under another sun

Saturday and the feeling of freedom has not sunk in yet. But zooming about seeing people and catching up with real life a bit. Lorraine ff to her hairdresser. I did some pleasingly humdrum stuff, like laundry, and invoicing. Then walked down the hill into town, picked up a prescription and met a smartly-haired Lorraine in Hove, and dropped in on Janet and Ken, armed with pastries. They are more settled now, and nice to see their paintings on the wall. House moving is exhausting. Janet still negotiating over the garage with the freeholder, who is a bit of a slippery character apparently. The weather annoyingly cool and overcast this side of the downs. The rest of SE England basking in the sun, including Wembley Stadium, which was being shown on TV.  Lorraine and I headed off to Anton's house. He'd planned a BBQ, but we ate indoors, while the radio and TV (both on) were chattering fake news about Chelsea being beaten by Arsenal in the FA Cup final. Anton barbecued splendid bur...

A busy day on Lorraine business. We disposed of the waste and high tailed it to Bolney to see Lorraine's new school. There was one teacher doing some prep there, and the caretaker. I don't think I've walked about an empty school out of term before. Lorraine taking notes while walking about and looking in all the rooms and learning the layout of the place. Looking in store cupboards and so on. One had a direction post with Back of Beyond, and Front of Beyond on it. To Horsham to dispose of Mrs Kenny's confidential waste in her office. Strange being with Lorraine in a busy office.Then off to drop her laptop off at her boss Chris's house. We were invited in and had a nice chat with Chris and his wife and daughter. A bright cheery room, and very pleasant people. In the evening, Lorraine and I sauntered down to The Joker, where we met Anton, Anne and my Godbairns plus Christiane (Anton's cousin and also Goddaughter) over from Australia. Lovely to see Christiane a...

Thank God off the steroids today although brain is still mushy. I seem to have lots of good ideas but can't get any of them down. Off at lunchtime to meet Anton for a coffee in the Marwood Cafe. Able to sit outside in a little courtyard garden for a while too as it wasn't raining. He had been reading some of the latest draft of The New Idea and had some good suggestions and a few thoughts on the story so far. Excellent to get some feedback, and good to have coffee with Anton, still gloating over his iPad and announcing that he is going paperless. Bought the audiobook of the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson to keep abreast of the Zeitgeist. Lots of people are very impressed by Jobs.  Have listened to a few hours of it. On this account I think I would have found him obnoxious, although clearly an incredibly successful businessman. Interesting to follow a thread through California and the IT and business story that I was dimly aware of working for IBM in the 90s in Londo...

Woke up annoyingly early, and started some writing just after seven. As yesterday, off to Arkwrights and was just enjoying the sight of an enthusiast leaning out from the kerb to photograph vintage buses coming down the street where I was accosted by a rude man wanting directions, and when I was formulating the answer, he barked ‘don’t you know?’. It is good, occasionally, to take an instant dislike to people as it saves time. Walked Mum up to Janet's and hung about chatting with folks at Diva II for some time. I walked with Ken down to Seven Dials, who gave me the benefit of some lively opinions about politics. Home feeling rather wan, my throat is closed up and sore. Spent the afternoon lounging about feeling rather ill while poor Lorraine slaved on her application form for a headteacher role in a local school. Then we drove up to collect Mum and bring her home for cups of tea and tomato soup before walking her off to the station. Lorraine and I then went to the Cricketers ...

One toad, several ladies Crept into work today feeling fragile. But perked up later despite a mountain of work to finish before my holiday. Out in the evening to the Salisbury, where I met Aimee - who I'd not seen for several years - Lakshmi and Marcella. Aimee is in London (she lives in Dubai) on a course, and she is having a difficult time. Her aunt, who had been ill for a long time, died yesterday. Despite her being sad, we had a cheery night considering. We all met at the Salisbury and then had an adequate curry off the Strand, and an excellent evening of gossip and renewed friendship. A night out with the girls is a fine thing. Sleeping on the train home, when I wasn't thinking about golden toads that is. For Christiane and I have been corresponding on the matter. I consulted the ever-reliable Dictionary for Dreamers and became interested in the contradiction between the ugly toad and its golden quality. Christiane was looking into native American totem stuff... where toa...

The omen of the golden toad The lovely Christiane, God daughter of Anton, and living now in Australia, sent me a note today, which said: I was just reading your blog for the first time in a couple of weeks and on reaching the bit about toads in the channel islands, i felt compelled to tell you that i had the strangest dream 2 nights ago which featured you and you had a big golden toad living in a pond under your house. This is, clearly, a very good omen. Of what I am not sure, but it is a good one. A pleasant day today. Started the day being filmed with some other chaps from the agency queuing outside a pharmacy on the Fulham Palace Road. Then the business of working itself, which wasn't bad. I made time for a swim for the third day. Feeling whale like. Imagining people pushing me back into the pool when I started to crawl out, rushing about with buckets of water and tarpaulins etc. and looking about anxiously for the rest of the pod. Had a quick drink after work with some collea...