under another sun

Off to Edgware today. Did a few bits first, then made off around noon, just as the population of Southern England climbed into their vehicles. A longish journey up, having to go eastwards round the hateful M25 and under the Dartford Tunnel, which I don't remember ever going under. Quite a narrow tunnel and best seen crawling through in a traffic jam, giving you plenty of time to be mindful of the millions of tonnes of water pressing overhead.  Mum discovered in good spirits. We had a lengthy pause to let Lorraine have a decent break while we ate ginger nuts and drank tea. Wynford happened to pop in which was nice. Luckily I already had a card for him. I popped one into Ben's letter box, and Maheena's too. Mum has so many good neighbours. The journey back easier, despite the motorway from the M25 to Brighton being closed due to a fire on the road. Lorraine did brilliantly, and drove excellently there and back. We listened to Classic FM which was playing arrangements of Chris...

Lorraine and I had bumped our trip to Edgware till tomorrow, as I wanted Lorraine to have another day of recovery before the driving marathon. She is improving, but is a couple of days behind me, and I'm still a tad wan. Beth and Enzo popped around, for a session of the adoration of Enzo. Spoke to Toby briefly, as he had read about Mum falling over in the rain. I felt a bit bad that I hadn't let him know. He was on a tour somewhere in Mexico City I think. All well though. I had to send my apologies to Robin too, as I was invited around with others tomorrow evening, but we will be picking up Mum instead. Making it the last of our pre-xmas cheery get togethers to be missed. Bah humbug. First walk for several days today, slipped down by the sea and walked along looking at the purple sea and orange sky, and thinking how this is a weird and wonderful planet. A nice note from Kay Syrad about being mentioned on Planet Poetry. A bit of stranger things on TV and Brooklyn 99 before bed. ...

Spoke to Mum this morning, sporting a rather nasty bump on the head with stitches on it. She got a taxi home from the hospital last night but seemed in good spirits, and mainly concerned with how ugly the bump was. She was telling us about how kind the people in the shop she'd fallen outside of were. Her scan, when she was able to get one, showed there was no fracturing, which was what she thought.  Otherwise Lorraine and I both have a bad cold. Had to cancel going out to the Boot with our local pals. Gah.  

A cold now in full flow, and Lorraine beginning to feel a bit wussy too.  I lay in bed till late, confident that at least it could be a quiet day, but then I had to work on the podcast for a couple of hours. We got it out on time and Niall Campbell was a wonderful guest. I don't think I was on top form for this recording, but it is what it is, as penetrating philosophers of our time say. Just as I was writing the episode description, I got a call from Wynford who said Mum had fallen over in Edgware, while walking off to have a Christmas Dinner at the Church social club. He wasn't sure where she had been taken to. While I was hanging on the phone to Barnet Hospital A&E, Mum and a nurse called from Edgware walk in centre. Mum sounded okay. She'd slipped over in the heavy rain outside the music shop. Someone in the shop knew Wynford and called him, and he very kindly called me immediately.  The nurse explained that she had stitches, and would also need a scan just to ensur...

Beth off early for a procedure in hospital to do with her bile duct. This meant that we had Enzo for the day and night, as Beth needed time to recover. Enzo behaved in an exemplary way all day. We pushed him off to see Pat and Maureen. I managed a spot of shopping too in Seaford, while Lorraine and Enzo went to the Post Office. Spoke to Anton, who is with Camino. Spoke to Mum to suggest we pick her up next Monday. All good. Feeling coldy this evening, which made me cringe as Charlotte was particularly keen not to be exposed to bugs.  Beth's procedure went well, and James looking after her. Sweet how they both so missed Enzo, even after a few hours. Below Enzo and I looked lots at the tree today, which he loves. A bit of a serious face here.

Up and a few tweaks to the podcast before sending what I had to Robin. Then off to Brighton by train, and went to see Stacy. Stacy under pressure as everyone wants a haircut in time for Christmas. He had also shaved the wizard's hair and beared, I last saw him sporting. He did his usual perfectionists job on me. Then a spot of shopping in Brighton, and spoke to Mum. Home again, and Lorraine out as the OT was visiting Pat.  In my travels today, a note from the editor of Black Nore, accepting one of my lighter poems, called Viagra from Vancouver . It's a true story about getting a spam email from someone called Gwen, my grandmother's name, about buying Viagra from a pharmacy in Vancouver.  Gwen, something of a practical joker, had visited her sister in Vancouver.  I made off to Lewes, the Brewers pub for what I think of as the Poets' Xmas Party. Charlotte, SJB, Robin and Stephen. As I arrived, I bumped into Phil, Innis's mate, last seen at Innis's birthday party i...

Breakfast with Lorraine, then hopped on a train. Lots of blokes in smart casual garms on the train.  Turns out they were all off to the races at Plumpton. At one point there was a call for any medical personnel to report to one of the carriages, but nobody was helped off at subsequent stations, so I think it may have been some kind of a prank. Meanwhile Beth and Enzo, released from hospital, and fortunately the wee lad is far better today, after his adventures last night. Everyone relieved of course.  I continued to Hampstead where I met Mum at the tube station, and we repaired to the The White Bear. A nice drink with Mum, and some food. We discussed her coming down to stay with us for Christmas, while eating unusually tasty cheeseburgers. Very happy that she will not be alone this Christmas. Of course she is sad about Felix dying. She was telling me how kind Wynford had been, and he was even praying as poor Felix was put down.   We sat near the fire, and Mum drank red wi...

A relaxed Sunday. I did some early recording with Robin, and some editing later. Then Lorraine and I did some work in the garden. Our gardener Gerard bad been recently, and so surging outside was not accompanied by the usual feeling of being overwhelmed by all the things to be done. Lorraine was in her happy place. I joined in by clearing stuff out of the greenhouse, hacking through the ropey tomato and cucumber vines and emptied all the tomato pots into the compost, and encountered invertebrates such as an overly large spider and leopard slugs. Also the last handfuls of tomatoes. Not bad given that it is almost Christmas. I went for a walk in the afternoon. Leaving Lorraine happily doing things. Just as I was returning, Lorraine called to say she was zooming around to Beth and James's place, as Enzo was unwell. Poor baby was vomiting and going floppy, which was very worrying. Beth and Enzo were blue lighted to the Royal Sussex at Brighton, and stayed overnight. It seemed to be eit...

Saturday Lorraine and I went to look at carpets, and spoke to the carpet salesman until our ears wilted. They are very good in this local store, with a wide range. Came back with samples to see in situ, and think about stuff. Not as easy as it first seems.  In the afternoon Lorraine took Pat and Maureen to the Christmas party at Stratheden Court, they made them feel very welcome and clapped when they came in, which was all very lovely.  I went for a walk in the afternoon. Walking by the sea, which was quite calm, around sundown. The colours were gorgeous. The sea, reflecting the orange light, looked purple. Not seen that here in Seaford before.

Off to London this morning to meet Bob, as he put it 'under the usual lion' in Trafalgar Square. On the train I spoke to Mum, and very sadly she had to have Felix put down, as he was very ill. Wynford went with Mum to the vet, and was really helpful. I sent him a text to thank him. Mum obviously very sad. Bob and I had a lovely day. We lurked near the National Gallery, and a coffee, and then after going through the market that has sprung up on the edge of Trafalgar Square,  we went into the National to see a small exhibition by Joseph Wright of Derby. It was an example of Tenebrism, paintings showing people lit only by the light of candles, or in one case the light of a white hot poker, and everything falling back into darkness. A thin exhibition to be honest, and Bob and I knew one of the main exhibits which is in the permanent exhibition. But still fascinating and thought provoking. Then back into the Trafalgar Square where we bought two bratwurst hot dogs from a German sausa...

Off after a bit of editing of my conversation with Robin, to sit with Pat at 11:45. Sylwia was there, and is zooming back to Poland at the weekend. A long, long drive. Lorraine and Maureen off to Eastbourne for a hearing aid appointment.  Mum said the vets had asked for her to bring Felix in as soon as possible. She is trying to get someone to go with her tomorrow. I found Pat fairly perky, and I made him some tea and warmed up some beef broth. We watched one of those shows where they buy some tat and try to sell it on at auctions. I'd not seen the show for years, but the guy that presents it no longer wears a wig, making him almost unrecognisable. Soon Claudia and Jonas had arrived too. I made them tea, and after the carers had been, Patrick able to stand now fairly well for short times, and he was doing some exercises of holding up his leg and pointing his toes and so on. At 1:30 I slipped off leaving Claudia and Jonas with Pat for half an hour. I went home and joined some of my ...

A gorgeous clear skied day. Walking and listening to a Rest is History podcast about Jack the Ripper, and the streets of Whitechapel. In other news, Mum is very worried about Felix, and is looking to see if he is still covered by pet insurance.  We've invested in Netflix again, in time for Christmas. Watching Stranger Things.

Recording with Robin this morning, for the podcast. I ended up talking about Kay Syrad's book, which I have become intrigued by and Argonauts, by George Seferis. Nice to be recording with Robin again. then another walk, followed by some initial editing.  Lorraine off to the see Coílín our dentist, and spending time with Pat and Maureen.  In the evening I made off to The Evening Star to meet Messrs Hoibak and Hartley for a few cheery beers. I met these two, 55 years ago which is astonishing. A wide range of discussions, but all very cheery. After the Evening Star we went to the Green Dragon after an obligatory pizza in Fatto a Mano, and tonight it was full with people attending a pub quiz. Whoever is running that pub is doing a grand job.  Bumped into Spooner just after leaving the pizzeria. He had attended Yuk Man's funeral in London. Having not been back on LinkedIn I didn't know it was happening today. Spooner looked understandably sombre. I felt a bad I hadn't shown ...

A day with Beth and James and Enzo. We went off to The Long Man Brewery where there was a Christmas Fayre of sorts. I scoffed a very nice sausage roll, washed down with a half of Long Man's plum porter.  It was pleasantly Christmassy. Otherwise the normal sort of stuff. A chilli products stand, soaps with scraps of flowers in, a stand selling breads and excellent mince pies,  and the Long Man brewery shop,  full of geezers looking seriously at beers. We sat in a drafty former cow shed drinking coffee before zooming off down the narrow road to the Barn at the Friston forest visitor's centre, where we looked at more Christmassy stands, selling everything from Honey to festive baubles. In the art exhibition part, we met Adele and Mandy, who were exhibiting their artworks. Then Lorraine and I off to see Pat and Maureen. Maureen feeling a bit down, and we spent some time with them.  Beth and James and Enzo already at home when we arrived. Beth in Cinders mode beginning to...

Continuing to feel greatly bucked up, and looking forward to the day when I woke up. After breakfast, I helped Lorraine take an unused cot into the Climate Hub in the rain. Having done this I made off towards Morrisons, only to discern Lorraine yelping from afar as I inexplicably had her car keys in my pocket.  Home and with great care, proofread the six pages of my poems appearing in Poetry Salzburg Review next year. I added a single comma, and Wolfgang the editor had spotted a misspelling in a neologism, which is impressive. All this exactly the sort of thing a gentleman of letters should be doing with his time. I briefly pictured myself as an Edwardian Peter Kenny -- let's say 1908 -- poring keenly over the proofs while puffing thoughtfully on a briar pipe, while the staff were busy below stairs.  A bright lunchtime in a day of drizzle, so I wore my new Berghaus and waterproof trousers and walking shoes and surged out for a mild mannered walk about the edges of town. Not a ...

Over breakfast this morning, I received a note from Poetry Salzburg to say they are going to publish, the first part of Gordon Road, Google Street View , plus three of my free verse sonnets about memory, Mnemosyne Speaks, Death of an Accompanist, and Daguerrotype . Massively bucked up by this, especially by the acceptance of the Google Street View poem. Perhaps I am not an abject failure after all.  This news also helped to alleviate impostor syndrome when Robin and I interviewed Niall Campbell at 10:30. Niall proved not only hugely talented, but highly likeable too, growing up in South Uist, and now living not too far from St Andrew's where we have been a few times recently. His collection The Island in the Sound is magical . Then I met Adele at Seaford Station, and we zoomed off to Lewes, Adele even doing a bit of glasswork on the train, where we went to The John Harvey Tavern, where we met Frances and Deana. Ben and Sally sadly unable to make it. Deana hilarious, telling u...

Wore moderately smart clothes this morning, as yesterday I saw myself in a mirror in The White Bear looking a bit rubbish. Feeling smarter makes a difference. After a lovely breakfast with Lorraine, went to my desk to finalise my speculative missive to Shearsman. A sunny lunchtime, so I went for a walk, and later had a chat with Robin about tomorrow's interview, which we are going to do as a double act. While walking I called Carl, and spoke to him and Jayne who was also in the car. I was planning to visit him last month, and December is already busy enough so I said January. Lots of laughing as Carl ridiculed me as only your oldest friends can. Lorraine had been shopping with Beth, and in the afternoon Beth here with Enzo, so I had a chance to hang out with them. At one point Lorraine and Beth were out of the room and I was watching Enzo getting exceedingly tetchy lying on his back trying to pull down the toys that dangle from a little plastic arch over where he lies on his mat. B...

A steady rain, and fierce sea visible from Seaford station this morning. Breakfast with Lorraine, then off up to meet Mum at Hampstead. A fairly easy journey. Took one of my yellow book and sketched out some   practical next steps, and trying to get a grip. Last train a little delayed so I had to yomp up Arkwright road up to Hampstead. Met Mum slightly late, but we mooched down Flask Walk and then around to The White Bear which is now serving food again. The place empty. The new menu fairly unappetising, and the woman who runs it despite being quite friendly, was very pushy. Mum ordered a high quality sausage roll with fennel, and I had some risotto, which I had to send back as the rice was still hard and grainy. I ordered something else which was a bit meh. Mum unimpressed by the sausage roll's short and stubby shape, but was delighted by the Spanish house wine, and had three glasses of it. We like The White Bear. People began arriving as we were leaving, and there was a merry fir...