Friday 6th August 2021

Last day of the week, and about the 14th with some kind of IT failure. In finishing at three on Thursday meant I missed yet another message from IT about it. It is the contant frustration of this issue that makes me so angry that gives me the energy to get through each day.

Jools is off work, of course, but has yoga at half six, so after going back to sleep, she has made me a coffee and is heading out of the door to drive to the studio. She will go for a walk after that, then shopping at Tesco, come back for lunch before going for a swim.

I'm tired just writing about it.

I log on at seven, and in an hour, IT take control of my laptop, go to "controls", clear history since (dramatic music) the beginning of time!

Now search for a document.

I do.

Now open it.

It opens.

Problem fixed.

So no excuse to not to do any work.

Apparently.

I have a conversation with a manager, not mine. He has his view, I have mine. Needless to say, I'm right. But have to let him think he won, I think that's how it goes.

Jools comes back, we have late breakfast of fruit and another coffee. And just like that she is off to the pool for a swim and sauna. I have some loose ends to tie up before ending the day at two.

We have aubergine for lunch, as I have been elected head of the Aubergine Marketing Board for the 15th year in a row.

I switch the computer off, Jools comes back and is pooped, so she goes to bed for a snooze, I write and then find I am tired too, so I snooze on the sofa with Scully who is very happy with this turn of events.

Jools comes down at half five, we have an hour before we HAVE TO GO OUT!

Yes, an evening out, at an actual gig.

We have coffee and I take part in the music quix; I come just outside the top ten, then we can drive to Deal.

Deal is almost full of people, in that the car park had few spaces, but I reverse into one, and being after six, was free. We walk to the prom so I can snap the pier, then walk back to the Just Reproach for a quick half before we walk to the theatre.

A brave move for me, with gout, although it has been OK this week, I have half of old ale, which was very tasty indeed. We have to drink outside as there was no room inside, and no one was wearing a mask.

Hmmmm.

Once we had supped, we walk to the High Street and along tot he Astor, show our tickets and are allowed in. We were here to see John Otway, a force of nature who has had two, or is it three, hits? And is back on the road in his first post-lockdown tour with his "Big Band".

We had paid to be on the balcony, which had fine views of the stage, and then came the usual waiting. People of a similar age filed in and took their seats in the stalls below. The lights went down and John came bounding on stage.

Now 68, sporting a Ralph Coates barnet, he launched into his first hit, Cor, Baby, and rock and roll had entered the building.

Two sets spread over 90 minutes ended with a heartfelt speech about how wonderful it was to play in front of an actual audience again, and a second encore of "Geneva", and that was it.

Outside it was dark, but the night air was filled with th smells of Indian, Turkish, Jamacan and BBQ food. But we walk back to the car, and then home, getting back at just gone ten.

Phew, dirty stop outs.