under another sun

Recording with Robin this morning, nice to see her, virtually at least. She is about to lead her own Steps class, starting tomorrow night, and is fully booked. I find this deeply impressive, but she's always had that streak in her. Then, having found an appropriate folder, having just given up looking for it, I sauntered off to the post office to send off my manuscript. One Day Forever is about examining memory and was inevitably focused on the past and time and so on.  I want to turn a page. My next project to be more forward looking and perhaps a bit lighter. Nature abhors a vacuum, and half formed ideas are nudging forwards for attention. It's actually quite exciting. If only it weren't so energy-snappingly hot I'd bloody get on with it.  Popped into the photo shop, and sent pictures from my phone to a printer in the shop to be collected later in the week, via a screen in the shop with QR codes and so on.  Lorraine busy and took Maureen out to a hospital appointment...

My full collection is done. I reverted to an earlier title, One Day Forever . Today I read through the thing for the 1000th time, making a few last minute tweaks before printing it. It is a good collection. It is an examination of how memory, with is often unreliable and prone to confabulations, affects and sometimes undermines who we think we are, its tone is serious but there are one or two laughs. It's in five sections: Origin Stories, Gordon Road, The Moth Display, Interlude with Mirrors, and One Day Forever. I wrote a covering letter for it and as the place I first intend to send it demands hard copies, printed everting up. All I need now is a binder. I literally had dozens of these but threw them all out a couple of years ago, in an anti hoarding putsch. The result is in the lap of the gods, but when it comes to the poetry part, I know have done my best. Lorraine the luxury of a pottery day today. She was working really hard on a pot which she thought not good enough at the e...

A cooler night. A relaxed day, not able to do too much due to the heatwave. Sitting companionably outside with Lorraine, before I went off to the air conditioned gym early in the afternoon. I seem to be losing a bit of weight and toning up, but the gut is making a magnificent last stand, and if anything has become even more prominent as the rest of be gets back into shape. Sigh.  Late afternoon L and I drove off to Squirrel's End, and had dinner in the garden with Beth, James and Enzo and Micky the cat under the gazebo, which is still standing despite the wind, in their lovely garden. Nice summery salads and chicken, washed down with, for me, a cold lager. Enzo splashing delightedly in his little pool. All well. Getting the little boy off to sleep is a bit challenging however, and the answer seems to be take him for a drive, which Beth and James did after we'd left. 

A phone call at 3:30am and Lorraine had to drive to Stratheden Court. There was no point me going too, but then I couldn't sleep, so I was up till when Lorraine got home an hour later.  Another heatwave scorcher, though the air was slightly cooler this afternoon and at night. An omen of the coming catastrophe. Feeling powerless to change anything is the disease of the age. In W.B.Yeats's lines 'The best lack all conviction, while the worst / are full of passionate intensity'. Still, mustn't grumble, eh? Otherwise a perfectly nice day for us, after we got up late. Heat lethargy and disrupted sleep meant we didn't do much. Breakfast, and sitting outside in the shade and breeze. I tried to do some writing, but I find it very hard to concentrate for very long. Mum and Toby went to Hampstead today, though the train line to Hampstead wasn't working for some reason. Probably to do with the heat. They are busy next week till Thursday, so I will go up, and I will ret...

Very hot. Enervated by the heat, and not up to much. Wished Romy a happy birthday. I did stuff about the house and garden first thing. Carrying compost and moving the withered potatoes out of the sun. Then as Robin had sent me some useful feedback on my full poetry collection, I um-ed and ah-ed about this for a while. The working title for a while has been Did This Happen? and I've been increasingly disliking it. Robin agrees it doesn't do it justice. So I am putting it into the airlock and opening the space doors on it.  Into the studio this afternoon. Lorraine pottering about. Me experimenting with things. Had a bit of a funny turn sitting by the window, when my eyes suddenly had double vision. Drank lots of water and everything came quickly back into focus. Naturally I thought the worst, but Lorraine was on hand to radiate calm. It was very hot in there. Drank lots of water afterwards and felt right as rain. Rebooting tonight, we spoke to Adele and Patrick, Guy, Debbie and R...

Spoke to the Tobster and Mum. Toby having arrived first thing this morning, and now facing the double whammy of jet lag and monstrous heat. Looking forward to seeing him soon. A day with the baby boy for us. Lorraine is so brilliant with him. Seeing him drinking out of a pint glass today was a new one. To the gym again this afternoon. It's cooler there than outside. Enjoyed it. Otherwise politics amusing for a change. Farage in some populist stunt has resigned his MP's seat at Clacton on Sea, home to a depressing number of swivel eyed bigots.  He is forcing a bye election, in the expectation of being re-elected, thus in his mind anyway making the allegations about money and sleaze go away. Seeing through this nonsense, the other major parties declined to put up a candidate, except the independent Count Binface. Your current choice in Clacton is between a massive racist hypocrite or a rubbish bin. Let's hope he sends Farrage to the dustbin of history. Below a Count Binface p...

L and I up early, as Sylwia had to be early today. After breakfast L went off to do Rhymetime and see Pat and Maureen, and I manacled myself to the desk and finally finished my edit of the Will Harris interview. Then the gym and home to talk to Lorraine, and do a bit of idling, it being too hot to do much. Spoke to Mum, who had Ben around. Lorraine and I wandered down to the greenhouse, really noticeable after not looking for a couple of days, how everything is burgeoning. Below a nice snap I took of one of the gulls through the roof light this morning. 

Up to Edgware today, the next heatwave building ominously now. An easy journey, managing to use my laptop a couple of times, and met Mum early at Hampstead. She thought she was going to be late, as when she stood up to get off the train, the doors only opened for a few seconds before they pushed off to the Belsize Park. Luckily she got off there and came back. We flitted down Flask walk, seeking shadows, and made it turning the corner by the school, up to The White Bear. Mum had a pea and lovage soup and I had a fancy fish finger type sandwich and a couple of pints of cold lager. We were saying the next time we go there we have to meet the Tobster too, whose arrival later this week is keenly awaited. We parted fairly early, and I was able to get home for 5:30 which was nice. Had some grub and after watching the interesting end of the Argentina Egypt game, with Argentina coming back from two down to win 3-2 in the last fifteen minutes. Then I went for a cooling saunter by the sea, as Lo...

Unprecedented scenes this morning, with Lorraine and I watching TV over breakfast: highlights of England's unexpected victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. I felt sorry for the Mexicans, having met many nice ones on a trip to Mexico deep in the last century. A couple of hours editing this morning, almost finished editing the interview now. I notice hesitancy is contagious, and Will and I were setting each other off. No problem, as it all comes out in the edit. I liked him. At lunch off to Brighton by bus to get a haircut. Stacy in what Innis calls monkey mind mode, asking questions but barely listening to the answers. He never takes a holiday, and looked shattered. About to board a 12 back to Seaford, when a speedy 12x came on the bus stop board as being just three minutes away. Waited for the 12x which, being a phantom bus, never appeared. A long wait, reminding myself of my lifelong commuting credo: a bus or train that's actually here is better than a possible one. The g...

Beth and Enzo popping in this morning for a coffee and a chuckle. I went to the door, and again the little chap wriggled happily and held his arms out to me. It's impossible not to have your heart melted by this sort of thing. Beth and Enzo both in good spirits, so a lovely breakfast. A bit later, Lorraine and I set off for beautiful little village of Firle, just the other side of Lewes, to meet Dawn and Paul in The Ram for Sunday roast. They all had veggie stuff and no alcohol drink, I felt a bit like Oliver Reed having pork, and a pint of cold lager. Lovely to see Dawn of course, and I enjoyed chatting with Paul. They told us about a talk about Gaza they'd attended the night before, which had moved them lots. Also about Dawn's grandson Raffy now eight weeks old. Both he and Ellie and Russ doing well.   Having strapped on the nosebags, we went for a short walk. Paul and I were talking about all kinds of stuff, from generational trauma, to Paul telling me about the startlin...

A much-needed calm day, both feeling a bit tired. Slow breakfast, and a food shop (I always enjoy food shopping with Lorraine), Lorraine did some gardening, I went to the gym to atone for the last two evenings. Then studio. I am exploring in sketches what I am now beginning to write about. It accesses a different part of my brain -- which I should not find surprising after decades of image plus copy advertising, I don't really understand. I seem to learn the same things over and over throughout my life. I have a vague idea of doing a hybrid project, if I can get my art standard high enough. Spoke to Mum and arranged to see her in Hampstead next Tuesday. Arranged a haircut for Monday as it's all gone into clown mode. Air fried chicken tonight, with delicious beans I picked from the garden among the veg. Football tonight. An interesting game between France and Paraguay, who played with callous gamesmanship and thuggishness, and confined their beating to 1-0 because of it. France,...

Faffing about. Sent the tax things to Romy, who will kindly file them for me. This has been such a weight off my mind. Some tweaking of the new poem and wondering where it might lead me. Some more editing of the podcast, till I got bored. Laundry. Made off for the gym, but then left late, and half way there realised I didn't have my entrance card, and gave up the idea, as I'd arranged to meet Lorraine to go shopping, but she had to pick up Enzo early from nursery, and he hung out with us for a bit.   Rebooting tonight. Andrew and Kate there, which was nice. Patrick clearly bolstered by his musical trip to Ireland and playing a gig in the arts centre of his hometown, good to see Adele and Delores, and Andy, and a pal of Andy's and Kate and Andrews called Hilary. Enjoyed a few beers and my top hat not quite vertical when we all left. Below in the little wild patch of the garden, we have some teasels, which the insects love.

Good news on the Mum front... Having explored Mum's pension payment suspension problem with Chat GPT yesterday, which suggested one of the reasons for non-payment could have been her non-completion of a form which basically tells them she's still in good health. By coincidence this form arrived today, and she mum told me. she would complete and return it the same day. Once this is processed, normal service should be resumed. This is great. I'm discovering the only thing worse than bureaucracy is foreign bureaucracy.  Also this morning, I simply sat down and wrote a new poem, which I am pleased with, which is a sort of fever dream about the hatchling of a giant seagull egg. Not been writing much lately, but this felt decent.  Then a day with Enzo, who wriggled happily when he saw me, and held his arms out to be taken. It is a culture shock to see him crawling now, it's still slow but it's such a game changer already.  We went off to Drusilla's for lunch, and look...

A pinch and a punch for the start of the month. Romy has been marvellous and sent me a tax form, plus an outline letter to the California tax people to complete. This is brilliant. I also used Chat GPT to investigate mum's US widow's pension, and got lots of useful advice, although it also said we'd done all the right things so far, say what you like about AI but it is bloody useful in such circumstances. Spoke to Mum about it all. Gym again today, and pressed on with editing my long interview with Will Harris, which seems to be taking ages. Succumbed to the torture of watching England, we started to watch just after England were already one goal down to the Democratic Republic of Congo, who played really well. England ragged and as ever going through patches of appearing never to have been formally introduced to each other. But Harry Kane scored two goals late in the second half to save the day. Then went to play about in the studio with Lorraine afterwards. Lorraine happi...

Reasonably productive day, posted the power of attorney forms talking to the jolly ladies in the post office, and prepared and entered Gordon Road into another competition. A good gym session, shopping, and spoke to Mum at tea time. Also had a new creative idea percolating in the background. Lorraine off to personal trainer this morning, went walking with her old headteacher buddies after, then to pottery this evening, returning with some splendid pots. Another heatwave is coming next week apparently. Need to get an air conditioning unit if this is how things are now. Saw a photo of my head from behind. The area of concern has spread like a successful player in a game of Risk it has been annexing my scalp.    Below, pots made by Lorraine. The white one has been glazed but not fired yet. She is coming on in springs and somersaults. The lids fit snugly. She says she is good at lids.  

Off to Edgware this morning. Feeling positive, and having lots of creative ideas on the train. Sitting across a from a dad and his 3 year old boy from Lewes to Beast Croydon. They were sitting next to two women either side of the window, and though they didn't know each other were all soon chatting. I got drawn into it a bit when the boy poked a large stem of an umbellifer, perhaps cow parsley, across the aisle. He waggled it under my nose, and I sniffed it and we had a conversation about what it smelled like. Then he did it again, and I pretended to be a bee. The third time he did it, he shouted a gleeful poo-poo ! Very funny. Because of Enzo it felt more normal talking to the little boy and his dad.  Up to Mum, and as I arrived Ben was in his garage, and he was able to come across and sign after Wynford had been. LPA documents signed by mum and me too, and I will post them off tomorrow. I then spent some time with Mum's paperwork, digging through assorted documents, before Mu...

A busy Sunday. With Lorraine's adult supervision, I completed and printed the Lasting Power of Attorney documents out for mum to sign, and got in touch with Wynford and Ben to ask them to sign too tomorrow when I go up. Wynford: Yes, Ben: I'll try and see what I can do, which I'm hoping means yes too. Also some admin about my tolerance for financial risk for my savings had to be sent off too. Lorraine and I are very much medium-low risk people when it comes to finance. Anyway doing this kind of admin early on made me feel happy once it was done. Delores breezed in later (a breath of fresh air as she had been walking in the Forest) to borrow the strimmer and to laugh loudly in the kitchen.   Some gardening. I poked about in the pond. I think all the fish are gone now. There was the great egret devastation, and I don't know if it popped back to eat the last two, of the unbelievable heat did them a mischief, but I couldn't see any in there, while I cut back some of the...

A saunter around Seaford this morning, popped in to see Pat and Maureen, who were struggling with iPlayer. Then had a walk around town, popping in to Gallery Uno to see our friends Adele and Debbie's work among others.  Off to Squirrel's End late this afternoon where we hung out with Beth and James and the baby boy, who was in sparkling form. We also celebrated Beth and James being parents for a year, and James's recent successful year's review. He is doing excellently, despite starting days after Enzo was born, and life being full on for both of them.  Lorraine and I had been talking off and on about trying a nostalgic doner kebab, as I can't remember having one for at least a decade.  Delicious Doner Seaford has a good reputation. Beth decided to make it happen, and we got a delivery meal from them and drank sparking wine (I stuck to beer mostly) and simply talked all evening, and it was really fun.  Lorraine and I had large doner kebabs, they were huge and stuffe...

Somewhat cooler in Seaford today, we had a bit of sea fret which cooled things down nicely. Got up early to sit in my study, at my desk in a cooling draft, and finding I could concentrate again.  Meanwhile poor Mum still sweltering  in Edgware, but she is battling through it. After an early lunch the joy of being able to walk to the gym without getting hot and bothered. Lovely stuff. I've experienced hotter temperatures than these before in other countries, but something about the humidity was just too much to bear.  Back from the gym, but a story rejection took the wind out of my sails for a bit. But I soon perked up as in the evening I met Lorraine in the Boot early, as she came straight from Pat and Maureen. Just us which was actually really nice, then and Melissa and Chris came and sat with us briefly until our food came. I like their meet cute... Melissa beating grouse out of the undergrowth towards the guns, one of which was Chris. Then Chris and Julie arrived short...

It all boils down to the weather. Another record day which is killing people across Europe.  I am finding it hard to get anything done, the heat brings a weird kind of lethargy with it. An ominous time.  Even hanging some washing on the line around noon made me feel wussy. Mostly I lurked in shadows, editing the podcast interview, and a few other things -- so wasn't completely unproductive. Bumped going to Brighton to see Anton this evening.  The breeding gulls on the roof seem to have had some calamity. I think one of the two young fell off landing next door, and the gull that hates me is not at its usual station on the roof, and I can't see either of the two young. Much as I resent being dive bombed and screamed at, I feel sorry about this.   Beth and Enzo here today. Beth sounding businesslike as she worked in he dining room, but was able to hang out with us for lunch in the garden. Beth expanding on her theory that there was nothing nicer in a sandwich than thin ...

The hottest June day on record. Last night still, sweaty, and humid, which is making it feel far worse.  Sluggishly worked on some editing for the podcast, and caught up with this blog. Planned to complete the power of attorney forms with Lorraine's adult supervision over the weekend. Spoke to the Tobster.  Unusually for me, I had no motivation at all. Doing anything at all felt not worth bothering with.  Called Mum, who is doing okay in the heat, thankfully. In stark contrast, Lorraine going off first thing to take Beth's car to the garage, deliver Rhyme Time, as usual, and received a special thank you from the Library folks for doing so, and went to be with Pat and Maureen, taking Beth's car back and so on. Then when back she persuaded me to get off my motivation free butt and go down to the studio where she worked on a pot, and I overworked a sketch. A happy evening though, the breeze got up a little making things bearable. Watched a little football. The start of the S...

Even hotter today. After breakfast with Lorraine, I went to the gym first thing before it got really hot. The gym is air conditioned. Lots of people there this morning and all the cross trainers clogged up. I managed all the other bits, and went briefly on a cycling machine, and one of the inferior cross trainers, till I got to the proper cross trainer, only to feel a slight pull in my leg after about ten minutes, which I thought was cramp at first, but now I think was a muscle thing, so I stopped. Meanwhile Lorraine had been to see Caroline and had done her personal training.   I have no energy in this humid heat. Did nothing that could be considered work, no writing, no form filling, editing of the podcast and all the other stuff I want to do. I read online (so it may be nonsense) that blood pressure pills make you less able to cope with extreme heat. Whatever, I don't remember feeling so lifelessly hot before. The temperatures might be as much as 40C this week -- smashing UK rec...

Hoofed off to Edgware this morning. The hottest June day on record, and far worse is forecast for later in the week, all part of the deadly heatwave that is lingering over western Europe. Luckily the air conditioning on the various trains seemed to be working. Heard en route that Mum had been to the bank. She had received a letter about a suspicious activity, but all was okay. Sweltering at Mum's. I took photos of the demand that was sent to her address from California tax people, and sent these to Romy, who has really kindly said she would contact them on Mum's behalf. This is a huge help, though I feel a bit guilty asking her with her workload. Meanwhile I went through Mum's emails and found that the US social security people had sent Mum a note on the 17th saying that they had received her query and had passed it on to the right department. So three bits of good news from my perspective. I ordered a replacement death certificate for Mason, just in case this would be requ...

Enzo's birthday today. It hardly seems possible really. Funny how a little thing who has only been part of everyone's life for a year is so established and loved as a little person. Innis and Rosie came around, and we all made our way around to Squirrel's End where the garden was being made ready for a teddybear's picnic. So we had to take teddybears. I took my monkey knitted for me by Maureen. We left Pippi in the kitchen. Julie and Andy and Lorenzo were there already, helping in the gazebo. Innis had brought his bubble machine and set this up, and several pals and other relatives arrived. I particularly enjoyed seeing Laura and Braheem, and their gorgeous daughter Layla now four, and Suzie, who I caught up with about the shows she and Sarah have put on. I told her what I'd seen in Trafalgar Square with it being roped off for shows, and she told me all about it.   Most importantly Beth and James were delighted with how the afternoon went.  Enzo was of course was hi...

Off this morning to Trafalgar Square to meet Bob under the usual lion. However the square had been cordoned off and there was a big stage there where people were rehearsing songs from High School Musical. An affront to human decency I called it. I was early, and it was hot, but luckily Bob was already there and we hopped into Pret for a cold drink of water and a sandwich. There after a good deal of catching up, we decided to go to the Zurbarán exhibition in The National. It was rather fabulous, full of imposing and brilliant paintings, loaded with meanings, and I write  more about it here .  We went ambling about having beers and catching up. We'd not met up this year, so there was loads to discuss. He was in top form, however, and we had a good laugh. We visited the Salisbury, which of course is a trusty favourite, then off to The Seven Stars, which makes me think of Bleak House because it is deep in the legal part of town, then to the Cittie of York, where we sat conspirator...

Enzo has discovered pointing with his finger, and he is doing things with his index finger rather than his whole hand when he was here today. Life drawing this morning. Had great fun, although I didn't produce much that was good.  Strangely upset stomach today.   At tea time off to Lewes, where I met Robin at the station and walked to the John Harvey Tavern, where the Needlewriters had an evening, featuring John McCullough reading from his new book Crowd Voltage . Strong work, and I find John has an exhilarating ability to choose a metaphor or image that is so far away from what you would expect would work, but somehow in his hands does.  Also readings from  Jackie Wills and Bethan Roberts. Jackie reading a prose work about her allotment, and Bethan, who is a very successful, reading an excerpt from her new novel. Both excellent writers but I was left with a not for me-ishness about what they'd read this evening.  Lots of the usual suspects there, Janet, Charlot...

Up early doors, and multitasking, doing laundry, preparing breakfast, carrying the oversized chair from my study down to the studio, while getting dogs abuse from the gulls. Looking at the absolutely bloody final poem from the full poetry collection and making some more final final tweaks. Lorraine off to Bolney to see her personal trainer.  Then spoke to Mum for a bit, before scampering to the bottom of the garden, where Rosie was bringing us some blankets. Rosie and Innis had hired a two men and a van who were dropping off furniture to Laura and Adrian from the back alley behind our house. I went to shoot the breeze with them, Innis and Rosie, and two of their neighbour friends.  The van also collected the bits of Rosie's Mum's furniture we had been storing. Rosie gave us a gorgeous chair and footstool which had been her mothers, and is exactly the right size for my study. Later, I sat on it and played a little guitar for the first time in ages, as it is perfect for that job...

Up early and off to Edgware. Arrived at Mum's at 12:15, which was speedy. A cup of tea and some fig rolls, then we dived into the filing and paperwork. I got the details of the amounts received from her US pension from the bank statements, and totalled them up. Also got in touch with the US social security people, as Mum's last payment did not arrive, sending an email via their site. Mum has already been in touch, via some kind of on screen chat box, but they told her to wait a bit, and then never got back to her despite her waiting for an hour and a half. This all took a couple of hours, with some filing. There is lots to be done, so I will return to Edgware shortly to continue.  Spoke to Wynford and Rupa next door for a bit. Lovely people, and after this a quick jaunt off to the Waggon and 'orses for snack a pint of Guinness for me. The Waggon decked out in World Cup footy flags and so on, although it was empty on a Monday afternoon. We asked them to turn down the TV whic...

An Enzo day today, as Beth and James were having a day of full on sorting house and garden.  We sat outside, where I did a bit more finishing of old drawing. And generally played with Enzo. I even made time for a delicious kip this afternoon. Up again to put on the chicken, and potatoes as Uncle Steve arrived, in good spirits having hung out with Pat and Maureen. Always good to see him.  He was telling us about having to go to a school to discuss his life with the kids, which he was obviously chuffed about. Beth and James returned, having had their day. James took Enzo for a walk in the garden and was scolded and menaced by the seagull. Uncle Steve set off for Ramsgate, and we served up some dinner. I'd cooked the chicken in the air fryer, which worked, but I'm not sure it's my favourite method, but with new Jersey potatoes, lots of mixed leaf salad with olives gherkins etc.  it did the trick. Lorraine playing with Enzo after dinner, the little lad wriggling with exciteme...

Breakfast, and as Lorraine was drawing a little mind map of what we were planning for the day, an emergency call from Maureen. We zoomed around. The carers were already there, but Pat's urine bag had become detached from the overnight bag soaking the bedding, carpet and Maureen's sandals. She got very stressed about this and needed her spray a couple of times. However all was well after a bit, and we took the bedding home to wash, that the carers had stripped off the bed, and made teas and both were fine when we left. As we were already near the supermarket, we did a big shop in there, then home, to finish our coffees and plan the day. We made off to see a potter, who Lorraine was enthusing about, collecting Delores en route. The traffic was at standstill towards Newhaven due to a road traffic accident, so as the potter was having an open house tomorrow and next weekend so we cut our losses. Delores, Lorraine and I then walked to Gallery Uno, where Adele and Liza Morton were ha...

Much brighter, after yesterday's migraine. Up fairly early and did some writing, then after breakfast, and speaking to Mum, I wandered down to the Bay Tree Studio at the end if the garden, where Lorraine was already at work at her wheel, and I did a bit more to the drawing I posted yesterday. Lovely to be working in the same space on creative things. Then Lorraine took popped around to take Pat and Maureen some fish and chips. I went to the gym for an enjoyable workout. I notice my clothes are a little looser than they have been of late, which is good. Home to watch a bit of World Cup football highlights from yesterday.    In the evening off to The Old Boot Inn, where there was a tableful, with Adele and Patrick, Delores, Debbie, Andy, Steve, Mandy, Chris and Julie. My first pint since last Friday, and it was all very cheerful and fun. Below Lorraine in the studio working on a pot. The drawing I posted yesterday with a little more love put into it, not perfect of course, but ...

Up early, after breakfast, Lorraine went off to collect wee Enzo. I went down to life drawing, arriving early. Melissa said, Peter Kenny's not the last to arrive today . But then I found I'd not packed my specs so having to double back in the rain for them so I was last. Chiz, as Nigel Molesworth would have said. Enjoyable session, and a nice model. Feeling overwhelmingly that I need to try a different approach. What I'm doing isn't terrible but it feels constricted. Home in the teeming rain. Even I have had to admit we've had rain this month, although not as much as we would have had a few miles inland.  Spoke to Mum, who double-checked with the bank that nothing untoward had happened, after her contacting the US social security site about her widow's pension. Was greatly relieved about this. I am going to see her on Monday to sort this all out. Spent a happy hour or so with Lorraine and Enzo. Lorraine keeping him entertained with shakers and juggling. Later I...

Lorraine off to Rhymetime this morning. I got on with trying to finalise the full poetry MS, and did a little more of the edit. Dived at by the bastard gull on the roof, going straight for my head and veering off a couple of yards away. It's hard not to take it personally, as it ignores Lorraine. To Joy and Jim for a cup of afternoon tea. Joy had a sort of cherry sponge cake of which I ate two slices like a starving dog. Lovely couple and a cheery chat. Lorraine talking lots about pottery, and they have lots of pottery in their house too. Joy is going to have a second hip replacement soon, so we are going to keep Jim topped up with milk and cakes while she is recovering nearby.  Home and I called Mum. She had a horrible day of getting herself in a tangle talking to the US Social Security people, and having to hold on for hours and not have her call returned and so on. She said she also made a payment, which I didn't understand and she couldn't explain. Eventually she found ...

A day mostly to my own devices, as Lorraine off to her personal trainer, an afternoon of chat with Helen, and then to the pottery studio in Eastbourne.   I spent the day working on my poetry collection -- working title Did This Happen?  -- which is the complete poems about memory and its reliability and so on. Filled a gap this morning where a poem was wanted, by working up an fragment which seemed to fit. Printed the full MS out, with this new poem in it, and realised I'm not happy still with the order of the last few poems. Much exasperated head scratching, and puzzling. Eventually I went to the gym instead for a decent work out.  Also I began editing the podcast interview with Will Harris, which is in better shape than I had imagined.  A chat with Mum, she seems not to have been paid her US pension this month as usual. I am not seeing her tomorrow, but said I will be up on Monday to help her sort it out. Tired by the end of the day, physically and mentally. Below ...

A relaxed breakfast, kippers today, watching a video of Enzo playing enthusiastically with his wonderful new toys sent by Romy and Toby. It is perfect for where he is developmentally, with balls, and little spiral tracks, and flippy two-way doors and so on. Debbie contacted me saying she could teach me the grouting technique she uses on her stained glass, which removes the need for lead.  I spent an hour writing, and Lorraine did some piano practice, then we, with Lorraine at the Vanguard, turned into an unstoppable gardening machines.  Hefting sacs of compost, and sweltering in the green house potting up tomatoes, planting cucumbers into their summer beds, stringing canes, repotting cacti, and chillies and all kinds of things. Having to scatter snail pellets as the cucumber seedlings in the greenhouse have been slaughtered by them Later planting out celeriac, leeks and so on. I repaired briefly to the gym. Lorraine still working steadily on my return, so I joined in with more...

A properly rainy day today, even in Seaford, which is a miracle.  After breakfast, and a bit of piano playing, and tinkering with the new 'Interlude' section of the full manuscript.   Lorraine and I drove off to Ceramics South East, held at the The Clay Studio at Herons Ghyll, featuring leading potters from Sussex, Kent and Surrey. It was full of amazing work, and we enjoyed mooching about talking to the potters, all of whom were seriously accomplished. An incredible array of excellent work. The only thing which I don't like much are the animals, pottery dogs etc. even when done expressively, leave me cold. Lorraine, a beginning potter, mooched about absorbing information and ideas and talking enthusiastically to people. She came away with some tools, a glaze, and a signed copy of a book about glazing. The site was in the middle of the countryside, and it was supposed to have been an open air event, but it had been moved inside. Nice coffee there too.  Then to Paradise Pa...

A happy Friday, doing some actual writing this morning, which is very nice. To the gym at lunchtime, when Lorraine zoomed off to take Pat and Maureen fish and chips. I am enjoying being in the gym again. I am using my decades old neoprene knee support, which stops my knee clicking when I trundle on the cross trainer. I was reflecting that my knee support is probably over twice the age of many of the people around me. I am doing some more weights and upper body stuff, as this isn't currently a pretty sight. I am already beginning to notice a little less flabbiness, and it helps generally with health anxiety. If I can survive a workout, I might be less fragile than I think.   Met Lorraine at Gallery Uno, where Adele is having a show of her work, along with another artist called Liza Morton. I am really thrilled for Adele, who seems to be becoming a really accomplished artist in glass and other media before our eyes. To the Old Boot tonight. Adele and Patrick there for a bit, Chris an...

An Enzo for breakfast. Lorraine zooming off to the get the little lad first thing. I had a busy day, but enjoyed spending time with him in between going to my Life Drawing Class. A decent session this morning, I used coloured pencils and a pleasant woman model. Adele not there this morning as she was laying out her show at Gallery Uno. Sat next between a new bloke John, whose work I think is good, and Kate, who is always very accomplished and free and brilliant. Nice session.  Hurried home to see the wee boy, who has a new tooth and is full of beans generally. In the afternoon off to see Cóilín. When I got there I said I was sorry for her loss and gave her a kiss, and she went very quiet for a bit while the nurse settled me into the seat. But we had a lovely conversation about her dad for ten minutes after the scraping was done. Home and a bit of bouncing Enzo on my knee and then off to Brighton, where I went to the Walrus to see Robin, SJB, Stephen and Antony Mair. We went upstair...

To Hampstead, while Lorraine made off to Rhymetime in the Library. An easy journey this morning. Bumped into Jackie and Felicity from the life drawing class at Lewes, with a bunch of their mates off to see an art show in London. I slipped away and wrote some bits on my laptop. A rainy day, although not so much in Seaford.  Met Mum at a damp Hampstead station, and we repaired to the Old White Bear, in light rain. The shouty but friendly woman was there this time, her voice echoing in the emptiness. A nice chat with mum in our usual corner. They are doing sandwiches there again, and talked about going there with Toby. We shared a giant sourdough one with fish in it, with a side of chips. Mum didn't much enjoy it, but enjoyed the wine. Eventually a few souls crept in out of the rain, but to Mum's disappointment no Parson sighting.  Toddled back to the Hampstead station after a few hours. Fond farewells. A spot of train chaos so I reached home at 6:30. Having listened to a few of ...

Heard some rain overnight. The weather app had promised hours of it, the reality was half an hour or so. I seem to be obsessed with rain these days. There has been so little of it here.   Had a good morning's work. Looking again at the full collection of poems, and putting it aside did me some good, as I saw a couple of rearrangements in the structure that might help it. Mainly I just want it done. Just a few bits in the final section to think about now. Also sent off a couple of poems for the first time since January, though I've not started a new poem for months now.  Lorraine home today, Pat and Maureen altogether better, and her personal trainer in Paris. After writing, I planted up some ground cover plants, using my knee pads, while Lorraine worked on pots, and went to pottery later in the evening. A walk in the evening, a giant thunder cloud to the north. Looking inland, the light was  low and bright, picking houses out against the dark backdrop.  Of the prom...

For the first of the month... Cooler night, and a comparatively wonderful night's sleep. Lorraine and I on the first of the month, in an unhurried fashion. This calm shattered by an alarming call from Maureen about Pat. Lorraine dropped everything mid breakfast and went around to see them. Pat ended the day with antibiotics for a chest infection.  I called Mum a bit later, and arranged to see her on Wednesday, she told me that Steve from the pub had been to Germany on holiday, and had two heart attacks, and was treated in hospital there. I was a  bit shocked to hear, this. He is back home now. Will meet Robin, Stephen B, and SJB on Thursday for a poet's get-together. Slightly put off my stroke this morning, so did mundane tasks: laundry, food shopping and going to the gym. Lorraine home after a full day, cooked a tasty aubergine dish  Watched Babylon 5 this evening, sipping sparkling water. The story arc is genuinely interesting. The weather forecast promises heavy rain o...

In good shape this morning, and commended myself for sensible drinking yesterday.  We began packing up from Pretty Vacant, our room, and made off to have breakfast, the room full of wedding goers in fine fettle. Lorraine and I, arriving late, had smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and toast. Once we'd checked out and loaded up the car. We joined in the efforts with friends and family of Rosie and Innis to take down the arch of branches, and carry things to their car etc. The newly weds were going to stay another night at the Bell.  Their room was called The Love Nest, was round and hobbity, and excellent, with a nest like exterior and once you climbed the stairs a fine terrace. They were going to swap for another one for the night.   Lorraine and I, in no hurry to rush back hung about at the Bell, hung out with Innis and Rosie, and the charming Peter and Sam Kenny. Hugging and saying goodbye to lots of folks. We sat outside under an espaliered tree canopy, had a slow lunch, a ...