under another sun

Lorraine and I happily pottering about in the garden. Rain dotting off and on Bank Holiday weekend style.  I had a gossip with Clem next door. We drove off to the recycling centre to drop off some sacks of garden waste and stack a broken microwave in the microwave area.  Calliope is barely eating and sleeping lots, despite initially responding well to her medication. I fear she is nearing the end of her story, which is very sad. I spoke to Mum who was bored, and whose tooth had broken again, but was patched up. She is looking forward to the Tobster coming over.  Rosie and Innis are both down with Covid. It is rife at the moment. Herd immunity time it seems. Both Lorraine and I are beginning to regain taste and smell now. Which is good as it was just in time for our delayed family meal to celebrate Loraine's birthday. Sam Lorraine and I met James and Beth in Hotel du Vin where we had some cocktails. Lorraine drank two passion fruit martinis. I had a fancy gin and tonic cal...

Up at five o'clock this morning. Having talked to Robin and Catherine over the last couple of days, woke up with a very clear picture in my head of how to be more businesslike about promoting my writing, and strengthen the book proposal and simply had to write it all down before I could go back to sleep. Back to bed and slept in late, and felt somewhat improved on yesterday. Cats confused by their early breakfast. Lorraine met Betty in town this afternoon, and I did some more work inspired by my sudden clarity. Nice to see Beth later in the afternoon. Lorraine and I off in the evening, after waiting longer for a taxi than it would have taken us to walk, to Hotel du Vin where we met Matty and Isy. Also met young Elsie too for the first time. A charming baby, which enjoyed being cuddled by Lorraine, but cried in an affronted way when on my knee. The pretentious bar busy, with people dressed up and swanky. I like it. We went across the road to an Indian restaurant with the baby,...

Writers' night Working at the skeleton coalface for much of the day. Finally untangled chapter from hell, and now have baggiest bit of the novel to slash but there is the glimmer of dawn on the horizon. Also did a smidge of copywriting In other news, I had an interesting night out with a posse of writers in the Hotel Du Vin which is a fairly stylish place near to the sea on Ship Street. I was the first to arrive, and as I did not know what anyone looked like, I felt rather awkward and strangely nervous. Luckily after ten minutes Sally who I just about recognised turned up. Inspired to meet Miriam Moss who is a prolific children's writer and has published about 30 books. Also met an interesting and quite intense South African guy called Richard Lambert who is writing a novel about evil. Long chat with these two. Richard described working in a Township school teaching Wordsworth or Keats and looking out of the window to see plumes of smoke coming where people were being necklaced...