3101 - Motorbike treat

Watching Top of the Pops 1980
The Revillos have been on Motorbike
Beat duty. That reminds me of when me
And a couple of school friends who quite liked
Punky stuff caught the train (no, not the bike)
To Sutton Coldfield from Lichfield in our
School uniforms, must've bunked off, got psyched
Up to meet The Revillos, Fay Fife a
Schoolboy's dream, but not a looker
In my book, sorry! More a fantasy
In those days was Kate Bush - made Dave and Mike
Go ga-ga before Lady G got here
And talking of gal singers, then Debbie
Harry of Blondie, hair messy and spiked

2917 - Stationery to stationery

Overdid it somewhat last night, I think!
Woke at eleven, was late for the train
To see Josie. I briefly thought a think
That I should call it off, what with the rain
Forecast from the Bertha ex-hurricane
But I wanted to see my little belle
And we had a nice day. Arndale again
Buying her back to school stationery, full
Bags from two shops, stuff for art, maths and all
Wanted a cafe meal, keep in the pink
No fast food, not today, just for a change
But went to Wagamama. Really full
After my dish and also helped to sink
Some of Josie's big soup! But can't complain!!

2852 - Peril on TV

It's the 70th anniversary
Of D-Day, and the hymns are being sung
While veterans all now aged around 90
Stand in the Arromanches afternoon sun
That last hymn was 'for those in peril on
The sea' - a hymn we often sang at school
Little knowing this was advance training
For a time when (maybe they thought) our rule
Would be under threat in war, and we'd all
Yet again have to board the warships, be
In 'peril' ourselves, dying protecting
Someone else's property, made to kill
Or be killed. I hope the schools of today
Don't still sing that psycho-warmongering

2408 - Fading embers

Feeling quite sleepy, afternoon, post-meal
The heating's on, helping my drowsiness
Louis is out watching films where we all
Used to go - Parrs Wood, by his old school. There's
Not much happening, but off to rehearse
Comedy in an hour's time, maybe I'll
Wake up a bit then. We usually disperse
To the pub when we've done, drink beer, inhale
Fags, but no more, thanks. Time for one more trial
Of wits and wills, kick smoking with a squeal
Into the gutter with the other mess
I'll save money, and help health not to fail
I'll tell Derm to say no if I reveal
A weak-willed craving. Can I pass this test?

2486 - Working like a dog

It's been a hard day's day, well not really
Just a normal day, ten hours' sleep helped me
I felt boundless internal energy
Hard concentrating sometimes normally
Like in school (didn't go to nursery)
In maths or some shit like that, naturally
Teachers who couldn't hold imaginary
Children's attention, relying on the
Expected power of pure pedagogy
That carries on, adult reality
Is bores boring you to the nth degree
And after boring university
There's nowhere to go but work, earn money
And that's when you discover comedy

Wed 26 June

2457 - The child is the daughter of the man

First day back in the office for a while
Small turnout of staff, perhaps no surprise
After the Bank Holiday, and it's school
Half-term time too, so some mums with their ties
To family have their domestic duties
And some dads too, of course. I suggested
A day off just me and Josie on these
Long days at home for her, but excited
At the idea she seemed not to be, Dad
Maybe only wanted weekly by child
Think I'll leave it. Anyway, spent monies
Like mad this month, going out, account's bled
Dry. Friday night, another rehearsal
With drinks after - til then, stay in, that's wise!

2420 - Rainy Sunday afternoon

Amazingly escaped the showery rain
With Josie in the park in Cheadle Hulme
Managed to get there and get back again
Without a soaking. We had an ice cream
It was pleasant, even sunny at times
Josie talked of cross-country runs at school
And later on we acted out this theme
Jogging out of the park back to the rail-
way station, her in Ugg boots, our hands full
With coats, not dressed for running. Looked insane
To all the passing traffic, I assume
Press-ups on the pavement, and then a girl
On a bike rang her bell to get past. When
Dermot's back, our comedy will resume...

2248 - We could be flying

Listening to a Scott Walker collection
Mostly his crooning stuff, such retro cool
Reminds me of the kind of cheesy song
They'd sing at Butlin's in my years of school
In old smoky nightclubs and pubs with pool
Tables and jukeboxes, some years before
I interloped there, drank more than my fill
Alcohol tightened the knotted tongue more
Not for years did that change, but now the bore
Of it all is even beer's not golden
As it first looks. Perhaps that is life's rule
There's no panacea, empty at core
Unless you fill it or are filled in some
Early ceremony. Be king or fool

2212 - England calling

News roundup - Andrew Mitchell, the Tory
Minister, and Chief Whip, called the police
'Fucking plebs' when one of them said that he
Couldn't ride his bike through the main gate. These
Insults came the same week as two police-
Women had been killed, causing great sadness
Doesn't this just prove that ruling Tories
Are privileged and arrogant? What else?
A maths schoolteacher's eloped to France, he's
On the run with a young school pupil. He
Faces jail. On the net, he sings a nice
Little song about their romance. Distress
In the North East, floods devastating the
Poor folk up there. Nature's not always nice

2196 - Do mention the war

Read more Vanity Fair, then headed out
To Water Street Car Park and my hired car
It wasn't the usual Duke Street grey Fiat
It was a nice white five-door Toyota
The acceleration could be better
Anyway, we headed for the Wirral
A small northwest England peninsula
My mum lives there, Josie's grandma - we all
Went for lunch (Grandma paid!), got very full
Then to the beach at West Kirby. Despite
The grey clouds it was fun. Tried to fly our
Butterfly kite in the sea breeze. We called
On Grandma again, had tea, talked about
The war for Jo's school project - home once more

2156 - Old gold dream

In bed all morning, we needed that, yes
Then halfway through the afternoon we strolled
Alongside the ship canal, for the best
Way to get to the Quays. The girls both pulled
Overhanging berries and then they throwed
Them at the ducks and geese. The rain increased
Just as we got there, so we ate our fill
In the shopping mall food court. Paninis
And ciabattas, wraps and crisps, there was cheese
And onion, prawn cocktail, a real crisp fest
Got taxi home, past the new school just built
It's Oasis Academy, Jodie's
Secondary school, early September's
Not that far off. Olympic gold dream's dulled

2155 - Love up north

Very tired, woke up and made usual love
Usual these days, that is, not like before
The bed is red, all sweat and fire, we strive
To reach the highs and lows, we rise and soar
We get up to see the heavy rain pour
Tidied up boxes and bags all around
Finally we've an empty tidy floor
Sunny afternoon, listened to some sounds
As I walked - we also want to change round
The younger one's school, so we can arrive
There en route to the secondary, not far
Then to walk each morning after the dawn
The girls seem happy to be here up north
And me and Katy are so close, you know

Mon 30 July

2150 - Let the games begin!

The Olympics began, women's footy
GB beat New Zealand, and so they should
Meanwhile I've done more school stuff - hopefully
I've got the kids into a school that's good
Oasis Media City which has moved
To Salford Quays, although the younger one
Is still in primary. Hot day, with cloud
Cover. The perfect sunshine has moved on
South, but even there, soon it will be gone
By Friday's opening ceremony
That day's when Katy and kids move forward
With their lives, and my own life will move on
My mobile messages won't load up. We
Are prisoners of technology, oh Lord!

2144 - School of rock

Off work today, and I've used it quite well
Seen the first day of The British Open
Golf tournament, and also cleared the shelves
Of many of my books - bye bye to them
Got to make room for Katy and kids when
They arrive next Friday. Got some boxes
From local shops. Rang Salford LA and
Found schools applications have arrived this
Week and what's more, good news - there are places
In all the chosen schools! On Sunday we'll
Be at my Mum's 80th birthday up in
The Wirral, so I wrote my speech which is
Quite funny. There's even a song as well
Played guitar quite well, now all tasks are done

2138 - Northern summer

I applied for school places for the kids
Today - let's hope we get a quick reply
Two weeks of school left, then they get a ride
Up north in a van, when I'll have to try
To make them smile on the big day, not cry
Read about a few things that we can do
This summer around Salford, in the dry
(Inside, in other words!) There's art, and you
Can make pottery, or enjoy a brew
In one of the cafes by the roadside
Tonight I'm relaxing, a DVD
And reading, resting, so I'm ready to
Enjoy walking with Josie on our wide
Roaming trail through Cheshire on Saturday

2137 - Cool school

It's a cold evening in July so I
Have had to put the heating on in here
I took the afternoon off work to try
To sort out schools applications, now we're
Almost at the end of term, to prepare
For Katy's girls to join schools in Salford
I'm hopeful based on advice that I hear
Let's hope it works out and they get in good
Primary and secondary schools - that would
Be a great start to their new lives. Time flies
It's now only two weeks til they appear
In my flat! I've eaten, now time for pud
Which will be nutty yogurt. Also my
Girlfriend will eat one too - makes us feel near!