under another sun

Salty still awol from Mum's. Spoke to Mum a couple of times, and they have organised a campaign of posters and so. Very unlike Salty not to return. Otherwise I took a walk in the afternoon, listening to my astronaut book -- and counting my blessings.

Off to the smoke again, in sunshine. Reading more of The Pleasure of the Text, by Roland Barthes, which was on my reading list while at university, but only now, thirty years later, am I actually savouring it properly and not trying to speed read it. Fascinating about the bliss of reading. Makes me want to smoke Gitanes in a raincoat. Work fun, and sloped off for lunch with Slug and First matie. I had already consumed hummus and oat biscuits at my desk. Had a cheeky beer at lunchtime for the first time in absolutely ages, and after having first worked with Slug about ten years ago, am only now really getting to know him. After work off by tube to Stanmore to see Mum and Mas now with two cats. The new interloper, Felix, a nervous black and white cat. And of course Salty, who is full of the status anxiety that comes from finding that you are now on equal footing with nothing better than a stray. Attended to some wine with Mum and sat about chatting with Mum and Mase for some hours. ...

Gecko in a handbag Up doing a few chores this morning before working on Skelton Yawgrave. Called Ben, who is cat-sitting Mum and Mason's cat Salty, who is apparently in rude health and bringing rodent friends into the house like a feline Fred West. Heard from Joan and Mum in Costa Rica. The intrepid adventurers have now reached the Pacific coast. Joan told me that my mother was "enjoying all the wildlife she can get her hands on. If she comes back with a gecko in her bag don't be surprised." Later heard from Mum that she had been snorkelling. All this a far cry from her hospitalisation just a couple of months ago. Maureen and Pat who came to my house for a cup of tea before leaving for Kent. A quiet afternoon, with Lorraine doing an embroidery and me wasting time trying to fix a computer problem caused by my iTunes. In the evening off to Wayne and Matt's new flat, where we met John and Matt's folks Dave and Anne. Anne displaying her knee, which has recently be...

A happy worker First several hours work for my lovely French client, and also given a brief for a new job to do over the next few days. Chatting to Jeanne was difficult due to the hammering and drilling going on in her office, till it emerged that it had been burgled over the long weekend. After the French work finished, I finalised the a press release and programme with Matt. I sent the press release off to the local paper and radio. Also sussed out a printer nearby to print my words for This Concert. These will be available at the concerts in a signed limited edition of 100. Then down to the Brighton Tavern to put up a poster. Home to write invites, and lay out the libretto booklet before I get it printed. Chatting to Randolph today, who I'll meet for a coffee later in the week. Also to Lorraine, and to Mum who told me an appalling story about Salty bringing a live rat into their bedroom, which then ran up mum's trouser leg, and was later carried struggling out into the garde...