under another sun

Woke to the news that Ursula K LeGuin had died after a long life as a fine SF writer, whose book The Left Hand of Darkness I had enjoyed as a teenager. I read other of her books later, but The Left Hand of Darkness was interesting because the society it depicted was constructed around a different sexual cycle, where its inhabitants were gender neutral, and then chose which sex they wanted to be when they reached 'Kemmer' a point when they felt like breeding. Certain fish do things like this, so the idea was entirely plausible to me at the time. A letter from Robin with comments on Sin Cycle , which were very useful, and I was really pleased with. Was contacted about doing bits of freelance I have a cheeky three days pencilled in next week working with Fernanda at her new agency, and the folks in Paddington wrote to check my general availability over the next few months. I cooked bean jar today. Smells of beany goodness drifting through the house. Lorraine said she thought i...

So up with Lorraine this morning, and waved her off not to see her for the rest of the week. She is going to the Isle of Wight today with a couple of dozen children in a coach and a boat. So left to my own devices this week. Certain photos taken of me last week at the poetry reading I went to, cropped up on Facebook. In these photos I look a bit like Friar Tuck. I began a two-pronged attack on this, going to the barbers late this morning to make sure the ratio of gleaming pate to hair was a bit less medieval. Then to the gym for the first time in ages, for a mild mannered half an hour on the cross trainer.  From there to the non-ideologically sound Starbucks, where I worked for a bit on my laptop, before sauntering off to The Marwood where I had arranged to meet Catherine and Alex, as I thought they should meet as they have much in common. Nice to drink even coffee and chat with them for a couple of hours about all kinds of things. Then home, where I did a bit more work. I am ...

Feeling free and happy this first of the month. Lorraine had to get up early and go off to school for a morning meeting, and the gorgeous thing brought me a cup of tea before she went. Thus refreshed, I  sauntered out of bed to the news that one of my poems  1,000 miles from sea  was in London Grip . It's one of the Chad ones, but not one that describes the conditions too much. Then I walked into town and met Alex Pearson at the Marwood, after failing to do so yesterday. Lorraine and I met Alex after the concert Eleni and Glen's last Brighton concert. Alex has lived in China for decades, and is a bracingly entrepreneurial person with an MBE, currently teaching business at the university, but busy hatching other plans. We talked for hours and ended up having a bite to eat at the cafe too. Definitely someone I'd like to keep in touch with. Home and Lorraine back. After a bit, we drove off to collect Innis and Rosie and zoom over to  Dawn's house in Steyning. Anton ...