under another sun

Lorraine off this morning to Brighton, where she picked up more thyroid mix for Calliope and then went off to Hove to have her hair cut by Paul, and then, from there zoom off to be with Betty for the afternoon, with Laura going too. I meanwhile, did an edit on an interview Robin had done, finally completed editing my chat with Sarah Barnsley. I also spoke with Mimi Khalvati this morning who I was due to interview, but she has a recurring problem with losing her voice unpredictably, and was on a whispery morning so we decided to bump it. Nice to chat to her though, as I'd not spoken to her in about 25 years I think. Late afternoon I made off to Brighton, this time on the train. Train pass wasn't working however, as I have updated my phone but the train app transferred sans data which is a bit galling. Reading a book on the train about poetry, which coincidentally included a couple of paragraphs on Mimi. Went to my usual pharmacy, stocked up on my prescription -- now I have the p...

The weather muggy and turbulent, ending in an apocalyptic thunderstorm. Writing my proposal for the children's book, plus working on a few poems and doing some Edinburgh stuff. In the evening off to The Evening Star, where I met Glen and Eleni, Steve, Richard and Maria Grazia, and Adam Bushell, who I'd not seen for about five years, then saw twice in a week. Also chatting to a Yorkshireman on his own on our table called Mike, who had invented little cards to place over his drink which said Back in a few minutes, to prevent his drink being removed. A really cheerful evening all round. Steve looking incredibly smart just having got off the train from London where he is doing a new job. It made me want to obey him. Then walked home, managing to get home while the rain was spotting. There followed a thunderstorm the like of which I had not seen in the UK. The sky flashing wildly. Below Mike, and his beer card, and the radiant Glen and Eleni.