11-05-10 – I never really thought about how intrinsically English I can be at times, but I guess it’s inherent in all of us to some degree. The reason I mention it is because of an incident that occurred today. I was out walking across a car park when a man came over to me and said “Hey up, John.” Now this is my point about being English, we don’t like to tell people when they are making a mistake, or put another way, if someone gets our name wrong, we just smile and don’t like making them feel stupid by correcting them. So this bloke says, “Hey up, John.” I respond by saying, “Sorry?” he says, “How’ve you been?” I answer honestly that I’ve been okay. He then asks me about the house sale. Now he obviously knows me; not too well as my name’s not John. So I smile thinking it must be my fault, I have forgotten who he is. Brief intercourse is over and he says, “See ya John,” and leaves. I swear I have no recollection of ever seeing the man before in my life. And I don’t think I look remotely like a John.
I drive off to Weight Watchers, to my see my girls; Lady Gaga is on the iPod, ‘Telephone’ with Beyoncé plays. It’s a remix from the recently released remix album. I do like Lady Gaga, she’s become an international phenomenon because of clever marketing. She knows that if she dresses in a bizarre fashion the press will be interested. Is she the new Madonna? Maybe, maybe not, but in my opinion is more entertaining.
So we have a new PM, David Cameron is now the UK’s prime minister, with the proposed cuts to school budgets, that doesn’t bode well for my business. Oh well I think at least he’s better looking than Gordon Brown, and that Nick Clegg, well he can come to my house anytime to canvass my opinion.
12-05-10 – I am woken up today by the sound of a squeegee being dragged across the bedroom window, it’s the window cleaner. Bugger me, he’s early I think as I drag myself from under the duvet. I think I’m safe as he’s doing the bedroom window so I step onto the landing, stark naked only to see him at the window. “Morning,” he mouths behind the glass, I smile back and nip back into the bedroom.
I drive to work as Fabri Fibra, the Italian rapper shuffles onto the iPod with ‘Non C’è Tempo’. I haven’t a clue what he’s saying, I catch the phrase Dolce and Gabbana, but I like to hear the rolling sound he makes as he spits out words at break-neck speed. In the office I look out of the window across at the patch of wasteland at the back. Three men, obviously up to no good walk across the patch of scruffy land and proceed to collect metal from the empty buildings. “Ooh,” I say to Rachel, “Look at these three here stealing scrap metal.” We watch them for a while wondering if they should be there, there’s a chubby one in a high vis vest and two gangly ones in joggers and hoodies. We decided they’re thieves and do our civil duty and call the police. I have a wander around the block and it turns out, said thieves are rag and bone men, helping themselves. I watch as two officers arrive and I leave them to it. I then spend the day putting together a new website for a new business idea I’ve had.
Good news day today, the house we love in Italy is a step closer to being ours, as the seller and myself have agreed a price. Watch this space.
13-05-10 – A day of meetings today, first one with a business advisory service, as I have to make a decision about the theatre company. The second one is with a barrister, about a legacy left in a will. I drive to the first meeting with iPod plugged in, Tilly and the Wall play, ‘Dust Me Off’. I’m not really listening as there are a hundred questions racing around my head. What will I do if I close the theatre?
My writing assignment still remains unwritten, I have done all the research and preparation, just need to get my finger out and write the bugger. That said I need to get some more work done on my novel, where does time go?
I have started to pack some things ready for the house move, CD’s are packed; in alphabetical order of course, but there’s so much more to moving house than just packing. We have so much stuff that we have to get rid of as there’s no room at the new house, as we’ve got a full set of brand new furniture coming from the insurance. What will we do with our stuff?
As I write this Siouxsie and the Banshee’s play ‘Preacher Man’ and I just realise that today’s entries I’ve written all end with pointless questions. So I guess it’s best to leave it there for today, to prevent any more appearing.
14-05-10 – Today I made an important decision. I have decided to close down my Theatre in Education business. Due to cutbacks in school budgets, it’s harder to get enough shows to make a tour viable. Schools want the service but say they just can’t afford to bring theatre into the school anymore. Most similar companies closed when the government cancelled year 9 sat’s, but we’ve soldiered on. Now it’s time to end it. To be honest I’m sick of dealing with actors, with the exception of some really nice ones we’ve worked with the majority are a pain in the ass. The last team we had were lovely people, but the schools didn’t think they were very professional, and we’ve had some poor reports about their behaviour. We shall still continue with our children’s’ acting lessons and weekly workshops.
I have been putting together a new business venture, which I’ll mention when all is finalised, but for now in the office Rachel is photographing everything to sell as much as we can on e-bay. The iPod is playing ‘Castaways’ by Toyah, from her third studio album, The Changeling.
15-05-10 – A lovely sunny Saturday, I nip up to the allotment in the morning to pick some rhubarb for my friend Jayne. Then after a trip to the shops, I chill out making soup (courgette and mint) and cannelloni for dinner later. Songs are shuffling along as I cook; ‘Rydeen’ from the Yellow Magic Orchestra follows ‘Weathered Wall’ by David Sylvian. I sit down to write some more towards my latest assignment, but am stuck; I just can’t seem to find the way to say the sentence I’ve reached deadlock with. I decide that I’ll have a bath and read a chapter of the book I’m currently reading, I’m halfway upstairs when the (boy) dog goes mental at the letterbox, as a hand pops a leaflet for the local curry house through the slit. Luckily the hand was removed before a set of sharp Jack Russell gnashers could make contact. The other dog (girl) makes a grab for the leaflet and it tears as she takes her half into the kitchen to rip into shreds, he just looks up me and wags his tail, as if to say. “Look daddy, I got you this.”
The evening is spent drinking (not much actually), chatting and laughing with old friends from school. The jokes aren’t very PC, and the topics can be irreverent at times, but we all enjoy these monthly get-togethers. To be honest, if Jayne didn’t keep on top of it we’d all end up losing touch. The evening ends and we all kiss, hug, and shake hands. Jayne leaves with her bunch of rhubarb, from my allotment. I leave with a promise to deliver some to my sister tomorrow.
16-05-10 – People can be so generous. Today I went to my allotment to plant my potatoes. As they were being dropped into the earth, Harry walks over and says, “Do you want some spinach?” and gives me 10 plants. Then John pops over and gives me 2 paraffin heaters for the greenhouse, 6 young swede and 5 cauliflowers. So I will have more vegetables come harvest time.
The iPod isn’t shuffling today, because yesterday I downloaded ‘The Defamation of Strickland-Banks’ by Plan B. It’s an amazing album, I just cannot stop listening to it, with it’s soul groove, hip-hop fusion. If you’re reading this now, go out and get yourself a copy.
I haven’t checked this edition, so apologies for any punctuation and spelling errors.
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