under another sun

Up this morning writing early, glimpsed how my 'collection' might be configured anew, which was quite exciting. Lorraine working from home, but I zoomed off to London to meet Mum and Toby in the Salisbury. Toby has to take his preflight covid test soon, and squeezing into a germy tube with Mum to get to the Salisbury wasn't optimal. First time Mum and I had met in the Salisbury for some time. Toby, however, understandably stressed by the proximity of people. A bite to eat and a couple of drinks there (Tobs out with Rabbits last night, lapping at ginger beer). This followed by a saunter towards Covent Garden, where Toby realised he had left his glasses in the pub. Luckily they were still there. We regrouped for a cup of coffee outside a small cafe, before I bade them a fond farewell at Leicester Square station. Toby back to Canada on Monday, so I won't see him again till next year which made me feel sad.  Easy journey home for me, jumping on a Brighton train at Victoria ...

Up and chatting to Clem about the decking stairs before walking down to Brighton Station. Wrote a bit on the train, and caught the tube to Gunnersbury, and as I was early for the dentist, walked around enjoying Strand on the Green and its gardens full of flowers. I passed Grove Park Terrace, and Grove Park Road, where I lived and then along the river path to Kew Bridge. It realised again that I had been incredibly lucky in my life, as I have lived in some excellent places, even if I crammed in a bedsit for years. At the dentist it was told I had broken a tooth, which is mostly filling anyway, if it goes again it will have to be capped. Half an hour of injections, scrapings and a bit of drilling. I am not bad at going to the dentist. They even have a screen overhead you can look at wildlife films. At the most mouth crammed bit, I watched several lions savaging each other. Then, back into town with a numb face,  and I was early to meet mum so we mooched about Trafalgar Square, lo...

Early business calls and general work and business this morning. In the afternoon off to see Bob in London. We'd arranged to meet outside the Swiss Centre, which is long-closed and replaced with the mindless M&M World. I arrived early and watched the greeters singing along to the old pop music blaring out of their speakers with a ghastly compulsory corporate cheer. What a vile way to earn a living. Bob loomed of the flat grey day at me and it was jolly good to see him. We found a strange little pub and had a couple of sharpening beers and a packet of peanuts and pork scratchings before surging off to see the Goya The Portraits exhibition at the National Gallery. I wasn't incredibly excited by this prospect, but it was fascinating. The amazing depth and differences of character he was able to bring out was astonishing. Everything from pompous punchable windbags, fiery independent noblewomen and thuggish royalty. Interestingly his best friends and his much loved son were pa...

At Brighton station this morning, popped out while buying a ticket and peered in a nearby cafe where Beth and John were being filmed for an online advert for Barclays. I peered in, and then snapped the scene without seeing them. On the train to London, however, I noticed their profiles in the background. In London, I met Bob at Nelson's Column Trafalgar Square was bright and sunny and full of people, lounging on the Landseer lions, and sitting around the column itself. Bob and I found each other, and made off to the National Gallery where Bob had read about an exhibition by Peder Balker. More about the exhibition here  - I just love going to art exhibitions. Then Bob and I sloped off to the lovely gin palace of The Salisbury for some food, served very, very slowly. I drank soda and lime, and Bob had cokes. Lots of chatting to be done, and various aspects of the world to be put right. Then to Two Temple Place, where we had intended to see an exhibition called Cotton into Gold. U...