under another sun

A tetchy text from our next door neighbour, who has to wash his cars because of dust from our building work. The same neighbour whose house for the first two years of our stay was a building site, and we politely put up with months of dust, plastic waste, tools, etc coming over the fence, not to mention the constant noise and inconvenience. It made us both very angry.  I consciously had to calm down for the good of my health. He texted a bit later more politely and we replied to that one, deciding like Michelle Obama to go high when they go low.  I wanted to have some morning calm to write in, but I felt to irritable, so after speaking to Mum, I went off for an early walk. Seven miles in total today. I am now on a streak of fifteen days, and in the last seven days have walked over 40 miles. It feels good to be getting back to my old habits, and I am listening to audiobooks as I go, and my knee which had a moment a few months ago is holding up. Still on the biography of Muriel ...

Gorgeous weather, and feeling unbelievably happy to just get up and work on my own stuff for a while, before walking through the park into town. I got a haircut, then some earrings for Lorraine, and returned back home, through the park again, picking up an excellent bunch of flowers, even the florist was impressed with her own work, she asked me if there was a special occasion and I said Friday, which seemed to win me brownie points. Then an afternoon doing bits of admin, billing, chatting to Sonia, and attacking the lawn with shears, as the pesky lawnmower won't work despite me spraying it with WD40. A backbreaking business. Clem from next door came around, armed with a beer to discuss the decking and the new stairs we want in the garden. He was full of good advice and the prospect of changing the garden was suddenly all doable, which was great. He is going to lend me a big iron spike to break up the old decking and in with the new. Apparently it is very therapeutic destroying...

Lorraine and I made plans about everything we would do today in bed this morning while eating Quorn sausage sandwiches. Then we fell asleep again till one PM. Not much time to do anything other than zoom off to Sainsbury's and the run about the house tidying up in preparation for our next door neighbours Harvey, Philippa and eight month old Magnus coming around. A pleasant chat with our new neighbours and a quick glass of wine before they set off on the four second journey home. Lorraine and I then had Sunday dinner and relaxed by watching more Cylons in Battlestar Galactica, known in the Kenny household as the best SF telly series ever.

Up fairly early (for us) on a Sunday. A keen cold wind today. Popped around to see Anton and Anne, as it was Anne's birthday, a glass of wine there and a good chat. Then into Sainsbury's to shop. I like shopping with Lorraine. A full trolly makes my lizard brain happy. Maybe this is why I look like Jabba the Hut. Then Lorraine and I sorting things out in our guest rooms, till five thirty, when we popped next door to have a glass of wine with our new neighbours, Philipa and Harvey. We liked them and they have a smiling baby boy called Magnus who, curmudgeon that I am, is utterly sweet. Lorraine, smitten, instantly offered to babysit. Home again, and I called Mum and Lorraine and I sorted our dinner out. A cheery day.

Working from home today, with half a day's work to do. A pleasant day, and I sauntered off to have a silent haircut afterwards looking like a man of 100 in the mirror. Then return to work on my poetry MS. Everything I touched this afternoon turned to mush though, and I was feeling coldy and tired. Bob called today, from the banks of the Mersey. It was good to hear him. Lorraine and I had a meeting with our neighbours Mark and Nicky and Tom and Mark this evening. Discussing some legal stuff to do with ownership of the common land outside our houses. We were all in agreement, but it still all took a long time. To bed early.