under another sun

Was thinking about the via negativa and St John of the Cross on the way to work this morning. For it is only once you have given up any hope or expectation that a train to Hampton will arrive will a train to Hampton arrive, albeit slightly delayed. A fine end to the week. Arrived at the agency on time. Had another nice day, Keith was there, and Pat and the French Bloke and Perky and working with Carolyn, a very pleasant account person. It was in the afternoon that I had one of the best calls of my writing life, when I spoke to young Elijah  Max and the FB's exceptional son. He wanted to talk about Magnificent Grace, and we chatted for about twenty minutes. He loved the book, and I was tremendously cheered by his response. He found it funny, and loved the way it combined magic and politics and generally gave me feedback that made me feel that someone had read the book and completely got it. Wonderful feeling of vindication. Also spoke to Max, who it was lovely to chat to her too....

Horrid nightmares last night. Up early and had a shower. Lorraine off early to go to the gym. I opened the front door into a deluge at 7:05 this morning. Ducked back in for my golfing umbrella and then walked down to Preston Park in diabolical horizontal rain, and a crack of thunder overhead as I was threading past tall trees holding my metal rod aloft. The gutters rushing like brisk mountain streams. I bought a cup of tea from The Daily Grind by the station, and the woman next to me said, 'this is like the end of days', which made me laugh. Everything in my rucksack soaked, luckily my laptop still worked. Even after reached Hampton, (slightly late due to train delays obvs.) my jeans weren't dry till about two o'clock in the afternoon. A pleasant enough day, although the client had moved all the goalposts, thus reducing the amount of work to be done.  Nice chat with Keith, and with Bouncy Max,  who was financial controlling for the day. She is in good form as ever. My...

A poor night's sleep, although it did have a couple strikes of lightning nearby around midnight. Up to Hampton this morning, managed to tweak my back evilly just before I left home, and so spent the day loping unable to straighten my back, which made having to stand in a crowded train all the way to Clapham Junction somewhat tiresome. From Clapham to Hampton, able to sit and listening to The Exorcist. Where I loped along the streets to Pat, the French Bloke and Perky's lovely riverside office. The place full of friends, Keith was there too who came over and gave me a hug, and great to see Max, who was sitting on Michel's desk. Pat and Michel then briefed myself and a designer called Shadric in their new downstairs place, with the river virtually lapping up against it. Shadric is from Brighton, and we spent rest of the day getting to grips with it. We were released back into the wild at around 4:30 and will be working from home on it, and I Shadric and I will work together...

I have set my face against camping ever since an unspeakable family camping holiday in Devon in 1976. Our tent was very pleasant, for a tent. After we lurched into bed we found the airbed was slightly on a slope, and after a few hours of sliding off the airbed onto our heads Lorraine had the brainwave that it might be a better idea to have our pillows at the other end. This, plus the effects of a good deal of alcohol, a cold night and all the sliding meant I barely slept at all. We did have a strangely romantic walk to the toilets through the dew sodden grass in the early morning light with the landscape looking beautiful at six in the morning. Despite a distinct absence of bounce (which turned out to be a widespread phenomenon among co-revellers) Lorraine and I enjoyed the day very much. Down to the barn again, where restorative buns full of bacon sausages and eggs, and mugs of tea and a good deal of talking. A lull in the middle of the day, Lorraine slept and I had a lovely chat wi...

So up at the De Trafford hotel and eating a Chef and Brewer breakfast downstairs before packing and getting ourselves sorted for the big wedding to be held at a farm near the village of Wincle, south of Macclesfield and in the edge of the peak district national park. All rather idyllic and a gorgeous drive there too. As we were early as we turned off the main road, near the farm, we squinted into the Royal Oak only to see Nicola and First Matie climbing out of a car. We parked up and had a cheery reunion over coffee and then a beer, and were joined by Lucy and Sean, other pals of Matt's. Then we then drove into what was described as the middle of nowhere and kept going through some achingly beautiful countryside and arrived at Barleyford Farm. Family friends of Matt and Isy who were getting married. The French Bloke and Craig pointing the way, both fairly refreshed already, to the barn field where we parked up and found our tent in a village of tents. Quickly changed in there, an...

Some of the results of the Great Chad Adventure work I'd done dropped today, the launch of the new campaign. You an see some of the work and watch the ad on the Tearfund site here . I hope this succeeds in raising money for the people we met out there, and places like it. But I am not without mixed feelings about this campaign where I spent much time under the Nazgûl's wing. Working off and on this morning, and intermittent contact from Max and the French Bloke who had brought their four bairns down to Brighton.  They scooted around on rollerblades and so on, and I sensibly remained in a cafe working on stuff, then took a long walk down by the sea passing the ghastly iSore 360 and eventually met them on the stones, just as the sun went in and it was again a March day at the seaside. Lovely to catch up with my old friends, and see the children again. They are such a lively, bright and confident bunch of kids. Max produced a bottle of bubbly and we three had a glass each and ...

Lorraine and I up and off to London, for we were gathering at The City Barge on Strand on the Green. Funny how places keep cropping up in life. The Barge was a local  of mine, in a former life and as we made our way to the river I showed Lorraine places I'd lived in Chiswick. We were there to celebrate First Matie's departure for Hull where she is going to live for the foreseeable time for reasons of the heart. A gathering of friends in an upstairs room of the Barge, which is a good deal posher than when I lived nearby. A beautiful room looking down on the river, where we spent the afternoon and evening eating and making merry. Attendees were Kate (naturally) and many of her mates, who mostly are my mates too. Matty boy (who seemed to have done most of the organisation as usual) and Isy and the rather cute baby Elsie, The French Bloke and Max, Mel and Craig, Nicola, Sarah and Sylvie, Dan, Ian, Gareth, Stephen, and the lovely Matt Hindley arrived later. Some speeches were ma...

Felt harrowed by booze and the late night, as did Lorraine and Max and the FB. Max perhaps the best of us as she went out into the garden to stab murderously, and unsuccessfully, at the mole which has been digging up her lawn. Slow cups of tea and some toast before Lorraine in the right shape for getting us home. Feeling like death warmed over. Both L and I hungover all day. However after a sleep on the gold sofa, we walked up to Anton's place and worked in his garden for a couple of hours, weeding and digging up the flower beds. Sweaty, back stiffening work which I enjoyed doing. Anton has sensibly outsourced all the flower species decisions to Lorraine, which of course Lorraine is really happy about. Actually very therapeutic to be tidying the garden and Lorraine poring over books of flowers and gardening. To thank us Anton made some of his fabulous pizzas, on which I gorged in the evening. Anton had invited Dawn too and we had a fun night playing Anton's eclectic collect...

Up early as we had a house viewing today. Lorraine and I took ourselves off to the park for a cup of coffee. Nice to smell the roses. The park being prepared for the big Pride Party later in the day. The parade walked past the end of our road, so we went to watch with everyone else. It always makes me feel quite moved and proud of being in Brighton for some reason, full of colourful characters, music and fun. We bumped into Ash on the way back home for breakfast. He had run the restaurant that Lorraine and I first used to eat curries in. Stopped and chatted for a good ten minutes. Home and we had a long chat with Nicki and Mark next door about selling the houses and so on. They are good people. Felt quite inert today, and slept like a baby in the afternoon. Then Lorraine drove us to Chertsey Meads for an evening with Max and the FB. A bit of a mission to try to find somewhere to buy some beer and wine in the town. Really good to see them both, and their brood of young Elijah, Zemir...

Perhaps due to the heat but finding it very hard to focus today. Kept thinking about all the things I should be doing, rather than simply doing any of them. Just as I was about to leave for the gym, I received a phone call from young Elijah, the son of Max and the French Bloke, who was delighted to receive his long lost giraffe which was found behind a wardrobe. Lorraine and I enclosed an account from Skidaddle of what he had been up to in Brighton in the interim, which Elijah read back to me with some incredulity. Very sweet. Also spoke to Max afterwards too. To the gym but little gas in the tank, returned via Sainsburys and faffed about generally. Lorriane home early though. After work, and the consumption of fish and salad, I went up to Anton's house where I helped Anton lift his new high powered enormous TV onto a stand we had to construct. The TV came with 3D glasses and everything. Rather amazing. I left Anton toying happily with this new gadget. Then to The Caxton where ...

Up with the larks this morning, or more accurately with the infernal Calliope who, because it is light, is waking me earlier each morning. A day writing the copy for an agency's own website. An interesting job, and a new client for me. The agency in question seem to have a clear idea of what they want to say, and I was instructed to dial down 'the agency bollocks'. Most refreshing. This took up the day, with pauses for conversation with the ever-bouncy Max about weddings and also about Skiddadle, a giraffe that little Elijah left here after a party once, and wasn't found until discovered recently wedged behind a wardrobe, near some Aramaic scrolls. I intend to send it back to Elijah with an account of its travels. Also talked to Bob, who was loping through Manchester on the way to train people in legal software. When Lorraine got home we stole away to the Shahi for a cheeky bite, as working up in the warm study on website copy had produced a keen need for a pint o...

Blearily out of bed and Lorraine drove us off to Weybridge to see Max and the French Bloke (aka Michel) get married. Max had finally relented and allowed the marriage to happen, although having had three children together meant that they were obviously somewhat involved. Arrived early, with Lorraine sipping tea from the flask to soothe her throat once we'd arrived. Bumped into Pat and Judith his wife there, and soon the place filled up with lots of guests, and a host of angelic children in wedding attire. Good to see the old French Bloke, who is generally unfazed by anything, looking nervous. The ceremony passed off well, with a lovely registrar. I found myself fighting off the tears as is usual at events like this.  A photography session in the registry office gardens, before we all drove back to Max and Michel's house, where the garden had been transformed with a canopy and seating. Lots to drink and eat, and a massive party ensued. Lots of friends there of course, inclu...

To London, and finishing off the pitch work I was involved in before those presenting it zoomed off to Zurich. I had a leisurely sandwich from Waitrose, and a slightly lower key afternoon, with only the  photographs the innards of people with ulcerative colitis to distract me. I finished Solar by Ian McEwan yesterday. Well written, and a comic novel which made me guffaw once while listening to it. Noticed McEwan's trick of slowing the action down for humorous effect, so that something that took a few seconds spreads over pages.  This wore a bit thin for me, but McEwan is generally fantastic I think. Instead, I spent the journey home playing Zombie Gunship, an app I downloaded where you shoot at zombies from a big plane. The zombies are chasing handfuls of people as they try to escape into a bunker. Your job is to clear the way for them by slaughtering zombies. I combined this ultraviolence with listening to classical music. Felt a strange serenity sweep over me as I slaugh...

Evening in the study Monday and back to the unglamourous business of sorting my business out. I am redefining what it is I actually do and offer the agencies I work with. It seems prudent to focus on what will continue to put bread on the table. Working late tonight and I - finally - noticed the blindingly obvious, which was a relief. In the afternoon I met Dipak in the Marwood for a coffee. I also made time to watch a documentary about Lucien Freud. I have been well aware of his work for decades, I knew little about the back story other than he was the grandson of Sigmund Freud. He was from a Jewish family who were able to leave Germany early in the Nazi period. I think I see the influence of Neue Sachlichkeit art in his work, which wasn't mentioned. Lorraine home late having watched a play Beth was in up in Kingston. Apparently Beth was rather splendid in it, and complimented by one of her sternest tutors afterwards. And so to bed. Looked at facebook to see that Max has (at last...

Sofa time Definitely hungover this morning. I was not, however, the only one. Feeling slightly nauseous, I had to sit outside in the fresh air for a while. Soon felt right, however, due to the amazing therapeutic properties of a bacon roll. Usual suspects for Lorraine and I to lurk about with. First Matie walking about with one contact in, Matty extolling the virtue of showers, and naturally Max and Michel, whose children are adorable, and Judith who seemed remarkably poised for a lady who was trampolining in the small hours. After sufficient tea was drunk, and I had a go on Michel's new guitar, a Washburn the same make as my one, Bianca, then fond farewells exchanged and Lorraine and I drove home listening to radio four in the car. Once home Lorraine and I dove onto the gold sofa and barely moved for some time. On the way home we had bought a chicken, but as I prepared it I pulled the legs apart to stuff it with onion and sage only to discover it was a virulent green. Lorraine out...

Aw shucks The luxury of a slow start for Lorraine and I gradually getting ourselves sorted out in time to drive up to Chertsey Meades and meet Matty boy, First Matie, Tash and Steve, and meet Judith, Dion and Camilla for the first time. There was a conspiracy to surprise the FB for his 50th birthday. Matt had scored things the FB likes, such as dozens of oysters, champagne, roast beef and so on. I found myself a shucker of oysters after Matt showed me how. Something about shucking oysters that is simultaneously repulsive and enjoyable. We lurked in wait and sprang out on him in a fairly mild mannered way. The FB has an unpredictable streak and I suspect that if he thought he had burglars he would have charged in with a chainsaw. People then fell on the bubbly and oysters with gusto. I'm not much of an oyster guzzler myself but it seemed rude not to have several, and Lorraine loves them. A lively night ensued of general feasting and merriment until I was advised by my friends that I...

Party time So today zooming about getting ready for a large party to celebrate Betty's 20th birthday and me and Lorraine living together. Lorraine off to get an astonishingly red hair cut n' colour which everyone agreed was rather smart. Then Betty, Lorraine and I going off to buy quantities of boozes and food in supermarkets, blow up ballons, prepare food and move furniture about. Very tired all day but a shower and a stiff drink worked wonders. Max, The French Bloke and their cherubic children Tahlia, Zemirah and Elijah arrived an hour and a half early, which effectively started the party with the children zooming about. Betty upstairs glamming herself up with two of her pals, watched awe-struck by young Tahlia and Zemirah. Another pal Linda arrived somewhat before the party started already drunk and slightly chaotic. Then lots of guests, First Matie and Matty Boy, The Shakespeare Trio who gave us a bit of a tune accompanied by Steve Cartwright on banjo, Claudius, Matt and Wa...

Big fun in big top tents A quiet day, with spot of gentle shopping this afternoon supervised by Lorraine, in which we bought a small pressie for Steve and Tasha, I scored a much-needed new jacket and some shoes. Suddenly I get retail therapy. Joan sent an email containing a picture of a lovely peach and currant pie she'd made, which had us both salivating and was slightly unfair given the pie was in Canada. I like pies. Pies and Peter Kennys are friends. Off in the evening to Firle, where Natasha and Stephen had got married that afternoon to join in a rather wonderful party. It was a beautiful double peaked tent in a garden. Tasha was resplendent in a lovely wedding gown and greeted us as we walked in. Walked around the tent to find Stephen and congratulate him only to find the French Bloke and Matty Boy (who is of course Tasha's brother). The FB led us past the band but I was seized by Max and compelled to dance wildly with her for some time before I could even reach the bar. ...

Fireside tales Spoke to mum, who is hoping to be released back into the wild on Monday. I hope so. Otherwise Lorraine and I had a leisurely time of it before Lorraine drove us up to Chertsey Meads to visit The French Bloke and Max. First Matie and Matty boy were there too. Greeted by the four children barking like dogs, as they had been playing with Puffin. It was the first time Lorraine had met them Max and the FB. The FB showed me the inside of his Winnebago, which I have had occasion to sleep in over the years. It has been gutted, and Michel is rebuilding to his own specifications. I wondered how he gets the energy and time to rebuild immense vehicles and assemble motorbikes from new pieces. He is the CEO of an organisation, has small children. Great to see Max too, looking bouncy and cheery as ever, and clearly being a wonderful mother. I was asked to tell the children a bedtime story, and I riffed around some Skelton Yawngrave material. The girls all very bright. Zamiera an angeli...

Puddles Met First Matie behind the station in her new green Subaru and we sped in the rain up to Chertsey to see Max and the French Bloke in less than an hour. Both on splendid form, and we spent the afternoon playing with their children Tahlia, Zemirah and baby Elijah. All beyond adorable. Zemirah making a classic entrance - walking in all cherubic blonde curls with a large plastic electric guitar which was cranking out some species of heavy metal riff. Kate and I entranced. Then a very splashy walk across the nearby meads, through every available puddle, and setting off rockets powered by a small plastic air chamber and a tube. When the rain was utterly pouring, we repaired home I was used a good deal as a climbing frame and trampoline by Tahlia and Zemirah. After the chilren went to bed, the FB showed me his pet project of a 900-odd cc motorbike he was building from scratch in his garage from things parts from ebay. It will be an entirely unique vehicle, wasp waisted with a single f...