under another sun

Lorraine and I up early this morning, and drove off to Stanmer Park for a pottery workshop. I was slightly hungover but it was quite therapeutic pressing bits of plants into white earthenware clay so that they left an impression. Our efforts will be fired and will be collectible in a few weeks. There were about 16 of us on the course, and I was the only bloke. At one point I melted away to the gents where I fell into conversation with the man cheerily cleaning it, who told me he loved his job. He also told me about his passion for being a DJ playing Turkish Psychedelia aka Anatolian Rock. Back to the class lead by a smily woman called Sarah. After we finished, it was only a two and a half hour thing, which passed in a flash, we mooched about in a maker's market and Lorraine got talking to a woman about fabric and buttons. This woman said to me that buttons have history, and it was all I could do not to write a poem called A History of Buttons on the spot. Home for a mid afternoon p...

Lorraine off to Ashford to see Maureen. When she arrived, having bought fish and chips, she discovered Maureen unwell, and took her off to the hospital. They spent the rest of the day there, but ECG and other readings were okay -- but eventually she was kept in overnight. A long day for Lorraine -- and Maureen disappointed not to be released back into the wild. I pottered about at home, had a chat with Mum, and then mooched off to Adele's house, via Morrisons to buy soft drinks, and the jewellers who replaced my watch battery for a mere £5.  At Adele's there was quite a collection of glass mates who had all brought food and so on - and as the event was a Secret Santa with people swapping gifts they had made -- Adele had put some Christmas music on. Adele, Sally, Rick (no longer) around the corner, Frances, Deana, and Jane. I found myself at the end of the long table, and the secret santa presents were distributed. Rick was on my left and started first and Deana who was on my ri...

Up early to do a few bits and pieces of work, then Lorraine and I assembled her new dressing table. A lovely thing it is. Then downstairs to be collected by Adele and Jane. Adele lending Lorraine a food dehydrater for Lorraine to make more of her dried orange slice ornaments.  I climbed into Adele's yellow car and we drove off to Poynings. We ended doubling back and going via Alfreston and then towards Brighton. Plenty of banter in the car, some of it centred on Jane's love of telling anecdotes. The high downs and fields beautiful and still covered with thin snow. Eventually we reached The Royal Oak -- a pub Lorraine and I have driven past on many occasions but never stopped at. Lovely village pub. There we met Sally, Frances, Rick around the corner, and Deana -- and had lunch which, as a non driver, I was able to wash down with a couple of pints of Harvey's Old Ale. Nice to see folks from my old glass class again. Ben unable to make it as he was -- rather mysteriously -- ...

One of those days that makes you question what the hell you are doing with your life. Keith and I had a reasonable amount to do today to finish the job we were working on. Instead Keith went into one of his black self sabotaging moods, raging about computer glitches, suddenly logging off and disappearing an interlude he filled by smashing one of his favourite mugs, which got all over his clothes and he had to wash them and the floor and so on, and generally finding ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. All highly annoying and stressful as the time ebbed away. Needless to say we managed to pull the rabbit out of the hat in the end.  As this was happening I also received a poetry rejection on some work I was quite hopeful for. But more happily had a momentary chat with Mum to confirm I would come on Thursday. Once work was done for the day, and this particular job over, I brooded philosophically for a bit. But later,  I walked around the corner to Rick around the corne...

A very sociable day today, at ten I made off in the rain to Rotunda cafe at Preston Park at ten and met up with Adele, Sally, Frances, Deana, Ben and Rick around the corner in the cafe. Nice to chat with everyone, and was amused by Sally talking about her dog's phantom pregnancy. She has just moved to a big new house in the country, and I pictured it teeming with ghostly puppies.  From there I walked into town, and having plenty of time did a spot of shopping -- two new masks --  before meeting Catherine. Turns out I had the time wrong, and actually was twenty minutes late. We had some lunch in the Bath Arms, and slow pint of beer, followed by a pint of soda and lime. Catherine made me laugh telling me about some infuriating feedback on her writing she'd received from a friend. We celebrated her new job, which required her to learn six programming languages. She is a bit of a marvel, and the job sounds great for her, as it is lightly supervised and working from home. Fond fare...

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month. Out of bed and, pausing only to make Lorraine a cup of tea and feed the cats, before striding down London Road to get my annual fasting bloods done. I wonder if enforced starvation a few days before is going to make my results weird. As I passed Rick around the corner's house, Rick happened to be outside. I told him where I was going, and he said there was a national shortage of vials and wondered if there was something seriously wrong with me if they had authorised it. Hope not. In and out of the medical centre in moments. The nurse, no older than your average victorian chimney sweep, was rapid and efficient.  Home with a loaf of chewy brown. Lorraine, Sam and I chatting in the kitchen and Sam laughing at the word phlebotomist when Lorraine said it.  At my desk unwanted tasks such as having to create an account online at Company's House so I could end my Ltd company made me want to self harm. But with the information my accountant...

Lorraine and I mooching about happily today,  driving to Hove to change a tyre on the car, and to order some carpet to replace the stairs carpet, which looks atrocious and threadbare then to Homebase to buy electrical stuff.   Then off to Seaford, a little seaside town along the coast I have never really been to before. We went to the South Hill Barn to see my pal Adele, who was doing her first ever exhibition of Stained Glass there. The barn itself was on top of a hill, surrounded by countryside, and was near a car park and was a place where walkers congregate. Just a little east are the seven sisters. It was a beautiful location. It was great to see Adele taking wing with her work. I took some photos, not many of which came out nicely. She said that people were asking her about which art school she went to. She hadn't been to one of course, but we all thought that was a compliment. Lorraine brought a little glass heart. Some other interesting work there, including some by a ...

Slept in a little this morning. Heard the door click downstairs as Lorraine left for school and discovered a hot cup of tea my lovely had left for me. Up and tinkering with poems. Decided I wasn't in any kind of mood to do work of any kind today apart from brood over my poems and read poetry journals. Went off to the park at 10:30 at met up with Francis, Ben and Rick around the corner for a cup of coffee in the rotunda cafe. Nice to chat and get out. Still overcast and degrees colder than Lorraine was just a few miles north. Francis gave me a poem she wrote in the seventies to read. Rick around the corner said he had problems with animals burrowing under his house -- probably foxes. A man was going to come and deal with them. Ben showed us a little circular pane of glass on which he had replicated the painting of a bird on a cherry branch.  Home again, and I spoke to Sonia for ages, she showed me lots of photos of beautiful Bulgaria, and recommended Peacehaven as a place to live, a...

Up early... Was going to talk to Val this morning but the wifi in the hotel wasn't working, so eventually we arranged to do it tomorrow. Breakfast service at the hotel dismally slow. We had booked to go in at 9.00 and I only got my breakfast at 9:40 long after Lorraine had her's. We packed up and loaded up the car, and then made off for a lovely walk in town. There was a Seasalt shop which is one of Lorraine's favourite shops at the moment. Then went for a saunter by the river, sitting on benches and watching the stream go by. Very relaxing and nice. Lots of fish in the water too, which I liked. Looking at fish always makes me happy.  Eventually we had crossed a cricket pitch, walked along a road back to the hotel and collected the car. Mixed feelings about the hotel, lovely location and pleasant enough staff, but wretched communication about breakfasts etc. which left not just us feeling disgruntled.  The drive home speedy and quite pleasant. We sucked Sherbet Lemons, as I...

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...

Bank Holiday Monday ...  I made breakfast and cups of tea which Lorraine and I scarfed in bed. As it neared 12 noon, however, it was clearly time for yet another beer. So I strolled down to The Park View where Rick around the corner was waiting. We surged in to the table and spent the next ten minutes downloading the app to order the beers and food. You scan a QR code, which takes you onto the app, where you have to find the right pub, and complete your details and then order, summoning a barmaid bearing a wholesome Guinness for me and a coke for Rick. So much easier than asking someone for a beer and being given one.  We waited for Ben to arrive, as the drink had been his idea. However wires had been crossed, and it was only after a text and a call did he arrived much later on his bicycle having been wrenched from his bed, having spent the previous day labouring for a friend. A good laugh was had, albeit in a pretty fresh wind. And although I had taken the precaution of wrapp...