under another sun

Got up early and at my desk, but not terribly productively. Had breakfast with Lorraine, then later I took myself off to Brighton. I walked up from London Road station to Hollingbury Hillfort to my old haunts. A gorgeous sunny day. Then down again, walked along Osborne Road. Had forgotten just how much our old road rises. Was pleased to be going downhill. Then through Preston Park, where I stopped in the cafe for a large mug of splosh and a sausage roll. Then off to see Stacy to get a much needed haircut. Sat in the seat like Jabba the Hut and watched him perform his usual magic, coaxing the thinning hair on the top of my head into some kind of smooth pelt. Stacy and Mick the other barber saying they had the January Blues. Home and I cooked this evening for Lorraine and I and we were very happy to snuggle indoors on the gold sofa. I walked just under 14k paces not that much but my best for some while. Below the wall of Hollingbury Hillfort with two golfers ambling by, on the way down a...

Another fish in the tank this weekend, with the welcome arrival of Sam who will be followed in a couple of weeks by Jade. living with us for a while, till the unpleasantness blows over. Lorraine collected him and a carful of stuff from Sian's place in Kingsbury on Sunday. Sian is moving to a new home, and Jade is staying for a couple of weeks to help her get everything sorted. Sam arrived safely and in good spirits. Otherwise on Saturday Lorraine spent time playing computer games and chatting with Beth. I am working on poems, and it is going quite well. Also I took myself for a long walk. Rather revelling in what was for me effectively a four day weekend -- as I don't start work on the new freelance work till Tuesday. Sauntering about looking at the skies moving rapidly in the wind. Taking photographs with black and white in mind. Including this path that was glistening in the sun, and the others of cloud tones. 

It seems Beth has a new flat, after seeing it yesterday. It is in Hove and she will be living with her pal Amy. All exciting stuff, and she is really buoyed by it.  I took delivery of a pair of bargain walking shoes after being fired up about it having talked to Anton. Mercifully, they fit nicely and gave me  spring in my step as I set off. Nice to have something new. Listening to Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller as I walked, but mainly boggling at clouds.  Off to Hollingbury Hillfort again this afternoon, after working on my story. Have been taking black and white photos this week, and the clouds today were spectacular. It resulted in this rather fab shot of the clouds bubbling up like mountains behind the hill fort, much better in black and white than it would have been in colour. 

Up and working on some stuff that I'd been sent from mes amis in Paris. Then setting up a landing page for the book, which meant  rebuying skeltonyawngrave.com, creating a skeltonyawngrave twitter account , and generally getting things organised for the kindling of the kids book. Anton called to wish me happy poetry day, and have a chat. Beth in for a bit today, going to bed this morning, and then out again this afternoon back to work. Brief chat with Lorraine, her time on the isle of wight going well. Feeling tird by the end of the day, and went to bed early after watching a BBC broadcast documentary about the Spitfire and episodes of Dear White People on Netflix. Calliope suddenly limping this evening. She had been slightly funny on her foot a day or so before that but had been happily haring about the house between then and now. Somewhat concerned about her. A bracing walk late in the afternoon, up to the top of Hollingbury, looking down on the steely blue sea. Due to my...

Another day kicking my heels waiting for a brief. Lorraine took the car in for a service and had to wait hours, but luckily had her computer with her. I wrote more of the horror story, and then went at lunchtime for an hour and a half of a walk and around Hollingbury Hill and the golf course. Unnaturally warm and sunny day, and the  crows looking shiny black. As I walked, I listened to the start of a  Under the Skin , by Michel Faber, of which a good film was made that Lorraine and I saw starring Scarlett Johansson. The book (horror inflected naturally) is different, but interesting. Home and did more work on the horror story. Later in the evening an email saying I would be briefed first thing tomorrow morning, but on a different job. So it goes. Lorraine finally released from an expensive garage visit (new rear brake bits) sat happily on the sofa watching The Great British Sewing Bee. I read another story by Thomas Ligotti. Below sunny vistas, the sea sparkling, and a...

Completed an essay about waiting rooms (just a small part of the top secret waiting rooms project) which I mainly did to get my thoughts in order about the subject, and I also sent it into an essay competition which I have had my eye on. I've not written an essay as such for many a year. I think it turned out well though. Spoke to Lynne up in Paddington about another chunk of freelance work. While this is good news, I have my finger in lots of pies at present, so it will take some juggling. One of these is trying to arrange a few days walking in Guernsey with Anton. Having started work this morning at just gone seven, and having not stopped till three, I took myself out for a walk on the edges of Brighton for a couple of hours, up into the top of Stanmer Park woods, and round the far side of the Hollingbury golf course, listening to podcasts, one about the literature of trees, which I listened to in the wood. Then back to do a few bits of work, before cooking. Lorraine was ho...