27 Nov - 2 Dec

Sat -  Time for the annual 'big push' up to Harlequin for Xmas shopping with Granny & Nigel.  Mrs M was very controlled and keep enthusiastic with the delights of buying presents.  I wandered around with Nigel and let him trample over WH Smiths and Waterstones for hours.  My biggest moan is why can't M&S sort out their order/paying process in their coffee shop?  Every other coffee shop manages to do it, yet M&S has a single queue with complete lack of accountability for who is doing what behind the counter.  And no manager to complain to.  Then lunch back at Darvells.  What can I say, we survived for another year.

In evening, Line Dancing with Choir, great fun.  Chatted to nice people who normally I only see the back of their heads on a Tuesday night.  BYO so a bottle of red wine made the evening go even better.

Sun - Met Nigel at Rootz for coffee and ST Culture read.  W1D5 40R, where I ran down to Chess and up back through CW House, bright sunshine, clear sky and refreshing breeze.  A joy to be out.

Wrapped up some Xmas presents.  Planned how the TV in the bedroom is to be fixed on wall, and cables to be routed.  In evening, meal at Sathi with Georgina.

Mon - W2D1 26S53C, swam first thing (after I defrosted the car, it stayed low temperatures all day), then spin class at lunchtime.  Went fine.  Cabled in TV in bedroom with clever use of ducting, even if I say so myself.  Mrs M was doctoring till 11pm so ate late, and too much in one go, so felt bloated.

Tue - W2D2 26R, much warmer than yesterday, but blustery autumn day, ran round Common.  Cut down branch of tree overhanging our garden.  Choir in evening where I told them I couldn't do the Xmas concert, so I will stop practices now.  Still, have Messiah in RAH on 15&16 Dec to look forward to.  Dr M out for dinner with drug company and overseas visitors.

Wed - W2D3 35S70C.  Missed getting to swim in morning.  Weather was glorious - clear, sunny, cold, so togged up and went for a longish cycle to Hemel B&Q for plasterboard plugs, Chesham to see Nigel at the Endeavour Centre, and dropped into H's for a pit stop and building site inspection.  28 miles in I guess about 2 hours cycle time.

Back for hotub, then put up TV on the bedroom wall, job done.

Thu - W2D4 35R, but as I did a cycle yesterday, I shifted it round and ran to gym (2.6k in 20 mins), had a 35min swim, then ran/jogged/walked back (2.6k in 25mins).  So over the 2 days its been the same.

In evening, went to Alyesbury Waterside Theatre to see the broadcast live of the NT play 'Collaborators'.  Very engrossing play, funny lines but at the end you see the steel single mindedness behind Stalin's lack of humanity.  The camera angles and lighting was fantastic, you didn't feel like you were watching a cinema screen, it was like you were there and could swoop in closeup to the actors.  It was great to see their facial expressions and hear their clear voices.  Will keep an eye out for future such showings, better and easier (and cheaper) than going up to London

Moscow, 1938. A dangerous place to have a sense of humour; even more so a sense of freedom. Mikhail Bulgakov, living among dissidents, stalked by secret police, has both. And then he’s offered a poisoned chalice: a commission to write a play about Stalin to celebrate his sixtieth birthday.

Inspired by historical fact, Collaborators embarks on a surreal journey into the fevered imagination of the writer as he loses himself in a macabre and disturbingly funny relationship with the omnipotent subject of his drama.

Killing my enemies is easy. The challenge is to change the way they think, to control their minds. And I think I controlled yours pretty well. In years to come, I’ll be able to say: Bulgakov? Yeah, we even trained him. He gave up. He saw the light. We broke him, we can break anybody. It’s man versus monster, Mikhail. And the monster always wins.

John Hodge’s blistering new play depicts a lethal game of cat and mouse through which the appalling compromises and humiliations inflicted on any artist by those with power are held up to scrutiny.

Alex Jennings plays Bulgakov and Simon Russell Beale, Stalin.

Fri - W2D5 44S88C - the long sessions - swam first thing, did 2k in about 50mins, but I lost count on my laps!.  Walked to vill for shopping to give frost and ice on ground a chance to melt, then into cycle gear.  It was still cold, but the sun was out and the sky clear.  Almost fully togged up (skin hat under helmet, 2 layer on top, full leggings, sealskin gloves).  14 miles into Watford to buy some coffee beans from Starbucks where it was 50% off (I was told but it was signed) so I bought them out of expresso decaf (3 bags).  On way back the clouds came over and it felt damn cold, so needed the hot tub to recover.  Need to put on windproof jacket next time.