w/c 19th February

Monday

The birds are singing and

A rain falls against the windowpane

Coffee made 5:50am. Monday morning.

Final coffee, reheated... With 4 slices toast, butter and HM blackcurrant jam. Listened a bit more to Archive on Four/Barry Humphries. Written a bit on CdS forums. Getting ready for allotment? If the rain has whisked away?

Allotment from 8:30 until 11:30

Went to Aldi for mum - eggs and bread. Staples...

Having a half in Bar3. Adnam's Ghost Ship.

The sun was shining and birds were collecting twigs etc for bedding.

Ate lunch and took Lola for a long afternoon up to Ashdale Lane. Had a little chill on the sofa with her.

Pint of Guinness at 16:30 waiting for the bus back to Leeds. Can't come to Wetherby until Thursday... Gonna be a challenge. Not on Tuesday, but definitely Wednesday when the weather is meant to be turd?

Came back to Leeds on the 5pm. Got back to the flat at 6pm. Made open sandwiches of the remainder of the cheese and a mountain of onions

Tired. 

Ran a bath and went to bed around 9.

***

Tuesday

Awake. Bet myself it is gone five? Yup. Five past... It's getting lighter in the morning's... But not that light. Don't wish the time away. Live now. Chill now. Be now?

Coffee. Memoirs. 5:30 until 7. Time to make breakfast?

Eggy bread. Then out of the flat at just before 9. Walked down to the river and along to the canal around the Armley Gyratory. Said hello to an orange and white dog at the Canal Basin. Stopped at Brewery Wharf for a few moments and to take a swig of lemon water. . Bought toilet roll(£1.95 for 4).

Popped into the Kitchen in the market which teaches those without skills to cook. I gave them my details perhaps I could volunteer in some capacity. As long as it's not as crazy as the Junk Food Project...

Headed back to the flat, after a coffee in Caffé Nero on The Headrow, for the 'hand over' with the developers and the council around noon. The council have given me £80 for the inconvenience of all the disruption...

Had lunch around 1:30.

Walked up to Meanwood, via the Urban Farm looking for chitting potatoes although they had none, but the guy on reception recommended Lidl... He showed me his large allotment behind the Visitor Centre. Went to Waitrose. Had a few beers. Caught the bus back because me left foot was playing up once more...

First pint was @ 15:30 in Alfred - a Porter and spoke to Glenn up in Glasgow. 

First session since I returned from Portugal/Seville on Ash Wednesday. Spent £50 on groceries(£5), a pizza(£10) and some beers(£35).

Final beer was a blend of two cans from Alfred which was the most costly of the beers, but I read a little more of Watling Street while there watching the comings and goings.

***

Wednesday

Needed to go to the toilet at 4. Back to bed until 5:30ish. It's raining. Got to clean up the flat and myself today. Tomorrow all day with Lola. Paid my debt from Portugal to Glenn. I've got to get out of the habit of relying on him before I receive PIP - a bird in the hand... Made coffee. Two dessert spoons and less water. The coffee is Syra from Barcelona, which I bought in Sevilla.

Boiling marrow fat peas. Life's not so bad. Had them for lunch and lemon water too.

Been cleaning the flat since I got out of the bath. Nearly finished in the bedroom. Just bathroom to do... Well and the kitchen, but I do that regularly anyway. Time out now. Meditation for an hour... 13:30.

Ten to 4. Finished cleaning the flat. Had an early tea. Baba ghanoush, yogurt, red za'atar and white corn tortillas. Enjoying a coffee.

Exchanged a few pleasantries with Glenn and mum. Sorted out the credit card issue. A new one is on the way here - 5 working days. The guy down stairs is having a Barney. Didn't think he was in as no hardcore techno.

Sorted out clothes and books to start sending to charity. I've got stuff sat in the wardrobe I look at for the memories. The orange Chipie jacket... I can't part with it!

Going to read for a bit and enjoying a day in the flat. 4pm.

Been suspended from one of the FB groups I am a member of until 24th. Probably offended someone or too much off topic in my posts ... 

Turning in. Just been messaging someone from SA who wanted advice and looking back at the way out of Porto to Tui in December 2023. It's all good. I've plenty of advice to offer. Giving away increases.

***

Thursday

Slightly surprised by the sound of rain falling on the window panes. Awake by 5. Slept soundly. Coffee brewing.

Being banned from a FB group I am heavily involved in... I wasn't involved at all around a year ago, but now I do like to offer hints and tips and give support... I can only guess what it is I've said to be suspended?

A hot-cross bun for breakfast. Finished off the yogurt too. Down to Albion Street/Boar Lane for an espresso and the X99 at 8.

Walked Lola from 9am and returned as mum was heading to Leeds with Janet for one of her infrequent days out at 11am. At one I've left Lola so I can read, collect mums prescription and have a couple of pints.

Had a pint, came back walked Lola then had a couple of pints with Jason... In bed at 18:45. Tomorrow I could go back to Leeds... But I've no money.

***

Friday

Still got no money. £2 to get me back to Leeds later on today. LCC said they were sending £80 on Tuesday. But it hasn't arrived. Woken up at 5am in a dream where I was stranded in a hotel in a town near to the airport I am meant to be leaving from: and I simply couldn't pack my bags.

Using the toilet and going to return to bed... I could collect Lola from my sister's and take her out around 8am. But it's been raining this morning... I wanted to head to the allotment after walking Lola and spending a little time with her on the sofa. I'd like to see Abbie, occupational therapist, but don't want to go to Leeds really (will mum let me stay both nights) ... Cheese and onion sandwiches lead to crazy night's sleep: dreams.

Coffee brewing. 5:20am.

Slept pretty well. Some how I have to live on £10 a day until my pay date for ESA in March: which is late...

Allotment from 8 until 10. Walked back. Spoke to Abbie(oht) around 10:45. 

Helped mum with signing up to Revolut. And stayed with Lola until noon. Walked into town eating an apple. Bought some olive oil and pitta to add to the aubergine dip (Baba ghanoush).

Number 7 to Leeds. Can't go to mum's until Sunday.

Writing my memoirs ground to a halt. When I am not on the Camino something essential vanishes. And I start boozing again. Five and half pints from 2pm until 6pm. Nothing strong and I read several chapters of Waing Street.

***

Saturday

Coffee made. Listening to the tail end of In Our Time.

Bath. Breakfast. Walked up to Headingley, via Servia Hill, St Mark's Church, Delph Lane and Woodhouse Ridge to meet Glenn and give him the fish paste from Portugal. He's always late. Actually he's on time. I am early... 10:15am. Set off at 8:45am...

Had two hours in Costa, watching the comings and goings, with Glenn (thanks Glenn for being a brother to me) before I walked up to Adel Church via the Long Causeway - which literally had the original pavement running up it (I guess from Kirkstall Abbey?)

Reached Otley Road, and Foundation, which I stopped at for three beers to let my left foot recover and read a few chapters of Watling Street. Then I left went to the Co-op and bought a pot of yogurt which I dropped in the bag I was carrying so was forced to 'drink' it. I deposit the carrier and yogurt pot in the bin opposite Lawnswood School. And walked into Meanwood to Terminus as I got charged for an extra beer in Foundation and suddenly had no money... (and left foot playing up). They gave me one beer and will adjust stock levels later...

Stayed in Meanwood for 2 and half, went to Waitrose for pitta bread and a lemon and caught the bus I didn't  miss a couple of times earlier... opposite Kirby's F&C shop. Back at the flat by 1830. Ate beans and baba ghanoush slept well until the stomach was grumbling from the yogurt...

It's 5:45am. Just about to have a coffee and write on the FB Camino group.

Final coffee. Eaten the remainder of the baba ghanoush with three pitta, extra virgin olive oil and a liberal sprinkle of za'atar. 7:15.

Toilet visit. Left the flat at 8. See how far I am able to get on the left foot. Gipton Wood area up to Lady Wood...

Slowly meandering into Collingham along Compton Lane towards Jewitt Lane.

15 miles. Final 2 carrying spent coffee grounds for the allotment tomorrow afternoon...

Back at my mum's for the evening. One half in The Mews. Zero tomorrow... Had dinner. Quiche, potatoes and veg. Cup of tea. Exhausted. Laid down for an hour, but a bit anxious about my finances. Went and let off a bit of hot air with mum and then washed up and tidied up around the work surfaces. Made porridge for tomorrow.

***

The week is over. And tomorrow it begins again. 24 hours and 7 days. Another chance to get it right. I've been mainly OK this weekend, but can't spend everything I have thinking that there is no tomorrow when there clearly is. Leap year - Thursday is the 29th.

An hour reading

Bed.

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