h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A bad night. I'm generally a light sleeper: usually, of a night, I'll wake up in the small hours and thus lose some sleep but generally drop off again before morning. It's almost always very quiet at home at night. Last night, I awoke at about 3am, cold (mem: ask AR for a duvet), to the sound of a neighbour practising his guitar!

Shopping. The nearest supermarket is a Sainsbury's. AR tells me that it doesn't do catering (I'm sure I've bought food or drink there on previous visits to AR), so I set off for the big Sainsbury's superstore. Fortunately there is a Lidl much nearer, which turns out to have nearly everything I wanted. No plastic cutlery or paper plates, but surely someone will bring some. (Q: There are no baskets. Why are the trolleys at the far end of the store? Anyone going in at the front must walk the length of the store for one.)

Before leaving for an afternoon appointment (and some shopping), AR wrote me a letter of introduction to a neighbour, for me to use when requesting that the neighbour lend me her copy of AR's keys. (A wise precaution, I suppose, in an area such as this where the crime rate is high. AR had already been confronted by intruders demanding money with menaces.) From AR's sheet music, I found Mozart's piano sonata in A minor, K310. I hope my practising didn't annoy the nocturnal guitarist neighbour.

AR wanted to take me out for one meal today. We decided to make that the evening meal. After passing a few restaurants, AR chose an Indian one: Chilli Chutney, 20-21 The High Parade, Streatham High Road. It disappointed me. The waiters were obtrusive, but at least they tried to be helpful. AR ordered chicken korma; I ordered saag gosht (lamb with spinach). Among other things, we ordered a lentil dish. The waiter asked whether we wanted the korma and lentils hot, medium or mild. We ordered both "mild", but AR nonetheless found both too hot. The waiter offered to "make it [the lentils] mild", and brought a replacement dish, but this was no milder. At least we weren't charged for it. On the bill, "service charge" was included. I consider that presumptuous. About £13 a head; at any rate, it was, once the waiter had brought the right change!