under another sun

So up slowly this morning. Grateful for not having to rush anywhere this Saturday.  Lorraine and I getting ourselves sorted out and catching up on some life admin in the morning. Lorraine's cousin Kay was going to come today, with her son Matt as they were visiting a college in Brighton. Also I had a cousin coming today too. And soon Liz her husband Sean, and their son Thomas, who was looking at a medical school at Sussex University arrived. After we all chatted with Lorraine, I made off with the cousins off to The Preston Park Tavern where we had a bite to eat. Then we mooched into town, through the North Laine and down to the sea. I found I really liked all of the family a great deal, and there were no awkward silences and so on. Just felt perfectly normal. Sean is a lovely guy and an engineer, Thomas a bright young lad set on studying medicine. Apparently Thomas was told that students at this particular school get a cadaver to share when they start, which really amused me. (Prob...

A sort of interlude where nothing really happened. I had no freelance so had space to work on poems but didn't find myself in the right headspace to make the best of this. Raining for much of the day turning our newly concreted front path into a big puddle -- we are negotiating with the people who did this to redo it.   More happily I plan to meet Liz (my sudden cousin) and her son Thomas this Saturday for a coffee, as they will be in Brighton to check out further education. In the afternoon I sloped off to get a haircut. Enjoyed walking through the park. A Stacy special taking the best part of an hour. You learn lots in the barber's. Apparently there are three cases of monkey pox in the local hospital. One of Stacy's pals came in and there was protracted banter at his expense, which he was laughing at ruefully.  I like the fact I am known by name in the barbers. Maybe I'll keep going there when I am in Seaford. Home and cooked a veggie chilli for Lorraine and Sam. Lorr...

Another night with no pain thank God. Still aware of my guts but they are no longer hurting, but very little energy. Lorraine off to get a massage today, she dropped me in town and I bought a present for Klaudia from Silverado for her 18th birthday. Makes me feel quite proud that my Goddaughter has reached that little landmark. Walked home via Sainsbury's where I bought some hot cross buns and sauerkraut to eat once the antibiotics stop nuking my biome.  Home and did a bit of business admin. Then a fascinating hour this afternoon talking to Liz the sudden cousin. A sign of the times, we met on a google meet page for an hour. Really enjoyed chatting with her. She is an interesting, well travelled, creative and thoughtful person. The hour passed in no time. Really nice to have met her, and we resolved to meet up if possible this year. Then Lorraine and I scampering about getting ready to be collected by Beth and James who drove us off to Eastbourne to meet Julie, James's mum, who...

Official: I am not attention seeking It's not often I say a stern "no" to attention, but I had to today. Was approached by someone writing an article for the women's section of The Observer called the Ex Files. This allows you and an ex to discuss, for the benefit of its female readership, why your relationship ended, and what you learned from it. Apparently, the pitch went, people can find this therapeutic. So I eagerly forwarded it to Mex for her opinion. I went for a late lunchtime walk and, thinking about it, it suddenly dawned on me that I would rather plunge knitting needles deep in my own eye sockets than be part of it. When I got home there was a note from Mex saying much the same. What was I thinking? Otherwise I worked on my new poem, provisionally called The Moth Display, and felt tremendously cheerful. In the evening popped up to Victoria for another enjoyable and funny evening with New Biz Liz. Had quite a few drinks and then we went to strap on a Sri Lan...

An evening with New Biz Liz A proper Monday with gloomy dull weather. I have lots of work to do. The creative department scratching away in uncharacteristic quiet. Had a swim at lunchtime although managed to lose my sheet of paper with nine prepaid swims on it, which made me feel like grinding my teeth. Perhaps this ire made me feel more energetic and I swam for 40mins. After a two week walking holiday, a couple of long walks in the last two weekends and many swims I think I may have lost about 0.5 cm from my waist. Good to know all that effort is paying off. Bah. Biffed into the Thistle Hotel at Victoria again, where I met New Biz Liz for a drink, a bite to eat and a chortle. She was stressed and on sitting down slid under the table to demonstrate exactly how rigid her stress was making her. She is a funny girl. We swapped lots of gossip, and she was being helpful about my imminent freelance change too. Then I snoozed on the train home, but fortunately did not need to be roughly shake...

Ebbs and flows at The Blue Anchor Working on stuff for my new pitch with my boss and we flew through it. We went to the Blue Anchor pub for lunch and had a chat about my career and to swirl some cloaks. I have decided not to go part time now, as by a strange twist of fate it looks like I may be promoted. It has been my constant refrain in the last few years that when I decide on a course of action, something else happens. But this could be an interesting challenge. More details here later. Then phoned the FB to join us in the pub to run some concept ideas past him, which was fun. In need of coffee after, as I rarely drink at lunchtime. Managed to bluff my way through the afternoon. Bit of a Mexican themed party in the agency this evening, which I left early to meet Liz, who I'd not seen since she left the agency a few months ago. Loads of gossip to catch up on. Went into an Argentinian restaurant where we were served a huge lump of nearly raw steak which although tasty, and bill...

Face time Sociable day. Off at lunchtime to The Bridge restaurant to celebrate Liz's leaving. Lots of my favourite work people there, including Max the Mentor who I sat next to. Our numbers forcing a huffy rearrangement of the tables by the waitress. Had my first glass of wine in ages, which went straight to my head as I ate a microscopic and leathery rib-eye steak. Seized however the opportunity to repeat my joke about tree hugging and beeches. After work I met the splendid Sophie at the National Portrait Gallery and at random we examined various portraits of Tudors. They all looked a bit ruff. Noticed Queen Elizabeth's peculiar hooded eyes, and how Mary Queen of Scots looked strangely sour. Then we went upstairs to the restaurant, which is a hidden treasure I'd never been to. It has a beautiful view of Trafalgar Square, down to Big Ben and Westminster Abbey all lit up and lovely. Had wine, snacks and coffee, and talked for hours. We got off on the wrong floor coming down ...