2063 - Save it!

The Voice is on TV, and I'm missing
Little Josie, and Katy. I stayed out
Of the wind and rain, just by staying in
And also saving pennies. Paid tonight
At midnight, great relief. It seems I've tried
Saving and staying in most of this month
Apart from those few days in London, bought
Lots of t-shirts and books, but not got drunk
Or smoked this month except legitimate fun
In pubs with friends or family - no smoking
At all. April's calendar bears that out -
Every day has been ticked. Did Tracey run
The Manchester Marathon in pissing
Rain and strong wind? Tomorrow, I'll find out!

2062 - Gimme dat harp, girl!

Been out with Josie, mainly sunny day
We bummed around Wilmslow, ate lunch and then
Met Judith in the station, found out they
Do trains to Swansea, then we caught the train
To Didsbury, charity shop heaven
No clothes I liked, but I did buy a stool
With a football design, and mouth organ
For Josie. I must search online for rules
On how to play those things, but even fools
Can get the odd good note and rhythm, play
Some bluesy stuff. You can even leave hands
Free to strum guitar too. That thought appeals!
I think I'll get one too...Match of the Day
Coming up. Bad luck, Bolton and Wigan!

2061 - Back to Bacharach

Just watching the hits of Burt Bacharach
With Hal David's lyrics, a heady brew
With top-class performers all those years back
When they were young and in their prime. Don't you
Always look back on your earliest years through
Rose-tinted glasses? True, maybe, but I
Still think it was a great time for tunes. Who
Can resist Cilla and Cliff, Walk On By
And The Look Of Love, intertwined? Dusty
And Sandie, Engelbert in a white smock
Dionne, Aretha and the Stranglers too
The Carpenters, and now here is an eye-
Catching white, orange and brown outfit, Jack
Jones, with that sexist song! Old days we knew!

2060 - Love and truth

Just been chatting to Katy secretly
Her man was out, seemingly a long time
It won't be long til she moves in with me
And her life will then have reason and rhyme
She's not happy there, and although, yes, I'm
Happy here, because single, not stuck with
Someone I dislike, but I've hoped to find
Some female company for years. We both
Get on so well, see eye to eye, it's worth
The risk, I fancy her, she fancies me
And so to turn that down would be a crime
Against myself and her, and that's the truth
Everyone wants love in their life really
Who cares whether bells do or do not chime

2059 - In praise of double-dip recessions

It's like it was in '73/4
That 'doomwatch' time according to TV
Series 'The 70s' ... My memories are
Mainly good of that time, but that guy, he
Would have you believe we were all at sea
Without a paddle. Perhaps cos he's posh
And his dad lost an investment or three
But for ordinary kids playing, that's tosh
The sun shone or the wind blew as we crossed
Fields, parks and roads, we swam and rode, we saw
Wonderful scenes from the branches of trees
Discovered sport, and pop's charms, and then rock's
Riffs, soul's warbling grooves, power-cuts, and more
All good fun, and it still is now for me!

2058 - Blue is NOT the colour!!

A lovely day, especially the evening
At work I sent a pic, Katy did too
The usual work things, chatting and laughing
Emailed and phone queries, managed to do
All that was needed, and hang with the crew
Left at four twenty, got home, played guitar
My own songs and The Cardigans would do
Then Katy called, we talked about later
This year, when she moves up to Manchester
After that, and while cooking, I tuned in
To the big match on 5 Live Radio
Chelsea, with 10 men, beat Barcelona
And play Real Madrid, or else Munich
In the Champions' League Final. Well done, Blues!

2057 - Super sight and sound

My guitar practice has gone by the board
Again, but that's because I put photos
From phone onto laptop - couldn't afford
To wait any longer to secure those
Fantastic pix of Katy. Also chose
To try downloading some musical tracks
From Spotify, which took a while, my ears
Listening to many songs, taking an axe
To my existing playlist. It's a fact
It's getting groovier, feet won't be bored
Then it was part two of 'The 70s'
A look back at the decade when I sat
Back in wonder at the world being formed
As I awoke and grew, found friends and foes

2056 -The life of Riley was never as good as this

A welcome day just relaxing at home
Refreshing batteries, watching TV
The London Marathon runners were on
Greenwich and Cutty Sark, then Canary
Wharf, places me and Pearl went recently
I watched two films - the first was 'Life Is Sweet'
An early nineties movie by Mike Leigh
Listened to Paul Simon, Killing Joke, neat
Stuff, and then Chiddy Bang. Next visual treat
That classic 'The Magnificent Seven'
Not sure if I've seen it before. Footy
Highlights soon, then Kathleen Ferrier real late
And then happily into bed I'll climb
Knowing I love Katy and she loves me

2055 - A tale of two pretties

Some day today - I cycled to the train
And rode to Wilmslow to see my Josie
Caught bus to Knutsford, avoiding the rain
And as usual when there had a coffee
And snack at the Penny Farthing Cafe
She had Welsh rarebit, I had a chicken
Korma. I kept texting, and had to say
To my daughter it was my new girlfriend
Sending and receiving. I had to send
Messages to my new love though it pained
Josie ever so slightly not to be
The sole centre of all my attention
In the picture she sent today, it's plain
She's the sexy athletic girl for me

Saturday 21 April

2054 - Dreams of yesterday

Hey, last night I was too drunk to write this
Not been that drunk for ages, glad to say
I had a good time, not just being pissed
But maybe think I had a bit, no, way
Too much. The other Tony seemed to buy
All the drinks, towards the end. Tequila
Was even bought, and he said that the way
To drink it was with salt on the thumb - a
Strange notion, but that's what we did. After
(And before) I drank strong beer and Guinness
A potent mixture which blew me away
By the end of the evening. Showed them a
Picture of Katy with me, the business
When it comes to love. We are both happy

2053 - Chatty man and girl

Just chatted for a long time to Katy
Two and a half hour's chat went by with ease
Tuesday and Thursday nights are the nights we
Have two or three hour long chats, shoot the breeze
It's nice to hear her young and distant voice
Sounding close to my ear, she's almost here
I know what she's wearing, I like her choice
Before long she'll wear it in Manchester
That's the plan, that at the hot time of year
We'll have plenty of opportunity
To lie in each other's arms, trying to squeeze
The life out of each moment, each so dear
Our closeness is romantic fantasy
Come true. Now let me have more of it, please!

2052 - Good thing going

Will Chelsea beat the great Barcelona?
Will Lionel Messi score his usual goal?
Will these years end of me being a loner?
Have I found someone to have and to hold?
It seems like it, like this year could be gold
I've just secured a slot at the King's Arms
In Salford in mid-June - a music role
Although I originally thought I'm
Going to do comedy songs, could charm
Them with that, or straight songs. Katy and her
Brood may come up here to live, to be whole
A happy family full of light and warmth
I've also quit smoking and regular beer
But have friends to go out with! Happy soul!

2051 - What me and Katy did

A busy day at work, with four meetings
One of which I dodged. First, a video
Link to Belfast, policy updating
From me to them, with the Intel Bureau
In London also joining in. Could go
To the library to return DVDs
Because I dodged the midday telephone
Conference. Got a Paul Simon hits CD
But my laptop won't play it properly
A telecon to Newcastle taking
An hour from one til two, and then one more
Typed up some minutes, and at five was free
Rang Katy for three hours, was great hearing
Her and imagining her touch, you know

2050 - The late late poetry show

Let's see, sonnet diary, what has happened
Today? Well, consulting these fourteen lines
Reminds me of today from start to end
Like it has done through both good and bad times
But mainly through 'okay' in-between times
Our new team leader, Andy, replaced Jo
At work, where gradually I felt some signs
Of tiredness, almost feverish... Thought, I'll go
Home early, and watched a film (tomorrow
It's due back at the library). Almost sent
Me to sleep, it did, but I had to find
The energy to go out. One more blow
Of the nose, one more text to Katy, and
Off to the poetry show's meeting of minds

Mon 16 April

2049 - Sunny funny honey

It's a new day today, the sun came out
Although it was cold, to greet my Katy
We met and hugged and kissed, and then hung out
In a pub. Gammon and Guinness for me
But I was so tired and so heavily
Laden with a cold bug I could finish
Neither, but I drank my coffee and she
Drank her tea, then we drank each others' lips
Hers were honey, though my taste buds are sick
Today, and I sniffed and coughed, but without
Putting my little darling off. To be
Young again's what it's like - a privilege!
So thanks baby, you've ended my love drought
And I'm proud you spent your day happily

2048 - Tomorrow's a new day

I feel awful but also full of awe
Awful because my cold's come back again
I think I caught it on the bus, that's where
Germs circulate (on the way to London)
I feel full of awe because I'm waiting
For tomorrow's trip to see a lady
It's been a while since I have had a fling
Let alone a real close one - this could be
The latter, could be a red letter day
Only a better day if I felt more
Well, like I have felt since I stopped smoking
Although I must go on a bus journey
Risking yet more infections to meet her
I'm game for laughs and intimate touching!

2047 - Embryo

I've been down to the King's Arms in Salford
To catch the show that is called Embryo
It's roughly every three months, and it's for
Up and coming acts, most who you don't know
It's popular, and so I had to go
Downstairs after the interval, because
It was impossible to see the show
Too many people in the way, it was
Becoming a pain, there was too much buzz
So downstairs with Dermot we swapped some words
Over a Guinness or three... well you know
There's nothing better than the odd Guinness
I won the argument, the pints were poured
And now it's bedtime until tomorrow

Fri 13 April

2046 - Sink the Titanic!

I wish the Titanic had never sunk
Then this week's hundredth anniversary
Would never have happened! Just quickly, think!
No long-drawn out films starring Leo Di
Caprio and Kate Winslet. Celine Di-
on's heart would not have gone on. We'd be spared -
All of us! So many ships sank at sea
Especially in the wars when food was scarce
And sailors risked their lives so we'd be fed
I think that's more tragic than lots of drunk
Rich people having their cruise suddenly
By a cheeky iceberg interrupted
Next time it's mentioned I'll just do a bunk
Or maybe I'll eat some ice cream for tea

2045 - Sex credit

Oh dear, I've not practised guitar again
Why do I put it off? But what I did
Was edit my texts from Katie, now down
From 1200 to 30, no more hid
Are those sexy pictures she sent, those slide -
shows of just one picture each time, posed in
The bathroom, most often. Sadly we tried
To arrange a meet this weekend, to find
A quiet place, just us, but the waiting
Goes on, because her tax credits weren't sent
Poor love, she wants to pay her way, and made
Us wait, though it broke her heart. Still texting
As bedtime approaches... I see Wigan
Have surprisingly beaten United

Wed 11 April

2044 - Outrageous fortune

Yesterday evening, no laughing matter
But yet, like everything, experience
And further hot fuel poured upon the fire
It doesn't matter who crookedly wins
It's who wins fair and square, cronyisms
Defeated like the last scene of Hamlet
Which I've just seen, Larry as the sweet prince
Too slow to act, no rewards to collect
Except his story told - Horatio, get
Your best quill ready. Yet, Will the father
Will already with sharpest word outfence
The skull's sculptor, gravediggers' employment
And commune with his own dead son, each tear
Turned into boldest ink, loss to romance

2043 - Long day's journey into shite

Set the alarm for 7 hours 15
But woke up an hour early, washed and packed
Got the train to Victoria and had been
Waiting a long time for the coach, I clapped
An eye on it, a double decker, hopped
Upstairs with my bags full of books and gear
For maybe half an hour at most I slept
Weary from several late nights. It appeared
Promising for tonight, my routine clear
The running order sorted, gags pristine
In my mind, spiced up with banter, perhaps
The night approached, Sandbar (student quarter)
I did my set, four minutes, memory keen
But the audience was dull, the night went flat

Mon 9 April

2042 - Brain and rain

My last night in London, Easter Sunday
Shopped without stopping, Camden and Euston
Lots of T-shirts and books, the odd coffee
And my lunch, a giant piece of Stilton
The theme of the Wellcome exhibition
Was the brain - real people's brains were on show
And skulls with several holes drilled into them
Trepanning without anaesthetic - oh!!
Avoided the showers with timing so
Skilful it was comic. On that note, they
Will see me up in Manchester and on
Stage doing my comedy act tomorrow
Hope I get a good night's rest, and I may
Even sleep on the bus, that's if I can...

Sun 8 April

2041 - Cold Blow Lane

Cold Blow Lane is what it felt like today
Cloud cover and chilling breeze, but we still
Saw some awesome sights, firstly Canary
Wharf with its shops, then the Docklands Light Rail-
way to Greenwich, and its market. The sail-
boat Cutty Sark's restoration goes on
Walked to Blackheath, green pastures, wind assailed
Us, but past a circus we walked around
And found charity shops, spent the odd pound
Drank a coffee in a cosy cafe
Talked of Katie and Belinda. Bus til
New Cross. Bought and ate soup. In pub, three rounds
Beer for me, wine for Pearl. Late film, ballet
Drama 'Black Swan' - a day full and fulfilled

Sat 7 April

2040 - Vertigo on Telegraph Hill

The sky was pure blue over South London
I walked with Pearl through New Cross and Brockley
To Telegraph Hill Park with views right down
To the great city spread out before me
Bought two tops from T K Maxx, Sainsbury
Supplied us with Easter Eggs, back to flat
The quickest of chats and a quick coffee
Then I went to meet Louis after quite
A long train journey to Norbiton, it
Being AFC Wimbledon's home town
Saw them lose to Rotherham narrowly
Met up with Pearl, and we three sat to eat
A pizza on the South Bank. Lou went on
Home, and then I watched 'Vertigo' with P

Friday 6 April

2039 - Easter tidings and ridings

Woke early - Katie's birthday - sent a text
Watched morning TV and I packed my bags
Cool but sunny Manchester where I walked
To Shudehill bus station, then tucked my legs
Into a tight space for five hours that dragged...
The Megabus hit Easter holiday
Traffic near Birmingham on the M6
And in London itself, making their way
Home for a few days' break. The cloud gave way
To sun, though chilly. From Victoria, next
Stop New Cross Gate by overground train - big
Journey through South-East London. You can see
Canary Wharf from here. Met Pearl, good chats
Back at her flat that's got the railway shakes

Thursday 5 April

2038 - Faith, hope but no charity

I'm at TV21 once again
In Manchester's trendy Northern Quarter
Watched Janet's old Jewish comedy turn
Though cold, it was still light when we got here
Hectic week at work, we've had to prepare
For a national fuel shortage, a crisis
If the fuel drivers strike after Easter
There's just been an altercation, a fist-
-i-cuff, a disagreement, some business
About the band's mates not being willing
To pay the charity entrance fee. The
Band didn't get paid. Serves 'em right, the dicks...
Tomorrow I'm on the bus to London
Looking forward to seeing son and daughter

Wed 4 April

2037 - Rise of The Fall

My dinner's ready so got to be quick
Got a text to reply to from Katie
Listening to music on Radio 6
Marc Riley's avuncular bonhomie
I first heard of him when perusing The
Fall's single 'It's The New Thing' way back when
Late '78, I think. On TV
Earlier I saw James McCartney, the son
Of Paul, or is it Sir Paul, cute one from
The Beatles. Jim seemed totally unlike
His very old man, lost in reverie
Painfully shy, short on words, even glum
When promoting himself. He sure can pick
A mean guitar, though... and that's beyond me

2036 - The end (of the season) is nigh

I feel good physically and mentally
Is it because I'm not smoking, drinking?
I'm glad I didn't sit listening to the
Football all night - United are winning
The title again, it seems - how boring
Man City threw it away, last two months
Should have brought Tevez back sooner, I think
And their other key players have all slumped
In form, compared to their dazzling autumn
Displays. Oh well. Time for a DVD
'The Killing of Sister George' or 'Darling'?
Two old 60s films, they should both be fun
Only two films this week, as I will be
In London, older children visiting

2035 - Turning up the heat

Sunny but cold, a strong wind blows outside
Glad I'm at home, chilling but not freezing
The heat will be on soon, to get clothes dried
And the afternoon sun's penetrating
My living room, welcome warmth mirroring
That shown by family, friends and my new love
Last night in bed alone, I was thinking
About each decade's best year. This year's proved
Great so far, and promises much more. Have
Similar memories of '02, future bride
Her fine female scent intoxicating
'95 was top, also '85
'73 still echoes in my mind
Could this year join that exclusive grouping?