under another sun

Disgusting dream just before waking, tearing hand-sized, spidery, hermit crab-like things from my legs with a pair of those grabby, long-stemmed egg holders. Calliope doing clawing happy feet on me when I woke, which may have added to the dream's horrid realism. Caught up with Janet: Ken has improved a little she told me, and has lots of visitors. She said yesterday he told a joke and had sung a little. Decidedly more Ken-like behaviour. For the time being I am not adding to Ken’s exhausting guest list till the family, staying with Janet, have all visited, but will keep close tabs on Janet. I did some good, but tooth-grindingly slow, work on the business book. Progress of any sort hard to come by. In contrast, Lorraine’s long day was action packed, with her taking charge of the school she works part time at. She had the local press in, a flood, a powercut, and parent problems to deal with, as well as an important meeting after school, which must have gone well considering...

L and I to the Twitten this morning, and met Sonia there who had agreed to do a deep clean on the house. Lorraine took the car home, and I sloped off to the obnoxious Budgens by the station, where I had to browbeat them into helping me find oven cleaner. I painted out a small gold tag scrawled on the green wood. But the green I painted on was the wrong green, so I will have to repaint the pesky thing when it isn't raining. D'oh. Met Hilary one of my old neighbours and had a chat with her while her dog, who has always disliked me, barked and strained malignantly at its leash. Unfathomable are the suspicions of hounds. Mooched around town town, where I encountered Adrian carrying a bag of fresh fish. Chatted about work, and photographing the contents of women's handbags. A brave man. Pressed on buying a plug adaptor and drain unblocker. Met Lorraine in the Laines and we snacked in the Délice before Lorraine left for an afternoon of song with Hullabaloo. Home to tinker wit...

Lorraine had a few bits of work to do today, but otherwise we took an extended lunch. A fire had led to signalling chaos and so we drove Beth off to Eastbourne, from where she is going to Switzerland with pals for Christmas. Stopped off at the garden centre to buy plants for the aquarium, food for cats and so on, and to drop some broken things at the dump and then to Middle Farm where we nosed about in the farm shop, paused to look at cows being striped by the low sun falling through wooden walls of the cowsheds. Some of them were heavily pregnant. After fond farewells with Beth, having delivered her into the hands of her pals Sarah and Matt, off to a nearby butcher to sort out some meaty goodness for Christmas. In the evening Cath called around and we went down to see the burning of the clocks. This event always makes me cheery and proud of the creativity that is present in abundance in Brighton. Hundreds of people  in the parade of drummers, musicians dancers, costumes and of c...

Thank God for the weekend and not having to get up before dawn. Lorraine and I didn't spring out of bed till late. Worked on poems today, and had one or two excellent suggestions from Jane. Lorraine doing some work too. Rain all day outside. Spoke to Mum and Mase for a bit, had a pre-going out sleep and then set off in a taxi with Betty and Lorraine. A really fun night out. Off to the Hove Kitchen for drinks to celebrate Betty's birthday last week. Lots of all our friends, including Wayne and Matt, Jonathan, Rosie, Ross and Lene, and lots of Beth's pals too. Good to see Ross, who I'd not had a pointless beer with for a while.  Jonathan told me that he used to have a speciality juggling with seven or eight lemons. Much taken with this as I have always had the name of a story called "The Man Who Juggled With Lemons" for about 30 years without ever having the story itself. He told me that in the eighties he played classical guitar very well and was employed on ...

A slow start to the day, Lorraine and I revelling in not having to get up. Eventually hunger for Quorn sausage sandwiches drove us up. Plus the arrival of two secondhand books, one by Roland Barthes, the other about HG Wells. I had to go to the twitten, to let the plumber in. I misread my times and got there an hour early, and had to wait. Alf the plumber was running late, so I ended up having to wait for almost two hours. Luckily I had my notebook and a pen with me, and used the time to work on my new poem. Alf could find nothing wrong with the shower, after many tests. Then into town to go about the important business of buying new underwear and socks from Marks and Sparks and a MacBook Air from the Apple shop. Lorraine with me thank God, as the place was incredibly crowded as the iPad Mini was just launched.  I would have simply gone away and returned another day. Lorraine compelled someone to serve us right away, after being told it may take between 5-10 minutes. Lorraine s...

Extra hour in bed last night. Then off to Stanmer Park for a mooch in the woods with Lorraine, walking and talking is always good . Went to look at the donkey well, which was open. One of the two ladies obligingly poured water down the deep well, and we all waited with hushed breath until what seemed like ages later the water at the bottom was disturbed. The well was 203 feet deep apparently. Home, and a late lunch in the Shakespeare's Head, where we were joined by Wayne, Matt and John. Great fun, generally. Home to sleep soundly on the sofa before bedtime. Shunning Match of the Day as Chelsea had been beaten by the accursed Manchester United. Below, around the table at the Shakey's Head: me and Lorraine; Lorraine and Matt; John, Wayne, a pumpkin; a strange statue and back to me.

Pervaded with the Friday feeling today, despite it being grey and rainy. Nicola, with whom I walked out to buy a sandwich, said it was proper Manchester weather. I had a cheery day, having enjoyed working on worms this week, even feeling quite fond of the little blighters by the end of it. Also enjoyed working with Slug again, who I always knew was a bit of a synthesizer nerd, and prog rock fancier. What I had not expected was that he has an alter ego: Dieter Banal, who with his musical partner, Hans Glib, have an immense back catalogue of decades of challenging 'experimental sonic attack' music as The New Cow . Am working again next week, and probably the week after. The Kenny coffers are in a much better shape than they have of late, which is making me feel more in control of events again. This is a happy place to be, and I feel like so much of the logjam that blocked so much creativity this year is going. Sprinting off to catch the train in the rain after work, ...

Off to Lorraine's friend Carolyn who was hosting a coffee morning and art sale on behalf of Macmillan. Looked at her pictures, she is very good at detailed botanical work. There were a dozen or so ladies who'd worked in the upper echelons of Education or who still did, talking a good deal in the kitchen. I repaired into the garden after buying a cup of tea and a bit of blueberry cake and basked in the sun beside a little garden pond. Soon joined by two men with whom I happily discussed football, gardens and fishing until it was time to melt away again, with Lorraine having bought a picture of snowdrops. Lorraine and I then then drove off to a Sussex Nature Conservation area, Burton Mill pond, and the Burton and Chingford ponds . Had an hour and a half walk through woods, and past swanned and dragonflyed ponds. Also walking past somewhere called The Black Hole, and walked on a plank walk above the peaty black water and dense vegetation. It is connected with ancient ironworks w...

Up at 5:30 to drink some Chamomile tea after being awake all night, having gone to bed overtired and then the sounds of the party and people ringing our doorbell through the night. Healthily in touch with my inner humbug and I made bah! noises into the darkness at Brian and Calliope who were nevertheless pleased to see me. Off this morning to Anton and Anna's house, where I went with them and my Godchildren off St Anne's Wells park cafe for breakfast to celebrate Anton's birthday. We all had a fun time playing table tennis, until the fine rain became increasingly soaking. Klaudia again insisting I carry her upside down, which is something I first did years ago, and she seems addicted to. Oskar treating us to wiggling his front tooth, and then re-settling it at nasty angles. Anton off to Portugal with the children this afternoon, so I sloped home in the soaking rain after being given pieces of cake. Popped in later to the Shakespeare's Head to meet Matt, Wayne, Joh...

To Woods Mill this afternoon with a picnic. I loved drifting about in the peaceful green of this tiny nature reserve with Beth and Lorraine. Particularly enjoyed looking into a little stream, its surface busy with whirligig beetles, and small fish, probably sticklebacks, in the water. After browsing among the plants, we ate a healthy rice salad on a picnic table, and drank sparkling water. Things grew livelier in the evening, when it was decided to have a BBQ in the tiny back garden, inviting Matt and Wayne, and Beth's nice pal Laura. Matt preparing to go on a long walk through Yorkshire by way of a holiday. We all ate and drank and chatted while watching the Olympics closing ceremony, an enjoyable, if somewhat unfocused spectacle. I also attended to a quantity of ouzo to acknowledge the birthplace of the Olympics. Late to bed. Below bee and thistle, part of Woods Mill, two of the stream, the bottom one showing whirligig beetles.

Oddly weak and shaky today, but thankfully succeeded in not turning this into a festival of hypochondria. Worked fruitfully on the New Idea this morning, and then made off to the Twitten to let Alf in to fix the shower. He was almost an hour late, and as it was raining hard outside I sat at my old table and listened to a movie podcast on my iPhone, feeling a bit like an intruder in my old house. In the evening Lorraine and I taxied off to see John, who has having a dinner party with his pal Wendy, a Glaswegian woman who works in HR for major stores. She was nice. Wayne, Matt, Lorraine and me were the other guests. We celebrated eight years of John having lived in his current flat, which overlooks the sea at Hove the view serrated by verdigris green beach huts extending along the seafront. Lots of tasty food, and pleasant chats - although an undercurrent of sadness from John I think, as he moved into the flat after breaking up from...

Up early and in a frenzy of tidying up and activity. Sun pouring in through the velux windows this morning galvanising Lorraine and I into a frenzy of tidying up and activity including painting the last remaining mauve wall white. Why does anybody paint mauve onto a wall other than to signify their own moral degeneracy? Lorraine told by Beth to expect a surprise delivery at 11:30 today. And the delivery proved to be of Beth herself and three pals from college, Olivia, Liza and Emily. Lorraine and I had arranged to meet Matt and Wayne in the Bath Arms for a late roast lunch, and the girls came too. Beth's friends proving cheery and likable - although Olivia had just lost a friend in a car crash so was putting on a brave face. Beth took her pals off to look at the pier, where two had their fortunes told, and went on various rides. Matt needed some shoes, so L, Wayne and I went shoe shopping with him. As we were leaving the Bath Arms bumped into...

No drag Lorraine off to get a haircut in Hove. I walked with her and found a cafe and sat happily tinkering with a poem for an hour or so with a big mug of coffee. First time I have done anything like this for ages. Thought about Toby sitting in Creama cafe Toronto. Later Lorraine arrived with excellent hair, and we shot off to buy a present for Klaudia whose 8 th birthday is imminent. Also L and I bought ping pong bats and balls for ourselves, reasoning that if we play frenzied ping pong every now and then this may be a good thing. Lorraine adding with a dark look that it would be good to do something competitive . In the evening off out for a few cheeky beers in The Basketmakers , with Matt and Wayne. Wayne now growing his hair which is proving remarkably curly. I was trying to get opinions about what to wear for the concert, deciding against cummerbund, top hat etc. this time. Little forthcoming, but I rejected suggestions of doing it in drag.

NYE A day of work today, helping Lorraine with her ghastly head teacher stuff, and working on building a new website for AnotherSun Recordings. Went to the gym this afternoon, was there for an hour. I am officially festively plump, and am keenly anticipating more rational eating and drinking. Chelsea lost again today. But the workout was good and New Year's Eve had to be attended to. Went to the Basketmakers where Matt and Wayne were, as well as Sam and Gary who introduced me as his landlord to his new girlfriend. It is a strange situation given that Gary is Lorraine's ex-husband. But it all works out fine, all very Brighton. Soon our party was joined by Guy and Tim and other friends and I found myself kissed by men wearing caps. I don't mind except when they are too beardy. (I am currently smooth faced). Generally a good night, lots of chat with Matt about the Opera we are going to write, and then most folks left and Rosie arrived. She said she was drunk enough to do her p...

Clueless Just Lorraine and I at home today. Lorraine sadly continuing to beaver away on her head teacher course, and I helped her a little. Then I flew my new shooting Nazi aircraft game on the Wii, and I watched some Larry Sanders shows, which are utterly brilliant. Like Frazier, all the pieces were in place when the show kicked off. Lorraine and I just enjoying hanging out together. In the evening off to meet Wayne and Matt in the Tavern. Arriving we found Tanya and Catherine glowing with intelligence, but no quiz. Wayne attempted to negotiate that the Tavern should pay for a six person transport to another pub with a quiz. Instead however we all repaired to the Basketmakers, bumping into Sam and two of his oldest friends who were persistently buying Lorraine drinks. I really like Tanya and Catherine. Another episode of Larry Sanders show before bedtime.

If the cap fits Really enjoyable day. A leisurely start with Lorraine followed by intensive tidying up of our study area. It feels amazingly good to have it all sorted. Then a session in the afternoon of Christmas shopping. We accidentally found ourselves in Mad Hatters buying hats. Lorraine bought a lovely grey hat, which is slightly 1920s-ish to my eyes, but she looks fab in it. I tried various hats on, but nothing was grabbing my attention till I tried on a cap. I have always assumed caps wouldn't suit me but I found I was rocking a Irish wool cap, and so Lorraine and I walked out of the shop sporting hats. It was a clear and cold day, and it was good to have a warm head, especially the part of my head rendered vulnerable by The Area of Concern. Thus clad, we did a good amount of Christmas shopping and at no point did I feel like stabbing anyone. Sensibly repaired to The Basketmakers at the end of the day, where it was really nice to sit and chat to my lovely Lorraine. Bumped i...

Party time So today zooming about getting ready for a large party to celebrate Betty's 20th birthday and me and Lorraine living together. Lorraine off to get an astonishingly red hair cut n' colour which everyone agreed was rather smart. Then Betty, Lorraine and I going off to buy quantities of boozes and food in supermarkets, blow up ballons, prepare food and move furniture about. Very tired all day but a shower and a stiff drink worked wonders. Max, The French Bloke and their cherubic children Tahlia, Zemirah and Elijah arrived an hour and a half early, which effectively started the party with the children zooming about. Betty upstairs glamming herself up with two of her pals, watched awe-struck by young Tahlia and Zemirah. Another pal Linda arrived somewhat before the party started already drunk and slightly chaotic. Then lots of guests, First Matie and Matty Boy, The Shakespeare Trio who gave us a bit of a tune accompanied by Steve Cartwright on banjo, Claudius, Matt and Wa...

Hand out of the grave Like the end of film Carrie, working on the job that refused to be die today even when buried and the last rites had been read over it. I had been booked to work remotely, which does not mean staring out of the window and not answering when people speak to you, but instead at home. Wrote the first draft of an advert about tooth decay and Lorraine used an iron and the power went. Fortunately this was a one off, but the job did not finish till gone five, having started at eight am. Feeling very frustrated at not being able to get on with all the stuff I need to do, such as unpack boxes, organise my life etc. not to mention my dimly-remembered life as a writer. Cat politics still fascinating. Calliope rising to the top of the league now. In the evening off to Matt and Wayne's place. It had been sunny all day, and hot and sweaty in the roof of the Old Church Hall, and they had arranged a barbecue. Naturally it began raining heavily minutes before it was ...

Moving the big things Up early, with Calliope noisily exporing her new environs of the bedroom. Lorraine and I back blearily early to the Twitten. Cath and Dawn very kindly arrived to help. Then Steve and Lance, the 'nice man big van' guys sparked ant-like ferrying along the twitten, past the talkative man waiting for his drugs, and into the back of the big van. Dawn seemingly able to carry her own bodyweight. Beyond, the centre of town unnusually lively around the station with Brighton football supporters, who played their first league game in their new ground up at Falmer. At the end, Lorraine reminded me to lock the back door of my house, and I walked in again, noticing my footfalls echoing, and I felt a moment's contentment. I've had a great time at that house, but I am ready and very happy to move in with Lorraine. I left the aquarium there to be collected in a day or so. At The Old Church Hall, a mere five minutes away, Betty and Mark were ready with te...

Hot under the collar Up early to complete work on writing answers to some questions I'd been asked for a Guernsey Literary Festival blog. The amazing weather continuing. Feeling much repaired today. As I worked, new second home neighbours opposite using noisy and unnecessary garden tools. A blowers on for minutes to convey three leaves and a piece of paper across their small decking. This soon replaced by the continuous sound of protesters just outside Brighton Station. An unpleasant neo-fascist group called March for England had dragged their knuckles to congregate outside The Railway Bell, Brighton's worst pub, and outside the station there were dozens of policemen, some mounted, plus police helicopters flying overhead. There was also a sizeable anti-fascist counter demonstration, singing things like Racist Scum... Off our streets , and Police protect the Nazis . Eventually the marches were fed through town in separate directions. Lorraine and I dragged bits about in the deb...