3195 - That was the two weeks, that was

So many holiday pictures I took
Been posting them today, it took all day
First, posting them from phone onto Facebook
Replying to comments was fun, I'd say
But now I'm numbering them, not yet half-way
Through that process, and saving to hard drive
Good to relive it all, though, all that way
I travelled, walked like you wouldn't believe
It's reminded me all those things I strove
To pack into each day, people will look
At those pix and wonder, and some may say
'I want to go there,' and some may just grieve
That they can't, but despite their sad bad luck
I hope they liked seeing my holiday!

3171 - Prague pilgrim's progress

Getting in the holiday zone of mind
Excitement builds. Today, getting my phone
Mended so I can charge it and still find
Power to post on Twitter. Having flown
To Prague, I'll want and need to have well shown
The sights I see, the folk I meet, also
In German places, beer and mountains grown
To gross proportions, only goats may go
To those high heights! My German learning's slow
I'm struggling to study the lingo, kind
Of lazy maybe, but distraction's blown
It away, along with 'Dragon Tattoo'
(The book), but I could catch up when flyin'
Or waitin' in stations for trains to come

3141 - Miles of smiles

Nice relaxing night in, listening to Miles
While chatting on Facebook and writing this
Must give Josie a call, she should be smiles
At getting United mascot duties
She was off school ill, so it is
Up to me to see if she's getting well
Or if she's still ill, a sickly business
So when I've done this, I'll give her a bell
She might be in the bath. More likely she'll
Be on Instagram, perusing the piles
Of pix on there, antics by some Misses
And Masters by the score. Miles' final
Track's on now, 'Sanctuary' ... it's a while
But now 'Bitches Brew' has finished, oh yes

3053 - Yes, it really is Christmaaaaas!

It's Christmaaaaas! Noddy's driving Santa's sleigh
I was awake til half-past one last night
Messaging on Facebook, joking away
Preventing my own sleep by the phone light
Miraculously, slept til light was bright
The light of dawn, that is, the phone recharged
Was used pretty soon for pictures that might
Raise smiles online. Then into Robin's large
Hired car, up the road, to a hill with gorge-
ous views of the Mersey and of the Dee
Estuaries, up that hill the wind had bite
Since then we've eaten and talked, not yet played
Scrabble, but there's still time. Juice in the fridge
Sweets, biscuits, chocolates. One more? I just might

Thur 25 Dec

3052 - It's Christmaaaaaaas!

I must admit I forgot my sonnet
Yesterday (Christmas Eve), I'm a day late
I'll try and remember not to forget
Next time, but Christmas puts you in a state
I went to work, made my brain operate
As far as I could, with Christmas looming
Left early, got the train to Mum's, was great
To be with her and bro Rob, both catching
Up on news and what have you. Relaxing
In the evening, no drink for me, no wet
Alcohol, not even to celebrate
The time of year that's now fast approaching
I read for a while before going to bed
Then went on Facebook, late chat to create...

Wed 24 Dec

3038 - Roma-loma-ding-dong

I'm looking forward to an evening in
Which will be spent on Spotify, firstly
And then when Louis gets up (it's evening
But he's asleep) we will then watch City
Attempt to win against Roma and the
Odds in the Champions League. Too cold and wet
To collect Claire's Christmas parcel for Josie
Hopefully tomorrow evening I'll get
It. Need to buy i-Tunes vouchers, not yet
Been to Tesco. They're for Lewis, cousin
Of my three kids Josie, Pearl and Louis
Back to last night, although I don't regret
Ad-libbing with Dermot, need to refine
The act a bit to make more comedy

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

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

2946 - Thoughts at speed

Oops, nearly forgot my sonnet again
Need to get to bed, knackered, yes indeed
I need to rest all of body and brain
I need to dream about planting a seed
I need people's bullshit like a nosebleed
Maybe in dreams they'll act more like they should
Made a few new friends today, I'm quite pleased
On Facebook, I mean, lol, not the real world
Well, one or two I met last night, Salford
(Or maybe Manchester?) - the Eagle Inn
Who are your friends? The ones when I'm in need
Maybe, or just the ones with whom a word
Can be shared, loud laughs following - yes, fun
Is the main thing I hope for. Thoughts at speed

Tue 9 Sep

2944 - Baby steps

It's late Sunday night, back from Whalley Range

Watched jazz at the Hillary Step, OK

The violinist, Olivia Moore was slightly strange

Playing St Saens style with two guys, but they

Were playing mid-twentieth century way

It livened up a bit towards the end

But by then I was on Facebook, sorry

To say. Earlier on, managed to amend

Friday night's pub draft of a new poem

I'd like to read tomorrow on the stage

At Evidently at the Eagle. Stayed

Away a couple months, but now all them

Need to hear my latest one out its cage

And set free to fly, up, up and away

2934 - Girls United

Very tired, quite a late night, guitar play
Then a drink, then late night conversation
So instead of rehearsing comedy
I'm staying in. Just as well. My alarm
Is set for 6:30. Must catch the train
From Piccadilly at 8 to Wilmslow
Collecting Josie with her bags, then stayin'
Around the shops and cafes til we go
To London on the midday train. I so
Enjoy exploring the capital. They
(My two daughters) like having good old fun
When they meet all too rarely. I don't know
What we'll do yet, but we will have good days
This week Jo's on the way towards woman

2932 - Ice ice babies

A fun day, first of all my short stories
Then ironing, then got inspiration
To write, first time for a while, poetry
Not particularly clever, but on
The button, rhythmically. And then the fun
Continued, listening to Symphony Nine
By Mahler, one of my faves, and then down
Town, met Nancy, she was nervous, the time
Drew close to the Ice Bucket Challenge, mine
As posted yesterday on Facebook. he's
Late, we thought, where's Dermot, but the tension
Relieved when he arrived. The film went fine
On Nancy's phone of them both water-freezed
A few more drinks, a meal, and day was done

Mon 25 August

2931 - Bucketheads

Woke up quite early, bit tired, thinking 'bout
The ice bucket challenge I had to do
Been nominated by Martina out
In Bratislava, very surprised too
There was research and purchases, I knew
Bought bucket from Sainsburys, but the ice
Would have to wait till the waking of Lou
Because I've no freezer, so went out twice
To the supermarket. It was a nice
Big bag of ice, nowhere to store it. Showed
Lou how to video on my phone, then cue
The embarrassing filming, with the eyes
Of neighbours maybe on us all about
Lots of reaction. Tomorrow - part two!

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

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.

2831 - Manchester Castle Magic

It's been a sunny day, a nice warm sun
A clear sky, stayed out late, then it got cool
First off, met Josie, went to Decathlon
Bought her a skateboard, on which she's no fool
She got good at it in Stockport and all
The way home. Met Nancy in Manchester
Predictably we went to The Castle
And the strange thing was, though I drank some beer
I never got drunk. Switched from the porter
To Titanic. Got wi-fi on my phone
There, which over time should prove real useful
Can sit in the room or the yard, confer
With folk on Facebook, Twitter - what fun
It's now 4:30 a.m. Birdsong rules

Sat 17 May

2830 - These charming men

Sunshine! Too hot to even wear a coat!
I know it's mid-May but I've been changing
Back into my winter coat, had to float
In clothing terms between seasons and swing
One way, then another, never knowing
Just which way to go. Tonight I'll just stay
In, maybe connect on social networking
Sites, as I've been busy this week. But why
Does Twitter not allow me to post my
Snapshots? What's wrong? Morrissey did a tweet
The other day, so now I'm following
Him, and Andy Rourke. But didn't obey
The call of Johnny Marr! I read about
Him in the Moz autobiog. Charming!

2781 - Bye bye Johnny

Was merrily facebooking and tweeting
Last night, when unexpectedly, Derm got
In touch and said, Come for a pint, I'm in
The New Oxford, so I went out and got
Quite wet on the way there. And tonight, got
To go out again to see him to talk
Comedy ideas. If he's not, I've got
A few possible thoughts. Today at work
It was John Durkan's leaving do. I talked
To some old faces I'd not seen, loving
Chatting away, but thought to self, I've got
To get back to the office, put the cork
Back in the bottle, knowing this evening
Was waiting, couldn't get drunk, least not yet

2576 - Sunday Punday

Been hard at it today, social media
Facebook and Twitter have swallowed the hours
I've posted more than ever before, yeah
And got many many good responses
My first full Sunday Punday hour was class
Seems they give out the themes about midday
Giving me time to write puns that are boss
Still think they shouldn't do that, I think they
Should announce it at eight, cos that's the way
To see who's Top Pun, who's quick on the draw
Mind you, the standard might then be lower
So all in all it's all good, hey hey hey
Thank goodness I've got back now on Twitter
Now everyone can smell my evil flowers!

2574 - Play it cool, man

It's an extremely quiet Friday night
I've taken two hours to drink one bottle
While watching 'Shame' again, maybe it's quite
Hard to get into beer with no fags. Well
I've found that before. Just want to settle
Down and go to bed early, drift away
This winter's been warm, hot water bottle
Not needed, thank you. Twitter's calling me
But I'm not really in the mood today
You shouldn't feel this pressure to post, right?
It's Friday night, no-one's online, people
Have better things to do, right? So they say
At any rate, don't wanna play tonight
Just keepin' it cool, keepin' it real cool