under another sun

 Mum received another call this morning, but simply put the phone down. Bastards.  A day at home, for Lorraine and me. I had a brief saunter to the shops and then along by the sea. Quite nippy. Off to Needlewriters in the evening. Met Robin at Lewes Station. Clare Best and Jeremy reading tonight, along with another poet called Pratiba Castle, whose work was fine but not for me as I am learning to say these days. Clare on good form, reading her excellent poetry in an excellent fashion. Jeremy reading some prose from his London Calling book, which I liked quite a bit when it was published a few years ago. Of my poet friends, there were Stephen, Charlotte, Janet, Catherine Smith and others. Also Callum was there sitting next to me. He had just been to see Will and I arranged to go with him next time. Will is now in Lewes. A cheery interlude, but I made off home quite quickly, partly to be at home with Lorraine and watch The Traitors again.  Callum gave me and Robin a lift t...

Up early and was collected outside by Brian shortly after eight, with Marley in the boot. Brian had already been swimming in the sea and was generally glowing. We went to Friston forest and had a lovely walk through the trees deep in discussion about all kinds of things. We paused at the place where you can look down into the valley and see the hedgerows make a big cross in the landscape. Brian uses this place to pray briefly most days. I find this quite touching.  Home again for breakfast, and as Rosie had stayed overnight we had breakfast and long chats with her. Rosie and Lorraine went off to see Pat and Maureen, before Rosie went off to work in the afternoon.  Lorraine told me that when Rosie arrived yesterday, they were talking and there was hammering on the roof. It was two crows, pecking at bones, with seagull feathers. The current theory is that the Robert the robbing herring gull has been murdered by, or at least scavenged by, crows. Probably a murder of crows. I did ...

Full of ideas after talking to the understorians yesterday, and attacked that MS with concerted effort first thing. I got up at seven and began work, as I was lying in bed thinking about it.   Off this afternoon to Brighton, to the county hospital, to see Will, who is in the stroke care unit. Found myself rather dreading the visit, as it pressed many of my hypochondriac buttons as I made my way from the bus stop.  He was pleased to see me, and surprised me by saying how brilliant he thought my poetry reading had been as the first thing he said. While entirely recognisable as Will, his mind is wandering somewhat and he told me he feels lonely and depressed. And has idées fixe about not getting enough medications, and needing the bedpan and so on. He also began describing the garden party he wanted to have, and that he was getting married and the business success of a close friend.  Callum and Will's mum Mavis arrived about twenty minutes or so after I got there. His mum st...

Lorraine off to her personal trainer this morning. I did some writing, then met up with Callum and went for a late morning saunter along the seafront. First time we'd had a really long chat since about 1990, so that was nice Catching up with where we are in life. He is still doing a bit of freelance journalism, and has written several plays and is working towards getting them performed, so lots to discuss. Chief among them is Will, my old University pal, that Callum had remained close with over the years. A week after they came to see my poetry reading, Will had a severe stroke, and is still in hospital. I agreed to visit Will with Callum and Will's mother Mavis on Thursday. We went for a coffee in Baca too.  After Callum left I did a bit of work including listening to the latest Planet Poetry interview Robin had done, under very difficult circumstances.  Popped again into the Last Minute Artists show, chatting with Adele, Palo and Geraldine, and another lady with two others. ...

Up fairly early. I have been having bad dreams, general assorted catastrophes. Just before I woke up I dreamed I had been having an affair. I woke up thinking oh God, what have I done? An immense flood of relief when I realised it was only a dream. Breakfast and teas and coffees with Mum. Neither of us terribly chatty. Mum receiving nice notes from Brad. I will write to him over the weekend, all being well. I am returning to see Mum next Thursday evening, but left her with instructions to call me at any time. Also a list of all the stuff we are doing, and where we are with it.  I feel tired and drained and left mum at about 11.30 am, bumping into Ben outside. A chat with him, then he went in to seem Mum, while I walked to Edgware and caught a bus to Mill Hill Broadway. In great contrast to last Friday, when I trained back to Seaford, the trains were excellent today, and the journey home passed in a blur. Nice to see the sea again, and felt cheery as my train pulled into Seaford sta...

No work. Bliss. Up and breakfast with Lorraine, and she went off to walk and talk with Penny and other ex-headteacher friends I spent a happy couple of hours finalising my reading for tonight's Needlewriters. (Success happens when preparation meets opportunity, I reminded myself). A lunchtime walk, and the luxury of a nap this afternoon. Quite nervous, and bleating nervously to Lorraine once or twice. Pleased Robin and I were reading together which somehow made it feel better.  I'd not seen the rooms upstairs at the John Harvey Tavern so crowded. I counted about 45 people. All my favourite poet friends there, SJB, Charlotte, Janet, Stephen Bone, Antony Mair and Jeremy. Plus there was a delegation from Seaford, Adele, Patrick, Andrew and Kate. Then, greatly to my surprise, old Warwick University pals, Will Leith and Callum Murray appeared, who I first met when I was 19, and then sat in the front row. As I was being introduced by James Ellis, who did a great job all night, I some...