Weeknotes #123: a dark comedy and a cough with company

Coughing through songs, feasting outside and sneaky sips

Week commencing Monday, 26 May 2025

Two freshly poured pints of lager sit side by side on a rustic wooden table at a traditional London pub near Carnaby Street. The beers feature perfectly formed creamy white foam heads that crown the amber-coloured liquid beneath. The wooden table shows natural grain patterns and appears well-worn from years of use, whilst a person's legs in dark trousers are partially visible in the background, creating an authentic pub atmosphere with warm, inviting lighting.
Pint-Sized Perfection

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 5/7; Exercise 5/7 and Move 5/7. (71%). Morning walks: 2/3 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 44,581

Life

  • Monday was a bank holiday. I took Mum and Dad to the station before heading home. It’s always sad when they go. Their train was very full, so I was relieved to hear they’d found a seat. Less impressed by the station security people who tried to move me on from waving them off.
  • In the evening, to the Odeon Cinema in Wimbledon to see Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme. I love his deadpan style, meticulously styled cinematography, and symmetrical compositions. Another great film that looked stunning.
  • The plot? It’s a dark comedy that follows wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda, who appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. Later, they must fight off scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and assassins. So, just your everyday tale.
  • Thirsty Thursday happened this week, but instead of standing outside the same pub all night, we went for some food and sat outside a different pub! The food was delicious. It was good to break the pattern – a small change that made the evening feel different.
  • While I was doing that, PY was on The Island, finally resolving the electricity meter problem. Wonderful news.
  • I woke up on Friday with what I thought was a cold, which has the additional impact of making my cough worse. I was not very well.
  • But I managed to get out of the house to see The Crazy Coqs sing Celine Dion. And, as I was feeling a bit better and we got 20% off at The American Bar, we had a drink there before heading home.
    I was glad I made the effort – the singers were terrific, and it felt like reclaiming the tail end of the week.

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