under another sun

So up and a cheeky poached egg breakfast with Sue and John. Fond farewells, with Whiskey the dog springing about squeaking its toy, which John said made the sound of a bitten rat, we left Bromyard. Lorraine drove for half an hour to see Lorraine's lovely cousin Maxine, where we were warmly welcomed, and spent a couple of hours sipping coffee, nibbling on fruitcake while her dog, Zippy contentedly gnawed a large bone under the coffee table. Heard about Tay and Emilia -- now studying away from home and doing well. Simon was working in Liverpool today, but Maxine was on a day off from work, so I think she was pleased to have some visitors.   Fond squeezes goodbye with Maxine, then we drove mostly along the A5 road through some absolutely beautiful Autumn countryside on either side of the Welsh border. The Shropshire hills, which I had never seen. They were stunningly beautiful. The tiring bit, for Lorraine, was that as we were driving, partly through Wales, then towards Merseyside, I...

Heard from Carl this morning that Jayne was in hospital with Covid. I spoke to him during the day, and it seems she had another infection. It wasn't anything to do with lungs, so that's good I guess. He has covid too, but fairly mildly having been vaccinated.  Leaving the cats in the capable hands of Sam and Jade, Lorraine and I made off to see Sue and John. Into the car first thing, and drove off. A free and easy drive, which we both enjoyed, stopping for tea and sandwiches at a service station. Saw dozens of red kites from the M6, I'd never seen so many of them. Lovely impressive raptors.  The feeling of escaping from Brighton was excellent, as I have been feeling a bit hemmed in and fed up lately. Arrived at Sue and John's while it was still light. A nice cuppa and some Christmas cake. Whiskey the dog, sporting her Irish tricolour collar, springing about enthusiastically as Sue told us Whiskey now has an Irish passport. Lorraine and Sue went off to get eggs from a fa...

Some of the big draws of Chester Woke up feeling unfairly fresh considering the previous night out with Carl. Carl, Jayne and Ellie came to the hotel for breakfast, which Carl kindly bought me. It was another amazingly beautiful day, so we decided to go to the nearby City of Chester, which dates from Roman times, and not too far away from Runcorn. A beautiful place it was too. We trundled around a few shops and I snapped away happily. Then to another pub, for a glass of cold lemonade before another stop as Carl and Jayne needed some food shopping, which allowed me to sneak off and take a photo of Helsby Hill, which from certain angles looks like a face. Eventually Carl dropped me back at the station. Fond farewells to him, Jayne and Ellie, and promises not to make it such a long gap next time. The train journey home was fine, after I had turfed out an irritable woman who was using my reserved seat as a place to rest her case. Listening to The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse again, which I...

A night out with Carl A day more like June than March. Lorraine and I off to Brighton station, travelling to Victoria together. I then made my way to Euston to visit Carl in Runcorn, and Lorraine went to Leeds to see Sam. A stress free journey, listening to Kate Mosse's The Winter Ghosts on my iPod. Carl waiting for me at Runcorn station and it was heartwarming to see him again after two and a half years. He was looking well and cheerful. And he drove me off to the Premier Inn and then returned with Jayne and Ellie once I'd unpacked and got myself sorted in a clean and reasonably pleasant room. Then off towards Frodsham and the Lady Hayes craft centre. Jayne went happily into a craft shop, and Carl, Ellie and I zoomed about in the patented Watson short attention span tour of other attractions. One was a shop selling aromatic and expensive candles owned by Bob Carolgees of Spit the Dog fame. The famous owner was there, but we weren't moved to speak to him. There was a micr...

Carl returns to his homeland Friday. Sprang out from bed having slept well and set to work. At lunch sloped off to the gym for the first time in ages, and gingerly did a bit of the hulk legs machine and the treadmill. Utterly hideous job given me this afternoon, to do referencing on material about heart attacks. Once I'd had enough of this up to the Smoke to meet Carl and Bob. Met Carl with Jayne and Ellie, and the old Mad dog at Euston. Spent a couple of hours chatting with Jayne and Ellie, whose twelfth birthday it was today. I was particularly pleased to find that Ellie is a delightful, funny and intelligent girl. I'd not seen her since she was a little thing. Then Carl and Bob and I sloped off to have a few beers and shoot the breeze. Carl pacing happily into his childhood turf south of Euston. Really great night, and just like old times. Pleased to see Carl looking well and in good shape, Bob a little frazzled as it was his birthday this week and his workmates had taken hi...

Progtastic Up with the sparrows, thanks to Calliope, and soon down to work to finish more referencing work on eye diseases. This completed in a few hours (wondering if I'd rather stick needles in my own eyes than write about doctors sticking needles in people's eyes) I hurried off to the gym for a light workout, which I have to say I enjoyed. Back to put my thoughts together for the Guernsey anthology proposal in the afternoon. Finished the day by receiving feedback on the referencing, and I need to do some more. Gah! Pop. Was very pleasantly surprised by the postman today (oo-er missus) bearing a surprise present from Carl. It was Rick Wakeman's book Grumpy Old Rock Star , which Carl had dedicated and everything. I called to thank him. He still hasn't had his gall bladder sorted out, which must be like sleeping with a snub nosed gun pressed into your side. Thinking of the Liverpool-loving Jayne and Nev later too as Liverpool were playing Chelsea in a nerve jangling sec...

Hospital time Deep sleep, only woken by the persistent kitten at 8:30. Lorraine and I got up eventually, after the kitten had been banished, to consume fried tomatoes on toast, and listen to the iPod randomiser while she did strange sewing of wollen squares for a baby blanket. Then I went off to the hopital again on the bus, in the teeming rain. Carl wasn't in his old bed, so I embarked on a Kafkaesque journey through various corridors, and going up to the wrong floors and so on. Eventually I arrived at what I was convinced was Carl's new ward, where they claimed to have no record of him. He has previous on discharging himself, so it did cross my mind that he had absconded. Eventually someone found him for me. In a small room with no window or picture. Brighton has a thousand painters in it, so amazing to see so many dull walls without ornamentation in the hospital. Carl bored, but unable to concentrate enough to read. Hospital time passes so slowly - what seems like hours turn...