under another sun

A new batch of poems, which are quite light of touch and ironic. Six of them, all being decisively hewn into shape. One particularly pleased me as I hadn't been able to get it right for years, and I fixed in minutes, changed the title, cut a bit out and bingo. Pleased with myself when this sort of thing happens. The poem is called A Kibble of Love . However this could not go on. I went with Lorraine, and we picked up Pat and Maureen, and drove off to Drusilla's which is a small zoo with children's rides on it too. I'd not been there since we took Klaudia and Oskar there when they were kids. We took Maureen there in her wheelchair, and got another one for Pat. We met Tom and his wife Emma, who I'd never met, and their children Finlay and Una nine and eight respectively. The family live in Dubai now, and were home for a visit, and they'd wanted to see Pat and Maureen. Good to see Tom again. Emma, delightful and very chatty. Young Finlay a bundle of non-stop energy...

Anton around with Klaudia and Oskar early this morning, and after a while Lorraine, Betty and I took them to Drusillas Park . An ideal spot to take them (and Betty who loves zoos) as it was full of things to do for children. As well as all kinds of smaller animals, there were farm animals, an artificial cow to milk, little trail books for the children to stamp once they have seen certain animals, and a telephone box to go into and shout into enabling you to compare yourself to various animals. (Mine although not full throated was a disappointing 96 decibels, and only as loud as a Humboldt penguin). Bumped into Tom Norrell with his new baby at the zoo too. Much enjoyable mooching about in the zoo ensued. Luckily the children enjoyed it too, as there was also an adventure playground, a maze complete with clue spilling talking statues and parrots, restaurants, and a miniature railway that Lorraine and I squeezed into. In short the children were able to get a...