under another sun

A man called Steve came round first thing to unblock a drain, with a good deal of vigorous and splashy plunging, and sharing of his opinions about the mysterious nature of drains. I've had more dealings with plumbers and drain people in my last few Brighton years, than I have had in the rest of my life. There is something symbolic about Brighton's dodgy labyrinth. 'It's like a doing a jigsaw,' Steve the drains said ruefully. And often with poos , I thought, feeling rather sorry for him. After the excitement of scientifically filling sinks, flushing loos and so on, I got back to working on my business book, still grappling with the fundamental link between fashion and marketing, interrupted only by Calliope and Brian, who have taken to playfully chasing each other in a thundering way around the house or crowding around my desk like Hitchcock's birds. A fasting day, I met Lorraine in Sainsbury's this evening on the way back from work. She'd fallen over...

An excellent morning's work, with a clear head and song on my lips. Went out for a constitutional in the afternoon, walking around town. It was pretty cold, especially down by the sea but nevertheless bracing. Walked through the tiny Dolphin Square in the Lanes where the much missed Rounder Records used to be. Melancholy sight with Rounder Records and three other shops gone. As I took a few snaps a man from a jewellers peered out of his shop window balefully at me. A 'fasting' i.e. reduced calorie day, but again not much of a hardship: small porridge for breakfast, banana on Ryvita  and a cup of miso soup for lunch, and a bit of cold chicken, veggies and a wee bit of rice for supper, in total around 600 calories. The knowledge that you can eat normally the next day makes this bearable. Off tonight to see the film version of Les Misérables which was a good deal less dire than expected. I am no lover of musicals, but hearing good reviews and Lorraine mad for it after he...

Up early and tweaking the work I was doing on Friday before sending this off. Lorraine working next to me before sliding off into the white yonder. We started our Fast day with porridge, which seemed perfectly reasonable. I ate an apple and a slice of Ryvita for lunch, and had a positive feast of haddock, rice and steamed carrots and courgette for supper. It was fine and I ate my supper slowly, and because I was genuinely hungry, found myself savouring the carrots. A head full of half-formed ideas today, which lacked . Completed and sent off my 'flash fiction' story. It was one of my old stories, Flytrap, which I had completely rewritten, changed one of the characters, and put a new spin on. The mission which is slowly dawning on me, is that this year I have to complete everything that I have started and not finished over the last few years. There is a lot I have finished, but quite a lot to tie up too. Item on local news about how the Royal Sussex County Hospital is close...

Up late again, Lorraine and I reading up about calories, and the Fast Diet on her iPad this morning in bed. Lorraine then off to collect Beth in the car, who is still a bit down about some college politics. I listened to some interesting bits of radio and played about drawing for a while. Then Lorraine and I went off on the slidey streets in light snowfall to The Sussex Yeoman for Sunday lunch. Met Rosie and Anton there, and we had an enjoyable afternoon forking down a nice roast with lots of veggies, and some bread and butter pudding made with peaches and Baileys. Anton sporting his large Russian hat and on good form. Rosie cheery and fun as usual. Bellies bulging like cannon balls, we crossed the road to The Batty and sat near the fire, untroubled by life although Anton quite weary of the dog in the pub. Betty joined us before starting a protracted journey home. Lorraine and I slid home on the icy streets. We are starting the fast diet tomorrow, I am a long way from my ...