w/c 4th March

Monday,

I've done only good stuff today.

Sorted out all my debts in with a 60 day Breathing Space, from the Insolvency Service, which might get me back to where I was at the beginning of last summer. It begins on the 5th of March and stretches to the 3rd of May... If I fail there is a Debt Management Plan to fall back on. 

Took clothes to the Heart Foundation charity in the Merrion Centre.

Walked along the river to Whitehall Ro KOad from Leeds City Station and went down to the canal and followed it to Leeds Dock and Leeds Armoury where I got a bin liner of spent coffee grounds from North Star, after playing with an excitable tinkling puppy - all over my new 'conditioned' boots - and bought a half dozen eggs from Tesco. Walked passed Leeds Minster and thought about going to the D&D, but went to Forward Leeds instead - the addiction charity. Have an appointment in April to get some help: detox. I need no alcohol for the next 28 days ... I did it once before (over the Christmas and new year of 2015/2016 until my birthday).

Came directly to the flat, dropping off a key card en-route (which I had found down by the canal) at the Ibis Styles in Wade Lane behind the Merrion Centre. Made healthy food. Washed some clothes. Had a siesta. Vacuumed up the flat. Sorted my records out. Put some for charity. A handful. Repositioned the rest in the front room (not sure how long as the room gets warm in spring/summer and I don't want warpage) and listened to a couple of A sides The Johnson Brothers, Madonna and Madness. Finished vacuuming my bedroom. Need to get a meter reading.

Having a brew: hibiscus chai. Bed.

***

Tuesday,

Just caught the X99 for a day with Lola. And I am staying at mother's house this evening. My twice a week. Listened to a podcast, but I am getting bored of them. I keep drifting off into my mind. Perhaps I've listened to too many. It's the same old shit told in a different dialect?

Had a bath. Ate a daal I had on the hob a good hour. Left the windows open in the fiat to let the flies leave... Little ones in the pantry. I invite them to adventure elsewhere. They were in the fennel seeds... Bizarre. Must've had eggs in it for aeons... Took my recycling to the communal area, but it's overflowing - so took it along North Street and dumped it in one next to the Casper building (the one that was subsiding and was rebuilt).

Walked down New Briggate, Briggate, Lands Lane, Commercial Street and through the Trinity alleyway (where they're building a Nike store) and went for a coffee.

Needed something to make me laugh and it's years since I read any T. Pratchett so I have Reaperman - which has to be my all time favourite. I'll read it and give it away.

***

Getting on for 7:30pm. No booze. It's the first time I've managed 2 whole days without any in England for ages. I manage not to drink myself into oblivion on el Camino, as I have the focus of the path before me, and usually just drink with food (the Mediterranean diet), but in England I get so 'bored' I just drink to excite myself, but really it's not exciting...

***

Lola has a poorly paw, but mum's over reacting. She's not got a poorly foot at all - but the vet says she's probably pulled a tendon (a muscle in other words). So I was surplus to requirements this morning and mum's appointment at the hospital is not in the morning. Back to the allotment? And I managed to spend a couple of hours in the greenhouse as the sunset. There are still long shadows at the rear of my mum's house, but it's getting better...

More of the same tomorrow. If only I can stay away from beer ... Mmm beer! 

Tuesday is done. Time to read a little and meditate, or just meditate...

***

Wednesday,

Coffee and In Our Time. 5:40am. Slept without a break from 10pm.

Did some stuff in the greenhouse. Beans. And cleaning. The heater is on as it's still a little cold at night. Did two short walks with Lola and left her to collect cardboard and spent coffee grounds at 2pm. She's accepted she's not 100% on the paw. So had a little cuddle at 1 for around 45 minutes (under the covers). Met Andy and Ian (Merlin and Alfie) and had 4 pints. Caught the bus back at 5. Collected some groceries from the new Kurdistani store which used to be Turkish. Had four of the fresh baps I last had in Sarajevo with a yogurt and onion raita thingy. Running a bath. Tomorrow I am going to return to no alcohol until Saturday...

***

Thursday,

Awake at 5:30am. Made a small cafetiere of coffee. Slept well. When I am on el Camino I am focused. Glenn says I lack focus in Leeds. In Wetherby I have the focus of the allotment and Lola; and mother to a lesser extent.

Yesterday I was continuing to read Reaperman - again (possibly the 4th time in my life) - and I was smiling more; for happiness just add Pratchett. I love Terry Pratchett's take on the world and how he represents it in the Discworld; his observations match closely my own bathetic formula. 

A colleague from Wetherby High School (I was training to be qualified to be a Teaching Assistant in 2009/10), who I used to see regularly on the X98 on his way to teach Maths to 'them', had gone back to book one (The Colour of Magic) and was reading the whole series, again. It was around the time of TP's passing away... I've read them all around twice (except the end half dozen which I find less interesting and more formulaic - Going Postal etc), and some of the better ones at least three times: like The Colour of Magic, Light Fantastic, Sourcery and Reaperman.

Put the urid dal on the hob to eat for breakfast - which has now hit my stomach - and I've decided to wash my bedding as there is nothing more luxurious than slipping between fresh bed sheets on a night? It definitely adds to the elements of a good night's sleep. In the 21st century a thing being rediscovered - sleep! Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker is a good read and helps with the overall understanding of the essential process?

Time to wash up. 7:10am. Kitchen cleaned. Just awaiting the end of the wash cycle. 7:30am ...

9am.

Just walking through The University of Leeds campus and if I could do it all again, including those 'how much' trips to ASDA in Gosforth, I'd do it in an instant. I might go to more lectures this time and take more notes...

Walked up to Homebase/Sainsbury's on the ring road in Moortown and arrived by noon. By the time I had arranged the left foot was having none of it and I was sober too. No effects of a hangover. Caught the bus back to the flat. The bus driver didn't charge me.

Made a nice lunch - made Aligot with Palestinian beans, za'atar and a little Amba pickle... Siesta then into Leeds to take some pointless records. Had two halves in Stick or Twist for an hour while I read a couple of chapters. back to the flat at 5. Had a snack. And then potted up some tomato seeds. Had a bath, read and then bed.

***

Friday,

Gone back to the first episode of In Our Time as I, apparently, listened to yesterday's one before it came out... Making porridge. Watered the potted tomato seeds. Sunshine needed now.

Caught the dreaded X98 with the youth of today on their way to school. As they dismounted I stayed on taking the stuff I was carrying directly to the allotment. I stayed up on the allotment until 11 and then went for a little refreshment and to read a little of Reaper Man, but I was disrupted by A Stoney jumping around a corner playing a penny whistle as I was drinking a Matcha Latte outside BAE in the cold breeze. Then I went to B&B for a proper coffee, but was surrounded by ladies in huddles conspiring against the world so went to mum's to eat the sardine pasta meal I had made the previous time I was at mothers. I tried to have a lay down, but Lola was having none of it so I took her for a walk. Then we hung out on the sofa until I went to meet Jason for a couple of beers in B&B. Apart from the two halves on Thursday I definitely have had too much on Wednesday(4) and Friday(5 and a half). But I didn't rush any of them and I wasn't alone.

***

Saturday,

Time for a coffee @ 6:10am.

Jason is so conservative and Conservative now he's hit 52. He has not even a shade of red or yellow anywhere in any of his thoughts. He used to be such a chilled out guy. If he can't have 'perfection' he goes bonkers... Hilarious.

Walked up to Oakwood around Roundhay Park and behind Street Lane after walking up to the Caffé Nero in Chapel Allerton and walking along Gledhow Valley Woods and Gledhow Lane. I brought a sandwich.

@ noon I caught the bus to the Police Station on the roundabout in Wetherby (Micklethwaite) and walked down to the river to clean the very muddy boots in the slowly subsiding Wharfe. Then went for a coffee at B&B.

Returned to 42 to have a bit of lunch, but got a wee surprise in the form of Lola. So had a little fun with her - if she was allowed I'd have taken her out in the afternoon... But Emma picked her up while I was relaxing.

Went to Morrisons and M&S to get some Tea and had a small glass of wine from 3pm which became 5 (125mls) as I almost finished Reaper Man. Came back at 6pm and made Tea with pasta, red pesto, Mutti tinned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella and french beans.

Went to bed when mum was engrossed in Crufts around 7:30. Slept well.

***

Sunday,

Caught the 874 Dales bus from Wetherby bus station. I had the option of the 7 or the X99 back to a cold flat with four walls after a visit to the Unitarian Chapel on Mill Hill - which could've led to booze. Too much booze?

Walked from Grassington to Buckden . Three pints between 11am and 4:30pm when the bus took us back towards Leeds. Just left Ilkley and approaching Otley. It rained all afternoon, but I got out of Wetherby and Leeds randomly. Met a few walkers on the way out, but sorting my self out - eating pasta and sauce leftovers from yesterday - and trying to dry out...

Got off next to McDonald's, went for two pints, bought a few items from the local Little London Market, made a dip to go with the pitta, put on a wash and headed to bed!

Sunday done. Busy week.

***