under another sun

Locked the cats out of our bedroom last night, as we had the Juliette windows open, and Brian has a tendency to fling himself amateurishly out of them only to get trapped on the roof below, is to be avoided, given that it is four stories down. Instead Calliope clawed poltergeist style at the door till I had to get up and feed her anyway. I made us breakfast in bed, and the took it upon myself to advance my theories of how postmodernism has contributed to the new post-truth era to Lorraine for some time. Poor woman. A quiet day today. Much needed. I'm still feeling shattered, and find it difficult to focus on anything much. Popped out briefly to a local Open House where Lorraine bought herself a little necklace she had seen at the beginning of the open houses. Otherwise attended to a few bits and pieces, pottered in the garden, listened to a radio show about the multifarious health benefits of turmeric (Lorraine and I later made a simple omelette with turmeric in it, which taste...

A more peaceful day today. Got up and attended to a few must-do admin bits. Booked tickets for the theatre visit with Klaudia. Then walked down the road to join Lorraine, Rosie and Dawn who were lurking about in nearby Open Houses. Mooched about looking at art, though nothing calling to me this time, and really enjoyed chatting with them. A very deep conversation about life and self worth in one of the gardens while eating cake and drinking tea. I find myself with an excellent wife and excellent friends. A bit of a Sunday night shadow descending though at the thought of going back down to the salt mines tomorrow. Not long now though. Only two more weeks of the current job. A big kerfuffle in the back garden today while I was working in my study. Beth and I watched Brian and the next door ginger tom Cactus screaming at each other in the garden. They had got to the point where they stood frozen in front of each other. Meanwhile a large fox walked around them, sat by the pot in the ...

Saturday, but Lorraine and I up fairly early, after I'd brought my lovely wife up breakfast in bed. Phone call from Maureen this morning, reading out a bit from the Daily Mail, talking about Dylan , his grandfather and grandma who will be coming to  A Glass of Nothing , her first outing since becoming a widow to support Dylan. Things to be done, and Dawn came around to our house and we went for a quick mooch around in the Open Houses. Biffing into quite a few. Although I most love paintings, it is the crafty bits and ceramics that tend to appeal more to me in the Open Houses. Having said that, if money was no object I'd come away with armfuls. Then Lorraine drove me down to the school where we rehearse. I took a firm and positive line today,  and we worked at the three or four spots in the play where there were line glitches. Dylan has a difficult bit where he is doing a similar thing and saying similar lines three times in the play, but we managed to get this sorted throu...

An open house This morning off to see Janet and Ken. I took over Ken's poem which I had framed. Ken chuckling when he reading through the poem again, which made me very pleased I'd done it. When I arrived Janet was taking possession of a Brighton Open Houses banner. She is going to be curating an open house, her own, for the festival. She will be exhibiting some of her own work too, and showed me some more of the fabrics she has been making, which really are rather beautiful. She is also working on laptop cosies, which is rather a good idea for folks who carry their laptop about. I also suggested she might consider using some of Mum's paintings. A relaxed afternoon watching rugby on TV. In the evening around to Lorraine's house and then out for a guilty curry, which this time I could taste. Below a detail from one of Janet's bags.

In the Open Houses Off this morning to go to some Open Houses with Lorraine and Diane. This is part of the Brighton Festival, where dozens of houses all around town open their doors becoming temporary venues for art exhibitions. First off to the other side of town to one of Diane's pals Caroline Ying who was showing some jewellery, including a beautiful four fingered ring. Diane treated us to cake and coffee in the garden. The sun was out in full force. Then to several other Open Houses where there was some nice stuff, though none that made my eyes pop out. Lots of average photography although I was drawn to some papier-mâché clocks by Juliette Pearce. Good fun, and nice walking about looking at all the art on the trail. One of the stops was a Catholic church, and it was quite odd to walk into church, which smelled strongly of incense. After a taxi ride back to the station, fond farewells with Diane who returned home. From there to Seven Dials where my favourite collage artist Mar...

Into the open houses again Two happy afternoons with Janet snooping around Open Houses in the Brighton Festival. Some incredibly variable stuff on show. Found myself suprised by liking most two things I normally don't like. Particularly enjoyed some meticulous, witty and surrealist collages by Maria Rivans . I normally despise collages but her's were excellent. And she seemed very nice too. Janet wanted us to go to see Alison Hermon's strange dresses made with reclaimed and recycled plastic bags. You walked into a darkened room with taped birdsong, and there were half a dozen illuminated plastic bag dresses suspended from the ceiling, to represent family members. Strangely good. On Saturday night I had supper with Janet and Ken and lots of chatting and cheeryness - not to mention vast amounts of food, and some wine. Working on my poems quite a bit too. And caught up with Sprinkles a few times too. Below a Felon on my wall (there you are Romy x)

Into the Open Houses Bleary start to the day caused, in my mind at least, entirely by Brian insisting we drink some unidentified and unspeakable concoction in The Eddy . In the morning met up with Anton, who said he felt like a hobo. He was wearing his big coat and pushing a pram with two babies and laden with a rucksack and black plastic bags full of duvets. We walked slowly up the steep hill of Guildford Road like a hungover Frodo and Sam clambering up Mount Doom. Back out into the blustery morning with Anna, Brian and the babies to the cafe in the park where we all had breakfast. The adults moderately subdued. But the bubble-and-squeak, and cup of splosh eventually proved quite helpful. Klaudia very happy and helpfully adding vinegar, tomato sauce etc to my food and, once outside, revelling in puddles and the swings. Young Oskar very well behaved too. Lively weather today. Blue skies alternating with hail, rain and gales. Janet and I spent a happy afternoon driving around Brighton l...