under another sun

Lorraine at home, so no six-something start. I got up and worked on various bits and pieces in my office after bringing my lovely wife some breakfast in bed. In the afternoon Lorraine and I drove off in the icy rain to buy some paint for the kitchen, some compost, a bag of stones, pansies and so on. In the evening Lorraine and I did some painting in the kitchen, adding some zingy bright green colour, Lorraine also fiddling about happily with the pansies. In the evening, I hobbled off to the poetry workshop session. Left my pesky wallet at home, too which meant I had to borrow some cash to catch the bus home. Some excellent work by some of the attendees today. Sadly mine (an old one) not quite up to scratch. Home and Beth, back from London and having her bad heel treated, bemoaning the fact that the amount of stitches she's knitting started off at 40, but is now 46.

The roofs frosted this morning. Dragged myself unwillingly from bed as Lorraine hurried about. Opened the Juliette windows of our bedroom and snapped a couple of shots. Proper winter cold this morning. My work all a bit sluggish. It is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year today, but the media were busy debunking this. The media only seem to report Muslim terrorism lately. It's as if they are brainwashing us for something. In the evening hobbled off to the bus stop and into town for a Stanza poetry workshop in the Three Jolly Brewers, where I had a jolly tomato juice enlivened with Tabasco etc. Good to see Robin, Antony, Andie who produced a wonderful love poem, and many of the usual suspects, plus a couple of new faces. It is always an interesting and even when someone reads a poem that doesn't quite work, they are invariably intelligent and thought-provoking. My poem was well received, which was heartening as I've tinkered with it for years, despite it only...

To London again. Listening to The Remains of the Day  and seeing Alan Davies doing the magical trick of invisibility on the bus again. Released back into the wild again for a bit from work, which is splendid news as there is such a mountain of my own stuff to do I don't know where to start. No progress on the house negotiations for the Brighton reason that the vendor is on a meditative retreat with no phone signal. Suggested to Lorraine that we keep looking this weekend in case the vendor turns out to an uberflake. There is little that is simple in this world. After work, slipped off to the nearby Poetry Cafe where I met Robin, Anthony, Tom, Ponny and Marion Tracy who made up the Brighton Stanza poets. Ordered a bowl of carrot soup,  no bread,  said the stern eastern European woman behind the counter, and a cup of tea before descending to the basement. A hot evening in the basement of the Poetry Cafe. Twelve poets in this 'Stanza Bonanza' so lots of variety. We were ...

Completing the final 36th section of the book was thorny, and I have the sensation of putting most of the right words in there, but not necessarily in the right order. However I am going to have an absolute bloody final review of its contents over the next few days. Apart from this work, a circuit of the park, particularly liking the magnolia trees in the walled garden, and not having to wear a jacket. In the evening, after I fed Lorraine and myself with a vegetarian meal of my own devising and I made off to a poetry meeting in the Caxton, and Lorraine made off to choir. Another interesting night with poets. Took a recent poem, We are people of the rain which I'm not sure about and was pleased to find it was quite liked. Good chats afterwards with Andie and Sue in the bar. People sporting green and black and white Guinness hats that were being given out to those who bought a pint of the black stuff. I humbuggishly stuck to bitter. Sue a lively performance poet, and Andie a thoug...

A late start for a Monday, and disgracefully not working till gone nine. Lorraine working on the desk next to me, which is always nice. Did some good work today, and virtuously went to the gym for the first time in a week, talking to Bob while on the cross trainer. Home and a quick miso and noodle soup with Lorraine and an afternoon of work. In the evening Lorraine went to choir and I sauntered off to Brighton Poetry Stanza group workshop in a room in the Caxton pub. A well attended night, and always fascinating to hear how people think, and write completely differently. I squeezed in a poem too, which went down fairly well. This time a few of the poets had a drink afterwards, and it ended on a friendly note.  I warmed to Andie, (who had put together the Brighton Anthology) whose life change completely in his mid fifties and he now expresses his feminine side in his persona, clothing and makeup. Also enjoyed speaking to Susan who is a lively performance poet, whose friends I was ...

In practical mode organising a drains person to do some drain work, admin, returned spare keys to the Twitten, and dragged things around the house in a futile attempt to sort through the detritus from my loft, and the entire van load of stuff that we brought back from Kent. To the gym at lunchtime. The psychological and health bonus from being released from the stress of selling my house is vast. I felt springy and unburdened. A fast shop in Sainsbury's after work, home to eat fish and veggies, before Lorraine went off to sing, and I went to The Lord Nelson where the Brighton Stanza Poets Anthology 2013 was launched. Packed room, and ten readers. Chatted briefly with Antony and Robin Houghton, and Andie Davidson who had produced the book. Plus two pleasant women I think were called Angie and Gay who were fans of a performance poet called Sue, with a man who had just got married to a Cuban. I lost no time in telling them I had just got married too. I made off as the evening was ...