under another sun

Woke up feeling stressed. But sitting talking to Lorraine made me feel much better, however. Up for an unhurried breakfast, called Mum and eventually Lorraine and I made off to Brighton. I went to Clippers to have my hair cut by Stacy, who had squeezed me into his Saturday schedule. I asked him about his nosebleeds (he was bleeding last time I saw him) and he told me that he went to A&E and had to have his nose cauterised, twice, as the first time it didn't work. Apart from a sore nose, he's all good now. Met Lorraine and then a rather wild bout of retail therapy. Went to Jones and bought a pair of tan ankle boots for loafing about in. Lorraine and I popped into Joe Malone, where Lorraine bought some perfume off a very sweet man with lots of makeup. Another man working there in lots of makeup and bell bottoms took tiny little steps like a geisha. Rather fascinating. Then off to Clarkes in Churchill Square. Strange in there, very little stock on show, but what there was artf...

An excellent morning after Lorraine and I got up. Lorraine into town, to meet her pal Sarah for a long coffee, and I worked on some poems, and in that hour had something of a breakthrough on two substantial poems I have been working on. This made me feel like I hadn't completely lost my writing mojo after all, which was pleasing. Then into town to meet Lorraine. We stopped for a coffee in one of Brighton's innumerable coffee places, and then went to a recently opened shoe shop where Lorraine had just bought some rather cool boots. The Italian manager was cooing excitedly over Lorraine when we returned, and I ended up being given a small discount on a nice pair of tan and green suede numbers. I like shoes. Then a bit of shopping around town. A kerfuffle just outside Churchill square, and more cooing. People were taking photographs of two dyed doves, which had settled on a ledge just near one of the main entrances. I snapped this below. After some shopping, including a spel...

The wedding process on Lorraine's organiser down to its penultimate day of preparation. Up and scarfing Quorn sausage and egg sandwiches with Lorraine and Betty to fuel the day. Lorraine showed me the box of memories that her friends had assembled. An old tin with a Japanese-style design, which, like the tins in The Basketmakers, was full of messages: all lovely things about Lorraine: poems, old coins, memories from the past of times with her girlfriends, and heart chocolates and so on which Lorraine obviously loved. After breakfast Lorraine and Betty powered off, while I relished an hour trying to keep calm and smoothing the cats on the gold sofa. The ladies returned with the wedding dress, my wedding clothes, and Beth had bought me some wedding socks.  They had also picked up flowers for the table decorations. I was banned from Beth's bedroom due to Lorraine's wedding dress hanging in there. Spent hours struggling with iTunes on my temperamental desktop. Lorraine ca...

In need of a quiet day. Up early, however, to make cups of tea and film rain on windows. Film is my new craze, but it has to be black and white. After a leisurely breakfast, into Brighton with Lorraine to buy some sensible brown shoes for me, and new specs for her. The streets covered with salty grit, anticipating non-existent snowfall. Other parts of the country are knee deep in the stuff still. I like buying shoes. for they are a must-have remorse free purchase. Bought a pair from Clarks, whose shoes, when I was a scuff toed lad, where what responsible parents bought their children. Popped into the Apple shop to get new earphones as mine were on the blink. The Apple brainwashing is so good that I felt really impressed by being able to buy some earphones and walk out within five minutes. Home late afternoon, and abandoned myself to decadent idleness. Watched an excellent BBC documentary about ancient Egypt, and fiddled about with my rainy bits of film. Above all, though, getti...

Goody four shoes Thank Christ at last I was able to upload information for the PPL for the CD. When I was able to do it, the upload took under two seconds. To get to that point had taken me well over two weeks of frustration and teeth gnashing. Back to the gym. Felt good to be doing at least something to balance the festive pie-eating booze swilling frenzy. Afterwards after a hasty gym shower with my clothes dangerously unlocked in the changing room, I went shopping, recession style. I bought a new cheap watch as my old cheap watch had gone a bit rusty, and two pairs of rather nice shoes as I don't own a pair of shoes that don't leak. One pair a sensible black, the other less sensible brown suede brogues but both so comfortable to wear they are like butterflies kissing your feet. Bumped into Gary in the shoe shop. I have been bumping into Gary lots. He was in the pub yesterday too. Then met up with Lorraine, Sam and Beth. Sam nursing a hangover. Lorraine and I paused to stroke...