AUGUST

Sunday 1st August 2021

Nine hours sleep. Took a while to get ready to leave for Jen’s house. Good long ride. First time in Gateshead on the bike for about a month. We watched the Olympic BMX Freestyle Championships. Gold medal to Charlotte Worthington (UK)and Bronze to Declan Brooks (UK). We walked up to Tesco for supplies. Had baked potato, beans and tuna for tea. Saw a couple of ‘Top 100 Home Videos’ and ‘When Stunts Go Wrong’ programmes. Sleepy throughout. Pot Noodle supper. OK. 10.35pm.


Monday 2nd July 2021

Jenni and me have been invited to do a gig at the end of the month with a reboot of our 2012 double-header performance. We accepted, sequenced and rehearsed full set this afternoon. Didn’t include many recent poems. I wanted to use Fail Satan from 2018 but it doesn’t fit. I’ll do more new stuff in a solo set. I looked at some poetry books including Simon Armitage, Basil Bunting, Rosie Garland, The Mersey Poets. Did neck and back exercises. Ate chocolate porridge. 10.40pm.


Tuesday 3rd August 2021

Got offered another outdoor gig. Bought card and paper for Elaine Cusack’s pamphlet at Details Art Supplies. Jen met up with staff from Tyne Theatre for an event discussion. I returned to the house, had a Dairylea sandwich. Rode the bike to Consett via the super boring Derwent Walk, with paper and card well wrapped in my backpack. Listened to The Jesus and Mary Chain. Keyed in student poems. I’m having an early night coz I need to be up at five to get away to Waddy to get Ivy Hudson’s final run of pamphlets printed. 9.32pm.


Wednesday 4th August 2021

Up at five. Morning pages. Breakfast. No 16 bus to Durham. Got Ivy’s pamphlets printed. Then went out to buy more paper stock. Really warm. Tired by lunchtime. Writing workshop went okay but I had to rejig all the exercises coz one person could only stay half an hour and wanted to write without any preamble. I used ‘senses’ strips, body part/ailment exercises and superhero rejection letters. Got the three o’clock bus and was back in the house by ten past four. Sonder bike builds have put back again till 30th August from 12th August previously 26th July. Not fucking happy. Watched some Katie Kookaburra and Jeff Lenosky bike videos. Went to Tesco for food. Back at nine for physio. Watched some Euro biketrial but it was like street trials over sculptures. I prefer natural rocky woodland. Need another early night. 10.20pm.


Thursday 5th August 2021

Mainly an admin day. Got a new biog note together for end of the month gig. Keyed in a load of morning pages including a couple of recent dreams and other bits and pieces. Listened to The Jesus and Mary Chain. Then a little bit of Prefab Sprout who came up on a Facebook post. I’d previously only heard a few of their eighties singles. I listened to a Behemoth album. Pleased they are only charging about a third of the cost of a Nick Cave ticket for their gigs with Arch Enemy this autumn. But I wouldn’t travel to Manchester or Glasgow during a pandemic. I cut the grass earlier coz it’s meant to be torrential rain this evening. I watched a mint bit of bootleg footage of the Pistols at the Roxy from 1977. Rotten in his Rimbaud period. Copied up journal stuff. I’d like to read but am tired from a day at the computer. And garden. Arm hurting a bit but I’m okay. Would like to be out on the bike tonight. Not pleased about false weather report. Hopefully, no problems with flooding tomorrow. 11.05pm.


Friday 6th August 2021

Slow start. The physical exercise fills me with dread after a bad sleep, so it takes till mid-morning to get beyond it. I read some literature till lunchtime (Rollins and Carver) then folded all fifty copies of Ivy’s pamphlet. Took a while to pull enough pristine endpapers together from three different sources. Knocked off for egg tuna salad and watched the news. I keyed in some notes and listened to The Jesus and Mary Chain. Then watched one of their concerts online. Jenni was in touch. She’s busy this weekend. I will stay home and get Ivy’s books finished tomorrow. If the weather fairs up a bit, I’ll go out on the bike on Sunday. Aiming to put in some miles over the next month. I need to get my finances sorted for the winter. Hope I get more courses in place and some gigs. I am going to try to read The Poetry of Punk in bed tonight. But I usually only manage five minutes before nodding off. Pleased the fucking rain has stopped. I didn’t change the bed linen. Hopeless. 11.01pm.


Saturday 7th August 2021

Read a bit of Carver and Rollins. Stapled Ivy’s final batch of pamphlets. Took about five hours to trim them all. Listened to Annie Lennox: Diva; Queen: A Day at the Races and News of the World; Best of Souxsie and the Banshees; and We Are Motorhead. After the boxed stock was put away, I chatted online with brother Mark about biking. Then I watched the Lemmy documentary DVD downstairs and had a Queen biopic 2 / ticket prices discussion with Jenni online. Might try to read a bit of the Punk zine in bed. 10.57pm.


Sunday 8th August 2021

Been reading pros and cons of writing courses. Value or rip off? I wouldn’t pay hundreds for a course, but I might pay £45 for a few hours bike training with Chris Akrigg. Makes me wonder what a writing marathon should cost with food. I might book an autumn writing marathon. But food is too big a responsibility in covid times. Rode up to Parkhead near Stanhope. It tried to rain, but the sun came out about seven for the return descent. 9.45pm


Monday 9th August 2021

Put in a straight eight hours then some more. Tweaked Elaine’s pamphlet cover and a little content. Think we are good to go. Listening to fears over climate change. One woman spoke sense on economic growth. Cut that from your agenda. Why does the economy have to get bigger? Surely covid and lockdown must have taught you most of the shit you buy and do isn’t necessary? And I still don’t need a fucking passport. Jenni says the reason she can write at present is coz she is supposed to be memorizing poems. I won’t be attempting to fully memorize any poems ever again. Wish the new bike was here. 11.35pm.



Tuesday 10th August 2021

Up just after eight despite not going to bed until half twelve. I posted a full morning pages entry on Facebook. Sometimes the words leap off the page, begging to be typed and shared. It’s not an ego thing; sometimes you just know when you’ve got ‘something’. I keyed in last week’s Waddy poems and four of mine as contenders for the 40th Anniversary anthology. Knocked off around quarter to four to get ready for a bike ride. Stanhope isn’t very far from Parkhead Station but it’s downhill, which means coming back is uphill. Crawleyside Bank is in the top eleven of the most brutal road climbs in the northeast. But not so difficult on a mountain bike. I remained seated and two gears off easiest. Stopped at Parkhead to eat my cheese and pickle baguette in the evening sunshine. Did precious little upon return, just lay around and read a bit of “We Want Something More – The Poetry of Punk” by Gerfried Ambrosch. Had Dairylea on toast for supper. Still a lot to do for the rest of the week. 10.52pm.


Wednesday 11th August 2021

A white van pulled up at half nine this morning when I was getting ready for work. That Amazon delivery is quick, I thought. The bloke opened the back doors of the van, checked I was home, then pulled out a huge slim brown cardboard box and carried it to the house. “You're kidding, mate. I was told this wouldn't be here for ages. It's been on order since May.” – "Happy Days!" he said. The box has the Sonder bikes logo on it: a big chainwheel containing trees and mountains. And the words: EVERY ONE HAS A STORY. WHAT’S YOURS? I didn't open the box. I took a photo of it and posted it on Facebook – my status and Sonder owners’ group. Then I went to Durham. Got a couple of test copies of Elaine’s pamphlet printed. Might be problems with the covers. Scuff marks on a couple. After retrieving missing gold parchment left on Ryman’s counter last week, I did the workshop. I bought pedals at Halfords, got food at Tesco. Home by six. Bike seatpost needs chopping. And maybe ten millimetres off each end of the bars. But hopefully okay in a few days. 11.35pm.


Thursday 12th August 2021

Didn't go to bed till twenty to two this morning. Staring at the bike, I noticed one of the bottle rack Allen bolts sticking out the fork. Wouldn't screw down. Threads not cut deep enough. Really annoying on a new bike. I rang Alpkit at half nine. I’m speaking to their mechanic on Saturday. Arranging to take it in to be fixed. And to get some of the seatpost chopped off as well coz the bottle rack bosses on the seat tube will only let the post slide halfway into the frame. I got final test copies of Elaine's pamphlet made up today. Will be at Waddy tomorrow to do the full print run. Been trying to come up with precautionary measures to prevent possible scuffs on card going through the rollers. I've made paper sleeves to slide over the back (left) panel of each sheet. I did a fresh rehearsal tonight for Saturday's ‘Poetry and Pizza’ gig at Tower Cafe. It's outdoors, so hopefully will go ahead. ‘Hamilton’ and ‘In the Heights’ books arrived for Jenni’s birthday. They both look lush. I keyed in morning pages tonight. And a poem. Poems are easy to key in; shape and rhythm focus the mind. Online chats with Jenni and brother Mark. Bed soon for the 5am rise. Ok. 9.30pm.


Friday 13th August 2021

Up at ten to five to get ready for Durham. Got Elaine's pamphlets printed before nine. Due to large solid black image coverage, I was a bit worried about possible fuckups with scuzz and jams on the covers, but it all went very well. Took some pix and sent them to Elaine. Really tired this afternoon. I made up some copies of Unruly Eyebrow for the gig in Leazes Park tomorrow. Went back to Consett for bank transactions and a bit of birthday stuff for Jenni. Trimmed my U.E. booklets and had a fish finger sandwich for tea. Took a while to get ready this evening. I usually bike to Jen’s but went by bus. Saw a bloke whizz up Bensham bank on some hoverboard thing. Me and Jenni watched King Gary. Then the end of Classic albums: A Night at the Opera. Then a Queen gig from Montreal in 1981. I'm eighteen hours awake and counting. Got to ring the bike mechanic tomorrow. Then do the gig. Hope my set is okay. 10.55pm.


Saturday 14th August 2021

Rang Alpkit's bike mechanic this morning. Taking the new machine for some tweaks on Tuesday before I give it a proper woodland ride. Did some exercises while Jen was at the doc's. Then we did Poetry and Pizza at Tower Cafe in Leazes Park. Enjoyed it. Good mix of guests. Bert Fabela, Marie Lightman, Don Jenkins, Richard Boggy. Ate a big chicken and mushroom pizza. Chipped my front tooth on a crust. Came home after a drink outside Bar Loco. Jen is still out. I've been sleeping for an hour or so. Apparently, Simon Gallup has left The Cure. 10.37pm.


Sunday 15th August 2021

Long lie in to compensate for last night. Was outraged at the possible cost of fixing a chipped tooth. Band Three NHS is £282.20. Just totally fucking disgraceful. If it’s Band Two, it’s £65.80. Had salmon paste and cucumber sandwiches for dinner and tea. Me and Jenni watched four episodes of King Gary on iPlayer. I am hammered. Got the eight o’clock bus to Consett. I was the only one of six passengers wearing a mask. Scrolling and cursing onboard and at home. Bed by 11.20pm.


Monday 16th August 2021

Listened to a Madonna compilation album on Spotify whilst formatting recent morning pages for the file today. Keyed in the latest Waddy Writers pieces and aim to do more edits with the group on Wednesday. Got an ITM stub in Consett to serve as a receipt for a returned item. Maybe paying by card does have advantages. Bought a few things in Tesco and said Hi to one of the lads who used to ride trials as a teenager. He’s married with a family now and a business to run. I sat outside the steel works memorial and pondered what I should be doing with my life. It's a commonly held view that arty types are oddballs. The norm doesn't really apply and nor should it. But still, sometimes you feel like you got left behind. Tonight, I ordered tickets for The Lovely Eggs at the Cluny as part of Jenni's birthday gifts. The gig is rescheduled for next May. As of today, self-isolation only takes place if you test positive. I will go to most gigs on my own. Aiming for a ride to Alpkit tomorrow morning to get the new bike sorted. 11.02pm.


Tuesday 17th August 2021

Up at seven. Pages. Breakfast. Bag pack. First time out on the new Sonder Frontier bike. Tense moments at Alpkit when the mechanic couldn't get an Allen bolt out of the fork leg. But eventually, done with a little help from a neighbouring shop and new threads tapped. Got a few inches cut off the seatpost. Would still prefer it to go a bit lower for technical rocky sections. Maybe I need a dropper post. I didn't get the handlebars trimmed. I need to ride it on some tricky terrain before altering the handling. I got back home about half one. Didn't feel tired. Only the new seat causing a little discomfort. But otherwise enjoyed my ride. I talked to Mam and Ernie. They have acquired a Siberian Husky named Mishka. That should keep them very busy. Spoke to Mark about bikes and work on the phone for an hour. Keyed in a new poem about Poetry Jam for upcoming Waddy 40th Anniversary celebrations. Then gawped at the bike for a while. Chuffed it's here. And still a month or so to ride the local trails before the big squelch comes back mid-autumn. 10.40pm.


Wednesday 18th August 2021

Wanted a lie in but awake before seven. Still took over two hours to sort stuff out for the session. I forgot to take my device to do morning pages type-ups. Session went well. We did a little gig in the church hall for the social group. The others did new stuff, I did a piece from 2020 and Poetry Jam from a few weeks ago. Fergus and Helen said people enjoyed the readings and were inspired to write lines for a group poem based on an acrostic from the 30th anniversary. Buses were okay. Very few onboard. Got home by five past four. Had a little rest then wrapped Jen's presents. News was on. Afghanistan. Lots of UK politicians in parliament. Only a few had masks on. So no worries about covid? Got the 20 past seven bus to Consett. Then X70 to Gateshead. Me and Jenni watched a few episodes of 15 Stories High starring comedian Sean Lock who sadly died today. The programme is very surreal. Horses in flats. Flying guitars, etc. I'm very tired. Tomorrow is Jen's birthday. 10.42pm.


Thursday 19th August 2021

Happy Birthday to Jenni. I was awake at half seven. Did morning pages. And a couple of hours of type-ups. Then Jenni got up and opened her presents. She liked the two big books, Hamilton and In the Heights. I had baked potato beans and tuna for dinner. I fell asleep during Vivo. Then Jen put on Mary Poppins Returns. Then a Freestyle Love Supreme documentary. Then An Inspector Calls. We had lush pizza and chips for tea. Not much on Facebook. Loved Inspector but would have preferred it to end when he calls the family worse than shit then leaves the house. The extra bit confused and diluted his closing message. But as Jenni pointed out, the bit that followed showed how quickly bastards revert to type. Enjoyed more pizza for supper and might have a little more cake. Sean Lock stand up is on soon. 10.42pm.


Friday 20th August 2021

Big lie in. Pizza for breakfast. And black forest gateaux. Did some physio. Checked out mountain bike handlebar width guidelines. Almost managed a few push ups but not great at them. Had a peanut butter sandwich then went into town with Jenni for supplies. Later, we watched old Corrie then a promo launch video for Jim Bob’s (ex-Carter USM) new album “Who Do We Hate Today?” Then new Corrie. Had some aches and pains and pins and needles. But enjoyed music and laughs with Jenni. Now the BBC news is on. Stupid fucking backward barbaric bastards. No place for that shit in the 21st Century. Want to ride my bike and get Elaine's pamphlets made up, put a Waddy anthology together and keep a little money coming in. Enough. 10.41pm.


Saturday 21st August 2021

Knee exercises and more stuff on recommended handlebar width. Pie and mash for dinner. Watched ‘Super Duper Alice Cooper’ documentary. Chip butty for tea. Watched a film called Love Beats Rhyme about a rap/hip-hop girl who takes a poetry class at college and faces criticism for her words. Slams, record demos, love affairs… Then Jen put some Sage Francis and B Dolan tracks on YouTube. OK 10.55pm.


Sunday 22nd August 2021

Thanks to Jenni for egg and ‘fake bacon’ bun for breakfast. We watched Diagnosis Murder, Redbull Soapbox and Flugtag home-made flying machines. Then gameshows and a ridiculous reality show called Married at First Sight. Then a Redbull breakdance battle. Bus home was fine. James Wilkinson sent me some zines. Must read and reply. I measured my bar width again: 780mm not 800mm. Still too wide. Chocolate porridge for supper. 11.23 pm.


Monday 23rd August 2021

Slow day. Annoying arm pain, numb fingers made it hard to type. Just as well most of my stuff was merely cut and paste from messenger into word files. I tried to get a ride on the Sonder tonight, but the right crank arm came loose and the only Allen key I didn’t have out with me was the one needed to tighten it. A kid asked me to swap bikes with him. His selling point being his had suspension. I just laughed. Back home, it took a while to find the Allen key. After pulling out the old drawer, I checked my small bike bag and there it was... I watched Metal Evolution tonight. An episode on extreme metal: death, black, symphonic, grindcore – interesting programme. I’m going to bed early in hopes of getting out for a ride first thing in the morning. I’m hoping the trail is pretty decent. I’ve let a fair bit of air out of my tyres. I want to be out and back home by about half nine. I need to get on with Waddy work and Elaine’s pamphlets. I need a shave and I might need to buy some bread. I will try to get by till Wednesday. 10.42pm.


Tuesday 24th August 2021

Long day. Up at six. Did pages. Exercise then out on the new bike. Ace ride down to the pump house then onto Allensford. Took me a few goes to do a new climb, front wheel kept lifting. Gearing is okay. I managed to do all the sections done previously on the Rockhopper and found them much easier. The bigger wheels and wider tyres just bound over tree roots and small rocks. Reckon I could still do with 20mm off the width of the handlebars. Bit of pain in left elbow. I did the old slagheap climb in lowest gear on first attempt. Back home, I talked to Mam on the phone for a while. After an early baked potato, tuna and beans dinner I put in a few hours on Elaine’s pamphlet. Used gloves to prevent marks on the endpapers. Still have covers to fold and attach. Trimming might take a while. I knocked off at five for a sleep, then after two cheeseburgers I keyed in Waddington Street Centre poems and did a lesson plan for tomorrow. I keyed in pages from this morning. Listened to ‘We Are Motorhead’ and various old-school metal bands on Spotify. 10.31pm.


Wednesday 25th August 2021

Final summer session at Waddy. We were upstairs in the studio coz the lounge was full of bags of stuff for the pre-loved items sale. We looked through a massive pile of writings from the course and it looks like we’ll get a good anthology out of it. But I’ve felt pretty hammered since the workshop. Buses were pretty packed today. Nearly half an hour from Moorside to Consett which is usually just over ten minutes. Talked to Margaret about how things have been over the last year. I went to Bits for Bikes this afternoon but no foam grips. Sean can trim my bars for a fiver. I got a bottle cage at B&M for two-fifty. Mega queue in Tesco but I got served and back to the bus stop with mere seconds to spare. Cheese and tomato pasta for tea. Listened to a load of light rock: The Cult, Psychedelic Furs, etc. Big lie down to keep a tension headache at bay. Jenni was in touch. I will get a bit of supper then off to bed. UFO’s ‘Doctor, Doctor’ is on at present. I am doing okay. 10.55pm.


Thursday 26th August 2021

Up around half eight and sleepy. Did exercises and checked some biking stuff – bottle cage, front wheel bolt, seat post, etc. Got round to Elaine’s pamphlets by half eleven. Some of the covers were a struggle. Had to measure and score the backs of some with a needle to get decent folds. Knocked off around half five. TV news was mainly Afghanistan. Jenni sent some cake memes, and a skateboard video featuring amazing riding by an infant. I listened to a Brian May concert from 1993. Did some copy-ups and physio. Grass was too wet to cut today. Tomorrow I hope to complete Elaine’s pamphlets. Listened to Depeche Mode tonight. Had a salmon paste and cucumber sandwich for supper. Writing this in bed. 10.59pm.


Friday 27th August 2021

Bit of a dilemma on the trimming of Elaine’s pamphlets. But got sorted by half seven this evening. They looked pretty amazing. Now all boxed up and good to go. I got a positive email from Ali Lee about the work produced in Waddy summer sessions. She is keen to do the cover art for the anthology. Seems I might be getting more bookmaking work this autumn. I watched a new Ali Clarkson bike video. Nothing to do with trials this episode; he built a big single speed rigid for gravel paths… On Newsnight the evacuations from Afghanistan are ending with many people left behind. Now there’s a film on about a couple who meet on New Year’s Eve, get serious very quickly and try for a baby. She is ten years his senior. Tomorrow I will perhaps get out on the bike. I need to do a rehearsal for Sunday. Hope the gig goes well. I had an early burger and chips supper but will get a yoghurt before bed. 11.46pm.


Saturday 28th August 2021

Mint ride on the Sonder Frontier around local woodland by the Gill Bridge, old slagheaps and Allensford today. Getting more used to the bike but still need the bars trimmed. Grass was wet this morning, too tired to do it this afternoon. Got sorted for tomorrow’s gig and packed for Jen’s place. We went to Tesco for supplies. Then watched some Sam Fender videos. He isn’t the pop boy I thought he was. I could imagine him listening to the band Fugazi. 11.05pm.


Sunday 29th August 2021

Massive thanks to all at East Durham Trust for SHOUT this afternoon. Poems about underappreciated bus drivers and inappropriate toys in shared spaces; dos and don'ts on cruise ships; vampire cafes and growing old disgracefully; crap dinners, Countdown and trials bikes. Ace to do an indoor double header set with Jenni. Thanks to all the poets, and Kirsten for booking us. Mint gig. 22.58pm.


Monday 30th August 2021

Another good day. Me and Jeni had big laughs before breakfast due to the fruit fly incident that I turned into a little prose poem for Facebook. Made a preliminary selection for a poetry set should another sudden gig opportunity arise. Then we went out for supplies. I wanted cheap temporary handlebar grips but to no avail. Later we watched Lords of Chaos then A Star is Born (2018). Got the 49 bus to Metro Centre then hopped on a 45 to Consett. Dry out, pleasant walk home. House okay. 11.50pm.


Tuesday 31st August 2021

Good to catch up on the typing. Not so good to go yet another day without getting the grass cut. I found some old super soft handlebar grips in the junk drawer this afternoon, cut the ends off and put the grips on the new bike after moving the controls ten millimetres inward on the bars. Keen to try it with the 760mm set up, but the fucking rear brake disc rotor has come loose, and I don’t have a T25 torx key. Will buy or borrow one tomorrow. I will ride a few times with 760mm grip setting and see how it feels. Must be better than 780mm. I listened to the new Toyah album, Posh Pop. The title isn’t great, but the songs are canny. Watched Jeff Lenosky and Lance Trappe doing uphill tech climbs on YouTube. Newsnight was all about Afghanistan, as to be expected. I am out of most food and need to hit the shops tomorrow. 11.36pm.