under another sun

Working on the French brief about cat vaccinations all day. My old pal Keith called me, and we may be doing a wee bit of work together one way or another soon. Out this evening to see Anton, at his house. Just catching Lorraine for a bit, before I left.  Walked there in the teeming rain, but I had a big golf umbrella so was fine. We just hung out drinking a few beers and eating Anton's amazing pizzas. A board game set up, based on the Lord of the Rings, and Anton had spent forever painting each character individually and there seemed to be hundreds of them, everything from Oiliphants to Orcs, Nazguls to Hobbits, all painted in meticulous detail. More surprising than this, that after listening to some tunes and eating till I felt like bursting, was that Anton got out his Tarot pack and did a tarot reading. Just writing that last sentence makes me feel I have fallen through a tear in the fabric of reality into another world. Lovely cards though. And also he had an oracle pack, where ...

Another episode of Skelton Yawngrave TV, and also uploaded a short horror story  The Dream Home . Kept myself pretty busy, and in the afternoon went for a bracing walk -- quite a few folks out and about now and noticeably more cars on Ditchling Road. Lorraine working from home, but with her nose to the grindstone sorting out how a restart in June can happen, and talking to staff and so on. Chatted to Mum, and then sat in the Taverna, in the sun, which was just warm enough, and drank a can of beer and finished listening to the appendixes of the Lord of the Rings. Listening to that has brought great succour and calmness to me. Reminded Mum that she had written in the three volume copy she gave to me when I was sixteen (previously I had read the family yellow-spined onevolume giant), 'for all your seasons of mist and mellow thoughtfulness.' Beth out for much of the day working, and Lorraine and I had a leisurely dinner, and watched TV, like you do.

A fairly productive start to the week, despite waking up in a fury at the government's handling of C19. Pictures emerged today of people cramming into the tubes again, and this is simply a recipe for a second wave. The ambiguous messaging and botched delivery is astonishing. Most of the agencies in the country could have delivered something better. As the day emerged lots of conflicting interpretations emerging, from within the government, let alone the general populace. Attempted a meme.... which at least made me feel better. Lorraine off at school all day. I finished editing, T he Dream Home , the short horror story that was published by Frogmore Papers, and the latest Skelton Yawngrave TV episode (I'm now on chapter 24). Essentially I think I am going to read everything onto YouTube, as it is a way of giving published material a bit of a second airing -- and also should I meet a sudden demise at the hands of C19 I want to have uploaded lots of stuff. Also had a really ...

Another day, another episode read and uploaded, and another walk. A gorgeous day. Everything is getting a bit groundhog day-ish. Time floating by. Listening to Lord of the Rings of course and how all the protagonists cringe with fear under as a Nazgûl flies overhead. It is like there is always unseen in the blue even on the clearest days. Another view from Hollingbury Hill, and a family on the Crest of the Hill looking down towards Wild Wood.

I got up bright and early today, and got to work, completing the 13th chapter of Skelton Yawngrave. I sent off a story to David Longhorn of Supernatural Tales too, just to keep my hand in. Lorraine up and, with a steely glint to her eye, started going through drawers in the bedroom, and together we had a cull of old shoes, and reorganised everything. Behind Lorraine's shoes there was a dried frog, which made L shudder as the vacuum sucked it up. In the afternoon chilled out out with Lorraine in the back garden.  She is finishing a cross stitch based on a Van Gough painting. Beth caught the bug and cleared her room for a bit too, then assembled a coat stand she had ordered in the back garden with Lorraine's help. I had one of my yellow pads, which I use to put daily to do lists, and track my various projects, a list I update on a new sheet every couple of days. I hadn't done it since the 23rd March, which was a little sign to me of how disrupted I have felt. Quite ofte...

Twenty-ninth day of lockdown, and the first day of Lorraine's delayed Easter holiday. A sunny gorgeous day, with a cool breeze. A leisurely morning in bed. Beth working most of the day, but arrived mid morning having collected our click and collect bags from Sainsburys. Felt good to have food in the house. In the afternoon Lorraine went down with an upset stomach, and spent much of the day recuperating on the sofa. This actually was just what she needed. I mooched out again to Hollingbury Hillfort listening to the Lord of the Rings. Home and a pleasant evening, although Lorraine ate next to nothing, but appeared in much better shape  by the evening. Spoke to Mum and Mas. Mum had been hard at work in the garden. I did assorted recordings for Skelton Yawngrave TV. Heard from Yuk, a former art director I'd worked with, who is now doing some acting work.  Views from the top. The one above is standing on the raised wall of the fort, and the other is a shot looking south...

Up early, having a quick think about the marketing conversation I had with Sian yesterday, and sent her some thoughts. Then on with recording episode four for SYTV. Uploaded episode three . This done chatted with Mum, tweaked some copy for my pals in Hampton. A glorious day. Had coffee in the garden with Lorraine and the cats, in the corner we are calling Little Guernsey. Did some more work this afternoon, and then did my walk up to Hollingbury Hillfort listening to The Lord of the Rings. I'm enjoying it very much again, and as I know the story so well if I drift off for a minute on my walk it doesn't really matter. The ancient stories Tolkien draws on give the story a timelessness, and walking around the ring of an Iron Age Hillfort while listening to it is excellent. I love Tolkien's descriptions of places and nature, both real and imaginary. There is a good deal of gothic horror in Tolkien too. Nice emails with Charlotte, whose new book I have ordered. Home and I...

Recording readings of Magnificent Grace and fiddling about with the videos. Showed them to Beth who made some good suggestions. A brief interlude of feeling stressed and horrid, but snapped out of it watching some Frankie and Grace. Beth made me a cheese and ham toasty with her toasty maker for lunch and I simply carried on to a productive afternoon. Delicious smell drifting up from the kitchen, as Beth baked a batch of peanut butter cookies. Listening to a chapter of The Lord of The Rings. I went for a walk up to Hollingbury Hill at five, and had an enjoyable time up on the hill, and dodged people on the street. Did The Covid Stroll down the middle of Osborne Road to get home. Not many out, but a few couples taking a careful tea time constitutional. Lorraine home from work when I got back. She has to go in tomorrow too. A quiet evening in, obviously. Two snaps from the empty gold course on Hollingbury Hill. Very clear, and if you click the top picture, you will see a thin smud...

Slow Saturday start, generally hanging out with Lorraine and Beth. I spent much of the day feeling antsy and tense, not helped by news of an acquaintance fighting for her life in an IC ward. I sat with Lorraine as she did a puzzle while we listened to the audiobook of Lord of the Rings. A walk to Hollingbury Hill late this afternoon helped a good deal. A cold wind blowing from the north east. To get there a good deal of skirting people in the street but even then it felt good to be walking, and listening to Tolkien as I went.  One teenager refusing to keep his distance forcing me to walk out into the carless road. I could see he enjoyed this little moment of power. Enjoying very much being back in Middle Earth. The air fresh and free of pollution. Lorraine cooking lasagne tonight, which was delicious, and we watched Montalbano, which Mum and Mas were watching too. Toby called this evening, and I had a good chat with him. Yawning my head off tonight, and all at Kenny Tower...

Trying to maintain a routine, and not quite so buoyant. Lorraine working at home. Beth off to look after Tilly. The ladies went off to Marks and Sparks food hall and came back having had an almost normal shop. I wrote for a few hours this morning, and then made a little progress for the trailer for the Skelton channel. Almost there. In between I used the water pressure cleaner to clean off much of the algae and staining from the decking outside. In the afternoon a short walk up to Hollingbury Hill, having to dodge people on the street though by crossing over a few times. Doing what I think of as my outbreak stroll down the middle of the Osborne Road. Chatted to Mum and Mas a little, they seem fine. To Anton, and other pals online. People are there keeping in touch a little more these days. Curiously tired at tea time, and sniffy due to pollen. Watched a bit of TV. I'm finding Grace & Frankie a welcome interlude. Tidying up the kitchen this evening, and I glimpsed out the ...

An ill day. A bad man cold, achey and snuffling which sparked off a bit of gout, aka (by me at least) orc foot, for the first time since I've been on my new meds. Nowhere near as bad as before, but enough to make me pull out of going out to see the South Coast Soul review and dancing in a zombie outfit to celebrate Dawn's birthday. It was a missed opportunity to bring a bit of authentic zombie hobbling to the affair. Rather cheesed off at this. However spent much of the day on the sofa with Lorraine being very kind and rereading The Lord of the Rings from the deluxe all in one book Anton got me for Christmas. Really enjoying reading it again, and finding myself transported by simple descriptions of things like a fire in the hearth or sunlight on the walls of Frodo's house that I wouldn't normally have noticed.

Another day working at home, which enabled Lorraine and I to have a lightning tidy up before the house photographer came around to snap the place in the teeming rain. If lightning can hobble that is. Otherwise a day of grafting on a bazillion bits of copy, broken off by hobbling painfully to the quacks and arranging a blood test next week prior to a change of pills.  Glimpsed myself shambling to the desk on their CCTV system: a limping, hunched ancient fat man. Briefly sat in the waiting room next to a woman with a bottle of vodka projecting from her pocket. I retreated soberly into listening to Mark Ellen's book Rock Stars Stole My Life! which I'd downloaded earlier in the day. Light, nicely written nostalgic treat for music lovers of a certain age. I once met Mark Ellen in a Chiswick swimming pool. He was every bit as pleasant and chatty as he seemed presenting the post-Whispering Bob  The Old Grey Whistle Test .  His enthusiastic and self-depreciating style is ende...

Worked this morning on The New Idea, breaking off to watch Betty being an extra, tossing her hair in shot over the shoulders of actors in the risible TV series Made in Chelsea . Surely shots that will one day feature in some retrospective of the great comedienne Betty is destined to be. A note from Matt saying he'd liked the lyrics for the song cycle I'd sent him. Thence to the gym and an afternoon of work. Lorraine cooked cauliflower and potato curry tonight, and revelling in not having to do even more work. Later I slipped off for a late and cheeky beer with Anton in the evening in a half empty brasserie called The Breeze with the all important wifi connectivity, discussing a great deal, including The New Idea, and how if you listen to the audiobook of the Lord of the Rings, while simultaneously reading it on your iPad, you can block out the entire world. Bumped into Simon Scardanelli as we left the Breeze, fresh from the launch of an album he'd produced, bottle of ch...

Busy doing nothing Lorraine and I waking up feeling wussy and sore throaty. As children have lately been laughing and pointing at me in the street, I decided a hair cut was needed. Shortstrawed and got the piggyfaced obnoxious barber, who was busy bullying their new Saturday lad. But a haircut is a haircut. Fish recovering from their whitespot ordeal with no fatalities. Meanwhile Calliope's neck is now much less swollen, which is all good. Lorraine and I, however, have scratchy swollen necks. So we spent a happy night in watching the first Lord of the Rings movie again and eating chocolate, for which I had an uncharacteristic craving. Having seen the films several times, and read the book dozens of times, I find myself observing the sets and costumes, and marvelling at their loveliness and attention to detail. The next opportunity to wander off into Middle Earth. Comes with The Hobbit movie, which is scheduled for a 2011 release. It will be directed by the Guillermo Del Toro (dir...