Friday 16th November 2018

Aaah, Friday my old friend, where have you been? Please stay around longer this week.

We are on autopilot in the mornings now, just doing things out of habit, and all to be ready to start work on time.

Outside the fog that engulfed the village the night before was still there, and in fact stayed all day. Meaning it felt like it go lighter later.

Jools drove into the gloom, leaving me to my breakfast and sipping from a fresh brew.

I do the end of week admin, clear up the e mails that had come in, then dealt with them in seriousness order. Some required a call to explain my replies.

And so on.

I look outside and the fog refuses to clear. So I work on, having lunch at half ten, and ploughing on.

As per usual, the sky fall in early in the afternoon which requires some additional running around, screaming, which doesn't help, really. I was in a meeting when Mulder brings in a bird. I ignore him. He begins to eat the bird. I manage to scoop the bird up whiles staying in the meeting thanks to the long lead on my headphones. The bird's head comes off. I think it's dead, but at least i have the bird off Mulder. He leaves me with the bird, but heaves up what parts he has eaten and leaves them in a gloopy mess by the back door. Why do we have cats?

At three I am done, so pack up just as Jools comes home, meaning I can go to Tesco.

It was made out, the fog was thick as a Brexiteer, and I could see just a few yards ahead, so I hoped to be back before it go too dark. I arrive sfe, and find Tesco a creche and an old people's club, as screaming kids run this way and that, and elderly couples meet friends and block aisles.

Situation normal.

I go round and get all the stuff we need, and I am out in half an hour, load the car and on my way back before it was too dark.

Phew.

We feast on party food, and a beer/cider, as we were off out again, once the rush hour was over, down into town to see a gig.

It was still foggy, but halfway down Jubilee Way it cleared, but what did not clear was a parking space. We cruised round until I spotted a place under the shadow of the cliffs, meaning we had a ten minute walk back to the venue, the old Harbour Station, now called The Booking Hall.

The Blockheads were Ian Dury's backing band, and are now gigging again, nearly two decades after their singer's death from cancer.

They have been playing at the Blockheads for over 42 years, and before that as Kilburn and the High Roads, so they have some mileage, but are still a tight band.

The hall is packed, and there is the usual wait while the mics and gear is tested, then the boys come out, with an old friend of Ian's on vocals.

The set is mainly old numbers, just one new number. It is a great night, and the band are indeed great, great musicians, and clearly love playing. Joyful it was.

It was late when it finished, just before 11, but they did play Hit me With Your Rhythm Stick and Blockheads as an encore, before leaving. We file out, walk to the car and into the cold air back to the car.

And we do all it again on the morrow.