under another sun

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 -- ...

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...

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 ...

A happy holiday made up of talking to flesh and blood people. Made off to Preston Park to stand about with my former glassmate crew. Lovely to see them, despite an unforgivingly cold breeze. Sally's birthday and I gave her a card, and a nosegay of hellebores.  Rick feeling sad as two of his mates are very unwell. Otherwise I was given a slice of lemon drizzle, and chatted happily in distanced circles with Fran, Sally, Adele, the two Kates, Jane and her husband Ian. Ben there too and we walked back across the park talking about sacred geometry among many other bits and pieces -- it was so good to see him. Then the big excitement of the day... Lorraine and I went off to see Anton in his garden, which looked fabulous after he has put lots of effort into planting, and redoing all the brickwork. It felt like being on holiday sitting in the back garden playing a few hands of Euchre. Despite being blinking cold was quite bright and sunny and Anton treated us to delicious olives with hot ...

Off  to the park this morning, and saw my glassmates Ben, Adele, Sally, Kate, Kate, Deana, Francis and Jane. Felt rather ashamed as I turned up empty handed, and was given a mince pie and a bottle of Adele's blackberry vodka, and three cards, and a small bar of black handmade soap by Deana and a box of chocolates from Frances, and a tree hanging from Jane.  Lovely to chat to them, standing in two rings in the park which was cold and bit windy. Walked back across the park with Ben afterwards, hoping for better times next year.  I bought a card for Sonya to slip into her bag of wee pressies, and wished her happy Christmas, from a distance of course, like all the business of the day. Chatted to Mum and Anton today. Lorraine's last day at school today, which was excellent. Home, tired but with bags of pressies. However not long after being at home, a phone call which meant she had lots of work people to call till seven. I collected a curry, and we had a happy night indoors be...

Lorraine attracted to the idea of doing nothing this morning, and so I sauntered down to the park and met up with some of my glass homies, Adele, Sally, Kate, Ben, Chris and Rick. Cheerily sat in a ring on the grass, while the sky looked as if it were about to open at any point. It did not. Feeling sad looking at my lightning app on my iPhone which keeps pinging with nearby storms, but they never come here. Boo!

Walked off this morning to Hove, rather a long walk, but I was listening to my Ancient Egyptian lectures as I paced. There I met a circle of my glass amigos who were having a socially distanced circular doughnuts, outside Chris William's hut. Very sunny when I got there. Found Adele, Sally, Rick, Chris, Kate, Kate and Jane there, Ben arrived a little later. Lorraine joined us towards the end, but was blinking freezing. She and I mooched along the seafront back to the car. Amazing how this little group of folks has stuck together through the thick and thin of things over the last few months. A nice bunch of people. Ben offered me help restarting my window making, which I am keen to get on with. Just the best of Brighton. Lorraine and I drove home and had hot coffee afterwards, which was rather nice. Below Chris, with his beach hut, in a moment of sunshine, Chris wrapped against the cold and Ben, Lorraine and Adele.

Up and finally heard from my French clients. I had emailed them this morning, having had an anxious dream that they had gone out of business. They said they had been very busy, and would get back to me this morning with feedback. I got it at 6:05pm, and simply ignored it. Otherwise working on a my new updated track record document to send to potential new client. A few emails, then off to the park to day hello of a ring of glassmakers on the grass, chatting with Ben, and Chris Williams, Adele, Rick, Sally, Kate, Frances and Jane. They were eating donuts, and so I had one too.  Ben has lost lots of weight, and is eating lots of fruit. Then my first proper haircut since Valentine's day in my usual barbers called Clippers. However three of the five guys have left, two retired and one left for new pastures. I had my hair cut by the new woman, very chatty with tattoos and piercings and full face visor who charged me about six quid more than the last time I had it cut there. Stil...

Up early and made the last few changes to The Grieving, which is the name of the strange story I have been working on, it is only 4.5k but it took quite a bit of getting right. I'm going to set it aside for a bit now, before I think of unleashing it on the world. Then to Preston Park just down the road, where I met some of my glass friends. We all sat in a big circle near the Rotunda. Adele, Sally, Ben, Rick and Frances, two Kates, Dena, and Jane.  It was all very sociable, but still odd sitting far away from people. I was sitting nearest to Adele, Ben and Frances, and enjoyed chatting to them particularly. Ben has lost lots of weight, being on a steady diet for some time. There was a cool sea mist today in Brighton, so it was not hot at all. I decided to go for a walk, and ended up mooching off to the Hillfort Again. Tired however. When Lorraine got home, she had her post school shower and we sat on the bed chatting for a bit, and I fell sound asleep for three-quarters of an h...

Vindictive and relentless rain. Dragged a heavy case of books down the hill to Preston Park. Utterly soaked to the skin by the time I got there. Then to Balcombe via Hateful Heath. Hauled case up stairs and along the path up to the village. Forded along the running muddy stream that was the tarmac path. Arrived in the school, and was greeted in a friendly way, and given a cup of tea. Children somewhat fractious as they had to play indoors at lunchtime. Did a big afternoon session with the two lots of year groups in one class. The teachers left me to get on with it. Spoke about the things I had been speaking about at Downs, but this class a bit less engaged, however I still had fun with them. I signed a boxful of books, which made the case much lighter. Trundled back down to Balcombe station through the biblical flood for a half an hour wait in the cold for the train. Soaked again, despite wearing my Berghaus, but a mother and two kids were on the platform, and one of them whipped out...