under another sun

Raining and cool again today. The scary winter heatwave seems to be over for now. Another excellent day's writing. I have a target of 80k words for this story, and I was over 22k already. I also went off to get a hair cut, and then went to the gym, and did my usual workout despite not feeling as if I had much gas in the tank. Walking home, I was contacted by my old work pal Pat saying he had some work on a pitch for me next week. I am hoping, what with this offer, and the pencilled in work I have for my friends in Chiswick that at least one of them will materialise. This is good news. Finished reading Under the Skin . In the evening I went to the pig hog poetry reading, where Janet Sutherland was reading from her new book Home Farm. I am a big fan of her work, although have not read the book yet. Catherine Smith and John McCullough both there too, but I had to awkwardly say hello from afar. Had a chat with her in the interval. I was moaning about having lots of rejection...

Ken's funeral up in Leamington today.  I did not go to it. I sent a message to the Goodwin family a few days ago. Otherwise felt buoyant from an excellent day's work. I wrote over four thousand words on my horror story. It is a strange business. It feels like chipping away at a wall, which suddenly gives way into a whole new room into which you step in an effortless way. Rather exhilarating. In the absence of anything else going on, at least this is great fun. I also downloaded a simple app which blocks you when you try to look at facebook. I don't even much like facebook any more, but I find a kind of muscle memory makes me automatically click on it. This app gives you sterling messages about focus and not being distracted. It is brilliant. I found I automatically clicked on Facebook three times today, and was thwarted each time, and simply returned to work. Went to the gym, but had one of those times where I simply did not fancy it, and felt weirdly hot when I start...

Up and working early. Unnaturally hot blue day again, with our weather streaming up from the equator. Worked on the horror project somewhat, also a day of friends getting in touch, messages from Adele and Yvonne, Shaila, Chris Williams, and emailing Trace. After I went to the gym in the afternoon, I bumped into Neil Noon in Sainsbury's and had a half an hour chat about writing. He told me about a podcast that specialises in horror which was useful. Neil had a play on the BBC radio a couple of years ago, which I heard. He referred to his producer several times, which was impressive. After the gym, home in the sunshine to some more writing, then cooking, and chatting to Lorraine. We watched an episode of Endeavour, the TV series which is prequel to Morse, and is set in the sixties. I have a soft spot for this programme, which is completely targeted at people of my age and above which is rather worrying. In this episode, a complex story of murder, a girl's school and the histo...

Slightly hungover this morning, after a night out with my musician mates. A glorious blue skied day, with temperatures reaching over 20C, the highest recorded winter temperature in the UK. As our M.P., the UK parliament's only Green MP Caroline Lucas said today, 'This isn't some jovial Guinness World Record. This is a climate emergency.' Trying not to get sucked into doomy feelings about a sunny day. I walked into town at lunchtime, to pick up a prescription and return a library book, and also lurk in Waterstones looking at about ten books I want. Walking back through the park I passed a couple with a baby, the man wearing flip-flops and shorts. Bumped into Philippa from next door, who had just taken little Magnus to the cinema. Chatted to Mum. Not too much going on. Also had a long chat with Bob, both of us with mixed feelings about the whole big birthday thing coming this Autumn. Heard about the demise of Mark Hollis today, who was the key composer in a group ca...

Another glorious day, although it may betoken the end of the world. Lorraine and I up and off to Sussex University, to the Attenborough Centre to see some classical music from the Castalian Quartet. Sadly their number had been redu ced to three, but they played two trios and one two-person pieces instead, which were rather good. After the interval they were abetted by Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhard for the Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor Op 34. All rather splendid, and it took us to a happy place. I knew none of the pieces they had played. The event was introduced by Andrew Comben, who turned the pages for the pianist, which I always think seems a stressful job. A highly appreciative audience. We drove home afterwards, the day cloudless and gorgeous. In the afternoon Lorraine and I popped around next door to for tea and a slice of cake with our neighbours Philippa and Harvey. Their son Magnus able to walk about and say words a bit now. Then after a spot of dinner, I went out to T...

A glorious day. Lorraine and I got up quite late. Dawn came around this morning, as we ate toast and chatted. Afterwards, as the weather was so warm, we went into the garden and rearranged some ferns, and had a general tidy up. In the course of which we encountered a large frog, perhaps confused by the warm weather, who slipped into the bucket pond. We also went for a trip to Lidl in Whitehawk, and Lorraine and I spent lots of time in the kitchen, Lorraine testing out various vegetarian curry dishes, which eventually became a vegetarian feast. One dish with beetroot was sweet and hot and lovely. A confused frog.

Up early and did the smidge of work I had for my French clients. Lorraine off to school to do some filing this afternoon. When Sonia came, after a bit of a chat, I made off to the gym, and did a pretty good session in there and then did some work in Starbucks afterwards. Gallingly the work I had been confirmed on yesterday for next week was cancelled. This left me feeling a bit cheesed off for a bit. However, I walked home and then after chatting to Mum made off to The Park View armed with the Thomas Ligotti collection and read a vampire story from it, and sipping a Guinness while waiting for my lovely Lorraine to arrive. We decided to have a bite to eat there, and then sloped back home. By then I was over feeling peeved, and back in counting my blessings mode.

I spent the day quietly working, having at last been given a brief from my pals in Chiswick. A tricky job but work nevertheless. Only one day of it. However there is more next week apparently. Meanwhile my lovely French client Valérie phoned me from a sunny Paris with a wee job to do tomorrow. A sense that small cogs are turning. Managed a couple of hundred words on my story before the brief came in. News from Trace saying she is moving to the Isle of Mull for a while, and we will see her before she goes. Lorraine home all day and pottering about at home. We went for a walk at lunchtime, to fend off desk DVTs. I worked till 6:30 and we had a quiet night in. Lorraine working on a fiendishly difficult jigsaw. I sat with her for a bit after work, staring at the pieces but after 20 minutes had not managed to fit a single piece.

Another day kicking my heels waiting for a brief. Lorraine took the car in for a service and had to wait hours, but luckily had her computer with her. I wrote more of the horror story, and then went at lunchtime for an hour and a half of a walk and around Hollingbury Hill and the golf course. Unnaturally warm and sunny day, and the  crows looking shiny black. As I walked, I listened to the start of a  Under the Skin , by Michel Faber, of which a good film was made that Lorraine and I saw starring Scarlett Johansson. The book (horror inflected naturally) is different, but interesting. Home and did more work on the horror story. Later in the evening an email saying I would be briefed first thing tomorrow morning, but on a different job. So it goes. Lorraine finally released from an expensive garage visit (new rear brake bits) sat happily on the sofa watching The Great British Sewing Bee. I read another story by Thomas Ligotti. Below sunny vistas, the sea sparkling, and a...

Up working on my long horror story, which I am storming on with. Lorraine off today, but went to see Catherine this morning to discuss financial forward planning and so on. The work I am supposed to be doing this  week was bumped by another day, although I was sent some background reading. A poetry rejection, but an encouraging and positive one. There are tides in the affairs of Peter Kenny's and it is not going my way. Luckily I have iron discipline and so it did not affect me greatly. Off late in the afternoon to Lorraine's gym, which is really a health club. Lovely place. We spent some time being gym bunnies. I did some trundling, and some weights and a wee bit of rowing. Sadly this last thing aggravated by back, so I had shooting head pains all evening. However we went for a swim too, which was lovely, followed by lolling in a spa pool, then dripping in a steam room. All very middle class and nice, and people actually spoke pleasantly to one another. A very differen...

As forewarned the work that was supposed to start today did not. However I pressed on with the horror story. Then went to the gym in the afternoon. Listened to my final and rather disturbing Robert Aickman story, Into the Wood, about a sanatorium for insomniacs set in the Swedish forest. I have now read four volumes of his short stories. I admire his writing a great deal. Lorraine and Beth off to Basingstoke to see Glenice. Big day as Beth drove a hire car with them both in it back and forth. I had the evening to myself, and started watching Chelsea versus Manchester United. After United scored two goals, I stopped watching. The current Chelsea manager, Sarri, is wedded to a system dubbed Sarri ball, and he has a very clear way he wants his team to play. This means he is playing Chelsea's best players out of their natural positions, and they hate him for it. He needs to go. Weirdly I received no text from Anton. Recoiling from the horror of seeing Chelsea being thrashed, I r...

Off to see Pat and Maureen today. Drove off into the blue day, a bit of a slow progress today due to speed restrictions and so on. However, we arrived safely. Ken was there too and was cooking up a big Sunday lunch. Lurking around chatting and watched a Wallace and Grommet film, A story of loaf and death on TV. Maureen had cooked a lovely apple pie too, which was sweet of her. I love apple pies. Had a discussion about apple pie beds. I had always thought these were beds with apple pies in them. However Lorraine explained they are simply beds made with the sheet folded back in on itself so you can't climb into it properly. I assembled a little plastic greenhouse thing to put Maureen's azaleas in. Lorraine and I had an identical one, so this was fairly straightforward. Lorraine and I drove home listening to an old Mayo and Kermode podcast about films. Below not a very good picture of Basil blending into Pat and Maureen's new carpet. And some weirdness on the roadside. ...

Up and writing a bit more of the Horror stuff, as Lorraine went off to get a haircut. It is the first day of her holiday. I walked down to her hairdresser in Hove by the flower church. I was a bit early and sat there on a brown pillow that turned out to be a dog. There was another small dog too, which had apparently eaten a sausage and was emitting wretched smells. Lorraine and I then went to The Bottom's Rest where we had a late lunch of a vegetarian thali dish, and a cheeky pint of bitter. Lovely stuff. We feel inspired to become a more vegetarian. Then a spot of shopping before zooming home on the bus, for a relaxed evening in.

Ended the week on a pretty upbeat note. Managed to pay off the outstanding tax, and realise that what I thought were two payments to be made were really one. A small step forward, but it felt good. At least I am not going to have HMRC hammering on my door. Also I should have some work next week too from my pals in Chiswick. A note from Helen, liking what I had sent her for the Centaur project. Worked on the horror story this morning, along with other bits and pieces, and then mooched off to the gym in the afternoon, and then for a change of scene worked in the non-ideologically sound Starbucks. I have written more than ten thousand words this week of the new horror story. Home and really pleased to see Lorraine who had finished her half term. She was tired and grumpy, however a fast pint of beer in The Park View, while waiting for our curry from Red Chilli followed by some gold sofa time seemed to work wonders.

Pressing on with the horror story today, and the Centaur material. Trying to exercising iron discipline.  To the gym this afternoon.

Writing my new story for several hours today. Also listened to another excellent short story The Inner Room by Robert Aickman, and then went for a walk up and around the golf course on Hollingbury Hill. The Inner Room a chiller about an evil doll's house that becomes real. Gorse beginning to flower up there while listening.  Walking on the edge of the sloping meadow east of the golf course, and a long haired boy walking along in the other direction strumming his guitar who did not look at me. We were the only people visible, and it was one of those oddly dreamlike moments that crop up out of nowhere. Lorraine had a parent's evening tonight, and so was late. I started reading The Case Against Satan , an exorcism novel written in the sixties by Ray Russell, some ten years before The Exorcist .  However you only have to look at the news these days much worse horror stories. The imminent extinction of insects being just one of them.  Compared to that, horror is fun. ...

A spot of good news... I got offered some work for next week, which I snapped up. Only a few days but better than nowt. Also heard that Ken had left me a small amount of money in his will, which I was touched by. Otherwise I worked on my new story, and also on the Centaur stuff. I went to the gym and trundled  sweatily for a bit. Generally got my head sorted today. Cooked for Lorraine and we lurked inside watching an episode of Star Trek. Today I discovered  Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet today, a piece of music written by Gavin Bryars around a tape of a homeless man singing a refrain from a hymn.  He had been working on a documentary, and the tapes of a drunken singalong were left over. One of the men, a teetotaller, sang this hymn.   You can hear it here.  It starts very quietly, and then adds instruments. I find it moving.

So Lorraine off to the gym this morning, I set myself to sorting out my computer issues. Amazingly, the connection simply worked this morning after I reinstalled my account on my phone, and by restarting my computer. Perhaps earlier this month if I had just waited a day the thing would have repaired itself rather than wasting a day on helplines. I then FaceTimed mum who had seen the movie about Laurel and Hardy this week, but found it a bit sad, and I did some ironing while listening to a horror story by Robert Aickman till Lorraine bounced back from the gym, pleased she had gone. In the afternoon, off for an impromptu pub lunch with Rosie and Innis at The Foragers . Some really nice food there, and a nice chat with Innis about books, and Rosie cheery and Pippi being fussed by lots of people. I glanced at my iPhone to see the latest on Chelsea's must win match with Manchester City. Turns out that Chelsea were enduring their worst defeat since 1991, a six nil spanking. Anton tex...

A nice day today. Lorraine and I up fairly late, and then sauntered into town for a general mooch (and to buy each other valentine's cards). We had a snack in the wee Spanish tapas place in the lanes which was fun, and reminded us of our Spanish holiday last year. Walked down to the sea afterwards, this was grey and rough, lots of gulls flying close to the waves, and the murmuration of starlings gathering over the water too, before they settle down on the struts under the pier. Cobwebs successfully blown off we zoomed home. Read another story by Thomas Ligotti. Like his stuff very much. Then all my email accounts dropped off again, which was rather enraging. Managed to sign on to my bt email through a browser when I found a rejection note from a poetry magazine (only 5 months it took them). Both things a bit galling.   However, we watched an interesting documentary on TV about David Bowie's pre-success years. And so to bed, where Lorraine read from The Box of Delights , we ...

Thinking about how Ken lots, and how irrepressible he had been for most of the time I had known him. I would love to be able to believe in a heaven where he is sharing a nice bottle of Blanquette de Limoux with Janet right now. Apart from this, I wound up the week by posting signed stuff to a solicitor, putting an open to persuasion update on LinkedIn, and readying and sending off a short story to Popshot. This more in hope than expectation, but demonstrating Iron Discipline nevertheless. A chat with Sonia who made me laugh as usual, then off to the gym for a session there. Most enjoyably, I sat in Starbucks afterwards with a notepad, and plotted the first part of this new story I seem to be writing in the horror tradition. It is about twins. Then home in the pouring rain and straight into a hot shower once home. A quick chat with Anton, sending sympathy about Ken, and then Lorraine home and she immediately began cooking a pepper beef curry This was one of Beth's favourite chil...