>> Nicola, a volunteer at Headway, tells me that each week she and Michael, another volunteer, compete to get the ‘best chair’ at the 10.15am volunteers meeting. They refer to it as “the throne”.
From now on, I will check, and each week make a note of who wins this gripping contest. This week: Nicola.
>> On LabourList today, Sienna Rodgers says that at her local constituency meeting to debate the Labour leadership candidates, someone described one of the main contenders, Sir Keir Starmer, as so wooden he is a “posh kebab”.
I get the idea, but can’t see what might be wooden about a ‘posh’ kebab.
For a start, I think the kebab would more likely be called a ‘skewer’ if it was as ‘posh’ (middle class?), as Starmer KCB QC MP undoubtedly is.
>> It’s celeriac soup with focaccia for lunch at Headway today (£3). It made me want to specialise in soup and bread as my signature cooking skill.
Here is a wax monoprint of Margi. She loves it. I think she’s being kind.
Each Thursday morning at Headway Margi walks around offering sweets to the other members.
There is normally a choice of two. Today it was soft fudge or hard boiled mint.
I am ashamed to say I took advantage of her memory problem and conned her out of both.
I did confess, showing her the empty wrappers, after which she gently scolded me as a “naughty boy”.
I glowed with pride.
>> Errol and Tony Brooks did great work during a ‘Meet the Trustees’ session after lunch, asking lots of questions and showing brain injury survival in its best light.
I wasn’t surprised, because I know them both to be irrepressible. But it must have been quite humbling for outsiders such as the Trustees
Cecil talked about positivity, adding that his brain injury has given him the chance to enjoy aspects of his personality he never really knew existed before.
He considered himself shy and lacking confidence, but now he is out of his shell, and much happier for being so.
Cecil is a big hero for me.
>> Michael Portillo is in Java today, burning his fingers trying to roast coffee beans with a veteran coffee-bean roaster.
Portillo is wearing tangerine chinos matched with a pale green linen shirt, tucked in.
BillyScraps 