under another sun

Claudia and Jonas leaving this morning. We had breakfast and Lorraine drove us to Seaford Library. Lots of hugs between Claudia and Lorraine. I went with them on the 12x and saw them onto the coach to Heathrow. Fond farewells with both of them. I'd really enjoyed their visit, and I hope they did too. They had a long coach trip, and hanging about in airports and flight, and at least two hours on the others side to look forward to. I meanwhile, hurried off to  Cass Art and bought some more drawing paper, and a few coloured pencils, then took myself to the cafe I used to go into when I was working on A Guernsey Double for a sentimental  coffee. A really rude server, however, who conducted a conversation with someone through me, as if I were invisible. I also bought a cinnamon swirl (she carefully dug out the smallest one) and  sparkling water. Sat down sipped the coffee and bit into the pastry, which contained unadvertised almonds in it and made my mouth feel funny. Sluiced ...

A busy day for Lorraine, and for me a day to write and think, and to walk for a couple of hours, still listening to the Jung autobiography. Thinking about yesterday's inability to cross the empty space on the side of Seaford Head and wondering what Jung might have made of it. Perhaps the inability to walk from A to B  symbolises a decision I can't make. But the only thing that seemed relevant was the MS I have been working on, which is dragging on never quite seeming to be ready. I have had these sort of events all the way back to my childhood so it's not abnormal for me. Today's walk enjoyably uneventful. Lorraine meanwhile Pat and Maureen, and Claudia and Jonas to Eastbourne. Maureen had a hospital appointment, and after the Finns off to TK Max to look at clothes, having sat with Pat during a long wait for the scan.   In the afternoon I spoke with Tommy, the life model, who is writing a play which includes something about advertising. He wanted to know more about how ...

Up early today, thanks to the persuasions of Brian. I took Jonas and Claudia a cup of tea and Lorraine a hot water with lemon, then later we had breakfast. Jonas and Claudia enjoying Kenny farm tomatoes on toast with cheese. Then Beth came by with Enzo so Claudia and Jonas could meet him.  Then we made off to The Barn on the top of Seaford Head. Lorraine took them to where there was an art exhibition. Palo was there, and Lorraine bumped into Kate and Debbie too. As I was walking down with them, however, walking down I couldn't cross a bit of the hill where there was no cover or trees and felt frozen and overwhelmed by a feeling of exposure. I tried and failed several times to get across and then had to call Lorraine to say I wasn't coming down to the Coastguard Cottages. Instead I did quite a few of the day's paces walking enjoyably around other woody bits. I met them coming up, Lorraine striding ahead as she was worried about me. All was well, however, and we had a coffee ...

Breakfast with Lorraine. Claudia and Jonas, went off to see Pat and Maureen, and they spent the afternoon with them, and eating fish and chips for supper.  I however zoomed over to London Road station, and walked up to Osborne Road through Blaker's Park, now green again. I collected Lorraine's mobile phone which had been mistakenly delivered to our old address. Slightly cringing, as the last time we'd those people, I was having dark thoughts about them on the day of moving out. Our old house not much different, I knocked at the door I'd painted, and glanced into the house to see not much had changed since we were there. The new owner, very friendly, and said that they felt like proper five ways people now. I walked the familiar route uphill towards Hollingbury, then cut down Surrenden Road, across Preston Park and into town to get a haircut from Stacy. Felt like I knew every step of everywhere I went. I asked Stacy if he'd had any break from work this year, and it s...

Up early, Lorraine having a nice lie in. Then breakfast, wordle, tidying up, thinking about writing, and a chat with Anton. His latest physio seems to indicate he is doing very well, but his next task is to learn how to walk normally again.  I was trying to loosen a screw in some curtain poles which, some time later Loraine and I successfully attached to the wall. In the afternoon we also put some heavy shelves up. A disgusting business, and the less said about it the better: after enormous effort, I have put them in upside down. Beth came around with Enzo for a bit, after the wee bairn had been weighed. He's making excellent progress. Beth also trying to sort out the wiper problem on her car, took it into the local Kendall's garage and was quoted an eye-watering £400.  'A little bundle of joy' is a cliche for a baby, but there's no doubt Enzo is one. A beautiful day. I did my paces under blue skies, and big fluffy white clouds, which I always want to make black and...

Christmas Day. Up and breakfasts... Scrambled egg and salmon on toast for everyone. Then a lengthy present opening session. I did well with lots of presents, including bamboo socks with pheasants on them, a book Anton gave me, about cooking Indian food on the BBQ, which seems an adventure. Lorraine bought me a picture which was an assembly of stamps, many of the Japanese, containing pictures of Peanuts characters. Really cool. And of course we all lapped up wine that Mum had sent us.  Despite Lorraine doing quite a bit of cooking yesterday, still lots to be done. Our turkey this year was more of an ambitious chicken really. Not too large, and was cooked in two and a half hours. All the usual veggies, including my special mushrooms cooked with sage and featuring some Kenny Farm celeriac made into a delicious puree. A happy and tasty meal, eaten in our dining room, looking resplendently festive with its red walls and twinkly tree,   In the evening we had a cheese selection with ...

Surprising the sparrows, Lorraine and I sprang up at six nasty and left at 7am for Ashford, driving into the rising sun. Lorraine brought breakfast with us, which we ate in Ashford.  Lorraine then drove Pat to his medical appointment, and I enjoyed chatting with Maureen and Claudia who over from Finland with her boyfriend Jonas. Jonas had never been to England before, but was able to speak English well.  Maureen on top form, and there was a comedy routine with boiled eggs for Claudia and Jonas, whose egg tops wouldn't come off with knives and spoons. Maureen hammering on them, and explaining to people how to eat boiled eggs -- Claudia laughing lots.   Lovely to see Claudia, for the second time this year. She and Jonas had flown over yesterday to Heathrow, and she had taken Business Class because she had inherited an airline card from a colleague. She said there was a Finnish minister on board, and an eccentric software multimillionaire from Finland who is called the Elf, ...

Up early and off to Ashford today to see Pat and Maureen with Lorraine. Also Claudia, Lorraine and (surprisingly, by extension, my niece) was over from Finland for work. She added time on to see Pat and Maureen. I am very fond of Claudia. She is a ray of sunshine, she gave us a present of Finnish sweets she called marmalades and Lorraine gave her some earrings she had bought. Claudia and I walked off to the fish and chip shop for Pat and Maureen and went for a short walk while waiting for the fish and chips. So much has happened in recent years. I was impressed to learn she is now an engineer, designing systems that moisturise the paper going through mills so that they perform better as cardboard. She told me that her secret was that she was lazy, and so liked to find the simplest way to do things. But she is clearly a bit of a boffin, and is sent by her company to other countries because of her excellent English. She is living with her partner Joonas, and Kasper his little boy, and w...

A bad night's sleep, but I enjoyed hearing thunder rumbling in from the Channel, and the brief downpour in the middle of the night -- the first rain of any kind for over a month. The force of it hit further East however, as the garden... It's all about the garden... Could have done with a very long downpour.   We got up early, and Seaford Head was hidden in mist. Lorraine drove off at eight to Ashford for a day of busyness with Pat and Maureen. It seems Lorraine's niece Claudia is in the UK and will be coming down to see Pat and Maureen soon. I hope we get to see her too, she is lovely. I did some recording with Robin, although by the end of the day it was clear one of the bits wasn't good enough so we will have to redo it tomorrow. Also I did some writing for a bit, but wasn't on top form due to the absence of sleep. Off to the gym at lunchtime, listening to Dr Luana Marques read her audiobook Bold Move, a 3-Step Plan to Turn Anxiety into Power -- this is based on ...

Lots of conversations today, chatting to Mum who had got the card I had sent her using her own painting as the design for the front, to Carl who was chipper, and it was great to hear from him, and Anton. Meanwhile Lorraine spoke to her brothers Ken and Derek, and Laura and Claudia, and a quick chat with Sam, and Pat and Maureen.  A clear but cold day. Our bird-free bird bath had ice in it all day. In the afternoon we made off to Hove, and Lorraine had to scrape ice off the car's front window. We met Beth and James outside both in shades and bobble hats and looking like skiers. They stowed a microwave they had picked up for us in the boot. The last one was on its last legs, and Brian  having sprayed on it, so that despite thorough cleaning, when you started to use it it emitted a distinct and unpleasant smell. It simply had to go.  We went for another bargepole style walk, to the seafront as the sun began to slide towards the sea, and the last light of 2020 was beginning t...

Lorraine and I off this morning in the rain to see Pat and Maureen. Traffic jams on the way, but we reached there. Took Pat and Maureen off to a local retail park, where Maureen looked at rugs to replace the one she said she was sick of the sight of, because Basil cat often brought its prey there, which left stains. A bit of struggle choosing the right ones, looking at quite a few. Children playing among the hanging rugs, underneath the signs that said do not let your children play under these hanging rugs. Maureen struggles to wear a facemask at the same time as her hearing aid, which makes shopping harder.  A grey rug secured, Pat and I sauntered back to the car. I opened the car stuffed in the rug, and then lost then briefly lost the keys on the back seat. Pat then urgently needed a wee, and we had some trouble finding a place, but eventually emergency was averted in Costa Cafe.   Home again, and Maureen talking knowledgeably about wool, double knits, four-plys and so on. A...

Breakfast this morning. Lorraine and I chatting with Claudia about a range of important subjects, such as prom dresses, and how to structure a written essay.  Then Pat and Maureen and Claudia, all piled into the car and Lorraine drove them off to the station, and I waved them off from the front door. The house felt strangely empty empty till Lorraine returned. I'd enjoyed having Lorraine's folks and my favourite niece come to stay. Afterwards we took ourselves for a walk around the park as the sun was beginning to set this afternoon, and for a bit of exercise. Enjoyed the long winter shadows and the low sun bringing out the colour. Quite nice to have the house to ourselves for an evening. Lorraine and I spent our time  sprawled on the gold sofa, grazing on chocolates, crisps and watching an action movie called The Rock, some entertaining nonsense set in Alcatraz, and starring Sean Connery and a bazillion bullets.

Lorraine and I had another much needed slow start. Another bad night's sleep for Lorraine. Maureen and Pat up  early, when we eventually got up L and I had a porridge breakfast, which Claudia balked at, preferring chocolate. After much to-ing and fro-ing Claudia off on another shopping expedition in town, while Lorraine, Pat, Maureen and myself out of town to an Argos and a Next, to buy a laundry basket, and a rail for having towels on, not to mention some leeks. I also bought two shirts in a sale. Home again, and I repaired to my study, and caught up with a some of the things I should have been doing in the last few weeks. Thinking about the reading we have in London on the first working Wednesday of the year.  I love my new study. And the speakers Lorraine bought me for Christmas sound beautiful. The day interspersed, naturally, with some grappling with toilet seats, and a spot of violent hammering, and Lorraine also hung hooks on several doors before cooked a marvello...

Extreme wind all night long. Part of the fence blew down, and the tiles on the roof above our head felt like they were rattling and shifting. As a consequence not too much sleep. Off to London to see Mum and Mas, newly sprung from hospital, and the Tobster, newly arrived from Canada. Lorraine and I set off with a song on our lips at 10:30 but the ghastly M25 was virtually gridlocked, and it added almost two hours to our journey. We arrived at The Toby Carvery, where we had arranged to meet, fairly stiff and limping. Mum had sensibly had a couple of gin and tonics, and Toby a beer. Mason was doing remarkably well considering this was his first full day having been released back into the wild. He said that some people on the ward liked to talk more than others. The Toby Carvery was great value for money, and if you got the special large oval plate you could gorge even more. Toby, gripped by an unnatural appetite, and I opted for this at Mason's prompting. A pleasant meal, apart...

Boxing day, and Lorraine and I tore ourselves from bed reluctantly. Beth up and off on the London leg of her festivities. We had a bit of a slow day, but in the afternoon we drove off with Claudia, Pat and Maureen to Shoreham to a shop called Dunelm Mills where we looked at curtains, and curtain hooks and so on. Outside it was very grey and soon began raining in icy drops. Felt a bit sorry for Claudia as this probably wasn't the most intensely exciting way to spend a boxing day for a twenty year old. Home to eat cold turkey, pickles and bubble and squeak, which was tremendously nice -- and a cheery evening slumped before the TV eating things in best British festive spirit. Below whilst browsing around in the shop, I also amused myself by trying to take photos of Maureen being menaced by a giant squid. A photo I later forwarded on to Betty.

Our first Christmas day in Osborne Road. Beth the Christmas elf shouting Merry Christmas to everyone this morning, and coming up to Lorraine and my bedroom armed with cups of tea and her stocking, which she opened on the end of our bed. Then up and Lorraine and Beth prepared the turkey. Then a gradual process of getting up and gathered in the front room where presents were exchanged. Santa was kind to me, with gifts including lovely cacti and a new jade plant, wireless speakers for my study, a bottle of bison grass vodka (flavoured by grass urinated on by bison in the Polish forest from Anton). Much skyping this morning, with Derek and Laura in snowy Finland, Toby and Mum, with the Tobster just arrived after being speedily buffeted across the Atlantic. Also telephoned Mason, sadly stuck in hospital today, not in any physical discomfort but cheesing off anyway. After a toast breakfast, a communal vegetable preparing frenzy. Then Pat and I were given permission to have a manly pint...

The morning up with the lark, and Claudia, Lorraine and I off to Sainsbury's to spend the equivalent of the economy of Luxembourg on food and drink. Home, and a tidying frenzy in preparation for Sam and Jade's arrival at lunchtime, them having travelled down this morning from Leeds. We all enjoyed a good deal of enjoyable hanging out,  drinking port with Sam and Jade in the kitchen. Beth and Claudia returning from shopping. Great to see Sam and Jade, who both seem to be doing excellently. Jade just had her graduation ceremony for her MA, and is already into her PhD. Sam has embarked on his MA, and is working in a distribution warehouse to top up his money. Sam with elephantine sneezes and nose-blowing, which Jade said someone at the back of their coach had admiringly proclaimed a 'bad man' sneeze. Sam and Jade out for a spot of festive shopping, and a walk by the sea, returning a few hours later with more port. Then Lorraine and I off to Brighton to collect Pat and ...

Up early, and after a porridge breakfast I bused into town with John, who was setting off back to London. A morning's shopping, but I paused briefly to have five minutes standing by the rough sea. This being the first day I could walk unhobbled for several weeks. Felt very free and happy. Then plunged back into the shopping melee to snap up a few items. Ended up in the M&S food hall, which was very busy, buying chocolate coins, Christmas Pudding, & extremely chocolately muffins. These latter items for Claudia who arrived from Finland today, and is the pebble who starts the Christmas landslide. When I got home, Claudia sleeping off the rigours of the journey. Lorraine and I had a spot of lunch and I slept for an hour, then the devoted the next 10 hours or so moving boxes about, unpacking, dragging things, hammering and so on. Despite Lorraine and I looking in every conceivable place for the last couple of days, the bolts for the double bed in the spare room remain lost, so...

Yet another heavy day of house moving stuff. Off to The Big Box company with Lorraine at eight where we met the Ark removals guys. Lorraine drove me home, and then had to go to work leaving Betty and I to several hours of accepting and directing two and a half trucksful of stuff through the house. The Ark guys Steve and Martin are really likeable and get the job in a way that reduces stress. Spotted them a decent tip at the end, (referred to as 'a drink').   House now looks like a bomb hit it all over again. Betty and I tried to clear spaces of civilisation, and also rebuilt Beth's enormous bed. Beth surprisingly strong at lifting things. Personally I was in need of smelling salts by the evening, and aching. Cats locked up in the bathroom while the movers here. They have a new enemy: a pugnacious looking ginger and white tomcat who sits in the garden like a malevolent garden Buddha waiting to menaces them at the cat door. FaceTime with Mum today, feeling unwell after...

A definite hangover this morning. L and I slugging about. However we managed to drag ourselves off to the supermarket and then collect Pat and Maureen from the station. Had a nice supper with them of salads and chicken, forgetting to invite Anton who we had mentioned it to the other day. We skyped Derek and Claudia in Finland, as it is Claudia's twentieth birthday. Claudia I think planning her return to England. Listening to desert island discs this morning, and heard a track chosen by Guy Garvey the lead singer of Elbow, called New Grass by Talk Talk. Ended up downloading the album it came from (called ' Laughing Stock ') and found the album to be sublime, and I am amazed it never crossed my path before. Listening to it all day off and on.