Next up Vaim Hotel, the second Vaim novel by one of my favourites, Jon Fosse. Translated by another of my favourites, Damion Searls. With thanks to @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social for the proof copy.

3/2 Good to see my Dasa Drndic collection up to date.

Finished Dying in Toronto by Dasa Drndic, tr from Croatian by Celia Hawkesworth. A series of DD's trademark hybrid non/fiction pieces about her time in Toronto, as a refugee of sorts from the Balkan war in the 1990s. Studded with mini biographies of interesting people famous and obscure. 1/2

We decided to check out the priory market in Tallaght – a food market with a range of world cuisines. Here's Thomas enjoying some prawn toast. I have a story in the Irish Times next Saturday, partly inspired by Thomas's adventurous road trips in search of prawn toast.

It has been quite a while since I've read a book in a day but this was a special one. Funny, definitely sad in that way I like, vulnerable, clever, touching. A book with a lot of life behind it. One of my favourite books this year so far. A gem. Thanks to my pals at @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social

You see this brand of WB (water bottle?) Yeats water everywhere. Is this something you can just do – use a famous writer's name and image to promote a product?

Finished Golden Age by Chinese writer Wang Xiaobo and translated by Yan Yan. Very entertaining. Ribald, thoughtful, irreverent and unpasteurised. Episodes from the (sex) life of a young man into middle age with observations about life's absurd tragedies and small joys. Loved it.

Car wash company egos are getting out of hand.

Cucerella always reminds me of a character from an Asterix book for some reason.

Pickled up my chunky holiday read: Blinding by Mircea Cartarescu, translated from Romanian by Sean Cotter.

This is just crying out for an anthropomorphic ad campaign character of Don Quick-oaty.

Beat the hot weather by cycling out to Dun Laoghaire and back. 54kms in a cool breeze. We surprised ourselves as we're not really bike people but we are most certainly ice cream people.

Support band The Clockworks were good too. From Galway. The musicians had instruments that matched their skin tone.

Johnny Marr was excellent. Still plays with joy after all these years. Technique note perfect. Plenty of Smiths tunes. Sang my little heart out. Quite emotional at times. Those songs carried so many people through so much.

Me and the boy wonder are out to see Johnny Marr.

New runners. Sale purchase. Getting harder to find men's runners with a pop of colour in them*. *Possible forthcoming Guardian article in its exclusively female-authored men's section.

New Watford jersey released. I like it a lot. Will pick it up when I'm over for Watford v West Ham at the end of August (hopefully).

Swish!

If you don't fancy watching the World Cup semi final next Tuesday, Watford's pre-season friendly against Barnet will be available to stream.

Setting sun, as viewed from Sutton train station on my way home.

St Joseph's player with the skinniest calves I have ever seen on a footballer.

Nice evening for a bit of Europa Conference League football, as Bohs take on St Joseph's of Gibraltar.

Watched Tokyo-Ga by Wim Wenders about his 80s trip to Tokyo to pick up the vibe of Yasujiro Ozu. He interviews Chishū Ryū, the likeably wooden star of Ozu's films, and his career-long cameraman, Yuharu Atsuta. It is clear that Ozu meant a huge amount to them. Wenders' own contributions are so-so.

Sorry. – I had the pic the wrong way round.

Lunchtime book shopping: Opening Night, the new one from Sara Baume. A nonfiction book (I think) about her friendship with Mollie Douthit.

New Sushi place opened near my office. Top notch. All very fresh.

Giorgi Chakvetadze leaving Watford for Udinese (Italian Watford FC). I think he'll have an exciting career but went off the boil after his injury and needs a fresh start. Thanks for the memories Giorgi.

I love it.

I live about five minutes from the sea but haven't really been in since I had some heart tests last year. I loved my dip this evening, thanks to encouragement from my wife and Jacob who swim there regularly these days.

Finished my reread of Translucent Tree by Nobuku Takagi, tr Deborah Iwabuchi. A tender, unconventional love story. The lives of two loner fortysomethings become entwined in a steamy, yet melancholy affair. I remembered the feeling of reading this novel a few years ago, and enjoyed feeling it again.