Tue 1: It's been the UK's hottest summer on record, and I wonder if in 10 years time we'll all be looking forward to September when temperatures finally cool down. Wed 2: If you fancy another daily game to play, try the slightly-unusual world of enclose-horse. Every day you have a set number of walls to place to enclose as much area as possible without letting the horse escape. Extra points for fruit, avoid the bees, and see if you can get the day's optimal score. (it's not a very good example today, sorry, try this one from three days ago) Thu 3: It's that time of year again when I walk out of BestMate's house into a spider's web that definitely wasn't there two hours ago (and then spend the entire journey home wondering if I've brushed everything off). Fri 4: Four months ago the family tortoise escaped from my Dad's back garden, having worked out how to clamber over the edge of her new run. Disaster! Beyond the hedge is open countryside so we thought that'd be the last we'd see of her, which is a bit galling after 45 years of feeding her cucumber and leaves. Amazingly today we found her again hiding in the hedge, none the worse for wear but in need of fattening up before autumn hibernation. Never give up hope...
Sat 5: Celebrity spotting 1: Seen round the back of Kenwood House from the 310 bus, the actual Richard E Grant, actor and star of Celebrity Traitors. I was particularly impressed that I recognised him first from the back of his head (then confirmed it was him when he walked past the bus). Sun 6: I was sitting on the sofa reading when I heard an unusual scratching noise to my left. I looked round... and a squirrel was hanging off the side of my armchair! On seeing me thankfully it darted back out of the French windows rather than engaging in a panicked orgy of destruction across my living room. It's not been back since, but I am now oddly reticent to leave the door open just in case. Mon 7: Usually the pavement outside Bow Road station is covered in conkers by now but hardly any of them have fallen yet. I blame the dry weather. Tue 8: Exactly 50 years ago The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin was first shown on BBC2, so tonight BBC4 obliged with a reshowing. Super. Also I appear to have written the definitive post on where Reggie's house was, as over 200 viewers discovered during the programme. Great. Wed 9: Celebrity spotting 2: Seen on the concourse at Euston station, the actual Tom Daley, diver and star of Celebrity Traitors. All trains had been cancelled so he was standing around in a crowd of hundreds of other delayed souls (and wearing some impressively flared trousers). Thu 10: It's not every day you find yourself sitting opposite a falcon on the District line. It was being transported by a lady from London Falconry (and yes it was in a wheeled box, she didn't have it out sitting on a gauntlet). Fri 11: Celebrity spotting 3: After taking a photo of a tile-edged roundel at Clapham South station, I stepped aside to let someone go past. And it was only Siddy Holloway, TfL's official Goddess of Tiles, so I very much hope she approved.
Sat 12: There was only one Open House visit I didn't tell you about, an architects' practice by the Regent's Canal. I spent most of my time not exploring the building but having a lovely chat with 75 year-old artist Hilary about a Cohousingdevelopment in Barnet. She loves living there, and we agreed that loads more people would retire this way if it took less than 18 years to set up. Sun 13: Celebrity spotting 4: Seen on the platform at St Margaret's station, the actual Pete Townshend, rock guitarist from The Who. My antennae were first raised because he was wearing exceptionally shiny shoes (and confirmed when he started talking about guitars). Mon 14: Pink recycling bags were actually available at Whitechapel Idea Store, and you could see the shock and surprise on the faces of the happy souls grabbing a roll. Tue 15: ...ah, the conkers are now well scattered outside Bow Road station, indeed one very nearly fell on my head as I walked past this morning. I'm still wondering where to plant it. Wed 16: It's been over a year since anyone on public transport offered me a seat, so thanks to the 20-something in Kappa trackies on the Elizabeth line but no thanks. (I've reset my counter to zero...) Thu 17: In this week's unashamedly posh Standard newspaper, a double-page spread of 26 fashionable Must Buys For The New Season. Average price £439 (cheapest item £35 socks, most expensive item a £4250 handbag). Last week it was "affordable" skiing holidays. I don't know why they bother distributing copies outside Plaistow station, it's very much not aimed at people there. Fri 18: Seen on a black Land Rover Defender in Tottenham, the numberplate MU51CTV. I looked to see if Simon Cowell or anybody famous in the world of music TV was driving, but the man at the wheel rang no bells.
Sat 19: Speaking of numberplates, I spotted an impossible combination on a Citroen Spacetourer in Sydenham. PSD7BKS just cannot be real. I did some checking and a) it should be PS07BKS, b) Citroen have recalled the vehicle, c) the vehicle's never had an MOT despite being six years old. I do hope the owners eventually get caught out. Sun 20: Do people not carry pens any more? Up the far end of the District line a large man in a suit leant over and asked if he could borrow mine, then jotted something down, then handed it back. I also came to the rescue during Open House when a woman wanted her book purchase signed by the author and nobody else present had a pen except me. Sorry, I bet it smudged. Mon 21: Heard at Canary Wharf station ... "Please refrain from smoking, vaping and misbehaving at all times". Wow that's vague. Tue 22: The library book I'm reading has just been selected for the Booker Prize shortlist, and blimey the judges are a lot braver with their choices these days. Wed 23: I was trying to work out why there was a stationary Elizabeth line train on the railway bridge over Bow Road, given it leads to the c2c line where purple trains don't go. It turns out it was a reversing procedure, a way to get off the mainline and then return to Stratford. But you really don't see that very often. Thu 24: Back in August TfL held a two week competition - essentially a raffle - to win a Golden Ticket pass for unlimited Dangleway travel. The terms and conditions said that afterwards you could email them to discover the surname and county of the winner, so I did. I won't reveal the surname, save to say it ends in 'v'. I was much more intrigued by the county which they gave as "Surrey, Greater London", despite the fact that Surrey and Greater London are administratively distinct. Everything points to the winner being a Sutton resident with 'Surrey' merely part of the postal address, not district of residence. I wonder how many times they'll bother to go. Fri 25: To celebrate living in my flat for 25 years I went out and bought a new paper lampshade to replace an aged paper lampshade, and wow that's brightened up the room.
Sat 26: In excellent news, the card reader on the southbound platform at Bow Church station now beeps again. I had been told it was muted so as not to annoy neighbouring residents, but the silence also annoyed loads of passengers who weren't sure if their card had been read or not. In equally good news, while I was in Spain someone wiped off the layer of white muck that had obscured the display for months, hurrah. Sun 27: Went to Harrow to buy next year's diary from Ryman, like I always do. Was shocked to see the shop had closed and was being turned into a Wingstop! Thankfully they've opened a new store across the arcade, and blimey it looks unnervingly modern inside. My farewell line "see you next year" always gets a laugh. Mon 28: Back in March the evil accountants at Cadbury reduced the number of bars in a Double Decker multipack from 9 to 7, which was essentially a 29% price rise overnight. In unexpected news they've just changed the number again, but this time up from a 7-pack to an 8-pack. It still costs £3 so that's 14% cheaper, hurrah (but still 13% dearer than last year, boo). Sometimes it seems shrinkflation goes the other way. Tue 29: Further signs of gentrification in Stroudley Walk - the back of the phone booth is displaying an advert for Waitrose. Wed 30: tbc
