under another sun

Extremely windy. Storm Bert. Problems with the train, so Lorraine and I made off to Brighton by bus. We met Penny and Steve in the Dishoom Permit Room . The food very nice but the restaurant very popular and a bit cramped. Also noisy. Now I am an old codger I enjoy a bit of tranquility while strapping on the nosebag. However, we enjoyed ourselves and caught up with Penny and Steve, both recovering from colds, but otherwise chipper. My main from the 'Ruby Murray' section of the menu was a Dishoom Chicken Ruby, lovely it was in a rich satisfying sauce with a lingering peppery warmth.  After lunch, Lorraine made off back home, and I lurked in Brighton for a bit, being happily buffeted on the peir the sea was white and the wind, especially when it funnelled down the street leading onto the seafront enough to blow people so that they were staggering along.  Met Anton in the Hampton and we had a cheeky drink there, and Anton ordered some food, which I picked at. Lots to catch up on,...

Up and another gorgeous day. Lorraine and I did a bit in the garden, including varnishing a window cill, one of many that will have to be done. In the evening Lorraine did some planting out of vegetables into the raised beds, and I did a spot of watering newly planted things. At midday, a beautiful leafy drive to West Hoathly and a pub called The Cat, where I'd been once with Anton after a walk, to meet Penny and Steve. We had an excellent Sunday lunch in the pub garden. Nice to see Penny and Steve who I'd not seen since they'd been to Japan -- a challenge for Penny as she hates fish. Meanwhile in the Cat I had some generous slices of roast beef trusting that the threat of orc foot will be staved off by my allopurinol. Washed it down with a Wobblegate cider, from Bolney near Lorraine's last school. Just once every couple of months red meat is marvellous. A Great Dane type of dog, but in grey, in the garden, that even I found it impossible not to smooth its head when pas...

 Lorraine and I off on the train to Brighton at lunchtime. Walked down through town to meet Penny and Steve in Mowgli, a restaurant with good quality Indian street food. We had things like bhel puri and gunpowder chicken, and home lamb curry, sat on seats with ropes for backs. Some seemed to be actual swings. A savage price for beer, but luckily I only had the smallest bottle of  Cobra I'd ever seen. Interested by Steve telling us about the paper he is delivering in Japan about synthetic rubies discovered in a sunken ship called the SS Persia -- sunk without warning by a dastardly U-boat in the Mediterranean in 1915.  After lunch, and fond farewells, Lorraine and I walked up towards the station, through the back alleys and my old Twitten, Camden Terrace. We went to the Batty, where we met Anton for a bitterly contested three-way game of bones, and a few beers. The Batty on the brink of change, the regulars fear for it.  Lorraine and I sloped home to cheese on toast. ...

Another fine frosty morning. I mooched off to buy some bread first thing, then a bit of light tidying before before Penny and Steve called around, looked at the house sans boxes, and had coffee. As we left for town, we spoke to David next door. His front garden is now a cheery tableaux of assorted reindeers, a snowman a polar bear and Christmas trees and lots of other lights.  After a short walk by the sea, we went into Amy's kitchen. Penny specified she didn't want it spicy, and I said I liked spices. Penny's was red hot with chilli and mine was as mild mannered. Nevertheless really tasty. Penny refusing to make a fuss about the her meal.  After fond farewells, Lorraine and I made our way to the Crypt where we met up with Steve and Robin and Nick for the open mic poetry reading, with a guest poet called Louise Taylor who Robin knew who is a performance poet who delivered poems about food, especially cake, and the uselessness of men. The Seahaven open mic poets were often i...

Up for toast and tea in Edgware with Mum. Got the trusty yellow notepad out and tried to work out next steps. Lorraine explained to me that the hospital should make a discharge plan for Mas, which may involve care. I had no idea what this might look like so I called Carl who explained that there would be a social worker involved and that the care was arranged through the local authority. This all very helpful. Then mum fished out a red folder on the table we were sitting at, which had all the contact details in the local authority and the care provider she had already been dealing with. This an amazing find as it gave me all the contact details. Mum also looked at her emails and I forwarded myself some correspondence from the care people from six months ago. Basically they had a bit of care, with people calling around to help Mas shower and so on in the morning, but they cancelled this in the first lockdown. The physiotherapist called mum, and clearly a discharge plan is being formulat...

Lorraine and I off to Sole Sisters this morning, where our feet were buffed up and cosseted by an excellent and podiatrist. She confirmed I had a mild case of nail fungus, but I was told I had been doing the right thing with creams and so on.  After this, we paced off to Raven's bakery, scored two apple pastries and scoffed them at home with coffee. Lorraine drove us to Horsham, through some windy autumnal lanes, where we did some shopping. I had read that you can buy Guernsey butter from Waitrose -- there was none left. Fun shopping with Lorraine.   In the evening Steve and Penny came around, and we walked down to the Station pub, the other side of Preston Park Tube station and strapped on the nosebags. Surprisingly delicious food washed down in my case with a few pints of Harvey's. Steve and Penny well, and very pleasant company. Penny, who was a headteacher till recently, is now doing some work working as a magistrate. Steve still working hard as an assayer of jewels. ...

Low key day, as Lorraine under the weather, and I felt curiously bushed too, and slept for an hour in the afternoon. Got up very late, and dug out some email addresses to send to Madeline for Ken's will. Out with Penny and Steve this evening to Indian Summer. I went with Steve to park the car, and Penny and Lorraine went into the restaurant. A bracing walk along the seafront with him. A jolly good meal and a good chat. I do like their Hyderabadi Chicken very much. Penny had read Magnificent Grace and had liked it too, saying it reminded her of Neil Gaiman's Coraline a bit. Praise indeed. I should read it. Steve giving us an insight into the tricky dealings with people in the gem trade. I'll happily stick to scribbling. A lift home and a bit of Match of the Day, although Chelsea lost today to West Ham.

An early appointment at the vet's office. Brian melted away into the back garden's refusing to come when called just as we were due to leave. Lorraine drove me with a yowling Calliope to the vet's and came home again, and managed to scrobble Brian who was fooled into returning back indoors again, but not without sustaining a scratched arm. Calliope meanwhile simply sat on my lap in the waiting room. Calliope has lost a little bit of weight, but the gentle vet seemed unconcerned. Brian is a bit heavier than the last time they were weighed, as he was ill that time. Both were deemed okay though. Home to scrambled eggs on toast.  Later Lorraine went to the hairdresser and I went to the gym, but feeling distinctly underpowered. Had to stop suddenly after about 25 minutes pushing it on the cross trainer as I had a moment's stabbing pain at the base of my throat. Obviously I catastrophised but the loud burp I gave a few minutes later suggested it was indigestion. Now raining...

More house stuff today. Domestic things being what this year seems to be about despite my best writerly efforts. Choosing showers and bathroom furniture today. Some time in the bathroom shop, which was good clean fun. And then we drove off to the tile place, which was closed. Something happens to a persons brain when confronted with a range of near identical looking shower heads and you're asked to choose.   Before we went to the bathroom place, we also person-handled our second (or booze) fridge from the dungeon. It had started to leak noxious stuff from the back, which smelled evil, and was about 20 years old. Off to the recyclers with it, but not before dropping the bastard thing on my big toe. A quiet afternoon, with Lorraine needing to sleep and repair. In the evening we were collected by Penny and Steve, and went to Mediterraneo a tiny restaurant near Preston Circus, which only seems to open on Friday and Saturday. Great food though, essentially excellent home made Itali...

Up reasonably early for a Saturday. I sloped down the road to buy a chewy brown loaf and made Lorraine and I breakfast of egg and bacon sandwiches. Anton called around for coffee as we were finishing them, and to get some official documents witnessed. He has been to meditation and enjoyed it, and was generally in a good mood. While Anton was here Sarah called around with the young Zach, who briefly dazzled us with his mathematical skills, to drop off   Sin Cycle with her comments.  Zach a delightful boy, and was impressed that Lorraine was a headteacher apparently. Anton left soon after, with shopping to be done. He and I will go for a beer on Wednesday all being well. I had a look a bit later at Sarah's comments, she had put much work and thought into it, as she does everything, all in her very characteristic handwriting. Once you tune into it, it becomes legible and all the more exciting for having deciphered it. I then had another slightly manic bout of The Big Sort ...

A happy day, moving books around, and putting some books onto our new Antonn shelving in downstairs, and rearranging the spare room. I also had a bit of a book cull, which is something I almost never do. But there are certain things, such as copies of old poetry magazines with none of my poems in that can happily go to the dustbin of history. This means that Lorraine and I have been able to organise the books better through the house. I am beginning to know where my stuff is now, and it is a good feeling. Feeling very happy to be doing this with Lorraine. Simple things are great fun. Off this evening to see Lorraine's pal Penny and her husband Steve just outside Horsham. A pleasant evening, though I felt self-conscious beginning to snuffle and cough again, and hoping I wasn't infecting them. They showed us photos of Victoria Falls, and wildlife in Botswana having been there a few weeks ago. It looked an amazing trip. Home under a getting quite full moon, which is apparently...

Saturday and a leisurely start, but I made off around lunchtime to the gym, and generally felt rather worn out by the time I'd pushed myself on the treadmill of half an hour. Then straight to Sainsbury's where my lovely wife and I did some shopping, encouragingly buying things like Pimms. Home and Beth was back from Portugal looking sunny and cheery, and with a short horizontal line of mozzie bites on her back. John with us too before they melted away to the Preston Park Tavern. An afternoon snooze with my lady wife, followed by getting things sorted ready for Penny and Steve to visit. Lorraine cooking her trademarked chicken stew with lettuce and grapes, I tried to tidy the garden for a bit.  A pleasant evening with them. Penny a headteacher too, so both Lorraine and Penny in an end of term  cheer. A long lingering supper with wine and pleasant company. Most Saturday are lived in the realisation that Lorraine has to work on Sundays. So this was much easier.

Up fairly early, feeling a bit rough again. The girl next door having a teenage party into the small hours. Then went off into town, being delayed by a demonstration for homeless people who have died in the city carrying mock coffins in the rain. Two people boarded, a father and son, talking about ways to disrupt society, such as spreading the road with tacks. In the cafe I wrote a transgressive poem about scrotums in the spirit of Chuck Palahniuk in a cafe (it may not be my finest hour) while waiting for Lorraine to come out of the hairdressers, which she did looking sleek. Popped in at Wayne's shop and had a long chat with him. He is working in kitchen design. Lorraine noticed a beautiful painting on the wall set off the kitchens perfectly. Turned out it was the board he had rested his paint tins on when he was redoing the shop. Then there were rehearsals. A good session. I am reassured that the piece is beginning to work as drama too. I like it when the play makes sense an...