February 2026 | James Durose-Rayner's website

February 2026

The A's

ALL IMAGES OPEN IN TECHNICOLOUR

28 February 2026

Good morning - not.

It is 1:00 am (GMT+2) and I am up.

It is another long day ahead.

The taxi is due at 2:30 am.

I've just uncoupled both batteries on the FTO and the scooter. It's only a 10 minute job, but an annoying one.

Julie booked our flights back out here, yesterday.

We are back out on 21 March.

It's hardly worth going home.

Time for a bath and to load up my bag.

---

It is 3:20 am (GMT+2)

We are in the Skala Lounge in Larnaca Airpor.

The taxi ride here was purgatory.

George from Empire Taxi's had his winter gear on and the heating in the car was on full whack.

Absolutely, no need.

It isn't even cold out.

I've got a poor man's Macchiato and a soda water in front of me and hopefully the English Breakfast will show its face before 5:00 am (GMT+2).

This lounge blows the UK ones away. It is very good

Opposite is a new character that I've written into the series. There are a few of them.

This is Amber White who is in Year 11 at Christ Is King.

Without giving too much away, she has dropped out of the school's swimming team and left the school short for the All-London finals at the London Aquatics Centre in Queen Elizabeth Park, East London.

It is reportedly boyfriend problems, but that's not the case.

The Head of P.E., Mrs Tomley is not the most flexible of people, as little Jenny Mellor is to find out.

27 February 2026

Kaliméra.

I was up at 7:30 am (GMT+2).

The back door is open, the sun is out and shining through the blinds on the patio and I am on to my second cup of coffee.

It is sunny with a very cool wind.

This week has been lovely: The great unwind.

I've also managed to get some serious work done on The A's, and now the script is flowing, a flight back to the UK beckons. It is always the same. You get into your stride and bang!

I'm not looking forward to the long haul home tomorrow morning that much is for sure.

I don't get writer's block as such, I just get keep writing and going back in time and changing things - and as I've said before, I never start with Once Upon A Time... I write from anywhere but the start.

The middle generally.

However, the middle in this project is between both series. Jenny's Christening and Mason's wedding to Anita.

At the moment, all the main characters all have a personality and history - however, others keep coming into play.

Yesterday, was another nothing day which was kicked off with scrambled eggs on toast which was a monumental mistake. The eggs can't have been off as eggs never lie about their age.

Julie reckons it was the butter she cooked them in, which when she looked, was about 18 months out of date.

Whatever it was, those stomach pangs never let up all day.

I'll cop a haircut and shave up at Tony's in Vrysoulles today and I need to call in to Motor Lucas - the place I bought the scooter from as it still needs the logbook changing over.

The bullshit that comes with Cyprus is unbelievable.

You should be able to do all this online.

Here, they don't even do online shopping!

26 February 2026

Kaliméra.

I was up at 7:30 am (GMT+2).

I had a lousy sleep. Thirsty, heartburn, my joints aching, headache.

The door is open and the sun is shining in past the blinds on the patio doors and I'm on to my second cup of coffee.

Hopefully, we'll have the same sort of weather as yesterday.

Saying that, it has rained heavy through the night.

We called at Zorba's bakers last night and I got a couple of boxes of Japanese food - sushi and sashimi, along with a couple of grilled chicken breasts.

Japanese food is much more healthier than Chinese, but the use of chopsticks is the same.

We went to Beijing in 1997 and the kids learned to use them before we did.

We were supposed to be going to Tokyo a couple of years ago and paid around £7,000 for the holiday.

The country, however, was still reeling from the second onslaught of the bullshit that was Co-vid and were far stricter than the UK, and we were denied access, therefore, we had to cancel. A shame really.

Opposite are Gaynor and Mason eating sushi and sashimi in the fictitious restaurant on the A315 King Street, which is called The Eye of Shinjuku - and which is rather crudely nicknamed The Jap's Eye.

There are a few scenes in the restaurant, the last one being on what was Gaynor's sort of Hen Night if-you-like. The night before the engagement party at The Sailing Club.

Mason likes a drink, but nothing like Gaynor.

Whereas Mason will just have a bottle of Asahi beer in The Jap's Eye, Gaynor plays her When In Rome-card and drinks sake (pronounced saki), which goes down just a bit too easy.

It is the same story as when they go to Ireland, with Gaynor drinking pints of Guinness.

Her drinking is often seen as a problem by her friends, but there is more to it than that and is part of her highly complex character... which I can't really say as it would spoil the story.

That's me done.

I think we will try and cop a curry later.

25 February 2026

Kaliméra.

The website has been a pig this morning and continually hanging.

I was up at 8:45 am (GMT+2).

I'm on my first coffee, the back door is open and the sun is out and there's a sink full of pots and a half-drank glass of wine on the kitchen tops... Next to the (cream) Morphy Richards kettle which the thermostat in the lid has just broke.

We replaced the original (cream) Morphy Richards kettle with this one maybe six or seven years ago. We kept it the same as it came with a matching (cream) Morphy Richards toaster that we rarely use.

We nipped out to a few electric shops yesterday in our quest for the same type and coloured kettle... and nothing. They had the type but not the colour, and had the colour but not the type. And they were far more expensive than they are in the UK.

Our (electric) Smeg kettle was expensive in the UK at £179.

An inferior spec. Smeg here was €250 from Jermino on Paralimni's April Avenue.

Somehow, I just can't see a Cypriot family chucking that kind of money on a kettle.

Anyway, I've just nipped on eBay and chucked one in my basket. £29.99. When I get back in the UK I'll buy it, and bring it over next time.

In the meantime I'll put up with the one here boiling over.

I can't believe some of the shit that I talk about.

We got a mini bollocking from Fosis when we called up to Vrysoulles, yesterday.

"I came for you and you were gone," he said.

This was Sunday evening - pre-Green Monday.

He had the barbecue on at the restaurant just around the corner he owns, but which he only opens on family occasions.

"Yeah, we'd had a couple of drinks," I told him. "We needed to get back to Agia Triada."

"We had a family party and you were invited," was what got translated to us. "Ioanna wanted to thank you for the baby clothes."

I got the last bit.

The idea is when you invite somebody to something - you actually ask them. Fosis hadn't even mentioned it.

We called in at Dave's Bar on our way home, which was packed to the rafters with expat's.

Lorraine, the Irish lady behind the bar told us it was music bingo.

I can't stand fucking bingo, quiz's or any other pub games, as I don't need entertaining - however, it was something that I'd never seen before - and I love music.

Tony - the owner of the bar - not Dave, as Dave doesn't exist, told me that it was very popular. It would be. €200 prize money. That kind of money to an expat would be like £10,000 to me. And this guy we nickname Fred Perry Alan won the lot.

Alan is about 70 years old and is from Darwen in Lancashire.

As his name suggests, he wears Fred Perry and has his hair in a 1960s mop cut - similar to the indie bands of the 1990's. You know - Oasis, The Verve etc.

He's an okay-guy, but pisses other expat's off as he's a bit of a player... you know - a ladies man.

How that works, I've no fucking idea - but that is what was said.

24 February 2026

Kaliméra.

I was up at 7:10 am (GMT+2).

I am on to be third coffee and the door is open and it is absolutely glorious outside.

Déjà vu?

I fucking hope not as at 12:30 pm yesterday it all went black - the heavens opened, and it hammered it down.

Typical weather for a Bank Holiday.

In the morning we drove down to the Trinity beach at Agia Triada and watched as the families conversed over the picnic tables whilst their barbecues were being prepped only for the weather to totally ruin what was the first day of lent.

We had nipped to the Pop Life supermarket as Julie wanted some tins of cat food for the feral cats that live around the white seaman's church on the harbour.

And as the weather broke, and most places that we frequent were closed, we ended up calling in Dave's Bar, which is possibly the most British pub in the area - in that it is never shut.

They do Coors on draught which is a refreshing change from drinking Keo out of a bottle and they played 1980s music on the radio...

We had not eaten there - ever, but being that the rain was coming into the bar through the air vents in the roof, we gave them some moral support and had an €11 meal of steak pie, chips and mushy peas - which was obviously priced accordingly for the tight-fisted British expat.

And that is expensive to some of them.

There was this guy called Leftaris who had a bar in Avgorou - had, meaning that he hasn't now, and who used to do a weekly buffet-style barbecue at €3 a head.

No wonder he had to close.

The expat's loved it - not because it was good as it was shit - but because it was cheap.

As I've often said, the British expat in Cyprus are a different breed, and the good ones are few and far between.

Anyway. Opposite is a French expat.

Mrs Faubert, who is little Jenny Mellor's favourite teacher.

What I have done with the Christ Is King school, is to make the school look like it is a Top 5 school - and by trying to do that, I have made all of those who teach there look like they actually belong in a Top 5 school, and Mrs Faubert is no exception.

And I've even made her look French.

There are certainly no left swinging pro-LGBT+ teacher's with their outlandish appearance, purple hair, tattoos and rings through their noses at this school - that much is for sure.

Parents need to know that their children are safe, and aren't going to indoctrinated by some woke-fueled idiot drip-feeding their kids with their warped ideology, and at Christ Is King, that is most certainly the case.

Mrs Faubert is from Limoges in France and has an uncanny look of Audrey Hepburn minus the horrible massive feet.

23 February 2026

Kaliméra.

I was up at 9:10 am (GMT+2).

The door is open, I have my coffee in front of me and it is absolutely glorious outside.

I don't know for how long as it is a Bank Holiday today - the one they call Green Monday.

This is celebrated as the first day of lent for the Eastern Orthodox Church (which most Cypriots follow) - the 40-day period of fasting leading up to Easter, when the families take to the hills - in our case Cape Greko... basically to feast before they fast if-you-like... and fly kites.

We called at Zorba's bakery on the Kapparis-Paralimni roundabout last night and got given a free kite. Not that I'll be flying one, however.

I would imagine that there will also be a few families on Ayia Trias beach this afternoon...

Will the bar be open I wonder?

Yesterday, we called in at Fosis Coffee Shop and drove into Avgorou to see Anthony who owns the Solomis bar which is on the main road across from the chemist and bakers.

He and his father are extremely nice people - and when we were living in Avgorou, the latter often used to come round for a coffee and drop us off some potatoes from his farm.

I may have mentioned it before, in that he was shot in the head or face when he was younger - and unlike the Man With One Eye who goes in Fosis - him being shot was no accident.

I also did a bit on the back end of the script, which I enjoyed - and brought a couple of new characters into play.

Opposite is Mrs Tomley - the Head of P.E at Christ Is King.

She is a new character, therefore I've not really had a chance to give her a personality.

I named her after the girl's head of P.E in the school that I went to - the distinguishing feature that I remember the most being that she was always in a tracksuit with a whistle around her neck.

Anyway, as much as I can tell you about this Mrs Tomley thus far, is that she is in her late-20's, is quite single-track-minded... and that Christ Is King don't employ bad teachers.

I'll know more in a couple of days.

22 February 2026

Kaliméra apó tin Kýpro.

That is Good morning from Cyprus.

And it is.

The door is open and the sun is out. It is nice to get away from the rain.

I got up at 10:30 am (GMT+2).

I slept like a brick.

It wasn't just the travelling, I had a few beers last night.

After 40 days did I miss it?

Not particularly.

Having a Stella Artois whilst watching A Touch of Frost on DVD was okay, buy no - I'd not missed it.

I need to nip out and get some milk as our Jamie and Lianne used up all the Long Life UHT type milk when they came, so at the moment I'm without a coffee.

The journey over here was sound enough. We set off on time and landed 10 minutes early.

So, the March issue magazine is just about done, so this week I can concentrate on The A's and putting the script to bed.

Opposite is a photograph of Jack Harrington and Teddy Layne in Series 2.

That is one of the arc's - a story within the story.

Teddy and Pat Marshall is an even better one, and one which starts in Series 1.

Teddy is exactly what it says on the tin and takes zero shit from anyone.

As for Jack, he is from the north - supposedly Bolton-on-Dearne, although that is never stated, and has come down looking for Gaynor and Jenny is as much as I can say.

He is a Sheffield Wednesday season ticket holder and can be quite fiery character.

Jack and his elder brother do NOT get on.

21 February 2026

Good morning.

It is 3:00 am. Cyprus and a drive down the M1 beckons.

Déjà vu?

You better believe it.

I've got my coffee and I'm looking out of the study window and it is dark.

Still - Saturday's are better days to travel than through the week as the work traffic that hits the road after Watford Gap can be mad bordering on dangerous with all the undertaking.

We are taking two carry-on suitcases this time as we booked Priority boarding.

Julie's bought some kid's clothes from Primark.

George and Denise who own The Lionheart bar in Paralimni, and Fosis who owns - well, Fosis Coffee Shop in Vrysoulles, have both had additions to their family.

Two baby girls.

Not Fosis as such - but his daughter Ioanna (Yohanna / Joanna).

We had already bought them something in November, but it's just something to say that you are thinking of them. And it's from the UK, so its a bit different.

Opposite, are another two photograph's of Anita Pallenburg - this time in the car.

Now, can you see how 3D animation works?

This time last year I wouldn't have been able to do that.

The interior of the car is the same as the exterior - a white Maserati MC20

The attention is in the details.

I have also done the same as I did with Jenny Mellor earlier on in the week, and threaded her hair through her baseball cap in a pony tail to take the hair away from her face.

And look how different she looks.

Much better, I think.

Anyway, the bath and a shave beckon.

Hopefully I will see you in Luton Airport's Priority Lounge.

---

We are in the lounge at the airport and I've had my breakfast and Macchiato.

Nothing changes.

It is as average as average can be.

The Skala lounge at Larnaca Airport blows this one away.

I've just answered a few emails checked the departure board and we are on time. Our Gate will supposedly flag up at 9:40 am.

Right, that's me done for today.

20 February 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:20 am - the back door closing and Julie taking the hound out through the woods.

She enjoys trawling through the sludge as much as I do.

"It's good exercise," she tells me.

It's fucking deadly. I nearly broke my neck on it yesterday evening trying to take a different route to avoid the dog walking traffic.

Day 40 of zero alcohol.

That's good considering that the fridge is full of beer, one of the kitchen cupboards full of wine and brandy, and the DVD cupboard/library has four crates of beer stacked up in it - Peroni, Madras, Moretti and Asahi.

My tasks this morning: Putting the bedding in the washing machine, emptying the dishwasher, feeding the dog amongst other things as I have also been tasked with the mopping.

Julie once debated getting a cleaner(s) in - the Molly Maid franchise. Day 1 they didn't turn up and Day 2 they phoned to say that they were going to be 90 minutes late...

Therefore, Julie sacked them before they even started.

We had a neighbour - had meaning that we don't now.

Freda (Thompson) lived in what is a two cottages made into one. She was 90 years old and, being the wife of a former farm owner - and quite upper class, she had a cleaner. Mrs Bowers they called her.

Mrs Bowers didn't drive so she used to call on her bicycle - a bit like Margaret Hamilton's Almira Gulch character in the Wizard of Oz, which was quite humorous given the fact that she was nearly as old as Freda. What was even more funny was the fact that she used neglect the real cleaning and just polish the silver.

I think Freda just liked the thought of having a cleaner, and saw it as company.

Freda died around 20 years ago, and as for Mrs Bowers - I haven't seen her in years, therefore, I am assuming the same.

Mrs Bowers would have been great for jet washing the patio, washing the windows and cleaning the gutters..

Anyway...

Opposite is some photograph's of Anita Pallenburg walking through Hammersmith market.

As you'll notice, Anita is very different to Gaynor.

Music.

Whilst listening to Radio Caroline the other day I picked up Snow Patrol's Spitting Games (2003), which I can't say that I've heard before.

Why? I have no idea. A good song too.

Sometime in 2004, I remember being in the office of Cory Higgins - a Sheffield-lad who had set up this auger boring business.

Cory was a great lad and was well into his music. "I've been listening to this band," he told me. "Snow Patrol. They're very good."

Not long after, he along with his family emigrated to Perth in Australia.

I've just ordered all Snow Patrol's albums!

I should really drop him an email!

19 February 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 4:10 am - the dog barking getting my attention.

It wasn't the near-neighbour's cat this time, she just needed an Eartha Kitt.

Jenny Mellor will tell you what that means in Series 2.

I went back to bed and managed to drop back off - Julie opting to brave the elements and do this morning's hike through the sludge.

It's raining again!

We are flying out to Cyprus on Saturday, thank God.

This must be without doubt, the most miserable two months-weather-wise, ever.

To cap a shit morning off, we have just been to the solicitors and signed off a slight change of our will and the two sections of the Power of Attorney.

Health and financial.

Anyway. £1,000 later.

Opposite is Angie Mellor in Canary Wharf.

At the start of Series 1, Angie works in Santander bank in Chiswick. It's a non-descript job with a non descript title - and one which Mason referred to as a limelight job.

Angie had gone to grammar school but had never pushed for a place at university, and therefore ended up at the bank.

Was she clever enough for university.

Not according to Gaynor, who often told her elder sister that she was thick.

Was that true or was Gaynor just being nasty?

You'll have to draw you own conclusions!

As I've already stated, when Angie married Pat, it was anything but plain sailing and she quickly became unhappy.

The lack of money that came with the job didn't help.

Mason was looking in from the outside, saw what was happening and offered a hand on more than a few occasions.

This had Gaynor gritting her teeth as in Gaynor's eyes - Mason was her property.

And she'd already had words with her elder sister - Episode 3 - The Spat.

As had their mum, Maureen - who told her: "Angie, love - leave the lad alone."

Maureen had a highly inquisitive nature which sometimes got the better of her and as such, her mind often went racing off on various tangents, and in one instance she needed to speak with Ana - Mason's gran. Ana was always the voice of reason.

As for Angie - she did move jobs.

Anyway. Enough of that.

18 February 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:40 am.

I put the central heating on and had a coffee before I went out... being that it is absolutely freezing outside.

That was a mistake, as when I went out to walk the hound through the woods, I hit the morning dog walking traffic.

7:30 am is definitely a bad time to walk the dog.

I've just checked my emails and via WGGB - the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, I've had an invitation from an Emma Finch of some production company to see if I'd be interested in joining a team of screenwriters on some project that they are doing.

Absolutely no idea what.

In all honesty I am busy enough doing what I am doing - mainly my day job - the magazine.

And this March issue is coming together extremely well.

Opposite (and below) I am in the process of creating another 2D film set.

Gaynor on Hammersmith Broadway.

---

I needed a Zara clothes shop next to the Showboat amusement / gaming arcade as towards the back end of Series 1, Gaynor goes to buy a dress (I think) whilst Mason tries out some way of fleecing the bandits / gaming machines.

Again, I have resurrected two high street outlets in Zara's and Dorothy Perkins, as well as the Showboat, which had amusement arcades all over the north of England - the one which I remember most being on Doncaster Road, Goldthorpe.

Anyway, I looked at Hammersmith Broadway and it needed an upgrade. It's not much of one as I didn't want to molest the Grade II building above.

Anyway I'm on with that at the moment and it's driving me fucking bats.

Bar the sign, the Showboat above is nothing like how I want it.

Very fucking annoying.

To be continued!

17 February 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:30 am and out with the hound.

When I got through the woods I was hit by both an icy wind and the sight of the sun rising from the east.

No rain today. Fucking Halleluiah.

Yesterday, I more or less did what I said, although whilst having a coffee or two I did write up a few articles for the mag.

My day off consisted of washing mine and Julie's cars and dropping nearly 15L of brick acid on the patio and drive and jet washing around the house until I ran out of petrol.

I still have the front drive to jetwash.

I also dropped some commercial weed killer around the front of the exterior wall.

Axholme Landscapes came back with a price for the new lawn which was £1,000 cheaper than the wanker who was going to do it in the first instance was going to charge.

I need to get in touch with them and confirm.

After a thaw out in the bath we nipped to Tesco as those £18 worth of vouchers needed spending.

I've no idea what we spent but it was a damn sight more than the actual worth of the vouchers.

Generally, when they drop through the letterbox we are in Cyprus and they only give you a day or so to spend them. I have to admit - it's a good ploy as are the 3 for 2 deals that are offered to blindside the idiot.

Enough of that.

Opposite is The Sailing Club on the River Thames.

It is a place that is mentioned quite a bit in the series as it is a focal point of the fictitious garden village that is Chiswick Green - and somewhere that both John and Maureen Mellor love dearly.

Why?

That's in the story.

A point of note is that Gaynor and Mason were going to have a party to sort of formalise their engagement on 12 August 2023.

I say formalise, as they were considered engaged weeks before that, as it was driving Gaynor around the twist having to wait.

John Mellor called at Mason's flat - which (unlike his wife, Maureen) was most unlike him.

John, however - wanted to ask Mason a favour.

The Sailing Club. Would Mason consider having the engagement party there?

There was a reason... a big reason... oh yeah - and Maureen would like it.

Never ever think that Gaynor was ever in the driving seat when it came to Mason. As when Maureen asked, Maureen always got.

"Can I ask a question?" Mason said.

"Sure," shrugged John.

"Why didn't your Angie and Pat have their wedding 'do' there?"

"The truth is, Mason, lad - is that Maureen and I had very little say."

And that is a big part of the story in Series 1. And it was absolutely nothing to do with Angie or Pat.

16 February 2026

Good morning.

It's 12:29 am and I'm still up.

I've just sent a couple of text messages over to Cyprus.

The kids are up and in the taxi on their way to Larnaca Airport.

I'll have another cup of tea and then I'll shoot off to bed.

I have to admit - as there's been no-one in the house, I've absolutely hammered my day job and just about completed the March issue of the magazine.

I'm definitely having tomorrow off.

Opposite (and at the top of the page) is another beautiful set of photographs of Jenny Mellor.

It's the exact same character asset but with the hair moved away from her face.

Julie always maintained that she didn't like Jenny's hair - you know - the messy bob, and often said that it wasn't a nice hairstyle for a little girl.

The truth is, that as with Gaynor - I used the hair that came with the character asset - although I do have over 500 different styles to choose from.

That aside.

The story is that Jenny is quite tomboyish when she first arrives in London - and all she tends to wear is her new school uniform and the odd hoodie or two. And pumps. She wears pumps.

The upshot is, she's a kid that wears what she gets given to wear.

There's much more to that story, but now is not the time.

Going to the Christ Is King All Girls School was quite the eye opener for her.

I've mentioned the mental bullying, but there's a different angle.

The school is a private school and with that comes money.

All the kids tend to be from affluent families, so there is quite a bit of materialism floating around.

Cue: Dorothy Westerman (Dottie West).

The coolest kid in school is a soon-to-be 16-year old who wears big puffer jackets, short skirts, and clumpy boots - and she often gets told off as the skirts she wears are too short.

They are however, all nice clothes... and with brand name logos.

Jenny is impressionable and thinks Dottie is nothing short of brilliant.

It was then she sounded Anita out about getting some (what she termed as) cool clothes.

Anita just told her straight. "You work hard at school so you should get treated."

Her dad said the same.

Well, that was it.

"So, what do you want?" asked Anita.

Just about anything with a logo on it.

"What - and I can have it just like that?"

"Of course you can - you work hard. You deserve it."

So.

You will see Jenny's appearance begin to change and what you see opposite, is part of that change.

Right. Bed time.

---

I got up at 7:30 am and I've just been through the woods with the dog.

No rain, but it's cold and still sludgy.

The kids texted Julie about 4:10 am (GMT+2) to say that were boarding.

I've just checked flightradar24.com and they are currently over Eindhoven in The Netherlands and are due to touch down in Luton at 9:10 am.

As I've often said. They are long days.

I've just fed the dog and am currently in the study with a coffee.

The swimming photographs were something that I wasn't that comfortable putting up on here - but, in Series 2 it is something that happens every Saturday morning.

Jenny lives near the River Thames so her learning to swim was always going to happen and who better than Christie Gotleib to learn her.

Jacob and Christie not only have a pool, but when Christie was a young girl she was a very accomplished swimmer and was aiming for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

That gets mentioned in the story.

In other news... I dropped on a couple of album tracks over the past week - which in my opinion are quite similar.

So Well by Feeder, which is off their brilliant Yesterday Went Too Soon (1999) album and One Day by The Verve which is off another brilliant album - Urban Hymns (1997).

I've had both albums since they were released and it was only the other day that I took notice of the two tracks.

Strange.

Right. My day off starts!

15 February 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:50 am and out through the woods with the hound... and the sludge.

The ice had long since thawed and it had been fucking raining... again.

Julie phoned when I was out with the dog. She couldn't park the car on the front drive as EC Surfacing had the road planer out, and were in the process of resurfacing High Street - and as that was the case, they had the road shut off.

I got back in to a smiling face and a coffee - and we had a bacon sandwich.

I'm not really one for breakfast, but this non-drinking malarkey makes you want to eat the table top, and continual snacking is the name of the game.

I've gone through four bars of chocolate this week - and I'm not on about a Marathon or Mars bar, I mean the big blocks - Dairy Milk - Whole Nut.

I managed to cook last night, and slung two Tesco Finest Chicken Kiev's in the oven and had them with some rocket and those long red peppers and Tesco Finest Piccobella tomatoes. Note the word Finest. There is a difference. Normal Kiev's are only good enough for the dog!

Opposite are a few of photographs of Gaynor at The Crawdaddy Club straight after the engagement party that I (may have) mentioned earlier.

The engagement party was at another fictitious place - and what was the rather upper class Garden of Gethsemane restaurant in Chelsea.

I've not constructed that building as yet!

As it was, they didn't leave the restaurant until late and the only place near that was open, had been The Crawdaddy Club - and even that was ready for shutting its doors.

Mason and Gaynor, however - were with a girl by the name of Famke Rosenstein - the daughter of Zeffy and Renana, and the granddaughter of Simeon Cartier-Bloem - the West London investment bankers.

Famke Rosenstein and Gaynor.

The Rosenstein's - as with the Gotleib's, were extremely powerful people.

---

And all it took was a phone call to the owner, and that's where they stayed until the early hours.

Rather strangely, Mason had to be at the 40 Martyrs college at 9:30 am the next day (Saturday).

Now, that bit of the story is interesting

Spanky - which was what everyone who knew Famke, called her - was a family friend of Mason's and was two years older than Gaynor, and at that time worked in north London.

She was an editorial assistant / journalist with The Guardian newspaper - which was something that her mother - Renana, hated her doing.

Why?

The Rosenstein's had a business, and that's where her mum thought she should be.

Cue: Christie Gotleib.

Renana asked Christie a favour and one which involved Gaynor - Christie's young protégé.

"Would your little girl let my little girl into her circle?" was the question Renana posed.

It's not word for word - but you can get the gist.

At that time Gaynor was an extremely popular girl with lots of friends, and Spanky, who had been private schooled - not so.

And that was the quid pro quo relationship between Christie and Gaynor.

And it worked well.

As for Spanky, she was in awe... and Gaynor?

Well, Gaynor found her useful.

14 February 2026

A very belated Good morning.

I say belated as it is nearly 2:00 pm.

I was up at 7:15 am and through the woods with the hound.

It was great dog walking weather this morning as it was extremely cold... and icy, which means zero fucking sludge.

Julie came home an hour later bringing with her two 2L cartons of milk and a pack of Warburton's (thin) pikelets (crumpets).

She also dropped in some salad later on, which was most welcomed.

Last night the thought of cooking for one, was about as appealing as it was the other day and the day before.

I took two bags of Tesco's Finest king prawns out of the freezer and let them thaw out on their own and I slung them in a bowl, put some pepper on and had them with a slice of bread (uncut) and butter (Kerrygold).

For £11 it was the best meal I've had all week.

I do, however, need some vitamin C - hence the salad shop.

I was debating doing a Tesco shop online as I had £18 worth of vouchers drop through the door yesterday morning and which were burning a hole in my pocket.

The first slot for home delivery was tonight between 8:00 and 9:00 pm, so I didn't bother.

When the kids are back, on Monday, we'll nip and get some shopping - a short order, as we are out of the UK from next Saturday.

Tesco's online shop and vouchers. Watch for Maureen Mellor doing her online shop!

Opposite are some photo's I did yesterday in between working on my day job.

The issues of the Rolling Stone were a bug bear as there are very few artists I can associate with, who get chucked on the cover.

I don't mind Lana Del Rey (bottom) as at least she's normal... and her 2012 song Blue Jeans is quite good.

I mean, they have some right fucking morons on the cover.

Taylor Swift, Billie Ellish, Barack Obama, Meryl Streep... Fancy being trapped in an elevator with that lot.

Therefore, when you see Gaynor reading the Rolling Stone, it will have some band or artist that I actually like on the cover.

Lush. A very underrated band.

Actual 2D film Backdrops from the weekend in Co. Galway.

Episode 7. Hey, God Damn, Wow, I'm So in Love

---

I have also been creating a few 2D backdrops.

The ones above are named after people in the industry I know, so much so, I posted them on LinkedIn this morning - and I had Con Muchinlock's son, James, message me along with the main man himself - Tim Kilroe who dropped me an email.

It's always a nice conversation piece.

I could literally build a city full of businesses with all the lovely Irish people I've met over the years.

So far today, I've been working on my day job, but I need to go outside at some point and drop some brick acid down and jet wash the patio and both drives.

Anyway, that's me for the day.

13 February 2026

Good morning.

Friday again.

I was up at 7:00 am and through both the sludge and woods with the hound.

It was raining again.

When I got back in, Julie was home and there to dry the dog off.

Depressing weather. When will it stop?

Since Julie has been stopping over at Jamie and Lianne's, I have absolutely blitzed my day job and I'm now well in front. In fact, I could complete by next week.

I have said it before. An 84-page magazine takes some filling - especially when you are very selective about what actually goes in it.

Not when I am on my own, however.

Julie bought me a couple of Cornish Pasties from Fullers bakers, yesterday.

These were to be warmed up and had with mushy peas - so Julie said. An easy meal.

Being on your own, the idea of opening tins and washing pans isn't that appealing. Especially mushy peas as they stick.

I had bacon, new potatoes and vegetables the other day.

It's crap eating on your own and even worse cleaning up after yourself, so I thought fuck it.

I ate the pasties in the study while I was working.

The mess was still there and I had to get the vacuum cleaner out. Twice. Once, to hoover up a million bits of flaky pastry that dropped off the pasties; and twice, after I'd taken the dog out as there was dry sludge everywhere from putting my boots on.

Never mind, everything will be back to normal on Monday.

Day 33 of no drinking today. And Friday's are the worst.

Opposite are a few shots of The Crawdaddy Club.

It was interesting, both creating and putting a band on stage as I'd never done it before.

In The A's there would be two to three second shots of something such as this, in like a neo-noir or noir setting, and certainly nothing too over elaborate.

And Manfred Mann certainly wouldn't be playing.

It was just a case of me seeing what I can and cannot do. You know limitations and that.

Do Mason and Gaynor see a band in the series?

It's not in the script - but they do go to a rather posh engagement do in Chelsea... and stay out late, so who knows.

Anyway, work beckons.

12 February 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 5:50 am and through the woods with the hound.

Last night's wind has dried out the ground a bit, but the sludge is still ripe for breaking your neck on.

I got in to Radio Caroline playing ABC's All of My Heart from The Lexicon of Love (1982) - which is an absolutely cracking song off a truly great album.

ABC morphed from Vice Versa, a Sheffield electronic band formed in 1977 by synthesiser players Stephen Singleton and Mark White - and whose debut gig was as an opening act for the post-punk band Wire at the Outlook club in Doncaster (below).

A mind of useless information.

I'll mention the Outlook to Johnny Welsh in a bit as I'm sure he will have been in there as he's been in every nightclub in Doncaster.

There were some good 80's bands around as well as some very shit ones.

I remember first hearing Duran Duran's Planet Earth and Talk Talk's (All you do is) Talk Talk.

Music was changing, that much was for sure - however, indie blew it all away.

I'm currently in the study with a coffee.

Julie should be home soon.

Opposite is John Mellor and Mason in conversation on the patio.

This is a theme throughout Series 1 and 2.

It is very good still animation as they are interacting very well.

As I said previously, I'm trying to ease up on the moving animation as I hit a point where I was starting to throw stuff up on here with little or no thought.

11 February 2026.

A belated Good morning.

I say belated as it is 1:40 pm.

I was up at 7:30 am after Julie woke me with a phone call - again.

"I'm outside the gates," she said, before adding: "I'll take the dog out."

What a result.

It was chucking it down. She came back in drenched.

We had a couple of coffee's and she mentioned that the kids were a bit low on a few things - washing powder, fabric conditioner, rice, pasta, cereal etc.

Julie's mentality is - and I agree, is to look after them while we are here... and we do.

We therefore decided to take the day off and nip to Home Bargains where we did in a few pence short of £280 and I filled my car up in Tesco's just down the road opposite Glandford Park - the home of Scunthorpe United.

Domestos bleach - back at 99p.

It is £1.35 in Tesco

Weather aside, it was a nice morning out.

Yesterday, I managed to do a shed load of work on the March issue of the magazine - so, I am now well in front and looking forward to a bit of relay, whereby Jamie and Lianne come home from Cyprus - and we take charge of the metaphorical baton.

Our Jamie and Lianne up on Mount Elias in Protaras, Cyprus, this morning.

---

21 February can't come soon enough!

The weather isn't that fantastic over there this time of year, but it's a thousand times better than it is here.

That drive on the M180 this morning was fucking horrible.

I had a guy by the name of David Cooper - the owner of Axholme Landscapes,ccall round at the house the other day to measure is up for the new lawn.

Hopefully that will happen sometime soon.

It has been doing my head in waiting around for tradesmen to call. We need new doors, the house decorating etc. There's a load of shit that we need doing but there's just no-one reliable to come and do it!

Rant over

Opposite are a few photo's of the BAM BAM character.

As with Dorian Ogley - Augie Doggie, I named him after another Hanna-Barbera character - this time Barney and Betty Rubble's kid out of The Flintstones.

His real name in the series is Adam Bamford - and as you can see from the top two images, that he is an electrician.

As with Augie Doggie, he is also a few years older and a good friend of Mason Green.

Where as Augie is in a stable relationship - BAM BAM is not, although he is quite friendly with the Joanne Lynskey character (bottom photo) - of which there is some history that is broadcast on Christmas Eve 2022.

It's quite funny.

10 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 7:50 am after Julie woke me with a phone call.

"I'm outside the gates," she said.

She'd been up at daft o'clock with our Jamie's dogs.

As for me, I'd turned it in at 11:10 pm last night after some intense indexing of the actual 2D film sets for The A's, and I slept like a log.

We had a coffee together before I took the dog out through the woods and got back in to see her suited-and-booted and ready for work.

Jamie and Lianne got to Cyprus okay.

I got a WhatsApp message from Jamie showing me that he had cracked open a bottle of Estrella and was watching Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

Series' 1 and 2 were great entertainment without having any real storyline - however, you could say that each series was a bit repetitive. Dennis (Tim Healy) rather strangely always had a lady in tow, and Barry (Timothy Spall) was always the fall guy... and Neville (Kevin Whately) - he was a right moaning git.

Day 30 of no drinking today.

I sleep better and feel better

Yesterday, I finally uploaded the magazine to the printers and made a start on the March issue. It is never fucking ending. One deadline after another. Bang, bang, bang!

Opposite are just a couple of photo's of Anita Pallenburg - one of which she is reading with Jenny.

That's a very nice relationship.

The other one I have her in Boelyn Mews.

As stated, she lived there when she got into a serious relationship with Mason, which was something that really pissed off Gaynor.

This was the time between the two series'.

There are flashbacks in Series 2.

My mate, John Welsh has just phoned and asked how I'm getting on with The A's.

I told him that I spent the majority of December and January learning the new software.

"It sounds time consuming," he said... amongst other things.

It is. Very.

I should be picking up my new computer system shortly, which is without doubt, one of the most powerful units around.

Anyway, my day job beckons.

9 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 6:15 am, around 15 minutes after Julie.

This week is going to be hard work - not so much for me, but for Julie as she's stopping down at Jamie and Lianne's dog sitting as they are on their way over to Cyprus.

Yesterday, it was touch and go whether or not that would be the case as one of Lianne's horses was ill and she had to have the vet out.

Lianne texted Julie at 4:00 am to tell her that they were both on their way to the airport.

Horses are an expensive fucking hobby - especially when you have five of the things.

I think the same horse cost her over £13,000 at the vets the other year.

I'm sorry, but to chuck that kind of money at a horse it would need to be Desert Orchid.

I once part-owned a racehorse - a folly of which I did for my father-in-law, as he was very much into them, much like my granddad (Sam) on my dad's side.

I always remember my granddad's funeral and the vicar doing the eulogy and saying that he loved horses and sort of half-making out that he was this crevette wearing Country Life-type.

I said to my Uncle Graham afterwards: "If I didn't know it was my granddad's funeral I wouldn't have recognised who the vicar was on about, as the only thing my granddad liked about horses was betting on the fucking things."

Graham replied: "I like getting blow jobs but I wouldn't want the vicar telling everybody."

Fair point I suppose, but it's hardly the same.

I've been to a few funerals of late and they have all been similar in that the person in the box would be unrecognisable if you didn't know who was in it.

In The A's gambling is rife - especially as Mason has bookies who are friends... and a few who are not.

Mason gambles - but never on the horses or dogs - ever.

And John - Angie and Gaynor's dad likes to have the odd flutter - as does the Catholic priest, Father (Ken) Maloney.

Opposite is something that I've been wanting to do for a while.

On a weekend, Gaynor likes a drink and here she is outside The Hammersmith Vaults, after having quite a few... it looks like they are going in as opposed to leaving...

There is a big story here but one that I cannot tell.

8 February 2026.

Good morning.

I had a lay in and got up at 8:00 am and was out with the dog through the woods.

No rain but plenty of sludge.

I had my coffee and some toast when I got in and am now at my desk completing part of my day job.

There's no rush as such as the printers don't work weekends.

I should wrap it up in a couple of hours and I'll then do a bit of indexing.

As I've often said, it's one of those jobs that you need to keep on top of. A necessary evil if-you-like.

I also need to work harder on the script as I've got loads of arcs and storylines that need adding - therefore, I have to do those before I forget.

Day 28 of no drinking today.

That's a full month if you think of February.

I have another 13 or 14 to go as I said when we go to Cyprus - that's when I'll have a drink.

21 February.

Jamie and Lianne fly out from Luton tomorrow morning.

They have booked in a case as they are taking their wet suits to go snorkelling in the bay at Agia Triada.

The sea will be very cold this time of year.

We bought him an underwater camera, so no doubt he'll be looking for some marine life to photograph once he's there.

I can't remember the last time I swam in the sea.

I don't mind the sea - I just hate getting caked up with sand after I've been in it.

Anyway. Opposite is (still) the rear of Boelyn Mews.

As you can see, Mason owns the garage across the cobbled street, which is directly opposite the rear of 24A Boelyn Mews.

It is actually much bigger than it looks on the photograph.

I need to work on some different angles and build up the full cul-de-sac of the rear of the mews on one side and the garages opposite.

It's something to think about I suppose.

There is also a photograph of Mason and Gaynor in the garden.

Above. A watershed moment of sorts. This is the first time that I've got dialogue on the upgraded animation software. It's certainly far more versatile now it has stabilised.

---

In the animation Gaynor is complaining about her mum and Mason is backing Maureen's corner, as in Mason's eyes her mum does no wrong.

The thing is. Gaynor knows that Mason is right.

This is a big theme throughout the story. Gaynor and her mum; and Gaynor and their Angie... Gaynor was the youngest and she finally got something that was hers... Mason.

7 February 2026.

Good morning.

I had a lay in and got up at 8:30 am.

If I am being honest, I've never slept this well in ages.

Is it the non drinking?

Possibly.

I got up to the sound of the back door slamming shut - Julie taking the dog out through the woods and a trawl through the sludge. the latter of which she complained about when she got back in.

"It's really hard to walk on and I think I've pulled my ankle," she said.

The bad weather has made everything look dirty and miserable.

All the cars, the patio, the paths around the house and both drives are absolutely filthy.

We currently have The AA out.

The mechanic is on the front drive cleaning some crank sensor on The Beast - the dog's car.

The engine light has been on a while but it has been driving okay - not that we have been using it much outside of taking rubbish down to the recycling centre-stroke-dumpit site in Belton.

Julie needs it next week, however - as Jamie and Lianne will be over in Cyprus and she will be at their house - dog-sitting.

I had my list of things to do the other day.

Pay the electric and water for the house over in Cyprus and the road tax for the FTO.

With two houses, four cars and a motorbike, the bills are never-fucking-ending. And then there's the office that I've not been in for near-on 15 years and the bills that come with that.

Anyway... opposite is a couple of photo's of Gaynor in the rear of Boelyn Mews.

I created lots of 2D images of the rear of the property for the series and here she is at the gates and in the garden - the latter of which I have her wearing some white / cream Levi 501's.

As I've already said, she and Mason lived with each other from well before Christmas 2022, but at first it was moving between Marquis Gardens and The Mews.

Gaynor fully moved out of her parents' home in May 2023... but without looking back at the script I can't be 100% on that.

Maureen told Gaynor's friend Bebe Antrobus around the time: "They seem happy enough so we just let them get on with it."

It was all part of Gaynor's Long Term Plan.

Bebe is a year younger than Gaynor but they went through school together, as her family - just like the Mellor's - were originally from the east end of London and moved to the other side of the city once the slum clearances started.

Bebe is a good character for the story as she is not only close to The Mellor's, but is quite the gossip - much like her aunt - Felicity Pike - the best friend of Maureen Mellor.

"What - Bebe was round here?" Gaynor asked her mum.

Bebe had dropped off some kitchen appliance that Maureen had lent out.

"She borrowed that over a year ago - so why's she brought it back now?"

Maureen just gave a shrug, whilst Gaynor smelled a rat.

"No - she saw Mason's bike outside and knew that I wasn't in is why."

Mason had just dropped something in for Maureen and had run Bebe home on his bike.

Gaynor was extremely territorial where Mason was concerned.

"You surely don't think that Mason would ever be interested in someone like Maybelline (Bebe's real name)?" shrugged Maureen.

"That's not the point," Gaynor snapped.

Bebe made sure that everyone at college knew that Mason had given her a lift home on his bike along with the fact that her mum had even asked him in for a cup of tea.

It sounds trivial, but to Gaynor - not so.

6 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 7:40 am and out through the woods with the hound. A slightly shorter walk this morning as I refused point blank to battle the icy wind on the three-legs around the fields, post-woods - therefore, I turned back and walked down the side of the woods and up through the cemetery and around the churchyard.

This has to be the most miserable fucking winter ever.

It's like living on the Shetland Islands... not that I've been however. I just know it is windy and wet... and that there is no point having a decent car as there's nowhere to go.

Yesterday, was a day that I foresaw coming.

A three-page article on the £15 million Clifton to Prestwich Rising Main.

"Can we see it before it goes to publication?"

I sent it.

"That can't go in," I was told.

Not asked. Told.

"It's gone," was my response.

The article was backed up by money, which in my job is the overriding principal. The upshot: They pull it and we don't get paid. Advertising = money.

I generally don't budge but the CEO - owner emailed me and asked me to give him a call.

I've known him for years and in his company he is God-like. It was a nice conversation - made nicer by the fact that he told me that we could keep the advert in and we would still be paid.

I was totally fine with that.

The conversation was interesting in that he said that is management team shouldn't really have said to me what they (allegedly) said. This was the reasoning behind the job. Burst pipes and sinkholes forming.

"They didn't tell me that," I told him. "I got that from the national media - the Bury News and The Guardian newspapers."

"So it was in the public domain?" he asked.

"Exactly," I said. "And I needed to give some reasoning behind the scheme."

He wasn't aware of that. He was just told me that the water company - who had contracted his company to do the job - had told them not to mention any burst pipes etc.

It has always got to me how people - and not just in this industry, but in general, want to silence the truth.

If it happened it happened. End of. You're supposed to learn from mistakes, so they don't happen again.

It happens a lot in and around politics... say something true that THEY don't like and you get hammered online.

It is called cancel culture. And it is the weak and useless who are the worst for it.

Pathetic if you ask me.

Anyway...

Yesterday, I constructed the 2D film sets of the rear of 24 and 24A Boelyn Mews in 4K and tried out the new animation software, the latter of which was nothing short of fucking mad.

I had buses crashing into each other and Gaynor and Clara skiing uphill... I definitely need to master it, that much is for sure.

Opposite bottom is the Gaynor character, in what looks like a despondent mood.

If you check the photograph's - especially the newer high resolution ones - you will see that even though it looks like she has everything, she very rarely smiles.

Gaynor is a complicated character.

As is Mason.

5 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 7:20 am and out through the woods with the hound.

It is very windy and cold out - however, it is getting lighter on a morning, so that's good.

We are supposedly going for a curry tonight with Big Scott and his girlfriend, Edyta. This time the Imperial Mahal in Scunthorpe.

We went there a few times early on last year when we were on our 74 day non drinking phase.

For the record, we are on Day 25 now.

The food is good but the restaurant is fucking freezing, so I'll stick on some warm clothes.

We have British Gas coming today to service the dog boiler we were sold during Co-Vid.

To be honest it has been fine the past 8 or 9 months. No doubt that won't be the case once the guy has done fucking about with it.

I've not moved the tumble drier yet...

Opposite is a continuation from yesterday - Albert Hands.

Albert is the eldest of five brothers - however, in The A's you will only see one of them - that being Harry.

In a nutshell, Albert is the real deal - whereas Harry just plays it it.

The story is that Albert got 12 years for armed robbery - and only serves six. He gets out before Series 1 ends.

He is mentioned quite often as Mason writes to him... and what could be seen as strange, is that so does Maureen Mellor, but it isn't really.

How that comes about is quite interesting. And as for Albert - he never forgets.

On getting out of prison he goes straight around to the Mellor's - with a bunch of flowers for Maureen and an invitation for a round of golf with her husband, John - the latter of whom he gets to be good friends with.

Maureen is naturally inquisitive and their Gaynor's relationship with Mason opens up lots of new avenues for her to explore - and the more she explores the more she finds out, and the more she finds out the more inquisitive she gets.

Living with Amy Green for 15 years, Albert was a stepfather and best friend to Vincent Green - Mason's dad - meaning that Mason was treat as his grandson.

That alone gave the Mellor's and Albert a common denominator of sorts.

And Albert - he likes to gossip as much as Maureen.

Just ask Cyril Pope.

4 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 8:00 am as I didn't get to bed until late.

In between watching the football - League Cup Semi-Final, 2nd leg (Arsenal 1, Chelsea 0), I was trying my hand at the reconstruction - upgrade of Lyric Square in Hammersmith.

It was frustrating to be honest as when I got the left side of the image spot on - the right side would be shit and vice versa. And then after around half a dozen goes it would throw me an angle... and be completely shit.

This is generally always the case.

Trial and error.

Anyway. It is at the top of the page... Along with the fictitious Speedibar diner... which is a focal point in both Series 1 and 2.

I named this after a café at 84 East Laithe Gate in Doncaster - and one where all the Mods used to go during the early-1980s. It certainly didn't look like the one above, however!

The good news is that the animation software I've been using has been upgraded. Not much, but upgraded all the same.

I'll give it a try later - me knowing that all the dialogue will have gone to shit!

I say later as my day job is taking longer to put to bed than I thought.

"Can we see the article before it goes to print," is the set-in-stone ball ache of a request, and one that I've had since the day I started.

It's no big deal when you are dealing with someone who just wants a quick glance, but some of them... Jesus Christ...

Have you ever seen Steve Martin in the 1987 Thanksgiving comedy film Planes Trains and Automobiles?

There is a scene where he is in the office waiting for his boss to make a decision - and after a load of wasted time of him pontificating and humming and erring - he decides to make the decision... after the holidays, which makes Steve Martin's character - very, very late.

Well that's it.

I don't get it as much as I did, but I still get it.

Anyway... I was on dog walking duty this morning and did the 40 minute trawl through the sludge as it rained again last night. Roll on fucking summer.

I've got an online Tesco shop coming later - so that's something to look forward to.

Opposite is a continuation of yesterday's photograph album - Clara Margieson's partner - and the Face that is Augie Doggie.

Augie is a (specialist) motor mechanic with his own business in Hammersmith.

At 23 years old he is a bit older than Mason - but they are quite close as he is the grandson of Albert Hands.

An explanation is needed here...

For the majority of Series 1 Albert is on the Isle of Wight at Her Majesties pleasure, serving a 12-stretch in HMP Parkhurst.

Albert used to live with Amy Green who was Mason grandmother (now deceased) and therefore Vincent's (Mason's father's) mother.

Albert treat Mason's father like a son and when Vincent got older Vince regarded Albert as his best friend.

Therefore, Albert is sort of a granddad figure to Mason - making Mason and Augie sort of cousins.

Albert does get out towards the end of the series and is prevalent in Series 2.

There is a scene where Jacob Gotleib - the banker, sits both Mason and Augie down and reminisces, which is most unlike Jacob. But with Jacob there is always a reason for everything he does.

Augie gets told about his grandfather and one particular story - June 1980, when a load of kids bunked off school to go into the city to get rigged out as The Clash were playing at The Palais that night.

"What - Granddad went to see The Clash?" Augie asked - rather gobsmacked.

"He did," Jacob said.

Unfortunately Jacob had a very strict father and he was grounded and banned from going.

"Your grandfather was one of the cool kids. I was not," Jacob told Augie.

And as has already been said, it would be Jacob who financed the construction of the new Hammersmith Palais on King Street.

3 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 7:00 am - however Julie was up before me to take the hound through the woods.

My job. Make the bed, chuck some clothes in the washing machine, feed the dog, empty the dishwasher, put the coffee's on...

Déjà vu?

You better believe it.

Julie is back in the Dearne Valley this morning. Her mum's internment at Wombwell cemetery - the burying of the ashes.

She is picking our Jamie up and meeting their Jane down there around 10:00 am.

I did quite a lot of work yesterday. My day job.

I also had the kid from British Gas come and take less than five minutes to tighten up the valves on three radiators.

He's coming back on Thursday to service the boiler, so I have the added delight of emptying the utility room so he can get at the fucking thing.

And we have the heaviest tumble trier known to man, which sits on top of the washing machine.

Something to look forward to I suppose.

Opposite. I mentioned Switzerland yesterday.

If you trawl back through the 2025 blog - this was an idea I got whilst flying over The Alps on the way out to Cyprus.

I always look for ideas and angles.

I've done some photos and video clips of this before - however, 12 months is a long time and the technology has got better. As have I.

Look at the quality of the photographs / imagery.

They now look very real.

It was quite good before, but now it is much, much better as I have more control over the assets and software.

I'd still like to output a 16:9 landscape image with a full body that doesn't deteriorate at distance. It will happen - but it's not yet. I'd also like to animate at 4K... proper 4K and not the upscaled bullshit that passes off as 4K.

Six of the crowd go. Mason and Gaynor, Augie Doggie and Clara - and Jack Thiam and BAM BAM.

Augie Doggie (Dorian Ogley) and Clara Margieson in the hotel bar.

A valid reason why Clara poses NO threat to Gaynor, maybe?

---

It's a last minute trip... a long weekend set up by the wheeler-dealer bookie that is Cyril Pope.

The story is that it was an £18,000 holiday that was cancelled due to a bereavement - and one that he bought for under £5,000 - as the guy who booked the holiday (and died) didn't take out the insurance.

Sorry - I'm info dumping!

Cyril didn't want to go - he just needed to sell the idea to Mason to try and turn a quick couple of grand.

How would he do that?

The answer is opposite top.

"Come on Mace - Gee would be love it," Cyril told him.

A point of note: Gee is the shortened version of the name Gaynor, which quite a few people used.

It was no surprise that Gaynor thought it was an absolutely brilliant idea. Not that she got told about it until fairly late in the day.

Why?

Mason was making Cyril sweat as he knew that Cyril had got it for much less that he was being asked to cough up.

How?

Now, that bit is easy.

2 February 2026.

Good morning.

I was up at 7:10 am and out through the woods with the hound.

It was quite mild and I didn't need to use the torch.

I have a treat today.

British Gas are coming out as part of our extortionate gas service plan-stroke-insurance.

We have three radiators that are leaking.

We replaced the original box-standard rad's with Victorian-styled ones which I have to admit, get really fucking hot. However... and this is a big however, the getting-very-hot-and-cooling down bit takes its toll on the rubber washers and they often need replacing.

A £60 call out fee has just appeared as well, therefore that is something Julie said that she'll look into.

Last night we ate out at the Curry Leaf.

Omar the owner heard that it was our anniversary, so he treat us to the meal. A very nice gesture from a very nice kid.

If you look at the header photo (top) - the regeneration of 138-154 King Street Hammersmith - you will see the vegetable wholesalers shop beneath the mosque.

I named that after Omar (Farooque).

In fact - he also owns the fictitious Delhi Belly restaurant which is nearly as prevalent in the story as Facchetti's opposite.

Facchetti's. 132-136 King Street, Hammersmith W6.

---

As part of the regeneration of Hammersmith I left Domino's Pizza as it is, so you can get a feel for its location - as I did with the Iceland freezer place and both Lloyd's Bank and Marks & Spencer.

As I said, the attention IS in the detail.

No animation has EVER gone to these lengths - ever.

I am hoping that I can create something different and make the animation real.

If you look at the characters, you can see how they are evolving as after 403 days the software (and my ideas) are getting better.

The Clara character was initially a problem as the 2D asset was a fucking nightmare. Not anymore. She now looks great.

Clara is plain but pretty... and very likeable.

In the story it was Clara that attached herself to Gaynor, and as Clara is in a relationship (with Augie Doggie), Gaynor doesn't see Clara as a threat.

Well, she did at first, as there is a conversation between Gaynor and Ana... and some other stuff...

On second thoughts - yeah - Gaynor saw her as a threat - but that is just who the Gaynor character is. Highly complicated and very insecure.

Clara is older than Gaynor and I have her working in some mega computer store on Goldhawk Road in Shepherd's Bush when the series starts.

Clara is drawn to Gaynor as everyone in The Vaults has been on about this "posh girl" from The Green who has attached herself to Mason.

Insecurities aside, Clarae and Gaynor get on very well and as stated (opposite) - Gaynor encourages her to go for higher education.

You can see how well that works come Series 2.

Aside of meeting up on weekends Gaynor and Clara often have tea (in Facchetti's) and go to Yoga once a week.

In Mason and Gaynor's life there are not enough hours in the day.

Clara is a very good friend to Gaynor is as much as I can say - however always remember that word. Complicated.

Gaynor continually hovers over that self-destruct button.

1 February 2026.

Good morning.

It's our anniversary.

I was up at 8:00 am and through the woods with the dog... sort of.

The dog walking traffic both on a Sunday and at this hour can be annoying and this morning was one such morning - therefore, I took a slight detour and managed a five-minute conversation with the Costa Coffee Man.

We have names for everyone.

This guy has been knocking around for a couple of years now, and due to his bearded appearance he was initially thought to be one of those that have come here off the boats. This thought was reinforced when one of the woman dog walkers... the Incinerator Man's wife, sort of said that she was chased by someone matching his appearance.

The Incinerator Man was arrested by the police for allegedly threating his wife after she found out that he'd been shagging around and he rather sinisterly threatened to kill her and sling her in an incinerator.

All good stuff.

Anyway, the Costa Coffee Man was not only from Chesterfield and called Tim - he was totally innocent.

The police interviewed the Incinerator Man's wife and thought exactly as I did - that she's a fucking brick short of a load, and another one of those people who only listens to her own voice.

The Costa Coffee Man is called that as he generally has a coffee in his hand. A Costa Coffee!

Trivialities aside...

Opposite and seeing as it is our anniversary, here are a few shots of the good wife that is Anita Pallenburg.

As I've often stated, Anita is Group Procurement Director with Greenford - and one of its several group companies is Greenford Geotechnical & Piling - of which Pat Marshall (Angie Mellor's husband) is the managing director - and her mum's cousin's husband - Teddy Layne the operations director.

Nepotism eh?

Anita's job involves the purchasing materials for site and the pricing of contracts - but being a Group director, she is part of the board of directors that also has to make big decisions.

"Do you ever have to shout at people?" Jenny once asked. "You know - at work and that?"

"Not really," Anita replied, "As when I'm not impressed they tend to know about it."

Anita started off at Greenford as a trainee quantity surveyor and even throughout Series 2 she is still trying to better herself and goes to Hammersmith Polytechnic one night a week working towards getting chartered.

Although Anita and Maureen Mellor don't quite see eye-to-eye, she and their Angie are extremely good friends.

And Gaynor?

They get on - sort of.

Their relationship can be quite humorous as Jenny is often the go-between, and much like her dad - Mason, in Series 1 - she just says what she thinks.

As Gaynor is insecure, full-on and very high-maintenance and Anita quite the opposite, it becomes quite an interesting friendship.

As I've often said - Jenny is the glue that holds Series 2 together in much the same way as Gaynor does in Series 1.

As for Anita - she is just a nice girl.

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© JAMES DUROSE-RAYNER 2026