under another sun

The clocks having sprung forward, it felt like a very early start getting up with Lorraine. Felt happy not to have to do agency work, and sad for Lorraine as she drove off to work. I immediately started thinking about hard about the poems I want to get into a competition by the end of the week. But found I can't see the wood for the trees. My brain is shot.  Went to the gym for another reduced workout, then into Sainsbury's for a few bits. Back again: when in doubt: tidy up. Spent some time sorting study, filing and doing assorted admin and billing recent clients, and turning down a two-day pitch next week.  A note from Mum saying she got her Mother's day card. Pesky postmen. Chatting to Beth who is recovering still from Covid. She texted me with the news that Maureen had to put Basil down this morning, having taken a turn for the worse. Everyone a bit sad about this.  Basil was Brian's sister, and a lovely cat. She has lived with Pat and Maureen for ten years. She was ...

To Pat and Maureen's in Ashford. Lorraine had not seen them with her own eyes since before Christmas. They were okay, although poor Basil cat may have to be put down, as she is unwell and requires constant medication and tests which are costing a fortune.  Lorraine took one of her excellent chicken and leek pies down, and Pat and Maureen had prepared vegetables. Maureen had also made me an apple and blueberry pie. She spoils me via the medium of  apple pies.  Sad news that Ken's mother in law in Ireland needs an operation for a brain tumour. Ken is back with the family at the moment. Words are slippery things however, and when Maureen talked about a brain tuna I had to laugh.  Peaceful afternoon. I even fell asleep in an armchair for a bit, after my big lunch and a glass or two of wine. Rallied a bit, and then did a bit of work on my phone. I had to name an event, so I just had to come up with a few candidates which I typed in as a note.  Maureen advising Lorrai...

Off to see Pat and Maureen today. Drove off into the blue day, a bit of a slow progress today due to speed restrictions and so on. However, we arrived safely. Ken was there too and was cooking up a big Sunday lunch. Lurking around chatting and watched a Wallace and Grommet film, A story of loaf and death on TV. Maureen had cooked a lovely apple pie too, which was sweet of her. I love apple pies. Had a discussion about apple pie beds. I had always thought these were beds with apple pies in them. However Lorraine explained they are simply beds made with the sheet folded back in on itself so you can't climb into it properly. I assembled a little plastic greenhouse thing to put Maureen's azaleas in. Lorraine and I had an identical one, so this was fairly straightforward. Lorraine and I drove home listening to an old Mayo and Kermode podcast about films. Below not a very good picture of Basil blending into Pat and Maureen's new carpet. And some weirdness on the roadside. ...

The mist pretty in the valley below this morning. For me another day working on concepts for a pan European animal health campaign. Getting a bit bogged down in meeting the brief, so had to bump a meeting with Helen this afternoon, to make sure I'd cracked it. Nice and warm in the garden, and I took another cup of tea out there while thinking about cattle and corralling my thoughts. Beth and Lorraine home together this evening, and we went out to meet Rosie in our new local The Preston Park Tavern where we also strapped on the nosebag. The food there is pretty good. After being cooped up all day, very welcome to be here. Rosie on good form, and cheery. I also asked Beth about her tips for learning lines, as I want to start memorising some of my poems and do them from memory like I used to in the old days, especially as I have a reading next month in Lewes. Beth says she records them in chunks and listens to them on her iPhone. Which is simple but brilliant. Lorraine had her per...

A piece of toast, then Lorraine, Beth and I drove off to Kent to see Pat and Maureen. A surprisingly swift journey, listening to Kermode and Mayo reviewing 50 Shades of Grey movie among other things. Nice to have an excuse to relax, and scarf down some roast lamb, apple strudel and custard plus fresh strawberries. I enjoyed wandering about in the garden with Pat, looking at his newly planted onions and shallots, overlooking the fresh poo Basil had done there, and discussing the virtues of black and red grasses. After eating, Beth, Lorraine and Maureen sitting on the sofa doing various types of online shopping. Maureen also gave Beth a starter kit for knitting, and they continued as a comedy duo for some time afterwards. I settled down happily to watch some Rugby, Scotland against Wales, and remembering all those schoolboy Saturdays, in the scrum, and having my hand stamped on by studded feet and so on. A happier business watching other people do it, that's for sure. Eventua...

Up early and working on poems before chatting with Mas for a while. Poems progressing well, and I have some ideas. Booked to go into London for some more work tomorrow, which is good. Then we drove off to see Pat and Maureen in Kent. While Maureen and Lorraine attended to a thing about which I cannot blog, I made myself useful in a manly way by helping Pat remove a gas fire and install a new electric coal effect fire in the front room. Found myself cleaning an old fireplace which gave me a Proustian flashback to being a child and cleaning grates. Eggshell and dust, and a few spiders which Pat culled methodically. Greatly fortified by hot soup and a delicious cottage pie. Saw Basil the cat, who looked exceptionally happy and had lost weight since being moved to Lorraine's parents. After Pat had enjoyed Sean the Sheep , he suggested I watch the 1959 version of The 39 Steps starring Kenneth Moore, on in the afternoon, as I'd never seen it. Never a dull moment in the film, an...

Up to North Acton again. Despite a hideously early start, quite enjoying the bustle through London and meeting some new, likeable, people.  The work reactive, but the people compensate. Listening to The Count of Monte Cristo constantly on my journeys. It goes on forever. Have stupidly lost my keys, and as  Lorraine went to Kent to visit her parents, her brother and nephew when I arrived home in Brighton I had to amuse myself for an hour or so, having a single pint and, disgracefully, some Kentucky Fried Rats before she returned. Haven't sat in a KFC for about 15 years. Interesting clientele on London Road. And not in a good way. Lorraine had taken Basil with her. Basil is the lovable fat cat who refuses to squeeze through the catflap, necessitating cat trays indoors, which the other two cats then use. Cleaning them is like getting thigh deep in the Augean Stables, which I will certainly not miss. However I will miss Basil, for she sat on me a lot, and had a lovely if vacan...

Bears and cats Felt nervy this morning. I woke from a dream about being in a bleak land of huge clawing bears. Signed off the artwork for 'Clameur' and signed a confidentiality agreement for the new people I may be working with, plus attended to several less glamorous chores. Took myself to the gym, which helped a great deal. L and I have taken to putting Basil outside to lose some weight as it is too fat for the catflap. In reality she sits outside the door peering in pleadingly. I popped around the corner to take some clothes to be recycled this afternoon and left a torn paper bag behind me. When I returned home I picked the bag up to throw it away to find that Basil who had stolen back in as I opened the door to leave had thoughtfully urinated in it. I slung her outside in punishment, but after mopping cat wee up, ten minutes later our neighbour Mark, who has our keys, let it back in thinking I was out. It was giving a convincing portrayal of starving and homeless. Home and ...

Elephants with furry faces Lorraine up with the sparrows and me not far behind her. I made my way to the Twitten, and showed a nice couple in their 30s around the place. And in the afternoon showed Jim the Sparky the equipotential bonding problem, for this is the kind of thing I now do at the drop of a hat. He says it is an easy fix and will do it next week, and thankfully he mentioned a price which didn't Van de Graaf what's left of my hair. We have a Bulgarian cleaner called Sonia. She showed me her passport and seemed keen to show that she was a Bulgar and not a burglar. I like her but communication is difficult. It's weird, I am about to become a landlord, and I have a cleaner. The young and briefly-Marxist Peter Kenny would look at me with starting eyes. Poor Lorraine not home till 9:30. I cooked a spinach and chicken curry. Basil the cat barging about the place excitedly as I did so. Basil is so porcine she cannot fit through the catflap, neither Lorraine nor Betty li...