2898 - Muggy Magyar

What a hot day, the last before my trip
And tomorrow's also going to be hot
I think therefore I am, no, I will, slip
Tomorrow morning into some clean shorts
And a thin t-shirt, for the shortish flight
To Budapest, capital of Hungary
There's the Danube, the Parliament, first sight
Of Castle Hill, the bustling streets I'll see
Once ruled by Soviet tanks, now they're all free
And in the EU, though tips, if I tip
Will be in forints - euros they do not
Use (very sensible)... Beer's cheap, hee hee
I'm so excited, that to get some kip
Tonight, beer's needed. An excuse I've got!

2897 - Be nice to Russia, people

The UN has a new resolution
To debate, proposed by Australia
To investigate the crash in Ukraine
Attempts up to now have been a failure
Some evidence removed, that is the fear
I'm watching Russia Today today to
See what they say. I've seen all our media
Point the western fingers at you know who
They're probably right, but it's never all true
It does seem unlikely though, the Russian
Claim that Kiev's spooks could outmanoeuvre
The Kremlin's, and convince all of their view
Leaving those naive young Russians flounderin'
Shrugging their shoulders, feeling picked on, yeah?

2896 - It was a sunny day

This is a day late, no time yesterday
To write a sonnet, too busy you see
After the Shrewsbury trip followed by a
Late night in Salford pubs... Today, Josie
(My last visit before my holiday)
A nice sunny day, we both went to town
I bought some clothes for when I go away
Couldn't resist an apparent bargain
New jacket and World Cup t-shirt now owned
Josie tried clothes on in Hollister. Me
I just sat in an armchair, patiently!
Ate at Pizza Express, Wilmslow. Back down
To Manchester, met Nancy to have a
Chit chat, back to flat, more chat, late beddy

About Sunday 20 July, written Mon 21 July

2895 - Piccasilly

A long day, in which lots of beer was had
Whether that was wise, I don't know, but I
Feel kind of OK just before my bed
The day was mainly spent in Shrewsbury
The rain fell hard towards Piccadilly
But as it went on, it became nicer
The four of us visited hostelries
Of ancient repute, and necked good beer
Towards the end I lost them but they were
Waiting for the same train and so we shared
Conversation on the way home, nearby
A very sexy woman. Then after
I got home, went out again, watched some lads
Edinburgh preview, and more pints, oh why????

Saturday 19 July

2894 - Dehydration City

I'm dehydrated, and it's a hot night
So hot today I wore a loose white shirt
Although it's Friday dress down day, I might
Have worn a t-shirt and jeans, but I hurt
With over-heating when I tried to put
My jeans on in the morning. Anyway
I walked to work, quite smart but cool, a chat
With a workman at the building site. They
Are all off on holiday at work. Hey -
Me too, next Wednesday, when I'll catch that flight
To Budapest, touch down at the airport
And find the hostel, hopefully quickly
Tomorrow, Shrewsbury pub crawl but quite
Unwell right now, bad cold and feeling shit

2893 - Can't strain my brain

A plane has been shot down in the Ukraine
That's where they're mainly shot down, not in Spain
It's plain the plane was shot down, causing pain
And people died, in burning fire and flame
Putin is innocent of this deed, that's plain
He's puttin' on a brave face, acting sane
Social media is reporting this shame
And satellites are recording the same
It's sunny now but soon there'll be hard rain
By the weekend the rain could be insane
While in Paris people might go in Seine
Whether the weather forecast is in vain
Or not, I don't know, it can be a strain
To get it right, but I can't strain my brain

2892 - Life training

It's late on Wednesday, out with P and J
To Wilmslow to see J in her school show
Then a Thai meal with both, then a delay
For the train back, a pint with P, Wilmslow
To pass the time, chatted during the slow
Trip back to Manchester and then a pint
In a beer joint in the NQ, and how
We caught up on stuff, discussed various points
In some ways she's ahead of me, a joint
Agreement that allure of faraway
Is attractive, the exotic, although
There's no guarantee, we both got to paint
With a broad brush, tomorrow, yesterday
Keep having fun til the end, never know...

Wed 16 July

2891 - Holiday! Celebrate!

A quick sonnet, and then a guitar-play
Ministerial shuffle in Downing Street
That nice young Nicky Morgan's gone away
Our workplace will have a new name to write
Papers to, recommending what is right
Not that I write any these days, ha ha
Steve was ill today, though I'm not sure quite
What he's got, but he's under the weather
Talking of that, it's been real pleasant here
Today. Went to the Post Office to pay
For Hungarian forints to spend at night
In Budapest taverns. Slovakia
Has the euro now. Collecting Thursday
Then I'll be armed with spends. Oh what delight!

2890 - A Messi of the blues

Last night's World Cup was won by Germany
And I'm glad, because they played fair and well
The system tried to fix it so that the
South Americans won, preferably Brazil
But Germany thrashed them, semi-final
Score 7-1, then faced Argentina
In yesterday's closer, tenser final
Deserved defeat to the team that's meaner
Messi messed up, Goetze gets the winner
That was then, this is now, watching TV
About building the Shanghai Tower so tall
We don't see enough programmes on China
Pulled out of poetry night tonight. Poor me
Is tired and has sore throat. Sorry, Eagle!

2889 - Seasons of my goal

It's today now, it's always today now
But how long does now last, that's the question
And is time real, the enquiring mind allow
For the existence of each small moment
Is there a real difference between the sun
Tomorrow and today or yesterday
Does it matter who's here and who has gone
Does it matter what you or I both say
Or whether we go this or go that way
It's World Cup Final day, we're wondering how
The game will go for the Argentinians
And the Germans. We'll know later today
Or tonight, night and day's the same somehow
Specially in summer, winter, all seasons

2888 - Park strife

It's Saturday night, I've been to see Jo
Started off hot and sunny, shorts weather
But I wore long trousers and I was so
Hot at first but it got cloudy later
And rained, but before that we went to the
Park, Jo climbed a tree, then got stuck up it
I lifted her down. Paddled in river
Bollin (Jo, not me). Sat on grass a bit
Then had tea in the Bollin Fee, I ate
Cod and chips (cold peas as usual), while Jo
Had a pasta dish. Train to Manchester
Nic messaged. She is lying low, cos skint
Watching the third place play-off, it's a low
End to the World Cup for Brazil's players

Sat 12 July

2887 - Where was my mind?

An unexpected email, an invite
From Tony Mac for an after-work pint
I stuck to Guinness, marathon not sprint
Tony generous as usual. We opined
And joked as usual, he was mainly kind
Remembered fondly his time in our team
Since he moved, the work fun factor's declined
It's still fun for me, but less so for him
Needless to say, pints were filled to the brim
And emptied. He kept buying more, both quite
Legless. He snuck out the pub door behind
My back as I briefly talked to two wom-
en. I don't remember much else that night
It's now tomorrow. I've got back my mind...!!

Fri 11 July, written Sat 12 July

2886 - Spain and Romania in one night

I've been out with Nancy, Maria-Jesus
And her daughter Yenay, and Dermot too
Began at the Old Wellington, I sussed
As a typically English pub, and brews
Of beer and lager, all that we could show
We then went to the Cornerhouse for more
Drinks, had a laugh, they went their way, we two
(Me and Dermot) to Salford Arms, they poured
More pints, we chatted to Ken the landlord
In the beer garden I met some Romanians
I said I was reading 'bout Ceausescu
They said it was better now, worth a tour
I might do that next year to Bucharest
Or other places, think I might have to...

Thur 10 July

2885 - And semi-finally...

Sunny evening, and Stevie Wonder's on
I've had a guitar practice, quite good, though
Not my absolute best. Recycling bin
Info digested, confusing info
Got lots to do, but time is running low
World Cup second semi-final coming
Up shortly. Can Van Gaal steer Holland to
The final, knock out Argentina, bring
On the Germans if they do, replaying
The '74 final they lost then
Hard to see Holland doing that, somehow
I've time to put pix on Facebook, thinking
Maybe I may not bother, Louis' in
The room. I'll probably cook instead, you know.

2884 - The art of the charts

It's not often these days I see the charts
The top twenty in full, on video
Takes me back to the nineties, and a part
Of Saturday mornings, yes, The Chart Show
They didn't play every single song though
They played the rock, dance and indie charts too
I used to tape a lot of it, video
Tape rocked back then, it was exciting to
Watch it again, do compilations. Few
Of them still remain. Got friend to convert
Them to DVD. Had thought we might go
To watch the first semi-final with Lou
And Vee outside, but it's too cold and wet
And we're both tired from work. Go, Brazil, go!

2883 - Rockin' all over Central Europe

Tonight I played some guitar, Status Quo
The Doors and The Smiths, played 'em pretty well
It's easy when you know the music so
Well, of course, the strings ringing like a bell
And after that, Miklos messaged to tell
Me some info about the Hungary trip
Some links to places of interest, castle
Parliament building, baths where I can strip
(Not entirely?!). At his house I can sleep
And will need to, after four days of woah!
At the hostel, tourism by day, swill
Of beer by night, Hungarian wine to sip
Also. And then Bratislava. I'll go
And get more pumped each day til I travel!!!

2882 - It's all good

What a weekend! A late night on Friday
Then up quite early considering, for
A pre-arranged meet-up with Vee, Sat'day
For a guided Manchester music tour
The Smiths, the Stone Roses, et cetera
Landmarks, like where The Smiths used to rehearse
Or where their first gig was (The Ritz). Ate our
Lunch at the Albert Square Slug and Lettuce
Opposite the Town Hall, then a Guinness
In Mother Mac's pub, then ten mins' shut-eye
At Vee's flat, then Louis came, saw game, tore
On foot to Nic's, fun at her flat. Now this
Day (Sunday), hired car, drove Jo, read poetry
Then late lunch with my mum in Greasby. Cor!!!

2881 - A hard rain's not gonna fall

Hardly any sleep, shower, Manchester tour
Of music, with Suzanne and Vee, all good
We saw things we'd never seen, vision poor
It was raining at times, I wore my hood
At least it wasn't Glastonbury mud
Watched Argentina / Belgium, one nil win
Then hung out with Nic and her mates, I could
Have gone on to the Bowie night, but then
I might have struggled to make New Brighton
That's what I'm doing tomorrow somehow
My daughter won't like it, she will be bored
Maybe my poems will somehow be good
After that we'll see Grandma, old Grandma
We'll eat together, talk and crying food

Sat 5 July - written late and drunk. A couple of things. I was wrong,it didn't rain and i didn't need to wear a coat with hood up - that was the day before! Also, the last line doesn't make any sense but 'talk and crying' is what my drunken writing looks most like. Not sure what it actually says to be honest!

2880 - Rain in vain

A rainy afternoon and evening
In Manchester, not really a surprise
A half-day's work, then plenty of eating
At Buffet City, belly big as eyes
With Nancy, first night out for two weeks. Sized
Up the chavs, ate our fill, then up the road
To the B-Lounge (The Brunswick) after five
Watched Germany beat France, chatted a load
Stayed there, few Guinnesses, Brazil allowed
By hook or crook to progress, denying
Colombia a good goal. Had surmised
Brazil would go through. Decided we should
Relocate to The Castle. More drinking
A long night in the end, said my bye-byes...

Friday 4 July

2879 - Hire and hire

A hot day, a rainy day, walked along
The canalside, which is very narrow
In places, scared that I might fall headlong
Into the canal, hope I don't swallow
The dirty water, full of germs, you know
Got quite a lot done in the office, and
Ate quite a lot too - walnuts, soup, coco-
nut flakes, which are really more-ish. I spent
All of three quid on the way home. Account
Is doing OK now, my credit's strong
Thanks to my Post Office loan that's gone through
I've saved a lot these two weeks, but weekend
Looks expensive, out a lot, I'm going
To hire a car Sunday, see Ma with Jo

2878 - Chuckle sandwich

My current healthy phase is still only
A few days old, but I'm still hanging in
There. Exercising more, waking early
And getting to work earlier, and fitting
More work in when I'm there. I've been writing
Short stories in the evening again. Great
To get the momentum back, creating
Stories around the characters I made
Up back in the spring. Tonight was my mate
Francis Bacon-Sandwich's turn to be
Written about in the notebook. Getting
Naturally tired now, like when a kid. Late
Nights without booze have a way gradually
Of becoming boring. There's just eating...

2877 - My brilliant Korean

Another relatively healthy day
No poisons in the system, and saving
For holidays that loom large, energy
And money, both of these I keep banking
Ready for a big splurge while travelling
Got a Korean takeaway for lunch
Chicken and noodles, egg fried rice, eating
At my desk, read the Metro as I munched
Celeb and sports updates as the shoots crunched
Between my teeth. Despite the drawn-out play
Between Argentines and Swiss, kept working
On my Slim Sam short story, find a punch-
line or two. Got to the end, anyway
But its quite long, think it will need pruning

2876 - Adventure in the centre

The last day of June, looking forward to
July, got a holiday approaching
To Hungary, and I've seen that it's so
Easy to get from Budapest using
The train, to various places, I'm planning
To spend the end of the trip going north
Into Slovakia, and there, visiting
The capital, Bratislava. Of course
That means another country I can cross
Off the list, and another new tattoo
Can be planned, pictorially representing
Where I've travelled or lived over the years
Haircut at lunchtime, and the sky was blue
Along the canalside, pleasant walking

Mon 30 June