under another sun

Heavy rain showers today. Lorraine and I tired this morning, my ears are flaring up again. Lorraine really badly in need of a holiday. The Summer holiday is on the horizon though. Off to Heywards Heath at lunchtime, however, for an exciting moment: to pick up Beth's car! In what is a bit of a huge week for her. It is a Renault Clio, and is colour and slightly metallic sparkle made me think of nail varnish.  The three of us drove there in Lorraine's car, and Beth drove me back, as she wanted someone in the car for her first drive. She really is a good driver though, and just like her Mum, I feel completely safe as a passenger. She thinks the car may be called Dorothy. Home, and Lorraine and Beth went off to Beth's new flat, and start washing the walls with sugar soap. I simply had a sleep instead, and also watched Apollo 11 the documentary film on Netflix, which was quite good having just read the Michael Collins book.

Up early to spend the morning working on the French job around cat vaccinations, so spending lots of time looking at pictures of adorable cats at the moment and read, as I irritably fling my own cats off my desk, that cats respond to playing and attention. Interspersed with this, I readied myself for the school visit. Made off at lunchtime to Hateful Heath station and taxied out to St Giles school, in Horsted Keynes. Driven by a charming taxi driver, who chatted nicely as drove into something approaching the middle of nowhere by S.E. English standards. A lovely little school, that you walked through the churchyard to get to.  I arrived early and was greeted by the headteacher, one of Lorraine's contemporaries, Hilary. Then I was collected by a very polite boy, the class bishop apparently, who led me a few paces to the classroom. Pleased at last to be doing it, after thinking about it for a while. An hour in the class with the class teacher Alison. My plan going instantly out of t...

Off this morning to Bolney in Lorraine's car for the school inset day. Lorraine and I presented the branding work on the school vision. Strange to be making a work presentation with Lorraine to the school's staff and governors. Enjoyed having a warm up session first, where we all played two games for ten minutes. Got talking to one of the new governors, a retired GP called Tony, who was interesting. I asked him how he avoided being psychically drained by his patient's problems. He said that you had to learn to be a mirror and not a sponge. Lorraine drove me to Hateful Heath station at lunchtime, and I trained back to Brighton, and went around to Janet and Ken's house. Remembering only with a few attempts, the door code. The house mostly empty and the painting I had long admired with a posit with For Peter written on it, and Janet with a heart. Took this back on the bus. A old man asked me if it were a print or an original, I said original. I explained the circumstance...

A gorgeous mild springlike day. Sprang out of bed early as Russ Shed, a plumber came to look at our ensuite bathroom which is need of help. We both liked him, and he seemed thorough and knowledgeable. A porridge breakfast after he went, and we found ourselves weeding the front garden before we zoomed off to Burgess Hill and Hateful Heath to look at bathroom furniture and tiles. A Japanese style toilet in one of them. After this, we hung curtains and lampshades from yesterday. Varieties of house business. In the evening Beth and John came around. Lorraine cooked a giant chicken and leek pie as a special request, and we had a really nice evening in, eating pie and playing endless games of cards. John and Lorraine won the euchre, and Beth and I were very encouraging and pleased for them. Then Uno at some length, while listening to music and drinking various drinks. A really cheery night, till they caught the last bus home and we sloped happily off to bed. Below a sign in the tile sho...

Last day of freedom, trying to get various things sorted out.  This somewhat out of tune with Lorraine, whose last day of half term this was. Spoke to Janet this morning and she told me that Ken was in hospital having broken his hip earlier this week. He is in the hospital at Haywards Heath, and so I went with her to see Ken in the afternoon. She picked me up at home, and brought me a aloe vera plant, and a birthday card. Poor Janet doing well under all the stress of it. And Ken is fairly comfortable. It is quite a nice hospital at Haywards Heath, but sad to see my old friend there, but nice to be with Janet. We had tea in the little hospital cafe, and Janet bought me a Belgian bun with a cherry on the top, and we had quite a cheery chat. Late in the afternoon, Lorraine, now finished from school came to collect me from the hospital, and we drove off to Horsham where there was a local artists exhibition in the West Sussex council building. Lorraine's pal Carolyn was exhibiting h...

Final push up to London for the week. Feeling very tired. However an easier day working with Keith, and a Danish woman called Marie, on a new brief. Marie disturbed by our process, a mixture of spleen and wildly hilarious flights of fancy. Heard the work we'd been doing till last night had gone down well with the client, and had rescued the agency from a tricky position. So Keith and I in favour for now. Also contacted by another agency about an interesting writing job in the pipeline. Went to The Marquis Cornwallis for a fish finger sandwich lunch, with a beer. Really enjoyed working with Keith again, although both of us felt ill this week. I don't laugh with anyone as much as I do with him at work. Laughing at lunch, over our fish finger sandwiches. Then afternoon passed slowly, fiddling with a few ideas. Trains delayed again, just missed one at St Pancras, and the next one delayed, and then further delayed due to trespassers on the track somewhere. At some point a person...

Up just after six on the big day, Lorraine Betty and I drinking tea in our last unpacked cups before a final packing frenzy. The two amiable Ark removals guys Martin and Steve arrived to pack the stuff at 8:45. Cats locked into the bathroom, except Brian escaped when one of the movers opened the door, but I managed to snatch him back in the front garden. The van driven off, and we followed in the car. I was last out, with the hoover, after we had conducted a rearguard of rapid cleaning, and dropped Jo’s key through the letterbox. A brisk and unsentimental farewell to Haywards Heath and we drove to our new home in Brighton without incident, other than Calliopes weeing nervously out of the cat carrier. Fortunately away from Betty squished in beside them. Opened up Osborne Road and piled in, cats in the en suite bathroom on the top floor, and the removals guys Steve and Martin rapidly unpacking our skeleton belongings. Feeling elated to be here. Our new home does not disappoint, an...

More packing today, punctuated by calls from the Solicitor and the Estate agent saying the house purchase had completed -- and gleeful texts to Lorraine and Beth. Then a final walk through Hateful Heath off to the station this afternoon, and trained to Preston Park station, alighted from there and wandered off to the Estate Agents and, pausing only to marvel at the convincing nature of the humanoid replicants, signed for the key to our new house at 4:30. Stepped out of their office and as I crossed the road a sudden break in the cloud allowed me to glimpse the new moon. For superstitious reasons I had been trying not to see through glass all week, but had failed to see at all. This unadulterated new moon at such a time, seemed a good omen. A sense of unreality about the walked up  Preston Drove, alongside Preston Park (the other end of the park we lived near before) and paused in the Park View, a nice enough boozer, and availed myself of a pint of beer while waiting for Lorrain...

Final Monday in Haywards Heath. Money successfully wired through to solicitors, discussions with Rentokil about woodworm treatment scheduled for next week with a man called Sunny. Hoovering in preparation for the Estate agent photographer, who when he arrived forced Brian's removal from the scene on more than one occasion. Then into Haywards Heath to buy light-bulbs, interdental sticks, Brussels sprouts and so on. Brought to mind my old friend MSR, shaking his head and sighing about 'the weight of the real'. The glamour quotient presently very low. Fiddling about with the look and feel of Peter Kenny The Writer Ltd. which will be launched on an unsuspecting world at some point after the move. Also swapping emails with Robin about Telltale and we are going to meet up next week once the move is done, and some of the dust has settled. Poking the weird lump between my ribs, which the quack was unconcerned about. It seems larger and more sore when I poke it.  Lorraine advised ...

Little today to trouble the legions of my future biographers. Rain falling steadily in Haywards Heath, as the grey Sunday hastened towards nightfall, which was Lorraine's cue to work on her dreary reports. A short trip to a garage to blow air into tyres, and to Sainsbury's local offered vivid interludes of excitement, having spent the day tidying the house, partly in preparation for arrival of a photographer tomorrow who will snap the house so Jo can rent it. I feel a bit graceless wanting to be back in Brighton so fervently. We had great good fortune in Jo offering us this comfortable house to rent. But as I cannot quell the yippees that leak out of me when I think that our last weekend in Haywards Heath is done. In the evening I cooked, after talking to Mum and Mas. Mum had been off to hear a concert, which was recorded for Radio 3, of music by young composers this afternoon.

Woke up feeling quite lively. Finally finished the epic bank form, signed last year's tax things from Andrew, then ambled into Hayward's Heath to post them. Then treating myself to a celebratory cup of Americano in a Caffè Nero as the rain fell outside. Enjoyed a free-ranging think as the Cloud Of Things That Must Be Done momentarily lifted about originality, and jotting a few notes down in my notebook as the cafe filled with pensioners enjoying coffee and snacks. Now we are leaving Hateful Heath I find I'm no longer loathing it. It is perfectly pleasant, as I have said. It's just that it is not home, and it can't be blamed for this. It's just a town without imagination, but I suppose I am spoiled in Brighton. Home again, and working with both cats bookending my keyboard.  Lorraine working from home this afternoon. A quiet night, thinking and discussing the virtues of white goods, as we will need a new fridge freezer, washing machine and dish washer, with Lorr...

From various communications from solicitors and estate agents it now looks possible we can move in a matter of weeks. This is cheering news. Finished The Outsider , then attended to various bits of admin in a detached Gauloises smoking manner. Walked into the throbbing hub of  Haywards Heath but find I have set my face against Haywards Heath. Friday evening, once my lovely freed herself at last from an arduous week of work, off to a Nepalese restaurant in Hayward's Heath called Everest Spice. Rather good it was too, in fact the jewel of Haywards Heath. We lapped up a couple of bottles each of Nepalese beer and some rather fine Gurkha grub while Lorraine exercised her magnetism and the waiters began fawning on her within minutes. Home and a much-needed early night.

Progress still hard won. Can't seem to write anything either. Phoned the bank with the freakish request that I want to meet someone in a Brighton Branch to discuss starting a new business account, and reviewing my existing accounts. Six separate phone conversations with NatWest over many hours before I could get any sense out of them at all, and was instead sent a form to fill in for the new account, and told another team would contact me to discuss existing accounts. They never did. During one conversation a Sainsbury's delivery arrived, which I took with phone to ear dancing about in the front door trying to prevent Brian from escape. When he escaped the Sainsbury's man and myself surged about in the front garden before we managed to recapture him. However the cats have been scratching so piteously at the catflap, that I relented this evening and they joyfully surged out to menace the local wildlife. Walked to the throbbing heart of the perfectly pleasant Haywards Hea...

Another walk into the throbbing hub of Haywards Heath, where Lorraine and I bumped into Sue again in Smiths. We did some light shopping, and shared American pancakes in a cafe. Unnaturally hot day, and felt the sun warm on my back. Haywards Heath busy being pleasant again. In the evening off to Hove for Rosie's party. Met Anton beforehand in The Hampton pub. Lorraine wore her wedding shoes and a black dress. I looked quite smart till I dropped a morsel of patatas bravas, covered in a rich staining sauce, down my shirt. The party good fun, and Rosie full of beans, and lots of her friends and Tim's friends there. Dawn came too, and I enjoyed meeting Rosie's pal Alice again and discussing art, life and other subjects. I indulged in a spot of cavorting on the dancefloor too. Driven home straight home by Lorraine, and not via the kebab shop as Anton urged, for which I was later profoundly grateful. Discovered I can weasel a bit of internet here too, before the wifi is turned...

Now in Haywards Heath, in a particularly pleasant and leafy former council estate. A minute’s walk away across a little open ground is a fenced path that runs along the side of a field of neat allotments. Few people on the streets, and an edge of town feeling. Looking from my desk across the leafy estate to a tree-lined horizon. It is now Friday morning, the morning of Halloween, and for the first time in a week I have a moment to catch up. Last Sunday was our wedding anniversary, which we spent packing. And on Monday, we packed in earnest. We recaptured Brian who has been acting weirdly over the last few months, when he returned ungratefully for food before disappearing for the rest of the day. Surprisingly Brian quickly resigned himself to his fate and began to be more like himself again, and once the cat flap was replaced with the original glass sheet in the front door there was nothing for them to do other than stare out like prisoners. John helped us pack for half a day on M...