under another sun

Up to London sans coat for the first time this year. Armed with a large multicloured golfing umbrella, whose only function was to make me look a little ridiculous.  Feeling tense this morning, and listened to a meditation tape on the train, which helped. Also read on the BBC website that researchers are saying that beetroot juice significantly lowers blood pressure. Slipped out at lunchtime with Kate, to score some.  Turns out that beetroot is one of the things that Peter Kennys like best, and so could become a regular drink. Exotically coloured wee here I come! Working hard all day, and reading The End of the Party on the way home. It is quite a tense read, the levels of frustration, treachery and duplicity during Blair's Government seems incredible in Andrew Rawnsley's account. I am pleased I never went into politics. Home to a Lorraine, and a healthy stir fry crammed with vegetables. Brian the cat was looking perkier today, after his bout with a Tasmanian Devil yesterd...

A busy Friday, still absorbed by Andrew Rawnsley's End of the Party on the train. Makes you realise what a shambles the business of government is. Meanwhile much of the media still going on about Thatcher. Into work, and an almost unremittingly busy day. However did manage some lunch with others of a gourmet fish finger sandwich, sitting chatting with Karam, Sarah and First Matie. Then back to an afternoon of business and finding that the hour between 3pm and 4pm seemed to last for 200 minutes. Soaked by a downpour as soon as I left work. Train delayed, and stuffed full of smelly dripping people, though at one point I saw a rainbow against the bluish grey clouds. Home at last, and capered across to The Shahi to find Lorraine, Jane and Cath already in place, and a cold lager brought to me as soon as sat down. A fun night talking with everyone, and feeling very buoyant to have finished the week's work. Cath left early, being rather tired having flow in from surfing on the wes...

Up to the smoke again. Reading The End of The Party by Andrew Rawnsley again. A very interesting read, Gordon Brown comes out of it very badly. Work fine, snuck out at lunch with First Matie who went off looking at shoes, while I bought stuff and returned to work to find a fascinating website at lunchtime a Virtual Sea Odyssey , showing the Burgess Shale creatures of the Pre-Cambrian ocean. A really interesting experience, and one featuring my favourite extinct animal: Anomalocaris. After work sped off to Edgware to see Mum and Mas, lots of chatting and we had an enjoyable evening catching up with the gossip, looking at candles, and drinking some wine, and as a special treat I got Christmas pudding and custard, which I wasn't expecting. Played mum some Laura Mvula, which she enjoyed. Early night, chatting to Lorraine before bed.