under another sun

Friday and a long-postponed walk with Anton. Who called around for me at 9:30. We did about 14 or 15 miles eventually, walking up past the Hillfort, into Stanmer Woods, down to the Amex Stadium in Falmer, then up over the Downs towards the sea at Rottingdean, which I just looked up and means the valley of Rota's people. From there a brief pause, a snack and then along the seafront back to Brighton. It was a walk full of variety, from the iron age hill fort, crossing the bridge into Woodland at Stanmer Park, passing Brighton's new football stadium, designed to be in sympathy with the downs, and across farmed downland, and alongside the sea into the buzz of Brighton's seafront. Anton eyeing with approval the little powered scooters ridden by some rather well groomed men driving up and down Marine Parade.  Up the last haul up a hill to The Crescent Pub where we went into a pub together for the first time since February 12th. All sensibly run. Had to add your name and phone num...

A cheery day. L booked flights on her iPad this morning for our summer holiday. General fussiness much improved after a good nights sleep today. Lorraine and I drove off to Janet's flat where a sale of her fabrics, bits of embroidery and materials was going on. The money going to Martlets. We bought some fabric, and a couple of half started embroideries, and a pair of her books about Japanese brush technique. Madeline was there, and we had a good chat with her about various bits to do with the estate. She has worked tirelessly as executor. I like her very much, and so does Lorraine. After this, we popped around to Canhams and bought a couple of excellent pies, and went across to Caffe Nero and scored some takeaway coffees and sat in the car and scoffed them. Then off to Rottingdean. There was an exhibition of contemporary stained glass in the tradition of Burne-Jones, in the Grange, put on by the Rottingdean Preservation Society. Lots of nice windows with painted glass, but lit...

A slow start to the day, doing homey things. Eventually we were drawn out into the outside world, given that it wasn't raining for once. Off to Rottingdean where we took a spray dodging walk under the chalk cliffs with waves at high tide slamming into the sea wall. Afterwards went to Smugglers Fish and Chips for a portion of chips, and ate them on a bench looking out to sea in the sun, planning our trip to Guernsey. Then we went in search of aquarium plants, and bought some in the pet shop in Baker Street. Bought some Java fern on bogwood, and did some aquarium business when I got home. A quiet evening. Below, shots taken with my iPhone. Loving the sculptural shapes the water takes on.