Up quite early to do pages. More notes on the next workshop plus a dream featuring ex-colleagues and classmates. Me and Jenni watched a couple of episodes of Frasier. The Valentine’s Day one in which Niles burns his trousers and Frasier’s couch; and the one with Woody Harrelson paying a visit. I left about half ten to ride home. Good weather. Found a particularly good trail in Beamish Woods. Behind the wall of the golf course. I rode down some fairly steep bits and pieces, cleaned a long rooty climb that previously required a few attempts. I was out for a few hours. When I got back, I checked messages. My new glasses are ready. I rang Ali Lee to confirm the requirements for next Thursday’s staff writing workshop. Watched a couple of Katie Kookaburra bike vids. And some old-school British Championship Trials rounds. Then a Tony Hoagland poetry interview. Turned off the covid news. Sick of hearing about it.10.32pm.
Friday 2nd July 2021
Picked up my new reading glasses today. Haven’t used them. Too burnt out to work today. Only typed for about twenty minutes. Tonight, I watched a bit of the last ever Hanoi Rocks gig. Only two original members and yet four of them still alive. Think I must have fallen asleep when Nasty Suicide came out for a song at the end. I saw a late version of Hanoi at the Telewest Arena foyer – twice. They were good but not the same as seeing the classic eighties line-up, I bet. Tonight, I’m just too wrecked to do much. Suppose it’s the body’s aftershock from four hours biking yesterday. Fingers crossed I work okay tomorrow. Lots to get through. I just saw a clip of Madonna performing on a bar top in a nightclub for Pride week and I honestly thought it was a tribute act. Seems like parts of America are carrying on despite covid. County Durham has one of the highest infection rates at present. Students said it was probably their fault having end of term parties. I will be at Waddy next week. But not in the city centre. 11.39pm.
Saturday 3rd July 2021
Weather kept me at home. Fear of thunderstorm and flash floods. Lucky so far. I got the Waddy workshop pretty much sorted for next week and preliminary selections for the Globe gig at the end of the month. It’s international zine month so I reread Unruly Eyebrow. Tonight, I keyed in notes. Listened to Roger Taylor. And Oasis. Physio and food. 10.59pm.
Sunday 4th July 2021
Didn’t exercise till lunchtime. Felt hammered. Being woken at half four in the morning by the landline phone didn’t help. I didn’t answer it. Read more David Almond. Canny story inspired by The Great North Run. Also rereading ‘Broken Summers’ by Henry Rollins. So many books remain unread. So little time. Watched Ozzy and Jack road-trip. And a Nirvana documentary. 11.30pm.
Monday 5th July 2021
Good to check out Elaine Cusack’s website. Tweaked bits of her manuscript. Watched covid briefing: “If we don’t open up this summer, then when?” Had a curry. Got the bus from Consett to Jen’s place. Watched a good episode of Inside No 9 about a drama being filmed with a green room inside someone’s residential caravan. And a child disappearance. We also watched This Country comedy series. Pleased I don’t have a headache.10.52pm.
Tuesday 6th July 2021
Keyed in morning pages. Ate cheesy crusts. Me and Jenni went to Café Under the Spire for drinks and chips. Juli Wilson photographed a ghost cat shadow on the wall. Jen went to Gateshead to meet Ben Dickinson. I came back to the big house, had chilli with rice. Watched the depressing news, washed some of Jenni’s dishes. Watched a photography programme. Then a Banksey documentary on Sky Arts. Brilliant gorilla approach; audacity and initial disregard for mainstream art galleries. Then it’s Sotheby’s selling Graffiti art to billionaires. WTF. I will be in bed soon. Jenni is still out. 10.52pm.
Wednesday 7th July 2021
Big lie in this morning coz Jenni was talking to me till three this morning after being out with her friends. We had curry for dinner. Watched Tales of the Unexpected and a film about the capture and trial of Nazi monster Adolf Eichmann. And Mister Benn. Corrie and Emmerdale. Had egg and chip butties for tea. Watched a great wildlife documentary about wolves and bears. I keep scrolling covid shit. Autumn lockdown seems likely. I’m sticking to my current behaviour, avoiding lots of big crowds. I left Jen’s at nine for the bus to Consett. Got a few things in Tesco. Had a cheese sandwich and watched a bit of Newsnight. 11.58pm.
Thursday 8th July 2021
Worked with Waddy staff on an acrostic for the Centre’s 40th Anniversary. They opted to finish ten minutes early. It was obviously going to need redrafting. I had a quiet bus ride back to Consett and bought some quarter pounders and oven chips. Surprised how well the burger cooked in the George Foreman grill. Stayed soft, no horrid burnt bits. I watched some Queen and Adam Lambert videos. Keyed in lines from today’s session and sent them with my invoice to the office. Watched the ‘From There to Here’ bike video again. Never gets old. I wanted to be in bed early, but here I am. 11.32pm.
Friday 9th July 2021
Abdominal exercises. Pages keyed in. Emailed Elaine about her pamphlet. Emailed Ivy about her reprint. Emailed Ali about upcoming zoom meeting; I’d rather do it in person. She said staff enjoyed workshop but were tired. I watched Katie Kookaburra and Ali Clarkson bike videos. After being in close contact with someone who tested positive for covid, Jenni has been advised by NHS app to self-isolate. She has no symptoms, and her test was negative. She says she’ll take another test before isolation period runs out but isn’t obliged to. If she tested positive, I would need to take a test. If mine was positive, Waddy would have to close, following my workshop with staff yesterday. Fingers crossed Jen is okay on Monday or Tuesday. 11.10pm.
Saturday 10th July 2021
Stressed to fuck about Jenni having the covid app on her phone. She is self-isolating till Tuesday. I went into town this afternoon for precautionary food. Watched a couple of Pistols gigs: 1978 Longhorn and 2008 Isle of Wight. Both great. Got no work done. Wish I could have cut grass today but too knackered. Headache from a poor night’s sleep. I will feel better in August when self-isolation rule is relaxed. I must try harder tomorrow. Might bike early. 11.00pm.
Sunday 11th July 2021
Out on the bike for the first time in ten days. Trails were squelchy. Home by twelve. Wanted to cut grass but rain stopped that. Full-on stare-rod-pissy-thin-rain. Cue the ice cream van. I read about twenty pages of ‘Broken Summers’ by Henry Rollins this afternoon. Tonight, I keyed in some more stuff and sent my profile to Cultural Spring in hopes of autumn workshops. Listened to the Pistols and AC/DC. Bit of Tori Amos. Reading glasses kept headaches at bay. 11.40pm.
Monday 12th July 2021
I keep writing angry covid rants in morning pages that make me look like a tinfoil hatter. There are moments when I want to say Fuck your PCR tests and your restrictions – but then get annoyed when some snotty nosed yobs sit hacking their guts up on the bus and the driver doesn’t call them out for fear of repercussions. At least 50% of my brain is totally selfish. Probably a lot more, actually. It takes a concerted effort to not be a totally solipsistic nasty piece of shit most of the time. It takes a much more enlightened mind than mine to write well-thought empathic posts on social media; posts that prevent the monster in me from making knee-jerk reactions much of the time. I keep my circle small coz trying to be nice on a regular basis is exhausting. I was a major shit-stirrer nicknamed Psycho when I worked in the warehouse for a decade. At home these days, at best, I’m Victor Meldrew on steroids. It’s exhausting to put on a presentable version of myself for outside life. Lockdown served me well. I’ve been lucky to have financial support. I just wish things in general were getting better for all. But it might take a while. 11.28pm.
WORK LOG: Morning pages. Type-ups. Copy-ups. Email / FB checks. Research reading for workshops. Prep for summer Waddy sessions commencing Wednesday. Journal. 11.35pm.
GRATIUDE JOURNAL: Thanks to peeps online for showing me that football isn’t just a bunch of overpaid blokes kicking a bag of wind around a field. Thanks to all the peeps calling out total racist bullshit for what it is. Thanks to Katie Kookaburra for her mint bike V-log, particularly today’s post about the all-women 100km uphiller in Yorkshire over the weekend. Thanks to David Almond for peppering working class Tyneside with the supernatural. Thanks to Rollins for Broken Summers and Tom Waits for Rain Dogs. It’s been a canny day. Mostly spent wearing my new reading glasses which kept the skull-grinder headaches at bay. 11.50pm.
Tuesday 13th July 2021
Today was better. I did a new graphic for Elaine’s pamphlet. I got fifteen poems typed up for a future chapbook or magazine submissions. I spoke to Mam and Ernie on the phone. They are bearing up after the loss of their dog Brandy who was put to sleep a few weeks ago after a prolonged illness. The lightbulb in the bedroom was flickering when I was at the keyboard. Mid evening, I took a forty-minute break. Listened to Oriental Beat by Hanoi Rocks on Spotify. Live versions of ‘Visitor’ and ‘Lightning Bar Blues’ from ‘All Those Wasted Years’ replaced the studio versions. I watched the Jonathon Pye football monologue twice. I had another good burger with spicy fries tonight. The build dates for Sonder bikes keep getting pushed back. The Frontier frame is due on 26th July, but my bike might not be built until a few weeks later, covid allowing. 11.05pm.
Wednesday 14th July 2021
Today was quite productive. I got the card and paper for Ivy’s reprints and made some proof copies of Elaine’s pamphlet. The Waddy session was good despite only having a couple of people in. We got some ideas down for the next few weeks. I had a conversation with new support worker Helen about doing some readings in the social group to drum up more interest in the writing activities. Buses weren’t crowded. I got home just after half four. I trimmed a couple of pamphlets for Elaine and put some colour combos together. I will get Waddy stuff done tomorrow. And I’ll cut the fucking grass; it’s going to be a total bastard, but I aim to be out by ten o’clock. It’s gonna be a two-hour job. Watched a Bruce Dickinson Ted Talk about creativity. He’s got a lot going on besides Iron Maiden (a band I never really warmed to besides Number of the Beast). Got food at Tesco tonight. I’m ready for bed. 11.45pm.
Thursday 15th July 2021
Canny day. But a bit knackering. Three hours in the garden cutting grass that was three foot high in some places. Pleased to be done. Pleased to get a rest this afternoon. I keyed in some Waddy notes and finished a letter to Elaine. Packed up some cover samples with two proof copies of the pamphlet. I watched ‘From There to Here’ yet again. Love that bike film. Chris Akrigg is ace. I listened to Queen’s debut album. With songs such as Great King Rat, Son and Daughter, Modern Times Rock and Roll, Keep Yourself Alive – great stuff. Also listened to Mother-Superior-backed Rollins with guest vocalists playing Black Flag songs in 2002 for West Memphis Three. I’m still reading Broken Summers. It’s pretty hot indoors. High pollen count outdoors. Not great for breathing. I’m okay though. Gardening wore me out this afternoon. 10.45pm.
Friday 16th July 2021
Good to get out on the bike. Although it could do with a service. The rear hub is grunting a bit. Which isn’t surprising given that it’s fifteen years old. I took Elaine’s proofs to the post office. Then rode over to Bridgehill across the field from the old slagheaps and down through wooded singletrack near the pumphouse. Couldn’t do the stream crossing. Managed a couple of clean runs elsewhere. Descending wooden steps and climbing trails in Allensford Woods and a longer section on the Northumberland side of the river. I rode to Shotley Bridge then past East Law on the main footpath, then into the wood and along the trail to Ebchester boathouse and back. I was out about four and a half hours. Pretty knackered. Jenni is busy this weekend, so I’ll catch up on work tomorrow and Sunday. I need a new cheap watch. Considering replacing my rear Shimano hub with a Hope XC that’s been lying on a ledge for the last seventeen years. Paul Muldoon in conversation with PJ Harvey at Lancaster University literature festival was a YouTube delight I didn’t expect this evening. OK. 10.32pm.
Saturday 17th July 2021
Fucking hell! Why people pay to sit in this fucking heat is beyond me. 27 degrees in my room tonight. I keyed in morning pages, washed some smalls. Checked out a couple of Jeff Lenosky bike vids. Read a bit of ‘Broken Summers’ and listened to the Henri and Heidi ‘Rise Above’ podcast from a few years ago. I tried to fix a watch strap, but it wouldn’t glue or sew. Too hot to get extra supplies tonight. Too hot to move. 11.10pm.
Sunday 18th July 2021
Nearly forgot to journal. A bit cooler today. Quite a pleasant breeze for my walk into town. Chuffed to find 26-inch innertubes in Poundland. I didn’t need to buy a new cheap watch as I took the strap off the stopped one and put it on my Rotary. It’s seventeen months since I last put a gig set together. It was a challenge but enjoyable. I start rehearsing tomorrow. This evening I rode down by the river, but the Rockhopper is poorly. Rear hub needs serviced asap. Tonight I’m beat. But it has been a good day. I won’t be far travelled tomorrow. 11.20pm.
Monday 19th July 2021
Too darn hot. Despite the temp being about five degrees less than yesterday. I am super sticky. The furthest I went today was the side of the house to put the rubbish out. I got an email from Waddy saying in light of the detailed response I gave to questions about benefits of writing sessions, I don’t have to attend the Waddy NCD staff meeting. I spent the time instead catching up on some college paperwork. Still a bit to do. I re-tweaked my gig set for The Globe gig. I’ve only put three newish things in the set. I might change it again. Earlier I was all gung-ho about getting back to performing. Now I don’t know. I listened to the Henry and Heidi MY WAR podcast and read a load of responses to domestic vaccine passports for nightclubs. Apparently, a generation won’t get to see bands coz they are too young to be vaccinated. I am hot and sweaty. I fucking hate heatwaves. But in three months’ time I’ll be complaining about the cold. Anyway, I’m done here. Lots still to do. Need the bike fixed. 11.30pm.
Tuesday 20th July 2021
Bloody hot. I was out around half nine on the bike. Intended to take it to the repair shop for a dodgy hub but discovered that the rear disc brake mount had just worked loose. I cleaned the woodland section that wiped me out a few weeks ago. I’ve been a bit slow but pulled some exercises out for Waddy and added a couple of pieces to my set for The Globe. This afternoon I watched last night’s Born Lippy Summer Streets 2021 poetry slam on YouTube. Good to see a full set from Jenni. And to catch Pauline and Steve May. Also, Chris Stewart, amongst others. Well done to John Turner for the win. I am a bit wiped out with the heat. I’ve been washed a few times. I’ve had a shave. I don’t have much to say. But I enjoyed my little rehearsals tonight. First feature set I’ve put together for seventeen months. I should be in bed now coz I need to be up early tomorrow to get into Waddy around 20 to eight. Enjoyed seeing the despicable Cummings show politics up for what it is: a self-serving charade from utter charlatans. 10.47 pm.
Wednesday 21st July 2021
Up at 20 past five. Very disorientated morning pages but managed to get out at five past six for the 16 bus to Durham. Big thanks to Peter at Waddy for helping with the pamphlet printing. Afterwards I went over to the Gala Theatre to check out the Colpitts Poetry Readings exhibition and listen to a bit of the audio. Writing session was okay. Generated a few good pieces for the anthology from the three people in. Five more sessions to get things into place. Bus home from Consett was a fucking furnace. Egg and tuna salad for tea. I watched a Jeff Lenosky bunny hop video. I am a bit knackered. I walked into town this evening for extra supplies. Watched Newsnight but difficult to stay awake. Pleased I have another batch of Ivy’s pamphlets done. I’ll make a hundred then work on Elaine’s. 11.09pm.
Thursday 22nd July 2021
Bad day. As expected after being in action for eighteen hours yesterday. All I managed was abdominal exercises, two days of copy-ups, and the sharing of Don Jenkins’ poster on Facebook for The Globe event. I watched the new Katie Kookaburra bike video and listened to a lot of Tom Waits. Had another tuna and egg salad. Felt a bit dehydrated. But much better after sitting downstairs and drinking lots of squash. 11.10pm.
Friday 23rd July 2021
Pleased to get all the thorny vines cut away from around the back door this lunchtime. The grass only took 45 mins. I wanted to get on with creative work straight after but got bogged down in covid stuff. Tonight I watched ace mountain bike hill climbs from Braydon Bringhurst and listened to some mint Queen demos for Sleeping on the Sidewalk and Spread Your Wings from News of the World. I switched Newsnight off coz I wasn’t bothered about the Olympics. I am going to watch Reclaiming Amy documenting the life of the late Ms Winehouse. Upstairs is a furnace, 11.20pm.
Saturday 24th July 2021
Jenni says Lou Reed has canny lyrics but can’t sing. Ditto Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. All mint lyricists. Today’s poetry slots at The Globe were cancelled due to covid. I got more supplies in. Jula Crafts in Consett had two colours of card that might work for Elaine’s pamphlet. I had cheese and tom pasta with spicy fries for tea then went out on the Rockhopper. Cleaned a long section with two little stream crossings. Well chuffed. Talked to trials rider Alec Wray. He says there’s a mototrials event on next month at Edmundbyers and I could easily pedal there to spectate. 10.52pm.
Sunday 25th July 2021
Folded all the pages and covers for second run of Ivy’s pamphlet. I broke off midway coz something came to mind I needed to scribble down. Jenni said the piece wasn’t controversial, so I posted it on Facebook. Sick to fucking death of the media pushing this app crap as if it’s mandatory when it’s totally not. I’ve had a slow day but no matter, I’ve got a couple more days to catch up on workshop stuff. Might read Zoom by Simon Armitage. 10.50pm.
Monday 26th July 2021
Woke from a dream at three this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep till six. Weather forecast was for rain midday and poor for the coming week, so I went out on the bike for ninety minutes as it might be a while till next time. Stapled Ivy’s pamphlets then needed to lie down. Woke after five. Watched the news then keyed in Waddy Writers’ poems for Wednesday. Switched to Elaine’s pamphlet; fixed the bottom margin and removed unwanted bold, changed a few words. I’ve seen workshops advertised for autumn in Newcastle. I’m wondering when it will be safe to set up some for myself. Listened to The Cure’s ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ album. Watched a bit of bike stuff then Newsnight. 11.42pm.
Tuesday 27th July 2021
Good to get through the abdominal exercises before breakfast. And to get Ivy’s books trimmed. It took a bit longer than expected. But I’m not rushing stuff coz that leads to mistakes. Listened to REM’s Document album for the first time in ages. Never played them since my breakdown, don’t know why. It absolutely chucked it down this evening. But only for about twenty minutes. Luckily no flood. Slow moving showers. It was good to chat online with Jenni today. I posted a picture of the Sonder Frontier bike on Facebook. Watched Newsnight: Lebanon collapse, Lambeth care home child abuse, and proposed eradication of gas central heating in all UK homes I’d like to be up early tomorrow to go to Details in Newcastle but might have to wait util the weekend when I’m back at Jen’s. I don’t want to socialize on Tyneside. I can do without any lockdown stuff. Hope the new bike is here soon. 11.17 pm.
Wednesday 28th July 2021
Up at half six. Out on the twenty-to-nine 16 bus to Consett then X45 to Newcastle. In Details art supplies just after ten for nearly half an hour selecting more card and paper samples for Elaine’s pamphlet, then over to Durham. Set up for the workshop. It went okay. Looked at short poems: Fib, Shadorma, Haiku, Clerihew and Kennings. Afterwards I got some covers printed. Bought more paper for Ivy’s third batch of pamphlets (she picked up the second lot during the workshop). Bus rides were okay. Most people wore masks. I bought a cheap watch in Boyes coz the strap broke on my Rotary – again! The new watch is for a kid, but it attaches to my wrist and gives the correct time so what the hell for six quid. Listened to Sabbath, Megadeth and Motorhead this evening. Fell asleep for a while. No word from Sonder yet. I watched the latest Katie Kookaburra bike video and a bit of Ashton and Hawyes on their big bikes from the 1997 Chainspotting video. Some of my messages to Jenni made her laugh. 11.12pm.
Thursday 29th July 2021
Up at eight. Wrote the first draft of an essay about my three Red Squirrel Press books in morning pages. Did an abdominal workout then busy for five or six hours with colour card and endpaper combos for Elaine Cusack’s pamphlet. Finished just after the last postal collection in Moorside. Banded up the samples in sequence and took the package to The Grove post office. Got it weighed and stamped then took it to the Consett post box for a half-six pick-up. Fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow. I chatted with my nephew Kyle outside Argos about his weight training for a while then went to Poundland for a cheap sandwich. Two quid. Almost wrenched my left shoulder afterwards in Tesco lifting a full basket. Should have used a trolley. Too tired to bike this evening. Watched 20,000 Days on Earth, the Nick Cave film, on DVD downstairs. I forgot to do physio earlier. Seems a bit pointless just before bed but feel like I should make the effort. Dairylea and tomato sandwich for supper. 10.55pm.
Friday 30th July 2021
Today was pretty good. After the neck and back exercises, I spent nearly thirteen hours at the computer. I commented on Kate Fox’s post about gig/workshop health and safety covid responsibilities. I wrote a fair bit to Tony Gadd and Jenni. Edited a load of morning pages and posted a piece about my three books published by Red Squirrel Press. Had to knock off for an hour and half coz my head was starting to pound. I watched the new Attila the Stockbroker interview from Cherry Red Records and Books on YouTube. Then ‘From There to Here’ bike video yet again. Elaine was in touch to say the samples arrived okay. 11.42pm.
Saturday 31st July 2021
Cooler, damper weather. Been taking things easy. Abdominal exercise. Keyed in work. Edited stuff. Crowded House and Twisted Sister soundtracks. Watched all of Chainspotting (1997) bike video. Lots of the trials footage I’d forgotten about. Would like to read more books in the coming weeks. Looking forward to the new bike. Hopefully here soon. 10.24pm.
GRATIUDE JOURNAL: Thanks to peeps online for showing me that football isn’t just a bunch of overpaid blokes kicking a bag of wind around a field. Thanks to all the peeps calling out total racist bullshit for what it is. Thanks to Katie Kookaburra for her mint bike V-log, particularly today’s post about the all-women 100km uphiller in Yorkshire over the weekend. Thanks to David Almond for peppering working class Tyneside with the supernatural. Thanks to Rollins for Broken Summers and Tom Waits for Rain Dogs. It’s been a canny day. Mostly spent wearing my new reading glasses which kept the skull-grinder headaches at bay. 11.50pm.
Tuesday 13th July 2021
Today was better. I did a new graphic for Elaine’s pamphlet. I got fifteen poems typed up for a future chapbook or magazine submissions. I spoke to Mam and Ernie on the phone. They are bearing up after the loss of their dog Brandy who was put to sleep a few weeks ago after a prolonged illness. The lightbulb in the bedroom was flickering when I was at the keyboard. Mid evening, I took a forty-minute break. Listened to Oriental Beat by Hanoi Rocks on Spotify. Live versions of ‘Visitor’ and ‘Lightning Bar Blues’ from ‘All Those Wasted Years’ replaced the studio versions. I watched the Jonathon Pye football monologue twice. I had another good burger with spicy fries tonight. The build dates for Sonder bikes keep getting pushed back. The Frontier frame is due on 26th July, but my bike might not be built until a few weeks later, covid allowing. 11.05pm.
Wednesday 14th July 2021
Today was quite productive. I got the card and paper for Ivy’s reprints and made some proof copies of Elaine’s pamphlet. The Waddy session was good despite only having a couple of people in. We got some ideas down for the next few weeks. I had a conversation with new support worker Helen about doing some readings in the social group to drum up more interest in the writing activities. Buses weren’t crowded. I got home just after half four. I trimmed a couple of pamphlets for Elaine and put some colour combos together. I will get Waddy stuff done tomorrow. And I’ll cut the fucking grass; it’s going to be a total bastard, but I aim to be out by ten o’clock. It’s gonna be a two-hour job. Watched a Bruce Dickinson Ted Talk about creativity. He’s got a lot going on besides Iron Maiden (a band I never really warmed to besides Number of the Beast). Got food at Tesco tonight. I’m ready for bed. 11.45pm.
Thursday 15th July 2021
Canny day. But a bit knackering. Three hours in the garden cutting grass that was three foot high in some places. Pleased to be done. Pleased to get a rest this afternoon. I keyed in some Waddy notes and finished a letter to Elaine. Packed up some cover samples with two proof copies of the pamphlet. I watched ‘From There to Here’ yet again. Love that bike film. Chris Akrigg is ace. I listened to Queen’s debut album. With songs such as Great King Rat, Son and Daughter, Modern Times Rock and Roll, Keep Yourself Alive – great stuff. Also listened to Mother-Superior-backed Rollins with guest vocalists playing Black Flag songs in 2002 for West Memphis Three. I’m still reading Broken Summers. It’s pretty hot indoors. High pollen count outdoors. Not great for breathing. I’m okay though. Gardening wore me out this afternoon. 10.45pm.
Friday 16th July 2021
Good to get out on the bike. Although it could do with a service. The rear hub is grunting a bit. Which isn’t surprising given that it’s fifteen years old. I took Elaine’s proofs to the post office. Then rode over to Bridgehill across the field from the old slagheaps and down through wooded singletrack near the pumphouse. Couldn’t do the stream crossing. Managed a couple of clean runs elsewhere. Descending wooden steps and climbing trails in Allensford Woods and a longer section on the Northumberland side of the river. I rode to Shotley Bridge then past East Law on the main footpath, then into the wood and along the trail to Ebchester boathouse and back. I was out about four and a half hours. Pretty knackered. Jenni is busy this weekend, so I’ll catch up on work tomorrow and Sunday. I need a new cheap watch. Considering replacing my rear Shimano hub with a Hope XC that’s been lying on a ledge for the last seventeen years. Paul Muldoon in conversation with PJ Harvey at Lancaster University literature festival was a YouTube delight I didn’t expect this evening. OK. 10.32pm.
Saturday 17th July 2021
Fucking hell! Why people pay to sit in this fucking heat is beyond me. 27 degrees in my room tonight. I keyed in morning pages, washed some smalls. Checked out a couple of Jeff Lenosky bike vids. Read a bit of ‘Broken Summers’ and listened to the Henri and Heidi ‘Rise Above’ podcast from a few years ago. I tried to fix a watch strap, but it wouldn’t glue or sew. Too hot to get extra supplies tonight. Too hot to move. 11.10pm.
Sunday 18th July 2021
Nearly forgot to journal. A bit cooler today. Quite a pleasant breeze for my walk into town. Chuffed to find 26-inch innertubes in Poundland. I didn’t need to buy a new cheap watch as I took the strap off the stopped one and put it on my Rotary. It’s seventeen months since I last put a gig set together. It was a challenge but enjoyable. I start rehearsing tomorrow. This evening I rode down by the river, but the Rockhopper is poorly. Rear hub needs serviced asap. Tonight I’m beat. But it has been a good day. I won’t be far travelled tomorrow. 11.20pm.
Monday 19th July 2021
Too darn hot. Despite the temp being about five degrees less than yesterday. I am super sticky. The furthest I went today was the side of the house to put the rubbish out. I got an email from Waddy saying in light of the detailed response I gave to questions about benefits of writing sessions, I don’t have to attend the Waddy NCD staff meeting. I spent the time instead catching up on some college paperwork. Still a bit to do. I re-tweaked my gig set for The Globe gig. I’ve only put three newish things in the set. I might change it again. Earlier I was all gung-ho about getting back to performing. Now I don’t know. I listened to the Henry and Heidi MY WAR podcast and read a load of responses to domestic vaccine passports for nightclubs. Apparently, a generation won’t get to see bands coz they are too young to be vaccinated. I am hot and sweaty. I fucking hate heatwaves. But in three months’ time I’ll be complaining about the cold. Anyway, I’m done here. Lots still to do. Need the bike fixed. 11.30pm.
Tuesday 20th July 2021
Bloody hot. I was out around half nine on the bike. Intended to take it to the repair shop for a dodgy hub but discovered that the rear disc brake mount had just worked loose. I cleaned the woodland section that wiped me out a few weeks ago. I’ve been a bit slow but pulled some exercises out for Waddy and added a couple of pieces to my set for The Globe. This afternoon I watched last night’s Born Lippy Summer Streets 2021 poetry slam on YouTube. Good to see a full set from Jenni. And to catch Pauline and Steve May. Also, Chris Stewart, amongst others. Well done to John Turner for the win. I am a bit wiped out with the heat. I’ve been washed a few times. I’ve had a shave. I don’t have much to say. But I enjoyed my little rehearsals tonight. First feature set I’ve put together for seventeen months. I should be in bed now coz I need to be up early tomorrow to get into Waddy around 20 to eight. Enjoyed seeing the despicable Cummings show politics up for what it is: a self-serving charade from utter charlatans. 10.47 pm.
Wednesday 21st July 2021
Up at 20 past five. Very disorientated morning pages but managed to get out at five past six for the 16 bus to Durham. Big thanks to Peter at Waddy for helping with the pamphlet printing. Afterwards I went over to the Gala Theatre to check out the Colpitts Poetry Readings exhibition and listen to a bit of the audio. Writing session was okay. Generated a few good pieces for the anthology from the three people in. Five more sessions to get things into place. Bus home from Consett was a fucking furnace. Egg and tuna salad for tea. I watched a Jeff Lenosky bunny hop video. I am a bit knackered. I walked into town this evening for extra supplies. Watched Newsnight but difficult to stay awake. Pleased I have another batch of Ivy’s pamphlets done. I’ll make a hundred then work on Elaine’s. 11.09pm.
Thursday 22nd July 2021
Bad day. As expected after being in action for eighteen hours yesterday. All I managed was abdominal exercises, two days of copy-ups, and the sharing of Don Jenkins’ poster on Facebook for The Globe event. I watched the new Katie Kookaburra bike video and listened to a lot of Tom Waits. Had another tuna and egg salad. Felt a bit dehydrated. But much better after sitting downstairs and drinking lots of squash. 11.10pm.
Friday 23rd July 2021
Pleased to get all the thorny vines cut away from around the back door this lunchtime. The grass only took 45 mins. I wanted to get on with creative work straight after but got bogged down in covid stuff. Tonight I watched ace mountain bike hill climbs from Braydon Bringhurst and listened to some mint Queen demos for Sleeping on the Sidewalk and Spread Your Wings from News of the World. I switched Newsnight off coz I wasn’t bothered about the Olympics. I am going to watch Reclaiming Amy documenting the life of the late Ms Winehouse. Upstairs is a furnace, 11.20pm.
Saturday 24th July 2021
Jenni says Lou Reed has canny lyrics but can’t sing. Ditto Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. All mint lyricists. Today’s poetry slots at The Globe were cancelled due to covid. I got more supplies in. Jula Crafts in Consett had two colours of card that might work for Elaine’s pamphlet. I had cheese and tom pasta with spicy fries for tea then went out on the Rockhopper. Cleaned a long section with two little stream crossings. Well chuffed. Talked to trials rider Alec Wray. He says there’s a mototrials event on next month at Edmundbyers and I could easily pedal there to spectate. 10.52pm.
Sunday 25th July 2021
Folded all the pages and covers for second run of Ivy’s pamphlet. I broke off midway coz something came to mind I needed to scribble down. Jenni said the piece wasn’t controversial, so I posted it on Facebook. Sick to fucking death of the media pushing this app crap as if it’s mandatory when it’s totally not. I’ve had a slow day but no matter, I’ve got a couple more days to catch up on workshop stuff. Might read Zoom by Simon Armitage. 10.50pm.
Monday 26th July 2021
Woke from a dream at three this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep till six. Weather forecast was for rain midday and poor for the coming week, so I went out on the bike for ninety minutes as it might be a while till next time. Stapled Ivy’s pamphlets then needed to lie down. Woke after five. Watched the news then keyed in Waddy Writers’ poems for Wednesday. Switched to Elaine’s pamphlet; fixed the bottom margin and removed unwanted bold, changed a few words. I’ve seen workshops advertised for autumn in Newcastle. I’m wondering when it will be safe to set up some for myself. Listened to The Cure’s ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ album. Watched a bit of bike stuff then Newsnight. 11.42pm.
Tuesday 27th July 2021
Good to get through the abdominal exercises before breakfast. And to get Ivy’s books trimmed. It took a bit longer than expected. But I’m not rushing stuff coz that leads to mistakes. Listened to REM’s Document album for the first time in ages. Never played them since my breakdown, don’t know why. It absolutely chucked it down this evening. But only for about twenty minutes. Luckily no flood. Slow moving showers. It was good to chat online with Jenni today. I posted a picture of the Sonder Frontier bike on Facebook. Watched Newsnight: Lebanon collapse, Lambeth care home child abuse, and proposed eradication of gas central heating in all UK homes I’d like to be up early tomorrow to go to Details in Newcastle but might have to wait util the weekend when I’m back at Jen’s. I don’t want to socialize on Tyneside. I can do without any lockdown stuff. Hope the new bike is here soon. 11.17 pm.
Wednesday 28th July 2021
Up at half six. Out on the twenty-to-nine 16 bus to Consett then X45 to Newcastle. In Details art supplies just after ten for nearly half an hour selecting more card and paper samples for Elaine’s pamphlet, then over to Durham. Set up for the workshop. It went okay. Looked at short poems: Fib, Shadorma, Haiku, Clerihew and Kennings. Afterwards I got some covers printed. Bought more paper for Ivy’s third batch of pamphlets (she picked up the second lot during the workshop). Bus rides were okay. Most people wore masks. I bought a cheap watch in Boyes coz the strap broke on my Rotary – again! The new watch is for a kid, but it attaches to my wrist and gives the correct time so what the hell for six quid. Listened to Sabbath, Megadeth and Motorhead this evening. Fell asleep for a while. No word from Sonder yet. I watched the latest Katie Kookaburra bike video and a bit of Ashton and Hawyes on their big bikes from the 1997 Chainspotting video. Some of my messages to Jenni made her laugh. 11.12pm.
Thursday 29th July 2021
Up at eight. Wrote the first draft of an essay about my three Red Squirrel Press books in morning pages. Did an abdominal workout then busy for five or six hours with colour card and endpaper combos for Elaine Cusack’s pamphlet. Finished just after the last postal collection in Moorside. Banded up the samples in sequence and took the package to The Grove post office. Got it weighed and stamped then took it to the Consett post box for a half-six pick-up. Fingers crossed it arrives tomorrow. I chatted with my nephew Kyle outside Argos about his weight training for a while then went to Poundland for a cheap sandwich. Two quid. Almost wrenched my left shoulder afterwards in Tesco lifting a full basket. Should have used a trolley. Too tired to bike this evening. Watched 20,000 Days on Earth, the Nick Cave film, on DVD downstairs. I forgot to do physio earlier. Seems a bit pointless just before bed but feel like I should make the effort. Dairylea and tomato sandwich for supper. 10.55pm.
Friday 30th July 2021
Today was pretty good. After the neck and back exercises, I spent nearly thirteen hours at the computer. I commented on Kate Fox’s post about gig/workshop health and safety covid responsibilities. I wrote a fair bit to Tony Gadd and Jenni. Edited a load of morning pages and posted a piece about my three books published by Red Squirrel Press. Had to knock off for an hour and half coz my head was starting to pound. I watched the new Attila the Stockbroker interview from Cherry Red Records and Books on YouTube. Then ‘From There to Here’ bike video yet again. Elaine was in touch to say the samples arrived okay. 11.42pm.
Saturday 31st July 2021
Cooler, damper weather. Been taking things easy. Abdominal exercise. Keyed in work. Edited stuff. Crowded House and Twisted Sister soundtracks. Watched all of Chainspotting (1997) bike video. Lots of the trials footage I’d forgotten about. Would like to read more books in the coming weeks. Looking forward to the new bike. Hopefully here soon. 10.24pm.
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