under another sun

Lorraine and I a bit of a day of recovery. A great weight lifting from my shoulders, but Lorraine finding it hard to relax. We went for a walk in Preston Park and had a coffee in the Rotunda cafe. Lorraine broke the shocking news that in her Stardew Valley game she has been having a relationship with a character in the game called called Eliott, a writer who lives on a beach and has lustrous ginger hair. They plan to get married.  Home and slouched about for a bit. From the kitchen saw a fox lurking happily in the back garden, and Calliope watching it fairly nonchalantly. Funny how both cats detest dogs, but they seem to rub along with foxes. I had a snooze in the afternoon and woke up to discover that we had been invited to have a quick drink at sundown on the beach at Hove.  Lorraine and I bussed over to Rosie and Innis and sauntered down to watch the sunset with a drink. Innis making based on stencils from his photographs at the moment, and they look really good. Back to th...

Very pleased that Lorraine got her booster today, and seemed to suffer no effects afterwards. For me: boring and detailed stuff for the Germans. Nice folks though. My soul failing to soar. Chats with Anton today.  Meanwhile in the "real" world Omicron is beginning to explode in the UK as Johnson launched Plan B amid the usual tangle of lies and mixed messages. He is the worst PM in my lifetime. Meanwhile stories and photos keep leaking out how while the rest of us were locked down there were boozy parties going on in No 10 -- not one but several. What a shower of hypocrites and liars.  Meanwhile Richard is sending a stream of Anti-vaccine material to the beermonsters WhatsApp. Making it even more difficult to message him to say I wasn't going to the pub with him tomorrow to celebrate his birthday (Steve did the same) because of omicron. With Lorraine only vaccinated today, I didn't fancy an evening in a crowded pub incase I brought home more than the smell of Harvey...

Most of today taken up with the podcast one way or another. Up early prepping for my interview with Rishi Dastidar. When I worked in Hammersmith, he actually worked in the same agency as me but a few years afterwards. A long chat with him, lasting over an hour, and another half hour after we finished recording. Nice to get to know him a little. In the afternoon, more recording with Robin, proceeded by some hasty more hasty research. All fine, and good to chat to Robin. In the evening, off to the Batty, the new home of the Beermonsters. About five minutes into my walk, a big spots of rain pinged off the area of concern. I walked on gradually getting wet. The monsters already in the Batty when I arrived, and soon after, just as when we all last met, it began thundering. Nice to see these gents. Richard with two pieces of interesting news, that he watched a youtube video about huntergatherers in Africa, who were asked about three things that made them happy. The answer was meat, and then ...

A day, unbelievably, of two pubs.  Quite a bit of work and fiddling around with infernal things this morning. And possible new bit of freelance, but there are many rivers to be crossed first. I walked off to the Royal Sovereign on Preston Street where I went INTO a pub, and had a quick drink with glassmates, Adele, Ben, Rick around the corner, Kate and Fran. It turns out that it had been Adele's birthday recently, which had passed without me remembering. I felt a bit bad about this, as Adele is one of the kindest people I know.  The group ordered Thai food, but I just ordered some nachos with bits on them. Everyone's meal came except mine and eventually as we were all going I ended up having to cancel it and get a refund. However, I did enjoy two pints of  a local brewery's Casual Pale ale.  Then returned home and sent a few more emails, cooked for Sam and Lorraine, and went down to the Open House for  5.00 where we had a table booked. Nick already there, and St...

Sending Lorraine off to the front line, while I simply do some work for my French client and editing podcast material. Also was sent a lead on possible business from a pal, which I followed up instantaneously. Dawn came by this evening, and she had dinner with Lorraine, while I made off to The Caxton. For my musical pals the beermonsters had convened for the first time since February. Jolly good to see them, although The Caxton not our usual haunt, but we were able to sit outside, and soon we were able to move our reserved table to one far away from anyone. I long for the times when you can simply have a beer in a pub with your mates, without neuroses.  Trying not to talk too much about Covid and so on. Alarmed to hear about Richard's strange nerve problem in his back, which means he is limping somewhat and unable to use one of his arms well enough to make a barre cord on his guitar. Apparently temperature triggers the effects, and it came on when he dived into the sea in the heatw...

Back to a more normal routine today. A much cooler day than of late. Lorraine in school this morning, but returned at lunchtime. Beth looking after little Tilly again. I uploaded the new episode onto Skelton Yawngrave TV, and recorded tomorrow's one, and quite a bit of the Thursday's too. A couple of minuscule scraps of work for my amigos in Hampton. Went for a walk up to Hollingbury Hill at 4 o'clock while listening to the Lord of the Rings . Very beneficial in maintaining my sanity. Home and pressed on again for a bit, spoke to Mum. Had supper with Lorraine and then I repaired to my study to have a drink over zoom with the beermonsters. Nice to chat to Steve, Richard and Nick. I sometimes forgot I was sitting in my study staring at a screen with a few tins of beer. Nick drinking all kinds of superior home brewed drinks. Steve self isolating as much as humanly possible as he has asthma, Richard meanwhile has just released the third CD, by the Shakespeare Heptet, which is...

So a cool and sunny Saturday. Lorraine absolutely exhausted by managing the events of the week. Next week she will have only a skeleton school with a handful of children in it. But new rotas and responsibilities have to be worked out. The children have been sent home with work to do, but there will be no examinations this year. We however got up fairly early for us, on a Saturday. Had breakfast with Beth and then Lorraine spent much of the afternoon dozing. She and I went out for a walk in Preston Park this afternoon. Quite busy, although we kept as far apart from people as was possible. Lots of messaging today. This connected world comes into its own, at times like this. Heard from Richard in Guernsey, with a poem saying that weirdness was normality now. I hate the idea of Guernsey becoming infected, as it now is, as to me it was a place of safety in my imagination. I can't wait to get back there when all this has passed. Richard sent me a pdf of Shakespeare's Sonnets Ab...

The extra day of the year. Lorraine and I up late today, but managed to drive off to the Book Nook, where she picked up a box of children's books, and then we went down to the sea. It was deliciously rough, and looked wonderful with the lowish winter sun.  We stopped off afterwards for a cup of coffee and toasted sandwich in the Flowerpot Cafe, before heading home. Soon out again, however, off to St Annes Wells where there was a memorial evening held for Glen. Quite a few folks Lorraine and I knew there. Richard, Claudius, Adam Bushell, and Ellie Blackshaw who played on This Concert Will Fall In Love With You with Glen. Ellie also played at  Lorraine and my wedding. Good to see Maria Grazia too, and I spoke for some time with the composer Barry Mills. Such  a nice man. A humanist conducted the serious part of the evening, and she did a splendid job of it, weaving together various accounts of Glen. His daughters and first wife were there too, and it was very sad and t...

Up with Lorraine, then working quietly on the job from Paris, it's a branding job so there was a fair amount of mind mapping and thinking involved. In the 'd'oh typical' department was offered some work next week by Pat, but had to decline due to my school visits. The news dominated by coronavirus, making me wish, not for the first time, that I wasn't a hypochondriac. In the evening I met beermonsters Steve and Nick in the Evening Star, and then we sauntered down to see Silvana and Richard playing as Bossa Love in the sparsely populated, slightly melancholy Dorset.  I suggested they need some portable lights as they were poked unlit in a dim corner. Toasted Glen's memory as it would have been his birthday today. Cheery talking to my pals though. Home for cheese on toast.

A lazy Saturday morning with Lorraine, breakfast in bed and lengthy chats. In the afternoon Lorraine and Beth went to look at laptops. I however remember that I had promised Richard and Silvana to take some photos of them as Bossa Love. Nipped down to the Peace statue where I had arranged to meet them. Low cloud and very cold in the wind. Bloody freezing it was, and they stripped off to look summery. Faked some sunny photos, and then took some snaps in a nearby hotel and back at Silvana's flat. The photoshoot prompted by Richard having the wrong guitar in the previous snaps I had taken which they had used last year. Nice chat with them, and then I walked back home. In the evening Lorraine, Beth and I off in an Uber to have some grub with Rosie and Innis. Innis had cooked and we brought some beer and just hung out all night drinking a few drinks, and eating chicken stew and cheese and having a really good laugh. Below  a couple of my snaps of Richard and Silvana freezing for the...

Another foggy damp day. Lorraine up and more independent now that her arm is no longer in the heavy cast. I had no urgent tasks and I had the luxury of doing some thinking, and catching up with a few blog posts, and fiddling about with some writing. An old pal Chris Amies got in touch via Instagram to say he had read and liked The Inheritor in Supernatural Tales. Out with the so called Beer Monsters this evening, in our usual Evening Star haunt. Nick was there when I arrived, he is a mine of information about beer and brewing. We were soon joined by Steve and Richard, then two musician pals of Steve's discussing an upcoming Sumerian Kyngs gig. Later we were joined by Claudius, and who had with him a young rapper called Harrison who goes by the name of Aitch  who I asked to find himself on Spotify for me as he was leaving. He was a nice guy and very talented. Later we were joined by Monty Oxymoron  currently keyboard player with The Damned. When I grow up I want to be a wiki...

Up at six thirty with Lorraine but not feeling somewhat hungover. I have four social events planned this week, and after the first of them I feel like I need a week of drinking mineral water. However the day was strangely productive, as I did some really good work this morning, putting together the overarching thought for next year's changes to my business model -- which in my own head I am calling project guru . I think I have stumbled across a way of talking about how the imagination relates to business that may prove quite useful. Beth cheery today, and also helpfully arranging for a man to come and fix the washing machine, which has treacherously broken down again. I had arranged to meet Richard and Steve tonight in the Evening Star, and drank some gorgeous dark porter rather gingerly. The place unusually crammed at first, including half a dozen Chinese guys who filed in to the place slightly nervously and wonderingly, but they were soon supping happily like everyone else. ...

A truly excellent birthday today. Tea and breakfast in bed, and a slow start. Many birthday messages coming to me from lots of folks, including Tobs and Mum. At no point did I feel like screaming sixty! at myself repeatedly in a mirror. It is, like all these so called big birthdays, much better to be it than be on the cusp of it. Maureen sent me a huge and slightly tormenting badge with 60 on it and phoned to wish me a happy birthday. It was however raining steadily all day, so Lorraine had planned a short walk in the country but we biffed that, and went onto phase two, which was afternoon tea at the elegant (if David Lynch sounding)  South Lodge , which was like a tasting menu of lovely but bad things, gorgeous little sandwiches and patisserie and scones and all the tea you could drink. It was lovely stuff and a hold onto your hat sugar rush. A short regroup at home, and then Dawn came to collect Beth, Lorraine and I off to the Bottom's Rest for thali dishes and several beers...

A good night's sleep and feeling less feverish. More than happy just to be able to slump, and recover from the bug and hang out with Lorraine. The friend of mine who died was Glen, and he died in Greece. I texted Matt Had to break the news to him, he was shopping in Leeds. He was shocked of course. His impulse is to do something to celebrate him, and I agree. Richard has gone to Kavala along with another of Glen's friends to get things sorted out. I don't think writing about this any more is appropriate just now. Lying on the sofa watching some Scandinavian cop show with Lorraine, before going to bed feeling safe and happy makes me realise yet again just how lucky I am.

Up to work on the train, found that Matthew had loaded my new short story What You Look For on the Horla site. Into work. Workmen all around making loads of noise, had to leave my desk to find a quiet corner. Began to feel ill and feverish, but consulted my inner Lorraine, and simply popped out to buy paracetamol and have these with tea. A short walk in a nearby park, called Oakley Square Gardens, and then back into the agency to prepare to present the concepts to the MD and the wider team this afternoon, but feeling fairly confident after the meeting I had yesterday evening. The meeting went sour. The creative director who had okayed the ideas yesterday began picking holes and claiming I had not done things he had asked of  me. His role, one I have done many times, was to support the creative presentation, not to try to humiliate his team and lie through his teeth. I  finished this meeting seething, feeling very hot and ill. The man, appeasingly after the meeting, said I c...

Sat at my desk with a sigh of satisfaction this morning, able to work on exactly what I wanted. April Fool! Workmen instantly started hammering on the roof next door, a matter of feet from my study ceiling, so cue stamping, the dropping of bricks just over my head, shovelling etc. Sometimes I think there is a conspiracy against me. Worked downstairs on my laptop, and this was much better. Off then to London to meet Shaila by the Tate Modern. We sat in the cafe and chatted for hours. Lots going on in her life, including the death of her uncle who brought her up. Good to see her though. Seeing someone you have known since you were a spotty herbert at school is quite grounding. Then we walked around Southbank and around Waterloo, I was on the hunt for a bookmark featuring London that I had promised Maureen I would find. Unable to find one, so I have resorted to the internet and have ordered one there. Had a quick drink with Shaila in Vaulty Towers, where I have been with Anton...

Up with Lorraine and the larks and doing some ideas for my French clients for several hours this morning. This all sent off, I walked over to Richard's new flat, phoned en route by Val to discuss the concepts. Arrived at and found him and Silvana ready to be photographed. Fortunately it was a glorious day. We went into St Ann's Well gardens, right by where Richard now is, but there were no good places. We went down to the sea, and I was able to take a few snaps of them. Richard not in his happy place being photographed but he relaxed eventually. As I was doing this, the new clients called asking for some copy tweaks in the middle of this, so had to nip home fairly smartly afterwards to get that work done and returned. Star Trek tonight, with Lorraine, who was somewhat bushed having started a sore throat yesterday. An early night. Below some snaps I took of Richard and Silvana -- aka Bossa Love.

Up and working early on the project for my Parisienne pals, but only after I had blurted down in about half an hour, a complete short story of about a twelve hundred words. Wrote itself guv'. Currently called The Dream House . Broke off for a bit after lunch to zoom off to Preston Street to take photos of Silvana and Richard, as Richard asked me to help. They have a Bossa Nova duo, called Bossa Love. Felt rather stressed by this as work was full on, and they were both looking at me a bit blankly. The venue, called The Medusa, was a nice little bar, and the owner very friendly. However it was a very dark and cluttered interior. I took them outside but it was raining, so all in all not much joy. Leaped on a bus and then made it home quickly and was able to resume work on the animal health business which I sent off at the end of the day. The day a bit of a slog. Very pleased to see Lorraine home a bit earlier than usual, who sorted out some salmon and salad and couscous for our d...

Another glorious day, although it may betoken the end of the world. Lorraine and I up and off to Sussex University, to the Attenborough Centre to see some classical music from the Castalian Quartet. Sadly their number had been redu ced to three, but they played two trios and one two-person pieces instead, which were rather good. After the interval they were abetted by Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhard for the Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor Op 34. All rather splendid, and it took us to a happy place. I knew none of the pieces they had played. The event was introduced by Andrew Comben, who turned the pages for the pianist, which I always think seems a stressful job. A highly appreciative audience. We drove home afterwards, the day cloudless and gorgeous. In the afternoon Lorraine and I popped around next door to for tea and a slice of cake with our neighbours Philippa and Harvey. Their son Magnus able to walk about and say words a bit now. Then after a spot of dinner, I went out to T...

Proper holiday today! Up to London early on a morning when flights were stopped at Gatwick due to a rogue drone menacing the runways. A bit before we reached Gatwick, I saw a Police helicopter hovering over woods, searching for the criminal masterminds at work.  A bit eery and peaceful to go through Gatwick on the train and see no planes arriving or taking off. I arrived early in Covent Garden, and found myself looking for a present for Lorraine, and finding one, which was an unexpected bonus. Then I met Mum for a cheeky two hours outside The Salisbury on St Martin's Lane.  The pub's website says it opens at 11 am, but this was a filthy lie. Instead we went for a walk around Covent Garden, and then were first into The Bear and Staff and as Mum zoomed into the loos, I spoke to the loquacious woman behind the bar. She said at Christmas her family has secret Santa as there are too many of them, and she had not 'got the dollar' for nine presents. Mum horrified by glancing...