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!

3277 - Tattoo-va

My tattoos are healing nicely. After
Getting up, tore off the clingfilm and took
A shower, the bright dye running over
The bath and shower curtain, little brook
Of red ink down the plughole, with a suck
And a bubble. Back home now, just taking
It easy, in my vest to let air circ-
ulate on the tattoos with covering
Of Bepanthen to help with the healing
Process of these three brightly-coloured scars
They're not even that sore, so I'm in luck
Now what to do tonight, I'm wondering
Might get some beer in from Sainsburys super-
market and play guitar, then TV look

3271 - Shirt scene

Hello, can you hear me, or at least see
It's Saturday night, nearly half-past ten
I've been out of course to see my Josie
We went to Man United, she's a fan
And today was the first day, the day when
You could buy the new shirt by Adidas
The shop was crowded, we went there again
Juan Mata shirts were there, but populous
Was the Rooney shirt, guess that's no surprise
After getting home, guitar playing spree
The old French stuff by Trenet and Sablon
I've listened to this stuff repetitious
And now I can play it, oui, oui, merci
It's so much fun, oh yes it's so much fun

3237 - Make it hard

Completely forgot to do yesterday's
Sonnet diary. Well, remembered at one
Point, but then forgot again as I based
Myself in the moment, distracted from
A magazine, a TV show. Early on
I painted walls and window sills all white
Trying to cover discolouration
Brown stains and dirty fingerprints. It's nice
Now but not even. Guess I need advice
In decorating technique in this place
Played guitar, struggled at first, the volume
Was a bit quiet to hear the music, plus
I wore my Soviet hat and some dark shades
To make it harder like a performance

About Sun 28 June

3222 - Buy Shitty Rollers

A fairly good day, painted the spare room
Having found some paint, well eventually
After Argos, despite web claims, had none
I bought a new doormat, and shirt from T.
K. Maxx, then walked up Regent Road to see
If I could buy some paint from a big store
Thought there might be one there near PMT
Music shop, and there was a Screwfix there
I listened to cassettes while everywhere
On the spare room walls tried to remove gloom
Finger marks, nasty stains that they won't be
Pleased to see if they view the room. I swear
It's still not right, one more time I must zoom
Over the walls with yet more paint, Monday

3196 - Seasons in the sun (and wind)

Soon after work, and eating of my tea
I quickly set to continuing to save
My many holiday pictures, finally
Downloading them all onto my hard drive
Now quickly writing this so I can have
A play on my guitar 'fore relaxing
It's nearly nine, and the sun's still above
The horizon, as we're in the late spring
Mid-May, when nature seems so welcoming
A nice time of year, though it's cold lately
To go out with no jacket would be brave
Although we're almost in June. I'm saving
Money for a while, think I'll boycott the
Concerts and days out I'd planned, but that's tough

3188 - No trouble brewing

What to do, my second day in Salzburg?
I hadn't a clue, Hellbrunn Palace was
The favourite, someone had been there who dug
It, but Vienna has got palaces
That are better. Looked at maps, references
To Stiegl Brewery tours where you can learn
About the brewing process - thought this is
A better way to spend the day. It turned
Out it was a free event. Austrian
Families were there in droves, wore clothes so snug
Trousers above the knee, flouncy dresses
Brass bands, huge amounts of beer, and mountains
In the background. Climbed Kapuzinerberg
Afterwards, then bought six-pack Stiegl beers

Sun 10 May

3187 - This is where I got that hat

Woke quite early and caught bus to Salzburg
At last I'm in Austria properly
Looked at a map, saw things to take a look
At, and noticed a guided tour. Quickly
Walked down to Mozart Square in time for the
Usual pseudo-historical affair
It was quite boring but necessary
However, after wondering what else there
Could possibly be to do, the sun's fair
Rays started shining. My unguided walk
Was most enjoyable, up in the trees
Above town, on the big rock. Market wares
Attracted my attention, and I splurged
Lots on an Austrian hat (for comedy!)

Sat 9 May

3096 - Shopping and hunting

A fun day out with Josie - some shopping
With her birthday money - two pairs of boots
And a shirt - plus yet more gammon eating
And a look at the make-up racks in Boots
Popped into Vee's flat, terrorised by cat's
Manic attacks, but funny nonetheless
Took Jo back home, then back for some more chats
With Vee and Louis, who's moving out this
Weekend to flat hunt in London. Back there's
Where he hopes his future lies, job hunting
Also to come, the main hope they'll recruit
Him into films before too long - success
Beckons with his clever critic's writing
And other creative writing to boot

Sat 7 February

3077 - All that jazzy jersey

Today was Louis' birthday, but first I
Went into work, though it was very thin
Only four of us there. Hairdressers by
Shudehill at lunchtime. Daily Star reading
Matter - oh dear. Very pleased with token
From workmates for forty quid, T K Maxx
At which I bought two shirts and cardigan
Some nice new clothes to look good to the max
No time to rehearse comedy. Did ex-
ercises, then before long had to fly
Down town, ate at Vee's flat, had fried chicken
Then went and saw a film of man with sticks
Learning to be a great jazz drummer. Fly
Hands! It was 'Whiplash'... Cornerhouse closing...

Mon 19 January

3061 - Dread in the flat

Listening to 'World War Three' by Mikey Dread
It's a bloody long time since I did that
The familiar old sounds play, green, gold, red
Reminds me of a jumper my Mum knit
Back round '79, three colours with
Broad horizontal stripes, JA stylee
Sadly for some reason, don't still have it
Old memories courtesy of old Mikey
And altho it's dated technology
Like all good stuff, to me it still sounds good
Or, dread, I should have said but just forgot
Will play guitar at end of 'World War Three'
Got some new tracks on MP3, instead
I could play along to Spotify, what?

3041 - Tram o'shanter

A chilly day but I was warmly dressed
Met Josie at her house, then Manchester
As usual. And, as usual, the dest-
ination was Old T, United's lair
No match on, just scanning the usual fare
In the Reds'shop, though this time I bought nowt
For her. We walked to the Quays. Harvester
Was where we dined, but it needs sorting out
I may have been overcharged by about
Ten quid. May walk there tomorrow, may rest
Instead and forget about it - see where
Fate takes me, with a whimper or a shout
Any road, it's so parky, need a vest
And thermals, hot water bottle, good sir

Tram o'shanter simply because we travel to Old Trafford by tram!

3034 - Santa's a Red Devil

A chilly day but not too cold. Again
(Yet again) Jo wanted to go to Old
Trafford, and we did, and again I spent
On her while there, but I shouldn't self-scold
It was a Christmas present I was sold
Which was a United away shirt, dark
Blue, with Di Maria on the back. A bold
Move then by Jo which paid off, played off park
I was by her tactics! Still, we had a lark
I looked for the trainers I saw within
Sports Direct in Salford last night, but failed
To find them in town. Think I'll have to walk
Around in shoes til January, tattoos ain't
Affordable now either - they're on hold

3029 - Falling down and rising up

Come Dine With Me this week's in Manchester
I might see a face I know - I hope so
There's a Dom. I know two, though one's Cheshire
Wait - there they all are, and the answer's no
I don't know this Dom. 'Tracksuit Dom,' you know!
It looks as though it will be amusing
Forgot to wear a belt today, oh no!
When I got to work, trousers were slipping
A bit too far down! Will be correcting
That mistake tomorrow, so when I'm there
My pants won't fall when I get up and go
Meanwhile, today I saw the opening
Of the new multi-storey. Took picture
Or two of Father Christmas outside. Ho!

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!

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!

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

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

2978 - Rugger bugger

Interrupted sleep last night, loud party
After an hour turned light on, read my book
Neared the end of Mary Barton quickly
But left the last few pages, which I flicked
Through on the train to Cheshire, on the track
I was on track to finish, and I did
Reach the conclusion before getting back
To Manchester. What did we do? We sped
By train and tram once more to Old Trafford
St Helens and Wigan met there, rugby
Grand Final, striped shirts, beer bellies, the look
Ate curry at the Quays mall, then we heard
Loud horns blown. Back in town, bought for Josie
A phone case for her i-Phone 4 - it's slick

2971 - Train in rain

Rainy morning, walked to Piccadilly
But coat made me warm, took it off on train
Got off at Wilmslow, dry now, saw Josie
We walked to station, Manchester again
Same as last weekend, Old Trafford the scene
She was hoping for an MU phone case
They didn't have them, the trip was in vain
But I bought her a football from the trays
Of dark blue balls, dark blue is their away
Strip this season. The shirts are seventy
Quid each, sixty for kids' sizes. Refrained
From splashing out that much. You'd be amazed
At all the foreigners in that store, pre-
pared to part with humongous cash therein