under another sun

I have a man cold, so had a low key day. Lorraine off shopping with Beth, who although it's a bit of a cliche, had a glow about her. She has a pregnancy craze for eating apples, which makes me smile. Then L had to sort out a bedding emergency at Pat and Maureens.  Not having much energy, I channelled my inner Dilly  and lurked in my study listening to podcasts, and organising the pencils and drawing stuff I have accumulated across decades. One of two pencils I've had since school days. Threw out the dozen dried up biros and felt tips, organised the ones that still work. Took ages, but was oddly therapeutic. When everything's chaotic you don't know what you have. I have a surprising amount. Also threw away lots of scraps of paper and bits and pieces. Organising and clearing out is very calming. Otherwise a quick pop around to Pat and Maureen's flat with Lorraine, while P&M were downstairs playing bingo, to change sheets and so on. After a warm day, the temperatur...

Much better night's sleep. Then to the medical centre where I was seen immediately about problem ears (vertigo, tinnitus, and general discomfort). Then a quick shop in town, including buying some drawing paper. Then uploaded the podcast, did social media, wrote to Val, who'd asked for some help and attempt to rearrange an interview next week. Lorraine taking Maureen to the same surgery about her knees later on and spent time with them sorting out a wardrobe and spare room, washing and generally being the platonic idea of a daughter. I read some stories from the Oxford book of gothic short stories and developed a cold. Stayed in tonight. We ordered a delivery curry and watched all of a TV show called Last One Laughing. Ten comedians are locked into a room together but are not allowed to laugh. When they laugh twice they are banished. Rather fun and won by Bob Mortimer. Lorraine and I laughed lots at this. Our magnolia tree is blooming, having been massacred by snails last year. ...

A poor night's sleep and woke early feeling a bit wretched still, but then brightened steadily as the day wore on. I had a shower, and cooked breakfast while Lorraine was running about doing various things. I think I am going to recover more speedily than Lorraine. Tried to do some writing, but I kept losing interest and hating everything. Also received a poetry rejection tonight, just to keep spirits up.  Reading about autism today, articles in the Guardian about people diagnosed as adults, and I also visited the autism.org.uk site. Before this I did a short quiz online with Lorraine when we were in bed this morning, supposedly to discern if we had any autism traits. The suggestion, which should be taken with a pinch of salt, was that I scored low, and Lorraine, scored somewhat higher. Became diverted by football and its stories and dramas. It is a safe little world in its own way. Could it be that Chelsea are three points clear at the top of the league, or is it that Manchester U...

My new MacBook Air arrived today. Spent much of the day setting it up, quite a bit of it sitting with Lorraine in bed.  They are things of beauty. Chats with Catherine this morning, who told me she has been offered a programming job. We are planning to celebrate her resilience and generally inspirational quality in the Bath Arms tomorrow.  Today, a bit of writing and thinking, and looking after Lorraine, who is slowly improving after days of feeling horrid. Spoke to Mum too. Off this afternoon for a brisk walk, around and about, after buying Beth a card and some wrapping paper for her birthday this weekend. Love walking through the autumnal scenes nearby. In the evening, however, I began to stream and sneeze and generally exhibit all the signs of Lorraine's cold. Gah.

Up after Lorraine brought me a cup of tea in bed. Wanted to spring up and surge on with things, however after a while of actually being up I still felt drained and lifeless. A bit of a damp squib for the first working Monday of my year. There was the possibility of work from two directions today, but neither of them coughed up. I did a bit of year planning, and then simply read afterwards. I started reading a contemporary horror book called The Chalk Man, which I downloaded for 99p onto my kindle. It was a best seller and has the likes of Stephen King saying how horrific it is. I went for two short walks around the block. It was good to suck in some fresh air. Lorraine home in need of a glass of wine. I read her some more of The Box of Delights tonight. It has been years since I read it, and there are parts of it I had completely forgotten. It is an almost lost classic. It is a good deal more disjointed than many of the Children's books that followed it, such as the Hobbit, or th...

A bit of a non-day. Feeling ill with the same bad cold Lorraine had. I waited for the briefing I had been told about yesterday, with tissue stuffed into my nostrils as my nose was streaming so badly. Did various bits of work, until at about midday I felt too tired to do anything. The briefing, however, never arrived nor was there any explanation about why it might not appear. But by the afternoon I was glad at this, as all I wanted to do was sprawl on the sofa and watch Larry Sanders. Spoke to Sonia, who showed me views from a mountain property in Bulgaria her son wants to buy.  Tom chatty and cheerful as ever. Lorraine home again fairly early from school, and cooked for us. A quiet night in.

Attempting Iron Discipline this morning, despite very little sleep the night before. Getting a grip with various bits of correspondence, some dealing with Janet, plus other bits more forward looking. Went for a walk through Blaker's Park and then down into Preston Park. In Lucerne Road I saw a congregation of Corvids, an angry jay shrieking at a pair of magpies, who were then joined by a rook, all in a bare roadside tree. A turn around Preston Park, and then home again feeling wan and lifeless. Good news from Anton, who had returned from his cardiac checkup with the news that he has been released back into the world, not needing another checkup in five years, nor does he require any medication. Wonderful news, which did not stop Anton moaning about having paid for two hours of parking, when the consultation took ten minutes. As the day wore on, I began the properly streaming cold that Lorraine had. Then, as always seems to happen when I am feeling rubbish, I was then offered ...

Lorraine working from home. I tidied up my office and caught up with this blog and started writing lists of things to be done. A trip to Sainsbury's, using a list which seemed to take us longer than when we just do it on autopilot. Annoyingly my sinuses and throat chose today to hurt lots, and I felt washed out. Slept on the sofa for an hour in the afternoon, which definitely does not accord with principles of Iron Discipline. However rallied somewhat after sleeping. Lorraine said I was fighting off a cold, which is made it feel more rigorous. Lorraine cooked a lovely dahl this evening, with curried cauliflower and we ate this watching more episodes of Bleak House . This was a brilliant series, which I missed when it was first broadcast. Makes me want to read the novel again.