SomersTownLisa

London Life
2021-07-28 16:09:12 (UTC)

Anna X, Off The Rails, The Comeback, the girl on the train

Mon 19/07/2021
Lunch in the sun at Organico, and I tested my ankle on a short run again, to a task at Victoria Park, where there was a bit of confusion about the meeting place, but I had fun working with a new girl, Evie.

Saw Dave G – now with long hair - for the first time for a few years, and managed to keep away from him.It also lovely to talk to Becky, with whom I swapped notes about Hadrian’s Wall. She had to run away from cows, while we were fleeing lightning there a few years ago. She walked the whole distance of the wall.
I enjoyed shovelling with Evie, and as Emma was there, we went to the Royal Inn afterwards, where we sat outside but as restrictions were eased today, we actually went up to the bar to order. Even had a lot to say about going abroad to work. Sadly Evie was at the other end of the table.

Afterwards I decided to wait five minutes for a bus rather than walk 13 minutes to the station, not that the bus stopped very close to the station.

Tue 20/07/2021
‘Anna X’ at the Harold Pinter Theatre, with Emma Corrin and Nabhaan Rizwan, still socially distanced despite the lifting of all restrictions (except face masks on TFL) yesterday. This was the one my friend was involved in, but I’m not blaming her for the poor entertainment.

It was another two-hander, to make it easier to prepare during the restrictions, and it wasn’t really a play at all, the two of hem spending most of the time addressing the audience, telling the story that way.

It was basically about a Ukranian girl who cons a website designer into investing in her failing company by romantic means, and by projecting an appearance of riches. To make up for the absence of a proper cast, distracting video projections and electronic music was annoyingly deployed throughout.

We walked home most of the way, as we used to after work sometimes, but the café we were hoping to visit had shut for the evening. But we’d been to Ellie’s for lunch.

Wed 21/07/2021
Before work I cycled over to Tufnell Park and did a task moving bags of earth, for Fran. Emma didn’t make it but Sam, Steve and Simon were there and I met a first-timer, Naomi and a couple of quite-new blokes. We finished early and I took home a sunflower. I happened to see the gardener as I was coming in, and he offered to plant it for mw. I didn’t see Jack for lunch as he was with his mate, so in the evening we had a drink in Coal Drops Yard before I went to get the tube to Wood Green.

Except that Kings Cross St Pancras tube was shut. There didn’t seem to be a train to Alexandra Palace from King’s Cross, but City Mapper advised me to get one from St Pancras and change at Finsbury Park, where I got an earlier connection than the app advised, so I was at the meeting place in good time, before Nurj and Latoya appeared.

We cut back some foliage at the edge of an estate then went for a meal and a drink at the back of a brewery. Sadly, we ran past the vegan café/bar on the way. I sat between Kapil and Geraldine, with Sarah M, Niamh and Eucs opposite me. I had trouble with the ordering app; I got as far as where they sent me a code to my phone, but every time I entered it they sent me a new one.

So Nimah had to order mine, and I owe her money. It was a good place to sit outside in the summer, and we watched some kids in smart skirts doing handstands, but I wasn’t very chatty. I ran up to the High Street, where the bus stop said the bus was due, but it didn’t arrive for 11 minutes. I might have got the tube if I’d have known.

Thur 22/07/2021
We went to the premiere of ‘Off The Rails’ with Judi Dench, Jenny Seagrove, Sally Phillips and Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips, at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. We had to queue to get the tickets, but once in, the seats were massive and very comfortable.

The film was about three women going on a rail trip from St Pancras to Paris, Barcelona and Mallorca. I’m not keen on films about unhappy middle-aged people, though (no doubt to attract more punters) there was a mini-skirted 18-year old as well. There wasn’t much humour in it, just a lot of bickering, but it’s always good to see St Pancras on film, and the trip across town from Paris Nord to Paris Leon made me long to go on an inter-country train trip again.

We were hungry so after getting the bus we tried a new vegan place, Clean Camden. I tried fish fishless fingers, which were very nice initially, but somehow the taste didn’t sustain. It was stillw arm enough at that time of night, to sit outside by the box park and eat it.

Fri 23/07/2021
Tried a new Spanish place, ‘Jamon Jamon’, which was advertising a vegan menu on a board outside. We sat at the front in the sun and ordered some paella, which took half an hour, but we had plenty of time, and we had time to go to Philippe Conticini afterwards. The young girls are still wearing micro-skirts, despite the number of hot days we’ve had. In other years they’ve sometimes reverted to longer shorts after a few days. It probably helps that the older ladies in their thirties are mainly wearing pretty, though longer, summer dresses and skirts.

In the evening we saw ‘The Comeback’ at the Noel Coward Theatre, with Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen, playing two comedy duos, one up and coming and one who are former television stars. It had the feel of ‘Noises Off’, with both sides of the curtain being shown at different times, as well as an element of farce. Some of their routines were quite funny, though old-fashioned. For a two-hander, it was pretty good.

We had time to pop into Pret afterwards.

Sat 24/07/2021
Went to do a task at Highbury with Steve and Simon. I had plenty of things to do in the morning, but couldn’t decide which to do, so instead I left early and walked to the task, only getting there about three minutes late – which I didn’t mind as there were no girls there. I cut back some vines behind the hut and away from some trees, and afterwards got the 393 bus, which did a tour of my back-street cycle routes to Camden Park Road.

I met Jack at Notes, then he went off to Brighton while I had to get my bag which I’d left at Manningtree station nine days ago. At Liverpool Street I saw a girl of about 18, who was wearing tight shiny goth shorts which rose diagonally at the back away from the middle, so showed off nearly half of her bum, even though she seemed to be with her mum.

I sat across the aisle from them on the train, not expecting to see much as she’d be sitting down, but she chose to sit grasping her knees up by her chin, so there was a good view of her bum under the table, with the shorts just a thick black line down the middle, like knickers. She then decided to sit sideways with her feet on the seat beside her, so I could see all of her side bum and much of the back of one cheek.

At Manningtree the ticket office was closed, but the cheerful conductress showed me to the staff office, where they’d got my bag, as well as other people’s suitcases and laptops. It was nice to be re-united with my shaver, umbrella, underwear, rain trousers, light jacket, and some orange juice which seemed to have changed into wine.

I had a lovely cup of tea at the bar while waiting for my booked train – I had a quick look outside the station, but the bridge just led to countryside, and the only facility nearby was an industrial estate.

Sun 25/07/2021
Got up at 06:00 to volunteer at the Acics 10k, and for some reason got off at Charing Cross and had to walk down to Westminster near where I used to meet Jack after work. We had to fill up water cups, then we had a brief break at Pret before returning to hand them out to runners. It was good to be with Simon, Victoria and Lorna but we were a “spill-over” group of six, whereas the others were in a group of 23, including Ivy, Sam, Toyin, Catrin, Bethan, Miriam and Ivy, which I’d have rather joined as there were so many of them.

We were on our feet for nearly five hours and although it was tiring, the time passed quickly. Not many people needed water early on, but as it got onto the less fit people, most wanted water. It was good to be able to cheer people by name. I usually avoid putting my name on my number when I do a run because I want to be able to distinguish between people who know me, and those who’ve just seen my name. Maybe I should use a nickname.

After helping to pack up, we walked up to the finish which was next to Downing Street. We saw Ceiling who was helping with medals and goodie bags, but she’d signed up independently. I asked when she’s going to do another task, but she just commented that I’d signed up for one this afternoon (which was cancelled due to the weather).

We had vague ideas of going for a coffee and a snack, but after hanging around Trafalgar Square for a bit, we decided we were too tired and I got the tube home. The rain-storm which had been forecast for 11:00 arrived at about 15:00, about half an hour after I’d got in. It went on for about three hours so it was a good thing it was late. It’s been very hot all week so it was no surprise.

I listened to the Amazing Chart, washed up, tidied the bedroom, had a bath and went to bed early.

Mon 26/07/2021
Jack was busy as his colleague was off, but as my boss was off we found time to go to Ellie’s and Hidden Coffee.

Managed to find a phone box to post back my race chip from Hatfield, which they’d asked to send if I didn’t use it, even though they didn’t collect the used ones. And there were no instructions on their site, so I sent it to the chip suppliers. I ran from Homerton station to the task, which felt all right, but the ankle ached afterwards so my chances of being ready for the London marathon look remote. I did run from the park to the task, with Ivy, Laura and Grit, and then to the task itself.

Laura was full of indecision as usual as to what the two varied-length runs should be. At the task, I was unable to work with Sree as she was late arriving I sent her a message to say where we were, without realising she’d tried to phone me. I worked with Evie, Rohan and Stephen to cut back thistle, which was easy to pull out after the rain.

Stephen took us to the Camel pub where we sat on a table outside. I got to sit next to Sree but again Evie was at the other end to me and I didn’t get to know her. Seems Simon is gay which is no surprise. Why do gay people often sound so gay – like Even who came for a drink last week.




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