under another sun

Not on a train, a joy in itself. Popped into to see Beth and James and Pat and Maureen. We had a slow morning, grateful to just be at home. Chatted with Mum too. We did some food shopping, I nipped out at Stratheden Court to drop off Pat and Maureen's few bits of shopping. They waved at me from the communal room, where Vera Lynn music was playing loudly and there were a couple of dozen people wearing plastic Union flag bowler hats. Pat waved at me, and I went in and Maureen demanded a kiss, then there was a chorus from some of the other ladies wanting one too. I made off unscathed. Worked till 11 o'clock on the 'secret project', which has involved a great deal of needlework, and finally finished my part of it. Lorraine more to do. To bed.

Lorraine and I up at seven thirty and after breakfasting and poking an antibiotic into Calliope's mouth etc. off to Ashford. As we were driving through Rye, Lorraine noticed that the van behind us was from the removers. We got to Pat and Maureen's house a little before them. A father and son removal team from Seaford, the son suffering from kidney stones, which is a bit grim, and the dad not much younger than me. Luckily not too much to move from Pat and Maureen's house.  Lorraine knew what to take and what not to take. I dug up a rose in the garden that had been given to Maureen by her sister. I felt something end-of-chapterish about leaving Pat and Maureen's house, and of course for Lorraine it was the family home since she was a little girl. However little time for sentimentality,  we  zoomed off, back the almost two hours to Seaford eating peanut butter sandwiches en route.   More complicated to unload stuff at Stratheden Court, and take it up to the second floor...

Up early and finally finished reading Bluff by Danez Smith. A brilliant book. I also had to think about tonight. This complicated by the fact Palo contacted me this morning to say that she still had Covid. Tidied the place up a bit, and Lorraine arrived with Pat and Maureen. Very happy to have my wife back home with me. Shortly afterwards we drove off to the new flat in Stratheden Court, and met the owner and took the keys. This was a big moment, but naturally I had left my camera at home.   Beautiful view of the sea across the way of course. Pat and Maureen walking about it trying to take it all in. Maureen scowling at a large streak of seagull guano on the big window. I crept off to the Seaford Art Club's seventieth year exhibition at six, parked my imposter syndrome and went in and met Eileen and Jeremy and then lurked around the paintings, of which there were around 150, and chose three as prize winners.  I was introduced by Eileen, and gave a speech about wardrobes into N...