under another sun

Lorraine and I up early, and had breakfast with Sian. Lorraine stayed at home, making a delicious mushroom wellington and collecting Pat and Maureen. Sian and I went for a stroll along the sunny seafront starting at the happiness sign and walking along to Splash point. I enjoyed having a long chat with her, about all kinds of things from the Gaza situation, Trump, to therapy and the nature of memory.  Back for Sunday lunch. The wellington was delicious. Lorraine had also made an apple and sponge cake, which we ate with custard. Maureen telling stories of childhood to Sian and Lorraine saying these need to be recorded, like Maureen's memory of cooking as a young one, with her sister Rose preparing winkles, and them sticking the little protective discs that winkles have to their faces as decoration. Then Lorraine drove Sian to the station and Pat and Maureen back home, and Lorraine and I with a happy sigh, sank into the gold sofa having had a quiet evening, both quite tired and happy...

Sian arrived today, Lorraine met her at the station and they enjoyed doing some shopping together -- and they popped in to see Pat and Maureen's flat. Meanwhile I did a few bits of my own writing, and went to the gym... where yay! I was able to reclaim my lost ear plug case, without which my earphones don't work. Felt good doing some exercise after the excesses of recent days. I seem to be in a very sociable phase. We all hung out in the afternoon chatting, and then I cooked dinner, a tasty chilli even if I say so myself. In the evening we watched a movie called Arbitrage together, starring Richard Gere as a morally dubious money driven guy in extremis. He was excellent in it.

Up and breakfast with Pat and Maureen.  Later Pat and Maureen spent time enjoying watching a Davis Cup tennis match on TV between Finland and Australia. We wanted the Finns. In the evening they were watching darts. They love games on TV. Sian came down from London. I collected her from Seaford station, and we sat about chatting. She was in good spirits, and we caught up as Lorraine cooked vegetable lasagne, using, among other things, a celeriac Lorraine asked me to dig up from the raised bed. Our celeriacs are big things, the size of large pineapples.  Lots of chatting with Sian, and then she and I walked to the Martello tower and Seaford Head, and we met Lorraine, Pat and Maureen there, who had a walk in the sun. A cold but beautiful day. Enjoyed chatting with Sian about all kinds of things. Quite a bit about the situation in Gaza. She had recent been on a protest that culminated outside the new American Embassy.  Home and we all had a late lunch in the dining room. A re...

Up early and breakfast with Sian, then a frenzied bed business of dismantling the bed in the guest room, which Beth and James were zooming round with a man with a van to take to their flat, and replace it with my old one, which Beth had. The man with a van was a great character, extremely helpful and we all felt we knew his life story by the time the beds had been swapped fully dismantled and swapped. Everyone got involved. Lorraine greatly admiring of his power tool which she made me photograph so she can buy one in future. I told him it was a chick magnet. A relaxed time lazing in the back garden and chatting with Sian about all manner of things before she set off back to London. I walked her to the station. Lorraine and I very fond of her. Then preparing for another week of Greg and Dan coming to paint and decorate. Below and significant power tool, excellent for screwing and unscrewing things and an obvious chick magnet.

Up earlyish and off to Seaford Station where we met our new friend Delores, and zoomed off to Brighton to see the Van Gough live experience in the Brighton Dome.  Van Gough images projected onto vast screens. Sometimes these had been animated. Sometimes the crows flapped  or a windmill turned or cherry blossom fell or, worse, a train chugging along a track. Also irritating was how the images had been cut to fit the music, so that the music was prioritised and not the visual work. Erik Satie being used twice (I love me a bit of Satie) and a bit of Japanese music to hamfistedly underline the cherry blossom picture and his copies of Japanese prints. Also a few plonking computer generated stars before his pictures with stars in, and film of corn to remind us what the Cornfield with Crows was about and so on. While it was lovely to be immersed by his images, I found the experience annoying. Upstairs section was weak. A few artificial sunflowers in an infinity room of mirrors, and a...

A relaxed Boxing Day. Lorraine and I enjoying chatting and hanging out in the morning with Sian and Jade and Sam.Christmas bubble and squeak for lunch,  I did a spot of work preparing for my next podcast interview, and afterwards took myself off for a walk up to the hill fort to get a breath of air, Jade and Sian having mooched off to the seaside, and Lorraine enjoying Star Dew Valley. A big day on the cyber farm as she found a dinosaur egg. I enjoyed my walk despite a superabundance of dogs and played with my camera.  We all played played Yahtzee a dice game in the evening, which Lorraine won and Sam was in his element.  Watched the film Don't Look Up late, a satire of modern life and Ecological destruction. A giant meteor is hurtling towards Earth but the scientists fail to elicit a response from politicians or business which will allow the world to be rescued. A bit heavy handed, and not as funny as it thought it was, but still worthwhile I thought. Took shots facing ...

Christmas Eve and everything happening today. Lorraine and I pottered about getting things ready.  Sian arrived this afternoon, and Beth and James came around. The now traditional spread, with lots of salmon which was nice.It was decided that presents should be opened on Christmas Eve this year, continental style. James, Sam and Jade, Lorraine and I swapped presents (continental style) on Christmas Eve as Beth would be at James's mum's place. A cheery time, with Sam wearing the Santa hat and distributing presents.  After the presents done, I amassed many socks and a pair of excellent trousers a book about smugglers pubs in Sussex, among other bits, we played a game of Cards Against Humanity which was ribald fun.   

Trying to get things sorted with my bank, various admins, once I had crawled out of bed. Keith texted me at around nine to see if I wanted to talk to him about today's work. I texted back I was still in bed, which made him laugh. I had a new brief today, the Teams meeting with perhaps as many as twenty people from various locations in the UK and US. Meanwhile Sian arrived and everyone except me, packed up the van with Jade's belongings. All a bit emotional, as Sam is staying here for the time being. She is nervous about it, and sad to be leaving Sam behind. Sam feeling sad too, and both mums wanting everything to be okay. Was able to break away from work in time to hug Sian and a tearful Jade before she left. Sam and Lorraine and I all a bit sad afterwards. 

Another fish in the tank this weekend, with the welcome arrival of Sam who will be followed in a couple of weeks by Jade. living with us for a while, till the unpleasantness blows over. Lorraine collected him and a carful of stuff from Sian's place in Kingsbury on Sunday. Sian is moving to a new home, and Jade is staying for a couple of weeks to help her get everything sorted. Sam arrived safely and in good spirits. Otherwise on Saturday Lorraine spent time playing computer games and chatting with Beth. I am working on poems, and it is going quite well. Also I took myself for a long walk. Rather revelling in what was for me effectively a four day weekend -- as I don't start work on the new freelance work till Tuesday. Sauntering about looking at the skies moving rapidly in the wind. Taking photographs with black and white in mind. Including this path that was glistening in the sun, and the others of cloud tones. 

Christmas Day, and Lorraine texted by Beth, who still radiated excitement about Christmas. Up and we'd only just finished breakfast before Beth and James came around. James just popping in for coffee and a mince pie while Beth was Christmas elf and we unwrapped presents, quite a few were joint ones for him and Beth seeing as they are now officially living together. Good to see him.  Then we were three, although we FaceTimed Mum, Pat and Maureen, and Sam Jade and Sian. Lots of lovely pressies. Lorraine bought me a bottle garden, which is something I have always wanted. Among other gifts, Anton gave us Woof Woof sauce, which is excellent. It briefly crossed my mind to suggest Woof Woof Turkey, but perhaps not.  Most of the day spent mucking about, with Beth our harbinger of Christmas in a dinosaur jumper. A good deal of  sitting in the kitchen laughing and drinking bucks fizz. A relaxed Christmas day, although we still laid the table and put candles on. Great food, lots of ...

Off by car to Elstree, and the early fifteenth century Waggon and Horses pub on Watling Street where Lorraine and I met Mum and Mas. Really good to sit in the beer garden, at an appropriate social distance and have a bite to eat and my second pub drink with them. Luckily the sky, having been cloudy all the way up, allowed some sunshine. Mum and Mas on good form generally and we sat outside for about three hours, the first time since well before lockdown. Strange not to see them in screens, and good to just be able to spend a good amount of time together. Mum snuck off and paid for the meal, which was kind of her too. Mum and Mas had all day breakfasts, which they have lots there.  The woman who looked after us, really pleasant and cheery, and recognised them, and took good care of Mum and Mas. Fond but socially distanced farewells. Off next to Kingsbury to see Sam and Jade, who are now living with Sian, in a street tucked away behind St Andrew's church. Now they have left Edinbur...

My thunder app going off every now and then, and bits of rain. Chatted to Sian, and to Mum and Anton, who had sneezed and burst a blood vessel in his eye. Dropped in on a zoom meeting of glass folks, at six which was fun. Wrote a few bits and pieces, including working on a poem for the first time in ages (v rusty) and ended up recording Monday's reading. Picked up a curry from Red Chillies, but it felt like a bit of a death trap in there, with people working in the kitchen. I just zoomed in snatched my bag of curry, and waved my contactless card and was gone in an instant. The man who went into the shop before me literally ordered about 20 dishes and was in there for ten minutes thumbing through menus and so on. He said to me that he had a lot to order, when he came out, I suggested he do it by phone next time.  Home to curry tucker. Lorraine and Beth ordered pizzas instead. Watched telly and chilled. Strangely, did not go out. But there is enough residual Fridayishness abo...

Sunday morning, got up fairly slowly. Unfortunately today was going to be a work day for me, due to the 'briefing in the spam file' debacle of a few days ago. Sian came down to see us today. Good to see her, and she had just been on a retreat that did her the world of good. I manacled myself to the desk while Lorraine and Sian looked at art in the Open Houses, in what was a beautiful day. Felt like I was being kept in for detention a bit. Work done for the day, I got a bit of a chance to chat before we gave her a lift back to Brighton Station. Later Sian texted me a link the Monty Python Spam song. Lorraine and I had little food in the house, and so we went for a walk through the park and popped into Pizza 500. Just as we were leaving the park, there was a man sitting by the newt pond with a friend, spouting frankly mad stuff. My spidey senses tickled, I hurried us past. Imagine my feelings then, when the same man came and sat on the next table to us in the cramped little r...

Lorraine and I day spent the day with the family watching TV, eating bubble and squeak, gnawing cold turkey and pickles (or vegan options) and playing games with Pat, Maureen, Beth, Sam, Jade and Sian. A day for films too, Saving Mr Banks , which I had seen before but perhaps enjoyed more this time around, and Marry Poppins, which I don't think I had ever seen in its entirety. Loved it. A happy Boxing Day. Lorraine feeling ropey with her cold, which is a great shame.

Up and Lorraine collecting Sian, and Sam and Jade from Beth's flat, before the great cook up. A tasty breakfast of bagels. And eventually present giving. I got an amazingly beautiful book about the sea from Lorraine, and a knitted monkey from Pat and Maureen, and a strange but incredibly face-like stand for keeping the glasses I keep losing on my desk from Beth and John. Anton and his family bought Lorraine and I some lovely stuff, including a copy of The Box of Delights, the same version as I had but this one not falling apart. Lorraine liked the watch I bought her in Convent Garden. I spoke to Mum to wish her and Mas a Happy Christmas. Couldn't help but think about Janet and Ken a bit today. A now traditional interlude of going to the pub with Pat and Sam (for the second time running) to the Preston Park Tavern. Busy, but with a fair amount of space and not so many rug rats as in recent years. A very mild day, so people happily sitting on the benches outside. Took the ni...

Beth setting off early for her last day of elfing. I got up before Lorraine and mooched down to Prime Cuts to pick up the turkey, a six kilo bronze monster in a box. Brian clawing at it as soon as I brought it into the kitchen. Dawn called round this morning, as were finishing a late breakfast. Nice to chat to her. Lorraine and I took Pat and Maureen to see Beth in her elf gear, and left them in town as Maureen had a sudden desire to buy shoes. Lorraine and I did a last bit of xmas shopping before heading off to Preston Park to collect Sian. Lovely to see her. Jade and Sam arrived. Lorraine and I zoomed over to Anton's house to drop off and pick up pressies, nice to have a quick chat with Anne, Klaudia and Oskar too. Home, and then all of us, bar Maureen, then went to The Basketmakers for a quick drink, Beth having finished her elf service. Highly commendably, Sian went to a meditation group for a bit before coming to the pub to meet us not long before we before we left. ...

I got up and went down the road to buy a sliced chewy brown (20p more than the unsliced). A slow morning, as a consequence of going to bed ridiculously late. I brought us breakfast in bed, and then we only got up around midday. Then a bout of tidying up things gradually reclaiming our house, as the rain fell intermittently and gales blew. Sian came around and we had a lovely afternoon just hanging out. She brought us a heart she had bought in at Moulin Huet pottery, with Don't fret you're at Moulin Huet on it, which of course was lovely. She'd been visiting her sister Lin before she returns back to Blighty to live.  Lorraine and Sian did some cooking together, of a recipe from the Guardian, vegan clay pot noodles, with smoked tofu, which beetroot and walnuts and coriander, and rather delicious to boot. We drove Sian off to the station, and then collapsed onto the gold sofa, and happily vegged out, watching a couple of episodes of GLOW, which was great, and the end of a...

Sam and Jade managed to stay up talking to Ravis about communism till something like 3 o'clock. Sam and Ravis, who was on breakfasts, both looking a little worse for wear. Ravis left a pint of water at Sam's place with a straw in it. Generally cheeriness over our varieties of Guernsey breakfasts. Sian arrived this morning and eventually we wall set off to walk down to Moulin Huet. A bit of an overcast day, but the sun peeped out briefly. We spent some time down on the beach, Jade, Sian, Sam and I all having a paddle. The water did make your bones ache, but then I had glowing and refreshed feet for some time afterwards. At one point, Sam stripped down to his boxers and started wading in, but wisely decided against it as his feet were cramping with cold. John and Betty scrambling up rocks, and Lorraine found  a rock to sit on and watch the sea creep in and go into a meditation. A visit Guernsey photoshoot going on the stairs at the top of the beach, which I found a tad annoying...

Sian had left for London from Hove this morning. We had fun with her over the festive period.  Lorraine up early, then drove Beth back to her flat, then off to the station where she travelled up to be with John at his mum's in London. Then Lorraine had a regular check up mammogram. I had a blissfully slow morning, catching up with my blog and sorting stuff out in my study, while Pat and Maureen were elves tidying breakfast things down in the kitchen. A quiet day, weather not terribly inviting. Lorraine and I drove to Hove in the afternoon to collect Sam, still croaky and unwell, and Jade. Brought them home to feed them, Lorraine made ham and eggs and french fries, and Jade ate the last of the mushroom wellington with french fries. Then we took them to the station. Fond farewells with Sam and Jade. I had really enjoyed seeing them. Christmas was a success, and Lorraine was very happy to see everyone, as was I. Home and we sat with Pat and Maureen, watching TV and having a small ...

A slower start this morning, although we were Face Timed in bed, by Beth who wanted us to get up. Sam and Jade and Sian staying over at Beth's flat. After breakfast,  I walked up to the local co-op at Fiveways to buy some milk and a newspaper for Pat, drizzly when I left, it cleared up in minutes and on my way home, I paused to saunter for a while in Blaker's Park. The bright low sunshine, and fresh air blowing uphill from the sea gave me one of those fleeting, difficult to describe moments of utter happiness. Home saying that it was a glorious day, and after an hour or so Lorraine, Maureen, Pat and I got into the car and drove off to Hove, where we got out for a walk. This walk less well-starred. The sea was an angry khaki and cold stinging rain began as we got out of the car, just as Lorraine was dropping her iPhone and smashing its screen. At the seafront by the huts we came across a dog with a square head, menacing a boy with his father fending it off. It then ran ove...