under another sun

Friday and some time this morning to finalise what I was going to read tonight and collect together a few books and so on. Lorraine really busy, shopping with James for the shower tomorrow, doing the last stitches of the secret project, ferried Pat and Maureen from the pub with their new friend also called Maureen. After a wee snooze, I caught the half five train to Lewes, and sauntered over to the Elephant and Castle and sat quietly for a bit and drank a shandy.  Today was the launch of Robin's The Mayday Diaries  and she had been kind enough to ask me to read with her. She also asked Catherine Smith to join us. We discussed beforehand that we wanted to make it fairly informal, and a bit chatty like the podcast. When Nick and Robin arrived, we went upstairs and Robin and I arranged the chairs for the reading. Palo arrived early, with two prints which we put on chairs to be seen. I joked to Palo that she was my show and tell. Soon people were turning up. Many of the audie...

 Mum received another call this morning, but simply put the phone down. Bastards.  A day at home, for Lorraine and me. I had a brief saunter to the shops and then along by the sea. Quite nippy. Off to Needlewriters in the evening. Met Robin at Lewes Station. Clare Best and Jeremy reading tonight, along with another poet called Pratiba Castle, whose work was fine but not for me as I am learning to say these days. Clare on good form, reading her excellent poetry in an excellent fashion. Jeremy reading some prose from his London Calling book, which I liked quite a bit when it was published a few years ago. Of my poet friends, there were Stephen, Charlotte, Janet, Catherine Smith and others. Also Callum was there sitting next to me. He had just been to see Will and I arranged to go with him next time. Will is now in Lewes. A cheery interlude, but I made off home quite quickly, partly to be at home with Lorraine and watch The Traitors again.  Callum gave me and Robin a lift t...

Lorraine going to her personal trainer, then off to see Pat and Maureen. I was late leaving home, my disorganisation, and the general upsidedownness of the house during decoration not helping. On the train faffing about taking calls about a freelance job, while having to move away from two Bulgarians who were sat opposite each other were talk so loudly that when I moved, I could still hear them from the far end of the coach. A pleasant journey. Really warm pleasant day, though around Elstree there were autumnal leaves, and I pocketed a conker. Arrived late to meet Mum and Mas at The Waggon and Horses, already in its halloween array, and Mum was sat in front of fake spiderweb with quite realistic spiders. The window too had a transfer on it, that made it seem that bloody hands were pressed against it. Nice to see them. Mas, however, listing to starboard due to a back problem. Followed Mason's recommendation and had an excellent Caesar salad there. Fond farewells, and I walked back t...

I was doing some freelance work with Gabriel one of my French clients again this morning. This done by one o'clock, however. Lorraine busy in the house and garden, a quick bite to eat before Yvonne arrived for coffee. We sat outside chatting for a couple of hours. I liked it when she described having a bald patch as having an egg in the nest. We also took Yvonne on a full guided tour of the garden, and she brought us a cutting of a succulent. Once she left, Lorraine and I did our meditation and sat quietly for twenty minutes. Later, Robin and Nick collected us to drive us into Brighton along the coast road (this being a train strike day) where Robin was reading with a few other Frogmore stalwarts. An enjoyable enough evening, and a good opportunity for me to say hello to a few people, chiefly a delightfully sweary Anne Perrin.  The readings ranged from stuff I hated and stuff I liked a good deal, which is what you'd want really. I thought Robin's reading was excellent, and ...

Off to the University of Brighton this afternoon. I met Robin and bumped into Jeremy at Lewes station. Robin had a knackered heel so we bussed to Kemptown and the Brighton University City campus. Lou Tondeur had roped us in to form a panel for her creative writing course third years, to be quizzed about publishing and podcasting the writing life by some bright as a button students. Felt like a bit of a coelacanth, but fairly relaxed despite this. Was curious to hear what the students had to say for themselves. One girl, who was already making progress as a spoken word artist, had brought her dad, who seemed quite interested and engaged.  Lou got us going by asking the panel about what we were reading... My mind often goes blank at this point -- partly this is due to the fact I tend to have several books on the go at the same time. After, Robin and I went to the pub with the Lou and her students and colleagues, before heading back to the station, pausing en route at the Fountain Hea...

A chat with Sam today, talking about how he is feeling a good deal better these days and is looking forward to moving back with Jade at the end of the Summer. We are really pleased for him.   Exceedingly hot.Lorraine drove us off to Robin and Nick's garden party this afternoon. Very elegant, with two young folks serving Prosecco and alcohol free Nosecco to assorted poets and musicians. Robin and Nick have an enormous shared garden, the size of a small park. Robin was wearing a dress Lorraine almost wore, plus the same Panama hat as mine she bought from Mad Hatters too.  People sippingo in the shade. I enjoyed catching up with Janet, Jeremy, Antony and Stephen. Lorraine particularly chatting to Stephen lots. He lives in Newhaven which is the next little town along from Seaford.  Drove home with the air conditioning on in the car. Watched a bit of the Tory leadership debate, and watched the tumbleweed blowing through the voids where the ideas should have been. Spoke to Tobs...

So back to my desk, while Lorraine worked downstairs with Emma the head who will be replacing her at her school, and the two Sarahs. I had a quick meeting with Keith and then got on with finishing the work I was doing for Pat, Michel and Perky. Had a meeting with them virtually and was done by one, thankfully as I felt a bit wan and tired. Lorraine was finding work hard today. Just a few more weeks for her to go -- but getting to the end of the year, even in the best of years, is always tough. I had a spot of lunch with the teachers, and then did admin and other stuff.   In the evening sauntered down to London Road station and from there to Lewes, where SJB was having a launch party for her fabulous book The Thoughts.  With typical generosity she invited some friends to read poems too: Stephen, Charlotte, Jeremy, Robin and me -- as well as Louise who read excellently and also hosted. I really enjoyed the event -- Sarah's book is wonderful and she read with great humour and emo...

A quiet day. Wrote to Jeremy saying what a good job he had done in editing Poetry South East 2020. Looked at my short story which is progressing well, although I need to trim it and magnify the horror and weird elements. Sent off a poetry MS, looked at a letter Lorraine was sending to parents and generally kept out of trouble. Another walk today, a gorgeous afternoon with lots of interesting clouds. Snapped this lovely black dog on Hollingbury Hill. I love black and white -- and although this dog was perfectly nice, dogs are quite often growling at me suspiciously at the moment. I have no idea why. 

This morning's hypochondria included googling shin splints first thing, as a sharp shin twinge woke me up.  Lorraine has a magical cream that smells of herbs and menthol and stuff, which I rubbed on as soon as I got up, and have felt nothing since. I did a long walk on Saturday wearing just Vans plimsols, and in retrospect this was a poor idea. Otherwise tweaking the new short story, swapped ideas with Robin about podcasts,  did work for mes amis in Paris on parasites -- and did other bits and pieces. Beth better, and teaching this afternoon via zoom. She is so full of energy and enthusiasm with those kids, it's quite amazing. The anthology Poetry South East 2020 arrived today.The last one was Poetry South East 2010. It is edited by Jeremy Page, and he did a lovely job.  The poems pass the baton one to another without a stumble all the way through.  There is one poem per poet, and it is a bit of who's who of poets from this neck of the woods. Happy to be...

Lorraine suggested we use up one of her visitor's passes and she took me to her gym. It is nice at Wickwoods, and when the sun shone it was pleasant. Had a workout there, which accelerated my return from post wake haze. Then we bobbed and bubbled in the jacuzzi pool, and nipped into the sauna. Disappointed to notice I am a tad more sumoesque than I have been lately. Feeling concerned about the breaking pandemic. As I noted on Friday, it is impossible to avoid. Then home again. I did some preparations for next week's school visit. Also heard from Jeremy with the welcome news that he wanted one of my old poems 'One Under' for a forthcoming anthology. Beth home tonight, and we ate roast chicken and played Exploding Kittens along with the expansion pack Beth had sent off for this evening. It features an imploding kitten card, and a cone of shame that you put around your neck like an injured cat or dog. Luckily nobody wore the cone of shame this time. It will come though...

Up early, with Lorraine, who scuttled off early. Beth off for another day of flat clearing. I worked quietly in the morning, and then went to the gym. Did my usual round of lightish weights and then started on the cross trainer. After about four minutes stabbing chest pains began, which I put down to indigestion. After a few minutes of this I made myself rather alarmed, to the extent I climbed off the cross trainer and mooched towards my doctor's surgery which, now it has moved happens to be across the road. However by the time I got near its door I was fine, and then burped, curing everything. I went straight back to the gym feeling sheepish, and picked up where I left off.  Lorraine home a bit early today, and we had a nice chat before I travelled to Lewes on a windy night to the needle makers reading. There were four readers among them Clare Best, and Robert Hamberger, both of whom were excellent. Another chap read prose, and there was a woman reading the sort of poems I find...

Up with the lark, as Lorraine had got up very early to go to the gym. I got working not long after seven on some stuff for Val in Paris. Lorraine returned home, having forgot her work clothes to change into. Once I'd finished the French stuff quick walk in the beautiful morning, before back to work on finalising The Inheritor , now much improved I think. Received a letter in the post from Jeremy saying that he wanted to take my wee horror story The Dream Home for the next Frogmore Papers. Chuffed with this, as am seeing it as another sign that the horror route is a good one for me. A bit of a breakthrough. To the gym at lunchtime, did quite a good workout. Home and more bits and pieces of work, laundry and other housework. Read another couple of stories by Matthew Rees, jolly good they were too. When Lorraine home, we ate in the back garden fishcakes and salad. I had to pop across to the cornershop afterwards, on the 30 walk home, quite a hefty migraine started, and I simply t...

Woke up this morning with the solution to the problem of a short story I have been rewriting called The Inheritor. My subconscious has been doing lots of this nocturnal sorting out for me. I simply rewrote the story today, and also sent off a proposal to a US agent about my children's book. My watch battery ran out  and I looked at my wrist 100 times, and I popped along to the gym. Chatted with Betty about her new business/acting wheeze she is starting with a pal. Really excited for her. In the evening down to the Grand Central for the launch of a new poetry magazine, called Finished Creatures edited by Jan Heritage. Lots of poet pals there, including Robin, Sarah, Stephen, Charlotte, Jeremy, Janet Sutherland, Catherine Smith, I also met Charlotte's colleague Lizzie who edits Viva Brighton. The readings were fine, but I didn't seem to be able to tune into it all tonight. Great to see everyone though. Charlotte, Sarah and I got chips afterwards and went our separate way...

Off to London today, finishing Jeremy Page's book of short stories,  London Calling on the way there. I loved it, and as Jeremy is about my age, (and had gone to Warwick too) I completely identified with some of his work. I sent him an email saying how much I'd enjoyed it. Also enjoying Louise Tondeur's collection,  Unusual Places which I dip into from time to time. I arrived at Victoria time to to pop into Tate Britain, where I at last got to use my membership card again. I glanced around at the Edward Burne-Jones exhibition, but I found I wasn't much in the mood for pre-Raphaelite malarkey. I went into the Turner Prize 2018, each of the artist doing a video installation, so utterly the wrong thing to pop into for a cheeky twenty minutes. I did get a proper laugh at some work by Charlotte Prodger, film of a stern of a ship at sea which made you feel woozy, looking at the sliding horizon. Suddenly there was voiceover, but so risibly pretentious that it made me burst...

Monday, and out of bed the wrong way. Feeling anxious to get on with things, but what those things are is not entirely obvious. Spent the day attempting to get a grip. Lorraine off and into work not exactly with a song on her lips either. A walk this afternoon which helped. I sent a happy birthday note off to Richard, now back in Guernsey. And I bumped into Simon Bottrell, who was looking extremely well after having had a nasty heart attack last year. In fact I have never seen him looking so good, and he seemed much happier and healthier than when I last saw him. He told me he was exercising all the time, and is managing his stress really well. Started reading the book of short stories by Jeremy Page, called London Calling . Really good. I wandered about the park brooding on how well I was managing things. Walked back by the side of the church, and my eye was caught by these fallen yew tree berries on the top of a tomb. Nicely gothic. The evening continued with explosions. ...

Up early. Sent a long poem into Island Review. Did house stuff. Worked on book proposal. Then off to Hove to meet Madeline at Janet's house. We tidied the place up, and went through boxes of documents to see what was what. Lots of academic papers Janet had written, and lots of stuff for making embroidery. Tried to make the place look welcoming and inhabitable. Then Madeline brought me lunch nearby, in a lovely tapas-style meal in Fourth & Church. Nice to get to know her a bit better. Then back to the house, and pleased that it gave such a better feeling when we walked in. The man from Uden called around for a valuation, one of three Madeline is obliged to get. Anton had recommended him as being a gentleman. A bit more tidying and identifying things in boxes. Sad to be going through Janet's stuff like this and coming upon photos of her and Ken in happy times. Fond farewell with Madeline and then home to continue work. Spoke to Betty about possibly doing some cleaning in ...

Up and did some work today, as Lorraine was having to sort some stuff out too. Then we walked down in the afternoon to Grand Central where Louise Tondeur launched informally her short story collection, Unusual Places. It was quite an informal affair, though lots of poetry pals were there, Louise's wife Sarah Barnsley obviously, but also Jeremy, Charlotte, Robin, Stephen, Janet Sutherland and John McCullough among others. Lou read a very good extract from one of the stories, as young Zach encouraged people to buy the book. Lorraine and I did, naturally. Lorraine and I talked to Bob the husband from the husband and and wife team behind Cultured Llama the publishers. Then home, after this pleasant interlude, before we headed out again to have an surprise birthday bite organised by Klaudia for Anton. We met in a newly-opened burger joint called Patty and Bun. Anne, Anna, my excellent godbairns Klaudia and Oskar and L and I tucked into various burgers and had a cheery meal. Nice to se...

Up and doing things in the garden. The drought has done horrid things to it, and there is little point in planting anything at the moment, as it won't survive us going away on holiday. To B&Q where we bought a willow lattice that fits perfectly over the bars of our Juliette balcony. Which means that, once the bathroom is done, we can sleep with the doors open to the sky, without the danger of Brian flinging himself off onto the rooftop, only for me to have to rescue him. In the afternoon off to Eastbourne, for a summer garden party. It is great that Lorraine didn't have to work today, as she normally does on Sunday. We drove alongside the downs, which are unusually golden coloured and dry. Lovely party it was too, and catered, so there were smart young men opening the door and leading us to the garden, and handing out finger food and topping up your drinks. Robin and Nick have done amazing things with their garden, which is huge and has been elegantly designed. Had lo...

Finally sent off the manuscript Sin Cycle to the Poetry Business Competition, which is the preeminent poetry pamphlet competition. Good to send this off, if only that it frees me up to do other things. Like other poems. Off in the evening to Eastbourne. Walked down to London Road, where I met Sarah Barnsley and Marion Tracey on the train. Chugged off to Eastbourne talking about poems, and found the venue where Robin Houghton and Stephen Bone were about to launch their new pamphlets, 'All the relevant gods,' by Robin, and 'Plainsong' by Stephen. Robin worrying about the positioning of fairy lights when I arrived. Chose this moment to nip into a burger restaurant, where I had a chicken burger and left half of my fries, and we met Antony Mair and a pal. Sarah Barnsley and Antony were giving supporting readings and did really well. Several poetry pals in the audience including Charlotte, and Jeremy Page and Catherine Smith. Readings really good, everyone read well and ...

Felt  cheerful this morning still. Up and doing stuff of one kind or another. Even getting a cut and paste book rejection (from the large agent I sent the children's book to yesterday) didn't phase me. I think they were just bouncing that kind of book at the moment. Resilience. Put a chicken in the oven, and waited till Lorraine had got home, (Dawn was staying the night) before boofing off to Lewes to the John Harvey Tavern to a Needlewriters event to hear three poets: Jeremy Page, Mark Urbanowicz and Robert Seatter. Enjoyed the readings. Robert's was from The Book of Snow , a beautifully produced book mostly about snow and paper. He read very well too, so I bought the book. Jeremy read a short story which was quite funny, and about life on campus. I noticed a woman in the audience who I thought looked just like Caroline Lucas who, when she left, turned out to have been Caroline Lucas. Also enjoyed hanging out with my poet pals in general, and Robin, Sarah, Stephen ...