under another sun

A good night's sleep in my own bed, and cooler overnight too. Lorraine and I with a list of things that must be done. I had a work offer for the time I was on holiday to reject in a way that encourages future business, and to write to Robin about guests next season on Planet Poetry. We got on a bus together and I hopped off at the Stein and dropped of our 'wet' signed contracts with the solicitor in case we are able to swap them while we are on holds. Then I walked up to the vampire section of hospital outpatients. A ticketing system, with only one phlebotomist there. I was told the wait would be an hour or an hour and a half. Looked at my ticket and there were twenty people ahead of me. After twenty five minutes only three people had been seen so I walked down the road and found a cafe where I was passive aggressively served a cup of tea and a sandwich in the Portland cafe. When I returned to the waiting room there were three phlebotomists and my number had just gone. Argh...

Two lots of recording with Robin, that didn't then seem to record so she is investigating with Squadcast.  After a Sainsbury's delivery then off to the gym late in the afternoon. Keith called me as we had an offer of a couple of days next week, which we have accepted. A poem accepted today for site called Ink Sweat and Tears. Gwen, my grandmother, creeps into it. She steals into a few of my poems. The poem is called One Hundred Geraniums . Lorraine home early and out again, driven by Betty back to Bolney where she had her leaving drink with her staff. A brief chat with Betty before they drove off.  Lorraine came back with lots of flowers and a big card and her Top Hat only a degree or so off true, and had a good time with a speech about Lorraine-ism, and quizzes and so on. Sounds fun.  House to myself this evening, listened to music and watched a French documentary about Naval Warfare among other things. Toby called too. Not long now before we are on hols together. 

Up and after a slow breakfast, Lorraine and I spent the day in the back garden. I love working in the garden. It was a sunny day, and apart from driving off to the garden centre to buy some slabs and hanging baskets we spent the day building a small raised bed and working in the fresh air. Though due to the the vulpine plague we can't plant much at the moment. Still good fun, and a bit of exercise too. In other news I had a poem on the Ink, Sweat and Tears website  today. And, popping up in cyberspace like a whack-a-mole, another in the  Guernsey Poets site. Spoke to Mum this evening till Facetime got a bit too maddening. Mason now recovering from his fall. She'd been off to see The Pirates of Penzance recently in an all-male production at Richmond Theatre. John around to see Betty this afternoon, and after Lorraine and I were done in the garden, we all scarfed a pork roast supper, and watched The Imitation Game  biopic about Alan Turing. A reasonable film, but of...

After a spot of swine health work first thing (swinewriting), continued to work through my giant list. Sending more poetry out into the world. Chuffed this evening to get an acceptance from Ink Sweat and Tears , which will appear in about ten weeks. No doubt I will be trumpeting it like the worst kind of popinjay. The editor Helen Ivory has chosen Hooked , from  A Guernsey Double as they don't mind if the work has been previously published.  Bloody cold day and the wind whistling in my study as I spoke to Mum on Face Time. Black smuts falling down the chimney into the study too. I also spoke to Janet who has been released back into the wild after her operation on Monday, and she is at home and pleased to be there. Lorraine home early and we went down to the dungeon where there is an ill fitting window frame, which we had tried to block off. Lorraine more efficient in the dungeon as she can stand up down there, whereas I have to stand with my neck at ninety degrees. Beth...