under another sun

Claudia and Jonas leaving this morning. We had breakfast and Lorraine drove us to Seaford Library. Lots of hugs between Claudia and Lorraine. I went with them on the 12x and saw them onto the coach to Heathrow. Fond farewells with both of them. I'd really enjoyed their visit, and I hope they did too. They had a long coach trip, and hanging about in airports and flight, and at least two hours on the others side to look forward to. I meanwhile, hurried off to  Cass Art and bought some more drawing paper, and a few coloured pencils, then took myself to the cafe I used to go into when I was working on A Guernsey Double for a sentimental  coffee. A really rude server, however, who conducted a conversation with someone through me, as if I were invisible. I also bought a cinnamon swirl (she carefully dug out the smallest one) and  sparkling water. Sat down sipped the coffee and bit into the pastry, which contained unadvertised almonds in it and made my mouth feel funny. Sluiced ...

Last day before the plumbers arrive. Email working today, as I will need to be on hand for workmen for the next few days, a long walk this morning. Then lots of tiny tasks such as proofing my poem War diary in 1/72 scale, replied to my accountants, chase an unpaid invoice and other tiny tasks. A longish call with Janet, understandably feeling sad after her sister's death. I arranged to go around to see her next week. Finished The Anatomy Lesson , and begrudgingly admire it. Next up  from Roth is  Portnoy's Complaint,  but only after I finish several other books. I consulted the I Ching this afternoon, which I have not done for some time. It gave me the most positive reading I have ever had from it over several decades. Irrational thought it is, I felt quite boosted by it. Just because something is irrational, doesn't mean it is meaningless. Football this evening, England taking on Colombia, and amazingly enough beating them in the penalty shoot out. It was a...

Betty had her first audition and screen test this afternoon in London for a TV comedy pilot, which she said went well, and was of course excellent experience for her. The result will not be known for a while, but she felt she gave a good account of herself. Lorraine went with her. The cursed ankle and general illness confined me like an unwilling monk, but at least I was safe from the teeming and unstoppable rain. Worked this morning, then read the Sara Maitland book on Silence this afternoon and spoke to Mum whose cycle of tooth-fracturing, applying lavender oil into her eye in the middle of the night instead of eyedrops-style mishaps is fortunately behind her. Consulted the I Ching  (or book of changes) today for the first time in ages. I asked it how to make the best use of my current situation, and it said, in brief, that there are tides in the affairs of men, and as this is a time of retreat. This time is important, however, as it enables me to order my affairs so that succe...

The rain rains in its own time So up early feeling very cheerful today. Lorraine zoomed off to the station having had a sleepover. Got an email from Catriona in Guernsey with a pdf of my Guernsey bus poem, which I might have printed up full size as a poster. Satisfying to see this thing I wrote when I was about 22, more than half a lifetime ago, being given an airing. I've always liked this little poem for the simplicity of its language, and that it is about returning to a specific place I love. And of course seeing your name in print is something I can never tire of. Something from the I Ching that has always resonated with me, I don't have the exact words to hand, but it is: "the clouds are all here, but the rain rains in its own time." This can mean the time you create something isn't necessarily the same time as it will be appreciated. Working on the play competition entry. Given that I've been working on illnesses for the last three months, I decided to ...

The rain rains in its own time All day banging my head against a brick wall when it came to making any serious progress. Ended up folding all my jumpers, and clearing out my linen cupboard and other non-essential stuff. Thankfully, I got my mojo back in the evening and wrote till late. There's a bit in the I Ching along the lines of the clouds are all here, but the rain rains in its own time . Writing has been so easy for me, that I must remember this.