I quite like Chris McCausland, but the comedy half hour is too much at a time.

Sliced the tip of my right index finger open while rinsing the lid of the can of chopped tomatoes. Claret all over my drying dishes, I’ll have to wash them again once I’ve stopped the bloods.

That’s it for now, my eyesight is shocking today. These pieces aren’t a new-puzzle fit either, something that I rely on, short of peering at every join. As if it’s been assembled previously, which is slightly worrying.

Seems to be a total lack of pieces transitioning between windows and roof.. the eaves if you like… and a long stick that doesn’t seem to go anywhere. 🤔

A late start, but all the morning chores are done now. Bread is breading, dinner ingredients out, just need to be prepped. The camera now shows that AM turned up at 6:45. Need to get that boy a watch. Some sums to do, then attack the puzzle I think.

Cries of “Genocide!” with regard to Iranian mass killings? No? Right, no Jews about.

Morning. 👋 Wet out there, and no kitties about yet. I’m tired this morning, so think I may stay abed awhile.

Feeling discouraged again now, and a bit guilty, as I used to feel after a night on the town. (These feelings of guilt were a major factor in my decision to quit drinking) Need to try and pull myself out of it before bedtime or I’ll dwell on it. I’ll open a tin of mandarin segments in juice. 👍

Curry all prepped, rice washed and soaking. Just to switch on later, this is more of a stir fry than a traditional curry. The recipe book even calls it a “Fry”, so we will see how it goes. Not making much in case it’s foul. Adding more bird’s eye chillies, as it’s described as “Mild”.

Sue-Ellen is off to reform. I thought she had gone years ago! #NeoNazis

Having another go at a Tamil curry today. Determined to get this right. So many regional spice blends across India. I suppose if I grew up with the different flavours, it would be second nature. A Tamil friend knows immediately what balance of spices if I mention a flavour profile.

Monday morning council visit… they must think I would be missing them in the 5 days since their electrical surveyor. Perhaps they think I’m going gaga (Graham is), and need to check up on me. Anyway, a really nice woman, Rita, and she looks so much like my friend Rita Libes, in SA. Amazing!

Fell asleep again, dreaming I had been burgled, and then trying to figure out what was missing, and discovering new things as the day progressed. Waves of helpless anger.

Morning. Slept much better. Coffee, meds etc done by 4:45, AM fed, and he’s having a complicated wash now.

This makes me v happy for some reason.

“Ooh! More crunchies! For me?” Sundance never eats more than a mouthful or two at a time, but she’s back here up to a dozen times of day and night. She’s going to join the ranks of the lump-cats if she carries on.

Sunday lunch crowd.

So no laundry today, which makes this the quietest weekend in ages. Next week seems ok except Ben again on Friday. Not sure what he wants to do then. He said something about booking community transport to this Maker Shed thing. I won’t have money though, so maybe we will do the deferred walkies.

Time to swing ‘er around and start from the top down. Move around first and rest my bum. Milo did come to offer help but I managed to put him off by giving him some Felix Crispies.

In my dream-wake state last night I thought there was and ad for pine-scented lightbulbs. I thought that’s innovative, those rascally 1940s Americans. This morning the same advert clarified that it was pine scented Lysol, which I feel is a disappointment.

I’m not really listening, but a bloke on the radio seems to have been consumed by a tree. Very traumatic judging by the rather over the top screams and weeping.

Last night’s progress.

My uncle had my cousins learn Scottish dancing and shit, and the three of them would turn out like the lid of a tin of shortbread. I’ve always felt this was to keep my grandfather on-side, although I suspect the old bastard viewed it more cynically. This uncle was the youngest of 3 brothers,

Morning. Lousy sleep last night, but that did give me time to make quite good progress on the puzzle. Achy today, so I don’t know if I’ll make the trip to the laundry, later. Not much to do anyway.

AM has got elbow patches! Like a 70s geography teacher. 😸

Soup nice. Needed extra black pepper, a good sprinkle of Parmesan too. I’ll have a bit more later.

Okay. Chillies pickled, soup simmering, and I’m listening to “Skinny Dip”, Carl Hiaasen. One of my favourite of his books.

I wonder how many chillies I must prep to fill a 1 litre mason jar? I expect I could calculate volumes… but no. I’ve already sterilised the jar so don’t want to do a dry run. Life’s imponderables.

“Standby for Crime” on the radio, has to be one of the most idiotic old time shows. A big shot LA newscaster and his secretary (?) “Glamour Puss”, travel the country solving crimes, not only does their station not seem to notice their absences, but station owner “Papi” Mansfield trails behind them.

Croissant breakfast I think, then work on the puzzle. I’ll start the eye wash/gel/drops routine now, that will give me the best chance of spotting stuff. Don’t know why it works, but it does. So that’s fine with me.

A nice and very rare lay-in this morning. Nice to know that I’m not expected to talk to anyone today. Saturday’s are shit, but I suppose there upside is less interaction.

Imagine being as impossibly happy as someone who has created a Popsa photo book?

Oh well. I’ll try and sleep. Soup making and chilli pickling tomorrow (hope I can remember how to make the same pickling liquor that I did last time. Should have written it down). Broadway’s my beat on the radio. Danny Clover is being trampled by a killer stallion. In central NYC yet!

I really miss having a kitty cat to share a house with. I look at Gotti pictures and it makes me feel sad and alone. I can’t take that responsibility now though. I must change my phone background pictures I think.

No haggis for Sunday, great granny Mac would frown. I can’t be bothered to look for my Collected Burns either, so will have to make do with Andy Stewart. #BurnsNight youtu.be/p3AbAy5Rfvw?...

No kitty visitors today. Camera doesn’t seem to be triggering properly when they turn up. I’ll have a look and check settings tomorrow. I don’t like these cameras that you have to unmount to charge and then have to go through the whole setup thing again, because it’s impossible to perfectly align.

Still struggling with my puzzles, this is unheard of. Haven’t even started the solitaire challenges yet, never mind wordle.

Usual BBC Tory love-in with Cleverly spectacular. Well at least thank god we don’t have to listen to wall to wall Jacob Rees Mogg. #PM

That’s the last fishy supper for a while. It’s no longer reduced, and I’m bloody sure it wasn’t cod. I’m no ichthyologist, but I eat a fair amount of fish. Wasn’t shark either, which is the usual dodge.

I must do the RSPB Garden Birdwatch this weekend. It’s always the same crew though, unless the wind blows a few gulls over, or a passing squadron of starlings. (I thought they buggered off over winter, I must be mixing them up) 4 Crows 2 Wood Pigeons 1 Pied Wagtail.

“TRESPASSERS!”, ejaculated Sir George. A fun chap.

Nice shower. I can start a new audiobook now, “Dead Man’s Folly”, Agatha Christie. Monster heartburn, probably because I had to take ibuprofen at 2am.

Okay, that’s me until Monday. Don’t have to go out the front except to feed the birdies. I’ll shower in a bit, fishy tonight and I’ll soak the peas for the soup. Never can decide what to believe about split pea soaking. You hear all sorts.

Any other iPhone users find that sometimes you can’t flick an app up to close? It just moves from tab to tab, and you land up having to reboot?

No walkies today. Just sat and chatted about how my life is piling down on me. Ben’s easy to chat to, and his suggestions are thoughtful, not the back of a fag packet conversation fillers you usually get. I think he’s new to social care, used to be a social worker, so maybe he’s being more thorough.

Always interested in the prison terms quoted on Dragnet. I’ve often heard it said that crime against property are largely punished more heavily than those against people. Seems true.

Shook some Aromat in my omelette mixture this morning, in a total lapse in concentration. It wasn’t as bad as I feared, although I probably won’t make a habit of it. Memory and concentration is shot to hell at the moment. Hope this isn’t a permanent change.

Think it may be too wet and windy for walkies this morning. Ben who strikes me as someone who will find the going hard, and why not? He will have to spend the day in wet clothes, whereas I can shower and change.

Been awake an hour, but my brain cell seems to be otherwise engaged, so during that time I’ve only managed 1 crossword clue. Vaguely listening to Alvin Hall talk about some kind of churchy thing. I like his voice, soothing. Think I may try and sleep some more.