3430 - Pay Pay Pay

A night in, exercises done, ironing
Done, emailed Avis again, still not charged
Me the correct price for Christmas driving
55 quid paid back, still overcharged
By another 60, that's still a large
Overpayment in my book, too large to
Ignore. this is January, we all splurged
At Christmas, but now I've got birthdays too
All three kids, plus workmates with birthdays who
Will all celebrate with one meal, dining
At Akbar's on Liverpool Road, a surge
Of customers each weekend, afternoon
Is when we'll go though, said I'd be playing
My guitar-lele for them. (But no grunge!)

3429 - Munch bunch

A better night's sleep, well how could it not
Be? Went to work, we all went out to lunch
To Thaikhun, Spinningfields, my meal quite hot
But not too spicy, comfortable to munch
Nice to spend time with the girls from our bunch
Stayed in the office til almost five, then
As I left, remembered I had a crunch
Meeting with Avis car hire, I have been
Overcharged for December's car hire, seen
An enormous amount they'd taken out
Of my bank account, leaking like a sponge
To sort this out of course I was most keen
Eric was there, he helped, so I felt good
Played guitar back home, and it wasn't grunge

3428 - In and out of bed

Another night's disturbed sleep, knackered now
But left work early hoping to sleep then
And what did I hear? A thunderous row
(Which has now stopped), a bloody awful din
Possibly a computer game playing
In the flat below, deafening everywhere
In my flat, no matter which room I'd been
In, so got out of bed out of despair
At 4:15 pm, coffee, tuna
And looked at my jokes for tonight's show. How-
ever, maybe I could try once again
To get a nap so I will feel better
Just seen the news headlines and so I know
What's going on with the referendum...

3427 - Clownpour

Woke up at 4:15, awake for hours
Then after dozing off, woken by loud
Noise from the absent, now returned builders
Oh well, hopefully soon they'll get around
To repairing the outside. Heard the sound
Of constant dripping water last night on
The balcony, after days of being drowned
By deluges and showers. But open
Was the office, thank goodness, could have gone
To Albert Bridge House again, like was forced
To do last week. Back home, did myself proud
Got some old jokes and songs, it should be fun
Tomorrow at the King's Arms at 'TWCNIS'
Then played guitar to converted records!

3426 - The young fools

It's a month since Hamburg, two days since New
Year, and I've spent all day with my singles
Collection, converting sides one and two
To electronic format from the vinyl
Complete with scratches and jumps, what a thrill
I've hardly eaten, I've been that busy
And as I've said before, listening, a still
Activity, is tiring, well for me
It is after a while, so intently
And excitedly do I do the do
And then there's careful placing of each file
On the computer, alphabetically
Of course, done automatically! The new
Age welcomes back the old days of young fools

3425 - If the kids are at United

Jeez, Man United have cost me an arm
And both bloody legs. Membership my arse
Fifty quid just for membership - alarm
Bell rings, signals rip-off, oh wallet, purse
Prepare to be sucked clean of all your wares
The tickets themselves weren't too badly priced
Mine was forty, but bargain for hers
At eighteen quid. The Stoke game, Tuesday night's
Looking a good 'un though. February Twice
I mean Feb the 2nd. Just two days warm
Will be that new era - Jo's teenage years
She pretended it wasn't an excite-
ing thought, but surely modern teenagedom
Is something of a thrilling prospect, yes?

3424 - No, I can't be bothered!

I'm tired from playing records - funny, that!
But like intensive reading, it uses
Lots of brain power, now my battery's flat
How should I pass the evening? Now easy's
The most appealing of all the answers
It's one of the good things 'bout being alone
That when you want to relax, no-one says
'Hey, this or that needs doing, so get on
With it, then relax!' No, those days have gone
And at times when out of boredom or out
Of a spirit of adventure, partners
Suddenly seem desirable, that moan
Should reverberate round this empty flat
And on the wall should be posted this verse!