Sunday morning, wait make that afternoon since it's nearly evening. A Croque Monsieur and Lavazza, qualita rosa to be precise have grounded me for the day. Tom Waits makes me want to buy a paino and become a drunk, tells me to step right up and get on the business end of his going out of business sale, tells me Romeo is bleeding. Hey man.

We went round Jonathan's for dinner last night which was as expected, entertaining. Tara, Jonathan's girlfriend has an identical twin, Tanya. Not only are they identical in looks, but their mannerisms, voice and intonation are remarkably similar. I spent a good deal of the evening enjoying the free double vision. Martha, Phil's girlfriend was there as well telling us about her meeting with the Earl Spencer in her youth while working as a chamber maid. We laughed as she regailed how she told the Earl what she did, cleaned toilets. He never did ask for her telephone number. You couldn't even make it up. Martha delighted us by telling us about her imaginary friend Nancy Rouge. Nancy, une femme d'un certain âge, lives in Salisbury and owns a soft furnishings shop. She wears knitted polar neck sweaters and long, large beaded necklaces. Nancy was created years ago in an office by several bored women. Martha grew so attached to Nancy that long after the job had changed and all the bored women had moved on, Martha gave Nancy life. Post cards were sent from Paris and other European cities, Nancy seemingly loves Prague and Budapest, a strong bohemian theme ran throughtout the story.

I have been reading a book titled Cod, a biography of the fish that changed the world. Remarkable that it was the Basques who discovered America but kept it a secret in order to conceal the source of all the cod, the Grand Banks. How the abundance and depletion of cod changed economies, started and ended wars as well as forged alliances and fueled disagreements. Fitting that Jonathan had prepared a chowder of haddock and potatoes as reading all the recipes in the book for Bacalao and other salt cod dishes has had me craving hearty peasant food - salt cod & salt pork chowder with crusty bread.

I managed to magic up a lemon & lime tart on Friday night as I decided to stay in and entertain myself in the kitchen. I was suitably impressed with the results given that I had to use my tiny shitty gas oven that couldn't possibly give off any kind of consistent heat; it's either a furnace or it's off.

A good time was had by all and I slept for England as I forfeited my chance to lie in yesterday, opting instead to go to work and earn some much needed extra cash. I am off to see Tor this evening, so I should go and bath.