under another sun

Felt inspired and optimistic this morning, after my recent conversations. I began with the idea of reinventing what I am doing business wise, and had many ideas. Felt good and suddenly as if I were on the front foot again -- had lots of ideas and spent the morning hammering them down. Down to Preston Park this morning and off to Hassocks, a wretched delay meant I had to hurry from Hassocks station to arrive at Clayton Woods natural burial site, where Janet and Ken's ashes were going to be laid side by side. I met Madeline, Hus, Reem, May, Bren, Sonia and Ray there. Rod and Clare, Caroline, Nick and Sandie and a few other grandchildren and grand nieces. We had squelched our way to the small square grave, when it was clear Anne Lamacraft had been very much delayed, so it being a very informal affair, Madeline and I zoomed off in Madeline's car to collect her. Not seen Anne for many years. The ceremony was self conducted, but quite pleasant, those who wanted put earth on the s...

Helped by Lorraine I had to work on getting my head straight for this afternoon's celebration of Janet's life, which we held upstairs at Grand Central, where I had done my last poetry reading in Brighton.  We arrived at the venue first, and Heather and Kim and Rasmini arrived, who put frankincense on a few people, including myself. We got a couple of tables and the nieces and Lorraine put examples of Janet's embroidery on, plus another decked out with photos of Janet and Ken. It proved to be a good venue, and quite a few dozen showed up, which was impressive considering how tight the timescales were. The afternoon was very warm and successful. There was a mic and I ended up being a bit of an MC for a short while reading out the lovely messages people had sent Madeline and I about Janet. Caroline came too, and played a tape of Ken singing. A few people spoke, including memorably Reem, who wrote and delivered an excellent speech. I also had the opportunity to make an impr...

A poor night's sleep. I came downstairs and had a chamomile tea at around 4am, with Calliope delightedly purring on me for half an hour. Being the day after Janet died, there were lots of calls this morning.  Pat phoned me to send his and Maureen's condolences and saying that him and Maureen were sad about Janet's death. Then I went to Janet and Ken's house, and met Madeline, Hus, May, Heather and Kim. After a protracted but ultimately successful search for Janet's passport, we all drove to Martlets for a short meeting and to be handed over relevant certificates. Madeline said that to proceed, she had to be sure she was the named executor in the will, so May drove me home as I had a copy of the will. We got stuck in traffic, I enjoyed chatting with May though, she is an intelligent and sensitive person. May and drove us back to Third Avenue and waited for the others, who had gone to the Town Hall to collect the death certificates, of which many were needed. Felt...

My thoughts very much with Janet today. I had a call about them from their old friend Ros this morning. Lorraine and I called around to see her and Ken this afternoon, and we spoke to Hus and May. While we were there another friend of Janet's called Georgie called around. In the evening, I sent a note out later to several of Janet and Ken's friends and relatives with the latest news. They have requested 24 hour care, during a conversation this morning with the district nurse. After our visit, Lorraine and I went down to the seafront at Hove, where we sat on a bench listening to the sea for a bit in the sun. However and exuberant Hare Krishna parade terminated just behind us, in joyous singing and the distribution of fruit from a large cart. It was rather surreal, but made me feel suddenly quite cheerful. Odder was the life-size model guru they passed reverentially into the passenger seat of a car. It looked so real it could have given someone a nasty turn if found unexpectedl...

Annoyingly the agency in Paddington were expecting me to work for them today, till around 10am. They did not, so I was able to zoom over to the stained glass window class. Spent a couple of hours there picking up the pieces of my window, and cutting new bits of glass. Ben had a new influx of students, plus the four I had been with last time. Had a quick coffee afterwards with classmates, or should that be glassmates, Chris, Yvonne (she of the father with a pet crocodile) and her pal who has joined the class, called Adele. Loved escaping into thinking about glass. Then I went to Janet and Ken's house and I spent the afternoon there till early evening, running various errands for Janet and just generally doing what I could to help. Janet had been in bed all day. Lorraine came after work, and warmed up some food for Ken, then drove us home a bit later when Hus arrived. There was a night care organised by his daughter May for the evening. Once home Lorraine and I decided to buy a...

A happy day. Lorraine up with the larks and off to her hairdresser. I did a bit of this, and then a bit of that, and then jumped on a bus and went off into town to meet my lovely and splendidly coiffured wife. Today was a day of trouser buying. I bought several pairs. I seem to buy trousers in batches, and my trousers were all coming to an undignified end. Looked somewhat paunchy in the changing room mirrors. After an orgy of trouser buying, off to Gars, where my Lorraine bought me lunch to celebrate my birthday. Good to sit down and chopstick down some Singapore noodles. I always enjoy Gars. Home not long after this, and a quiet snooze on the gold sofa before Dawn came, and we three surged out into a taxi. This took us to The Bottom's Rest, which is a fine pub tucked away in Hove where Rosie had booked a section of the pub for us to celebrate our birthdays. Bottom being the midsummer night's dream character, and not just a place to rest your posterior. Rosie had ordered a ...

So Beth's big moving day. John had been playing a gig last night, and didn't get home to his flat till 3am. Lorraine and Beth sorting things out early in Beth's room, and I made bacon sandwiches. Then John arrived, followed shortly by Ed the bassist in John's band who had the van they used last night. A good deal of carrying and loading of the van, including the large sofa. This packed into the van, and Lorraine and I drove over separately. Their flat is a lovely basement flat in Hove actually, but with plenty of light and air and not damp. We unloaded all the stuff, but were unable to get the sofa in, as it was getting wedged in the doorway, which is underneath the stairs leading to the rest of the house. Dispirited, Beth, John and Ed went back to our house for the next van load. We then wondered if we could take the sofa apart. I called Janet to see if she had any tools, as she lives just down the road. She did and Hus was there too, so he lent me some of his tool...