under another sun

Slept peacefully in bed followed by a leisurely breakfast. I had a poetry idea, and did some writing, while Lorraine popped next door to see Joy and Jim, who had some baby stuff to give us. Then Lorraine and I went outside. I manfully wrestled with a compost bin, replacing it with a new larger one in the middle of bushes. I emerged holding a spade and the lid of the bin in either hand and watched an extremely big tan-coloured European Garden Spider crawl from my neck down my arm.  Then Lorraine and I had some quiet time in the Studio. I did a bit of colouring and playing with paints. Lorraine used a mould to make a dish from clay. We listened to music and chilled. Going down into the garden like this feels like escaping. Then we gathered ourselves to zoom back to a pub called The Half Moon, near the field and here we met everyone, plus Eve, Innis's daughter, and Sam came with Graham. We ended sitting outside eating a late Sunday lunch on a long table. Really lovely time. Innis very...

Spent hours doing my books today, and finally sent them off to my glamorous accountant this evening, after Lorraine had dug out the final pieces of the puzzle. Had a small glass of ouzo to celebrate afterwards. Now I hope my accountant can perform her wily Scottish wizardry on it. And it looks like more work next week in London too, to cover for First Matie, which is good news. Also booked tickets to Guernsey for a few days in November; a couple of writing days for me, then being joined by Lorraine for sheer fun. I went for a walk for a couple of hours, drifting about in the walled garden and park and peering into ponds at fish and what I thought were dragonflies but turn out to be ruddy darters, and looking at spiders and cyclamen, and walking among squirreled trees and other things that make me feel happy. I have a simple nature. Went back to Sing Li my old fish and chip shop this evening, as I had an enthusiasm-for-cooking fail tonight. The owner smiley at my ...