under another sun

Up and writing early again on my own writing -- mainly poetry this morning, I am focusing on one part of one particular manuscript. Because of course, being me, I have two manuscripts in development at the same time. It was also a Podcast day, so there were a few bits and pieces to be done on that. The new episode features Robin's interview with Greta Stoddart, I got a chance to talk about my old pal Richard Fleming too which pleased me. Also Val in Paris got in touch for a cheeky dab of work tomorrow. Lorraine and I meditated again. This is clearly a good habit to return to. I have not regularly meditated for years, and it is so simple and beneficial, I need to have my brains checked about why I haven't been doing it. Lorraine is liking it too.  A quick afternoon saunter into glorious Seaford. A lifeboat and helicopter over the sea, and I read later that the turning tide and north wind had rushed two local people out to sea on an inflatable. Within minutes they were mere spec...

Woke up at five thirty, and sat listening to Lorraine's alarm going off several times. A cup of tea in bed. Lovely. Got up, did my billing and timesheets etc. and then tidied my study, which was strewn with concepts and notes and mess. Cathartic. Soon ran out of energy. Took myself for a short walk, and then had a pre-noon hour of sleep on the gold sofa.  Clippers this afternoon. Stacy allowed his perfectionism to run riot for the best part of a hour. More startlingly, though, Stacy's own bedraggled baldy/longhair combo had been replaced with a short crop.  Discussed the scuffle outside The Cleveland last Friday, one of the scufflees is a Clippers client.  Sauntered off to Kemptown afterwards, and hung about on the beach for a bit. A misty day. Went to the Black Dove and waited for Anton. Feeling absolutely shattered at this point. As I had half an hour before he arrived, I tried to write, but when I consulted my brain the cupboard was bare. Beer to the rescue, masking my...

Nosebleeds morning, finding out about new bank accounts, and what I need to do business wise, now that I am folding the Ltd company down and reverting back to being a sole trader. I always think Soul Traders would make a good name for a band. Did  bit of poetry stuff, and sent assorted emails. Spoke to Anton about fixing walls, and had an alarming few moments when Sam came to tell me that the overflow pipe on the boiler was gushing water.   In the afternoon I strolled into town and met up with Chris Williams for a cup of coffee and a chat. He has been researching family history during the lockdown, and making stained glass. A bit of a walk about town, before I boofed into Clippers Barbers, where Stacey,  despite complaining that he didn't know where to start and that his arms ached, he managed to tame the bedraggled Kenny mane.  I snapped before and after pictures. Sauntered home through Preston Park and arrived home soon to be joined by an early Lorraine. We idled o...

Up and finally heard from my French clients. I had emailed them this morning, having had an anxious dream that they had gone out of business. They said they had been very busy, and would get back to me this morning with feedback. I got it at 6:05pm, and simply ignored it. Otherwise working on a my new updated track record document to send to potential new client. A few emails, then off to the park to day hello of a ring of glassmakers on the grass, chatting with Ben, and Chris Williams, Adele, Rick, Sally, Kate, Frances and Jane. They were eating donuts, and so I had one too.  Ben has lost lots of weight, and is eating lots of fruit. Then my first proper haircut since Valentine's day in my usual barbers called Clippers. However three of the five guys have left, two retired and one left for new pastures. I had my hair cut by the new woman, very chatty with tattoos and piercings and full face visor who charged me about six quid more than the last time I had it cut there. Stil...

Saturday morning, and Lorraine and I eventually got up and took Calliope to the vet. My cat was not herself, and barely even yowled in the car with any feeling. Luckily the vet says that it seems nothing is broken, but she has strained her shoulder, (there was a point when she pressed Calliope's shoulder and got a definite response yelp). We came away with painkillers, and I felt reassured. Into town this afternoon, Lorraine with a bit of shopping to do. I went to the barbers and got a trim, and generally caught up a bit on football gossip from the chaps there. All in a good mood as the day's early kick off had resulted in a surprise 3-0 victory for Brighton over Spurs, whose team, the sages of Clippers said some of the Spurs team had been fighting over a woman. Afterwards Lorraine and I mooched to Sainsbury's and laden down, cabbed home. A quiet night in tonight, Lorraine absolutely shattered after the week. Beth home and joined by Emily and Eliza, getting ready for a ...

Working from home today, with half a day's work to do. A pleasant day, and I sauntered off to have a silent haircut afterwards looking like a man of 100 in the mirror. Then return to work on my poetry MS. Everything I touched this afternoon turned to mush though, and I was feeling coldy and tired. Bob called today, from the banks of the Mersey. It was good to hear him. Lorraine and I had a meeting with our neighbours Mark and Nicky and Tom and Mark this evening. Discussing some legal stuff to do with ownership of the common land outside our houses. We were all in agreement, but it still all took a long time. To bed early.

So tweaked a bit of stuff in the last section and printed out the 349 A5 pages of the project I am working on, two pages to a sheet, in a ream an inch thick. Another read through over the next couple of days, and it is ready to journey out into the world. Celebrated by having a haircut. Someone told me, entirely unprompted last night, that I looked like an Irish Farmer. There certainly was a pile of wool on the floor as I left my friends in the barbers shop. Off to the gym too, for a spot of trundling, rowing and radiating haughty disdain. Listening (I've been corrected) to Cannery Row  as I went about it, which is enjoyable. Home, and I spoke to Mum and Mas on Face Time. Later I cooked Project Lorraine inspired Yellow fin tuna griddled with stripes and various veggies, and forced my lovely on a walk in the dark in the park. In the middle of the park I told Lorriane that I liked walking in the dark, especially when I wore my balaclava. She didn't laugh. Meanwhile Russia h...

Janet in hospital today, so got up early and went to the gym early too, but feeling drained and heavy. Luckily when I returned from the gym, Ken phoned to say that he and his son Nick were collecting Janet early as they had seen her quickly.. I spoke to her later, and she said they were going to give her a stent, but apparently this is something they can do by passing it up a vein rather than more drastic surgery. Amazing what they can do these days. Janet having the stent put in over the next couple of weeks and was pleased to have got the first hurdle over. After a bit of writing, I went for a haircut, always a good idea on a Monday as, apart from me and the four barbers, the place was full of tumbleweed and crows. Nice chat with the barber about Japan, and then the guy who cut my hair before the wedding, asked me how it went, which was nice. Otherwise bits and pieces of work, sent poems to a magazine, bought next year's diary an OCD-specified red Moleskine week per view and ...

In an excellent mood, off to the quack, who is a lovely man and with a medical student who he quizzed with testing questions. Off the antibiotics for the time being, thank God. Some new pills which the pharmacist, who seems to like me, took me into a little room to discuss. Then, as my hair had passed its clown-like tipping point, to the barbers. Anton says there are two patterns in  male baldness, 'the rockabilly', a cooler sort of frontal balding favoured by him and,  less cool, 'the benedictine' which my area of concern is steadily turning into. Came out with a sleek head, and pointed it in the direction of Janet and Ken's house. Delighted to see Ken on his feet to greet me with a beardy hug when I arrived. He was full of praise for Janet, and mentally sharp, and he in far better shape than I had expected, and they are tinkering with his meds to get things right, and was on the receiving end from his doctor about actually taking them. Ken is being visited eve...

Mute button More work on newsletters today. Then, to make sure I would be paid, sent the dozen or so meticulous and tiresome emails needed to get my hours on their system. Helping freelancers get paid is never a priority. After work I hobbled off briskly enough for a much-needed haircut, as it was becoming lobetastic. When they cut it short and spray it with water you can see my scalp these days. Got the paunchy barber who has to be one up. So when he asked me if I was going on holiday, and I said yes to Canada, he looked momentarily panicked. Mosquitoes , he said plucking inspiration from the air. Yes they have them, I said. When I get bitten I swell up, last time I was in Spain... etc. He also gave me his opinions on the Gay Pride march this weekend, which were of the I have loads of gay mates but... variety. They need to invent mute buttons for hairdressers. The symbol on the button would be of a pair of giant scissors poised around the neck of the hairdresser. Began reading The ...

Bad hair day More insomnia. However a productive morning, and beautiful weather. Did laundry, food shopping and got a bad haircut. I was rooted with horror unable to find the words to avert the bald man as he gave me some sort of strange womanly curl of a quiff. Some emergency work back home made it bearable. My nerves can't take this. And baldness is a bad sign in a barber; like a thin butcher. A little later, walked up the hill to have coffee with Anton and Anna, and - vitally - be lent some more Frazier DVDs, as well as books on interior design. We went into the garden for a while, where they have a vine which has produced many bunches of small, sweet grapes. Also their peach tree which has lost a big branch under the weight of its fruit. Spoke to Mum who had returned from her holiday. Among other things, they'd driven to her grandparents' old house outside Folkstone , and she sounded like she and Mase had a really nice time doing things like going to Canterbury by bus...