September 2026 | James Durose-Rayner's website

SEPTEMBER 2026

The A's

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(Series 1) Joanne Lynskey. A sixth form student at Hammersmith and a friend of Mason and Gaynor's

30 September 2026

Kaliméra.

1: 10 am (GMT+2) and I am up.

A taxi ride to Larnaca Airport beckons.

I keep on saying it, but these are very long days.

George the taxi driver will pick me up at 2:30 am.

Yesterday, was a nothing day.

Washing the bedding and cleaning the house so that everything is clean for the next time we are over.

I also filled the car up, just in case we arrive on a weekend when the petrol pumps at the stations are unattended.

I also stocked up on some floor cleaner and some pizzas for the kids.

At Iceland you can get 10 Goodfella's Pizza's for £10. At Litsas (Waitrose) in Vrysoulles they are €3.67 for one.

That's nothing. Mr Kipling apple pies are €5.89.

I called in to see Fosis up at the coffee shop and got a haircut and shave from Tony the Barber, both of who were concerned regarding the absence of Julie.

They don't miss a trick!

They are like family as we have been going there 20 years.

I got in and I made a stir fry with noodles - which is something that I hadn't done in years as I had that big bag of prawns to shift, and I didn't want to sling them.

The Lynskey's minus Joanne's gran - Kay's mum.

I need a character asset to assign to her!

The Lynskey's are originally from Hammersmith but moved to the Kew area.

---

Right.

It is 3:50 am and I am currently in the Skala Lounge in Larnaca Airport after an eventful taxi ride.

The driver got pulled up by the traffic police on the Kokkines - Ayia Napa road from Paralimni.

He didn't have his Taxi light on therefore they thought he was just some gadgy out late who they thought they could breathalyse.

In fact, nowadays in Cyprus they also do narco tests as well. Not sure how they work though!

Opposite and above is Joanne Lynskey - who is a main character from both Series 1 and 2, although in Series 2, she has been married and divorced and is absolutely nothing like the carefree young girl she was in Series 1.

That's the beauty about two series that are seven years apart. The characters change.

In Series 1, Joanne shares a house with Krissy K and Jack Thiam... I think that I've said before, the idea came from the 1970s sitcom, Man About the House where Sally Thomsett and Paula Wilcox played the female tenants, Jo and Chrissy.

Jack Thiam, however - is no Robin Tripp (Richard O'Sullivan).

He owns the property and apart from being an absolute degenerate gambler, possesses some very weird habits, which Joanne often reveals to Gaynor.

Joanne also has some weird habits, some of which Gaynor reveals to Mason's gran - Ana Reung... and her mum, Maureen... eventually.

As for her parents, Kay - as with Clara's mum - Joyce, is in the Christmas episode of Series 1, where they trade off sordid stories about their daughters.

Maureen Mellor is also there and thoroughly enjoys the camaraderie.

As with the Leoni character, I've had chance to work on Joanne, who is becoming more realistic in her appearance.

(Series 1) Clara Margieson on the staircase at 24a Boelyn Mews. The best friend of Gaynor Mellor

29 September 2026

Kaliméra.

It is 4:00 am and I am up.

I slept last night for the first time since I got here only to be awoken by screaming women on the street.

I thought the holilday season was over.

Nope. Think again.

There are three villas (houses) on the street that are holiday lets; and several on the street behind us, the latter of which are extremely expensive houses.

I'm sorry, but if I'd paid upwards of €700,000 for a house, there is no way on earth that I'd rent it out - especially to some of the people that they do.

Yesterday evening, I called at the bank, and went over to Vrysoulles to see Fosis at the coffee shop.

I had a couple of beers and watched Latvia v Cyprus (football) on TV, which was like watching some third division match in the UK.

The bar started filling up with people that I knew just as I left.

I was speaking to Julie quite a bit yesterday regarding one thing and another. Hospital's and operation's being the main topic, although I don't really think she'd like me airing personal things on here. She goes for some pre-op next week.

That aside, she went for dinner over at the kids and had a meal that I could only ever have nightmares about. Beef stew and dumplings.

That's another meal I've not had since I was a kid.

When we had the house in Avgorou, I used to do steak in gravy - but that was generally 8 rump steaks (trimmed) from Litsas (Waitrose), a kilo of mushrooms and potatoes, and half a bottle of red wine. There was also onion, basil, pepper and about five oxo cubes in that as well.

We just used to leave it in for three or fours and have it with steamed green beans, leeks or broccoli when we got in from the pub.

We can't really cook like that in this house as the kitchen area is a bit small and we'd end up stinking the place out.

It's bad enough at home after either fillet steaks or fish!

Anyway, I leave here in the early hours tomorrow. The taxi's picking me up at 2:30 am.

Opposite and above is Clara Margieson (and her parents).

Clara is a main character, mainly in Series 1, but she is also in Series 2 as well.

In Series 1 she and Gaynor were best friends.

Regular meals out together and yoga through the week, and the weekends with the boys.

Clara was in a relationship with Dorian Ogley - Augie Doggie, who is in a roundabout way, sort of related to Mason, and as that was the case, they had quite a lot in common.

As Jenny says: "Dad has loads of auntie's, uncle's and cousins."

And the one thing Clara isn't, is stupid.

In the beginning, Gaynor encouraged Clara to go to night school, to get both the exams and results needed to move forward with her life.

Gaynor also got her involved with some charitable Trust, which I won't go into as it would ruin the story.

Augie - like Mason, is one of the boys, and he saw it as Gaynor interfering.

As did her mum, Joyce.

Was she? I really don't think so.

Clara was already working and night school / college didn't just cut into the time with her fiancé, it also didn't pay wages - and Joyce was old school.

You know the line: If you want to live here then you help pay the bills.

Clara worked hard and just like Angie Mellor, saw at first hand, not just how easy everything came to Gaynor; but how she began taking Mason for granted.

Whereas Angie was Gaynor's sister. Clara was Mason's friend. There's a big difference.

Clara cut ties with Gaynor at the end of Series 1 and in Series 2, when Gaynor comes back, she tries to put out the olive branch, with apologies etc...

Gaynor told Kiki Dee: "I tried, but I think that ship sailed a long time ago."

The one thing Clara does not suffer - and that is fools.

As for Joyce Margieson.

She features in the Series 1 episode: I'm Dreaming of a Miserable Christmas.

Quite funny actually.

It's gone quiet outside... I'll go back upstairs and try and grab another couple of hours sleep.

(Series 1) Gaynor Mellor on the River Thames. Through some back door deal with London investment banker Simeon Cartier-Blöem, Mason came into the ownership of a boat.

This gave Mason a transport route to Tilbury a few times a week without having to pass through the the city's ANPR cameras; and Gaynor chance to procure some nautical attire.

28 September 2026

Kaliméra.

It is 4:40 am (GMT+2) and I'm up.

I woke up with one hell of a dry cough but feel 100% better than I did.

Yesterday, I kicked myself up the backside and went into Vrysoulles and called in at Litsas (Waitrose) near the Turkish border and did a bit of a shop.

Mainly 32 cans of Schweppes sparkling pink grapefruit and soda water, along with 96 bottles of still water to fill up the fridge.

One of my O.C.D bugbears.

I hate an empty fridge. It takes me back to when I was a kid, and all there was in it, was a 2kg tub of margarine... and if we were lucky, some milk that the milkman had delivered.

What makes that more disgusting is that my mum never went without her 40-60 cigarettes a day.

One of the reasons I hate smoking, I suppose... And margarine, as I've never ever had the horrible stuff since.

In The A's, when Maureen Mellor first calls to the flat on Boelyn Mews, the first thing she did was look in the fridge.

The second thing she did was to drop off four carrier bags of food to fill it.

Gaynor often saw her as interfering.

Mason knew she wasn't and he never forgot.

Did Angie ever feel the same way?

It's never mentioned, but I wouldn't have thought so.

Back to reality. I texted the two Alex's on my phone.

The first, whereby I booked my taxi to the airport for 2:30 am (GMT+2) Wednesday morning; and the second to book our table at The Red Lion for 5:15 pm on Wednesday night.

In the middle of that I have a £250 Tesco delivery due between 2:00 and 3:00 pm.

That wasn't a text - that was done via my laptop.

Opposite and above.

Some Gaynor Mellor.

To be honest, the story of the boat was sad.

Gaynor's life was sailing on the crest of a wave if you pardon the pun; in that she had everything, and Mason getting the boat more than reinforced that.

Her elder sister, Angie was struggling to adapt - not just to married life, but being the lesser mortal within the family, and it stung.

12 months earlier Gaynor had been the rather awkward dorky sister with the glasses and the braces in her mouth, who lived in the elder sister's shadow.

She'd already had a brand new car given to her and was living in a plush flat with designs on a huge house on the river post-marriage.

And the engagement party?

Everyone who was anybody was invited and her mum, Maureen - was so proud.

"I can't believe what a lovely life you've made for yourselves," said her mum, the same evening after an afternoon spent arranging the food for the party with the owner of Facchetti's, Judy Knock.

"And how grown up you've become."

And the clothes... everything she wore had a name attached to it...

And then the boat?

To Gaynor, the boat was nothing, it was given to Mason for nothing more than a favour.

Mason could see what was happening with Angie, but all Gaynor saw was a bit of fun, and one Sunday morning they came back from somewhere on the Docklands (I forget where), and rather than anchor in Hammersmith, Gaynor said: "Let's go to the Sailing Club."

Why?

Her parents were having Sunday lunch with Angie and Pat, and Gaynor fancied gatecrashing it in style and doing nothing more the redirecting the attention on her.

Mason tried to say no but Gaynor was adamant.

The reason?

Angie had pissed her off - not just with the spat in the New Year, but a few things - generally all Mason-related, and it was getting your own back time.

By then - June 2023, Gaynor was in full control and the power vacuum that all the control had created, possibly made Gaynor feel invincible.

Whereas her mum was just proud, her friends had began noticing a difference, especially her best friend, Clara Margieson.

(Series 1) Leoni Middleton (centre) with her parents, Sammy and Mizzy - outside The Hammersmith Vaults

27 September 2026

Kaliméra.

It is 3:10 am (GMT+2) and I'm up.

I can't sleep.

I feel shocking. I felt shocking all yesterday. I have a dry cough and my nose is leaking like a pipe.

Some fucking man-flu or whatever.

I thought the me-being-bunged-up was due to the air conditioning being on throughout the night.

Nope. Some shitty virus.

I stayed in all day and didn't go shopping, which for me is strange.

I am a born shopper - be it for food, clothes or whatever.

Hopefully I can shake it off.

On another note - yesterday, Julie told the kids had called round for an Indian takeaway and she'd finally sussed-out how to use the Brennan B2 music library.

We've only had it about six years!

I wish I was back home. I'm not selfish. I like to share my miserableness.

Alfie Moran, Sammy Middleton and Hankey Bannister.

Three of the Faces from yesteryear.

Has the penny dropped on who the characters are based on yet?

---

Opposite and above.

Sammy Middleton is a character that I have mentioned but one whose face has never been seen - up until now.

Leoni, on the other hand is a character asset that I've had since the early days, and one which I have worked on to get her to look more realistic.

Last night, I looked back at the garbage I was creating- animation-wise, and couldn't believe how far I have come. Well, I can - it has just been a lot of hard work built on the muddy foundation of frustration - like this morning, when the software just had a fucking mind of its own!

And this laptop. Fucking hell, it is slow...

633 days in, and I now know what I am capable of - and it is looking more realistic by the day.

Near-perfection is what I've always strived for - whether it be here with The A's, or in life.

I am extremely fortunate. I've done okay.

So - the Middleton's.

Sammy knew Mason's dad - Vincent, and as kids - Leoni and Mason grew up together - with Leoni being three years his senior.

She and Mason are close, and Leoni is perhaps the only one who can tell him what she thinks.

As Jenny notes in Series 2, her dad's friends are often referred to as aunties, uncles and their kids as cousins...

And Leoni... was she like a cousin?

As Kiki Dee (Alfie's daughter) said in an earlier blog - well a much earlier blog, as the animation was again shit; after Mason's parents died, both she and Leoni holed up in the flat with him, much to Mason's gran's disapproval.

Basically, Ana came in one Sunday morning (Pre-Series 1) and found the three of them in bed together.

"Where else are they going to sleep?" Mason said.

"How about their own bloody beds," Ana replied.

As Kiki Dee recalled. "Mason immediately went online and bought another bed... Not that we used it, however."

Nothing is specified regarding what actually happened, therefore the audience has to use its own judgement, but it was Kiki Dee who Gaynor kept at arms length and not Leoni, so maybe you can draw your own conclusions from that.

Leoni often ribs Gaynor, whether it be her stupidity, laziness, gormlessness; and rather tongue-in-cheek... often mentions her and Mason's secret past.

"Me and Mason used to get bathed together," she told the crowd of girl's in either Facchetti's or The Vaults (I can't remember which).

"My mum stopped us doing it when I was sixteen."

"Will you please stop telling fibs," Gaynor snapped, post-laughter.

What is strange, is that all the way throughout both series, Leoni is never in a relationship.

It's one to think about, I suppose...

(Series 1) The South London bookmakers. Mr O'Hare and Mr Burke. Recognise them?

26 September 2026

Kaliméra.

It is 7:50 am (GMT+2) and I'm up.

The door is open and the sun is out.

Yesterday was another hot one and I feel today will be the same. It is already 22°c outside.

Klitos from the garage phoned me early doors to tell me that the brakes on the FTO had been done, so I went to pick that up.

I jumped on one of the buses that take you up into Paralimni. They have a regular timetable - they just never follow it; and two 101 buses - the10:33 and the 10:48 never turned up.

Thankfully I had sprayed myself with mosquito / fly repellant and I caught the 11:03 bus without being attacked.

I called in at the water board and paid the €112 bill and phoned the fucking halfwit that is MotoLucas, who told me he couldn't get for the scooter today - and it would be next week.

For my tea, I unwrapped the six Sheftalias and made a salad with red peppers, tomatoes, a couple of mini cucumbers, radish's and a red onion.

The sheftalia's took an age to cook. In fact, if I'd left them in until this morning, they still wouldn't have browned.

At home, Julie's informed me that she has been putting everything in order - all the documention for the houses, the cars etc., and has brought a load of old paperwork home from the office to shred.

She's even uncovered two HSBC pensions that I (we) had forgotten about.

Sometimes our lives have been so busy, we pay whatever bill is presented and just get on with it.

One thing is for sure - is that when we go, our Jamie will become a millionaire overnight.

It's a nice thought, as outside of my grandma taking out a £400 insurance for me when I was a kid; absolutely no-one has ever given me anything.

Anyway...

(Series 1) The rather ballsy Leoni Middleton - three different hairstyles for her passport photo's, and sitting on her Vespa in the courtyard behind Mason's flat at 24a Boelyn Mews.

---

Opposite and above are the South London bookies Mr O'Hare and Mr Burke, along with their Vespa riding nemesis, Leoni Middleton.

In one episode of Series 1, they refused to hand over a £4,000 payout.

"We've hit them twenty-two times already," Mason said to her. "I told you to leave them alone."

"I was riding past their shop, they weren't in and I couldn't resist," Leoni replied.

"Well, they obviously knew it was you."

"I put my hood up, stuck some glasses on and acted like a retard when I went in. They obviously thought I was Gaynor."

Gaynor was in the flat in Boelyn Mews at the time.

Leoni always appeared to have zero-time for Gaynor and generally referred to her as the "Wench".

Leoni is prevalent through both Series' 1 and 2.

She's a great character.

Did Mason ever get the £4,000?

Good question.

As Mr Burke says in the video opposite - they aren't in anyway heavy, say like The Blum's. However, as businessmen go - they aren't that shrewd either, which was something that Leoni told them on them coming to Mason's flat... where its owner already had two people there angling for a favour of sorts...

Oh yeah, and Gaynor was there, as by then she'd become a permanent fixture, and had fully moved in with Mason. I think the episode is titled "Hey God Damn, Wow, I'm so in Love" but I'd have to check that.

It was a time when Leoni came up with a sort of million-dollar idea, which Mason acted on, and whereby Gaynor handled its PR.

For college kids, they had the world at their feet.

And no-one doubted that Gaynor was academically clever.

Not even Leoni.

The problem with Leoni's idea bolstered by Gaynor's PR; it attracted people that the kids normally wouldn't associate with...

One of which was the owner of the Embassy Club - Hankey Bannister.

(Series 2) Fish and Chips in Itchycoo Park. Alfie and Kirishima Moran and their only grandchild - Joel.

25 September 2026

Kaliméra.

It is 7:50 am (GMT+2) and I'm up.

The door is open and the sun is out.

It looks like it's going to be another hot day.

It got up to 32°c yesterday - which isn't bad for the end of September. The downside are the fucking millions of flies.

I dropped the FTO off at the garage on April Avenue yesterday morning and called in at MotoLucas' - the motorbike shop just off Protaras Avenue, as I need a solenoid installing on the scooter, and all the way back - well over three miles, I had a fly whizzing around my fucking earhole.

I doubt it was the same one, but I'm sure you get my drift.

The car will be done tomorrow and Lucas assures me that he'll come and pick up the scooter.

The latter is a nothing job - it is just getting to the thing. All the seat needs to come off.

Two of my three jobs done.

I would have called in to paid the water bill on my way back but the bill was one my phone - and I never take my phone anywhere unless I'm in the car.

Instead, I called in at the supermarket and bought some chicken breasts, prawns and Sheftalias (Cyprus sausages) along with some salad.

Cooking for one.

I hate it.

Kiki Dee and her son - Joel

---

Opposite and above are some characters that are integral to the story.

Alfie and Kirishima, and just like their daughter, are really nice people.

Alfie Moran is a Londoner first and foremost. Kirishima is from Japan.

Her father worked for a company called Nishimatsu who had some involvement on the construction of the East London (Jubilee) Tube Lines on the London Underground during the early 1990s, therefore he brought the family over - and that is how Alfie met Kirishima.

They are around in Series 1, but not much.

In Series 2, they have a bigger part as Kiki Dee comes home for the Christmas holidays, as part of the reassessment of her life.

Her partner - Joel's father, had been left seven months, and Joel... he has special needs... in that he struggles to speak.

It is quite an emotional story and one of the many arcs that form The A's.

So - just like Gaynor Mellor, she came home.

The photographs and the video are of granny and granddad taking Joel to Itchycoo Park to have a picnic and to feed the ducks.

The reality. Itchycoo Park does not exist as a single, official location but is widely believed to be a nickname for Little Ilford Park in Manor Park, East London.

The legend is that its in the Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush area.

If I can recreate clubs, bars, music venues and shops - then I can most certainly create a park!

So - music?

What else... Itchycoo Park...

(Series 1) Angie Mellor, with the Tokyo Investment Bank in the background.

24 September 2026

Kaliméra se ólous sas apó tin Kýpro.

That is Good morning to you all from Cyprus.

I was up at 7:30 am (GMT+2) after an absolute rubbish nights sleep.

No idea why, as I was knackered with the getting up early and all the travelling.

I got in the house before 6:00 pm last night to immediately find out that the water in the swimming pool was below the skimmers and that our hose pipe had gone missing.

Who woud steal a fucking hose pipe?

Someone that's not got one, I suppose.

There is another - one which is on a reel and has never been used - mainly because it has no connectors.

My first job?

Rooting through the stack of six-drawers under the staircase to find two... which I did. Hoarding shite does, at times - come in handy

Anyway, the pool is back up to its normal depth.

Yesterday morning, I recommenced work on the script and continued writing some scenes up in Nolito's restaurant in Luton Airport, to insert in Series 1.

As I've often said, I move around within the story as opposed to writing it from start-to-finish: "Once upon a time" to the story's end where they ultimately "Live happily ever after".

I love Nolito's ordering app. Two sausages, two bacon, two lots of mushrooms, two eggs, a Macchiato with an extra shot of Java and a sparkling water... and make sure you untick the box for the pissy-offish 10% service charge.

I'm not tight by any means, but service charges...? Nope. Sorry. If I want to tip, then I will.

So, rather than go out for something to eat when I got in, I continued on the script and had a couple of coffees and three tins of fish. Octupus, squid and sardines - I think, which have been in the fridge since God knows when.

Anyway - they've gone now, so I'll not be buying them again.

Opposite and above.

Angie Mellor at Canary Wharf.

Both sisters animate great if you get the colours right. And brown using the Chiaroscuro style of photography - or at night, always works well.

Therefore, she is on some jetty drinking red wine and looking the business.

Julie often says: "Why aren't there no ugly women or fat people in The A's?"

There will be, but none as main characters although in Series 2, Gaynor will have clubbed on a few pounds.

Well, she hasn't just put on weight, she's basically given up and let herself go.

That's why, when Jenny finds out Mason is her dad, and he gets the carrier bags full of secrets out - the photograph's, Jenny is sort of dumbstruck.

"Is that mam?" she asks.

"It is," Mason tells her.

Jenny can't believe it.

Now, why would someone so pretty do that to themselves?

To Jenny, even at six-and-a-half years old - it didn't make any sense.

It was all part of the self-destruction process.

(Series 1) Gaynor Mellor in the Flamingo Jazz club, circa May 2023

23 September 2026

Good morning.

It is an early one. It is 3.25 am.

Cyprus beckons.

I am in the study with a strong coffee and it is dark outside.

The nights are drawing in and it is taking the morning's much longer to get light.

The clocks will go back on Sunday 25 October 2026 at 2:00 am.

We are just a month and three days away.

That beautiful summer we had will soon just be a memory.

We have Halloween, bonfire night and Christmas to look forward to - and then the grind of January starts again.

I work to deadlines. And the years fly by.

Fortunately, we have the house over in Cyprus to break the monotony.

Today, though, I don't want to go.

Julie is at hospital this morning... for another scan... this time an M.R.I.

I could have waited and we both could have gone to Cyprus tomorrow, but it is an M.R.I that may need acting on, and being 2,500 miles away wouldn't be the best place to be.

I'm going as there are things over there that need sorting - the rear brakes of the car, a new solenoid for the scooter, and the water bills need paying.

I generally do the latter on the JCC Smart portal, but for some reason, Paralimni Council's Water Board wasn't on its payment list.

Strange.

Opposite and above is the Gaynor Mellor character in the Flamingo Jazz Club.

It is a place that was on London's Wardour Street in the 1960s - sort of just up from Chinatown.

As I've done with lots of places, Hammersmith Palais, The Crawdaddy etc... I have recreated it - albeit given it a 2026 shine, as the original place was a shithole.

So, does Gaynor like jazz?

Nope.

But it somewhere to go that sells wine and beer so she'll put up with it.

In Series 1, her crowd move a round quite a bit - the furthest being the fictitious 101 on Archway in North London.

She wasn't particularly bothered about the music they played there either.

So does she complain?

Fucking yeah.

(Series 1) The legend that is Henry Womble. The West London gangster that nobody takes serious.

He's an insurance man, really.

22 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:10 am, Julie deciding that it was her turn to take the hound out through the woods.

My job?

Making the bed, getting the dog's breakfast, emptying the dishwasher, putting some washing in and getting the coffee's on.

I'm currently checking my mobile as DX are currently on the A161 south of Goole and are due to deliver the kids washing machine. It looks like they should get it before 8:30 am.

If it was us - we'd definitely be the last delivery of the day!

Yesterday, I uploaded the magazine and signed off this months workload by 10:00 am.

I also decided that it was time to stick a flipbook of the magazine on our website.

So.

Opposite and above.

Henry Womble and indeed Jimmy Smurf are minor characters in The A's.

Obviously, and if you are of that age, you can see who they are based on. I am hoping that you will see quite a few of these.

The pair frequent The Hammersmith Vaults - mainly for the Monday night card school.

The diminutive Henry comes over as quasi-aggressive and Mr Risdsale quite the sophisticated man about town.

The truth is - neither are like they appear.

I needed to create lots of Extras - basically, to fill the bars and restaurants - and indeed streets and what-have-you.

At the moment I have 710 on file, which is a lot.

I try and create around 200 each month.

The hard bit will be rigging them out with clothes. Fortunately, you can't get into The Vaults without a suit - although a tie isn't compulsory. So, I just need loads of suits!

I also need to create wardrobes for the main female characters - that being Gaynor, Angie and Jenny Mellor and Anita Pallenburg.

As I keep on saying, Anita dresses differently to the two sisters. As for Jenny, and outside of her school uniform, she generally wears Adidas-branded clothes and sometimes, Converse All-Star type sneakers.

That changes slightly when she goes to Laos, however.

Right.

Julie booked my flights last night, therefore I fly out to Cyprus tomorrow morning.

Julie is staying behind as she is having another scan at the hospital.

Sods Law, she said. "I know if I went with you they'd probably call me in while we were away."

She has a point.

We are, however - very fortunate in that we can go over to Cyprus at any given time.

Music

Pre Series 1. Angie Mellor and the Flake advert that never was.

21 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:05 am and through the woods with the hound.

Yesterday, I completed the magazine and will upload it to the printers before 9:00 am and hopefully get it signed off with no issues

Then it is on to the October issue.

The workload is immense, but it gives us a good living.

We had Sunday lunch at The Red Lion yesterday - which was 100 times better than the meal we had there on Friday.

Opposite and above is the Flake advert that never was.

In Series 2, during the Christmas period, Anita Pallenburg has some friends over for a coffee morning. It wasn't planned, but something happened in Lisbon of all places, which made Jenny Mellor want to be with Anita.

What is true is that, Anita absolutely spoils Jenny, but treats her far more grown up than her mum - Gaynor does. I think I'm right in saying that.

Anita constantly tells Jenny: "You work hard, so you deserve to be treat."

The friends (and some family) arrive and Anita tells Jenny that the youngest always makes the tea and Jenny ends up being the char lady for the morning.

Jenny loves it. As there is gossip.

And generally and just in case anything untoward is said, Anita is asked: "Am I okay to say this?"

And Anita will give a wry nod and then give a wink at Jenny.

And some of the conversation this particular morning was sort of red hot.

A not so red hot tale was relayed by Jenny's Auntie Angie, who is a big friend of Anita's, and who tells the story of a time in college, when she signed up with a West London modelling agency.

"You were a model?" Jenny gasps.

The pinnacle of her Auntie Angie's short-lived modelling career was a revamp of Cadbury's advert for the Flake chocolate bar, which never went further than her sat in the middle of a field eating chocolate.

"I must have ate over a dozen of the flippin' things that day," Angie tells her.

"It sounds mint," Jenny replies. "I'd right sit in the middle of a field all day eating chocolate."

The question then arises of why did she stop.

"The people who ran it weren't very nice," she tells her niece.

Julie Kingdom KC, Jenny's sort-of auntie, adds to the tale: "The owner of the agency wanted to give your Auntie Angie loads of babies and your Auntie Angie wasn't that bothered."

"'Cos she loved Uncle Pat?" Jenny replies.

"No - this was a long time before Uncle Pat," Angie tells her..

(Series 3, narrative) Jenny Mellor at 22. The Interview - Part 2

20 September 2026

Good morning.

It is dark outside.

It is 4:10 am and I'm up.

I've been tossing and turning and my mind is absolutely racing.

I knocked off from work yesterday. Twice.

The idea being to do some shit in the garden.

I say shit as I hate gardening with a passion.

The hottest summer since 1976 and the new lawn survived. Just.

It needed mowing and trimming.

I've been putting it off for a couple of weeks and the grass has grown. It has grown a lot.

So, I started cutting it, and 30 minutes in, it started raining. I'd checked the weather forecast as well.

So rain stopped play.

I let it dry out and around 4:00 pm I went back out to finish the job.

The magazine is complete bar the dropping in of the photographs / images.

I managed to fit all the advertisements in - just.

84 pages and we have adverts on every other page. It is some going. I think we are one of the last magazines of our genre that is still getting printed as most are now just online.

Opposite and above.

I had another go at the interview with Jenny Mellor at 22 and I knocked out over a minute with no real problems.

I am still animating in 2K which is shit. It needs to be 4K, and I'm no great fan of straightforward colour. Especially at distance.

Look at yesterdays photographs of Maureen Mellor and compare them with today's (opposite).

Shooting in chiaroscuro (noir) is much better as at doesn't so much remove the blemishes, but masks them.

In the Jenny at 22 video she is a bit pixelated in the first of the four frames that I've used, where both she and the journalist are in the same shot.

The journalist isn't too bad, however.

This, I have found is solely down to the colours.

Outside of shooting in chiaroscuro - using white is literally, wank.

These are all things I need to iron out for when I begin the actual construction of the series.

Other things to note is the use of camera panning, whereby I zoom in at different angles.

Generally, I am rushing, so as to chuck stuff up on the blog, so very little thought goes into it.

As I keep on saying, I do have animation that I have indexed, that wouldn't be out of place on TV, and which has been shot in 2K.

I'm after perfection, and that is definitely up there.

So - the Maureen photographs are of her snooping.

This actually happens in Series 1.

A few times.

(Series 1) A flawless animation of Maureen Mellor in the flat at 24a Boelyn Mews, gearing up for a bit of a spring clean, whilst at the same time speaking of "her children" - that being her youngest daughter, Gaynor, and her fiancé Mason Green.

The music playing in the background is Dana's 1970 hit, All Kinds of Everything. There is a story there.

Maureen's mum - Granny O'Hara, used to sing it to her when she was a baby.

19 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:40 am and out through the woods with the hound.

It looked a bit cool out, so I got wrapped up. That was a mistake as it was anything but.

16°c or so my computer tells me.

I'm currently in the study with a strong coffee.

As for Julie, she's still in bed.

We went out last night and didn't get in until quite late. I don't know what time, but later than we normally get in anyway.

I'm hoping to get the magazine signed off on Monday and hopefully I can get over to Cyprus, as I have some things that need sorting.

It seems ages since we went but it's not really.

(Series 1) Maureen Mellor - the matriarchal figure

---

Opposite and above is Maureen Mellor - the mother of Angie and Gaynor. The Series 1 version.

Here she is in the kitchen of 24a Boelyn Mews circa May / June 2023.

Gaynor often says to her mum when she comes round to the flat: "And no snooping."

And does Maureen snoop?

Oh yes.

As Jenny at 22 said: "Granny was just naturally inquisitive."

When Gaynor moved into the flat on a permanent basis, Maureen found every excuse under the sun to call, and when Gaynor and Mason started working - Maureen hit the jackpot.

Mason gave her a key.

"What the hell have you given her a key for?" Gaynor snapped. "She'll be round all the time."

Was she?

No more than Julie does with our Jamie and Lianne.

"I moved out to get away from her," Gaynor sulked.

"No you didn't. Stop exaggerating," Mason replied.

Did Gaynor exaggerate?

Oh yes. And Jenny would be no different.

So - some music.

I've added a track to the music player that sort of describes Maureen.

(Series 1) Gaynor Mellor in conversation in the flat at 24a Boelyn Mews

18 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:00 am and through the woods with the hound, calling in at the gents hairdressers (Barbers) which is owned by ex-boxer, Dean Bramhald, on the way down High Street.

I was going to call in yesterday, but since we live in a cashless society, I didn't have any money in my wallet. Well, I did - €105 in notes.

Anyway - yesterday evening, Julie called at one of the two remaining cash machines in the town and got me some money.

Even though I had no money in my wallet, I still blew nearly £500.

Yesterday, I bought our Jamie and Lianne a new washing machine as theirs is broke.

We bought that one as well...

When Julie stayed there she was moaning about its unreliability. At the moment it is broke and has some dog blanket in it, and is full of water.

Their new one should be delivered on 22 September. Should - being the optimum word.

We also had a Tesco shop delivered in the afternoon. £240 - although that was mainly due to the 12 bottles of Casillero Diablo white wine, which had a 75% markdown on them, if you buy six.

I also replenished the freezer with thirty-quid's worth of sausages that I'd fed the two dogs the other week.

Opposite and above is more Gaynor Mellor.

I have animation to go with this, but as I've said before, my trials and errors with the animation are just practice; and although some of it is really good, I don't really want to put them on here.

I certainly will, if or when everything is completed, however.

Still, the photograph's of Gaynor here and Jenny at 22 in yesterday's journal sort of show you how similar looking they both are.

As I've said once before, I morphed Gaynor, Angie and Ana Reung to get Jenny's facial features, and then created the asset in 3D.

Anyway, tonight we are out for a meal with Big Scott and Edyta.

(Series 3, narrative) The 22-year-old Jenny Mellor being interviewed in her home in Laos.

17 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:20 am after hearing the back door slam shut and the wrought iron gates on the rear drive open.

It was Julie's turn at taking the hound for her walk through the woods.

I awoke during the night and tossed and turned until 3:20 am with my mind racing; and then managed to drop back off.

Sometimes, when it's like that I just have to get up.

Work on my day job is busy and my mind is active thinking about the animation process of The A's.

More so, the setting up and the timings.

Obviously, I am a writer and neither an expert in filmography nor directing, therefore I need to start thinking like one...

Part 1 of the interview.

--

Opposite and above is the 22-year old Jenny Mellor being interviewed.

And one question you could ask is "Why would anyone want to interview her?"

Why indeed.

In Series 2, you will maybe understand why.

I set the frames beforehand and worked from that.

When I first started learning the animation process it was a bit like the Chuckle Brother's - you know: From me to you, whereby if two characters were speaking to one another it was basically me working from two frames - say one of Mason Green and the other of Gaynor Mellor and never of them together.

On this particular animation I am working from four individual frames.

The timing is much better than the filmography, as I should have really shot it in Chiaroscuro (noir) as it would have looked ten times better.

Still, there's a millisecond fragment that its sound byte is all over the shop.

Why?

Because I blew into the frame whilst the lady interviewer was speaking and didn't separate the segment properly

Animation. A fucking pain in the arse!

(Series 3, narrative) The 22-year-old Jenny Mellor.

16 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 5:20 am and had close to an hour in the study before dragging out the purple dustbin (cardboard and plastic), and taking the hound for her walk through the woods.

I spent the close to an hour trying to animate the 22-year old Jenny Mellor from four different frames, which although I got some great animation; the software - and my wireless mouse to the big computer; have been continually driving me up the fucking pole.

I press a button and it should work.

It doesn't happen like that. Ever.

The animation I was doing was of Jenny giving some background of her mum and dad, but from her perspective.

Jenny is very honest and forthright.

"My granny always said that I was pretty like my mam and clever like my dad," she says.

However, there is much more to it than that.

An emotional Jenny

---

She explains of her being taken away when she was just 10 months old and not really knowing that Mason Green was her dad, until the day her Granny Maureen had had enough of all the deceit and just told her one Saturday afternoon, whilst in her mum's (Gaynor's) old bedroom.

Jenny was just six years old..

Although her dad picked her up for the weekend, she just assumed that he was a relation and always referred to him as just "Mason".

She also speaks of her mums complexity and what Maureen often refers to her self-destructive nature.

"I never really saw that," Jenny says, "As dad was always there in the background."

Mason being in Gaynor's life the second time around helped gave her stability.

"She was always crying," Jenny says. "She looked at dad and what dad had and how others saw him - especially granny and granddad, and she got upset. It is just who she was."

And Jenny mentions the videocalls.

"Dad called me every day, and mam looked forward to those calls as much as I did."

I'll chuck the animation up tomorrow.

(Series 2) Actual 2D, 4K film sets. The London Headquarters of the Greenford Group and its geotechnical subsidiary

15 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:00 am and had close to an hour in the study before taking the hound for her walk through the woods.

It rained through the night and it is wet.

I knew I should have cut the lawn last night!

Yesterday, I dropped Julie off at the Outpatients at Scunthorpe Hospital, and whilst she was in there, I called in at Marks & Spencer on the Glandford Park Business Park (or near it), for some vegetables, salad etc. for dinner.

I also called in at B&M, which is a shop more in line with Scunthorpe, which is certainly not the nicest of places, and is much like most northern towns.

The town centre is much worse than Doncaster's City Centre and that is saying something.

Still - Marks & Spencer was a change... me only going there as Julie didn't have the Tesco Clubcard on her.

You cannot go to Tesco without it as you get totally ripped off. One price for you and one price for them. I have said before that it stinks.

I get being awarded the reward points - but not the two-tier pricing.

Anyway.

Opposite and above is me playing at being an architect.

When I started writing up Series 1 over 600 days ago my idea of Greenford - which was Greenford Developments back then, was in both a Hammersmith location and was just modular buildings (Portacabins) stacked on top of one another.

In Series 2. however - and seven years into the future, that is certainly not the case as you can see.

The business has moved out of Hammersmith and onto a business park, which the group company financed and built...

And in the bottom photo - the future of the specialist subsidiary - The Faces.

These are the trainee geotechnical engineers: Matthew Paignton; Jack Harrington; Marvin Marshall (M&M); and Lenny Kravitz.

Marvin, the nephew of Pat Marshall (and Angie Mellor) was given the nickname of M&M by Mason Green in Series 1, Episode 2. He was only 12 years old.

They are all good characters.

I'll leave it at that for today.

(Series 2) An actual 2D, 4K film set. One of Greenford's trucks parked outside the offices of Greenford Geotechnical & Piling

(Series 2) Anita Pallenburg at work

---

Opposite and Above.

A bit of a focus on the Greenford Group.

The company are London-based and has two arms: Greenford Developments and Greenford Geotechnical & Piling.

The company was started by Mason Green's father - Vincent, and a man by the name of David Ford.

David and his wife, Mandy were Mason's godparents.

So - the story.

When Mason's parents died, he was just 16 and his father's share of the company - the 50 percent was put in a Trust until he was 18.

That Trust was overseen by both Israel Kingdom - the family's solicitor - and Jacob Gotleib, the latter of who put an accountant into the business to oversee Mason's share. That is a man by the name of Alan Peach.

Nobody ever thought Mason would take an interest in the business, not at least David Ford.

Mason, however - got into a relationship with Gaynor Mellor, whose father John - owned a geotechnical business that provided specialist kit for the shoring of deep structures - that being AGM Mellor-tech. AGM being the initials of Angie, Gaynor and Maureen.

As time went by Mason thought the world of Gaynor's parents, and with John saw the ultimate family man.

Has as often been stated, Mason possessed an inordinate IQ, and with that came problems, all of which were more or less nullified by the love that came via the Mellor family.

Gaynor knew that Mason needed to be kept busy and was worried that with college (and university) ending, he may get into trouble.

Cue: John Mellor.

John knew how Mason rolled and asked him a favour. "If you fancy it; why don't you come and help me out at work?" or words to that affect.

What he did say was this: "I know you're a clever lad and I know I don't need to tell you what to do; so just come in, have a look around and see what you think needs doing."

John ended up seeing every single one of Mason's traits and idiosyncrasies. It was mad.

For a full week John had him there... and Gaynor, always maintained that was the happiest time of their lives as a couple...

As for her dad? He was heartbroken at the weeks end, as he'd enjoyed having him there that much.

As for Mason - he found what he wanted to do.

He just wanted to be like John.

He went and asked David Ford if he could set up a piling division - his idea - to go and go study as an engineer and get chartered...

What did happen was that David Ford said "no".

(Series 1) Angie Mellor in her bath robe. By Astrid Karcherr.

If Sydney Sweeney can be photographed without make-up - so can Angie Mellor.

13 September 2026

Good morning.

Another belated post.

I was up at 7:20 am and out through the woods with the hound and got back in the house for a few strong coffee's.

I was working all day yesterday and the same will probably apply today.

The weekend's work as been more about juggling than anything else.

Typesetting of the magazine and making sure that everything falls into the right place, although I did write up three features - two of which are on the Isle of Wight... which is a place that I have only been twice in my life.

The first time to see a huge shaft being sunk on the foreshore; and the second time, a tunnelled outfall out into the English Channel.

It's quite a strange place to be honest...

(Series 1) A short video of something different. Capital City Radio is a West London-based station operating out of Hammersmith, which often plays in the background throughout Series 1 of The A's.

This show - the DJ being known as Shaun of the Dead (No Idea Why), being a late night Country & Western slot, and which is produced by Saturn 5 Productions - a company owned by Arnold Layne.

They are all minor characters.

12 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 8:00.

Being lazy?

Yeah - you've got it.

It is now 12:50 pm.

Yesterday was a work day, which was very productive, so much so, we took the dog out to The Red Lion and called into The Tandoori for a crap curry on our way back.

Today is another work day.

I did, however, manage to do some animation. Quite a bit to be honest.

Above is just a 25 second clip of a minor character who is totally based on my (half) brother, Shaun.

It was Shaun that sort of gave me the idea of Saturn 5 Productions... not the name but the character heading up the company - Arnold Layne.

Arnold Layne with his partners - Lily and Bree

---

Arnold - who is based on the appearance of Pink Floyd's Syd Barret and personality of the actor Charlie Sheen, is in a polyamorous relationship with the two girls - opposite and above, and is often seen frequenting several West London nightspots.

As I've said, they are minor characters.

The radio station?

The idea of it playing in the background doesn't just break the silence with music, it also let's the viewer know what is happening in an around London at the time.

Peter Kay (Phoenix Nights, Car Share) was very big on radio being part of his series' and I can totally see why.

Capital City Radio is an idea.

I've not used it in the script in a big way... as yet, although there is a scene where Maureen Mellor is singing along to some song and both daughters note that she is more happier than usual...

There are some news snippets, but I can't really tell you about those as it will give some of the story away.

(Series 2) Pat Marshall. Husband of Angie Mellor and Managing Director of Greenford Geotechnical & Piling

11 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:00 and out through the woods with the hound.

Although it has put some rain down, it looks like it's going to be a nice day.

Today, I have to hammer my day job, and look to completion by Monday, which means that I'll be working all weekend.

I did plenty yesterday, but not as much as I should have.

I'll crack on today.

Opposite and above is Pat Marshall - the husband of Angie Mellor.

Pat is just a genuinely nice character and in Series 2 - a lovely uncle to Jenny.

When Series 1 starts, lots of things in the Mellor household seem to revolve around the impending wedding - however, there is a background story to it that isn't particularly nice.

Pat and his elder brother, Sean (Marshall) were brought up by their mother and stepfather, the latter who is also named Marshall.

Seamus was some cousin or relation of their father... The story never states exactly what, but a relation all the same - which bodes well as the surname stays the same and nobody bats an eyelid.

Seamus is not just loud and obnoxious, but is also a bully, and not just with his two stepsons...

The Catholic priest, Father Ken Maloney, regards him as the dog's bollocks so to speak, as Seamus's ex-wife's family were an active part of the Provisional IRA... and latterly, Sinn Féin - a separate but closely linked entity, often historically described as the political wing of the organisation.

The priest likes to talk politics to anyone that will listen, and all good Catholic families hold him in high esteem including Angie's mum, Maureen... and they therefore obviously listen to him.

"You're marrying into a great family," Father Maloney would tell Angie.

Pat and his brother are absolutely nothing like Seamus Marshall, nor is Sean's son - Marvin... or M&M as Mason nicknames him.

Seamus likes Angie - and why not, she's pretty and has a good job, therefore, Angie sees little wrong in him.

It is only when she and Pat are married that certain things come to light... and that doesn't really come via Pat... but from Mason.

Father Maloney basically sees Mason as black - a non-Catholic who is unworthy of being part of the Mellor family.

Does it bother Mason?

Absolutely not.

(Series 1) Angie Mellor in the kitchen of the flat at 24A Boelyn Mews

10 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 4:30 am... well, initially.

The idea was to go down to a site off Junction 12 off the A42 to see a contractor pulling in an MDPE pipeline.

I was tired and certainly wasn't in the right frame of mind for a three-to-four hour round-trip, so I let them know I wouldn't be going, and giving them plenty of time.

I got back in bed and sort of semi-surfaced around 7:30 am on hearing Julie go out with the hound.

It's just after midday, and I've been working on some complex article - regarding Southend of all places.

It is a place that I've been to just twice in my lifetime - the first of which was a long time ago, and I recall sitting on a sand bank near Shoeburyness on a dark night watching the ships or boats coming in and out of the Thames Estuary.

Lloyd Cole & The Commotions and David Bowie were both in the charts at that particular time, with Forest Fire and Blue Jean respectively.

It's strange what you remember.

(Series 1) Angie Mellor with her hair down.

I still find it strange how a persons feature can be altered - just by a different hairstyle and make-up.

---

Opposite and above is Angie Mellor - this time in the flat at 24A Boelyn Mews.

Even though Mason and her younger sister broke up, Angie - and just like both her parents, continued the relationship with him, and it is a relationship that continues all the way through the series.

It is interesting.

Gaynor put up with some of it during Series 1, but by its end she certainly didn't.

This was the exact opposite, with Angie's husband, Pat.

Pat needed Mason's help, but in reality, he could never understand him... very few people could... That was until the day he did.

As for Angie?

She, like both her mum and her younger sister, knew exactly how Mason rolled...

(Series 1) Mambo Italiana. Gaynor trying her hand at a Spaghetti Bolognese without any pasta

9 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:30 am and through the woods with the hound.

A strange morning, which was a continuation of a very strange yesterday.

I'd go public and tell you why - however, I won't, as it's not really nice.

Message to one's self: Deal with it ASAP.

I picked up a couple of emails from my (half) brother, Shaun this morning.

He is a character... and very much in the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll kind of way. Decadence and debauchery, he calls it.

Do I have a character like him in The A's?

No.

The nearest one at present is Volkswagen Rolf... but even then Rolf is nothing like him.

Therefore, I have made one.

I'm not sure what he does yet, but I will integrate him into the story.

Making characters is as easy as that!

So, and just like with A.J Milz, whereby Gaynor always calls him by his Christian name which is Arthur. Arnold's real name is Shaun or Sean...

Why Arnold?

He loves Pink Floyd and its one time front man - Syd Barrett.

What is strange about this, is that I originally modelled the Mason Green character after listening to the Pink Floyd song Comfortably Numb, which is a song drawing certain parallels with Syd Barrett, although its writer Roger Waters said that it's more about him.

There are however, thematic overlaps with Barrett — mental withdrawal, being propped up to perform, a sense of someone disappearing inside themselves.

So

I've added a Pink Floyd song to the music player.

(Series 1) Gaynor Mellor in the kitchen of 24a Boelyn Mews, circa July 2023.

8 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 7:05 am and around the churchyard with both dogs.

Today, is the last day of our dog-sitting.

I've just checked www.flightradar24.com and the kids are currently flying over the North Sea and into Luton Airport. They are due to land at 9:39 am.

It has been an interesting week. I never thought that I'd enjoy having an English Bulldog in my house - ever, but I have to admit, he's been a good lad.

Between them both they've gone through about thirty quid's worth of sausages and a gallon of milk, but one thing that is for sure, they've got me out of bed on a morning and kept my mind active.

Julie's just in the kitchen mopping the floor and I can hear her talking to the dog and saying: "You're such a good lad."

It is definitely The Red Lion tonight.

Work has been going okay, and the guts of the magazine is nearly complete.

Opposite and above are supposedly some photograph's taken in the kitchen of Mason's flat at 24a Boelyn Mews.

In these photograph's I opted not to use the Chiaroscuro (noir) style of photography as the surroundings are quite bright.

I have to admit, these animations took some getting right.

Firstly, the proportions were all over the fucking place, and Gaynor is certainly no giant.

I can't stand tall women and big feet!

And secondly, the blouse and the skirt were problematic.

Outside of a shirt with a suit and tie, I'm not big on clothes being tucked in and it took me countless fucking goes for the blouse to hang loose, and even then, not totally.

(Series 2) Jenny Mellor on her mum's laptop in the kitchen

7 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:40 am and around the churchyard with both dogs.

Bar a flight cancellation, the kids should be home tomorrow.

I've not had a drink for 10 days, so, The Red Lion plus a crap curry from the Tandoori is on the itinerary.

Our dog will enjoy that - that much is for sure. Fish goujons and a couple of hours laid out on the tiled floor of the pub. Her idea of a good night out.

She has been the only child for eight years and doesn't particularly like other dogs in the house.

Yesterday (Sunday), was another work day.

I did plenty, and broke off in the afternoon to continue getting more experienced with the animation process.

As I keep saying - the stuff I throw up on here is nothing compared to the reality of what I'm currently achieving; and some of the frames I made last week are as good as anything out there... if not better.

I do however, need to get back into the Series 2 re-write.

The problem?

There isn't enough time in the day.

My day job, which is rather demanding; everyday life; and mastering the animation process of which the hardest part is manually setting up each individual frame in 4K and in 16:9 ratio, all takes up my time.

The actual 2D film set of the kitchen at 11 Marquis Gardens (Jenny and Gaynor's home). It needs some items removing and a kettle and toaster adding and some blinds putting up.

---

Opposite and above.

Seven-year old Jenny Mellor going through her night time routine at her home at 11 Marquis Gardens.

In bed at 9:00 pm... but before that - a drink of hot chocolate and a bun... generally a chocolate éclair.

Her mum, Gaynor appears rather conscientious when it comes to her daughter's intake of food and drink... and McDonald's is definitely a no-go.

Jenny's favourite food is indeed sausages.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Gaynor would ask.

"A sausage sarnie," Jenny would reply.

"We've got no sausages."

"Then what did you ask me for?"

"So, what do you want?" her mum asks again.

"I get sausages at dad and Neeta's..."

"Tough. Here, you have cereal for breakfast."

Gaynor certainly doesn't spoil her, but the nightly hot chocolate and a bun once a week is seen as a treat.

(Series 1) Studying the instructions to put the cordless Dyson together. Domesticity was not Gaynor's strong point.

6 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:20 am and out around the churchyard with the two dogs.

We got back in ana after some reservations I decided against giving Jamie's dog its raw food.

I opened it up yesterday teatime and nearly threw up. It is fucking green and it stinks. If Julie wants to take it back and give it the other dog, she can. Poor fuckers. I'd be suicidal if I had to eat that shite.

Instead, I cut up a couple of raw sea bass and gave him that with an egg... and a sausage as a treat afterwards.

He seems happy enough and is currently flat out, whilst I'm in the study with a strong coffee.

I managed to do some work on my day job yesterday and I have to admit - I banged it a bit.

I also managed some animation, which was as frustrating as hell as it just wouldn't do what I wanted it to.

The problem?

I am over-complicating things - by trying to get it right with one single take rather than breaking it up into two or three. A bit like running before you can walk.

Opposite and above is some more Gaynor Mellor.

Generally, she's dressed up - you know - like a girl, however - here, I've dressed her down and she's just wearing a sweatshirt and a pair of cropped pants.

Navy blue. It renders great using the Chiaroscuro style of photography.

Gaynor's hair is strange in that she looks more classy with it tied up - as do most women - however, it can make her look harsh.

This is good, as towards the end of Series 1 and prior to the engagement party, lots of things are happening - some of which, she is certainly not happy about.

But the question is - was she happy anyway?

Gaynor is possibly the most complicated of girls and possesses that self-destructive personality, which at anytime can blow up in her face.

As it obviously did.

(Series 1) The rather gentlemanly Cyril Essen and Cyril Pope escorting Gaynor Mellor from the rear of Facchetti's Italian Restaurant to The Hammersmith Vaults. It is quicker than flagging a taxi, but far more dangerous... Especially if you're a female.

All Gaynor's crowd move around Hammersmith on a weekend, either in cabs - or chaperoned.

The backdoor route to The Vaults takes you beneath London Underground's Circle and Hammersmith & City lines.

5 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:35 am and out around the churchyard with the two dogs.

Our Jamie's is quickly falling into the regime and is now mirroring ours in what he does.

I was sick of saying: "Get in your bed."

New surroundings with different smells... and food, spiked his interest.

Now, he knows he doesn't have to hunt for food (dog's nature) and that he gets it just by going in his bed.

I've been sticking a packet of Tesco's finest sausages in the oven each day, and two days ago I boiled ten eggs, all to have as treats - generally after they've had their meals - or on a night, after their last walk.

He was struggling on his legs a bit, but the past five walks, he's sort of ran round the circuit and apart from the constant sniffing, he's been a pleasure to walk. The only downside is having to have him on a leash (lead).

Anyway, enough dog-talk.

Yesterday, I managed to clean-up my works computer which was lagging like you wouldn't believe and which had 241 GB of temporary files on it that the scan disk app couldn't delete.

It's quite an old computer system.

So after an hour of failure, I bit the bullet and bought and downloaded some software which found the files and fixed the problem within 25 minutes.

Adobe Inc. Their software loves to hoard files.

Essen & Pope bookmakers on the corner of Cambridge Grove - 92–94 King Street, Hammersmith, W6 0QW.

And below - how it really looks.

If you want one hell of a coincidence. Then I have one. In 1997, we were struggling to get a mortgage for the property we currently reside in, as although it was the vicarage / manse to the former church / chapel next door, it was turned into a care home which fell into administration... therefore, we sort of needed a bottom-of-the-line kind of lender...

SPML (Southern Pacific Mortgages) had offices at 92-94 King Street (above Essen & Pope).

I never knew that until Julie was going through the deeds a few months ago. Strange!

Opposite and above are two characters that appear quite regularly in The A's: The two bookies, Cyril's Essen and Pope.

Both have rather subjective personalities...

And both love Mason Green.

Mason's father was a shareholder of The Hammersmith Vaults - the twelve-percenters, they call them - and Cyril Pope is one as well... although it is Essen & Pope who are on the deeds.

Mason also makes them money.

When Gaynor Mellor came on the scene, Mason introduced the two bookies to her dad - John, as they all played golf.

There's quite a humorous story in there somewhere... £100 a hole...

"That's a bit steep," John told Mason, whilst he was getting ready to double up with his near-neighbour and golfing buddy, Ralph.

"No, it's not," Mason replied. "They're shit. You'll easily take them for over a grand."

Did they?

(Series 1) Frankie and Maurice Blum in the 214 Casino in Crystal Palace

4 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:40 am and out around St Andrews's Church with the dog's and back in, half-an-hour later to feed them.

I don't want to tempt fate here, but our Jamie's dog was struggling when he first got here, and definitely didn't want to do the three walks... and was continually hanging back.

This morning, however, he flew round and even galloped to the rear drive gates on the way back.

His breakfast, plus sausages, eggs and milk may have something to do with the latter.

Anyway, one task done.

Last night was another case of a meal for one.

Three green salads on the trot: Prawns and tuna; Baked salmon loins; and Tesco's finest cod and parsley fishcakes - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

In other news, Julie says that she's lost 4lb - with the eating-for-one and the non-drinking doing its bit.

Me?

I haven't had a drink, but the biscuits and chocolate are a different thing completely.

I definitely compensate!

Roll on Tuesday, for when the kids come back.

Opposite and above are the two brothers - Francis and Maurice Blum - Frankie Senior and Morris Minor, the latter of the two, apart from being the more psychotic, is the businessman. A bookie.

Apart from driving around in his Mercedes it is never actually stated what Frankie does.

Are they nice? No.

They first come into play during Series 1, when a college rugby game starts attracting a lot of attention around the West and South London bookmaking circuit... namely Essen & Pope - the two Cyril's, who are close with Mason Green.

The Embassy Club Casino, King Street, Hammersmith, W6

(Series 1) Preparing for the wedding that wasn't. Gaynor Mellor trying on her £4,000 Pnina TORNI wedding dress, which was bought for her by Christie and Jacob Gotleib, circa July 2023. She and Mason Green were to be married in February 2024.

3 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:50 am and out with the dog's and back in, half-an-hour later to feed them.

I was interrupted, however - by Julie pulling the car on the drive, therefore it was she who gave Jamie's dog his meds: Antibiotics for his injuries post-having the shit kicked out of him, by the younger dog; and a 35 mm shot of Metacam for his arthritis.

Apart from his whining like a bitch when I'm in the study on an evening , he's been a pleasure to have.

It's costing me a fortune in sausages though!

Yesterday, was another nothing day.

Work.

I should have done more, but I didn't.

Today, I would imagine will be the same.

Dressed in sage. The bridesmaids that never were.

Five-year old Madison Coulthard and her and seven year old sister, Tiffany.

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Opposite and above is the preparation for the wedding that wasn't.

During the summer of 2023, Gaynor and her mum went to a few bridal shops in and around West London - in search of the perfect dress.

Gaynor's thoughts being, not just to have a much better dress than her elder sister had; but to also have a better wedding and indeed marriage.

Angie was to be a maid of honour along with Clara Margieson - however, Angie never actually went to visit any of shops or indeed the fitting.

The relationship between both sisters at that point, was extremely strained and if it hadn't been for Mason, Angie would have walked away.

The bridesmaids were to be Annie and Robbie Coulthard's two daughters - Tiffany and Madison, as above.

Everything was organised (and paid for) prior to the engagement party on 19 August 2023.

The one thing about Gaynor, is that she was not only very academic - she was also a great organiser.

It was just a pity that she had a self-destructive personality.

(Between Series 1 and 2) Anita with her new car parked on the drive at 24 and 24a Boelyn Mews, Ravenscourt Park, W6

2 September 2026

Good morning.

I was up at 6:20 am and out with the dog's and back in half-an-hour to feed them.

Our Jamie's dog is nowhere near as spoiled as ours and the three dog walks per day plus the food and treats is seen as quite welcomed.

Nevertheless, he was whining like a little bitch when I was in the study last night watching all the football transfer news come in on X (Twitter).

He's a nice lad and just likes company.

Yesterday was a nothing day, but today my intentions are - to bang my day job.

Opposite and above is some Anita Pallenburg.

In Series 2, she and Mason are living on the banks of the River Thames in his parents old house.

In between series' however, they lived above Mason's gran - Rochana (Ana) Reung, in the flat at Boelyn Mews - which was the same flat which Gaynor Mellor had moved into (with him) in the second part of Series 1.

There are the odd flashback's.

Notice how much younger Anita looks?

I also made an executive decision and removed her mole from the left side of her face (over her lips) as it was driving me insane when I was animating her.

I don't mind a beauty spot of sorts - but in some instances it became like something you'd find on a witch's chin.

Anyway - it's gone!

I've also kept up with the idea of dressing her down.

You could stick the Gaynor or Angie (Mellor) characters in just about anything and they would look okay.

Not so, with Anita.

She's not bad in a short skirt and opaques, but stick her a dress on and it never looks right.

That's why, when you tend to see her outside a sleeveless polo neck and cropped pants, she's bulked up with a baggy jumper or jacket and short skirt with thick tights (opaques).

Anyway, the dustbin men have just been and another coffee is calling.

(Series 1) Angie Mellor getting trapped in one of the elevators in the Hong Kong Garden flats in Hammersmith, W6

1 September 2026

Good morning on the first day of a new month.

I was up at 5:55 am and out with the dog's.

Dog's as in plural.

I have the elder one of our Jamie's dog's staying here following Sunday's mini-horror of the younger one attacking it.

He seems content and has immediately fallen into the regime of a regular three walks a day and treats.

The rules are minimal: Just don't piss me off by needlessly parading around the two kitchens.

He got the gist, straight away.

Stay in your bed. And the cooked Tesco's finest sausages as the treats. Sound!

At the minute it's working well.

Anyway, enough dog talk as I'm bored senseless with all the weekend's conversation about the x, y and z's of it all.

Yesterday evening, I received quite a few emails from my software provider for the animation along with confirmation the the near-on $1,000 that was wrongly taken, would be credited back to my bank account. Well 20 really - 19 credits of $50 and a $20.

Very pissyoffish as half the time you're not dealing with humans... It is the same with this website provider when things go wrong... and they do.

A view of the fictitious Hong Kong Garden flats in the background.

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Opposite and above.

Some Angie Mellor photograph's around the soon-to-be redeveloped Hong Kong Gardens.

In Series 2, and after working in both Santander in on the High Street in Chiswick (might have to change that) and the Tokyo Investment Bank in Canary Wharf, Angie gets a dream job with JSG Merchant Bank in Hammersmith - and JSG bought the area for redevelopment in 2022.

Angie's job title at JSG?

Director of UK Infrastructure.

Both the Mellor sister's are academically clever, but need mentoring... and their mentor ends up being someone who is the ultimate boss when it comes to finance... that being none other than Jacob Gotleib.

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© JAMES DUROSE-RAYNER 2026