under another sun

Anton's birthday today. I celebrated with a long early walk, up and around the sides of fields and down to the seafront. I think I found a fossil. Lorraine went off to Caroline for personal training. Also passing   Sarah Harvey in Bolney in their cars. Both jumped out for a hug before they drove off.  In the evening Lorraine and I made off to Brighton, where we zoomed up the hill to Anton's place to give him his requested present of cedar wood boot trees and a card. Then we walked down to The Cow, with Anne, Oskar, Klaudia and Anton, very sprightly on his stick. A Thai meal, which was tasty, and it's always a treat for me to see Klaudia and Oskar, and I had a few nice chats with Anne too. Then back to Anton's house for some birthday cake. Oskar demonstrating that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, talking with enormous brio about 'spidering' in raw denim, aided and abetted by Anton, also enthusiastically getting out his phone to add detail. Oskar inte...

A call at 6:30 from Steve in the Waggon and Horses sounding a bit shaken and telling me that Paul had died in the night, and if I could let mum know as he thought she'd find the news upsetting. Steve and Paul had come to Mason's funeral and both are regulars and friends of Mum's at the Waggon. Too early to call Mum, so I waited till 9ish to tell her the news, then called Steve back. He'd received a call early this morning from Paul, and had rushed around to see him, but found him. He gave him CPR for 15 minutes, till the ambulance turned up, but poor Paul was already dead. Mum was obviously saddened by it, and said she was going to the pub this afternoon.   I found the whole thing somewhat triggering. Something about a sudden death, involving Mum, the day after Mason's birthday and I felt very stressed over breakfast. Lorraine gave me a hug, but it was a shadow over the day, and I only felt happier when I talked again to Mum in the evening. She'd been to the pub...

Lorraine out helping Pat and Maureen for much of the day. I had a quiet day of writing and thinking, just want I wanted. This sort of thing exciting and interesting for me, it doesn't much make for blog fodder. I called Mum this morning, and the wifi went dead. No wifi this afternoon or evening. Luckily however we were going out this evening as it was Anton's birthday. I also belatedly sent Bob a card too, as it was his birthday too. Chris came around to service the boiler too, had a long chat with him. I had to summon him back shortly afterwards as the carbon monoxide alarm went off above the boiler. But he checked all his workings, and sniffed about with his CO monitor and couldn't find anything, and it didn't go off again.  I managed to lose my Berghaus recently, so we forged out into a fine soaking rain, just missed a bus by the station, and went to get a faster bus, of which there were none. Twenty minutes at the bus stop, so we were going to be late for the meal w...

Lorraine unwell this morning, feeling drained and achey.  I was okay, although a bit lifeless. Did some shopping this morning, and making sure Lorraine was okay. Called Anton to make sure he was okay for me to come, and he said he was feeling a bit rough too, so not to worry.  So in the afternoon, I made off to Anton's house and with Anne, we taxied to The Connaught in Hove. Oskar and his girlfriend Niamh, who I liked a lot, and found an intelligent, thoughtful girl, studying design. Oskar has changed again. His hair is darker, and his voice deeper. Klaudia arrived slightly later with Anna. Klaudia fresh from all kinds of travels this summer. Thailand her favourite it seems. Nice to catch up with Anna too. I tried my best to eat reasonably to my new principals, and enjoyed a Caesar Salad. Then back to Anton's for presents and cake, and some sparkling wine. Lorraine and I had got him a print of the Seven Sisters, which he has been on lots in preparation for his Camino walks. I ...

First day of the year, began in fine style, with a cup of black smoked Japanese tea in bed. Lorraine has embarked, on our behalf, on a gut health twenty days, where we are going to eat lots of different kinds of plants and so on, to reset our gut biomes. We had oyster mushrooms on sourdough toast. Plus what we are calling 'the seeds' Lorraine's custom mix of: flax, hemp and chia, black sesame, dried goji berries, to a bowl of yoghurt sprinkled with oats, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. It all tastes nice and nutty, and certainly, ahem, gets my gut moving.   A certain amount of light pottering about today, a degree of alphabetising of books and so on, and Lorraine making a walnut and treacle tart -- but happiness pervading our Seaford niche. Quite a few messages from friends, and I chatted with Mum and Mas and showed them about the house again. Off in the car, just as it started raining, to drive to Anton's this afternoon for a new year's meal (armed with Lorraine's...

Finishing off the job this morning, chatting with Keith and having to tweak a mind map. Lorraine and Sam drove off to Basingstoke to see Glenice.   Anton and Bob's birthdays today. Off into town this afternoon to do some shopping, including a speciality booze shop where I bought a bottle of Linie Aquavit for Anton. A message to Bob and a promise of a meet up. Running about in a bit of a frenzy in town.  My background stress levels are absurdly high, with all this house uncertainty. However, our buyers are coming around this weekend so it will be good to see the whites of their eyes. In the early evening I sauntered around to Anton's place, and hung out with Anton and Oskar, who had been to Reading Festival and had a lively time and he was telling me about the music he liked. I impressed him a little saying I had met  Aitch  - who is a big hero these days - which surprised him.  Lorraine arrived, and Klaudia and Anne filtered downstairs too. A cheery evening. Kla...

Sticky night, and a hot start to the day. Up and sipping coffee and eating breakfast. Called Mum, who was being helped by Ben to fix the car. Mum and Mas certainly have angelic neighbours. Off to Anton for an afternoon barbecue. I sprang out of the taxi at seven dials to go to the Magduisa Polski Sklep to pick up some cold beers. Sweltering heat that was forecast. But the heatwave came to an abrupt end as the afternoon progressed and I did not once have to deploy my new Panama hat. Had a really nice time chatting to Anne and Klaudia and Oskar drinking Polish beers and eating paella cooked outside. Oskar finally receiving the present we had bought for him months before his birthday, a wallet with a bit of cash in it which he liked despite it being a bit old school in these days of cashless payments. I loved the way Oskar was calling Anton Father too with a mixture of affection and Victorian flavoured irony. Lorraine saying how excellent Klaudia and Oskar are when we got home early in t...

A much needed slumping day. As I am still in recovery mode. Slept and read this afternoon on the gold sofa while Lorraine played Star Dew Valley and listened to music. I had to apologise to Sarah that I wouldn't be there for her online launch of her marvellous book The Thoughts , which was tonight too.  Then off to the posh restaurant The Ivy in Brighton for  6:15 to celebrate Klaudia's 18th birthday. Lorraine and I bumped into Anne, Anton, Klaudia, Oskar and Anna as they were climbing out of their cab. Klaudia had been partying hard all weekend, as is only right and proper, going to London with a posse of her pals on Friday, and then having a party at home last night, then going out to The Green Door after midnight to stay out late. So it was a slightly wan and delicate Goddaughter who appeared tonight -- but she did very well considering.   A lovely meal, and Klaudia liked the silver bangle from Silverado I'd bought her and simply put it on straight away, and the m...

Up early, and got to work with Keith at 8:30. A bit of a slog for this early in the year. Tired by the end of the day. A couple of very brief walks in rubbish weather. In the late afternoon I had time to phone mum for a chat. In the evening, after Keith's Virgin had crashed again and I had faced the prospect of presenting alone to the Americans, all went fairly well. It makes me feel odd talking to Americans. A year on from last year's insurrection the BBC's Americast podcast was saying the majority of people who voted Republican last time, still believe that Trump won. Democracy in the US has been hanging by a thread. In fact sanity itself has been hanging by a thread. With QAnon and other conspiracies raging in the US, even down to our own Prime Minister telling  outright lies every time he opens his mouth, a sense of truth is hard to find. But for sentient Americans this must be an alarming time. Done with the Americas at eight, I flew downhill to the Shahi to join the c...

A curiously frustrating day, feeling stressed and unable to make progress in any direction.  Anton and I investigated the walking around Guernsey plan but the price the Barbarie were charging was too hefty so we have parked that for the time being. Also plane fares start at a very reasonable £59 each way, but as soon as you want to take a small suitcase with you, you can expect to pay an extra sixty quid for the round trip. Had another go at sorting out the Natwestisögur but failed. Was told my existing complaints person would get back to me.  Anton and Bob's birthdays today. I sent fond messages to Bob, and in the evening Lorraine, Sam and I made off down to the Shahi to have a celebratory curry with Anton, Anne, Klaudia and Oskar. A cheery evening, Anton on good form. We had got him a historical print of a map of Poland when we were in Hay on Wye.  Meanwhile young Klaudia very businesslike these days, having given up her job in McDonalds for a better paid gig on the Pie...

A storm of wind and rain overnight. The job that was mooted for next week definitely not happening now. Working through a list of to dos for Friday.  Was finally sent the log on details to my new business bank account (it has taken about a month) only to find someone had already taken funds out of it with a cheque.  I don't have a chequebook and so had to phone up the bank, and be passed from person to person for almost half an hour. Eventually I got through to the fraud department. After twenty seconds of talking to this bloke I was cut off. Repeat the process and finally, after well over half an hour I was refunded the money. It seems like it was a bank error, rather than someone trying to defraud me.   A lunchtime treat. I sauntered back down to the Open House and met Reuben for a bite to eat.  I had a vegan club sandwich which was incredibly filling, we also had a Guinness and cup of coffee. Just lovely to catch up. I hadn't had a proper chat with him for ages. J...

The backdrop of life is getting twitchy again, with the infection rate rocketing, not to mention the UK government prepared to break legally binding agreements it made with the EU.  However, I stopped off for a quick chat with my glass pals meeting in the park this lunchtime. They sat, as usual, in a fairy ring of chairs near the rotunda. Adele gave me another mug for Lorraine, which was very sweet of her.   Making my excuses, I made my way to Anton's house where I was put to work on the back of the house where I scrambled up the scaffolding where I gave the back of the house another coat of paint. I find painting quite therapeutic, and it was lovely bright day for such work. Then around to the front to paint his front garden wall and entrance. A brief chat with Anna, who stopped by to drop Oskar off, I'd not seen her for ages.  This done, it was one of Anton's famed pizza nights, and Lorraine and Anne joined us in the kitchen as Anton made pizza, played records from the ...

Up with Lorraine and was at my desk at 7:30 when Lorraine left. Feeling anxious this morning, like there was a fire alarm going off in one of the rooms but you can never get to it. However I managed to take Pat and Maureen some tea in bed, then nipped around the corner to get some chewy brown bread for Maureen to take back with her.  Plumbers due between 10 and half past, so making sure they were breakfasted before then. The plumber and his mate were late, of course, and meanwhile I had been phoned by Val with an urgent job to turn around. Managed to do this while the plumber was raging his innocence "100%, on my kid's life" etc. on his speaker phone, taking repeated calls about a job that hadn't gone quite right before. Sent back the French work rapidly, then immediately wished I had spent more time on it. The plumbers finished their job, replacing a radiator in the kitchen, and all was good. Beth had come around, as she had been to Lorraine's school to receive...

A morning of hoovering, and cleaning, and various bits of sorting for me, and cooking for Lorraine. Lorraine, greatly excited, had bought thali dishes, and filled them with a variety of goodness which we had with Anton and Anne in the back garden later with a few cheeky beers. A cheery late afternoon and the weather just warm enough, despite it being blustery, to sit comfortably.  Anton approving of the thali dishes, as he had a bit of a craze for the Thalis in the Bottom's Rest, which we had several times before the plague hit. Nice as ever to chat. Below Lorraine with an array of empty thali dishes. And a yummy filled one, with Persian rice, chicken and onion curry, cauliflower and potatoes, dhal, pickled onion, coriander and tomato, and prawns in dark sauce.

Friday and a long-postponed walk with Anton. Who called around for me at 9:30. We did about 14 or 15 miles eventually, walking up past the Hillfort, into Stanmer Woods, down to the Amex Stadium in Falmer, then up over the Downs towards the sea at Rottingdean, which I just looked up and means the valley of Rota's people. From there a brief pause, a snack and then along the seafront back to Brighton. It was a walk full of variety, from the iron age hill fort, crossing the bridge into Woodland at Stanmer Park, passing Brighton's new football stadium, designed to be in sympathy with the downs, and across farmed downland, and alongside the sea into the buzz of Brighton's seafront. Anton eyeing with approval the little powered scooters ridden by some rather well groomed men driving up and down Marine Parade.  Up the last haul up a hill to The Crescent Pub where we went into a pub together for the first time since February 12th. All sensibly run. Had to add your name and phone num...

Slept unusually heavily again, and pulled myself blearily out of bed this morning, as Lorraine and I had things to do. We jumped into Betty's nail varnish red car, and zoomed over to Hove to do a bit of work in her new flat. She and her pal Amy have had to negotiate as there is a moth infestation in the carpets, which the owner has agreed to replace. The flat had been standing empty for several months. Despite that I thought it was a really nice flat, lots of light, clean, in a pleasant apartment block. They look out onto a big communal lawn from their living room. Got to work with Betty painting her her new bedroom, while Lorraine begun heroically washing venetian blinds, which was exhausting and took forever. After a few hours of this, Beth dropped Lorraine off to Anton's house, and me at the Polish shop at Seven Dials. We had our first socially distanced afternoon in Anton's garden. Anton made woof woof wings, curly fries and a delicious cheesecake as a belated celeb...

Lorraine and I chatting in bed this morning, having tea and breakfast and discussing how we need to make more of the weekends again now that Lorraine is more on top of her weekends and has not worked on Sundays as standard any more. We resolved to go to the Sea Life Centre aquarium down by the pier today, and took photos of ourself so we could pick up passes. By the time we got there however, we were too late, as in January the last admittance is at 3 o'clock. Instead we went for a stroll on the pier, and were rewarded with the sight of murmurations of starlings as the sun began to slide towards setting. From there we made our way, via a brief stop at the Evening Star where some Brighton footie fans were just whetting their post match whistles after a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. We fell into conversation with one of them briefly before we set off up the hill for an evening with Anton and Ann and (intermittently) Oskar eating Anton's excellent pizzas. Lovely time there as ...