A bit unwell this morning after passing out in the bathroom overnight due to dehydration. Still managed morning pages and physio. Me and Jenni watched the snooker and some gameshows. This evening a Bowie documentary. I did a basic piece of outside writing just round the corner from Jen’s place. Good to chill, rehydrate, and have a lazy time. 10.45pm.
Sunday 2nd May 2021
Jenni let me use her phone to speak to Alpkit about testing a bike tomorrow. We watched the first day of the World Snooker final (Mark Selby vs Shaun Murphy). Big pie and veg tea. 11.40pm.
Monday 3rd May 2021
Got my breakfast and an early physio workout. Arm aches when I use bottles – poor grip. Much better with a bar bell. Said bye to Jenni and rode over to Alpkit at Metro Centre. It was good to check out the Sonder Frontier, but I’m unsure about toe to front tyre clearance. Maybe I’m just used to a huge gap on the Rockhopper. Will look at a few more bikes. I’m a bit pissed off about it, coz I had my heart set on the Frontier. The only others that come close are the Bridge Club and Karate Monkey from Surly. Both out of my price range and currently unavailable in the UK. I quite liked the On One ‘Boot Zipper’ but not in steel and not with just 2.4 inches wide tyres. I might have to stick with the Rockhopper. I got rained on when I reached Consett, but okay. Good snooker final. Shaun Murphy tried hard but congratulations Selby for the win. Pleased I got my lesson plan sorted. 10.57pm.
Tuesday 4th May 2021
Grumpy on the bus. Pissing rain didn’t help. The workshop went okay. We did some family album sketches and pen portraits. This evening I’ve been looking at foot placement on old Hans Rey and Martyn Ashton bike videos; with cranks horizontal both riders have lead toes pretty much level with the front tyre. Maybe I need another look at the Sonder. I’ve been reading about short-reach bikes being better to throw about. And as I recall my old Saracen was pretty good for bunny hops. I suppose it depends what sort of riding you want to do. I had tomato soup and tiger bread for tea. I had cheese on toast mid-evening and a sausage bun for supper. I have a physio phone call tomorrow. I should get to bed so I can be up in time. Good to chat to Mark and Tracy Speeding today. And Jenni online. Did my outside writing as usual. Hope weather picks up. 11.50pm.
Wednesday 5th May 2021
Watched more bike vids in between typesetting and copying-up work logs and gratitude journal. Took me till mid evening to get back on track. I’m on the physiotherapist’s caseload for another month, but basically okay to increase load on right arm before attempting barbell work. Great to re-watch Shell Shocked, the new Steve Jones and Chris Akrigg e-bike video. Also, sections of Tricks and Stunts from 2001. And a 2019 interview with trials legend Martyn Ashton. I did ‘outside’ writing in a bus shelter. It was freezing. If it gets much colder this month, I’m back on the hot chocolate and three layers of trousers. 11.20pm.
Thursday 6th May 2021
With the weather being stupidly cold, I seem to have lapsed into my winter food habits. Lots more bread. Bigger portions on every meal. Cooked suppers… Much of today just trying to catch up. Still no zine stuff. Need to get back into it. Watched some Adrian Mitchell poetry vids and listened to a 30-min audio recording of the man live in Limerick, Ireland. I met him at Durham Literature Festival in 2004. I voted tonight in the local elections. From the car park of the polling station the Gill bridge is visible over the rooftops. I took a picture, but it didn’t come out too well. I watched a few Martyn Ashton trials videos. And two episodes of Corrie related to Sophie Lancaster and Robert Maltby. My tinnitus is full-on at present. Today is the first with just one physio session. Aiming for normal upper body workouts in the next month or so. Hope I ride well in the coming weeks. 11.29pm.
Friday 7th May 2021
Tonight’s walk from Moorside by the old Castleside Inn down the Heritage Trail was good. I wrote about the section where a few weeks ago I was tempted to ride along a big log. Much of today has been very frustrating. Trying to edit bits and pieces while my brain insists on being distracted by bike research. For some stupid reason, I’ve been looking at bike-sizing charts whilst thinking I’m five-foot eleven. I’m just under five foot ten. Which puts me in the ‘medium’ frame bracket, not the large. So, for fifteen years I’ve been riding a 19-inch Rockhopper when I might have been better off with a 17-inch frame. According to the Halfords chart I have the leg measurement of a person five foot seven inches tall. But my torso is long. Also, if I go off the Ape index my outstretched arms are wider distance than my height: large. Lots of large-frame top tubes are in the castration danger zone. Coming from a trials background where the top tube is little above ankle height, a new bike with 3mm between my crotch and a metal bar when both feet are on the ground isn’t ideal. Proofing a booklet this evening. Slow work. I’ll do the second half tomorrow. Need time away from Consett. 11.15pm.
Saturday 8th May 2021
Posted morning pages gripes about bike sizes and got some helpful comments. Proofed a poet’s pamphlet this afternoon. Had curry, rice and chips for tea. Pulled together a decent workshop for next Tuesday’s Waddy session. Tonight, Beeches Lane, Castleside; some spooky looking garages up there. Got back at half nine and chilled out. 11.38pm.
Sunday 9th May 2021
Didn’t sleep well. Felt tired all day. Missed being at Jen’s place this weekend. Haven’t been on the bike for a week. Bikes are a bit of a sore point at present. Can’t seem to find what I need. Can’t stop looking either. Should have been in bed an hour ago. The outside writing was poor tonight. Crap day really. 11.40pm.
Monday 10th May 2021
Better night. Woke at five for the toilet but back to sleep till half eight. Fair bit of work to catch up on today: Ivy’s corrections to sort, last week’s lesson plan to type up and some feedback for the writers’ group.
I am trying to avoid the elephant in the room but even just coming downstairs to the kitchen and seeing the Rockhopper puts me straight into the ‘short legs, long torso’ situation. Maybe I need to put the bike in the back cupboard until I’m sorted. I could riff on frame-sizing for another ten pages but will try to avoid it. All the time spent researching this weekend could have been used for book prep.
Last night’s outside writing was sloppy and boring. Unless I commit to longer walks, I’m not going to find much variation. Haven’t shaved for a week. Haven’t washed any clothes.
It was a lot warmer outside last night. But I’m still sleeping in three jumpers. Another week and we hit mid-May. I am trying to bounce back today, but it means staying off the internet and just reading a book or something. Not going out for leisure pursuits. 9.30am.
OUTSIDE:
10/5/21 – Sun after rain. All the cars look like they are sweating. Brick-like SUVs, reversing BMWs. Two bemused old men step off the 16 mini-link from Castleside, saunter into Jubilee Court. Molehills and dandelions. The dirty sky of minutes ago now miles away. A delicate breeze. A green flag blowing in the cemetery. Silhouettes of bench and litter bin. More cloud moving in. Cruel April showers in May. Ambivalence here to stay. The turbines turn slow tonight. And summer intends to play tricks. Low pressure, high pressure. All is change, nothing stays the same. 9.08pm.
Tuesday 11th May
Awoke at half four and didn’t get much sleep after that. Typed work up. Notes for students, bag packed, ready to go by quarter past eleven. Good session at Waddy. Played some ludic poetry games with alliterative sentences and other constraints leading into a look at Univocalism. Then extended freewriting on specific places. Got a bus to Gateshead. Me and Jenni had veggie sausages, peas and mash for tea. I brought tiramisu for afters. Good to catch up. We watched Hollywood in Vienna – a classical tribute to Randy Newman. Then various Toyah and Fripp ‘agony’ clips for a laugh. I did my outside writing in the churchyard over the road. It’s a novelty to write a journal entry on the late bus back to Consett. Things feel okay at present. Lifting of restrictions hasn’t really changed much for me. Jenni is thinking of buying a bike. She is getting her hair cut short on Thursday. When I get off the bus I’m going to Tesco for a few supplies. Then a walk to Moorside, hopefully no rain. 10.21pm.
Wednesday 12th May 2021
Spent eighty minutes this morning looking at old performance pix from Jibba Jabba and elsewhere. Tweaked a few links on the Talking Pen website. After dinner I walked over to Shotley Bridge Hospital for second vax jab. Walked for about five hours today. Mostly round Consett. I got more disposable masks. Looked at Karrimor outdoor clothing and returned to Moorside for a steak burger that turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. A two-pack was £2.50. For another fifty pence I could have had fresh beef steaks. In future, that’s what I’ll get. Increased physio load is going well. Ate four chocolate brownies tonight, wrote about mototrials in the woods. Hope I sleep well. 11.35pm.
Thursday 13th May 2021
Today was okay but felt like I was fighting to stay on track. I typed stuff up. Corrected Ivy’s pamphlet proof and sent a hard copy this afternoon. I did one hundred abdominal crunches with a rollbar. I did my physio but left arm is sore after covid jab. It hurts when I move my arm into the ‘pull up on your handlebars’ position so I didn’t go out on the bike. Hopefully, that will ease soon. I contributed to a Poetry Promoters thread on safety of indoor events from this summer onwards. I’d like to think it will be okay this autumn but more likely early next year. I did a little walk to Castleside up streets and across fields I’ve previously never set foot upon. Been number-crunching for HMRC. Was good to see Jenni’s new haircut. Really suits her. Today has been quite productive. 11.54pm.
Friday 14th May 2021
Posted morning pages gripes about bike sizes and got some helpful comments. Proofed a poet’s pamphlet this afternoon. Had curry, rice and chips for tea. Pulled together a decent workshop for next Tuesday’s Waddy session. Tonight, Beeches Lane, Castleside; some spooky looking garages up there. Got back at half nine and chilled out. 11.38pm.
Sunday 9th May 2021
Didn’t sleep well. Felt tired all day. Missed being at Jen’s place this weekend. Haven’t been on the bike for a week. Bikes are a bit of a sore point at present. Can’t seem to find what I need. Can’t stop looking either. Should have been in bed an hour ago. The outside writing was poor tonight. Crap day really. 11.40pm.
Monday 10th May 2021
Better night. Woke at five for the toilet but back to sleep till half eight. Fair bit of work to catch up on today: Ivy’s corrections to sort, last week’s lesson plan to type up and some feedback for the writers’ group.
I am trying to avoid the elephant in the room but even just coming downstairs to the kitchen and seeing the Rockhopper puts me straight into the ‘short legs, long torso’ situation. Maybe I need to put the bike in the back cupboard until I’m sorted. I could riff on frame-sizing for another ten pages but will try to avoid it. All the time spent researching this weekend could have been used for book prep.
Last night’s outside writing was sloppy and boring. Unless I commit to longer walks, I’m not going to find much variation. Haven’t shaved for a week. Haven’t washed any clothes.
It was a lot warmer outside last night. But I’m still sleeping in three jumpers. Another week and we hit mid-May. I am trying to bounce back today, but it means staying off the internet and just reading a book or something. Not going out for leisure pursuits. 9.30am.
OUTSIDE:
10/5/21 – Sun after rain. All the cars look like they are sweating. Brick-like SUVs, reversing BMWs. Two bemused old men step off the 16 mini-link from Castleside, saunter into Jubilee Court. Molehills and dandelions. The dirty sky of minutes ago now miles away. A delicate breeze. A green flag blowing in the cemetery. Silhouettes of bench and litter bin. More cloud moving in. Cruel April showers in May. Ambivalence here to stay. The turbines turn slow tonight. And summer intends to play tricks. Low pressure, high pressure. All is change, nothing stays the same. 9.08pm.
Tuesday 11th May
Awoke at half four and didn’t get much sleep after that. Typed work up. Notes for students, bag packed, ready to go by quarter past eleven. Good session at Waddy. Played some ludic poetry games with alliterative sentences and other constraints leading into a look at Univocalism. Then extended freewriting on specific places. Got a bus to Gateshead. Me and Jenni had veggie sausages, peas and mash for tea. I brought tiramisu for afters. Good to catch up. We watched Hollywood in Vienna – a classical tribute to Randy Newman. Then various Toyah and Fripp ‘agony’ clips for a laugh. I did my outside writing in the churchyard over the road. It’s a novelty to write a journal entry on the late bus back to Consett. Things feel okay at present. Lifting of restrictions hasn’t really changed much for me. Jenni is thinking of buying a bike. She is getting her hair cut short on Thursday. When I get off the bus I’m going to Tesco for a few supplies. Then a walk to Moorside, hopefully no rain. 10.21pm.
Wednesday 12th May 2021
Spent eighty minutes this morning looking at old performance pix from Jibba Jabba and elsewhere. Tweaked a few links on the Talking Pen website. After dinner I walked over to Shotley Bridge Hospital for second vax jab. Walked for about five hours today. Mostly round Consett. I got more disposable masks. Looked at Karrimor outdoor clothing and returned to Moorside for a steak burger that turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. A two-pack was £2.50. For another fifty pence I could have had fresh beef steaks. In future, that’s what I’ll get. Increased physio load is going well. Ate four chocolate brownies tonight, wrote about mototrials in the woods. Hope I sleep well. 11.35pm.
Thursday 13th May 2021
Today was okay but felt like I was fighting to stay on track. I typed stuff up. Corrected Ivy’s pamphlet proof and sent a hard copy this afternoon. I did one hundred abdominal crunches with a rollbar. I did my physio but left arm is sore after covid jab. It hurts when I move my arm into the ‘pull up on your handlebars’ position so I didn’t go out on the bike. Hopefully, that will ease soon. I contributed to a Poetry Promoters thread on safety of indoor events from this summer onwards. I’d like to think it will be okay this autumn but more likely early next year. I did a little walk to Castleside up streets and across fields I’ve previously never set foot upon. Been number-crunching for HMRC. Was good to see Jenni’s new haircut. Really suits her. Today has been quite productive. 11.54pm.
Friday 14th May 2021
Thirty-two years ago I wrote my first vignette. Tonight, I stood at a bus shelter in Blackhill and wrote about the changes to some of the buildings near St Mary’s Church. I took a photo of a cherry blossom tree and ate an orange as the clock struck nine then pedalled back to Moorside. Tonight, I tackled two obstacles that have been giving me the fear lately: a small step-down into a rocky stream by a bridge on the new gravel path near Allensford; and a steeper descent to another stream near the pump house further along the path. I didn’t quite get through the second one cleanly but made it down the hillside with my back wheel sliding. Later, trying to do a climb I’ve done loads, my back tyre spun out and I fell backwards. Can’t win them all. The pamphlet proofs I formatted recently have been approved and can be printed at my earliest convenience. I watched Brian Johnson and Foo Fighters play Back in Black to an arena of facemask-wearing fans. Then watched classic Allison Moyet live tracks. Also, a Bill Bailey comedy clip. Happy times. OK. 11.25pm.
Saturday 15th May 2021
Weather forecaster lied. Was meant to rain today so I rearranged my weekend in order to bus to Jen's tonight instead of biking there. But I'm pleased I did: all bus journeys on Go North East are just a quid after 7pm. So only two quid to Jen's tonight. I did all my prep for Tuesday's Waddy session. I'm doing a half marathon. Good to hear Queen Live Killers for the first time in over twenty years. Listened to some stuff from Garbage as well. Had some Dairylea on toast at Jen's. Watched TV for a while. I did my evening writing twice: once in Consett and once in Gateshead. OK. 10.30pm.
Sunday 16th May 2021
Morning pages typed up. Helped make dinner for me and Jenni. Watched Suggs of Madness introduce the top 30 songs of 1984. Band Aid came top. George Michael had three songs on the list; Queen had two. Big cheese baguettes for tea. Watched The Chase, Tipping Point, two Titanic documentaries, Snooker, and best songs of 1990. 11.04 pm.
Monday 17th May 2021
Up quite early but took a while to key in stuff on the small device. Washed some dishes. Jenni did pizza and waffles. We watched the Safecracker episode of Tales of the Unexpected. Then a couple of episodes of vintage Corrie. Then I went out for a walk to Team Valley. Had to shelter from the torrential downpour halfway but got to Halfords and checked out some bikes. The Carrera range looks okay, but not what I want. I looked in Decathlon: their range also unsuitable. Ate a couple of Poundland steak bakes on the way back. Was out over two and a half hours. Tonight, me and Jenni watched the first episode of The Pact. Also watched two episodes of Corrie. I walked to School Street for outside writing, but not great. Doubt I’ll be able to publish all the entries. Watched the ‘Wuthering Heist’ episode of Inside No. 9. Jenni is playing lots of TV theme tunes that I am unfamiliar with. 10.50pm.
Tuesday 18th May 2021
Up quite early. Good shave. Watched two episodes of Frasier (Roz joined Bulldog’s show after falling out with Frasier; and Marty solved a twenty year-old murder case). Express bus to Durham. Writing half marathon went well. Bus back to Gateshead, X66 to Metro Centre. Checked out Evans Cycles. Quite impressed by Specialized and Trek ranges, but no rigid bikes. As I left one of the staff said, “Try Alpkit for a Sonder Frontier.” I didn’t let on about knowing already. Alpkit let me have another try of the bike. Hopefully I’ll be able to order one tomorrow. Got food at Tesco. Watched Newsnight, had a sausage sandwich. OK. 11.43pm.
Wednesday 19th May 2021
After biking early coz the forecast was rain by eleven I felt tired and had to lie down. When I got up at half three it was still dry. I should have mowed grass this morning and done a little ride this afternoon. More work emails with hoops to jump through. Sometimes I think washing dishes would suit me better – be good to get away from computers for a couple of days a week. Just enough cash to stay afloat and zero difficulty. Most of the people I teach are better writers than me anyway. I watched a bunch of Sinead O’Connor videos after Jenni sent me a link to a great new interview in the run-up to Sinead’s memoir. Jenni also sent suggestions for getting apps to work. We’ll need electronic passwords to go to the bastard toilet before long. Fucking sick. Of everything. 10.35pm.
Thursday 20th May 2021
‘Martyn Pig’ by Kevin Brooks arrived. Will read it next week. Got most of my stuff keyed in. Pix uploaded. Edited my sleepyhead poem. Didn’t get grass cut. It pissed down this afternoon. Watched little Surly bike clips tonight. Then three episodes of The Pact which is quite gripping. Still no more work on my zine. The weeks fly by. The house needs cleaning. Newsnight is running the Princess Diana interview scandal. I was meant to be getting an early night. 11.22pm.
Friday 21st May 2021
Okay, so the rain is proper taking the piss at present. I’m probably going to have to buy a strimmer to sort the grass out. I’ve had a headache for the best part of three days. Haven’t had a good night’s sleep since Monday. Keep waking up around six every morning. I got stuff typed up and the preliminary prep for next week’s workshop done. Watched the final two episodes of The Pact, which I thought was ace. I’m hoping this headache is just a stress thing. I checked Covid symptoms but I’ve no high temperature, fever or cough. It might be eyestrain. Watched a BBC Performance Poetry documentary tonight then went out for my evening walk. A different bus shelter – I liked the piece I wrote even if it was a bit grim. Came back, keyed it in and uploaded to Facebook. Had an online chat with brother Mark about the bike I’m getting. I switched off the computer much earlier than usual, so as not to be tempted to stay up and watch bike vids or Newsnight. The wind is howling and I’m sick of the rain. Even though it’s only been a couple of days. I’m keen to be in bed. Fingers crossed that tomorrow is better. I am sick of not getting out and about on the bike as much. Maybe next month. 10.50pm.
Saturday 22nd May 2021
Bit better day, head-wise. I stayed off the big computer and took things easy. Tried to do a bit of workshop prep this afternoon but knocked off a couple of hours early and biked over to Jen’s. She ordered mega pizzas and chips for tea (and supper). I did some outside writing and laughed quite a bit at Eurovision when not asleep. 10.20pm.
Sunday 23rd May 2021
Big lie in. More pizza for breakfast. Wrote some notes for a workshop. My head was okay most of the day. Ate a lot of chocolate biscuits when I got back from Tesco. Big sausage and veg dinner this evening. Watched some good stuff on TV. We Are Lady Parts is an ace series about a group of Muslim women in a punk band in London. I also enjoyed the Live Revival documentary on the importance of grassroots music venues across the UK. Messenger conversation with brother Mark about trials bikes. 11.35pm.
Monday 24th May 2021
Canny lie in then two-hour ride home after lovely time with Jenni. Was working by one o’clock. Got student feedback papers sorted and more notes on Conflict for tomorrow’s session. Weather was remarkably nice, so I went out with the lawnmower. After much cursing and chewing of foot-high grass, I was done, and the machine was knackered. I threw it by the coalhouse door and there it will stay. I will buy a new one in due course. Add that cost to new tyres for the Rockhopper and toner cartridges for the laser printer and the total will far exceed my fee for printing a booklet. This evening I typed up college notes then walked to Castleside for my outside writing. Did a page about the ruins of some farm buildings in a field. Back home, I had a shave, did physio and cooked sausages. OK. 10.00pm.
Tuesday 25th May 2021
Yay! I made it. Up by five this morning and on the 6.13am to Durham. Arrived at half-seven. Thanks to Peter at Waddy, I got fifty copies of Ivy Hudson’s ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ pamphlet printed. I boxed up pages and covers then caught a 21 bus to New College Durham for an online security update. Walked back to Durham, bought a pack of Mars bars. Ate one and walked up to the cathedral. Sat outside until rain forced me to move. I took a pic of the all the umbrellas hanging high overhead in the shopping mall then walked up Western Hill then down Back of Western Hill. Took a shortcut straight into Waddington Street. Session went well. We made up some new compound word definitions and did some exercises for creating conflict in fiction. Then some lines on our big A2Z poem. Tonight, I didn’t do much coz I was tired. But I went back out to Consett at eight for food supplies. Outside writing in Moorside. Home to scrambled egg and tomato sandwiches. Physio then brief social media session. 10.23pm.
Wednesday 26th May 2021
Chuffed to make a new notebook for the final twenty-odd days of my outside writing project. Got all my journal and morning pages up to date. Reduced PC monitor brightness to allow for longer hours before eyestrain and neck pain kick in. Tonight, I walked along the riverbank to Shotley Bridge and back. Everywhere is a muddy mess. In April it was dusty dry. Weather this month has been shit. All my favourite bike trails are now useless. Will take ages for everywhere to fully dry out. I messaged Jenni a couple of times. Chuffed to be offered summer workshops with Waddington Street Centre. And if I need new glasses, I can get a free eye-test at Specsavers. Almost bedtime. 11.46pm.
Thursday 27th May 2021
Got on with Ivy’s pamphlets from ten o’clock, but miscalculated trimming time. I need a new double-blade every five copies. Still have thirty copies to do tomorrow. I knocked off for tea at five, but my eyes are suffering. I’m getting headaches. And after speaking on the phone to Ernie, it seems that I need bifocal glasses. I tried to read a novel this evening but fell asleep after a couple of pages. I checked out some political articles online but am trying to stay sane through avoidance. I don’t have much to say: Fold, staple, trim, repeat. I wanted to bike, but the trails are awful at present. I will need to do a gravel ride tomorrow. Sonder bikes are championing the Frontier on Facebook. Mine should be here by August. Done the physio and upped my reps. Newsnight is Cummings fallout again. OK. 11.10pm.
Friday 28th May 2021
Went back to sleep after 5.30am morning pages. Got the rest of Ivy’s pamphlets sorted, boxed and good to go. I went to Consett this afternoon for tyres, but Bits 4 Bikes is shut till next Tuesday. I bought a few things in Tesco. I enjoyed listening to Jess Johnson in Heading South on the Great North Road. It was a good radio play. One of the characters was from Consett. It was good to get out and write in the quarry. I’m still getting the headaches. Will book another eye test. I fell asleep at the computer while Newsnight was on. Now it’s a costume drama. OK 11.46pm.
Saturday 29th May 2021
Good lie in after a dream about Ozzy Osbourne making a new promo video for an old song. I woke up thinking: poor Ozzy, you workhorse; Sharon still sending you out on the road in your seventies. I read all of ‘Martyn Pigg’ by Kevin Brooks. His debut from 2002. A boy accidentally kills his father. Good story. Biked to Gateshead. Much easier in warm weather. Me and Jenni sat outside till eleven. She enjoyed being back at the Theatre today. 11.20pm.
Sunday 30th May 2021
Big lie in then a good chat with Jenni about bookmaking and gigs. Sat outside a fair bit this morning. Then had a big pie and veg dinner. Jen went to work. I did the dishes. Read a bit of The Psychopath Test, washed a shirt, slept a while. Physio, outside writing, then an episode of Vera. 10.21pm.
Monday 31st May 2021
Slept right through the night no problem. Chatted with Jenni awhile before she went to work. Enjoyed reading about Ann Cleeves and other northeast fiction writers. Did my physio tonight and a quick scribble in the back street. Poor photos. Watched after-watershed Coronation Street. Ordered a few local novels from Consett Library. Also, horror writer Shaun Hutson's 1982 debut, Slugs. 10.17pm.
Saturday 15th May 2021
Weather forecaster lied. Was meant to rain today so I rearranged my weekend in order to bus to Jen's tonight instead of biking there. But I'm pleased I did: all bus journeys on Go North East are just a quid after 7pm. So only two quid to Jen's tonight. I did all my prep for Tuesday's Waddy session. I'm doing a half marathon. Good to hear Queen Live Killers for the first time in over twenty years. Listened to some stuff from Garbage as well. Had some Dairylea on toast at Jen's. Watched TV for a while. I did my evening writing twice: once in Consett and once in Gateshead. OK. 10.30pm.
Sunday 16th May 2021
Morning pages typed up. Helped make dinner for me and Jenni. Watched Suggs of Madness introduce the top 30 songs of 1984. Band Aid came top. George Michael had three songs on the list; Queen had two. Big cheese baguettes for tea. Watched The Chase, Tipping Point, two Titanic documentaries, Snooker, and best songs of 1990. 11.04 pm.
Monday 17th May 2021
Up quite early but took a while to key in stuff on the small device. Washed some dishes. Jenni did pizza and waffles. We watched the Safecracker episode of Tales of the Unexpected. Then a couple of episodes of vintage Corrie. Then I went out for a walk to Team Valley. Had to shelter from the torrential downpour halfway but got to Halfords and checked out some bikes. The Carrera range looks okay, but not what I want. I looked in Decathlon: their range also unsuitable. Ate a couple of Poundland steak bakes on the way back. Was out over two and a half hours. Tonight, me and Jenni watched the first episode of The Pact. Also watched two episodes of Corrie. I walked to School Street for outside writing, but not great. Doubt I’ll be able to publish all the entries. Watched the ‘Wuthering Heist’ episode of Inside No. 9. Jenni is playing lots of TV theme tunes that I am unfamiliar with. 10.50pm.
Tuesday 18th May 2021
Up quite early. Good shave. Watched two episodes of Frasier (Roz joined Bulldog’s show after falling out with Frasier; and Marty solved a twenty year-old murder case). Express bus to Durham. Writing half marathon went well. Bus back to Gateshead, X66 to Metro Centre. Checked out Evans Cycles. Quite impressed by Specialized and Trek ranges, but no rigid bikes. As I left one of the staff said, “Try Alpkit for a Sonder Frontier.” I didn’t let on about knowing already. Alpkit let me have another try of the bike. Hopefully I’ll be able to order one tomorrow. Got food at Tesco. Watched Newsnight, had a sausage sandwich. OK. 11.43pm.
Wednesday 19th May 2021
After biking early coz the forecast was rain by eleven I felt tired and had to lie down. When I got up at half three it was still dry. I should have mowed grass this morning and done a little ride this afternoon. More work emails with hoops to jump through. Sometimes I think washing dishes would suit me better – be good to get away from computers for a couple of days a week. Just enough cash to stay afloat and zero difficulty. Most of the people I teach are better writers than me anyway. I watched a bunch of Sinead O’Connor videos after Jenni sent me a link to a great new interview in the run-up to Sinead’s memoir. Jenni also sent suggestions for getting apps to work. We’ll need electronic passwords to go to the bastard toilet before long. Fucking sick. Of everything. 10.35pm.
Thursday 20th May 2021
‘Martyn Pig’ by Kevin Brooks arrived. Will read it next week. Got most of my stuff keyed in. Pix uploaded. Edited my sleepyhead poem. Didn’t get grass cut. It pissed down this afternoon. Watched little Surly bike clips tonight. Then three episodes of The Pact which is quite gripping. Still no more work on my zine. The weeks fly by. The house needs cleaning. Newsnight is running the Princess Diana interview scandal. I was meant to be getting an early night. 11.22pm.
Friday 21st May 2021
Okay, so the rain is proper taking the piss at present. I’m probably going to have to buy a strimmer to sort the grass out. I’ve had a headache for the best part of three days. Haven’t had a good night’s sleep since Monday. Keep waking up around six every morning. I got stuff typed up and the preliminary prep for next week’s workshop done. Watched the final two episodes of The Pact, which I thought was ace. I’m hoping this headache is just a stress thing. I checked Covid symptoms but I’ve no high temperature, fever or cough. It might be eyestrain. Watched a BBC Performance Poetry documentary tonight then went out for my evening walk. A different bus shelter – I liked the piece I wrote even if it was a bit grim. Came back, keyed it in and uploaded to Facebook. Had an online chat with brother Mark about the bike I’m getting. I switched off the computer much earlier than usual, so as not to be tempted to stay up and watch bike vids or Newsnight. The wind is howling and I’m sick of the rain. Even though it’s only been a couple of days. I’m keen to be in bed. Fingers crossed that tomorrow is better. I am sick of not getting out and about on the bike as much. Maybe next month. 10.50pm.
Saturday 22nd May 2021
Bit better day, head-wise. I stayed off the big computer and took things easy. Tried to do a bit of workshop prep this afternoon but knocked off a couple of hours early and biked over to Jen’s. She ordered mega pizzas and chips for tea (and supper). I did some outside writing and laughed quite a bit at Eurovision when not asleep. 10.20pm.
Sunday 23rd May 2021
Big lie in. More pizza for breakfast. Wrote some notes for a workshop. My head was okay most of the day. Ate a lot of chocolate biscuits when I got back from Tesco. Big sausage and veg dinner this evening. Watched some good stuff on TV. We Are Lady Parts is an ace series about a group of Muslim women in a punk band in London. I also enjoyed the Live Revival documentary on the importance of grassroots music venues across the UK. Messenger conversation with brother Mark about trials bikes. 11.35pm.
Monday 24th May 2021
Canny lie in then two-hour ride home after lovely time with Jenni. Was working by one o’clock. Got student feedback papers sorted and more notes on Conflict for tomorrow’s session. Weather was remarkably nice, so I went out with the lawnmower. After much cursing and chewing of foot-high grass, I was done, and the machine was knackered. I threw it by the coalhouse door and there it will stay. I will buy a new one in due course. Add that cost to new tyres for the Rockhopper and toner cartridges for the laser printer and the total will far exceed my fee for printing a booklet. This evening I typed up college notes then walked to Castleside for my outside writing. Did a page about the ruins of some farm buildings in a field. Back home, I had a shave, did physio and cooked sausages. OK. 10.00pm.
Tuesday 25th May 2021
Yay! I made it. Up by five this morning and on the 6.13am to Durham. Arrived at half-seven. Thanks to Peter at Waddy, I got fifty copies of Ivy Hudson’s ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ pamphlet printed. I boxed up pages and covers then caught a 21 bus to New College Durham for an online security update. Walked back to Durham, bought a pack of Mars bars. Ate one and walked up to the cathedral. Sat outside until rain forced me to move. I took a pic of the all the umbrellas hanging high overhead in the shopping mall then walked up Western Hill then down Back of Western Hill. Took a shortcut straight into Waddington Street. Session went well. We made up some new compound word definitions and did some exercises for creating conflict in fiction. Then some lines on our big A2Z poem. Tonight, I didn’t do much coz I was tired. But I went back out to Consett at eight for food supplies. Outside writing in Moorside. Home to scrambled egg and tomato sandwiches. Physio then brief social media session. 10.23pm.
Wednesday 26th May 2021
Chuffed to make a new notebook for the final twenty-odd days of my outside writing project. Got all my journal and morning pages up to date. Reduced PC monitor brightness to allow for longer hours before eyestrain and neck pain kick in. Tonight, I walked along the riverbank to Shotley Bridge and back. Everywhere is a muddy mess. In April it was dusty dry. Weather this month has been shit. All my favourite bike trails are now useless. Will take ages for everywhere to fully dry out. I messaged Jenni a couple of times. Chuffed to be offered summer workshops with Waddington Street Centre. And if I need new glasses, I can get a free eye-test at Specsavers. Almost bedtime. 11.46pm.
Thursday 27th May 2021
Got on with Ivy’s pamphlets from ten o’clock, but miscalculated trimming time. I need a new double-blade every five copies. Still have thirty copies to do tomorrow. I knocked off for tea at five, but my eyes are suffering. I’m getting headaches. And after speaking on the phone to Ernie, it seems that I need bifocal glasses. I tried to read a novel this evening but fell asleep after a couple of pages. I checked out some political articles online but am trying to stay sane through avoidance. I don’t have much to say: Fold, staple, trim, repeat. I wanted to bike, but the trails are awful at present. I will need to do a gravel ride tomorrow. Sonder bikes are championing the Frontier on Facebook. Mine should be here by August. Done the physio and upped my reps. Newsnight is Cummings fallout again. OK. 11.10pm.
Friday 28th May 2021
Went back to sleep after 5.30am morning pages. Got the rest of Ivy’s pamphlets sorted, boxed and good to go. I went to Consett this afternoon for tyres, but Bits 4 Bikes is shut till next Tuesday. I bought a few things in Tesco. I enjoyed listening to Jess Johnson in Heading South on the Great North Road. It was a good radio play. One of the characters was from Consett. It was good to get out and write in the quarry. I’m still getting the headaches. Will book another eye test. I fell asleep at the computer while Newsnight was on. Now it’s a costume drama. OK 11.46pm.
Saturday 29th May 2021
Good lie in after a dream about Ozzy Osbourne making a new promo video for an old song. I woke up thinking: poor Ozzy, you workhorse; Sharon still sending you out on the road in your seventies. I read all of ‘Martyn Pigg’ by Kevin Brooks. His debut from 2002. A boy accidentally kills his father. Good story. Biked to Gateshead. Much easier in warm weather. Me and Jenni sat outside till eleven. She enjoyed being back at the Theatre today. 11.20pm.
Sunday 30th May 2021
Big lie in then a good chat with Jenni about bookmaking and gigs. Sat outside a fair bit this morning. Then had a big pie and veg dinner. Jen went to work. I did the dishes. Read a bit of The Psychopath Test, washed a shirt, slept a while. Physio, outside writing, then an episode of Vera. 10.21pm.
Monday 31st May 2021
Slept right through the night no problem. Chatted with Jenni awhile before she went to work. Enjoyed reading about Ann Cleeves and other northeast fiction writers. Did my physio tonight and a quick scribble in the back street. Poor photos. Watched after-watershed Coronation Street. Ordered a few local novels from Consett Library. Also, horror writer Shaun Hutson's 1982 debut, Slugs. 10.17pm.
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