under another sun

Both of us up early, Lorraine had to take Pat the dentist and I had to prepare the interview for my latest victim, Peter Daniels. Once this was sent off, I chatted with Mum and Toby as they had a late breakfast, then did a bit of writing, and had a long walk down by the sea this afternoon.  Lorraine and I planning a trip to Inverness and tonight booked some accommodation.  Lorraine's pal Carolyn is getting married, and we thought we'd have a few days in Scotland, and also see Sam on the way up as he has recently moved to Glasgow after his relationship with Jade ended.  Lorraine cooked a new recipe from her Zoe cookbook today, which was rather delicious, with meatballs made from black beans and miso. Sadly the balls disintegrated into the sauce but it was still delicious. To bed early as Lorraine has to be up early to take Beth off to hospital in Brighton tomorrow for a gestational diabetes test.  Read another of my Everyman  The Stories of Ray Bradbury a 1000 pl...

So up fairly early, and Sam came around and we wandered down to Antstruther Harbour, where we met Jade, and all boarded the Princess of May. Sat in the harbour almost fully boarded for at half an hour, chatting to each other and a couple with a boy armed with a bird book. Lorraine, who feels sick standing on a pontoon, leaning heavily on her pills for motion sickness. Sam thumbing through his pocket book of Scottish Birds.  Then The Princess of May bellied out into the blue. A long slow roll in the sea, and the old Scottish bath tub, rolling companionably along with it. Water on the deck every now and then. The journey against the tide was about forty minutes, and May looking very impressive as we neared it. Puffins in the water and flapping rapidly through the air, and Sam pointed out gannets from one of the other islands. The Isle of May has shags, guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, gulls, eider ducks, cormorants and more.  The entrance into the harbour was tight and fringe...

 To nearby Crail, to look at some rather good local pottery, with a courtyard full of pots, and a shop indoors too. We came away with two dishes. There is a combination of colours that I am beginning to think of as very characteristic of. Some of which I have seen in the tartan shop Lorraine and I took Sam to in Stirling some time ago: these are gold, amber and pale green, and deep blue and purple. Some of this palette reflected in the work there.  Then down to Crail harbour, where I mooched about taking some snaps. Got talking to a wee boy and his family fishing for crabs at the end of the pier. He proudly showed me one of them, which was a photo I liked lots. Mooched about in Crail for a bit, before we drove off to Cambo Gardens . Had a lovely walk down a wooded valley with a stream running to the sea threading through some golfers at one point just at the end before the beach. Jade and Sam found a big body of a marine creature washed up on shore, which we did not look at, b...

Up not too early. Had a chat with Mog's parents Shelia and Peter, and into Wester Cottage to have coffee and a bit of breakfast with Sam and Jade. A bus day today. We caught the bus to St Monan and The East Pier Smokehouse . Gorgeous food, which I washed down with a glass of cider. Lorraine had a sea bass, head and all, Jade had half a lobster, and Sam had mackerel. Easily the best haddock I have ever tasted.  Then a walk along the coastal path towards Elie. Utterly gorgeous walk along a rugged coast, full of colours that changed as rapidly as the weather. One minute in full sun, the next cowering from rain. Lots of sea birds, of different species, butterflies, wildflowers, and the Firth of Forth looking gorgeous and brooding.  At one point, quite near the end of our walk, the rain started falling with a good deal of enthusiasm, so we mooched off the path into the Address Farm, where there was a farm shop where we had some soft drinks, from which Lorraine bought some garl...

Slept pretty well, and wandered downstairs and out of Mog and Jerome's house and into Sam and Jade's home. A strong Sam style cup of coffee and toast and Lorraine's seedy breakfast and all was well. Jade drove us to St Andrews, where she works. She was a great tour guide today. We looked at the amazing building Jade works in, and the castle ruin, and along the coast for a couple of hundred metres to a small harbour, where people were fishing for crabs with ground lines. Looming behind us were the remains of a medieval castle, framing sections of the sky. Next food. Went to eat on the pavement outside a cafe, and as the day was warm and fine, and the whole thing felt unexpectedly mediterranean. I ate an unbelievably healthy salady vegan style dish. Afterwards Jade became guided us through town through academic courtyards of mowed lawns and centuries old buildings and into a wonderful bookshop, where I bought Alasdair Gray's  The Ends of Our Tethers, 13 sorry stories , an...

Excellent news today about Jade, who has now a full time job at St Andrews, which is an enormous credit to her resilience and talent, and also means she and Sam now have more stability in their lives. Otherwise lots on today with Keith on a job, and juggling the podcast. Also had an extended lunch break, Lorraine driving me off to Adele and Patrick's house where people were working in Adele's glass studio. Adele is going great guns with her work. Deana, Jane and Kate were there, all busy with glass designs.  Nice to chat with them all, and eat some lemon cake and have a cup of coffee while looking at them making their designs. Kate was rapidly making a very nice duck with shards of glass as feathers, for example. I loved being there, and it felt great to just think about glass for a couple of hours. I spent it drawing designs for glass for the garden. Nice to chat to the ladies -- and they offered me lots of advice on glass in the garden. And Adele happened to have a book calle...

Jade up early. and typically perky. Lorraine and I drove her to the Station as it was hosing down with rain. However the train was cancelled so Lorraine drove Jade to Lewes Station. Lorraine and I then did early food shopping in Morrisons and I picked up the turkey and a dozen sausages from the slightly stressed butcher at an eye-watering price. The bird wrapped in a clear plastic bag. Felt a bit odd carrying a large body through town. Poked it into the fridge in the Workhouse at the bottom of the garden. Sam left a couple of hour or so later to meet Jade in London and train back up to Scotland -- where they arrived late at night. We walked him to the station,  After some light tidying and organising, we drove off to Eastbourne, a beautiful drive, where we collected Pat and Maureen at the station, arriving safely after the journey from Ashford. Home again, Lorraine cooked a lovely curry and also wrapped presents. Off to the station with a big bag of pressies for Anton and his famil...

After a feverish night, I finally tested positive for covid this morning. Pleased to actually have the confirmation that I wasn't imagining it. Lorraine a bit brighter today, and actually popped out to the garden for a while talking to the neighbour over the hedge. I attempted to do some stuff on my laptop, but the grey matter not working with any alacrity. Jade back to Scotland early this morning. FaceTime with Mum this morning, who is now able to smile again after her front tooth was mended. I  emailed Robin, and put a post about Lorraine and I having covid on Facebook. Toby and Anton both called too.  Read a couple of short horror stories by Ramsey Campbell and watched a bit of TV. Lorraine and I looking after one another today, and Sam helpfully scoring us paracetamol and sparkling water for me. Below: the obligatory lateral flow shot. 

Ill and spent the day in bed with Lorraine. However it was a nice day, and we had the Juliette windows open to let in fresh air. A poor night, exhausting problem-solving dreams and waking up continually with painful coughing, headache, sore throat and sinuses, and generally feeling exhausted. Negative test, but nurse Lorraine assures me I have covid. I was convinced I wouldn't get it, but hey ho. Spent the day in bed, and slept heavily this afternoon. I was looked after by everyone else. And Lorraine and I were brought up some vegan food in the evening that Jade had delivered.  Lorraine feels a little better, however, which is excellent. But the timing of this covid is horrible for her birthday on Friday. I feel really disappointed about that. Texting with Toby today. Sent him these photos which I snapped in bed. The cats delighted with us being so sedentary today.

Lorraine is ill, but not alarmingly so. When not taking care of my wifey, I did some window cleaning, and washed the front porch area, and cooked, and made Lorraine Scoobysnacks and so on. Also did some writing. Jade is improving now. She has been here for a week, and it feels so strange that we have hardly spoken for days till today. She ventured briefly into the garden. A beautiful day. We had the Juliette windows open all day in Lorraine's room, so the room was full of fresh air and sunshine. 

Off this morning to see Stacy and get my hair cut. A new person working there now, in the side room, a woman who was cutting the hair of a lustily screaming child. Women standing about behind Stacy's chair chair gossiping as if they owned the place. A far cry from the brand of stilted masculine chitchat that is the norm there. Some eye rolling going on among the more established barbers. All quite funny.  A little bit of writing, and recorded a video of myself reading Snow on the Hillfort , and Sahel Sunset , for the Irish magazine, Channel for the launch its sixth issue. Took me a while to remember how to make a video, but it went okay. Home and a spot of jet washing the decking and Lorraine and I doing bits of gardening. The vets phoning with the results of Calliope's blood test, she has hyperthyroidism. Difficult even contemplating life without my furry little daemon. Luckily, there are treatments but they are expensive.  Spoke to Mum who said she had been a bit depressed. ...