3279 - Costa del Stockport

A nice trip out to Stockport with Josie
She wanted white trainers, Nike brand, so we
Looked for them in the mall, and in JD
Sports we found some that fit, fairly quickly
And she put them on instead of her D
Ms (Doc Marten boots) - she gave them to me
To carry round. So humid, so thirsty
We went to Costa soon after McD
For more drinks. I took her back home early
Probably wise, tomorrow is her holiday
To Nerja near Malaga, with mummy
Who's recovering from a back injury
I hope they both relax, take things easy
And don't get sunburn, keep nice and shady!

3246 - Mucho dinero ahora

I've got a lodger, Javier from Spain
I'm excited, can practice my Spanish
And learn so much more, it won't be in vain
Collected the deposit, Cornbrook, whizzed
On tram to Bensons 4 Beds, bought a swish
Double bed, ten instalments of forty
Quid, with storage beneath. And now I wish
The bed arrives early morning Monday
Then I can go to work and all will be
Sorted nicely, and fun begins again
Replacing Louis' excellent laughs with
The company of a Spanish guy, he
Seems good-hearted, amigos that's the main
Thing (cosa), now this year should be good-ish!

3235 - Flaming flamenco

As predicted, I'm continuing to drink
Following last night's excess of booze
The sun still shines, it's rays have yet to sink
These summer nights are kind of an excuse
It invites partying, you cannot lose
But then so does the winter when it's dark
All seasons point at me like they accuse
But let's accept their dictates and their mark
It's useless to resist, it is mere talk
Life is being alive, no time to think
Just watched a great TV prog 'bout the blues
Not from the States, but Spain, flamenco rocks
Great gypsy passion, dancing, guitar, drink
And cigarettes, flame on, how can you lose?

3131 - The fish in Spain

Another night out with Nancy and friends
Dermot joined us later on, but it was
Fun mixing English with Spanish til then
Now I've had enough beer to last, the buzz
Has been enough to see me through, because
I'm ready for bed, but I admit hunger
Is there quite strongly, so I might just graze
On what is in the fridge or upon the
Shelf, even if it's in tins. Sardines stare
At me from there, daring me to intend
To open them and guzzle. Puzzle is
Whether it's too late, is this thinking fair?
No, I don't think so, it's so long since when
I ate properly, this lunchtime, and time flies...

Sat 14 March

3093 - Practice makes perfecto

It's 2 a.m., how come I'm still awake
Considering how tired I was today
Hope I get a decent sleep, for God's sake
But probably not, it's too late for that, eh
Fun night with Nancy, Dermot, Maria Je-
sus, I liked hearing her Spanish accent
Good practice for me, speaking in that way
I'm pleased to say she knew what I had meant
When I did my Spanish, somehow it went
Rather well. Bedtime nears, and what's at stake
Well nothing, and yes the devil will pay
It could be worse, I could be in a tent
But no, I have this flat, my ease to take
In which, in the bedroom, my head to lay

Wed 4 Feb

3062 - Putting you in the picture

Pearl's birthday, her twenty-seventh. Early
On, at home, nearly lost all my photos
From 2014, I pressed the wrong key
And they vanished. Mentally I froze
Then found calm determination. Get those
Pictures back somehow, anyhow! I did
Eventually do it, thank God. Later, Jo's
Mum dropped her off at the station. Wanted
To get to Pearl's flat by four. Divided
The teams up different this time. Though closely
Fought, my team lost 'Articulate'... Voice rose
To a high pitch, not just mine! Then well-fed
At Evuna, Northern Quarter, eighty
Quid but good food (and wine!). Thanks, amigos!

2911 - Holy days

So what about today? Well I was back
In the office, not been there for two weeks
Only saw Hazel for one day, as luck
Would have it, cos she's off for one more break
So soon after Menorca, going to take
A week in Malta, would you believe it
Still, soon enough I'll make the same mistake
(Not) and have fun away from work and shit
The main difficulty's to reignite
That deadened memory of the bric a brac
Of short-term technicalities that flake
Off from the brain on holiday, excite-
ment and memories replace their dull dark
Shadowy valleys with sharp sunlit peaks

2909 - Pesetas from heaven

A lie-in, oh heaven, and then did stuff
Til about 3:30 when played guitar
Then out to town, avoiding rain, enough
Of being soaked, met Nancy, Yenira
Her Spanish friend, in Subway, drank my share
Of Coke, then to the Castle, sat upstairs
Some noisy women, loud jukebox, found a
Seat downstairs, then we went to Gullivers
For Tales of Whatever, and what occurs
Is hard to follow, if you're Spanish, tough
Walked Yenira home, and it's not that far
From hers to mine, nor from my place to hers
Now I must go to bed, imagine love
It may exist, although I'm not so sure...

Sat 2 August

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

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

2870 - Manic Tuesday

Frenetic afternoon, rushed from work to
Do shopping, then saw most of the England
Game, but we both decided we should view
The Italy / Uruguay conclusion
Since Suarez bit an Italian, and then
The U's scored luckily, knocked Italy
Out, another shock, like England, like Spain
(England, though, got the least points of those three)
Greece / Ivory Coast to come, write this quickly
Then guitar practice. Ain't got time to do
Comedy tonight, Bad Language must come
Also under the axe, tomorrow - see
I'm in Liverpool then, time won't allow
These two nights out, and rest is what I want

2864 - Yesterday once more

It's yesterday once more, the Carpenters
Sang, and that's true once more about my blog
I'm a day behind. Out last night, I was
Meant to visit Nance in Glossop, but big
Night out in town instead, Richard Swan's gig
(Edinburgh preview) at Ape and Apple
Missed all the football, home late, post-shindig
But I still stayed up to see what happened
In the Spain / Chile match, Spaniards appalled
No doubt by Spain going out early doors
I watched the game re-broadcast through a fog
Of cigarette smoke, Guinness cans and all
Now it's the build-up to England, big buzz
About the Uruguay game. Beers to glug...

About yesterday, Wed 18 June

2498 - Tales of brave Tony

I don't believe it, I forgot again
To write my sonnet diary yesterday
Evening pub crawl planned, I should have written
It in the afternoon. As it was, strayed
From the intended pub crawl, had to say
Hello to comedy partner Dermot
Just back that morning from Alicante
Went to The Castle pub instead, and not
To the Marble Arch, where the crawl should start
We both joined the group, however, quite soon
At the refurbished Turk's Head drinking den
Full it was, upstairs and down. Thomas Street
(Number 57) was chock full, then
The Castle, then Crown & Kettle, last stay

about Saturday 4 January

2494 - Bye bye '13

It's New Year's Eve, we're at the end at last
Of year '13 that's unlucky for some
Steve Clarke at work just survived a bike crash
And me, I've survived many a late walk home
Highlights? In February, holiday among
The mountains of Morocco and Spain, no
Ski-ing, but great tapas. Trip to London
In August with Jo, stayed with Pearl. To go
Away with Jo for the first time was so
Much fun, we'll do Paris next spring. A blast
Was had rehearsing and performing fun
Comedy stuff with Dermot. Did a show
Of our own in November. Laughs with Nance
Especially the June party. The year's gone

2491 - Raise your glasses!

Took Josie to meet Pearl again in town
Stopping by Vee's (she's broken her ankle)
Despite that, there were smiles rather than frowns
Not much time today with them, but was full
Tapas and wine at Evuna, and real
Red wine from Spain in enormous glasses
Made plans for next few days. Josie and Pearl
Will have a sleepover, and then chances
Are there'll be a curry in Rusholme, there's
Pearl's birthday meal on the 3rd eaten down
Then she's back to London to try and trawl
For jobs, having been sacked by some asses
In the media industry there. The sound
Of the 80s, combined with San Miguel!

2426 - Poster haste

Last night met up at the Deli Lama
To look at pictures of us there with Sian
Taken by her last Saturday. They are
All good, and funny, and we've chosen one
To be a gig poster. Don't know yet when
The doors open, so I emailed King's Arms
Need to get poster sorted by weekend
After the DL, Sian then headed home
And we both spent hours in the Salford Arms
For the second night running, sat near a
Group of striped-shirted Spanish soccer fans
Of Real Sociedad. Their team had come
To play, sadly to lose, to Manchester
United. Late hot curry, home past one

2369 - Tapas rush

Last night in Granada was a bar crawl
And with each glass of beer came a tapa
In no time at all, me and John were full
Yet to cancel these tapas there's no hope
It was great, though a kind of tasty hoop
You have to crawl through to be served a beer
I ate so much good food (not much was soup)
That my energy level's up to here
Despite getting up early to get there
On time at Malaga Airport, I'm all
Lively tonight. OK, I had a nap
On the bus to Malaga as skies cleared
Of cloud, but even so, to have gone all
The way to sketching in town needs a clap

Fri 1 March

2368 - Gone ski-ing (not)

Late night, up at 8.30, changed into
Borrowed ski gear, ready to go and ski
But when John looked out at the falling snow
He had grave doubts - the visibility
Looked poor - it would be tough for him and me
We decided against it because time
Was against us, our itinerary
Included being checked out by lunchtime
Hiring skis and boots, returning them, climb
Into the bus to Granada - just too
Hectic for success to be guaranteed
So we literally chilled out til the time
Came to catch our bus. In Granada you
Can see the clouds smothering the hills heavily

Thur 28 February

2367 - Granada and Sierra Nevada

Up at nine, bus Malaga - Granada
At ten. Arrived Granada at midday
Walked around town, no time for Alhambra
Enjoying a most pleasant sunny day
Waiting for bus at five, sat at cafe
Coke and cigs down a treat, then caught the bus
Winding up Sierra Nevada way
The change from sun to snow most curious
My Spanish was needed and it saved us
The apartment has no reception here
We tried the ski-hire shop, he told the way
Further still, Hotel Monachil, he says...
Finally, Apartments Bulgaria
Tomorrow we ski - that's another day

Wed 27 February

2366 - Where are we?

What an amazing journey had today
From Chefchaouen to Tangier into Spain
Tarifa, Algeciras, and then hey!
Bus to Malaga - there's been recent rain
But the weather's been great, we can't complain
Went out for a few beers, some food and wine
We drank in Malaga - our main complaint
With Africa has been that you can dine
But you can't drink, evenings aren't genuine
So we returned to the hotel early
But here, everything is working out fine
The Moroccan stuff, it is working fine
I am too pissed to continue this way
We need sleep now, sorry to be a pain

Tue 26 February