3028 - Stud u like

Popped home to drop off Jo's new football boots
Half of her Christmas present (a onesie's
The other half) and also write my thoughts
For the day, tossing off sonnets with ease
As I've done since Sept 2006
When this is done it'll be time to dash
Out again, though my tummy's had its fix
Already, at the Arndale cafe, mash
And mince (cottage pie). Spent most of the cash
From Lou's November rent, lasted throughout
The month, spent so little, just saved moneys
Did go out several times, had the odd bash
But no splurges of dosh. No, lots of loot
And hope to keep it that way, if you please!

3027 - Rams-are-leaders-ding-dong

Enjoying the quiet life as autumn soon
Turns to winter; November, December
Loads in my bank account, far from ruin
If I keep this up! Derby still hold their
Top spot in the Championship despite a
Loss at Leeds I nearly saw in person
But neither Louis nor Josie were here
To go with, and we lost, so there. Our run
Despite our stutters goes reliably on
Helped by regular luck, other teams doing
Us favours by failing to be winners
When it matters. Not done much - all I've done
Is read my pop book, covering eighties tunes
This book's given me many songs to hear

3026 - Fave rave

Some fun posts on Twitter and Facebook, yeah
After writing this, I will play guitar
Then read my book of pop music, nearer
And nearer the eighties I get. Writer
Thinks the early eighties were the best years
Largely, I reckon, because of his age
I'm slightly older and my top era
Would be the late 70s, just a page
In time before his fave, when all the rage
Was post-punk, new wave, disco, whatever...
Wait! Reggae, two-tone, late era rock stars
It had it all. But there was good tuneage
Also in the early eighties, for sure
But since then it's gradually got poorer

3025 - Health and savings

A fun talk after work in the Library
Called Manchester Drunk n Sober, no less
Unusual distraction, completely free
Could've gone for a drink but just not arsed
Without beer those things seem easy to pass
And so straight home, exercised, ate some grub
Watching some football, as usual it's Spurs
On a Thursday, minor game in Europe
Sitting here, for company a teacup
Or maybe a mug, but it contains tea
The night's not quite over, but I've impressed
Myself behaving myself, keeping up
The health and savings regime, with Louis
Gone to London to stay for a few days

3024 - To beer or not to beer

Long day at work, then unexpectedly
Got an invite out, Dermot has returned
From China and Taiwan. Allegedly
He had a great time, and respect is earned
If he really did do all that, he burned
The candle at both ends. Instead of beer
He drank tea in Taiwan, said that he learned
To enjoy that scene more, and folk appeared
And were happy to talk. The Castle's weird
Totally sober, but it's now easy
To not drink beer in pubs. Again I'll turn
Away from the pumps tomorrow, be a
Bystander to the consumption when we
Meet at the Waterhouse when work is done

About Wed 26 November

3023 - Green Day in Salford

A fun night out at The Crescent, Salford
A pub I've not been in for some time now
Did a few gags, all memorised - that's good
Nice to know sometimes my mind works, you know
And then read a couple of poems, so
Combined the two in ten minutes, the last
And top slot of the night. The night may grow
Which is fitting cos they're the Greens, and sussed
About politics which is good, a must-
Vote option far as I'm concerned. I scored
A hit, I hope, met Red who hosts a show
Each Monday at Sandbar. Don't let the dust
Settle! He described it and said he would
Consider me for a slot there, so wow

3022 - Virtuous circle

Just exercised, woo-hoo, gives such a sense
Of pride and well-being, doing the right thing
As time goes on I'm seeing me less tense
About opportunities of doing
My will power's increasing as my drinking
Becomes history and I need to fill
Time differently, better, more interesting
Is all that's around, and more time to kill
Which in a virtuous circle means I will
Do more of what's right and ego intends
And less time-wasting. Not too much reading
Must get the level right, or books might spill
Over into 'doing' time, a defence
Against decisive action, achieving

3021 - Play my cards right

Been on a free train ride down to Cheshire
And back, collected my card from the pub
That I left there last night when we retired
Cos Jo felt a bit ill and we gave up
On watching Arsenal / United, stopped
Sitting in that hot crowded place, headed
Back to hers, then I headed back, a top
Day but unaware til later, then dread
As I realised I was without my card
But then I felt calm, no need to perspire
They'd keep it safe til tomorrow. I hopped
There on a priceless ride, as I just said
Earlier today I worked out what to tire
Them with this Tuesday - it won't be a flop!

3020 - Ball to face

Saturday is seeing Jo day and we
Went shopping in Stockport, mainly Primark
Where I got brown shoes and two jeans, forty
Quid only, then Jo looked for sports shoes, make
Important of course, and what made its mark
Most was the make of CR7 - that's
Cristiano Ronaldo's football boot, dark
Background with glittery finish, such glitz!
It may form part of her Christmas presents
Along with last week's United onesie
It's exciting, I almost want to bark!
Accident in Decathlon - our ball hits
A woman in the face, glasses fall free
To the floor, she complained, she was hard work!

3019 - Pop a doodle doo

The heat is on - that's a dramatic start
But it simply means that the heat is on
Literally in the flat. Shivers, depart!
Think tonight I'll just read my big book, fun
Indeed, a great tome on pop, lots of tune
References to check out on Spotify
Many of which are new to me, a boon
If ever there was one, big fish to fry
And then pour the contents real carefully
Into my ears. Louis gave me a start
When I went in his room to turn heat on
There he was asleep in bed. Wondered why
Then remembered he had stayed up til eight
Must have been watching the by-election

3018 - Dreams in a cold climate

Trying to write, but what to write about?
What's happened today, boring work day, see
The difficulty? Was tired, went without
Good night's sleep, too cold to doze off quickly
Took me til almost two to finally
Check out of Tuesday and into dreamland
Tried hard at work to be a busy bee
One worthy of Manchester's symbol found
In and around the Town Hall, and around
My arm in tattoo form too, looks quite cute
Beethoven's Eighth is playing now slowly
But now it's the last movement, and I'm bound
To finish this sonnet and hit the fret-
board of guitar for an hour, then TV!

3017 - Maybe tomorrow

I should be at the library, writing
But when I left the office, I turned right
Out of habit, homeward route following
And unfortunately realised too late
Maybe tomorrow I'll go there about
Five, maybe sooner, after Building Our
Future (don't ask!), and then maybe I'll write
Some poetry or comedy, some more
Short stories (what became of them?), and / or
Even try making music - exciting
If I can use some software, I'll be quite
Pleased with that, able to arrange and score
It's vital I get in a new routine
Of creating, not sitting in each night

3016 - Roy Hodgson's white and white army!

Did exercises after work today
Pleased about getting back in shape, oh yes
Then a good guitar session, like to play
As I get better and better, confess
I wonder though if I could ever say
I can play live, and play well, be a guest
On a bill. Probably not, anyway
Not if the past is a guide. Is that just
Negative, though? There's been the odd good day
Times when it went well, and of course when pushed
On stage, the nerves take over. There's no grey
Only black (bad) and white (good), saved or lost
After my practice, watched England away
And they won in Glasgow. Scots, be impressed!

3015 - Boom bang a bang

So tired today, below me or to side
A neighbour with the loudest boots is here
He or she (think it's he) started to stride
Noisily around, stomping on their floor
In the middle of Saturday night, for
Long enough to threaten my beauty sleep
And now this morning, the same din once more
Woke me around seven, I heard him keep
Not only stomping but bang, crash and bleep
(Rude words in my head). No way could I hide
Under the covers from this, guard my ears
And so, only six hours of precious kip
Under my pillow, I lay there and tried
To drop off again, but few dreams appeared

3014 - Milk but no alcohol

I'm chillin' out on Sunday in my pad
Tickin' off all the boxes, spendin' nowt
Listenin' to hot music, that's never bad
Spiritual healin' makes you jump n' shout
Fire those water pistols at the dumb crowd
Played guitar, now some punk classics are on
It's fun to have that shit on fairly loud
Not too loud tho cos it's not Beethoven
He got deaf, he didn't have to listen
Just drank some milk, white's the colour of good
Allegedly, maybe that's bullshit, would
It matter either way, what do words mean?
If words mean nowt, then poetry's a tad
Over-rated, unless it has a beat

3013 - Present and correct

A fun day visiting Josie Wosie
Hopped on the train to Manc Piccadilly
From there we caught the tram down to Old T
Realised this was an opportunity
To buy Jo's things for Christmas and birthday
For part of her Chrissy prezzy, onesie
In Man U design, looks very pretty
Then for her birthday that's in January
She wants to watch United play with me
So I bought two tickets, Reds v Burnley
She thinks the Reds will win, so she's happy
And for me, this present-buying's early
I can afford it, living frugally
Now in Dec and Jan I'll have more money

3012 - Look, don't touch

It's Friday night, but should I play guitar
Or give my hands a rest? After last night
They've felt a bit strained, You know how hands are
When they're over-used. My digits like sprites
Fly over fretboard, sonic dynamite
Portraying thoughts in fractions of seconds
But maybe not tonight, no not tonight
Which means I'll just relax as bed beckons
Read more Clough biog, read how he descends
Deeper into alcohol, still deeper
In his green top, his face flushed red and bright
He'd battle on without Pete, his best friend
So now, as I wonder where's Louis, where?
I'll settle down for a night cheap and quiet

3011 - In the bag

A bit of a disappointment tonight
Went to the library after work fired up
Hoping, expecting I'd have time to write
But they closed the room, yes they shut it up
Or maybe it was booked for something. Up
I had to get from the desk. Could have searched
For a chair somewhere, there floors both up
And down, but I feared there'd be few left. Clutched
My bag and left the building, instead fetched
Myself back home, cooked tea, then tried to write
The rest of what I'd begun. Ended up
With two draft poems, then happily snatched
My guitar for the first play for four nights
Disco and funk, yes, my flat is funked up!

3010 - Interstellar interpretation

This evening I went to the cinema
To watch the new big film that's on the block
The motion picture was 'Interstellar'
Like 'Inception' it featured Father Clock
(Well, Father Time don't rhyme, don't mock, don't knock)
And like that other film, it entertained
With concepts and visuals that knock your block
Off, and the loud humming as engines strained
In outer space was something else, sustained
Throbbing that tested the loudspeakers far
Beyond the norm, that seemed to make seats rock
Nolan's sci-fi epics near strain the brain
But stop short of confusing, the idea
Both shown and told so audience can take stock

3009 - Full leather jacket

A quick sonnet before I head off out
On the tram to West Didsbury, an old
Eighties stomping ground, it'll be a trout
(Sorry, treat) to revisit it, I'm told
(No, I'm doing the telling!) Not too cold
So I'll stick with the thin white coat, I won't
Change to the thick black one yet that was sold
To me last year, not had a great amount
Of wearing so far. When temperatures mount
(Sorry, plummet - when they go down the spout!)
As they tend to do when winter takes hold
I'll wear the black one, and also, all count
On seeing me quite soon out and about
In my new brown leather jacket. Clothes gold!

3008 - Bards of Salford

The first thing I did when I got back in
From a night out straight after work was eat!
Nicked two slices of Louis' bread, toasting
In the oven, and leaving that to heat
I fried some eggs and to complete the treat
A tin of beans and sausages did fine
Straight after work, I went and took a seat
In the Central Library, wrote some lines
And then met Dominik where the wheel turns
In Piccadilly Gardens in light rain
He's from Austria, and seemed pretty neat
I did well to not drink beer with the strains
Of half-cut conversations, having fun
Good poetry and friends to meet and greet!

3007 - Off the walls

A nice long relaxing day spent inside
A large part of it reading football book
(The Clough biography), listening beside
To footy on the radio, not much luck
For Arsenal again. Who's gonna attack
Chelsea, seemingly safe up in first place?
I also cleaned the flat, sprayed off the muck
From the kitchen walls, and the floor, displaced
The bits off Louis' soles are a disgrace
All trodden in, removed now. Then I tried
For the second time lately to not look
While I played guitar, both treble and bass
On my acoustic, while watching Come Dine
(Repeat), me and my plectrum showing pluck

3006 - Spongiform

A lovely day the weather couldn't spoil
Hired a car, drove to Wilmslow, picked up Jo
It's better value, cars, when the rains fall
We drove to Grandma's, where she cooked spag-bo
Then chocolate sponge pud, and other things too
Lots of banter between the three of us
Grandma is getting better, I tell you
Not just her leg, but joining in, no fuss
About not interrupting - that's a plus
Took the car back, then caught the train to Sale
Met up with pals, I drank juice, that was so
Disciplined of me. Crisps and Maltesers
Were a later alternative to ale
Comedy night, then home, the football show

3005 - Here he comes to save the day

It's another Friday night in, woo-hoo!
Saving dosh, saving dosh, just thinking then
When I was squatting myself on the loo
If I continue saving, pay debts and
Stuff, I may be able to comprehend
The chance of paying off the capital
On my interest-only mortgage, and spend
Less that way than adopting the usual
Repayment mortgage, although rates may fall
To 2% or less soon! If they do
Then maybe I'll try that. Money to burn
Not really, got to be oh so careful
Meanwhile, guitar, and watching Naples too
A TV prog about my honeymoon

3004 - See all without travelling

Exciting news, oh yes, exciting news
Is it a royal baby? they wonder
No, that's not it, I've got three new tattoos
On the upper arms and lower shoulder
I'll have you know that's a bony area
And so quite painful to be inked thereon
What were the tattoos of? you all clamour
OK, here goes. First, a souvenir from
Paris, the Eiffel, a silhouette, strong
And straight. Next, the Slovakian crest I used
The one central to their national banner
Last, the two-headed eagle, Albanian
Emblem, black, on red background. Fun to choose
My images, soon may a chance recur!

3003 - Statistical fireworks

Republicans make big gains in the States
They're all saying Obama is washed up
Even the Democratic candidates
In their campaigns just didn't want his help
Meanwhile, in the UK, there is a blip
In the anti-immigrant argument
Statistics in a new report a ripe
Riposte, showing the gains from immigrants
However, other factors also count
The main one being opening the gates
To too many. They may be good, but stop
A second, look at the fat lazy cunts
Already here, the stupid, obese NEETS
Hope that was politically correct - oops...

3002 - When the time comes

No writing again today, low on fuel
Just don't feel up to it somehow today
Worked quite hard, maybe that's why, it's cruel
But things won't write themselves, I have to say
To myself, no excuses, have to flay
Myself alive to write if necessary
Got to up my game, not just on Sundays
But all through the week, it's just got to be
Better, I should have much more energy
And willpower than this, this is my downfall
When the time comes I want to hide away
To relax, not work, but work is the key
Still, at least guitar practice has been cool
Lately, it's become addictive to play

3001 - Samsung blue

Had hoped to go writing straight after work
Should have done it, no excuse, well apart
From an unexpected text, made me jerk
Awake at lunchtime as my phone was charged
The sound has died on it, need to forward
It to the O2 repair shop but, well
If truth be told you know, I really can't
Be bothered. Checked for messages, and Pearl
Had said 'Let's do lunch' two hours before. She'll
Still be up for it, I hoped, and I smirked
When she was, and we did. Plate piled skyward
I tucked into that trendy-looking pile
And caught up with P. All that walking took
A bit of energy, so writing's out...

3000 - Big 'ead strikes again

I'm feeling quite sleepy this Sunday eve
After reading a lot, that always tires
I finished the Paul Lake, only a brief
Time took til the autobiog expired
The book, I mean, not him. Next up, I fired
With great speed through old pix of football grounds
Blurred pix snapped by old cameras now retired
To landfill sites. It showed the Baseball Ground
In Derby being demolished and quite ground
Into the ground, so to speak. Then, believe
It or not, the next book also conspires
To include Derby FC - well it's bound
To, as it's a biog of Cloughie. Give
It up for Ole Big 'ead, the man's inspired

2999 - Don't you rain on my new black shoes

Back home from seeing Jo, we caught a film
Needed to think of something exciting
And different to do, apart from the realm
Of the shopping mall, football ground, new things
Must be found to do, keep it fresh. Looking
Forward to next week's visit to Grandma
And Jo's excited about car travelling
In one of those white City Car Club cars
Bought new slip-on shoes, boot-shaped. Half a year
I've had no shoes that didn't leak. What balm
For my feet and what new stylish-looking
Image, wearing walking boots no longer
I'll try not to wear them when it rains. Calm
Weather is new shoe leather protecting