under another sun

Very cold day, and Lorraine cancelled plans she had as the roads were lethal with ice -- although Seaford remains an island of no snow.  After a morning of doing mostly podcast type stuff, and a bit of light writing, I mooched (carefully) off to go to the gym this afternoon and felt disinclined to do much afterwards.   I popped out this evening to Steamworks, the little pub by the station, where Brian and Ian were having a drink. Joined them for an hour or so. Hadn't really chatted to Ian before. I liked him quiet and intelligent. Brian full of beans as usual, and excellent company. They went off for a curry -- and I slunk back in the cold sporting gloves and a cap and scarf and lots of layers and happy to be back on the Gold Sofa with Lorraine catching up on the last few episodes of Masterchef.

Having covid on her sixtieth birthday, wasn't ideal. All plans dashed. But we were able to laugh in bed this morning this would at least be memorable. We got up and showered and wore proper clothes. Still Lorraine had lots of lovely presents, and cards and calls and messages including Pat and Maureen singing happy birthday down the phone. I spoke to Kate and Ian as Lorraine was in the back garden. Beth had scampered through the house to sit in the back garden with Lorraine for a bit. Sam collected a curry for us later.  Adele also called around, dropping off a surprise pressie for Lorraine, and we had a distanced conversation.   Dawn called, saying that she and Paul had a near death experience on holiday yesterday, capsizing a canoe in a strong current in a loch. Both where shaken and extremely cold. They had to let the canoe go, and they managed to make the shore, where some angelic drivers gave them a lift into warmth and safety. The day was fine. Although I probably felt il...

 A day of little driving today, lurking in and around Monmouth itself, and finding little walks to go on along the penny-coloured river Monnow. A spot more shopping today, and Lorraine picked up some half price sunglasses, and I bought a new anorak in a sale, and Lorraine bought some walking shoes. Well pleased.  We bought some picnic bits and had some food by a small pond, watching a little girl and her mum feeding the ducks. Then a walk along the river, where we came across a site of cows in the river which made me think of Constable. A bit more walking here and there, and I received a call from the bank about the rogue account, and it turned out that all along there had been a problem with an almost identical account with just one digit different on the sort code. Some poor blighter was having as rotten a time as I was for months on end. Luckily that account is now being closed.  A cheery meeting this afternoon. Lorraine and I went around the corner to The Punch, where...

Somewhat hungover this morning, however this was my Own Fault, and Lorraine on the moral high ground having switched early to soda. A leisurely breakfast outside on a little table, and I felt chipper again. We drove off to meet Katie and Ian at the Sculpture Trail in the heart of the Forest of Dean. Katie and Ian in good spirits, but had also experienced a mysterious jadedness in the morning. A bracing walk in the forest was what was wanted. Having known Katie for so long, and heard all about the Forest and surrounds, I'm really enjoying seeing it all with my own eyes. It is a glorious area. Hordes in the car park, but these thinned out once we got walking into the forest. Lovely place, dotted with sculptures and the whole walk was a little above five miles. All of the sculptures were worth seeing, and the stained glass hanging in the forest was quite majestic, but it made me wonder if doing a representation in glass of a forest scene in the forest was a bit obvious somehow. Ho...

A leisurely breakfast of croissants and tea with Sue and John, a sneaky rematch with Whiskey (a draw) before Lorraine and I got ready to go. In the short time I had been there, I had felt more relaxed than I have felt for many a month. Fond farewells with Sue and John, and then we sped off again. We drove to Monmouth, into the dragon country of Wales, through some increasingly gorgeous countryside. Found our self catering apartment, which looked like nothing from the front of the house, but was actually extremely pleasant. Katie and Ian were going to stay overnight there too. Unloading our things, having collected our key, we mooched into Monmouth, over a little bridge guarded by an ancient Monnow Bridge gate built around 1270, over the river Monnow, to buy some provisions and mooch about a little. Lorraine and I did some food shopping in the Waitrose there, and then loading up our little rucksacks and carrying a bag back, crossed over the bridge again (glancing down at the childre...

Sunday and luckily none too hungover. In fact I felt a good deal brighter than I had the day before. Lorraine and I in decent form and after breakfast with Dawn, how had crept up to bring us tea this morning. Send out some thank yous. A note from Sarah who said she had continued to dance in the kitchen this morning. A note from Robin too suggesting that we do Sin Cycle as a Telltale pamphlet, which is a marvellous idea. Off to meet First Matie and Ian in the Basketmakers. Rainy day and the dregs of storm Dennis still doing its bit. Had a nice beer in there and a Sunday roast. Good to have the chance to get to know Ian better, who is a very decent man indeed, and is clearly exceedingly fond of Kate. Lovely to see Katie, but our meeting was overshadowed somewhat by news about our friend Craig, who is going through a very tough time. However we managed to have a good catch up to and it is always a happy thing to be having a drink with First Matie. A bit worried about the Basketmakers...