under another sun

Up and doing last bits on Gordon Road this morning, I want to make it good, but I don't want to tweak it to death. Then I took myself off just after noon to the gym, and did a fairly decent workout there. Lorraine brought Pat and Maureen back to sit in the back garden, and Beth came too. Today was her due date but she's relaxed about it, and doesn't want to get into the mindset that the baby is somehow late.  I prepped a little bit for the reading, had a catnap and a shower. Robin came to collect me, but only after Maureen had told me off for having dirty glasses, and cleaned them for me. Took some tupperware with food in it, and Robin parked on the little bridge in the middle of Arundel, and we had a sort of picnic on a little green by the river looking at black headed gulls, and a man with a very old dog. I had forgot to pack a fork, but felt a wave of love for Lorraine as I opened it up to find she'd packed one. Robin and I walked through the streets of Arundel, whic...

Arundel Off to Arundel today for a general mooch about. Lorraine looking at it as a possible location for her to live. But she decided against it, despite it being a very beautiful place. Into the St Nicholas Church and the Catholic Cathedral where I lit a candle, thinking of Sprinkles and our visit there. After we wandered about town a little before finding Martin, who had been painting in his studio for a quick chat in the Eagle pub near an open fire. The fire a tad warmer than the welcome. The temperatured dropping, we returned to Brighton, where we bought a takeaway curry for supper. I spoke to Matt, who is now on variation seven, and has recruited a new violinist for our concert. Below noticed one of the Romantic Poets series the Guardian published this week in a bin. A great idea but they were printed on such uselessly thin stock that it didn't work. Poems are to keep. Inside Arundel Cathedral, in the grounds of St Nicholas church.

Christmas starts (in Arundel) Morning spent on the line to BT and testing my computers. Broadband not working - although the tests they have done show it should be working, it simply isn't and my computers still cannot download anything beyond email. I gave up fiddling with them after about three hours, almost weeping with frustration having exhausted every possible reason. Instead Had a lovely afternoon doing Christmassy things. Put up my Christmas tree with Lorraine, and explaining to Calliope that this year it should not be used as a nest or climbing frame. Also went into the Twitten and pruned all my roses quite hard, with Lorriane stern faced when I tried just to shave the bushes. Finished, had hot miso soup and looked at the tree lights with satisfaction. Then off to Arundel, where tonight they have Arundel by candle light. The beautiful castle was not floodlit, and instead the old streets are illuminated only by the lights of Christmas decorations and the little shops in the...

A fairytale castle Off today to an English castle. Caught the train from Brighton (train journeys being a bit of a novelty to Sprinkles) and we shunted off westwards through Hove and beyond. Arrived at Arundel with its picture book castle, Sarah really liked straight away. I am really enjoying seeing England through Sprinkles' eyes, as she goes about noticing flowers, and cute little cars, and getting excited about crossing the little stone bridge past the ruins into town. I missed the castle entrance and walked uphill. This gave us the opportunity however, to rubberneck around Arundel Cathedral of our Lady and St Philip Howard. There were excellent gargoyles and the beautiful stained glass. Sarah took a moment to light some candles, and we sat for a while together in the big tranquil space. The Cathedral is fairly new, being opened in 1868 but built in a much older French Gothic style of 1400. St. Philip was also the 14th Earl of Arundel and became a Saint as he was imprisoned fo...