under another sun

A delicious lightness and sense of freedom this morning on the way to work. Reading Violence by the   philosopher Slavoj Žižek which is quite entertaining. A warm day, and cheerfully anticipating being released back into the wild. Bumped into Slug on the way to work and we arranged to meet up at lunchtime in the Marquis Cornwallis pub near both the agencies. So having sent out a call to the universe for a bit of cash, instead of being let go, Keith and I were offered two months more work. Then we heard the stuff we'd been working on this week had gone down brilliantly with the client, and our stock is high. Keith and I went to discuss our options in the pub and decided to go for it, as this will soothe the Kenny coffer concerns in one hit and Keith felt he couldn't turn it down either. Both of us a bit rueful though as other projects will have to go on hold, such as finishing my blinking book which is so close. Having communicated this to the agency, I went back to the pub...

The gloom and general out-of-sorts-nessthat afflicted me over the last week or so rapidly abating. Work okay, and Keith and I had something purposeful to do all day. Worked in an area (they have no seats for us so have to wander about the building) where there was natural light from above, the glass floor above. Watched people's feet from below, their soles the only thing properly visible. And had a few laughs. A hot day today, and we walked into the nearby precinct and ate in the outside in the sun. I had a rather good bowl of udon noodles. The work we are doing has gone down well. We were asked back next week, but this was then reversed and I picked up an email on the way home which released me and Keith back into the wild, so tomorrow is our last day. Can't say I'm too sorry about this. Now waiting on another job I should hear about tomorrow. Home late, and Lorraine had a parent's evening, and we went to the Preston Park Tavern and had a bite there and a couple...

My mood much better, and I felt more energetic and cheerful. I was also able to leave work a few minutes early so got the earlier train. Sadly almost finished the Julian Cope book now. Reading his humorous and honest account of general rock and roll madness was somehow weirdly refreshing. It is the first time I've read an actual book, other than poetry books, on the train for a while, usually preferring to listen to audiobooks. I will have to go back to Gogol again after this interlude. Spoke to Lorraine on the train, and Mum as I walked towards the Joker where I met Anton for a very overdue pint and bowls of woof woof wings and curly fries. Great to see him, and generally talk about several things that needed talking about. Sloped up the hill afterwards, after Anton caught a taxi home. Lorraine still awake after a slightly hideous day at work. The weekend is in sight now. A long time since the ticking of the days off in the week has seemed so important. No idea if I'll be ...

Walked down to the station this morning, as Lorraine was able to sleep in a bit having a meeting. Absorbed in the Cope book there and back on the train. It is a double sided book, like Richard and my A Guernsey Double , with the two books of his memoirs on it, Head-on and Repossessed . How these people stayed alive is beyond me. While high on a cocktail of drugs, one of the games the musicians played was called Sock, where Cope would put a sock over his head and climb out of a window across the roof of the moving tour bus and in through another one on the other side. I arrived at work feeling irritable. However as the day wore on things improved, and Keith and I worked together cheerfully enough. Bought some sushi for lunch. Supportive text from Lorraine made a big difference. Also Anton and I arranged to have a cheeky bout of woof woof wings with a beer tomorrow. Last minute changes in the presentation Keith and I were putting together meant that I didn't get home till nine. ...

Gerald's funeral today. Toby and Mum went to it, and it passed off well apparently. I didn't go to it, but am full of mixed feelings about what was for me a failed relationship, and his death is taking up a lot of mental bandwidth for me. So off to work. Trying to think about money, but generally sunk in loom at the prospect. The week seems like an incredibly long time. Reading and enjoying my Julian Cope book a great deal fortunately, and it it taking me away back in time, and Cope's transparency and honesty about this car crash time of his life, is refreshing. Feeling really out of sorts at work. The chronic disorganisation of the place is maddening, and the lack of clarity does my head in. Also jobs that I would do in minutes are taking me ages. I'm not thinking clearly, which is a pain in the neck for Keith. Journey home aided by Cope's recollections of acid-crazed times. Very pleased to be home with Lorraine tonight. Had a chat with Mum and Toby, who told m...

Another slow day, and one robbed of an hour. Lorraine and I very washed out still, especially Lorraine. We rallied enough to get up and paint the front door, a colour called Thai Sapphire, which is a dark blue with a hint of red. I like it. We have to give it a second coat at some point. I spoke to Mas and to Toby today, successfully flown over from Canada last night. By chance a group of his pals (aka the Rabbits) were having a reunion not far from Mum's house, so he turned up out of the blue with a suitcase. Today he and Mum had been wandering in Hampstead. Tobs and Mum off to Gerald's funeral tomorrow. Then back home on Tuesday. He and the Romster are moving into their old house on Thursday which has been rebuilt to groovy new specifications, which is really exciting. A nice supper today, and Betty home for the evening, saying the door looked very blue . Early to bed, after gingerly replacing the door knocker and letter flap. A full week next week.

I was awake annoyingly early, thanks to Calliope. But we got revenge as Lorraine drove us along with Brian and Calliope to Top Cats. Calliope complaining all the way.  Calliope needs some dental work, which will cost her two teeth and us an arm and a leg. Such a nice vet there, so gentle and charming. Home after driving into town to buy cat food and picking up a prescription. Home, and Lorraine conked out exhaustedly on the sofa and slept for hours. I don't think she is very well. I slept too, then stated reading the highly enjoyable Head On , a memoir by Julian Cope, I heard discussed on Radio 4's a good read. In the evening Lorraine, Betty and I off in the bus to Hove where we went to The Exchange where we saw John's band, Night Shift. Jess and Andrew came, and Rosie and Innis, and Innis's brother. Beth's pal Laura came too with her rather nice boyfriend, Brahim. I had to drag myself out tonight, feeling very tired, Lorraine was too, but actually we had a real...

Final push up to London for the week. Feeling very tired. However an easier day working with Keith, and a Danish woman called Marie, on a new brief. Marie disturbed by our process, a mixture of spleen and wildly hilarious flights of fancy. Heard the work we'd been doing till last night had gone down well with the client, and had rescued the agency from a tricky position. So Keith and I in favour for now. Also contacted by another agency about an interesting writing job in the pipeline. Went to The Marquis Cornwallis for a fish finger sandwich lunch, with a beer. Really enjoyed working with Keith again, although both of us felt ill this week. I don't laugh with anyone as much as I do with him at work. Laughing at lunch, over our fish finger sandwiches. Then afternoon passed slowly, fiddling with a few ideas. Trains delayed again, just missed one at St Pancras, and the next one delayed, and then further delayed due to trespassers on the track somewhere. At some point a person...

Lorraine not having to get up, and I walked down to the Preston Park station, passing the Preston Park Hotel where the madman who drove into people on Westminster Bridge had been staying, apparently going about his business in a pleasant and cheerful way. A busy day, finalising everything for Adrian's big client presentation tomorrow. Cat herding going on, and found myself being given a new job at 6, but this then melted away. Liking the people in this agency though. More train cancellations etc. so I didn't get home till about nine thirty. Sank gratefully into the gold sofa, had some food and a can of beer, chatted to my lovely wife and then simply went to bed. Searching for the perfect image from online photo libraries. Keith in his Chewy teeshirt, and a cheerful Scouse art director Paul.

Dry toast this morning, and feeling queasy and tired.  Lorraine drove me down to the station.  The train broke down half in and half out of Blackfriars station, something wrong with the doors or brakes or something. Amazing how long it takes for a train to empty out when only one set of doors is open. More than twenty minutes. Almost half an hour late to work, walking there in the rain. A strange day, with the most excruciatingly badly organised teleconference with people in New York that I have ever been a party to. Managed to leave early, however after missing the early train. The sound of a helicopters outside. As this afternoon a lone madman had driven into people crossing Westminster Bridge, and killed a policeman just inside the houses of Parliament. He was shot dead.  Now I'm writing this at the end of the day, it seems that five people are dead and 40 were injured. Dreadful stuff. The next train was cancelled. I took another train but this was delayed blah, bl...

Up at six this morning, and feeling perky. Made porridge and tea, Lorraine kindly drove me to the station and off to London. Doing some work on the train. When I finished doing this, I realised I was feeling nauseous. Luckily I was sitting by the toilet, so felt reassured that if I needed to spew there was somewhere to do it. Into work, and felt sick all morning, struggling on with the brief with Keith, who was also under the weather. The briefest of pop out to the local pret a manger for a roll then back to it. A lengthy presentation, in which I didn't do too well, to round the day off. Feeling hot and sweaty today. Still, I have been offered another week's work there after this one, which is a boon. Heard from Carl today, that Rory, his brother, is seriously ill. I told him about Gerald. Home, passing several armed police inside St Pancras Station. Did some work on the train for my French friends. Luckily Lorraine collected me as she had been late at school due to a par...

Up with Lorraine today, and off to St Pancras today to work at an agency around the corner from the one I normally work at. Chaotic place, and feeling like a new boy, as I'd never worked there. Luckily I am partnered with Keith who has been there for a couple of days. No seats, their wifi is dreadful for 'guests' such as ourselves, a dire brief and Keith already flinty about the eyes. Still, good to see him. Popped out to get some sushi at lunch from the nearby supermarket which has a Japanese staffed sushi bento type lunchtime service there. Worked for the rest of the day of the crap brief, and left shortly after six. Home by 8:20 and when i got there Dawn and Lorraine were sitting opposite Betty, who was filming herself for an audition for a job in New York. Chatted to Dawn afterwards, who has lost her mother recently and is trying to get everything sorted with her family. Nice to see her. Lorraine and I off to bed, not needing to be rocked to sleep tonight.

Traditional late start for Sunday. Did a bit of work, and spoke to Mum to arrange seeing her on Wednesday. Lorraine and I took things out of the dungeon to go to the tip, got a shopping delivery, and Lorraine did lots of cooking.  I read more of Noughts & Crosses . We watched the final of the Big Painting Challenge. I girded my mental loins for a week of work in London. An early night.

A late morning, although I got up to take my lovely wife some breakfast in bed, which included walking down to the shop to buy the requisite chewy brown loaf. Then went to Brewers to choose paint for our front door. We chose a colour called Thai Sapphire, which is a blue with a hint of red, which I hope will vibrate nicely with the orange brick, or so I told the woman in the paint shop. I felt a bit middle class immediately afterwards. Then off to see Janet and Ken for possibly the last time in their Powis Grove house, as their move is imminent. After cups of tea and chocolate biscuits, Janet gave us a nice chair to take away too, which was very kind of her. Then home, where I simply slept on the sofa for a bit, before we went out again with Betty off into Hove to have a curry with Rosie and Innis, after a single drink in The Wick Inn. I enjoy chatting to Innis a great deal about music and art and so on. Rosie about to go to Rio, and will take Innis with her as her personal photograp...

Up early doing some writing, then dealing with the door people who rehung the door and fixed the problem. Then down to Preston Park and off to Trafalgar Square where I watched people scrabbling about between the paws of Landseer Lions at the Base of Nelson's Column and being unenthusiastically controlled by people with whistles. Some folks wandering around with St Patrick's day Irish tricolour hats and so on, young women with shamrocks on their cheeks. Bob had been a bit delayed, and arrived saying he had vision problems and chest tightness. After a quick triage it seemed that it was a migraine, and that he had been rowing this morning on his rowing machine. He bought some migraine pills and we found a cafe. However as we walked in, the Italian bloke inside was weirdly rude, and so Bob turned on his heel, to the denunciations of Italians as we left. I helpfully reminded him that he was a cazzo  as we left. Thence across the road for a drink and a sandwich. These seemed to hav...

A good morning's writing, although Lorraine called me on the way to work saying Dawn's mum had died. I texted Dawn for both of us while Lorraine was driving. It had not been a surprise, and she had family all around her when she went at home. Personally, I was feeling clearer in the head today. I have been in a bit of a mental fog all week due to Gerald's death and Andy's death and beginning to get twitchy about money. But a week's work has arrived for next week, thanks to my pal Keith, which offers welcome boost to the Kenny coffers, and with a new client to boot. Then off to the gym, also much needed after being locked indoors for the last two days. Walked down with Betty who was also off to her gym for a frenzied personal trainer workout. We left in sunshine, Betty in shades, and by the time we reached Preston Circus we had walked into the cold sea fog which was covering most of the City and crept back to cover the whole town later. I've never known a  wi...

No hangover this morning, which was just as well as a man called Alan came to replace our front door and the door frame, so the day was full of drilling, banging, and machining of various types, especially when he was joined by a mate later. Despite this, I had a good writing day, though was unable to escape for any kind of a walk. Spoke to Mum till the drilling got too bad.  Was phoned for a job that I couldn't take, which was a bit galling. A nice evening with Lorraine and Betty listening to music and chatting. I heard a Good Reads Podcast where someone chose a book by Julian Cope, the leader of The Teardrop Explodes, and it sounded excellent. I read a few pages of it on Amazon and have ordered it. Listening to post-punk music today such as Talking Heads and The Teardrop Explodes and Joy Division, which is not my usual auditory lurking ground but quite fun for a change. Our front door and frame being taken apart.

Slightly sadder and wiser this morning. Drinking lots on a school In other words, a hangover. However sat with Beth as we sent off our registration for Edinburgh. So with a venue booked, and registration made, we are committed. My productivity today lower than a slow worm's belly. But I hope for better tomorrow. Lorraine and I enjoyed watching The Big Painting Challenge , in the evening. Amateur artists challenged to produce pictures of ballet dancers. I like the way the painting process is shown, and the tips from the experts. It is making me want to do some daubing myself. An early and highly sensible night.  

After recent events, finding it hard to concentrate today, and so found myself doing things like ironing and laundry instead of pressing on with the story. In the afternoon I took myself to get a haircut and go to the gym, and this was helpful and found myself much clearer headed than before.  Went out at 5:30 to meet Glen and Richard in the Evening Star. Glen fresh off the plane and looking cheerful and well. An enjoyable chat with them, and arranging to meet up again soon. Richard had been over to Greece recently and had played with Glen doing his Shakespeare Heptet material. Steve unable to come because of a leg injury he got while putting the clay pigeon ejector away at his shooting club, which sounded ouchy. I walked down past the Brighton Tavern only to find Matt standing outside having a cigarette. So I simply joined Matt and Reuben for a drink. Great to see them. A very sociable evening, although drinking on a school night possibly not the most sensible thing, I felt...

A note from Mum this morning to say that Gerald had died. Spoke to Mum about it. She had spent some time today with the Emin Society , her brother Alex used to visit for some discussion about meditation. Spoke also to Toby, walking along the street with Romy, both wrapped against the unseasonal -20 cold. Everyone pleased Gerald had moved on from a deteriorating health condition he would have hated. I felt glad too that he wasn't suffering any more, of course. For me his death is being processed at a deep level, and obviously I felt sad too. Spent a day at home today. Played a game of Scrabble with Lorraine, and we organised accommodation for Matty boy and Isy's wedding in the summer. It will be a tent, albeit a very comfortable one. Also Lorraine sorted out accommodation for Edinburgh also in August. Chatting to Betty about it, as there are unknown bits and we may have to recast the show because of Dylan having a long rep run. It's all unknown territory, and a bit scary f...

Lorraine and I had an afternoon zoom up to London today, by way of doing something cheery. We went to The National Gallery and then into the Portrait Gallery. Just a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. Gallery behaviour so different these days, and it does make me feel like an old curmudgeon. I'd not been to the National for years. People walk up to deathless masterpieces of art, take a photo of it on their crap phones and wander off without giving it a second glance, or perhaps take a selfie with themselves in it with Van Gough's Sunflowers over their shoulder. The fact that you can download better images of the pictures from the internet. Anyway. Lorraine and I found ourselves sitting down near the Constables, and we looked at these over familiar images for some time. I've not really looked deeply at them since I was a child, as my tastes have moved on somewhat. But they really are astounding in lots of ways. Great to see the picture of Moulin Huet too by Renoir. ...

Another misty day. Lorraine dropped me off at Preston Park Station this morning and I went to Gatwick where I met Pat and Barney having gone through security. Off this morning to Newquay to go to Andy Wilson's funeral. Met Pat's second cousin Liz who was with some others who had worked with Andy at a different agency. I got lucky with the seating and had two seats to myself, on the Flybe, and sat by the window. A blanket of cloud broke up a bit over the North Cornwall coast and I could see the beaches of the rugged coast before we landed. The airport smaller than Guernsey and with no luggage we were all through in no time, and into an eight person cab, which hared us off through more mis to the crematorium on the outskirts of Truro, we were slightly late but crept in nevertheless. Andy's coffin there. A misty day here too, and I was interested to see some of the countryside as I had never been to this part of England before. Then, standing about outside, Barney, Pat a...

Worked this morning on the novel, then learned that next week's work in London had been cancelled, for the second week in a row. Quite keen now to earn some money. I went into town to the gym,  and was walking to see Helen for an afternoon working on the Centaur project.   As I left the gym Toby messaged me, and told me that Gerald had been given 24 hours to live. Gerald is our stepfather, who I have been estranged from for many years. Toby has had a much closer relationship with him, and Mum has seen Gerald lately and made her peace. He has not been well lately, and all who are close to him are hoping that it is over soon.  Stopped for a coffee on the way to Helen's to digest this information. Obviously I wish his suffering to me brief, and his death to be as easy as possible.  Then off to Helen where she played me the new section of the opera on her sibelius software, and then played a section which is a bit of a lament, on piano which was utterly gorgeous. ...

Wednesday raining all day, and I simply worked like a dog on the novel, making some strong progress. I also sorted out some ISBN biz for Mr Fleming's new collection.  Messaged Toby, Romy is having an eye operation today after her torn retina. Otherwise, little to report.

Groundhog day, but in a good way. I'm in a productive groove from first thing to breaking off after six hours to walk for almost two. Did so without a jacket or a coat, as it was a lovely fresh but not cold day.  Beth, who was home today, and I then started filling in forms for Edinburgh registration. Or at least Beth did lots of it because she is competent and has more patience, and I sat in a chair  umming and ahing. We still don't know if Dylan can work with us in the summer as he may have an exciting new offer. Spoke to Mum who had a nice weekend, seeing some of their pals. Working through my backlog of things, conscious that I will be losing Friday to go to Cornwall. Really grateful to have this time to work and walk. It is paying off, although it feels more mentally draining than my usual work. With the exercise I am going to bed physically and mentally tired. Kenny coffers playing on my mind a bit, but I have some work pencilled in for next week up in Tavistock Squa...

Started early, after Lorraine had brought me some tea in bed. Cleaned catsick off the floor, did laundry and discovered this morning that something had bitten me about a dozen times around my knee. I suspect a knee flea. De-fleaed the cats later. Calliope calm about it, Brian acting as if we were trying to murder him. Started work for my French friends about pigs, which only took an hour and so wasn't much of a swine. Then writing a long to do list, and as other mooted work did not appear, I was able to happily begin work on the children's novel at nine.   I broke off  to go to the gym, where I had a good workout but managed to drop my watch while getting changed. It landed perfectly face down on a hard surface and the second hand broke and some of the numerals fell off too. Second hand and three ones sliding about over the watch face. Home, and worked on for a while, then did cooking. Lorraine tired from work. Me also tired. Another Monday.

Up, in a creaky way after gym work and spadework, and Lorraine assembled a bread and butter pudding and we drove off to Steyning. Stopped in the Sussex Produce Shop to buy Dawn some flowers, and eye the wealth of pies they have there, before spending the afternoon with Dawn, changeable weather outside, and us all cozy in her front room with flames dancing in her wood burning stove, with her view out the back across the village green to the Downs. She cooked us a lovely salmon in pastry dish from a Jamie recipe, and then I engulfed some bread and butter pudding (which as eny fule kno is one of the allowable puddings) made by my wife's own fair hand. Dawn said she would be happy to read my book when it was done, and perhaps give it to some of the better readers at school. I did take earlier versions into Downs school, thanks to Dawn, and the Children's feedback was incredibly useful. Fond farewells with Dawn, then home, where I did some of my list of overdue things, and Lorrain...

Up early this morning, I went off to buy some bread and took up tea and bacon and egg sarnies to my lovely wife, before we got up and drove off to her school. A team of parents and other volunteers were assembling to lay paths of rubber chippings, made from shredded car tyres. I found myself shovelling for well over an hour. I left off for a while only to return and find four children happily shovelling it all back into the sacks again. Once the ground was prepped, by pulling out a forest of tiny sycamore shoots, it all went quite smoothly with an ant-like processions of people with wheelbarrows. Once the paths were laid, a few other jobs were done and the school was made safe, Lorraine (who had to lock up naturally) and I crossed the road to The Eight Bells village pub, and had a couple of drinks with some of the parents, which was fairly cheery. We were standing in the garden, and the sun even made an appearance. Then home for a late lunch round of cheese on toast, and then I simpl...

Worked out at last how to replace a section towards the end of my story, with a much better bit. Although hard to explain to anyone else,  for me this was a big step forward and I felt a cheeriness about it. Spoke to Mum, did some billing,  and chatted to Sonia about going to the gym. The gym curiously empty, and I felt good for trundling in there.  Sumo'd it in the showers there too, ad I had cunningly brought more clothes. Afterwards I sat in the ideologically unsound Starbucks and did some excellent work on a few new scenes for the book. Also there was some news from my French friends, and the work I was doing for them recently on a pitch was won, so I'm still big and clever. Other bits of freelance being dangled around. Then a pacy walk home, feeling strangely full of manly vigour, just in time for Lorraine to arrive, sneezing with early hay fever, and we slid off to the Preston Park Tavern for a quick bite to eat, before sliding back to the attractions of the gold ...

World book day. Lorraine off to school in a onesie and dressing gown, being a book at bedtime and looking sweet. I went up to London today, mercifully not in a onesie. Reading Peter and Wendy on the train however, (doing some background reading for the story I am writing). Surprised by the psychological and flirty undercurrent to the story published in 1913. I'd never read this before. And the setup is quite interesting. Some interesting imaginative leaps. Off to Strand on the Green to my dentist. She was a bit late, and then did x-rays, and found a filling to do. I had to book another appointment, luckily there was a cancellation in half an hour so I mooched about some of my old haunts for a few minutes, snapped the photos below from Kew Bridge, and then had the filling. Feeling a bit stressed lately, and found the whole process a bit more claustrophobic that usual. Luckily Lucinda is very pleasant and she has been my dentist for decades so all was well. A bill of £190. Relea...

First of March. Working well on the book this morning. Spoke to Pat about Andy, he is going to go to Andy's funeral in Truro Friday week. I decided I wanted to, and fortuitously, the work I was going to be doing in London with my pal Keith has been bumped for a week, so I booked a flybe ticket to Newquay on the same flight as Pat, another pal Barney will be coming too. Feel happy this is all decided. To the gym late in the afternoon. Only after I was on the cross trainer did I realise that my little towel, unused for some weeks, smelled foul with damp. Felt somewhat self conscious about this, especially as the place was unusually full of students. Accidentally wiped sweat off my face with it at one point, which was a schoolboy error. Walked home, then more work, before breaking off to cook. And welcome Mrs Kenny back into the fold.