under another sun

At my desk shortly after seven, mad for poems. Had breakfast with Lorraine. Enzo isn't well today, so he is not going to Nursery. Instead Beth worked from here, and we played with the little lad, who has a summer cold. Adrian and Laura called round this morning, with lots of art magazines, that they have no room for. I think Adrain was a little sad to see them go. Sat in the back garden with Enzo and them, drinking coffee. Laura is phobic about butterflies, and there were loads of them today. Had a chat about phobias, in which of course I have a personal interest.  Then they left, I worked all morning, and broke off at around two for lunch. Had an hour's sleep in the afternoon, as I am feeling a bit throaty and tired. Glorious that I can simply do that if I fancy it.  Playing with the little boy this afternoon. He is almost standing and was leaning against the gold sofa and standing for ages. He is always asking me to pick him up. It is very sweet. Lorraine off to her pottery ...

Now that the One Day Forever material has been swept away for future publication, a pamphlet's worth of funnier material is miraculously assembling. In Brian Eno's A Year With Swollen Appendices , he reports advice given to him by his friend Stewart Brand: 'Why don’t you assume you’ve written your book already, and all you have to do now is find it?’ I love this thought.  After a morning of enthusiastic work, we made off for the beach this afternoon, going via Morrisons. We ended up near Splash Point end, where we met Rosie and Innis, Adrian and Laura. A jolly afternoon barbecue, with several drinks and splash in the channel. I barely screamed at all getting into it, as it was the warmest channel dip I'd ever taken. Still quite refreshing. Utterly relaxed this afternoon. Now I know Adrian and Laura better, I'm really liking them. Home and Lorraine and I watched the last two episodes of Babylon 5. Lorraine and I bereft now. It was a brilliant show. Five (including P...

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...

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...