under another sun

Apart from a pre-breakfast lope to Morrisons to buy breakfast eggs and a later foray down to the sea to take a spare key to Lorraine, who'd contrived to lock herself out of the car parked outside Pat and Maureen's place, I happily drew all my tentacles into the house and lurked indoors. All I wanted to do is read The Sea by John Banville which is a magnificent book. I had no desire at all to go out and party, and it was a wild night too with strong gales roaring into Seaford. Instead Lorraine and I preferred to stay indoors and count our blessings. During the day I had a go at writing this blog in a kind of an accounting for the year way. But it ended up being like one of those cringy letters people send you inside Christmas cards. Enough to say that I'm not entirely sorry to see 2024 slink off. There were lots of events: Mason dying in February and me spending lots of time with Mum. Pat and Maureen and Beth and James are all now settled in Seaford. I ended my copywriting ...

Last day of 2023. A grey rainy day in Seaford, matched by a weirdly low mood for me.  However, a cheerful Beth and James called around for a coffee this afternoon, before going off to a party this evening at James's aunt's house. Beth the only person to have noticed that I accidentally shaved two patches from my eyebrows. I had been shaving my beard with my beard shaver a couple of days ago, on number 4. There is a bit under my lip that I take the cut down to number 1. I noticed my eyebrows were getting a bit Leonid Brezhnev and went to shave them, forgetting the number was on 1.   We had a party go to this evening too at Brian and Yvonne's house. A combined New Years Eve and Birthday, for Brian who was born on the first of January.  Patrick and Adele, and two other couples, Rick and Gabby, and Guy and Barbara. Brian had organised games, a sort of quiz of the year, then a how well do you know your spouses competition, which Lorraine and I won, and went away with a chocola...

Showering Lorraine this morning, which requires taping up her arm in plastic bags, and standing in the shower and shampooing her hair and so on. I am becoming exceptional at putting on bras. Looked at a lovely book which Rosie had bought for Beth for her birthday. It is called T he boy, the mole, the fox and the horse by Charlie Mackesy a cartoon book which is selling by the truckload at the moment. I can see why. A lovely drawing style combined with simple wisdoms. It is a lovely thing. A quiet afternoon, Sam and Jade going out. Lorraine and I grabbed a bit of quiet time before girding our loins for the evening when  Anton and Oskar came around. Beth, Sam and Jade we were a merry company. Lots of games played, like charades and Funemployed  and beers and bubbly drunk and snacks consumed. Oskar having fun I hope, and soaking up a few red bulls. A cheerful way to see in a new year and definitely one of my favourite new year's eves. Quite some time after midnight, Anton a...