under another sun

A productive day spent mostly writing. Working on a monologue as an ironic counterpoint to the more po-faced poetry, called Peter Kenny is not himself . Beth and Lorraine off shopping and looking at carry cots this morning, and then sat doing a jigsaw together  I waddled off to the gym. Almost empty when I arrived, then after half an hour of cross trainer trundling,  suddenly crowded with school kids. Good to see girls as well as boys using the equipment. However this meant I was unable get on any of the equipment as kids had settled on everything like eager locusts. I took a longer walk home by the sea to compensate. Not as nippy as it had been. Home and James arrived just after I'd showered, and we sat about downstairs eating pizzas, made with lots of ingredients and on sourdough bases Lorraine and made. A cheery evening, though Beth is done by nine o'clock.  Below: I liked the look of this empty bench as I passed it. An image of calmness.

A phone call around 5:15 from Maureen who was not feeling good. Lorraine immediately got dressed and drove around. I woke up a bit and walked around in the dark, on pavements sparkling with frost. I got there just as the paramedics arrived. Maureen's ECG was okay, but they recommended she go to hospital for a blood test -- to check if there had been a cardiac event. Lorraine drove Pat and I home, and then drove to Eastbourne to be with Maureen. Thankfully A&E was quiet, and Maureen was later released back into the wild after what had been a bout of angina. At home with Pat I made him some breakfast and we listened, with Pat singing along, to my crooners playlist on Spotify. Touched to see him singing along to  Unforgettable by Nat King Cole. Then a bit of a Death in Paradise marathon, watching several episodes till lunch. Then Beth and James called around early in the afternoon.  Not long after they arrived I got a call from Lorraine on the way home with Maureen.  A...

A peaceful day with both of us at home and with nothing organised. We fixed a curtain rail which was coming away from the wall using a ladder etc. I did a bit of a deep tidy of my study while Lorraine made a fabric bag. Also emptied drawers and found we had three hole punches for paper, three staplers and so on -- and we don't even need these things at all.   Into this tranquility, we watched the dystopian action thriller film Civil War directed by Alex Garland. Set in during near future American civil war with a president in a third term, the film focuses on photojournalists and journalists getting into the heart of the battle to overthrow the corrupt president. It felt uncomfortably plausible.  Noticed after five months, I was paid for the last job I did for the French agency. Despite them paying it in December. Turned out it was into the wrong account. All's well that ends well, I suppose. 

Frosty morning, and a day with time to mull in my study. Chatting with Mum for a while. Lorraine off to do Storytime in the library, and then took Pat and Maureen fish and chips, and then spent the afternoon with Beth who had taken a few days off work. Amanda came by at tea time to look at the spare room, as we intend to sort this out. To The Old Boot Inn this evening. A cheery gathering -- tonight people dropping in Brian (Yvonne recovering from her cataract operation) Patrick hot foot from Coventry where he did a welding course and suddenly gleaming with enthusiasm about welding. Delores, Lorraine's pal Helen and her husband Andy, and Debbie from the book group. Lorraine and I strapped on the nosebag in the pub, and walked home in the frosty night to watch The Traitors.   Below our goldfish swimming about slowly under the pond ice.

Up late this morning, and when I did get to my desk, I lacked focus. But even a non-productive day is a thousand times better than having to drag myself to an agency.  A lunchtime walk, the snow all but gone, but the high fields were white. Getting chest pains above my heart from an exercise I was doing yesterday that had slightly strained one of the muscles. Despite me knowing what it was, I did not enjoy the occasional sudden stabbings. Hypochondria is a difficult business. In the afternoon joined my wee understory conversation group with poet colleagues. I was underprepared for some reason and not particularly in the mood. But I enjoyed the conversation, and hearing some other people's work.  Delores chatting with Lorraine downstairs. Her Christmas made difficult by finding that one of her lodgers had died overnight. An upsetting business.  I popped out in the very chilly evening to complete my 10k paces, walking down by the sea. Delores borrowed my Natural History of ...

Up early and writing quite productively for a bit. Then breakfast with Lorraine, doing the Wordle thing over toast and a boiled egg.  Lorraine off to do Rhymetime at the library, and then spend time with Pat and Maureen. I went to the health centre and had a pneumonia jab. Apparently it is single jab for life. I am all for this, and am delighted to be needled.  Thence to the gym, and waddled about in there for a bit on the cross trainer and a few bits and pieces. The lats machine is good for my back. There is a sort of stomach tightening one too, where you crunch forward on a chair with weights involved. A tiny man darted on to it, when I was literally two metres away, and I decided to wait, where he did a few bits, then looked at his phone for five minutes, and then did a few more this went on for twenty minutes and I left. I don't know what the etiquette for this sort of thing is but I felt like punching his head. Gym people are not my tribe.  Home and felt quite virtuo...

Got up early and at my desk, but not terribly productively. Had breakfast with Lorraine, then later I took myself off to Brighton. I walked up from London Road station to Hollingbury Hillfort to my old haunts. A gorgeous sunny day. Then down again, walked along Osborne Road. Had forgotten just how much our old road rises. Was pleased to be going downhill. Then through Preston Park, where I stopped in the cafe for a large mug of splosh and a sausage roll. Then off to see Stacy to get a much needed haircut. Sat in the seat like Jabba the Hut and watched him perform his usual magic, coaxing the thinning hair on the top of my head into some kind of smooth pelt. Stacy and Mick the other barber saying they had the January Blues. Home and I cooked this evening for Lorraine and I and we were very happy to snuggle indoors on the gold sofa. I walked just under 14k paces not that much but my best for some while. Below the wall of Hollingbury Hillfort with two golfers ambling by, on the way down a...

Getting back to my preferred pattern. Up at eight and at my desk. It felt good and I began to make some small progress. Reading the first three sections of the Kenniad, and being fairly pleased with them after not having sat with them properly for a while. At around noon  Lorraine and I dismantled our plastic Christmas trees and decorations. After a bite to eat, I went for a walk by the sea, in a strong buffeting wind till I had walked my 10k paces. Finished The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge by Rainer Maria Rilke.   I found it confusing but occasionally the writing was exceptionally brilliant. I am making it my mission to finish all the books I have started in the last year or so but not completed. Read it sitting on the sofa with Lorraine, listening to relaxing music and while Lorraine was industrious or played her game. She spent much of the afternoon with Pat and Maureen. I cooked a delicious chicken curry. In other news Toby and Romy arrived back in a snowy Washington ...

Rainy most of the day. Mum said this evening that she woke up to a carpet of white snow up in Edgware.  Lorraine and I got up fairly early pulled the curtains on a grey sky, and made a moderately early breakfast. To the gym in the rain, leaving Lorraine to pull out her mat and did some stretches, and played some piano. The gym, meanwhile, was full of what I think of as January wankers cluttering up the equipment. My fightback against festive plumpness began in earnest. By February gym attendance will thin out again, and hopefully I will have done too. Home and as we were doing a roast, Lorraine asked me to pull some veggies from our patch. Some lovely short but sausagey carrots, and some very thin but tasty parsnips. After I'd showered and helped Lorraine prepare, Beth and James arrived, having collected Pat and Maureen. Beth and James sat with us chatting, mainly about the baby, putting names down for a nursery and so on. A tasty roast chicken and pork with lots of vegetables and ...

Taking back control of our waistlines today. I walked my 10k paces, drank nothing, and we returned to our normal diet. Felt much better for it too. Lorraine and I had breakfast and planned our meals. We both have put on lots of weight in the last month. I dropped in on Yvonne and Brian, taking Brian a belated birthday present for his birthday on the first. He seemed in good form, and was going to see Brighton play Arsenal at home this evening. Yvonne has a cataract operation on Monday, so is keen to get that over and done with. Walked home from there place down to Splash Point and then along the coast and eventually home. Lorraine just back from shopping and popping in to see Patrick and Maureen.  Some nice downtime this afternoon and evening. Watched a movie called The Holdovers , which was touching, a couple of Frasiers and then an early night.  Two snaps while walking along by the sea.

Frosty morning. Getting ready for a funeral. Appalled by suddenly being unable to fit into my formal black trousers, which only a few weeks ago I was able to enter like a seal sliding into the wide sea.  My hair is also deeply rubbish at the moment, having not had a cut for too long. Felt shabby all day.  Luckily, the day wasn't all about me. Lorraine and I hopped into the car, then picked up some sandwiches, a wreath made of flowers, then Pat and Maureen who were sitting downstairs at Stratheden waiting for us. To south London to attend Maureen's sister Bet's funeral. Reached south London fairly rapidly. The driving app took us through some windy country lanes just at edge of south London near Biggin Hill, Skid Hill Lane, and Corkscrew Hill. We arrived at Bellingham just a bit south of Lewisham, at Bet's house where her son Ted lives. Ted in his dressing gown, who said his ribs were damaged and seemed in a lot of pain. Probably not helped by us arriving very early, and...

The doorbell at five to nine. Our neighbour David, who owns a building company, had sent over two men with a ladder to take out the miniature succulent jungle living off roof run off and guano in our gutters -- as a kind of thank you for putting up with the building shenanigans in the last two years. After breakfast Lorraine went into the garden. Joy was unwell this morning, and Jim told Lorraine he found her on the floor. She experiences from vergito some times -- all well though.  I started picking up the pieces of my long poem, but the moment I slipped into a flow state, the gods or disruption in the shape of Maureen arrived. Maureen's sister in law had had a stroke, and both her brothers would not be attending tomorrow's funeral of Lorraine's aunty Betty. Lorraine called her back.  We then drove off to see Dawn and Paul, also had sombre news, about people close to them. I had a strange reaction to this. I am feeling full to the brim of difficult news. Lovely to see Dawn...

First day of the new year. Lorraine and I woke up feeling clear and sprightly having drunk very little on new years eve. Lorraine and I then did stretches on mats.  Over breakfast, we swapped texts with Anton,  Brian (whose birthday it is today), and Yvonne among other pals.  I went down to the sea at noon, which was almost exactly high tide. The strength of the wind had raised the sea level meaning there was a risk of flooding. The sky was overcast, while the sea was an expanse of rough grey waves and white foam. Clouds of drenching spray rushed inland. All quite invigorating. I took some photos, though my camera lens got quite wet pointing into the wind. Quite pleased to be home and drinking hot coffee not long after. I called Mum, who seemed in good spirits. Then a luxurious afternoon, raining heavily outside, while Lorraine crocheting a small baby hat, after having completed a baby jacket last night.  I finished reading The Sea by John Banville -- a quite brilli...

Apart from a pre-breakfast lope to Morrisons to buy breakfast eggs and a later foray down to the sea to take a spare key to Lorraine, who'd contrived to lock herself out of the car parked outside Pat and Maureen's place, I happily drew all my tentacles into the house and lurked indoors. All I wanted to do is read The Sea by John Banville which is a magnificent book. I had no desire at all to go out and party, and it was a wild night too with strong gales roaring into Seaford. Instead Lorraine and I preferred to stay indoors and count our blessings. During the day I had a go at writing this blog in a kind of an accounting for the year way. But it ended up being like one of those cringy letters people send you inside Christmas cards. Enough to say that I'm not entirely sorry to see 2024 slink off. There were lots of events: Mason dying in February and me spending lots of time with Mum. Pat and Maureen and Beth and James are all now settled in Seaford. I ended my copywriting ...

To Edgware by car with Lorraine today to see Mum on her birthday. A decent drive up there. We stopped for a cup of tea, and to give her some presents. The throw and pillows had already arrived, and we gave her some new pots and pans, to replace the venerable ones she uses. Lorraine drove us to The Waggon and Horses where we got a seat by the fire. Curtis, behind the bar, and Mum's crew, who call her a geezerbird, all cheerily greeting her and Steve shaking my hand and wishing me merry Christmas and happy new year. Just after we'd eaten Toby called  from Bali fresh from a yoga session-- thinking that we'd be together. So Mum got to speak to him on her birthday too. Very cheery in the Waggon, and Lorraine had a chicken shish like me, and was surprised at how genuinely excellent they are there. Home again and we sat by her fire in the living room. Neighours Emma and Gail dropped off some presents for her, and Wynford dropped in too with a gift. He sat chatting with us for a wh...

Up really late this morning, around eleven. Foggy day in Seaford. Rosie and Innis called around in the afternoon, and we had a walk from Edinburgh Road to splash point. At one point Pippi joined a kind of cockapoo convention, with three or four cockapoos of several shades. Cold in the foggy conditions. Grateful when we called in on Pat and Maureen for a cup of tea, as Maureen was very keen to see Pippi the dog. She had not met Innis before and gave Rosie her approval. Home to eat pies that Lorraine had made from turkey and ham, and sit about the kitchen table chatting about books and stuff for some time. Lorraine also getting ready for the book coven where were gathering here tonight. I kept myself to myself while they convened downstairs. But after some welcome time in my study for a couple of hours,  I went downstairs and chatted and grazed on book coven snacks. There were Adele, just back from Ireland, Kate, Debbie, and Frances. A lovely bunch of people.  Below Rosie, Pipp...

Ahh... And relax. A call from the Tobster in Bali while I was fishing through the bones of a turkey stock. Other than taking a walk for an hour or so, I did little. Lorraine making a bag from fabric, I finally finished my book A Natural History of Ghosts -- 500 Years of Hunting for Proof , by Roger Clarke. I also read Che -- A Graphic Biography by Spain Rodriguez Anton had got me for Xmas.  Made a large of turkey soup made with assorted peas and pulses and vegetables, with the thick and meaty turkey stock I made last night. Surprisingly delicious dinner, with Christmas pudding again afterwards. My tongue tingling with the almonds afterwards but it was worth it. An interesting character, who had trained as a doctor, with an interest in leprosy.

Spoke to Mum, who was bright as a button and pleased she could now picture our house in Seaford. To Brighton this afternoon, Lorraine off to see Rosie, while I enjoyed a few beers and lost three games of bones to Anton in the Brick on Preston Street. Turns out he has been watching YouTube dominoes channel to refine his game. Walking to the pub, having been dropped off by Lorraine I passed the i360, known by local curmudgeons as the iSore, which is now closed leaving the City of Brighton with a large unpaid debt from the people who ran it.  After Lorraine collected me, and a turkey leftovers nestling on the gold sofa. I also made another stock with Turkey bones for a soup.

Boxing Day. A more relaxed start. Up and preparing turkey stock this morning, and then Lorraine put in the Turkey crown. At lunchtime, Mum arrived, having been driven down my Monika and Octay. A really cheery afternoon with them. Finally able to show mum around new Kenny towers, even into the garden despite the slippery paths. Monika and Octay brought lots of food, homemade Czech Christmas cookies, stollen bread, wine, open sandwiches and so on. They are lovely people, and very kind. We sat chatting int he kitchen. Pat and Maureen in the other room. Today's excitement. At one point there was a cry from the living room, and Lorraine went in and called me. Lorraine was putting Patrick into recovery position having found him on the floor with his eyes closed, and Maureen crying out about her leg. Turns out Patrick had a bit of a light headed moment standing up from the sofa and fell down, fall partly broken by Maureen. We picked him up and he was right as rain, and Maureen's leg w...