under another sun

A bit strange to wake up in my new house on my own. Lorraine staying with Maureen. The good news was that Pat was improved today, and feeling a bit better. He has pneumonia but hadn't had the stroke that certainly we had first feared. Good for Lorraine to be there, and we spoke several times over the day. Lorraine had arranged for a tree surgeon called Gary to arrive first thing, arrived with his boy Henry. He and backed into the bottom of the garden from the alley and proceeded to feed branches into the chewing machine, and took down the remainder of the bough of the sycamore, and stripped a ring in the bark around the other one, which we discovered was actually supporting the fence, and was full of screws and nails. We are going to kill what is effectively an overgrown stump. I take succour in the idea that we are going to be planting more trees. Gary a nice bloke who clearly knew lots about plants and trees, and Henry, who was I guess 12 or 13 a surprisingly hard little worker. ...

Excitement mounting in the Old Church Hall. Lorraine off to meet Betty, who came back this afternoon, to have their nails done, where Lorraine said they were told an appalling tale of a kitten being savaged by a terrier, but surviving. I went to the gym, for mild mannered workout.  Bob called while I was there. Home and after I showered, Lorraine and Beth arrived brandishing gleaming red talons. Much scurrying about, mainly by me as Lorraine claimed her nails prevented her from doing anything. I cooked a spag bol then Lorraine and Beth sauntered out to be picked up in a taxi, for a girl's night out sipping cocktails with twenty of Lorraine's girlfriends. Meanwhile I sauntered off to meet Matt in the Foundry, where we had a few cheeky beers and a good chat. Then to The Blue Man where the Shakespeare Heptet were doing their thing. I'd never been here before, a lovely place, and the band playing well. Lots of folks there I knew. Chatted with Matt, members of the band...

Broke off from working to watch the Chancellor's Budget speech and the leader of the Opposition's reply. The paucity of the public purse matched only by the intellectual bankruptcy of politicians. No ideas from anywhere a general nothing to be done but grin and bare it from Osborne, and childish finger pointing from Miliband. Off early evening to sit with Klaudia and Oskar while Anton and Anna went to parents evening. Nice time with the Godbairns, who always seem to want to climb over me, despite them being quite large now. Klaudia has a new method of tormenting Oskar, which is to try to pin him down and kiss him. Also we had a good deal of fun talking to Siri on my iPhone, Klaudia getting it to say 'lollipops', which it replayed as 'lolliparps', to general amusement. Then I met Claudius and walked with him to the Old Market in Hove, to a very well run (by Roy Hutchins) poetry evening called iOpen . Really enjoyed the evening, and there was some interesting ...

Shakey in the evening A pleasant day. Felt cheery just walking off to Arkwrights this morning to buy some bacon and eggs. Meditating on how happiness can be found in small things, such as a walk to nearby shops on a Sunday morning. Nothing happened of any consequence, and the short walk is not a lovely one. Breakfast with Betty. She makes Lorraine laugh lots, which is nice to see. Beth trying to think of a new stage name, and saying that she didn't like Beth much. Lorraine disagreed, naturally, having chosen it for her. The three of us out shopping and then Betty went off to see her dad, and Lorraine and I did some deskwork, before she cooking a delicious Sunday roast. In the evening off to support The Shakespeare Trio who were playing a few hundred yards away in The World's End pub. Betty came too for a while before having to scoot off back to college. A long set from Dipak and Richard, but in a poorly lit corner of the pub where it was hard to see them without craning your ne...

A monologue Cut myself a little slack. Found things to do that were fun. Got keys cut for the cleaner, caught up with emailing, and in the evening went off to the London Unity where The Shakespeare Trio were playing. I was given a free copy of their excellent CD. Dipak and Richard on fine form, and really touching to see how cheery Dipak got having to sign copies of the CD and knowing that at least one person had come from as far away as Kent to see them. They played wonderfully. Fingers at The London Unity too and arrived with Claudius and a Danish friend called Bo, or certainly a name like Bo which I attempted several times but not to Bo nor Glen's satisfaction. Also chatting to nice speech therapist Pemma who runs the event. I tried out a monologue, but this not very successful as I hadn't completely memorised the words, and the pub was exceedingly noisy by this stage. But it was useful as I think there is the germ of an idea in that monologue that could be the start of some...