under another sun

The new normal: got up with Lorraine, had a hearty breakfast: a yoghurt, kefir, seeds, nuts and berry filled bowl, plus a piece of Lorraine's delicious sourdough bread, and a boiled egg. I worked on some writing, and also reading the guest's book and sent some emails. I also completed a poem that had been commissioned by Sue on the death of her father. She sent me lots of notes about what he was like, and I did my best to turn them into something. I hope it does the trick. Yesterday's discoveries bubbling away in my subconscious. Instead of a complete blank, there are now at least photographs -- in some ways it feels like a kind of closure. Off to the gym again late this afternoon, but it was full of weirdly muscular schoolboys  (and some schoolgirls) who go after school. They don't use the lockers, but leave all their identical bags hanging in the changing room. Very trusting, but that's Seaford. Beth came around this afternoon, and was working from the soft office...

Up and went off to buy some breakfast stuff, and Lorraine, Beth John and myself lurked about this morning eating breakfast. Beth poorly with something, I am selfishly hoping not to catch in time for my pamphlet launch this week. Went for a walk and talk with Lorraine this afternoon, and peered at a promising house that is coming on the market next week, and discussed many things. Trying to lift our heads out of the House Move Hell and get some perspective, and think of others. Hoping that Toby and Romy are coping, having to sort out everything after Hiroko's funeral, which was attended by 600 people. Popped in to see Janet and Ken as we were passing too. Hus was there, hugely relieved that his daughter is back in Italy after being over here and going missing several times for days in a row into the wonders of Brighton. Apparently while missing, she was featured on local TV, facebook, radio and so on news - and apparently has no concept of the hell she put Hus and Janet and Ken ...

Our bid on the messy house was unsuccessful, someone had bid the same amount as us, but was able to move more swiftly. Lorraine and I press on remorselessly, however, into the next ring of House Move Hell. I might suggest it to Amanda as a new board game, so, mad-eyed, I can slam meeples around the board in endless circles. Otherwise admin and waiting for many hours for a bit more German work to turn up, and sending and receiving emails to Robin plotting next Wednesday's poetry beano/pamphlet launch in Lewes. Turns out that famous and successful poets, who I met a couple of times in a very former life, John Agard and Grace Nichols are having an event in Lewes at the same time as us. The two parties are apparently to meet up in the Lewes Arms afterwards, so I can keep my achievements in proper perspective. Beth home in the afternoon,  sitting on Lorraine's desk and printing off comedy skits for her class tomorrow. After I had phoned lots more estate agents I dragged the body...

Up early with Lorraine, who had to drive off early to work. As it was such a lovely morning, I broke with routine, and took myself for a breakfast cup of coffee in a nearby cafe, and a read of another book of the amazing  Paradise Lost . Then I took a stroll around the park too, fresh in the early autumn sunshine and was back home for 9:30am to start to phone Estate agents, and chase the roofing man who promised to come and never did. Then waited for a briefing from the Germans (which did not arrive till 5 pm) and so read more of Paradise Lost. In the afternoon I went to look at a property, and returned home through the park dodging the small but burly, shirtless traveller children running about three or four caravans that have settled in the park. Strange to see people suddenly living in the park, one young mum slinging a bowlful of washing up water onto the grass out of her caravan door. Amazingly clean caravans and cars. Spoke to Janet who had been in hospital all day hav...

The &*%$ we are attempting to buy from has now reversed her decision of yesterday, and won't move out -- so Plan B of finding another property is our only option, while our buyers want to move in a matter of weeks. This morning answering a list of solicitors questions, some of which revolve around a bull's-eye window in our property. I replied in shouty capitals after having made this point twice already that there are no effing bull's eye windows in the property. This done, a new and longer list arrived from the solicitors an hour later, asking many more idiotic questions. Lorraine and I having conversations with estate agents. This is house move hell. To put it mildly, the mindset I need to be in to do real work is almost impossible to achieve. Luckily there is a smidge of undemanding German work coming through. In the afternoon off to meet Mindy, who is in Brighton and we sat outside in the cafe in the Pavilion Gardens for an hour or so, before her partner David,...