under another sun

An unspeakable morning, with icy pouring rain. Much of the country covered in snow. Lorraine off to work, and after I sent a worky couple of emails I packed up my bag and headed off into the deluge. Outside my gate a man passed walking his dog, and said 'nasty weather' to me from under his hat, and he was right. Walked down to Preston Park. A South African businessman based in Australia started talking to me as we peered out at the rain that had some snow in it, but he soon began to enlarge on foreigners, the dangers of being 'overrun' and the glories of Brexit, I made my excuses and legged off to faux first when the train came.  Up to Paddington, where the rain was slushy. Into the Paddington offices, and dropped off the laptop they had lent me, and received a handshake from now recovered Daniel, and hug from my pal from other agencies, Yas, who was there and just about to go to Sri Lanka today, and from Harriet one of the team I had been away with in Austria. From P...

A special day today. Up early, and up to London. Trains all doomed with rail replacement services so Lorraine kindly gave me a lift to Three Bridges and from there I caught a train to London to see Bob and Carl.  Met them in Leicester Square and we had a steadying coffee Then wandered around the corner to the national portrait gallery. Good to go with Carl and Bob to a gallery again, for it one of their natural habitats. Had an enjoyable nose around there. Carl going about captioning some of the pictures, such as " Queen Victoria's first visit to her wounded soldiers " and pointing to the white faced man in his sickbed, and telling us he was thinking 'Why don't they all just fuck off'.  From there off in a cab to Gabriel's wharf, where we consumed some Pieminster pies, and mash. Sloped into Doggets Bar by Blackfriars Bridge for a single pint, and then walked along the busy embankment to Tate Modern. Hugely enjoyable in there. Up to the fourth floor to ...

Up fairly early and catching up on some admin. Also writing to Mike Stirzaker, an old friend from university. He was dating a woman called Clare when we were at Warwick, and they are still together and have had two daughters. Quite impressive. Off to meet Mum in London. Was slightly late leaving, and missed my train so was annoyingly late. As the train left Brighton there was a big pall of smoke in the sky, seeming to come from near our house. However, when I got home everything was okay, except for a trace of lingering smoke in the air. Good to see Mum. Met in the old gin palace of The Salisbury, and after chatting there for some time, and giving her a lovely dragonfly broach Romy and Toby had bought her, and a Japanese ink brush that Lorraine and I had found, we wandered into Soho's Chinatown where preparations are clearly underway for Chinese New Year, which is being celebrated here on February 2nd. Rather than the Japanese who have aligned it to the calendar and start it as...

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 ...