under another sun

A fun day... Chats with Keith first thing, then all of us off in the car to Canterbury. I have never been to the centre of Canterbury before. I liked it lots, and as Pat and Maureen melted slowly away to do some shopping, Lorraine and I went to visit the Cathedral. A lovely place, and photogenic. I took my camera out, but the most interesting shots were to be had down in the Crypt, but here photos were not allowed. We mooched about there, looking at the tomb of the Black Prince, and where Thomas Becket was given a good stabbing in 1170, and so on. Also mooching about in the grounds, where privileged school children from the private school walked. Back out of the grounds. Passed a statue of Chaucer, and saw a ducking stool and had a light lunch and a cup of tea before catching up with Pat and Maureen again and driving home. At tea time Lorraine drove us into the country a little to visit Matt and Isy and their three excellent bairns. We arrived before it was dark, and Matt showed us aro...

Today I had arranged to meet Matty Boy for lunch in Chiswick after a scoot to the dentist. Great to see him, looking suave and shaven headed. Things going well with his agency, but mainly we shot the breeze about our many mutual pals, and houses too. He is moving East to the countryside soon, to be in a beautiful old house with grounds big enough for a horse to run in. Matt particularly pleased that it had an outside bar. Also saw Isy for a chat briefly as Matt had to zoom back to the office. Met young master William Walter Hunt who, although I am no expert in these things, looked to be a baby of distinction and excellence. We repaired to another pub after popping briefly back into the office. For more of the same, then fond farewells with Matt. It did my heart good to see him. Then I tubed over to London Bridge station to head home, but got off at London Bridge and went to Borough Market where I met Keith in meatspace for the first time in years, having a drink with Fitz and Maurizio....

Lorraine and I went into town this morning. Lorraine went to give the folks at C&H fabrics a box of biscuits for the staff as a thank you for helping reunite Pat and Maureen when they lost each other at the shops. Very kind they had been. I went straight to the station, which was full of purgatorial crowds emptying out of the trains and swarming in the lemming-like to the seaside. I met up with Matty boy, Isy and their exemplary little bairns Elsa (5) and Harry (3), who are currently angelic children. Great to see them, and Isy who I have not seen for ages. We stopped into the garden of the Battle of Trafalgar, where Lorraine soon joined us. There we had some food and some drinks in the garden, as it was a gorgeously sunny day.  Then we all moseyed down backstreets to the busy seafront, but close to the remnants of the old pier. There we had ice cream and sat on the stones as the children took turns in standing down by the sea, and it was all really nice. Meanwhile John and...

I have set my face against camping ever since an unspeakable family camping holiday in Devon in 1976. Our tent was very pleasant, for a tent. After we lurched into bed we found the airbed was slightly on a slope, and after a few hours of sliding off the airbed onto our heads Lorraine had the brainwave that it might be a better idea to have our pillows at the other end. This, plus the effects of a good deal of alcohol, a cold night and all the sliding meant I barely slept at all. We did have a strangely romantic walk to the toilets through the dew sodden grass in the early morning light with the landscape looking beautiful at six in the morning. Despite a distinct absence of bounce (which turned out to be a widespread phenomenon among co-revellers) Lorraine and I enjoyed the day very much. Down to the barn again, where restorative buns full of bacon sausages and eggs, and mugs of tea and a good deal of talking. A lull in the middle of the day, Lorraine slept and I had a lovely chat wi...

So up at the De Trafford hotel and eating a Chef and Brewer breakfast downstairs before packing and getting ourselves sorted for the big wedding to be held at a farm near the village of Wincle, south of Macclesfield and in the edge of the peak district national park. All rather idyllic and a gorgeous drive there too. As we were early as we turned off the main road, near the farm, we squinted into the Royal Oak only to see Nicola and First Matie climbing out of a car. We parked up and had a cheery reunion over coffee and then a beer, and were joined by Lucy and Sean, other pals of Matt's. Then we then drove into what was described as the middle of nowhere and kept going through some achingly beautiful countryside and arrived at Barleyford Farm. Family friends of Matt and Isy who were getting married. The French Bloke and Craig pointing the way, both fairly refreshed already, to the barn field where we parked up and found our tent in a village of tents. Quickly changed in there, an...

Up to Mill Hill this morning. Lorraine gave me a lift in the rain to Preston Park station where I secured a croissant and cup of tea. Slow journey up to Mill Hill, enlivened only by me finding an unattended bag on a seat when I stepped into the carriage at St Pancras. Nobody else bothered much by it, but I spoke to the driver just in case. He told me that things were less likely to be dodgy if they are left in plain sight. It is the hidden away things you need to watch for. Mum came to collect me from the station, and she drove us up to Barnet Hospital. No parking spaces there, so we had to drive off to park in a Barnet street. Into the hospital, and Mason sitting up and I was relieved to see him looking cheery and fairly well. He'd been talking to all the nurses, and was pleased to see us. Hung around with Mas chatting for a couple of hours, then Mum and I drove off to a pub on the way home for lunch. Mum later visited him again. Sat outside eating fish and chips with mushy pe...

Monday, and expected work load did not happen. So a fairly quiet day. I cooked my first Guernsey beanjar in ages, and with beef too. Sauntered out to get fresh parsley and onions and added patented PK ingredients and the house filled all day with the smell of beany goodness. Walked down into town too, a cold and bright day. Brain still a bit mushy and feeling buggy. I found I was perfectly able to fritter time away quite well without accomplishing much. Lorraine into school today on her own to sort out one or two things, but didn't get up till late. Good to feel fairly relaxed on a Monday. Also news last night that Matt and Isy got engaged. And a text this morning from the old FB.

Up at 6 am and off to Strawberry Hill today, near Teddington to attend a staff conference of the Christian charity I'd pitched to a few weeks ago. It was held on the campus of St Mary's University, which was small but attractive. An absorbing day with everyone there motivated, sincere and positive. They are an organisation of storytellers in the best way and I spent the entire day talking or listening. It was interesting to observe how prayer was continually being woven into what they do, starting and ending each presentation with a prayer, for example. Particularly struck by seeing two people having what looked like a standard work discussion outside, but ending their informal meeting with a prayer. One nice woman I spoke to called Alice even said she would pray for me. They also sang a good deal and I melted away at the end as they lustily sung the day to a close. I made my way to Hammersmith where I met First Matie, Matt and Isy, and little Elsa outside the Blue Anchor b...

Lorraine up early and off to get some physiotherapy for her lower back. The therapist lectured Lorraine about looking after herself better. Then L and I walked down to Preston Park from where we travelled up to Strand on the Green. Matty boy was having a few drinks for his birthday, with his pal Ian who has a similar birthday, in The City Barge. An easy journey. Nice and a bit weird to be with Lorraine in Chiswick. A cheery afternoon and evening. It was good to see Matt and Isy, and and their little Elsa and Tasha and Steve and their Freddie who is of course little Elsa's cousin of almost the same age. Not a massive baby fan, but found Elsa to be a superior baby in lots of respects. Poor Isy having a tough time with her second pregnancy, and feeling rough most of the time. I also got to chat with Craig and Mel, Robbie, who I'd not seen for a long time and who has just moved to Bristol. Also chatted to Andy, who I'd worked with in Tavistock Square who has been working on...

Lorraine and I up and off to London, for we were gathering at The City Barge on Strand on the Green. Funny how places keep cropping up in life. The Barge was a local  of mine, in a former life and as we made our way to the river I showed Lorraine places I'd lived in Chiswick. We were there to celebrate First Matie's departure for Hull where she is going to live for the foreseeable time for reasons of the heart. A gathering of friends in an upstairs room of the Barge, which is a good deal posher than when I lived nearby. A beautiful room looking down on the river, where we spent the afternoon and evening eating and making merry. Attendees were Kate (naturally) and many of her mates, who mostly are my mates too. Matty boy (who seemed to have done most of the organisation as usual) and Isy and the rather cute baby Elsie, The French Bloke and Max, Mel and Craig, Nicola, Sarah and Sylvie, Dan, Ian, Gareth, Stephen, and the lovely Matt Hindley arrived later. Some speeches were ma...

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,...

A beautiful day of warm sun. Up early as Lorraine had a hot stone massage with Jewel, like I had the other day. I decided to go to the gym, after tidying up the place a bit (we had a house viewing) and taking Betty a cup of tea. Feeling slightly tetchy in the gym, and only did the bare minimum, but better than nothing. Felt much better for a hot shower, and mooched off to find a very relaxed Lorraine and we went for a cup of tea in the Marwood, then went to sit by the sea in the warm sun. I then bought three quality shirts at bargain prices, then we drifted happily through the old lanes looking at wedding bands. Bused back home and went up the hill to sit in the sun garden of The Signalman, where we met Matt and Isy who, much to my pleasure, were in Brighton looking at houses as they are considering a move here. My liver and kidneys giving little squirms of apprehension, for Matt is always the centre of a good deal of enthusiastic and liquid socialising. Andros and Sophie had unexp...

Up with the sparrows again and off to North Acton. Work better, though still workin' my nerve. Lovely people though. Worked through lunch, mumbling on a Tesco value sandwich, and had to stay a bit later to write headlines. Reminding me of my old Dell account days, and of Nev my old art director drawing pictures of jerking knees in a complex reference to the client and how they were being managed. Off in the evening to The Bull's Head on Strand on the Green, which is always excellent as it was for many years my local pub. Here I met First Matie, who was looking fit and cheery, Matty boy and Isy, who is off work as a balance and hearing problem caused by an ear infection means she can't ride horses (she works in a highly rated stables)  and Craig who had recently moved house and had spent the week building IKEA  furniture. Highly enjoyed being among these friends again. Matt, Isy, Kate and I went for a Thai meal in what was a greasy spoon cafe by day. (Funny how many Thai r...