An early morning appointment with Rashid beneath Brixton Academy.
I lie.
There was no such appointment.
I rocked up on the Mini-Moulton, greeted my man and asked him to work wonders on what I am now struggling to call my hair.
Rashid knows my scalp inside out.
Kinda…
He has been running the clippers through my thinning hair for the best part of almost two decades. Rashid doesn’t even ask what I want each time that I sit down.
I’ll surprise him with a request for a Keegan perm one of these mornings.
The attention to detail is incredible. Never underestimate the increased vanity of a balding bloke.
I cycled on through Brixton and back to the lovely lido.
Not much has changed in my fortnight away. The water temperature is still balmy at sixteen degrees.
Fifteen is my tipping point for the pink swimming hat. I wimped on Friday morning as the hat came out for the first time since mid-May.
I thought that I could see frost forming around the lido terrace as I tip-toed towards the deep end in my goggles.
It was weed killer.
oh.
I only had time for ten lengths. I’ve got many more left in me over the coming week.
A little lido gossip was exchanged in the gents.
Oooohhhhh.
I never knew that…
I then cycled on through Camberwell and down to Walworth for a school day in the lovely SE17.
I stopped off first to see Bob - he of Bob’s Bikes.
Yer man Bob has been promising me an ERECTION of the Mini-Moulton bike pole. The idea is to make it look like I am not riding a kiddies bike.
Which effectively, I am.
I walked on towards the Mothership.
The school continues to evolve and be ambitious. This is a very good thing. Various conversations took place about future ways of working.
I used Anchor to record a large amount of audio. I’m finding my way around the new workflow and what is possible with the platform.
It was quite a smooth process to record segments, and then piece them together as a permanent podcast.
Half an eye was kept on the Surrey score as school chucking out time approached.
I picked up the newly ERECTED Mini Moulton first from Bob - he of Bob’s Bikes - and then enjoyed some late afternoon sun with the Peter May Boys.
No BOOZE for my Friday afternoon for once.
Instead, a charming cup of tea.
And relax…
I arrived in time to see Sangakkara stroke the ball around the old ground for the final time and see Surrey over the line.
It was GLORIOUS in the Peter May late afternoon. It’s been a long old season for the ‘rrey. We look like finishing on something of a high.
It was fitting that young Ollie Pope delivered the winning runs shortly before 5pm.
The “winter well” greetings went out amongst old friends in the Peter May.
Bloody LOVE that club.
I cycled back to the flat and started editing some school content.
I headed back out later towards Brixton, and back to the Academy.
A second haircut of the day wasn’t on the agenda, but instead a messy, messy evening with Sleaford f-ing Mods.
People, Places, Parties, Jay etc.
I managed to snaffle a grubby ticket off an even grubbier tout for £20.
Nottingham’s finest were f-ing ACE.
ONE ON.