under another sun

Conflicting messages about whether they'll need me beyond this week. Either way is fine, but knowing what is about to happen is obviously preferable. Greatly looking forward to our holiday now. Another long walk at lunchtime, the lunch break walks are keeping me sane, and meaning I make my 10k paces easily every day. Off even further down the canal today. It feels harder and harder to turn back towards the office instead of simply carrying on. Below reached Wedlake Street on the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal today, which had the interesting view as below. Also snapped green foliage reflected in office window glass, and this sign as I walked back home from Brighton station.

Sitting diagonally opposite a woman eating with her mouth open and smacking her lips obnoxiously like a Gollum on the train to Victoria. Then as she went through her emails, cursing and making all manner of weird noises. The classic signs of someone wearing noise cancelling headphones. Slouched off. Trouble on the Circle Line and it took an entire hour to get to Paddington. Then at work, my computer didn't work. Frustrated by this, despite not wanting to be. A bit of a stroll about at lunch. Home. Lorraine late so I cooked fish and veggies. Gold sofa with my lovely, then bed. Monday. Bah to it.

Up and feeling curiously perky after a few days downtime. Walked down to Preston Park and worked on poems on the way up to London, trying to finesse a couple of poems about Chad that have not yet seen publication. The train slightly less crowded today, being the first day after Easter. Work fine. Although I had to fill some hours out on their timesheet system, which is the single worst system I have ever encountered. Took just shy of two hours to enter my hours for two weeks. Unbelievable. I went for a good walk at lunch, stumbling across the artwork below glued under a canal bridge. Home slowly, as there was a track fire on the circle line and I ended up getting a bus to Victoria. Feeling fairly mellow about work, as I've only three days before I'm on hols again. I'm reading a book called The Year of The Hare by Finnish writer, Arto Paasilinna. Quite entertaining, and easy to read while on the move, being in short chapters. Home late to my lovely wife, who had been wo...

So to Preston Park this morning in the new car, but feeling heavy and ill and without a joyful song on my lips. Texted Bob on the train, wondering if he were okay after the Russian shenanigans in Salisbury.  To work, without incident, and apologising for being curt on Friday. Friendly folks to work with and a wee stroll by the canals at lunchtime. However, I felt more lively as the day went on. Anton called. Left slightly late, but walked home from Brighton station. Utterly happy to be home with Lorraine and boof onto the sofa.

So off up to Paddington today, to start a new and quite lengthy four day a week stint. Unfortunately I had an unexpected flare up of prostatitis. Stealthy doctor phone calls. Doctor agreed to see me first thing tomorrow. If I became unable to pee at tall (prostatitis can interfere with this kind of thing) then I had to take myself A and E. All this not the ideal backdrop to a first day. People there so pleased to see me and friendly that quite enjoyed the day despite this. I've been parachuted into an account that needs help and the clients are a bit huffy. But I can sort this out, and it felt fine to be back (Paddington is bearable). Quite late home, and walked back from Brighton station. Reading Jane's book on the train. Lorraine had Dawn, Angie and Sarah around having a women's night in. I said howdy, squeezed Lorraine, and left them to it. After a few bits on the computer, I went upstairs to iron shirts. It was International day of Women today. The ticker tape scree...

Practical, tying up loose ends today before my big stint starts in Paddington. A bit of a heart sink committing myself to work there till the summer, but it will make the second half of the year  comfortable, and it is only four days a week so I am hoping this will take some of the relentlessness out of it. I am only tinkering with poems at the moment, and the agent's standard rejection I got for my children's novel today didn't leave me feeling particularly positive about my own writing. These moods pass. The key to being published these days is to be a celebrity first. I think the only celebrity avenue still open to me is crime. Enjoying dipping into Jane's Guernsey Legends book very much. Will start reading it tomorrow and will review it on my other site shortly. So sending the smidge of work for my French friends, then a bit of shopping, subscribing to poetry magazines, laundry, shopping and trying to look after Lorraine, who is having a very demanding week. To...

Lorraine still struggling with the school, which has no water and so can't have kids in. Luckily, the water went on tonight, after she had organised portaloos, and the water company had finally delivered bottled water. Feeling a bit fed up. The previous night was another coughing one. Did a bit of French work and fiddled with poems, but my brain is not working well. Enjoyed binge watching Precinct 99 which Anton alerted me too, undemanding cop fun in New York. Then contacted by Lynne in Paddington, who wants me to work there into the summer, starting... tomorrow. I declined to start tomorrow, but agreed to go up to the smoke Thursday. Brilliantly, they are okay with me doing four days a week. Received a copy of Jane's and Frances Lemmon's Guernsey Legends from Steve Foote at Blue Ormer to review. Lovely looking book, with gorgeous colour plates. Otherwise I saw a boot on the top of a fishy plinth.

Toast and tea with Mum and Mas, fond farewells, then I walked off to Stanmore station. A painless journey to work, despite it raining hard just before I got to Stanmore. Had the best day of work at the Paddington agency so far. The suit Dan is on the ball and helping me get everything sorted, and I was given some extra work on aesthetic beauty treatments that I did quickly and easily, feeling like I was being my agency self again in a way I hadn't been for a while. The day passed quite quickly, and It being Friday helped too. Went to Pret at lunchtime and bought a wrap containing hummus and avocado and other green things. Instead of crisps I bought a packet of crisped kale. As I walked up some stairs a gust of wind blew this packet out of my hand, and showered the man climbing the stairs next to me with kale. I eventually retrieved the packet and scraped the rest into my mouth. Had a stroll along the canal then back to the office. Home rapidly too, and Lorraine picked me up a...

So today was our wedding anniversary. Getting married to Lorraine clearly the best thing I've done.  I took my snoozing lovely a cup of tea and a card, and then melted away somewhat regretfully into the mizzley morning. Journey to Victoria fine, despite leaving a little later. The circle line doomed at Victoria, however, so after failing to find another way to the office I had to get a taxi. I was late, but luckily there had been a fire drill, and staff were outside on the street, so I cleverly blended in with them and nobody was any the wiser. Work okay. I have realised that the way they want me to write for this project is in the tone of completely soulless corporate guff. Now I have understood this, the job should be fairly straightforward. The chief pain of it, will be as we get nearer the event, I will be called on at all hours to update copy and help with presentations and so on, which I think I can cope with. Home, at last, and Lorraine had prepared us a romantic three c...

Less twitchy going into work today. Little to do, other than read through things, and research the nature of the pharma company for whom I shall be writing copy. Sat through several conference speeches. It amazes me how these leaders of industry are a) so self congratulatory, and b) say so little in their speeches. It is full of business phrases but when you boil them down they say almost nothing. Fifteen minute speeches that can be boiled down to three or four sentences. It's a different world. Mooched about in a solitary way at lunchtime again. Found an area just around the corner a bit like an amphitheatre with shops. Bought some food there. Then called Mum for a chat and started walking along a canal side, which was pretty. Lorraine and Beth off at a spa day today being pampered together and getting some quality time together, which I was pleased about, as typically I got an in-house freelance job just as half term started. Have been reading Autumn , by Ali Smith, which J...

So off to the new job. No travel card, so had to pay full whack, over £50. The journey to Paddington fine, although getting up in the dark all of a sudden a bit of a shock to a delicate creature such as myself. Looking forward to getting the first day over, as my last in house job during the Spring was pretty vile and so my confidence wasn't sky high. Hoping I wasn't going to get my satchel kicked around the playground. However, was sat in a corner, given a laptop, and sent loads of background material to read, and get my head around. This took all day. One or two friendly conversations, and Robbie there too with Spore, who is someone I had once worked with slightly years ago. Went out for a walk at lunchtime around and about in Paddington, and ended up buying a disappointing sandwich. The loneliness of the new starter. Phoned Lorraine at lunchtime, and couldn't wait to be home again. Managed to get myself a new travel id card too, had to find a photobooth in Paddington...

Lorraine and Clem the next door neighbour found an expensive bicycle abandoned in the middle of the street this morning. It has been reported by the police and is in our house now. Trying to work on my own stuff today, but very preoccupied by the meeting this afternoon in London with agency I've been negotiating with near Paddington station. I seem to be going to Paddington lots lately. The meeting was bumped for an hour and a half till 4:30. Having to wait all day for it gave me plenty of time to brood, especially when the pop-in for a chat with the head of copy , turned into a semi formal three-person interview. Waited in the lobby for 20 minutes too. However the folks I met were all really nice. I escaped just before six and came straight home. I will find out tomorrow if I they want me. Lorraine and I watching the new Star Trek this evening, and drinking hot chocolate. Then to bed early. We're so rock and roll. Below while I was waiting for the interview, having been...