Morning

Up 08 15.

Breakfast : orange juice; black tea; apple crumble. Watched short film from Don’t Extradite Assange campaign. Searched for cabal and awakening using Google and then DuckDuckGo finding links to websites of author, television series, and more. Themes familiar : anti-vax; anti-5G; George Soros; pedophilia rings etc. Thought I’d leave it there until I see the staff member again. Checked balance to find had been credited to tune of £150.

Did dishes, went to bathroom, took long shower and descaled teeth (having found intact instrument unexpectedly after tidying kitchen somewhat).

Made notes on housing contigencies.

Elevenses : banana; black tea.

Built second chandelier for Cut and Shut Ritz. Hung print.

Afternoon

Lunch : bacon and pea quiche; cucumber; water. Lightheaded.

Went to Lidl, forgetting to wear training shoes, and returning through Victoria Park after leaving towpath by Upper Bristol Road : more direct alternative. Phoned friend before reaching home and met for coffee in town (courtesy friend) after trip to Guildhall Markets. Streets around Assembly Rooms taken over by film production which likely to be new series Bridgerton.

Tea : black tea; shortbread.

Evening

Supper : Spinach and Ricotta Pizza; green salad.

Went to Waitrose for food and coffee.

Online until turning in.

Morning

Up 08 15. Strange dream.

Breakfast : orange juice; black tea; pancakes a l’orange.

Tidied studio, dusting and polishing furniture whilst waiting for Fire Inspection.

Elevenses : black tea. Checked online regarding so-called council tax rebate of £150; apparently eligible and first in line as of Monday this week.

Fire Inspection contractor knocked on door and informed me that completed checks and no access to studio required (not what the letter a week ago indicated). Neighbour in who tells me moving out after landlord phoned him at work from inside his apartment, demanding that mother’s dog be removed immediately (neighbour caretaking as mother incapacitated waiting years for operation on NHS). Said turning up/entering without notice was not right, mentioning own experience day before, and encouraging him to assert his rights such as they are. Guessing the ridiculous vehicle parked at front which when well parked still obstructs a quarter of the width of pavement beyond the drive belongs to ‘the owner’. Wished neighbour well.

Afternoon

Lunch : tahcheen. Spoke to a friend.

Published TNS.

Felt uncomfortable and couldn’t decide whether hungry or nauseous. Drank a lot of water and ate a banana, feeling a little better for it in due course.

Evening

Went to Waitrose for balance and food. Opted for 3 apples, planning apple pie for dessert and breakfast using pastry from friend. ‘I live to fight another day,’ I said to a staff member, then mentioning reporting that at least one senior officer at financial corporation expecting civil unrest. ‘Change is coming,’ she said. Expressed view that organisation required but she was certain : I needed to look up the cabal and awakening. Said I would and revert.

Pastry off so improvised a crumble topping using olive oil and last of Alpen.

Supper : apple crumble.

Online until turning in.

Morning

Up 08 45. Coffee in bed. Online.

Breakfast : orange juice; muesli.

Did dishes, went to bathroom, showered and dressed.

Edited TNS posts to date, removing pictures, having decided to produce quarterly by theme instead. Closed window due to building noise.

Interrupted by unfamiliar noise which judged could be banging on door to studio : unannounced visit by landlord whom I have never met (have always dealt with agent), introducing himself as ‘the owner’. He said he needed to test the keys agent had given him (bunch in his right hand) to try to find his copy. This had not been communicated to me. Held door shut whilst he went through several keys to no avail. Said I would have one cut and sent via the agent, accepting £5 in coin for the purpose. He asked whether everything was alright. ‘Times are hard for a lot of people,’ I said. ‘Is the flat ok?’ ‘It’s in one piece.’ He checked whether I knew about the Fire Inspection the next day; said I would be in. Offered me £10 for a drink. Declined saying ‘it was against my morality’. ‘Sorry if I have offended you.’ Somewhat stressed and angry.

Elevenses : coffee; madeleines.

Continued working as above. Lots of traffic in stairwell, doors banging, and voices outside : sounded like new or prospective tenants and agent/s.

Afternoon

Lunch : kabob; rice; tomato; radish (courtesy friend).

Walked down to river and back, seeing acquaintance. Wrote to agent to record the events of the morning and to confirm details ‘before I say anything more’. Messaged by a friend who said had some food could drop off.

Prepared for and attended appointment with WC at Pinesgate (DWP). Furniture arrangement had changed. Waited my turn in seating adjacent to booth conscious I could hear everything being said by WC and claimant. WC greeted by standing and approaching. Asked me to describe range activity rather than progress so ran through projects and target sectors. Asked her what her background was when explaining nature of LFE (‘to know how to pitch it’ as I would explain); ‘this is about you, not about me,’ she had said. She said it sounded interesting. I mentioned – perhaps insensitively – that mooted cuts to civil service headcount might militate against hiring in the sector. She said job would provide financial stability enabling progress with writing etc. That may or may not be so but I let it go. Toddler running around behind me. Made appointment for end of month. Passed by security guard at supermarket celebrating his moving on of a man with an apparent friend who expressed his approval by bringing a hammer down on a bollard.

Tea : black tea; shortbread.

Went for run along Charlcombe Lane. Wild garlic out still. Showered after cooling off. Hungry.

Went to Waitrose for balance and food, deciding buy reduced quiche and milk. Spoke to man I recognise from streets who said he had lost his home; read a poem he had written titled Strawberries in the Drain.

Evening

Supper : bacon and pea quiche; green salad.

Friend called round with tahcheen and fruit. Caught up briefly.

Online until turning in.

Health & Beauty

Male; 48 years old; (H) 1.90 m; 95 kg. Possibly neurologically diverse (unassessed).

Moderate anxiety; moderate depression.

Monitoring possible digestive and urological issues following GP visit (not thought pathological); sundry other issues.

Home

Tenant (shorthold assured tenancy) of unfurnished 30m2 studio apartment in Bath (UK) at £19.83 per square meter.

Neither building nor studio well appointed or maintained.

Livelihood

Universal Credit claimant registered on RESTART programme with SEETEC PLUSS via DWP office in Bath as ‘ungainfully self-employed’ (journalism; media production; education).

Fellow of The Schumacher Institute.

Monthly disposable income : £919.84. Universal Credit : £919.84. Patreon : £0. Other : £0.

Current account balance : £4.27; Cash balance : £0.15; Savings : £0¹; Debt £0.

All balances shown as at 16th May 2022; (1) Trivial holdings (< £5,000) in two private pension schemes not accessible before become eligible for retirement.

Politics

Member of Green Party of England and Wales.

Relations

Single.

Parents (West Midlands); godparents (South West England; France); brother, sister-in-law, niece (North West England).

Morning

Up 08 45. Did picture editing in bed.

Breakfast : orange juice; muesli (dairy milk); coffee.

Continued working as above. Plumped for ‘[Pronoun] at work, [Location], [Region]’ labels.

Elevenses: coffee; madeleines.

Continued working as above.

Afternoon

Lunch : bulgur wheat; onion; potatoes; black chick peas.

Walked into town, visiting Waitrose and deciding buy just shortbread. Had lost last of my medical facemasks so shopped without for first time in two years perhaps.

Tea : black tea; shortbread.

Searched for job vacancies : decided apply for New Economics Foundation role. Prepared application.

Evening

Supper : bulgur wheat; onion; potatoes; black chick peas.

Friend stopped by and dropped off prepared food and cagoule.

Continued working on application until late, submitting forms to nef and proof of dispatch (image of sent email)/receipt to EA as required.

Drank glass of milk with finger shortbread.

Online until turning in.

Morning

Up 08 55.

Coffee in bed. Online.

Breakfast : coffee; muesli (almond milk). Spoke to friend.

Elevenses : coffee; madeleines. Party in the City still going – at party house nearby, at any rate.

Worked on website.

Afternoon

Lunch : fried egg; rice. Spoke to a friend.

Went to Waitrose for balance and food. Less than £10 to cover until Thursday. Opted for potatoes and an onion (bulgur wheat at home). Said to staff member I was scraping bottom of barrel this month. He said I was not the only one and wondered whether those struggling would vote.

Worked on website. Ate some nuts.

Tea : black tea; shortbread.

Continued working as above.

Evening

Returned to Waitrose, buying reduced milk. Speeding motorist yelled ‘Fuck you!’ at another who had turned right into Guinea Lane without much warning, causing them to have to break hard, and who answered in kind.

Supper : bulgur wheat; onion; potato; chick pea.

Did picture editing for first Regional Rides gallery until turning in.

Morning

Up 07 55. Coffee in bed. Online.

Breakfast : orange juice; coffee; granola; muesli (almond milk). Contractor outside inspecting drains.

Worked on website. Did dishes, went to bathroom, showered and dressed. Cleaned laptop keyboard with brush for trimmer.

Elevenses : coffee; madeleines. Spoke to friend who suggested attending the Party in the City in the evening before reassuring me that apparent fermentation of corn on cob would not be harmful when I asked.

Continued working as above.

Afternoon

Lunch : Corn on the cob with butter.

Went for a walk around town. Spoke to an acquaintance sleeping rough who said he was recovering from COVID-19, pneumonia and pleurisy, and a broken rib (he had been hospitalised) and was looking ahead to the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge. I said I tended to travel no further than my feet carried me at the moment, for financial reasons. ‘Do you want a lift?’ he asked. Put head round door to say hello to a friend at work who looked up from a pile of till receipts to tell me my hair ‘looked funny’.

Tea : black tea; shortbread.

Produced progress report.

Evening

Supper : toad in the hole.

Met friend in town for Party in the City, seeing two or three acts at Parade Gardens and Queen’s Square, visiting the Raven for a drink and catching up with colleagues whom we encountered. Admission to Parade Gardens was oddly restricted with a one out, one in policy at the entrance. Better atmosphere at Queen’s Square. Left friend and colleagues and walked back home past a man relieving himself behind The Star Inn.

Online until turning in.

Morning

Up 07 45.

Breakfast : orange juice; coffee; granola.

Reported Income and Expenses to DWP. Received message from Managing Agent about Fire Inspection (replied to say I would be in). Read Teen Vogue article on recently leaked draft opinion on reproductive rights in US, noticing ads for joint pain and arthritis, which cannot be target market and must reflect my searches or conversation (mentioned couple times lately to friends). Reference in Declassified article to UK as US’ ‘unsinkable aircraft carrier’.

Attended meeting with Wessex Water at Northgate House. Advised would start at 11 so went outside. Helped family looking for Visa and Citizenship Application Centre find their way to reception. Spoke to man I recognise from streets and his friend, with whom I am acquainted (I had bought her a bacon sandwich in the Guildhall Markets after what was apparently her first night on the streets ten years ago or so). Spent remaining time in space by Bath Abbey, greeting and then talking to Big Issue vendor who thanked me for saying hello. She said she was struggling working/caring for young children; I said it was possible Citizens Advice could help and drew her a map.

Signed in at the Reception of Seetec Pluss and sat down alongside one or two others before we were shown into the Training Room to wait for WW, evidently running late. 7 of us in total including a woman who would have to leave early for a DWP appointment and a man with a roll up cigarette behind his ear who would also have to leave early to avoid a parking fine. Recruitment Team from WW duly arrived – a man and a woman – and spoke about variety roles available as well as asking us to introduce selves and what might be seeking. Seetec Pluss staff member joined momentarily (possibly to record who was present). As suspected, some of incidental industry detail was interesting : sludge tankers bringing freight by road from south coast to (sole) Avonmouth plant; senior managers regularly speak to staff via monitors in canteen or ‘The Street’ to keep them abreast of the whole of the business and current issues – discharges of sewage into watercourses was the example given. Was last to leave, having a brief conversation with WW on way out.

Went to Waitrose en-route home for food, buying reduced sausages, yorkshire puddings, onion gravy. Saw acquaintance who said he had sown wildflower seeds, colleague working at WW who said had been working 70 hr weeks, and EA.

Afternoon

Lunch : fried egg; rice.

Slept after eating as felt tired.

Tea : black tea; shortbread.

Worked on website.

Ate some nuts. Spoke to a friend.

Evening

Went to Waitrose again for food and bought reduced corn on the cob.

Supper : toad in the hole.

Went to Coop for muesli, and took cagoule to friend who had requested a coat.

Spoke to friend.

Online until lights out.

Morning

Up 07 45. Online.

Breakfast : orange juice; coffee; granola (dairy milk).

Went to bathroom, showered and dressed.

Published TNS.

Attended appointment with EA at Northgate House (Seetec Pluss). Majority time spent discussing target sectors (5 minimum); EA said needed understand better what might fit the bill. Obliged with 5 (one or two in reserve). EA invited me to consider training at Bath City College (Hospitality Certificate) with a view to role in sector (not one of my targets); politely declined. Also suggested attending sessions with Wessex Water later in the week and Simple Recruitment – which I had already declined after inspecting the website lately – later in the month. I indicated that I could not ‘sustainably’ (the language used in their workshop) work for WW, on ethical grounds, but accepted that it would be sensible to attend. EA asked me whether I knew my UTR, as regards self-employment; I didn’t off the top of my head and said I’d find out what what I could and contact my WC. EA also confirmed that Wellbeing Coach referral form had been sent. I said I would also progress things with GP in parallel.

Elevenses : coffee (courtesy friend). Discussed personal and wider matters with friend in coffee house. Talked about humanity as a species vis a vis other species and Nature, or Creation etc : friend contended that part of our consciousness unnatural, estranging us from Nature; I argued that homo sapiens is part of Nature that has capacity (and moral responsibility) to reason as well as commune with Nature, or something like that.

Afternoon

Lunch : spinach, red pepper & feta quiche; green salad; tiramisu.

BIt anxious to see change of appointment with WC. Wrote to WC to ask about UTR, and saw message to effect that change just cover for absence. Noticed announcement by Bath City Farm that its community cafe had finally opened, following 26 years of planning etc : the ‘power of just doing stuff’?

Felt needed break so walked into town, visiting charity shops (looking for glasses), and seeing an acquaintance with whom I exchanged a joke. Lightheaded.

Tea : water, melon.

Finished No Wine in Old Bottles piece by cutting material for a champagne towel from tablecloth, folding it, and dressing the bottle/bucket; decided tired, plastic flute was appropriate. Closed window due to idling motorist.

Evening

Supper : quiche (as above); green salad.

Spoke to friend. Lightheaded.

Published TNS.

Online until lights out.

Morning

Up 09 00. Coffee in bed. Online. New World Meterological Office and Met Office study reported : 50:50 chance 1.5 degrees Celsius will be breached by 2026.

Breakfast : orange juice; granola.

Did dishes.

Published TNS.

Elevenses : coffee; madeleines.

Went to Lidl. Stopped en route to enjoy reeds along towpath. Man told member staff about state opening of parliament at checkout. Letter from Andrews Property Group warning of Fire Maintenance inspection next Tuesday.

Afternoon

Lunch : margherita pizza; green salad. Allowed a UPS courier in to deliver a parcel for neighbour.

Worked on LFE. Drew curtain to protect from sun at desk.

Tea : black tea; fruit cake.

Worked through more of Seetec Pluss portal. Interested to see some locally produced content; the Rt Hon Don Foster MP, a Cabinet Minister in the Coalition Government appeared in a short film, as did a civil servant in the Local Authority saying the central government had run out of money.

Spoke to friend.

Evening

Supper : mushroom tortelloni (more expensive than the Ham and Cheese and much superior); green salad; tiramisu.

Online rest of evening. Following Queen’s Speech (read today by HRH the Prince of Wales flanked by Duchess of Cornwall and HRH the Duke of Cambridge) Caroline Lucas MP described the Johnson government as a ‘government with no purpose’. Amusing commentary on Twitter as regards arrival of Imperial State Crown (‘a hat’) at Palace of Westminster in its own bespoke Rolls Royce limousine. Read about mass trespass on Duke of Somerset’s 2800 acre Berry Pomeroy Estate in Devon with photographic evidence of abuse of the land, wildlife, livestock etc. Purpose is to conserve and increase power and wealth of ruling class. Aiming at access to some of the thousands or in some cases hundreds of thousands of acres of land belonging to such households (ennobled or not) seems to miss the point somewhat.

Lights out. Removed one of two duvets as too warm.