under another sun

Sunday morning, got up fairly slowly. Unfortunately today was going to be a work day for me, due to the 'briefing in the spam file' debacle of a few days ago. Sian came down to see us today. Good to see her, and she had just been on a retreat that did her the world of good. I manacled myself to the desk while Lorraine and Sian looked at art in the Open Houses, in what was a beautiful day. Felt like I was being kept in for detention a bit. Work done for the day, I got a bit of a chance to chat before we gave her a lift back to Brighton Station. Later Sian texted me a link the Monty Python Spam song. Lorraine and I had little food in the house, and so we went for a walk through the park and popped into Pizza 500. Just as we were leaving the park, there was a man sitting by the newt pond with a friend, spouting frankly mad stuff. My spidey senses tickled, I hurried us past. Imagine my feelings then, when the same man came and sat on the next table to us in the cramped little r...

Betty's birthday so first thing we had the 24 year old Betty perched on the end of the bed excitedly opening birthday presents, like someone far younger, before having to zoom off to Eastbourne. I had early chats with Matt about the editing of the DRTV stuff, then the meeting I was due to have this afternoon was cancelled, thankfully freeing up time. Chatted to Sonia a bit who told me about seeing her dream house in Bulgaria when she went back to the old country last. Lorraine having a horrid morning at work, but things gradually improved once she was home in the afternoon. I popped over to see Janet and Ken. Said hello to Ken who was feeling a bit rough and exhausted in the last few days which is making Janet anxious. He went to bed as I arrived, and Janet and I chatted for an hour or so, and she gave me a pokey compost aerator. I hurried home, the temperature dropping noticeably, pausing only to buy some emergency eating chocolate for Lorraine in addition to another bar of ...

The news full of Scotland's vote to stay part of the United Kingdom. It seems to have been a head over heart decision by the Scots. Feel rather sorry for the dismal yes voters, their romanticised vision of an independent Scotland narrowly voted down.   For me, a papal audience with Catherine Pope in the Bath Arms, talking about publishing, politics and plumbers (she has an excellent one called Evita apparently). A bite to eat and a couple of pints. I always enjoy my lunches with Catherine. Sadly had to hurry home, however for an afternoon briefing from the French Bloke and Pat on a job in London starting early on Monday. Ended the afternoon  with Beth and her pal Laura up in the mezzanine playing music as Betty was printing out scripts and so on for her class tomorrow, as well as her panto part to highlight her lines and stage directions, before the girls making off. Lorraine home  and we went to talk to two of our neighbours to discuss some tiresome legal stuff and s...

Up late, after lying abed with my lovely wife. Downstairs to eat scrambled egg on toast. Some hard bit in the bread chipped one of my molars. A cheery morning nevertheless, and Beth, Laura and Lorraine laughing lots. Day filled with filling in forms to do with house sale. Found myself unaccountably tired at tea time and slept for an hour and a half. John arrived, he is sorting some stuff out tomorrow for his student digs, and we went to Pizza 500 where we all had a wonderful, tasty meal. I had a delicious finely balanced pizza, and the best ice cream I've had outside Italy. A matter of yards from our front door, but for some reason we had never been there before. A brilliant place. Unbelievably my foot started kicking off again this evening. Am writing this blog at one o'clock in the morning as the pain of my Job-like affliction won't let me sleep.