under another sun

Pouring again just before dawn, and storm-dodging down to Preston Park station to catch a train at ten and up to London to meet Mum. I was early at Sloane Square station, so I mooched down Kings Road to the Waterstones bookshop. A slightly askance response from the manageress, as if Horror were a bad thing. Back to Sloane Square and met mum and then hopped onto a curtesy bus and went across the river to the Affordable Art Fair. Very busy. Lots of lovely work there but it tends towards the decorative,  although there were a few bits that took my fancy. Pleased to see Maria Rivans work doing well there, especially as I type this looking at my Maria Rivans original. Stopped off midway at an island and bought a fizz and gin cocktail of some sort, and we chatted, and then Mum chatted to the young kissing couple opposite. Then more art. We paused before a useless abstract and were looking at it in disbelief when one of the exhibitors came over and said 'It's beautiful, isn't it...

Friday feeling End of a long week. Busy rewriting a campaign implementation guide all day, which is a photo finish between complexity and tedium. Still, I am very pleased to be working and this is helping to pay for my trip to the New World. The people I am dealing with in the agency very pleasant too. Managing to walk a little better now. Also have been putting together my site for the anthology of Guernsey. It is in a pre-beta state, but for an early squint go here . Using some of my many Guernsey photos for the site - the initial selections will be added soon, and I hope to go live with it in September, to coincide with a scoot over there, and maybe a radio interview. Received an amazing essay by an old university pal Michael Stone Richards, who is now Associate Professor of Comparative Literature, Critical Theory at a University in Detriot. The essay is about Theresa Hak Kyung Cha , a writer and artist of whom I was completely ignorant until now. MSR has a huge brain, and so I mus...

In the Open Houses Off this morning to go to some Open Houses with Lorraine and Diane. This is part of the Brighton Festival, where dozens of houses all around town open their doors becoming temporary venues for art exhibitions. First off to the other side of town to one of Diane's pals Caroline Ying who was showing some jewellery, including a beautiful four fingered ring. Diane treated us to cake and coffee in the garden. The sun was out in full force. Then to several other Open Houses where there was some nice stuff, though none that made my eyes pop out. Lots of average photography although I was drawn to some papier-mâché clocks by Juliette Pearce. Good fun, and nice walking about looking at all the art on the trail. One of the stops was a Catholic church, and it was quite odd to walk into church, which smelled strongly of incense. After a taxi ride back to the station, fond farewells with Diane who returned home. From there to Seven Dials where my favourite collage artist Mar...

Morning brainwave Up fairly early in a beautiful sunny morning, after a waking brainwave about The Sick Day . Made more progress in an hour or so this morning, than in the whole of Friday. Read a horoscope somewhere for Librans saying it would be a brilliant year for artistic breakthroughs, which would be splendidly timed. Got an email from Maria Rivans , the collage artist. I am on her early mailing list now and intend to buy some of her work after I've got over the shock of ordering a new computer. Then made Lorraine and I an enormous mass of mushrooms cooked in butter and sage, tomatoes, toast, eggs, bacon and beans. Lorraine off to the back crackers, then I worked for a little more, and chatted to Anton who had called to discuss our next walk, and mention Manchester United severally. After four years I replacing the dodgy light switch in the bathroom; thanks to Lorraine's supervision (which included a call to her ex-electrician dad). Later plunged into the Laines and bought...

A welcome lull A day to regroup. After a long chat with Mase, and Mum who was being "dogged" by Salty the kitten, went early into Brighton to finish off some Christmas shopping. Spoke to Anton, as I did so, who persistently wanted to discuss football. Bought a few last things, feeling a surge of cheeriness and relief as I finished. The shops are already offering half price offers, and gearing up for the sales (and there will be some fabulous bargains for the shopper). There has been an underlying desperation in the shops this Christmas; the Titanic orchestra is playing festive tunes. Everything is okay for me financially at the moment but there is such a mood of general apprehension it's hard not to get drawn into it. Home and I found that there was a smidge of work come through on the hogsite, which I did quickly - and also that I had been contacted again by Giles from the BBC website - so I sent him a few opinions about advertising. A nap with the cat, then happily insu...

Into the open houses again Two happy afternoons with Janet snooping around Open Houses in the Brighton Festival. Some incredibly variable stuff on show. Found myself suprised by liking most two things I normally don't like. Particularly enjoyed some meticulous, witty and surrealist collages by Maria Rivans . I normally despise collages but her's were excellent. And she seemed very nice too. Janet wanted us to go to see Alison Hermon's strange dresses made with reclaimed and recycled plastic bags. You walked into a darkened room with taped birdsong, and there were half a dozen illuminated plastic bag dresses suspended from the ceiling, to represent family members. Strangely good. On Saturday night I had supper with Janet and Ken and lots of chatting and cheeryness - not to mention vast amounts of food, and some wine. Working on my poems quite a bit too. And caught up with Sprinkles a few times too. Below a Felon on my wall (there you are Romy x)