JUNE

Tuesday 1st June 2021

Breakfast with Jenni. Sat in the garden for a little while. Ace bike ride this afternoon. New lines in Beamish Woods. Mainly uphill sections. Out about three hours. Bought new tyres at Bits 4 Bikes. £25 the pair. Home by half three. After a rest I reformatted Elaine Cusack's pamphlet. Then my eyes started to hurt a bit. Seems it only happens when I'm scrolling and typing at the desktop. It's okay if I'm just watching videos. I booked an eye test at Specsavers and have a special offer coupon. I might be able to get reading/computing glasses rather than bifocals. David Almond's ‘Counting Stars’ is awaiting collection from Consett Library. Might pick that up tomorrow or Thursday. I need a new lawnmower and some toner cartridges for the laser printer. Roger Taylor announced an autumn UK tour today. Jenni doesn't seem keen but depending on price I'd like to go to Newcastle Academy on Saturday 2nd October. Hopefully no social distancing by then. Got to do a lesson plan at some point this week. 11.03pm.


Wednesday 2nd June 2021

Neck pain becoming back pain. Bastard. I went out tonight to buy a lawnmower from Tesco, but they are a tenner more than I thought. Not sure how I’m meant to mow a jungle with a hover mower and a shagged back, mind. I keyed in more stuff. Did some feedback for Elaine’s booklet. Got the okay from Waddy to do another booklet. Got ‘Counting Stars’ from the library. Listened to ‘Fun on Earth’ by Roger Taylor and watched his 1999 Astoria gig online. I am a bit chowed off with having to spend money on stuff I don’t want to buy. I need an early night. I need to rethink exercise as well. Need some core exercises. And ease off the shoulder stuff. Very tired today. Sick of typing. 11.17pm.


Thursday 3rd June 2021

Awake before five. Morning pages by half past. Back strengthening exercises before seven. Then breakfast. Had a walk up to Consett for a new lawnmower. I tried B&Q but didn’t want to pay £75 for a Flymo so went to Argos and got a ‘Challenge’ with grass box for sixty. Bus home by half nine. Thought I’d made a mistake with the purchase coz it looked a little delicate for my elephant grass but by that time I’d already inserted the handle pivot pins which don’t come back out. So I couldn’t take it back. The mower head tips back when lifted off the ground, due to the grass box, but it works okay. Had to have a little sleep after dinner. Then I read some David Almond short stories. Some are hit and miss coz anything with more than a few characters I find difficult to retain. ‘The Baby’ is stunning. I keyed in some writing and got more ideas down this evening. Read more DA then did physio, then outside writing. Read a thing about Irish Universal Basic Income for the Arts sector. Ate cheese on toast. Might catch the intro to Newsnight. But doubt I’ll stay up for it all. No headaches today. Okay. 10.40pm.


Friday 4th June 2021

I got up twenty-eight steps on the Rockhopper bike this morning but had to bail and rest. Couldn’t go any steeper up the hillside. I cleaned a few little climbs elsewhere but went my length across a stream bed in the woods on a section I’ve tackled no problem previously with old, bald tyres. Seems the new ones don’t take to wet rocks so well. (My left trainer is now stuffed with newspaper and drying out on the windowsill.) Five minutes from home I hit my head on a low branch whilst looking down to avoid sludge on the trail. Had to have a bit of a lie down this afternoon and have still got a headache. But that could be due to spending a few hours at the computer. I read another David Almond story this morning. And I’ve listened to The Cure live at Reading 2012 and some Nirvana. Jenni was in touch. Her shift went okay but she has a bad leg. I am going to turn in as soon as possible coz I need a big sleep. Fingers crossed I wake up tomorrow feeling okay. Otherwise… 10.13pm.


Saturday 5th June 2021

Got a call from NHS first thing about head knock. Said if symptoms get worse to go to Durham A&E, but I’ve been okay so far. Been on the couch most of the day reading David Almond short stories. And looking at techniques for plotting. This evening I walked to Tesco for supplies and wrote a piece on the way back. I’ve avoided the desktop computer today. Did my physio. Just about ready for bed. 11.02pm.


Sunday 6th June 2021

Probably best not to do physio just before bed on a summer night. Need a gallon of water to cool down. Good to read David Almond today and some Tony Hoagland poems. Wrote another outside piece. Chuffed to get home before the rain. I’ve been okay today, but my head is a bit sore. Looking forward to the end of my ‘Longer Days and Lighter Nights’ project in a fortnight. OK. 10.46pm.


Monday 7th June 2021

Today was okay. I got the morning pages done and my new back and neck exercises by ten o’clock. I keyed in a couple of new essays then cracked on with a lesson plan. Had to stop about half three for a lie down. I got an email from Elaine about her pamphlet. I gave her some questions to consider about layout that might prove useful. I shaved while the news was on. All day I’ve been itching to go down Allensford Wood and get some shots of the steep steps from the highest trail to the Derwent River. It’s the section I cleaned first attempt last Friday. I probably won’t be out on the bike again until next weekend. Didn’t need any painkillers today, the headache comes and goes. Worse when I’m at the computer. I did physio before I went down the river. I got most of the Waddy stuff done. I could type up one last piece, but it can wait until tomorrow morning. Hope my head is okay by the weekend. It’s hot indoors. 10.45pm.


Tuesday 8th June 2021

Mint workshop at Waddy this afternoon. Full group to begin with. Poems and David Almond stuff. Good to see Jenni afterwards. I had Dairylea on crusty wholemeal plus an orange for tea. Great ‘Words on the Terrace’ gig at the Cumberland tonight. Rob Heron was funny. Tahmina Ali was mint: great poem about her daughter. Good to see people tonight, including Asa and Lou, Ian McGregor Hart, and Carol from Gateshead library. Top set from Rowan McCabe. Loved his Shite Knight poem and the one about climbing a mountain in the Lake District during the pandemic. Alix Alixandra was brilliant. She played the title track from her album ‘Hope is an Animal’, Modern Man and Two Chord Song. Kate did Armageddon Tyneside, and new poems about Coughing in the Co-Op, Slugs and swimming. Don gave a great rallying cry to save small venues. And a poem about an Ex-boss’s sex life, also one about Gabba music. Mint hosting by Jess Johnson. Thanks to Sky Hawkins for giving me, Jenni and her mam a ride over. Great to see so many peeps out for spoken word and acoustic music. Really enjoyed it. Lush carrot cake from Alix. Ace time. OK. 11.13pm.


Wednesday 9th June 2021

Woke up hammered. Not used to a thirteen-hour round trip day. Had to wait half an hour after morning pages before doing neck and back exercises. Walked to Consett for my eye test. Outcome being new glasses for £79.99 inclusive. Optician says prescription not much different to previous but if headaches persist, I should see a doctor. Not happy about another spend but you only have one pair of eyes. I got some food in Tesco then walked home. Had a bit of sleep then online chat with Jenni. This evening I read a few chapters of ‘No Name Lane’ by Howard Linksey. It’s a bit of a head shift reading police procedural with more tell than show. Non literary prose. I counterbalanced the novel with some Tony Hoagland poems. Always a relief to get bitesize pieces of work. Walked to old Allensford for outside writing. Didn’t exit Deneburn Wood till half ten. Brexit bullshit on Newsnight. 11.07pm.


Thursday 10th June 2021

Since getting the eye test I’ve had a day at the computer with zero headache or neck pain. I haven’t got the new glasses yet. Concussion seems to have cleared. I replied to Ivy and Elaine about bookmaking. Keyed in three sets of morning pages. I checked out Roger Taylor tickets. £91.40 for two. Which is totally outrageous for 02 Academy. Jenni doesn’t want to go. I watched Jeff Lenosky’s new bike video a couple of times. Haven’t read any more of the crime novel. I’m tired now. For outside writing I wrote in the cemetery. The breeze was pleasant. Would have sat longer but it was close to dusk. Back home, I listened to Hanoi Rocks and slept an hour. Sausage sandwich for supper. 11.16pm.


Friday 11th June 2021

Great to get back out on the bike this morning. Went to the library via Allensford, Shotley Bridge, Bridgehill, Blackhill… Got another David Almond short story collection. Hunger by Melvin Burgess and Testament by Shaun Hutson. I’ve read opening pages of all and look forward to spending more time with them. Been typing stuff but a bit slow. I rechecked Roger Taylor tickets. Not sold out. I checked floor tickets for The Mission next April at Newcastle City Hall. Not sold out. £37.95 is lot, I think. Maybe my days of going to big gigs are well and truly over. It was great to see the multi-cam Cure gig from Poland on YouTube, filmed six weeks before I saw them at Wembley in 2016. Over a thousand fans recorded bits on their mobile devices. Mint quality as well. Had to have a lie down tonight but got out at ten for the evening walk and writing. It’s pretty hot indoors again. Good to see ace new biketrial vid from Ali Clarkson and Jack Carthy. Didn’t get any freelance booklet work done tonight. 11.50pm.


Saturday 12th June 2021

Morning pages keyed in on small device. Back and neck exercises done. Worked all day on edits, booklet designs and lesson prep. Listened to Hardcore Superstar but found some of their songs a bit derivative – one was blatant My Chemical Romance, one was Slade, one was Franz Ferdinand, one was Jane’s Addiction, and one was Oasis – with lyrical nods to the original bands. Scrambled eggs, tuna, and mixed peppers tea. Then a nice slow ride to Bensham. Did outside writing by the wall near the laundrette. 11.15pm.


Sunday 13th June 2021

Too warm to do much. Tesco for supplies. Then concerts by Pet Shop Boys, The Cure and New Order on Sky Arts. Jen says The Cure sound like a generic pub band heard through a wall. Lovey pizza and chips. Salad sandwiches. 10.46pm.


Monday 14th June 2021

Canny sleep and easy exercises this morning. Much to Jen’s amusement, of course. Me in nothing but shorts doing knee hugs and side planks on the bedroom floor. We watched Everyone Loves Raymond. Then some mint Frasier episodes, mainly focusing on Niles Crane’s divorce. After dinner we watched a couple of Tales of the Unexpected then I got ready for the bike ride home. It would usually be about an hour and fifty minutes. Today it was three hours and forty minutes coz I checked out some more trails in Beamish Woods – enjoyed some twists and steep descents. Mucked up a few technical climbs but will keep trying. Had curry and chips for tea about twenty to eight. Then cracked on with more prep for tomorrow’s workshop. Cutting cards for the Michael McClure ‘Personal Universe Deck’ exercise. Did a very swift outside writing at dusk. Replaced a 500g bag of Sultanas and 145g can of tuna with two 400g cans of food and sellotaped them to a 1.1kg bar bell. Reduced reps from 25 to fifteen and did okay. 11.44pm.


Tuesday 15th June 2021

Bugger. Nearly forgot to do journal. Was nice to be all packed up early this morning. The session went well. People enjoyed the Personal Universe Deck exercise. Pleased I kept it for near the end of the course. I missed the 3.30pm bus despite standing near the stop five minutes early. Went for a walk along the riverbank then came back for the next one. Got a card and gift voucher in Consett for Ernie. Got food and caught the half five bus home. A leaflet through the door informed me that the road will be resurfaced tomorrow so it could be a bit messy. Watched the two-part West murders documentary. Sick fuckers. Then out to do my writing. Back to watch two new Katie Kookaburra bike video posts. One was Q&A, one was a 100km ride. I have a bit of a headache. Lack of sleep, I think. Might get the grass cut tomorrow. Need to post a letter and do abdominal exercises. Tired, but still watching bike stuff. Wish my new bike was here. 11.38pm.


Wednesday 16th June 2021

Tired all day. Took a lot of time out. Tried six abdominal exercises in addition to the neck and back work. Wrote out a card for Ernie and took a walk up to The Grove to post it. By the time I got back it was dinner time. Scrambled egg and tomato in cheesy buns. Mowed the grass, front, side and back. Watched a documentary about Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital. I wasn’t sympathetic. All high-profile patients featured were murderers that I would have just locked in a damp cell and left to rot. Rewatched Chris Akrigg ‘From There to Here’ bike documentary. Jen rang with the sad news that Ken Brady died today. He was only 57. Need an early night, I think. 10.38pm.


Thursday 17th June 2021

First day in three months that I’ve not done physio. Since upping the weight on Monday I’ve got pain in my right arm. How pathetically weak am I? Only added 150g. Still not even the weight of a 2-litre bottle of pop and my shoulder doesn’t like it much. I will do every second day. I’m now doing abdominal exercises as well as back and neck. So doing all the above every day, as well as riding the bike when I can, is possibly a bit much. Maybe I strained myself with the mower… I got all my writing typed up, checked out some folk horror films and am tempted by Kill List, The Blood on Satan’s Claw and The Ritual. The last one is based on the novel by Adam Nevill. I had a good ride tonight. Despite the dodgy arm pain, I cleaned two sections I’ve previously struggled with. Back of Castleside Industrial Estate and the little exit from Deneburn Wood near the cemetery by Chester Road. I wrote in the field at the top of West Road in Bridgehill tonight. But didn’t visit number nine. Got home at dusk, had supper. Ready for a big sleep now. 11.51pm.


Friday 18th June 2021

Not impressed by new glasses. I tried them on in the shop and the text I was given to read was blurred, large down through medium to small. I can read much better with my old glasses. The girl who served me said try them for a week or two and see how I get on, if I don't like them bring them back for replacement or refund. Today is my first major headache since the concussion a couple of weeks ago. I tried the glasses again at home and computer screen text was blurred. The long-distance vision is okay, but the reason for an eye test six months after my last new glasses was because of headaches at the computer. Tonight, I watched some Chris Akrigg bike videos and ‘A History of Horror’ presented by Mark Gatiss. Haven't read much coz I've been too tired. Newsnight is about Lib Dems bi election win. I'm gonna switch to Horror or bikes or just go to bed. Lots of chocolate, cheese, and lemon squash. Annoyed about my right shoulder. 10.52pm.


Saturday 19th June 2021

Visited some ace trails through the wood near Snows Green Road in Shotley Bridge this evening. I entered via the low road near the cricket club and had to haul my bike up a wall, but it was worth the climb. Loads of banks in and out of streams. Plenty of rocks and roots and a really sketchy bit of singletrack. Well worth checking out. Could be my new playground. My eyes are sore and the reading section in the varifocal glasses is minute. They are total shite. 11.30pm.


Sunday 20th June 2021

Pleased I kicked off about varifocal glasses on Facebook. Seems I’m not alone in thinking three different vision distances in one lens isn’t the greatest idea. Good to speak to Mam and Ernie on the phone. Did a bit of close work but my head isn’t great. Could be residual concussion. Could be glasses. Could be fucking covid. I’m ringing the optician tomorrow. I did a two-and-a-half-hour walk tonight. Old Bridgehill stomping ground. Tomorrow will be closer to home. Prep for final college course session till autumn. OK. 11.12pm.


Monday 21st June 2021

Specsavers apologized. They said I should never have been offered varifocals for the sort of activities I do most days. They have booked me in for another appointment for Thursday. It took me a while to get typed up this morning. I pulled together the final papers for Waddy session. This evening I went back to the woods near Shotley Bridge. I struggled to clean any sections. I rode through a few streams and found some step-ups, but my cheap tyres are crap on slick river rocks. I only got up one twisty bankside without a foot down. Today my head has been better. I had a slight neck pain but didn’t need any headache tablets. Was going to stay out on the bike until dusk but thought I might knack something before then. Tore a trainer and when I got home discovered that my air pump had come unclipped from the bike frame. More expense. I went out on foot after ten o’clock to do my final ‘Longer Days and Lighter Nights’ piece. Eighty-six entries since 28th March. 11.20pm.


Tuesday 22nd June 2021

Up quite early again. Got the fear about exercises on the mat after morning pages. I can do side planks for over a minute now. Last year my right arm could not support my weight at all. So even though my shoulder is dodgy again – and I don’t know how – it can still support me. Workshop was poor. There’s a Delta covid scare in Durham City. I did the best I could, but ten hours of my time for £37 after travel expenses… Jen says it’s ridiculous. We had pizza and chips then got a taxi with her mam over to the Cumberland for Words on the Terrace. Wilf Stone, Leks T, Lisette Auton, Haythem Mohamed, Dominic JP Nelson-Ashley and headliner Scott Tyrrell. Hosted by a well-lit Jessica Johnson. Enjoyed Lisette’s set the most. Got the bus back to Gateshead. Good walk after dusk, without having to think about outside writing. OK. 11.55pm.


Wednesday 23rd June 2021

Good lie in this morning. And a day off from all the physical exercise. Watched Frasier – Niles was a few steps closer to telling Daphne. Frasier still as neurotic as ever. Bulldog the same old sexist. Jenni made Fajitas for dinner. I only went outside to buy crisps and chocolate this afternoon. We watched three episodes of Better Call Saul this evening. Only just caught the X70 bus. The ride home was okay, bit chilly. Not much of a headache today. I want some computer glasses tomorrow. 11.45pm.


Thursday 24th June 2021

Strange day really. Needed to take things easier this morning. I wanted to read on the couch rather than type stuff up. Coz I didn’t want to mash my head before seeing the optician. I was in that place nearly two hours. They wanted to make sure the occupational lenses will be right. Ended up talking to the guy about mountain biking. Back home I had to make a paper tube and measure working distance from eyes to computer screen. I watched Ben Wheatley’s KILL LIST on More 4. It was okay, but one scene in which a contract killer tortures a snuff movie peddler with a hammer nearly put me off my cheese and tomato sandwich. Chatted online to Jenni and watched Chris Akrigg’s ‘From There to Here’ bike documentary again. Mint stuff. 11.50pm.


Friday 25th June 2021

Much of the day spent keying in pages. Watched some Tyke Trial bike footage. An early 2020 trial in horrendous weather. Really wet and windy conditions. Some understandably rough rides from brave competitors. Reminded me of the only trial I ever won (by virtue of the fact I was one of the few who stupidly didn’t retire for safety reasons when it was awful) at Back Cowm Quarry in Rochdale in 2004/5. But I was only riding novice class at the time. I watched Ben Wheatley’s ‘A Field in England’ tonight. It was okay but I needed to read an analysis afterwards to understand what it was about. So not exactly brilliant. Watched Katie Kookaburra and Ali Clarkson bike vids. Chatted online with brother Mark about biketrial stuff. He has put quite a few new bits on the old Onza Hitman. I found out that Maxxis make High Roller tyres in 27.5-inch by 2.8-inch. So, mossy rocks, here we come on the Sonder Frontier. Bed soon. 10.45pm.


Saturday 26th June 2021

Another rainy day. Got up to date on my typing. Watched a horror feature for ‘The Devil Rides Out’ on YouTube. Didn’t go to Consett coz of the rain. Worked on Elaine’s pamphlet. Still need to tweak the cover. I watched more Jeff Lenosky bike vids and a Colin Wilson interview. No headaches. Not much to say. Basic food: baked potato, beans and tuna. Cheese on toast. Porridge. Enjoyable day. 11.21pm.


Sunday 27th June 2021

Took a while to do exercises after morning pages. I tidied the kitchen and did physio then washed some clothes in the sink, shaved and copied up notes. I watched more Jeff Lenosky bike videos. Intended to go to Jen’s place this evening, but it will be tomorrow. Looked at interiors designed by John Pawson. I remember his book ‘Minimum’ from the mid-nineties. I had steak pie and veg, a cheese sandwich and chocolate porridge. I watched a thing on Wicca and one on secret societies. Laughed a lot. 10.47pm.


Monday 28th June 2021

Did my type-ups and got ready to ride over to Jen’s around half ten. I took a little detour from the cycle path through Beamish Woods, found some more trails. Good fun. Got to Jen’s about ten past one. Had a shower, chatted and watched some episodes of Corrie then went up to Gateshead for supplies. This evening I had a meat pie, a Danish pastry and some chocolate biscuits. Got offered a gig and a workshop, so that was pretty good. Me and Jenni have been watching Better Call Saul. Jenni thinks it’s better than Breaking Bad. We’ve done four episodes tonight after three last week. The attic is like a furnace. And this page seems way too long. Did I say I want some Dairylea on a crust and a little orange. Hope to cool down before bed. 10.52pm.


Tuesday 29th June 2021 

Up at three. Needed a cold drink to avoid dehydration after having a bit of a headache earlier. I slept in till half eight then did some pages including ideas for the Waddy staff workshop next week. Gave Jenni an anniversary card and red velvet cake. We watched some old Corrie and a skateboarding coming of age documentary. Also, an episode of Unexplained hosted by William Shatner, which prompted Jenni to play some of his ‘songs’ on Spotify. He talked his way through various blues tracks and outer space cover versions. Good to finally hear ‘I Can’t Get Behind That’, his duet with Henry Rollins. Tonight, me and Jenni went to see ‘In the Heights’ at Vue Cinema in Gateshead. She’d played me a few songs from it prior to booking tickets. There was more dialogue than I expected. Accessible songs and ace choreography. Very enjoyable feel-good movie. About fourteen people in. I lasted over two and a half hours with a mask on. Afterwards we got food at Tesco for tomorrow. 10.42pm.


Wednesday 30th June 2021

Did some exercises but not my standard physio. Me and Jenni watched a couple of episodes of Frasier. And a few of ‘Vicious’ sitcom starring Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi. Brutal put-downs throughout. Very funny. This afternoon I went over the Redheugh Bridge to Details and Rymans in Newcastle for card samples but to no avail. Checked out DVDs, t-shirts and records in HMV. Me and Jenni watched ‘Theatre of Blood’ tonight. Vincent Price starred as a cracked actor seeking murderous revenge for bad reviews. Eric Sykes and Diana Rigg were in it. We also watched the Signal Hill skateboard documentary. Totally fearless 50mph-plus rides, some horrible accidents. Had a pot noodle for supper. Lots of Ribena and fizzy pop. Jenni put on an episode of New Tricks. Hope July brings more good stuff. 10.45pm.