4973 - I'll be coming down the mountain when I come

I feel as though I'm through the hardest part
Work-wise, I feel like the struggle's plateaued
And I can see the sunlit lowlands treat
Me to a pleasant view, descending road
Winding its leisurely way as I stride
Taking in the pleasant spring air en route
Who do I think I'm kidding? I'm supplied
With so much work I wanna parachute
Off this mountain into a pool, and float
See blue sky up above, feel the sun's heat
Dreaming of travel, leaving my abode
It will be difficult, there's no dispute
All flights and rooms will sell out in a heart
Beat, and also will cost a barrel-load

4916 - Marcellout

My left leg bone hurts just below the knee
No idea why, didn't bang it at all
When I walk it's OK, but when in the
Office it seemed to get far more painful
Disappointment after work. Missed Marcel
Proust-inspired 'La Captive' film and a talk
Beforehand. Didn't expect it to sell
Out! So, despite my bad knee, had to walk
Home, but it's cold out, that's almost a shock
These days. Winter's now almost already
Over, so I'm not complaining. Snowfall
Would have been nice to walk through, but no luck
Just relaxing now in Salford City
In my flat, in the warm, sore knee and all...

4868 - Eve of dissipation

Christmas Eve, was supposed to work at home
But also had to collect a hired car
A Mercedes, no less, quite a big one
Train to Bolton, drove home, then bought cheap beer
From Sainsbury's, and drank and watched five hours
Of my Chernobyl DVD. Dozed off
In episode three, replayed it, then four
And five on disc two, by then I felt rough
And went to bed soon after, disposed of
Christmas Eve satisfactorily on my own
Not a great fan of this time of the year
Mainly it's the darkness I find quite tough
That's why we have the lights, music and some
Big eating and drinking to revive cheer

Tue 24 Dec

4796 - Autumn in my step

Not been out today though it was quite nice
Apart from to recycle the rubbish
A few beercans drank Thursday, Friday nights
Dissipated the inactivities
Into a twilight zone but not ghoulish
Just oblivion on my own, and strangely
I was recovering from my cold with this
Remedy of drink, fags and balcony
Soon out there as seasons change it'll be
Dark and cold once more, long gone the delights
Of long light nights, t-shirts, and smoke that wisps
Into a pale blue sky unendingly
A sad summer in some ways, but I'm wise
Compared to spring, feel almost devilish!

4771 - Where are the shows of yesteryear?

Red autumn sky, 7:30, almost
Dark now, but things are OK on the whole
Couldn't drop off last night, I turned and tossed
Quite tired then, but worked well to overhaul
Some work left too long, although quite simple
Fiddly boring shit, didn't understand
How to do it for months into my role
Can't put it off no more, or else smacked hand
Tomorrow there's a comedy night planned
Olaf Falafel, an Edinburgh ghost
Saw him there at the Pear Tree. Wonder will
He do new stuff or just a Fringe rewind?
Watching Corrie, first time in years, I'm lost -
Who are these strangers? Who are these people?

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

4750 - Back home

This was going to be my last Edinburgh day
Albeit consisting of just catching the bus
But a lift from Tom last night means today
I'm home, and the sunshine is glorious
After unpacking and shopping I was
Able to sunbathe and top up my tan
It was great listening to songs on the grass
And just getting settled back home again
Got some beers in, and healthily eaten
Next thing I want to do is have a play
On the uke while I digest potatoes
Chicken and salad. Summer's almost gone
This might be the last day this year I'll say
I could soak up the sun's refreshing rays!

Mon 26 Aug

4717 - What's it all about, Tony?

Not as sunny as yesterday, but still
Warm. No shorts today, but tomorrow I'll
Wear them, the sun will blaze, and I'll sizzle
Out at lunch if time, if not, go home while
The sun's still hot, and sunbathe there, I'll pile
Onto my towel. It could be 32
Or maybe 34 or more. Must toil
Hard as I can not to miss the days you
Only get rarely. Last year, not a few
Golden summer days were wasted. Battle
Away in the office to no avail
Joke around, what do I get? If I do
Well at the Fringe, so what? Who'll care? But thrill
It would still be after this lifelong trial

4613 - Poster haste

A sunny but quite chilly day in spring
I wonder if there'll be a heatwave this
Year? Seems likely, there's usually one within
May or June, but  remember how last year's
Was more prolonged and warmer than it is
Normally. Climate change gives hope for more
Of the same, not that climate change is nice
Really, with its effect on the fauna
And flora of the world, sea temperature
And melting ice, to name some of the sting
In the tail it's bringing. Called by the guys
From Out of Hand, about my Fringe poster
And flyer design, but it's now costing
Another load for the design service :(

4594 - Bwrecksit

A nice sunny spring day, the depression
Of a weather system that's hung over
Britain for a few days has, for now, gone
Although of course, Brexit's here, as ever
But will Theresa May be PM for
Much longer? I can't see how, since she's said
She wants it finished by June, and there's no
Prospect of that. Mind you, she has misled
The House many times, multiple retread
Of the same deal, instead of a new one
Forced to try to renegotiate by the
Commons, but failed, the EU insisted
The deal cannot now be changed (once again)
That deal won't get through, so - bye, Theresa?

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!

4540 - Weather report

Listening to The Byrds, Notorious Brothers
Listened to the Idles just before that
What next? So many Spotify choices
Going through the albums I saved but not
Yet all listened to. Glad I got my coat
In time for this cold weather spell. Last year
It was the Beast From The East. Man's not hot
Never hot, not in January, not here
This cold's come from the west - America
So the cheerful TV weatherman says
Tomorrow - what joy - more snow is forecast!
Playtime if you're a furry cuddly bear!
It's great, the contrast with warmer weathers
Winter should have snow, boots, coats, gloves and hat!

4518 - Leather weather

Sitting here in the January cold but
Although Chan's gone out, and could turn the heat
On if I wanted, my expense is cut
So much thanks to her hardiness, no need
For the radiators to be on, indeed
She wanders round in t-shirt and shorts in
December and January, so I'll meet
Her standards if I can, my gas bill's thin
More so than any other winter - win
For my over-indulged leather wallet!
Got holidays, theatres to pay, cash treats
For three kids' birthdays this month, I'm strugglin'
But who cares, it's all good and fun and great
This year's the peak, I do not sense defeat!

4503 - Prangs for the memory

It's Saturday and I've got a hired car
I drove to Sheffield, we had no such plan
It's just where we went in the end through the
Clouds and rain of the Pennines near the end
Of the year when it gets dark early and
It did, but got back out of there in time
Got a guide to Marrakesh, got my hands
On new slippers (red) with strong soles, look fine
Pranged the hired car reversing, the bang signed
With yellow paint, need to remove that scar
Or I'll be paying extras the day when
I return the darn thing to Bolton town
Meeting Jo tomorrow also, wonder where
We'll drive? Can't be too far, but should be fun!

4494 - I got the point

Still awake half the night last night. I've got
A cold and sore throat, I am quite unwell
And yet today, in the cold, I went out
For a tattoo appointment which went well
Over four hours for three big new ones. Hell -
No shirt on all that time, plus agony
The chosen spots for the tattoo needle
Were all bony areas, or soft fleshy
Ones. Ouch! But the ordeal is behind me
Look forward to the new look when it's hot
Like when Helen and me go on our hol
To the Moroccan sun, dressed scantily
Last night Chan was asleep and I could not
Turn on the heater, but now it's on. Brill!

4486 - Rainy day shoppin'

A long hard day at work but mainly fun
Getting to grips with a new soft drinks tax
And also with my management role in
The first month of the job. Now to relax
Having gone in the rain to the markets
To choose presents for Mum and Robin which
I'll give to Mum tomorrow. The visit's
The last time I'll see her before that kitsch-
Fest known as Christmas. It can be a bitch
Though usually it's OK. Really, the down
Sides are the weather, darkness, and life shuts
Down, like we're hibernating in some ditch
On the train to Mum, rested, I will pen
Next year's Fringe show broad concept's final parts

4460 - Pictures of silly

It's gone a bit colder, quite Christmassy
Dark and cold, but at least Manchester is
Now full of lights, new flats ubiquity
Had a haircut, arranged some new tattoos
Some funny sayings, three new languages
They're Polish, Flemish, and Ukrainian
Want them to wind like snakes around the place
To reveal them anytime will be fun
Certainly different from most anyone
I've almost caught up now with history
Of travelling in recent years to places
Around and near Europe, in snow and sun
It'll be a shame if they cremate me
When I've spent so much on these images

4396 - Bummer in the summer

According to Debs the caretaker gal
The gangster man's gone, not his missus or
Young son, so while the son's been on his hol
She's been havin' it off big style galore
Mainly at night, the bedsprings almost tore
Through my wall, any night you care to name
But now the son's due back so I feel sure
Those fine and dandy randy nights, that flame
Of hers, his thund'rous plundering of that dame
Must be approaching its climactic tale
One last time, least til Christmas or Easter
Best to end things before passion goes lame
Anyway, all's for the best, gal and pal
Here comes the autumn, let shriek turn to snore

4382 - Hairdresser slightly smouldering

A fun day working with Sonia, then I
Went for a haircut, avoiding rain, just
Good chat with John the hairdresser, fun guy
(Well not really), but he was quite impressed
When I said 'Keep the change' - that was the first
Time I've tipped any of them. I was hot
In that barber's chair under the cape - it's
Been a cloudy but humid day. It's not
Looking like a return to what we got
From May to July, a heatwave. Bye bye
Summer sun, autumn's blowing from the coast
And heading our way. I'm an idiot
I'm thinking beer and fags, I miss the high
Yet my health's improved without them both, trust...

4379 - Edinburgh Day 5 - Stick Out The Jams

Weather gone to shit, dour, rainy and wet
Made the coach from Edinburgh to Glasgow
But the Glasgow to Manchester coach hit
Technical problems, breaking down, then slow
Progress, with traffic jams from the Lakes to
The big cities to the south. It's Sunday
And it's August, and the weekend is through
It's the end of many a trip away
As for mine to the Fringe, I am happy
How it went. Learned a lot. There's really hot
Competition for punters, but lots go
To watch a show, and not having to pay
Much to be entertained is a real treat
For them, if your show's good - so make it so!!