3288 - Comedy of nevers

Only three hours' sleep, got up before six
Started thinking of comedy routine
I was due to perform (about Egypt)
But when I got there, there was no-one in
And so the comedy didn't happen
So instead had some drinks, Dermot was there
Javi went too, and Jackie O'Hagan
Caught the end of the match. United were
Lucky to beat Bruges 3-1, was the hair
Of Fellaini that did it, hair that fixed
The result in the Reds' favour. We'd been
In the Salford Arms, then Mulligans where
We had another, met these guys, told jokes
A guy played spoons, home beer before bedtime!

Tue 18 August

3283 - New men in town

Derby have had a woeful beginning
To the season with new coach Paul Clement
Last night we lost to Portsmouth, the Carling
Cup, first round, mid-August, yes, we were sent
Packing with ease, the Rams a team that's meant
To be promotion favourites, Portsmouth bossed
The game. apparently, thank God didn't
Watch it down the pub, all alone and lost
In the Salford Arms TV room. We're toast!
Meanwhile, the Labour leadership's coming
To a head, three would-be leaders hell-bent
On trashing Jeremy Corbyn, the most
Persuasive of the four, too left-leaning
For a Labour man. Shocking! Jez - repent!

3265 - Now is now

Good evening out with Dermot and Richard
Popped in to see Fat Roland and old Phil
Busby, Debbie's brother, and he was good
But that so hot back room at the Castle
Is a bit much, so we did a shuffle
To the bar and had a good chat therein
Discussing time and other concepts, the while
Knocking back good beer, but got a soaking
On the way home. Dermot he went shopping
For pizza, of which I had a slice, pard-
on me, Now I'm typing this, really should-
n't this late on what's now Monday morning
But it's good fun, live for now, it's not hard
Life is short, make it quite enjoyable

Sun 26 July

3239 - In a pint pot

Listening to 'In A Rut' - no special cause
Except it's on my headphones, my playlist
Just got in from work, left there 'early doors'
(Yuk, I hate that phrase!) Next I shall get pissed
Starting off at the Brewdog, then visit
A few more places maybe, during which
Time I'll discuss with John recent tourist
Activities of ours, then we will switch
To planning our jaunt in September, ditch
Suitcases, just a bag each, not all floors
We'll be on, or pavements, but hills that twist
And potholes in the Balkans. Had some chips
At lunchtime from the Hip Hop Chip Shop - now's
Tea-time but think I'll miss it, miss miss missed

3218 - Yesterday, today, tomorrow

Oh no, we didn't win the quiz tonight
First time we've not won when I have been there
A sinking feeling, when losers unite
I'm doing my best to fend off despair
Maybe my mistake was offering no prayer
Still there's always tomorrow, so they say
Next time maybe we will win once more
Trying to write this before a new day
Don't think I'll do it, one minute away
Can write quickly, but not that quickly write
Listening to Paperback Writer, writer
The Beatles on my headphones, Yesterday
It was yesterday when I heard that, right?
But now it's today, tomorrow is here

Tue 9 June

3217 - The Russian wind is coming

Not enough sleep last night, can't wait to get
In bed, no energy left. Watched two hours
Of a French film, will watch the rest the next
Time I get the time, between sun and showers
The sun's still up, but will it allow us
To finish before its gold light has gone
It's fairly chilly, Russian winds blow us
Or Arctic or Atlantic, where've they come
From, not sure. Tomorrow, presentation
At work, and a submission to submit
And later, a quiz in the pub, where pours
The beer once more, as it did last night. Fun
I suppose, but I think I must try yet
Once more to stop for a while, get focus
 

3203 - Driving Miss Crazy

I've enjoyed my Bank Holiday Monday
Stayed home and did all sorts of things, relaxed
Tomorrow is another off-work day
My driving awareness course that I asked
To attend to avoid points. Harms your track
Record to have speeding points on licence
So I'll have a haircut, head for the trams
To Bury, all the while I will rehearse
My comedy sets for Tuesday and Wednes-
day (King's Arms and Tiger Lounge), though must say
I need to rehearse right now, practice fast
Or I won't see through my sunglasses lens
When I wear shades and hat to look OK
Trying to hide my thin and greying locks

3167 - Tomorrow night

A late night sonnet from a tired brain
I've spent hours today learning material
For tomorrow's gig. It's not going to rain
That's good news when you've got to walk a mile
Or two carrying a guitar. The Castle
Pub's the venue on Oldham Street. I've tried
To learn the gags and lyrics - have I failed?
Well I've still got time tomorrow inside
The flat after work, to run through the slide
Of fingers on fretboard, refine playing
Only run through the two songs tonight - still
More practice needed to make it more tight
The Nina Simone song, that is the main
Difficulty, both chords and lyrical!

3155 - Flat broke!

I'm enjoying the new flat floors today
Of course floors are flat - you know what I mean
The new floors in my flat, done yesterday
At lunchtime I went to the bank to clean
Out my account of £600. Mean
Old me does not like that, oh no
But it's a good price, three rooms looking mean
And modern! Got to save before I go
On holiday, or else I will have no
Spends for it! To do that I'll have to stay
In mostly; I can read and learn German
And practice guitar, practice for some shows
Mainly First Draft, but also comedy
At the King's Arms. It's still a happening scene

3153 - Knock knock who's there? Dunno

Enjoying the evening light as it faaaaades
I see a pale yellow sun through curtain
Tomorrow builders are here, not with spades
To do three floors and leave 'em spick and span
Must remember to get up earlier than
Nine, or soon afterwards, cos by 9:30
They'll be knock-knocking. Yesterday was fun
Pearl met Jo for first time in 3 months, we
Went to Koffee Pot on Oldham Street, the
New location for a good breakfast. Plates
Of mushrooms, eggs, beans, and a real mountain
Of tasty toast. Later, King's Arms to see
Some improv comedy. While no side-aches
It was at least different. A drink or ten

3148 - I'm not only there for the beer

Off out shortly for a well-deserved pint
At the King's Arms comedy night, Salford
The weather's been bad, a night out I've pined
For these last two evenings, though not been bored
Kept myself busy, word up, word up, word
Started 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'
Book (seen the film a while back) and it's weird
Very heavy going, interesting too
And a fitting read as I'm sitting through
The many episodes of 'The Bridge' - wind
My mind back to my own memory hoard
Of seeing Copenhagen and Malmo
And travelling the bridge by train, the sound
Crossed, two lands joined that once were far abroad

3127 - Quizzical versus physical

Well that's a hundred per cent record, man
We won the Railway pub quiz again with
Me there, three out of three, must have a brain
Our prize is a beer token each, that's worth
Approximately three quid, lol, herewith
I stake my claim to be a brainbox, but
Three quid is the reward for that, henceforth
I might be thicker and earn more! Rebut
These theories that academic input
Is always the best. The consensus ran
Around the table that the kin and kith
Of 'thick' people can be just as with it
As richer better-educated men
And women, for whatever that is worth

3121 - Pub housing

It was a real fun night last night. Something
I hadn't remembered or really known
Is that the same pub, on the following
Night - Wednesday - has a variety open
Mic night. MIGHT be a good place to be seen
It's been cancelled tonight but next week I
Might see what it's like. I now can attend
Quite a few local nights. There's the Deli
Lama, the King's Arms, the Salford Arms, try
To win over strangers by my joking
And playing guitar. And I do attend
Events at The Crescent occasionally
I must take advantage of these happenings
In these cool pubs in this now thriving zone

3112 - Cold day

A rare sick day, because of this darn cold
Have enjoyed doing little, relaxing
Watching daytime TV, trying to hold
That enormous hardback book and reading
About Jamaica, shooting and killing
In the 70s, and periodically
Snuggling down on the sofa and dozing
Third dose of Kyle today on the TV
May play guitar if I've the energy
Tuesday night's pub quiz had to be cancelled
Shame as it's a good group with beer quaffing
But recuperation is necessary
By Wednesday, when I'm out with Helen. Should
Be a nice one, poetry and drinking

3110 - Brighton and Gloomyton

On the train from Brighton to Manchester
Changing at Gatwick, Reading, Birmingham
Not been able to use my phone charger
The phone lasted long enough, just, to aim
It at some Brighton sights. Of course, the main
One being the famous Pavilion
Of George IV. That building looks so glam
I've always wanted to visit. It's done
We also had a great stroll on the pier
As the sun shone, but then replaced by gloom
Took refuge in Bar Revenge, then in one
More pub, back to Kipp's Hostel, and then on
To Brighton station, plenty of time there
To catch the trains that are taking us home

Sat 21 February

3107 - Tireder than you

I'm really tired, this is almost the last
Thing I need to do today, following
Last night's late night in the Salford Arms, post-
Comedy event at the King's Arms. Think
An early night is called for! There's nothing
Particularly to do or to watch
It's still only eight, so I'm wondering
How to pass the time til ten, when I'll snatch
Some shut-eye. No sound can be quite a match
For the deep sleep I'm planning. I'll just coast
Along, drifting like a leaf, just flowing
Had lots of cake at work, thanks for that, Ange
But I'm not looking forward to breakfast
That bag of oats and bran tastes so boring!

3105 - Castles on the ground

A good night out at The Castle watching
First Draft, like concept and execution
Hope to get a slot for next time, checking
Diary and yes I'm free, comedy song
Or two to be be wrote specially, would be wrong
Not to. Tomorrow also, the King's Arms
For another dose, Chinese New Year fun
Will be one of my slightly chortly themes
'Chortly' not recognised as a word. Seems
I made it up. Oh well. Am suffering
From dehydration, though just two pints downed
An earlyish night called for, with sweet dreams
As a bonus, I hope, entertaining
Myself once again, maybe not for long...

3102 - Fun and work combined

I'm listening to Spotify, guitar played
Not eaten yet. Have also written some
Comedy material for Tuesday, afraid
Otherwise there's not much time, since I'd planned
To go to the Castle, Monday eve, and
Watch 'First Draft' for the first time. It's
Looking like a good week ahead, the end
Of a good week just gone. Louis has split
From London to come here, no sign as yet
Of him, wonder if he'll turn up... she said
He would, Pearl did. So expect him to come
Here, but maybe not til awkwardly late
Soon I'll break off and cook something and taste
Pure relaxation, well-earned, not humdrum

3091 - Soulford

Just watching 'Catastrophe' as I've seen
Each episode so far - think it's the third
Have firmed up arrangements this evening
For Tuesday and Wednesday. Comedy first
At the King's Arms, celebrating Dave's birth-
day with some comedy, including my
Ebola-themed music creating mirth
No doubt some pints will be drunk by and by
Then it's the Deli-Lama on Wednesday
To be doing songs there is quite a dream
Quite looking forward to it, feel quite spurred
On somehow, think that I can wing my way
(Perhaps I should do 'Wimoweh'?). I've been
A worrier, but now confidence has girth

3087 - Bananas in Split?

I'm writing this tomorrow morning. Yes
I forgot to write my daily sonnet
I was down the Egerton Arms, and guess
Who goes to that pub? John L, yes, and it
Was in order to plan September's get-
Away to the Balkans. Bulgaria
Is first, cheap flight to Sofia, then flit
Through Macedonia to Albania
Where we'll stop in Tirana, make up for
Not quite getting there last year. Then we'll bus
It to Shkoder and walk the hills. Then it's
To Montenegro, through to Croatia
No time to stay in Dubrovnik, confess
But we'll finish up in Split - then we'll split

About Thur 29 Jan