4817 - Train trouble

Woke up before eight, plenty of time to
Have breakfast and watch the rugby final
Before walking to town to meet with Jo
The train to Liverpool was an ordeal
It couldn't actually get to Liverpool
We had to change, the line to Lime Street blocked
And caught the Southport train to 'Pool Central
The Merseyrail far as Birkenhead Park
The 437 bus to Greasby, walked
To my mum's house on Thorns Drive, saw her new
I-Phone with all the apps and her struggle
To work it! Caught taxi to pub and talked
And ate for two hours or more. Taxi to
Mum's house again, then home by bus, not rail

4810 - Frackpool

Today I stayed in, watching the rugby
In the morning, England beat New Zealand
Brilliantly, a historic victory
The final favourites, they are now England
Who will they face in the final? Welsh friends
(Or foes) hopefully not, they seem to win
Against us when it most matters. No more,
Especially in the World Cup Final in
Japan. I also wrote a new song for
The filming tomorrow, fracking the core
Subject, filmed in Blackpool is what I see
On the beach, the red tower in the background
I left it late, and it won't come to be
This time, but maybe some later weekend

Sat 26 Oct

4707 - Final draft

What a day of sport, what a day of my
Authorship, nearly nine hours of writing
Accompanied by Grand Prix, Lewis' high
Then as I continued my hard working
I watched the tennis final, an hour in
Already, yet it went on for so long
I finished my show re-draft, then cooking
And eating my kipper for tea, the strong
Jokovich finally lifting the gong
The older Federer not disgraced, not by
The longest final in remembering
And when that was done, quickly popped along
To Channel 4 to see the last balls fly
England win the cricket World Cup. Thrilling!

4421 - September songs

It was weird watching Putin hand the cup
To Lewis Hamilton at the Grand Prix
He looked a bit stiff and old there, stood up
On the platform. Dressing room seemed to be
Awkward as Putin stood there, and when he
Had to stand for the British anthem when
We all have heard of the controversy
Of the Salisbury poisoning. Poor Putin!
Meanwhile today, did a lot of cleaning
And so did Chan, well done to her. A top
Uke session. Found lyrics to George Formby
And other songs, though didn't practice them
Need a shower to wash my tattoos, then flop
Into bed. Aim to get to work early!

4203 - Better in than out

Stayed in, felt that was wise, recharge batteries
It's effin' cold outside, it's February
Josephine said she had homework duties
And anyway, we caught up on Wednesday
I didn't do much, I think that's healthy
If you've done lots or lots is left to do
And it certainly is, like this Monday
Comedy night - hope I'll be able to
Take part this time, if cold recedes on cue
Still on painkillers for bad throat. At ease
Otherwise. Played uke. It looks like Derby
Are throwing away promotion. A few
Times this has happened now. Korean freeze
(Winter Olympics) closing finally

Sat 24 February

4074 - A pound for your sports

At work I organised a Wear Red Day
It was to protest against racism
The national day for this will be Friday
But I'll be driving north, I'll be absent
So I held it today - we had some fun
And some donated a pound to the tin
Sports people will be teaching schoolchildren
Not to be prejudiced, to keep within
Their minds latent prejudice, accepting
Not rejecting those from minorities
Meanwhile Carla's job interview has gone
Well, she's got a job in Leeds. She's staying
Here for one more week with no rent to pay
She just needs to find accommodation

4006 - News of the war

Felt good and effective today, but got
Tired later on, however I've just played
Uke along to a disco soundtrack, hot
From Sainsbury's, a fiver well spent, not heard
Some of these disco pop songs for - afraid
To say! Now drinking matcha tea, watching
The athletics, where the rain's stopped, thank God
It should make for better running, throwing
And watching. Think I'll spend the eve reading
Emails, messages, YouTube clips, the lot
Then finish with Spike Milligan. I've aimed
To finish that book before week's ending
So I can start a new one when I'm out
On the train to see Jo, weekend parade

4005 - Tough girls

First day back at work since going to Spain
The weather's improved since I got back - yeah!
Read all the emails, often such a pain
But this time, not so many. Now prepared
To push on. Women's Rugby World Cup fare
On TV now, from Ireland, with Ireland
Up against a tough team, Australia
In sunny Dublin, unlike wet London
The World Athletics venue rained upon
And also with a Norovirus strain
Breaking out and disrupting things down there
Discussed travel with Tom at work, with some
Good ideas for December. At the same
Time as Belgium, do Luxembourg - it's near!

3995 - Some cities

My second film in a few days - I saw
City of Ghosts, about Raqqa, Syria
And the struggle to document the war
And ISIS occupation that's been there
Since 2014, causing great despair
Back home now, no time for uke, read about
Barcelona in Catalonia
Me and Jo go there on Thursday. Checked out
My Budget Guide to Europe. Little doubt
It should be a good one. I wrote some more
Creative diary entries. Sonneteer
Right now, followed by salted fish to eat
(Before it goes off!), watching the soccer
(Women's), and then acting - I must prepare!!!

3956 - Happenings ten hours' time ago

The last day of this heatwave, so they say
It will be a relief when it's ended
Now it's midnight and I'm watching Newsday
On BBC's news channel, with Brexit
Returning as the main story, as it
Gets underway, the negotiations
Between UK and EU. Blown to bits
By ISIS, who set off an explosion
The old queen gave a frail peroration
On Brexit, in Parliament, while hubby
Phil is in hospital, staying in bed
There are yet more North Korea tensions
Trump's complaining again. Andy Murray
Crashes out of Queen's tennis - bad luck, kid!

Wed 21 June

3669 - Pictures from Portugal

Good to see Jo's pictures from Portugal
She's having a good time, steering a boat
Here the weather's holding up, far from cool
But for how much longer's the worried thought
Soon more heating energy must be bought
The winter coat will once more be a must
The summer Olympics a long-gone sport
The long light evenings dead, turned to burnt toast
Football I feel also to be a ghost
It will be less important now, with all
The Euro 16 aftermath. Care naught
About these idiots now. As Carla's host
Comedy must lead the way to fulfil
Our shared interest, maybe make cash to boot

3657 - Its name was Rio

Been playing football quiz games with Louis
The questions are in a book that I bought
I don't know when. Played my ukulele
Before that, getting better, all self-taught
And it's the last day of Olympic sport
That, and the end, for now, of my travels
Add up to normal work boredom, a sort
Of gloom might descend on some, such travails
Would spoil their Sunday evening, give them chills
But not me, I don't care, need the money
So must accept my duty and my lot
Besides, it's fun sometimes to sweeten pills
By friendly banter, anecdotal spree
So from a work storm, that will be my port

3656 - Fun can be work

A nice day watching Olympics mainly
A bit of Facebook and a lot of rain
Popped to the shops, well, just to Sainsbury
Tried to get back into comedy brain
Principles that came to me as I'd lain
In bed one night recently, must remind
Myself of them and learn my routines, train
Sensibly, for a craft, not just a whined
Mainly made up on the spot, badly timed
Badly memorised and performed. Can't be
Like that anymore. Can't be lazy, vain
Enough to think it's easy, though I find
I can think up stuff quickly, too quickly
I must sift it like seeds and husks of grain

3655 - The blue and the grey

Just about used to being home again!
An early night, an early rise, stuff done
Like sorting out the Italy pix, then
Bought 3 new CD sets, listened to one
(Sixties, 5 CDs in all), which was fun
And played the first 70s one, playing
The uke along to it - know all those songs
Now watching the Olympics. More gold bling
Won by Nick Skelton (how's he still going?!)
Coming up, the hockey final (women)
GB v Holland - come on, Great Britain!
Much of the day we have seen rain falling
A contrast to the recent Italian
Heat and blue skies where I have just come from

3649 - Going for gold

Just got in after a drink with Carla
To see that there's another cycling gold
For Britain, the women, a team of four
It was good to see Carla, and I told
Her that her room's there for her, I was bold
And said I hope it happens, she agreed
Meanwhile the Olympics have taken hold
Of my attention, the emotions bleed
To see us doing so well, and our pride
Is restored after football's disaster
Earlier this summer in France, when we could
Not do the basics, millionaire brains fried
Yet here we are in Rio, all can share
In the elation, Britain's trademark sold

3647 - Lingo Bingo

I've done the last chapter of the Instant
Italian (chapter 6). Now I just need
To revise the whole book, and then I've spent
The last month wisely, and planted the seed
Of the lingo before going. Indeed
I wish I could learn more. Maybe an app
If time allows, method I've never tried
When we get there it'll all be on tap
Italian everywhere when we look up
Although increasingly, this global tent
Is dominated by English. We read
It in the shop names, cafes where we sup
The road signs saying STOP (like in England)
Now for some uke and Olympics, then bed!

3645 - Flat out

The Olympics are now well underway
The women's gymnastics - bronze possible
There were a few fourth places yesterday
Always the most frustrating of them all
An intense, demanding work day, then stroll
To Vee's flat, ate a pie, drank a coffee
And chatted, then hired a van to move all
Her stuff back in that had been at Robbie
And Dan's flat nearby. Brought towels, books with me
That Vee gave away, then I made my way
Back home, slight shower as I neared Liverpool
Road, carrying these things. Too tired for the
Italian practice now. Don't need to stay
Up late, need an early one, no struggle

3642 - Cycle of sport

Nice day out at my flat with Josephine
Watching (four years late) the opening show
Of the London Olympics! Rio's in
Progress now, cycling road race done, don't know
Whether Froome won it yet, but first, it's so
Football, Championship highlights are on next
Did Derby beat Brighton? Go Rams. Please, go!
Four seasons of let-downs, any pretext
It seems, used to throw it away. Got vexed
Hope Pearson sorts discipline in the team
My Man United package still no show
Our membership cards are where? I'm perplexed...
Forest beat Burton 4-3. Quite a scene
In the East Midlands (Leicester champions) now

3614 - Serene and angelic

The first main thing I did today was watch
The Hollow Crown - Richard II. Soon
Afterwards I felt energy dispatched
And dissipated. I tried to resume
My reading of 'The Beach' but little room
For it what with fatigue and Wimbledon
Serena beat Angelique, most assumed
She would, and she did, and with some aplomb
I played my uke after that, technique on
The up, with practice, shows you can self-teach
Can't be bothered with diagrams and runes
I just play, like some hillbilly, or brown
Blues man, maybe a blind man. I then fetched
D and N to Try Thai, good food, good fun

3606 - Dark knight of the sole

It must be England's dark night of the soul
Not only has our football team crashed out
With no excuse whatever possible
Let's face it, we're shit at our national sport
With gentlemanly rules we just about
Managed, but hard work, camaraderie
Working, being together, we fall short
Outside of strict compulsion - the army
Maybe suits us OK with our duty
Drilled into our thick heads, backed up with sole
Of boot on backside, minimum of thought
Needed, and minimum of empathy
Out of the EU, and impossible
To win Eurovision, we're nerds or louts

Fri 1 July