under another sun

Up with the sparrows on a Sunday, took my lovely some tea and then rain dodged off to Brighton Station where I met Anton, and we trained up to Waterloo South Bank to meet some of our old IBM pals at 12:30 in what had been billed as a direct marketing reunion. We were a bit early and stopped in a pub across the road from Waterloo called The Auberge where I have often been in the past. £7.50 for two halves of lager, blinking daylight robbery. Anton and I soon off to Studio 6, at Gabriel's wharf, a trusty old venue. And soon in and hugging lots of old pals, my old boss Jackie, Sue, Brian, Reuben, Marja, Andy Fitzgerald, Sarah Freems, Terry and Jax. Basically sat about having a bite to eat and a few drinks and catching up. Felt really normal to be chatting to them -- and I still have a lot of fondness for those folks. Interesting how many among us had stayed at IBM: Sue, Andy, Anton and Jax. I took an opportunity too to thank several people for their help in former times, and told Ja...

Have given myself a savage deadline to get enough of the New Idea book sent off shortly after I return from holiday. This means a sprint over the next couple of weeks, but is distinctly achievable.  I feel like I am working with renewed purpose. Some delight and excitement from Betty today, who took the clothes shop card Romy had given her to the shop and found that Romy had put a chunk of cash on it, which represented a small fortune to a student. Also she went to the Basketmakers with Gary in the evening, and they have offered to teach Betty how to pour pints this week: a boon which could lead to more work. In the evening up to Wimbledon with Anton to meet Sarah Freeman and Marja. Anton and I travelled to East Croydon and then caught a tram, provoking a degree of unnecessary anti-tram controversy from Anton. He hadn't seen Marja for about 13 years and spent some time talking about he achieved his super slim figure. He explained his tactic for renewing his wardrobe. ...

Angels Another sweaty night of continuous coughing. My left ear is deaf, roaring with tinnitus. Ironic that having made a CD last weekend, I can't listen to it. I went to the Twitten where I paid John for decking and kitchen fixing. I seems a job well done. Dawn there and luckily she is expert at talking to stern, taciturn builders. She has been my guardian angel in all this house business. Today was Beth's big day. She set off, finally, to The University of West London. Mark stayed overnight and travelled up to Kingston with her. Leaving the Twitten, I met them and Lorraine at the station. Some crying from Betty and Lorraine, but generally all cheery as we said goodbye. Several texts and calls from Beth during the day. Amazingly Betty and Mark were outside Norbiton station, wondering where to go from there, and my pal Sarah randomly recognised Betty from the play in March, and gave them a lift to Betty's new flat. Something reassuring about Sarah suddenly manifesting herse...

French flair and floods Up to the smoke this afternoon to meet my lovely French client Jeanne. We met in the Royal Opera House restaurant. A lovely building to wander around. I was five minutes earlier than Jeanne and I stood out on the terrace looking down on the bustle of Covent Garden below. Jeanne arrived with chic hair. How can hair be chic? Is the question I have since asked myself. But it undeniably was - and probably one of those sinister French things. We sat in the restaurant, squinting into the low bright sun above the square. Good to see her and chat briefly about projects we will work on next year, which will make a nice change from diseases. Then off to Richmond, where I waited in one of my favourite pubs The White Cross , for Mex and Sarah. Waiting I got absorbed in a book of poems, and then looking up saw that the river had flooded and the pub was islanded. Trapped in a pub! The horror. I bought another beer to steady my nerves. Took a while before the water abated and...

A wooden horse called Terry A lazy morning, but in the afternoon Sarah and Fras came to town. I met up with them and Anton and Anna to sit outside the Mock Turtle tea room - with the four children. Klaudia,happily chuckling, poured a variety of milk and tea based products on my knees. Then we all strolled along the seafront chatting, and I did more Godfatherly duties with Klaudia on the merry-go-round, on a wooden horse called Terry. Fun to sail around with Klaudia watching her take in all the lights and the music, and wave to Anna on every circuit. Fond farewells to Fras and Sarah and I walked home with Anna and Anton and the kids. Quite touched when Klaudia for the first time in her life gave me an unprompted kiss goodbye. Then home, for a much-needed quiet night watching the X factor on TV and drinking sparkling glasses of mineral water with a judicious squeeze of lemon.

Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes Now utterly hooked on listening to The Lord of the Rings on my iPod. And although it pains me to write this: Anton was right. He told me that I'd experience it differently as an audiobook. Very soothing hearing about hobbits meeting elves in the Shire as you fight your way onto the tube at Victoria station. Groundhog day at the office: a morning meeting to agree our direction which then the Gnome and me worked on all day. Then at 5pm another meeting which revealed a changed strategy which rendered our whole day fruitless. When they said yes this morning, the actually meant no. Also heard that we lost the pitch last Wednesday despite my stunning performance. Bah. Escaped this, and met Sarah Freems in the Oriole in Sloane Square after work. I enjoyed the people-watching while I waited for her, but we left as soon as she turned up as she doesn't like it there. Instead we sloped off to a pub that Fras knows, where ...