 6

Lie-in til 10, had chosen not to do
Much. Caught the airport train, we almost missed
Platform 13, Garibaldi - oh, phew!
Just made it! Burger King nuggets and fizz
Then to the airplane at Gate 36
Milan to Manchester, temperature drop
Glad I'd changed out of shorts to long trousers
Partial cloud cover, potentially a strop
But honestly, a relief, I can't stop
Thinking GB's coolness is something new
And refreshing, no hot sun, not oppressed
Couldn't resist when I got home, a drop
Or two of beer. Watched England's women flop
Now it's bedtime. To all you, here's my kiss x

Tue 2 July

4690 - Alp, I'm a rock

Finished things off at home before leaving
The British weather's suddenly got hot
It's almost a shame that we are flying
To Milan where it's really, well, too hot!
All went well, a taxi to the airport
Had a beer and wine combination while
In the plane, saw the Alps clearly, and thought
Of when I was also with J, some miles
Up over the same peaks, people all smiles
As 9 month old J crawled through the cabin
Returning from Naples' Italian cot
To her home equivalent, family-style
Train to Garibaldi station, getting
A taxi to the Meininger. Up late...

Thur 27 June

4670 - Viva Vivaldi

A bit dehydrated after some beers
Last night. Took it a bit easier today
At work - well it's Friday, ain't it, me dears?
Checked in our flights to Milan. Slight worry
About the Vivaldi tickets. So they
Were on my phone after all, no tickets
As such, just an ID number. Conveyed
This info to Helen, agreed that drinks
Would follow the orchestral gig. Hope it's
Not another let-down. Shouldn't be. Here's
Something SHE wants to do, it's not for me...
At least this evening I managed to fix
A couple of Fringe things. Tomorrow there's
Filming with Jamal - is it work or play?

4599 - Morocco Day 1

Sunny day in Manchester, but so what?
Me and Helen were headed for Afrique
Marrakesh, Morocco, where it's more hot
And hopefully our skins will soon turn pink
Or burn pink, then to brown, if we can sink
Into two sun loungers by the pool, soon
(This is tomorrow morning I'm writing)
Smooth flight, lots to drink, of course lots of drink
Taxi man held Helen's name in airport
On a white card. We hopped in, drunken loons
Got to the Hotel Oudaya, heard tunes
From someone nearby. Hotel bar was gone
By 10pm, but H was pissed as fart
Massaged her feet, then tried to get some kip

28 March 

4562 - Right on write on

The lighter nights get lighter, spring draws near
My teeth don't get no whiter as they age
These days my main exciter's sadly beer
Although I try to keep hope in storage
And still love biting food, but not cabbage
You mitre known, I ain't no bishop man
It's hard, but I fight the weight-gaining urge
I walk a lot, but fly to some foreign
Places, not as far as square-head Kryten
I'm Ant, no antlers, unlike fighting deer
But I'm fighting to write things on this page
Light your lighter, it may help enlighten
Or like the great Titan, it may spread fear
Let's untighten our belts and take courage!

4456 - Nice au revoir

Last day in France, and we weren't there for long
6:30 a.m. bus to the airport
Thank God it wasn't early, hadn't gone
Thank God also that it didn't leave late
A tiring journey. B-21 gate
Tried to sleep but couldn't quite pull it off
The flight was too short. Then, a 4 hour wait
At Heathrow, where we had a breakfast scoff
In the end, passing time wasn't so tough
Laughing at funny passengers among
The ever-flowing crowds that walked and talked
Then a more relaxing flight back up north
Unpacked, showered. ate tea, washed clothes, I'm done
Knackered, early night... New job! Chose my suit!

Sun 4 Nov

4449 - Nice Day 1

Up at 5, bowl of cereal, then taxi
To Liverpool Airport, and no waiting
Straight on the plane, 2 hour flight, quiet, so we
Both got some rest, which we were both needing
At Nice Airport, caught bus, soon admiring
The Prom des Anglais, though the sky was grey
The sea was still partly blue. Alighting
At the main gare, we walked such a short way
Azurea Hotel, rue Paganini
Rested a while, then before dark began
Walked round the streets, mild evening, kids at play
Bought chocolate and pizza. First day OK
But rain's forecast for tomorrow, so the
Options are limited for sightseeing...

Sun 28 Oct

4447 - Onwards and upwards

Well that's my last day done at Ralli Quays
A place I came to in June '98
The France World Cup holding early matches
Scholes scored a good goal in the sun against
Tunisia. Went there to progress, but ain't
Been successful til now, but I probably
Wouldn't have managed it elsewhere, a faint
Chance out in the sticks to reach the
Amazing heights of SO. Got to be
Happy I'm there despite the long delays
Tomorrow I'll be packing, then I'll wait
For Jo in Piccadilly. Then we'll flee
To Trafford Hall near Chester, spend the night
Then early cab to Liverpool Airways

4446 - Cote of many colours

Another good uke session, come what may
At work today started clearing cupboards
Nearly done now, and also printed my
Boarding passes for Nice, going abroad
This Sunday early morning with my daught
Lil Josephine, now 15, let us hope
The sun shines down in south France like it ought
Nice, Monaco, Italy, and St Trop
It will be great, this Cote d'Azur trip hop
Despite Jo's restrictions, I hope to play
And do what I like, we cannot be bored
That's not the point of holidays, no strops
It will be a challenge, but mustn't stray
From having a good time like we are lords

4444 - From jester to Chester

Hard day's work, got in early but two hours
Wasted, spent trying to check in online for
The flight to Nice from Liverpool, and as
I struggled with that, also booked somewhere
For me and Jo to stay, it's near Chester
Saturday night, early taxi to the
Airport, 7:15 flight, but we are
Now able to do it. Sonia showed me
Our hotel's in town by the station. We
Are well-placed for day trips to Cannes, Frejus
Menton, Italy, you name it. Before
I went out to the King's Arms, had a wee
Sleep, felt a bit pissed, smuggled in beers
Got found out, had to leave, who really cares?

4432 - Berlin Day 1

Cleaned flat, even did exercises, well
I'd had a bloody good sleep, then prepared
To meet Helen at about 3, so we'll
Have lots of time. Train to airport. H scared
Of flying, but it was fine. Plane late. Dared
Not get a train, so late, taxi to flat
Met Larissa, unpacked, over the road
At quarter to one at night, and we sat
In a dark bar, Schwarze Traube, and met
Some American women, made a deal
Stayed up late, music, chat, and more beside
Talkin' bout next trip already, and that
Could be Marrakesh in December! Fell
To bed, but little sleep for the wicked!

Thur 11 Oct 18