under another sun

Beth and Enzo popping in this morning for a coffee and a chuckle. I went to the door, and again the little chap wriggled happily and held his arms out to me. It's impossible not to have your heart melted by this sort of thing. Beth and Enzo both in good spirits, so a lovely breakfast. A bit later, Lorraine and I set off for beautiful little village of Firle, just the other side of Lewes, to meet Dawn and Paul in The Ram for Sunday roast. They all had veggie stuff and no alcohol drink, I felt a bit like Oliver Reed having pork, and a pint of cold lager. Lovely to see Dawn of course, and I enjoyed chatting with Paul. They told us about a talk about Gaza they'd attended the night before, which had moved them lots. Also about Dawn's grandson Raffy now eight weeks old. Both he and Ellie and Russ doing well.   Having strapped on the nosebags, we went for a short walk. Paul and I were talking about all kinds of stuff, from generational trauma, to Paul telling me about the startlin...

A much-needed calm day, both feeling a bit tired. Slow breakfast, and a food shop (I always enjoy food shopping with Lorraine), Lorraine did some gardening, I went to the gym to atone for the last two evenings. Then studio. I am exploring in sketches what I am now beginning to write about. It accesses a different part of my brain -- which I should not find surprising after decades of image plus copy advertising, I don't really understand. I seem to learn the same things over and over throughout my life. I have a vague idea of doing a hybrid project, if I can get my art standard high enough. Spoke to Mum and arranged to see her in Hampstead next Tuesday. Arranged a haircut for Monday as it's all gone into clown mode. Air fried chicken tonight, with delicious beans I picked from the garden among the veg. Football tonight. An interesting game between France and Paraguay, who played with callous gamesmanship and thuggishness, and confined their beating to 1-0 because of it. France,...

Faffing about. Sent the tax things to Romy, who will kindly file them for me. This has been such a weight off my mind. Some tweaking of the new poem and wondering where it might lead me. Some more editing of the podcast, till I got bored. Laundry. Made off for the gym, but then left late, and half way there realised I didn't have my entrance card, and gave up the idea, as I'd arranged to meet Lorraine to go shopping, but she had to pick up Enzo early from nursery, and he hung out with us for a bit.   Rebooting tonight. Andrew and Kate there, which was nice. Patrick clearly bolstered by his musical trip to Ireland and playing a gig in the arts centre of his hometown, good to see Adele and Delores, and Andy, and a pal of Andy's and Kate and Andrews called Hilary. Enjoyed a few beers and my top hat not quite vertical when we all left. Below in the little wild patch of the garden, we have some teasels, which the insects love.

Good news on the Mum front... Having explored Mum's pension payment suspension problem with Chat GPT yesterday, which suggested one of the reasons for non-payment could have been her non-completion of a form which basically tells them she's still in good health. By coincidence this form arrived today, and she mum told me. she would complete and return it the same day. Once this is processed, normal service should be resumed. This is great. I'm discovering the only thing worse than bureaucracy is foreign bureaucracy.  Also this morning, I simply sat down and wrote a new poem, which I am pleased with, which is a sort of fever dream about the hatchling of a giant seagull egg. Not been writing much lately, but this felt decent.  Then a day with Enzo, who wriggled happily when he saw me, and held his arms out to be taken. It is a culture shock to see him crawling now, it's still slow but it's such a game changer already.  We went off to Drusilla's for lunch, and look...

A pinch and a punch for the start of the month. Romy has been marvellous and sent me a tax form, plus an outline letter to the California tax people to complete. This is brilliant. I also used Chat GPT to investigate mum's US widow's pension, and got lots of useful advice, although it also said we'd done all the right things so far, say what you like about AI but it is bloody useful in such circumstances. Spoke to Mum about it all. Gym again today, and pressed on with editing my long interview with Will Harris, which seems to be taking ages. Succumbed to the torture of watching England, we started to watch just after England were already one goal down to the Democratic Republic of Congo, who played really well. England ragged and as ever going through patches of appearing never to have been formally introduced to each other. But Harry Kane scored two goals late in the second half to save the day. Then went to play about in the studio with Lorraine afterwards. Lorraine happi...

Reasonably productive day, posted the power of attorney forms talking to the jolly ladies in the post office, and prepared and entered Gordon Road into another competition. A good gym session, shopping, and spoke to Mum at tea time. Also had a new creative idea percolating in the background. Lorraine off to personal trainer this morning, went walking with her old headteacher buddies after, then to pottery this evening, returning with some splendid pots. Another heatwave is coming next week apparently. Need to get an air conditioning unit if this is how things are now. Saw a photo of my head from behind. The area of concern has spread like a successful player in a game of Risk it has been annexing my scalp.    Below, pots made by Lorraine. The white one has been glazed but not fired yet. She is coming on in springs and somersaults. The lids fit snugly. She says she is good at lids.  

Off to Edgware this morning. Feeling positive, and having lots of creative ideas on the train. Sitting across a from a dad and his 3 year old boy from Lewes to Beast Croydon. They were sitting next to two women either side of the window, and though they didn't know each other were all soon chatting. I got drawn into it a bit when the boy poked a large stem of an umbellifer, perhaps cow parsley, across the aisle. He waggled it under my nose, and I sniffed it and we had a conversation about what it smelled like. Then he did it again, and I pretended to be a bee. The third time he did it, he shouted a gleeful poo-poo ! Very funny. Because of Enzo it felt more normal talking to the little boy and his dad.  Up to Mum, and as I arrived Ben was in his garage, and he was able to come across and sign after Wynford had been. LPA documents signed by mum and me too, and I will post them off tomorrow. I then spent some time with Mum's paperwork, digging through assorted documents, before Mu...

A busy Sunday. With Lorraine's adult supervision, I completed and printed the Lasting Power of Attorney documents out for mum to sign, and got in touch with Wynford and Ben to ask them to sign too tomorrow when I go up. Wynford: Yes, Ben: I'll try and see what I can do, which I'm hoping means yes too. Also some admin about my tolerance for financial risk for my savings had to be sent off too. Lorraine and I are very much medium-low risk people when it comes to finance. Anyway doing this kind of admin early on made me feel happy once it was done. Delores breezed in later (a breath of fresh air as she had been walking in the Forest) to borrow the strimmer and to laugh loudly in the kitchen.   Some gardening. I poked about in the pond. I think all the fish are gone now. There was the great egret devastation, and I don't know if it popped back to eat the last two, of the unbelievable heat did them a mischief, but I couldn't see any in there, while I cut back some of the...

A saunter around Seaford this morning, popped in to see Pat and Maureen, who were struggling with iPlayer. Then had a walk around town, popping in to Gallery Uno to see our friends Adele and Debbie's work among others.  Off to Squirrel's End late this afternoon where we hung out with Beth and James and the baby boy, who was in sparkling form. We also celebrated Beth and James being parents for a year, and James's recent successful year's review. He is doing excellently, despite starting days after Enzo was born, and life being full on for both of them.  Lorraine and I had been talking off and on about trying a nostalgic doner kebab, as I can't remember having one for at least a decade.  Delicious Doner Seaford has a good reputation. Beth decided to make it happen, and we got a delivery meal from them and drank sparking wine (I stuck to beer mostly) and simply talked all evening, and it was really fun.  Lorraine and I had large doner kebabs, they were huge and stuffe...

Somewhat cooler in Seaford today, we had a bit of sea fret which cooled things down nicely. Got up early to sit in my study, at my desk in a cooling draft, and finding I could concentrate again.  Meanwhile poor Mum still sweltering  in Edgware, but she is battling through it. After an early lunch the joy of being able to walk to the gym without getting hot and bothered. Lovely stuff. I've experienced hotter temperatures than these before in other countries, but something about the humidity was just too much to bear.  Back from the gym, but a story rejection took the wind out of my sails for a bit. But I soon perked up as in the evening I met Lorraine in the Boot early, as she came straight from Pat and Maureen. Just us which was actually really nice, then and Melissa and Chris came and sat with us briefly until our food came. I like their meet cute... Melissa beating grouse out of the undergrowth towards the guns, one of which was Chris. Then Chris and Julie arrived short...

It all boils down to the weather. Another record day which is killing people across Europe.  I am finding it hard to get anything done, the heat brings a weird kind of lethargy with it. An ominous time.  Even hanging some washing on the line around noon made me feel wussy. Mostly I lurked in shadows, editing the podcast interview, and a few other things -- so wasn't completely unproductive. Bumped going to Brighton to see Anton this evening.  The breeding gulls on the roof seem to have had some calamity. I think one of the two young fell off landing next door, and the gull that hates me is not at its usual station on the roof, and I can't see either of the two young. Much as I resent being dive bombed and screamed at, I feel sorry about this.   Beth and Enzo here today. Beth sounding businesslike as she worked in he dining room, but was able to hang out with us for lunch in the garden. Beth expanding on her theory that there was nothing nicer in a sandwich than thin ...

The hottest June day on record. Last night still, sweaty, and humid, which is making it feel far worse.  Sluggishly worked on some editing for the podcast, and caught up with this blog. Planned to complete the power of attorney forms with Lorraine's adult supervision over the weekend. Spoke to the Tobster.  Unusually for me, I had no motivation at all. Doing anything at all felt not worth bothering with.  Called Mum, who is doing okay in the heat, thankfully. In stark contrast, Lorraine going off first thing to take Beth's car to the garage, deliver Rhyme Time, as usual, and received a special thank you from the Library folks for doing so, and went to be with Pat and Maureen, taking Beth's car back and so on. Then when back she persuaded me to get off my motivation free butt and go down to the studio where she worked on a pot, and I overworked a sketch. A happy evening though, the breeze got up a little making things bearable. Watched a little football. The start of the S...

Even hotter today. After breakfast with Lorraine, I went to the gym first thing before it got really hot. The gym is air conditioned. Lots of people there this morning and all the cross trainers clogged up. I managed all the other bits, and went briefly on a cycling machine, and one of the inferior cross trainers, till I got to the proper cross trainer, only to feel a slight pull in my leg after about ten minutes, which I thought was cramp at first, but now I think was a muscle thing, so I stopped. Meanwhile Lorraine had been to see Caroline and had done her personal training.   I have no energy in this humid heat. Did nothing that could be considered work, no writing, no form filling, editing of the podcast and all the other stuff I want to do. I read online (so it may be nonsense) that blood pressure pills make you less able to cope with extreme heat. Whatever, I don't remember feeling so lifelessly hot before. The temperatures might be as much as 40C this week -- smashing UK rec...

Hoofed off to Edgware this morning. The hottest June day on record, and far worse is forecast for later in the week, all part of the deadly heatwave that is lingering over western Europe. Luckily the air conditioning on the various trains seemed to be working. Heard en route that Mum had been to the bank. She had received a letter about a suspicious activity, but all was okay. Sweltering at Mum's. I took photos of the demand that was sent to her address from California tax people, and sent these to Romy, who has really kindly said she would contact them on Mum's behalf. This is a huge help, though I feel a bit guilty asking her with her workload. Meanwhile I went through Mum's emails and found that the US social security people had sent Mum a note on the 17th saying that they had received her query and had passed it on to the right department. So three bits of good news from my perspective. I ordered a replacement death certificate for Mason, just in case this would be requ...

Enzo's birthday today. It hardly seems possible really. Funny how a little thing who has only been part of everyone's life for a year is so established and loved as a little person. Innis and Rosie came around, and we all made our way around to Squirrel's End where the garden was being made ready for a teddybear's picnic. So we had to take teddybears. I took my monkey knitted for me by Maureen. We left Pippi in the kitchen. Julie and Andy and Lorenzo were there already, helping in the gazebo. Innis had brought his bubble machine and set this up, and several pals and other relatives arrived. I particularly enjoyed seeing Laura and Braheem, and their gorgeous daughter Layla now four, and Suzie, who I caught up with about the shows she and Sarah have put on. I told her what I'd seen in Trafalgar Square with it being roped off for shows, and she told me all about it.   Most importantly Beth and James were delighted with how the afternoon went.  Enzo was of course was hi...

Off this morning to Trafalgar Square to meet Bob under the usual lion. However the square had been cordoned off and there was a big stage there where people were rehearsing songs from High School Musical. An affront to human decency I called it. I was early, and it was hot, but luckily Bob was already there and we hopped into Pret for a cold drink of water and a sandwich. There after a good deal of catching up, we decided to go to the Zurbarán exhibition in The National. It was rather fabulous, full of imposing and brilliant paintings, loaded with meanings, and I write  more about it here .  We went ambling about having beers and catching up. We'd not met up this year, so there was loads to discuss. He was in top form, however, and we had a good laugh. We visited the Salisbury, which of course is a trusty favourite, then off to The Seven Stars, which makes me think of Bleak House because it is deep in the legal part of town, then to the Cittie of York, where we sat conspirator...

Enzo has discovered pointing with his finger, and he is doing things with his index finger rather than his whole hand when he was here today. Life drawing this morning. Had great fun, although I didn't produce much that was good.  Strangely upset stomach today.   At tea time off to Lewes, where I met Robin at the station and walked to the John Harvey Tavern, where the Needlewriters had an evening, featuring John McCullough reading from his new book Crowd Voltage . Strong work, and I find John has an exhilarating ability to choose a metaphor or image that is so far away from what you would expect would work, but somehow in his hands does.  Also readings from  Jackie Wills and Bethan Roberts. Jackie reading a prose work about her allotment, and Bethan, who is a very successful, reading an excerpt from her new novel. Both excellent writers but I was left with a not for me-ishness about what they'd read this evening.  Lots of the usual suspects there, Janet, Charlot...

Up early doors, and multitasking, doing laundry, preparing breakfast, carrying the oversized chair from my study down to the studio, while getting dogs abuse from the gulls. Looking at the absolutely bloody final poem from the full poetry collection and making some more final final tweaks. Lorraine off to Bolney to see her personal trainer.  Then spoke to Mum for a bit, before scampering to the bottom of the garden, where Rosie was bringing us some blankets. Rosie and Innis had hired a two men and a van who were dropping off furniture to Laura and Adrian from the back alley behind our house. I went to shoot the breeze with them, Innis and Rosie, and two of their neighbour friends.  The van also collected the bits of Rosie's Mum's furniture we had been storing. Rosie gave us a gorgeous chair and footstool which had been her mothers, and is exactly the right size for my study. Later, I sat on it and played a little guitar for the first time in ages, as it is perfect for that job...

Up early and off to Edgware. Arrived at Mum's at 12:15, which was speedy. A cup of tea and some fig rolls, then we dived into the filing and paperwork. I got the details of the amounts received from her US pension from the bank statements, and totalled them up. Also got in touch with the US social security people, as Mum's last payment did not arrive, sending an email via their site. Mum has already been in touch, via some kind of on screen chat box, but they told her to wait a bit, and then never got back to her despite her waiting for an hour and a half. This all took a couple of hours, with some filing. There is lots to be done, so I will return to Edgware shortly to continue.  Spoke to Wynford and Rupa next door for a bit. Lovely people, and after this a quick jaunt off to the Waggon and 'orses for snack a pint of Guinness for me. The Waggon decked out in World Cup footy flags and so on, although it was empty on a Monday afternoon. We asked them to turn down the TV whic...