under another sun

A good sleep at Mum and Mason's place. Up latish drawn down by the smell of coffee. I had toast and tea, with a paracetamol side-dish. Conversation with Mas about desalination plants. Mum and I then went off to Diane's funeral service.  We caught the bus across country to Borehamwood, and then trained it up to Bedford. A town neither Mum or I had visited before. We were early so had tea at the anonymous Starbucks in Bedford Station then caught a taxi driven by a taciturn sikh to the crematorium. Interesting old buildings, and lots of Eagle references, we passed the football team which seemed to be called the Bedford Eagles. There was also a place called Eagle Court (where raptors go to be sentenced) as well as a Harvey Road, which we passed while talking about my Grandmother (it was her maiden name) a Lorraine Court, shortly followed by a Toby Carvery. We arrived early but fortunately there was a pleasant waiting room at the crematorium, and rather a lovely chapel. Outsid...

Lorraine up at six as usual. I blearily looked at my phone after a bit and saw a message from Toby saying that Diane had died. She had been ill for a long time. Got up and did some work to send off early, then called Mum. She is naturally sad, but pleased that her suffering is over. Mum saying how cancer had got her three oldest friends, Maureen, Betty Tostevin and now Diane. I've known Diane all my life, and as Mum's and Di had known each other since they were 15, always seems to have been one of the characters in my life. She was a spirited woman and funny to the point of trying her hand at stand up. She once invited me (something of a privilege) to a gig called Pear Shaped in Fitzrovia - she was pretty good, and her writing was strong. Six or seven years ago she had a study which overlooked the South Thames construction site in London. Having just attended a course by the poet John Hegley, Diane told me that one day she decided to pen a poem about the driver of the crane...

Back to my desk today, still recovering from the weekend's wussiness. Bits and pieces of a day, no feedback from my French amis  but some emails about The Great Chad Adventure. And a spot of  niceness from Robin on her site here. A chat with Anton, then Spoke to Mum who had concerning news about her oldest friend Diane, who is very ill in hospital. Mum had gone out with her for a meal only a couple of weeks ago, so this is all rather upsetting. Meanwhile Lorraine's pal Jo, whose house we stayed in at Hayward's Heath before we moved to our current place is also very ill and now taking family visits only. Otherwise a quiet day, with Lorraine home late and Beth recovering from the weekend's work then out with her pals. When Lorraine came home, we watched Rick Stein eating his way through Greece in a way that made Lorraine and I long to be there again. An amazing-looking moussaka, cooked by Patrick Leigh Fermor's former housekeeper, had us both slavering. But we had...

So up early, and on with work. Wrote a swingeing to-do list and began working through it. Also made time for a walk for an hour and a half at lunchtime, heading out of Brighton. A call from Matty boy: we had won the pitch, and that the feedback was our creative was head and shoulders above the other agencies who had pitched. Hopefully this will generate some sorely needed income for the Kenny coffers, and it was a confidence boost to boot, and I look forward to working with the team and that client again. Yas sent me an email with GGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! as the subject line. Success and failure are impostors who should be treated both the same of course, but I bloody like winning once in a while. Working hard this afternoon, having decided to bite the bullet and publish the marketing book through Amazon kindle. Having been timidly rejected seven or eight times for being too niche, needs to be out there, if only for my own sanity.  Lorraine back this after...

Applied desk manacles at eight and pressed on. Working more today with my other UK based new client, who was cheery and very good at his job, which was a refreshing change. A few calls during the day,  and started third piece of work for my old chum Keith. Beth and Lorraine enjoying themselves and cooking up a storm. Tonight was a delicious pork and beans combo derived from a Jamie cookbook. Lipsmackingly good it was too, like a spicy chilli and tomato beanjar with black-eyed beans. Finally unshackled, I stole away to the park for some air and exercise. Another business call which chilled my hand somewhat as I had to take my gloves off. Temperature dropping again, and lurking around zero tonight. Gazed fondly on the snowdrops as I sloped by. I have a deep longing for Spring. Spoke to Mum, who had her pal Diane around and Mum was taking photographs of her for a dating website. A process which involved quaffing fizzy wine. Mas now off on his business trip. Waiting for a ...

In the Open Houses Off this morning to go to some Open Houses with Lorraine and Diane. This is part of the Brighton Festival, where dozens of houses all around town open their doors becoming temporary venues for art exhibitions. First off to the other side of town to one of Diane's pals Caroline Ying who was showing some jewellery, including a beautiful four fingered ring. Diane treated us to cake and coffee in the garden. The sun was out in full force. Then to several other Open Houses where there was some nice stuff, though none that made my eyes pop out. Lots of average photography although I was drawn to some papier-mâché clocks by Juliette Pearce. Good fun, and nice walking about looking at all the art on the trail. One of the stops was a Catholic church, and it was quite odd to walk into church, which smelled strongly of incense. After a taxi ride back to the station, fond farewells with Diane who returned home. From there to Seven Dials where my favourite collage artist Mar...

Diane arrives Up early to continue work on Skelton Yawngrave. Then running about clearing the place up as Diane was visiting. Feeling somewhat weary after slogging for much of the weekend. Diane on good form, and had been looking at a house in a mews in Hove. Coffee and lots of chat. Then we were joined by Lorraine sporting a new hair cut. Took the opportunity to play some Jazz which Diane sensibly likes being of the same vintage as my Mum. Then a walk through through the lanes, Pavilion, Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror it the gardens. Then from Brighton down to the sea, where Diane took the opportunity to crunch through pebbles. Then to an Italian restaurant called Picasso's. Not sure why this Italian restaurant should name itself after the Spanish dauber, but there you go. Food and wine were fine though. Home to give the newspapers a good read before bed. The new aquarium has some sort of clear scum on its surface. Apparently this happens sometimes and is not a sign of anything, de...

New beginnings Lorraine and I up to the smoke today to Diane's party in the Garden Cafe in Regents Park. Very stylish venue and Regents Park in full bloom and busy in the sun. After recovering from a cancer operation last year Diane decided to have a party "to celebrate new beginnings". Mum and Mase were there, and we met lots of Diane's family I had not seen for many years. Nice food and bubbly and plenty of friendly chat. Mum and Mase recovering from a cat emergency as Salty returned home needing stitches this morning. Diane enjoying things, and gave a nice short speech over a candled cake. Then we returned to Brighton and snoozed. A delightful little girl of perhaps four talking to her father all the way down. As we were pulling into Brighton she asked "how do people with only one leg go to the toilet? Do they hop on?" Out with Sue and John, who we'd visited in the Cotswolds last year, and are very close friends of Lorraine. We had a nice Japanese mea...

Cat in the doghouse Cat induced sleep deprivation is getting beyond a joke. Even if I boot Calliope from the bedroom, she unflaggingly scratches at the door like a demented poltergeist until I get up, even if this is two hours later. How a kitten can have this monomaniac intensity? Almost as testing is the fact that once she is absolutely satisfied I am unalterably awake, she nips off for a short nap. After a bit of admin, gardening in the Spring sun this morning, much to the delight of the cat who spent an hour and a half rushing me from all points of the compass. Hard frost may have done in my little tree, and possibly my arum lilies, but time will tell. Otherwise good to see daffodils. Was late for Steve the Chiropractor, and had a decent cracking. Apparently tension in my shoulders is creeping back, and my lower spine popped like a 21 gun salute, but I slinked home with a spine like a young grass snake, which was nice. Later I enjoyed speaking to Diane, who told me about her red no...

Diane and the crane Curiously shattered after a flurry of well being last week. En route listened to Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's movie podcast, and Kermode's unfavourable review of Watchmen . Then more Buddhism. In work talking to Betsy lots during the day including decidedly off-brief heart to heart about life the universe and everything. Also spoke to First Matie briefly who is in Tenerife.  Diane had called during the day to say that her study overlooks a crane, and that she had written a love poem to its driver. She decided to perform it to him on Red Nose Day. Apparently the building company has got into the whole thing and it has take off somewhat. She has been dared to wear purple stilettos while reciting the poem in the crane's cabin.   Feeling exhausted, I arrived home to a bouncing cat, and an early bed. 

A Thanksgiving Started the day learning that my poem A sparrow at 30,000 feet will be in the first issue of a new magazine from Guernsey called Written In. The editors have also kept hold of other poems to use them in subsequent issues, so this is all good. It is important to me to have work appear in Guernsey. Also I recieved a note from Joan who has been talking to Dick about my megalithic find, (see previous entry) and thinks it is a stone age scraper used to scrape hair and fat off hides. He was familiar with this instrument because he just read a book dealing with the prehistoric natives of Ontario. I have sent my jpegs off to a local museum to see if they make anything of it, or simply tell me it is a piece of stone. Then up to Edgware for Mason's tradional late Thanksgiving supper. A cheerful gathering there, with Tanya and Robert, Ben and Poppy (over from Guernsey) and Diane who is looking remarkably good after her recent radiotherapy treatment. Nice to fork into some turk...