under another sun

Farewell to Joan and Dick Very sad to leave Deviation Road. I got up early again to sit chatting with Joan and Dick. Joan makes everything seem like a home from home, and it is surprisingly difficult to leave. Joan gave Lorraine and I some of their neighbour's maple syrup and two pairs of beautiful and toasty socks that Joan had hand knitted. I can picture myself on my gold sofa, with my cat, and my feet resplendent in these socks. I shall think of Deviation Road. Before we left, a trip to see the abandoned kittens with Romy and Joan, which had visibly improved in just a few days. Also we walked into the barn, which is storing some hay, and is currently the happy home of a cat called Lucky Jim. Huge and fascinating space. Joan talking about the stacking of bales that she and Romy did when Romy was a teenager. Romy said the air was full of dust and it was really hot work. Then some sad goodbyes, and Toby drove us back to Toronto. Arriving home to a happy Meatball cat, and we all had...

A hand like a foot The bellowing of a bull at dawn from several fields away. And leaving Lorraine dozing happily in bed, a quick cup of coffee and then I was taken for an early morning walk by the dogs Maggie and Nico. They led me into the forest, bounding around and looking impatiently over their shoulders while I stopped to snap photos. Maggie springing tiggerishly in the long grass and the edges of fields planted with fodder crops alfalfa and timothy. A very still and quiet morning. Later Lorraine and I snuck out to try to snap shots of hummingbirds, and could hear Dick talking indoors. All day, when I was indoors, I was conscious of the house being surrounded by a great quietness. Lorraine really inspired by Joan's craft work. Showing me with great approval Joan's funky hats that she sells for a good price in a local hairdresser. When Ethan came around, the afternoon was given over to gaming. For they are fanatics on Deviation Road. We played a game called Stone Age and I w...

Listening to the wind, looking at the stars Dawn and looking at the window frame at the foot of the bed change colour from pink through yellow to white as the sun rose. I got up early and spent some time talking to Dick and Joan over toast and coffee. Lorraine's house deals moving swiftly, and it seems she has found a buyer for her house, and the offer on her new house has also been accepted. Still very stressful doing all this remotely. Out in the clinic Joan and Dick are keeping a rescued cat and its kittens. These animals are all in bad shape, and Dick, a retired vet, is treating them. He took Lorraine and I there to help. Lorraine holding the kittens, and Dick dropping pills into their mouths and rubbing their throats gently with his big hands. I stood by a door, and made sure that no kitten got treated twice. A quick go in the hammock, looking up into the tree, with Baxter the cat on my chest, and Nico the dog sitting below. Then a walk through the fields and into the forest b...

Into the wild boonies Set off for Deviation Road this morning with Lorraine and Toby. Much discussing of a house offer Lorraine has received. Amazing how you can negotiate a house sale from across the world these days. Toby driving us out of the suburbs of Toronto, one called the Vales of Castlemore , a vast, soulless housing development with no discernible infrastructure to serve it other than roads. Lovely to escape into the gentle rolling hills and the vast landscapes of South Ontario. After stopping for some excellent Italian pastries, we stopped for lunch at Susan's cafe in the tiny town of Markdale . We have been here before and Joan is well known there.A bit like going back in time, and here I consumed two excellent pies. A chicken pie and a blueberry pie. Susan came to speak to us, and we admired her prizewinning hooking picture on the wall. Fell into conversations with two old timers there. Ingrid who was originally German and had been in Ontario for a little short of fift...

Urgh Hungover, I got up at five to get water. The kitten, after following me to the kitchen and back, took this as an invitation to rub her mouth on my lips with repulsive regularity. I felt too sordid to do anything else other than submit to this violation. Thankfully this eventually abated, and she fell asleep draped over my neck like a vibrating scarf. A limbo day spent waiting for copy feedback which never came. Slipped off to the nearby supermarket to buy some veggies if only to say that I had at least left the house. Woolworth's closing down sale featured heavily in the media. There is affection for Woolies. Even I, zero brand loyalty personified, liked it as a kid. It had airfix kits, and toys, and pick n mix sweets to be trousered. I remember bolting from the Neasden Woolies having stolen a single sweet, feeling horrendously guilty. I've never been cut out for crime. Dipping into the poetry collections I bought yesterday, and listening to Arvo Part on my gold sofa. The ...

All's well that ends up in the Eddy Woke in the middle of the night with an oddly throbbing head. But this abated after drugs. Into work listening to Lord of the Rings still. It goes on forever as an audiobook. And arriving at the office people unreasonably seemed to expect me to do some work, rather than simply swivel about on my chair talking airily about Japan. Nevertheless much of the day was spent this way, or working Japan into the conversation if by some oversight the person I was talking to had neglected to ask me about it. I definitely feel as if the walls have been pushed back after my holiday. Feeling full of possibilities and optimism. Although I did have a sense of absurdity on the slow train ride up to London. There must be another way. Absconded with Trace and the French Bloke to the nearby Thai restaurant for a very cheerful and chatty lunch, which help extend the holiday feeling. Much blaring about Japan over some cheeky beer and listening their news too. Over the...

A pain free Monday Snuffly this morning, and a bit jaded after a lively night in with Janet and Ken. That Armagnac did for me I think. Was late, but bolshy and unapologetic so nobody questioned me, and damn right too. Listening to an album I bought the yesterday called Be by Common. Been nodding my head to it all day with what I hope is a hip sort of knowing look on my face, especially to a track called Love is which has an excellent laid back groove. Home early for once. Bumped into Reuben at Brighton Station. Home and looking forward to a long and relaxing shower. Got an email from Romy at work with photos from Deviation Road, from last weekend. Here's what Winter is supposed to look like...