under another sun

New Year's Eve. Lorraine much brighter than I have seen her of late, which was lucky as she had a meeting in Middle Street with Catherine. I walked into town to meet her afterwards, and we had a quiet coffee and made plans for the coming year. The buzz phrase is Iron Discipline . And both of us laughing about this but making plans to get more of a grip in 2019. From there we called around on Anton, still nursing his cold, and spoke to my Godbairns who both seemed in good form, Klaudia sporting the converse shoes we had bought her, and Oskar thanking us nicely for his present too. Anton, Lorraine and I then sauntered gingerly down to the emptyish Batty for a beer or two, and a good chat. Nice to be in the Battle of Trafalgar again. I am very fond of this pub, and very fond of Anton. And lovely to be out with Lorraine too, for the first time since before Christmas. Home by bus, and then later we bused to Hove where we went around to Rosie and Innis's place, where Beth and Joh...

Mum's birthday. So I zoomed off this morning, leaving Lorraine snuffling and coughing in bed. Train up to Mill Hill Broadway, fairly event free, although I managed to drop my ticket on the platform, but spot it a few minutes later. Listened to more stories by Aickman. Arrived at Mum and Mason's house, having diverted to buy a cheery bunch of flowers. Mason chatting to me as mum was getting ready, telling me about how his mother had thwarted all his plans when he was young, and how he had to pay for his own father's burial at the age of sixteen. Then mum, who has a cold today, drove us off to the Waggon and Horses, and we parked up and went in but they were not serving food. Gradually disentangled Mason from the people he'd instantly begun talking to and made off not far to The Battleaxes, where we strapped on the nosebag. I chose a 'festive burger', Mason had Hunter's Chicken, and was disappointed it wasn't a burger, and mum had duck but did not eat ...

Sam left today, getting up fairly early. I discreetly left him and Lorraine to chat for an hour or so, and later we took him off to the station, and sent him, well-hugged by Lorraine and I, off London to stay with Jade and her Mum. Lorraine still struggling with her cold and feeling pants. I met my old Warwick University pals David and Amanda who had met up to see The Rocky Horror Show . We were talking about the future of humanity , which is a topic in philosophy now, and David has been in discussions with the philosophy department at Oxford about possibly working with the team, bringing real world business experience with computing and artificial intelligence. I enjoyed picturing the business card: David Morgan, Future of Humanity. Mandy said darkly that it wouldn't matter too much if humanity had no future and life on earth ended. This going on against a backdrop of playful transvestitism in the bar next to the theatre, which was pressed with hairy chested men in black bodic...

Dimly aware of Sam coming home at 4.00am. He spent most of the day in bed. Lorraine still ill and sofa-centred, and dozing lots. Sonia came around, and cleaned and chatted cheerily, and showed us pictures of the bread her husband had made. Spoke to Anton who has the dreaded cold. Also heard from Dave Morgan, who I will meet in Brighton with Mandy for a pre-show drink. I made an exceptional turkey soup, even if I say it myself. And happily chopped up many different vegetables and threw them into the pot, with the stock I had carefully made, along with the remains of Lorraine's amazing chestnut gravy, and added various fresh herbs and spices. Lorraine and Beth do most of the cooking during Christmas, so I felt cheerful to be cooking, while listening to a creepyish story by Robert Aickman called The Unquiet Dust as I did so. Sam resurfaced enough to have some soup and watch a bit of TV with us, before going back to bed. I am feeling happier than I have for a while. Having a b...

A day of farewells. Pat and Maureen going back to Ashford. I always enjoy their visits, and the knitted monkey Maureen knitted me now lives in my office. I'm calling it Maureen the Monkey. Jade (now with the regulation cold) off to London to stay with Sian. Not enough room in the car for all of us, and I went for a much needed walk through the park, into town to pick up a prescription. I had not walked anywhere much for a week.  Homeward, Lorraine and Sam stopped in the car to pick me up. I'm still feeling a tad tired and lacking energy from my own cold.  Back home and Sam made off for a quick drink with a pal in the Basketmakers, and after a while texted Lorraine to let her know he was having fun and staying out for the night. My wifey and I gold sofa-ed it till it was bedtime. Lorraine still feeling wretched and now has added chesty wheezing to the mix, poor thing. I ate too much chocolate and felt sick. I have only myself to blame. On the plus side I drank no festive ...

Lorraine and I day spent the day with the family watching TV, eating bubble and squeak, gnawing cold turkey and pickles (or vegan options) and playing games with Pat, Maureen, Beth, Sam, Jade and Sian. A day for films too, Saving Mr Banks , which I had seen before but perhaps enjoyed more this time around, and Marry Poppins, which I don't think I had ever seen in its entirety. Loved it. A happy Boxing Day. Lorraine feeling ropey with her cold, which is a great shame.

Up and Lorraine collecting Sian, and Sam and Jade from Beth's flat, before the great cook up. A tasty breakfast of bagels. And eventually present giving. I got an amazingly beautiful book about the sea from Lorraine, and a knitted monkey from Pat and Maureen, and a strange but incredibly face-like stand for keeping the glasses I keep losing on my desk from Beth and John. Anton and his family bought Lorraine and I some lovely stuff, including a copy of The Box of Delights, the same version as I had but this one not falling apart. Lorraine liked the watch I bought her in Convent Garden. I spoke to Mum to wish her and Mas a Happy Christmas. Couldn't help but think about Janet and Ken a bit today. A now traditional interlude of going to the pub with Pat and Sam (for the second time running) to the Preston Park Tavern. Busy, but with a fair amount of space and not so many rug rats as in recent years. A very mild day, so people happily sitting on the benches outside. Took the ni...

Beth setting off early for her last day of elfing. I got up before Lorraine and mooched down to Prime Cuts to pick up the turkey, a six kilo bronze monster in a box. Brian clawing at it as soon as I brought it into the kitchen. Dawn called round this morning, as were finishing a late breakfast. Nice to chat to her. Lorraine and I took Pat and Maureen to see Beth in her elf gear, and left them in town as Maureen had a sudden desire to buy shoes. Lorraine and I did a last bit of xmas shopping before heading off to Preston Park to collect Sian. Lovely to see her. Jade and Sam arrived. Lorraine and I zoomed over to Anton's house to drop off and pick up pressies, nice to have a quick chat with Anne, Klaudia and Oskar too. Home, and then all of us, bar Maureen, then went to The Basketmakers for a quick drink, Beth having finished her elf service. Highly commendably, Sian went to a meditation group for a bit before coming to the pub to meet us not long before we before we left. ...

Maureen and Pat, and Jade all arrived safely today. Today was the day of the great spread (a day earlier than last year due to Beth's elf commitments). Beth and Lorraine cooking lots, things like hams, and lemon pies and sausage rolls and numberless other wonders both carnivorous and vegan. My contribution was popping around the corner to pick up the big pork pie we had ordered, along with extensive kitchen portering and hostly activities. Lots of food, and chat and game playing. Good to see Jade, and Pat and Maureen on good form, despite their boiler self destructing this week.

A day of running about and getting the house organised. Lorraine turning into an efficient present-wrapping machine. I sat beside her manning the sellotape (a critical part of the operation). I have never been good at wrapping  presents. Sam arrived this afternoon, and we had a really cheery evening hanging out with Sam and Beth, which made Lorraine really happy. We played Euchre, which was great fun, and a trivia game and generally shot the breeze and ate nibbles and drank some beers. After Lorraine went to bed, I sat up with Sam and Beth, until Beth, who has the last of her Elf days tomorrow, went to bed. Sam and I found there were still beers to be drunk, and we had an enjoyable talk for a few hours afterwards, and finished the evening at around three o'clock with cheese on toast.

Lorraine and I got the house sorted this morning. Lots to be done and organised.  Bob and I had planned to meet this afternoon in London, but Bob had to biff this, as his Mum had been ill the night before and had spent the night with her.  Sonia came for her last clean of the year, bringing a big chocolate cake that she had made. It was delicious. Lorraine and I slipped out for a late lunch in the PPT, which felt like a special treat. After a while, we went home to watch Toy Story 3, a film I very much enjoy. I fell asleep for a bit, and discovered I was starting a cold.  Woke up snuffling to the sad end of the film. It is an amazing trilogy.

Proper holiday today! Up to London early on a morning when flights were stopped at Gatwick due to a rogue drone menacing the runways. A bit before we reached Gatwick, I saw a Police helicopter hovering over woods, searching for the criminal masterminds at work.  A bit eery and peaceful to go through Gatwick on the train and see no planes arriving or taking off. I arrived early in Covent Garden, and found myself looking for a present for Lorraine, and finding one, which was an unexpected bonus. Then I met Mum for a cheeky two hours outside The Salisbury on St Martin's Lane.  The pub's website says it opens at 11 am, but this was a filthy lie. Instead we went for a walk around Covent Garden, and then were first into The Bear and Staff and as Mum zoomed into the loos, I spoke to the loquacious woman behind the bar. She said at Christmas her family has secret Santa as there are too many of them, and she had not 'got the dollar' for nine presents. Mum horrified by glancing...

So a bit more work needed on poos and kidneys, this morning, but everyone seems happy with it, so that's pleasing. Said hello to Tom, arriving first thing to sleep off his nightshift at Gatwick. Lorraine's last day at work today, which is something to be very happy about. In the afternoon, I slipped out to meet one of my new friends Chris Williams for a coffee in town. Chris gave me an envelope with a short story he had written some time ago in it, and we were chatting for a couple of hours. I had to change a line of copy there which luckily I did on my iPhone. Then I did a spot of shopping, and rain dodging. Walked home as there were no buses for ages, and saw Lorraine before she headed off for her works party in the Kommedia tonight. I was strangely grateful for a night in, watching Larry Sanders, and eating fish and chips. Lorraine, top hat askew, left the work do her teacher's ambition of getting Lorraine a bit drunk achieved. I collected her at the bus stop and we ...

A little hungover, I must confess. Otherwise I got up early and spent eight hours manacled to my desk doing work writing about poos and kidneys, the job I was briefed on last Friday, sending off the first draft at around 4.00pm. This was a straightforward job, but my brain made hard going of it, which made me feel stressed. Off to the post office to post various cards in the pouring rain, then home again. Spoke to Mum at five-ish with the rain lashing down outside and very dark. Lorraine home from pilates, and we ate the pasta I cooked, and watched the chefs of Masterchef. And then, after a while, headed for bed. Lorraine's penultimate day of work. I am almost as relieved as she is I think.

Up early and writing the poos and kidneys job I was doing. Looking at the Bristol Stool Scale first thing, is not my favourite way to start the day. I popped into the garden at one point to empty the compostables tin, and noticed lots of fungi growing on our soggy log bit. Only a few hours on this before I leapt aboard the 5b and headed off to Hove for the second Freelancer's Christmas Beano. Attendees were Innis, Rosie and Emily, Rosie's new pal Lucy from Nottingham, Catherine and Tanya. And very jolly it was too. There is something alarming about having a beer at 12:15, it reminded me of being as student. But nevertheless I soon got over that. Lovely group of people, and non-stop chat. We had a table in The Connaught Pub and Kitchen in Hove, which was not overcrowed, and did the job well. I had a sort of chicken burger with katsu sauce, which was fine. Eventually the Beano broke up but Innis and I lingered and had another drink and talked about films and then went to The ...

Vile rain. But luckily, other than venture to Sainsburys Lorraine and I stayed in, and put up the Christmas decorations and did other assorted pre-Christmas stuff. Sorting out our festive nest.  Lorraine particularly, powering through dozens of Christmas Cards. Just looking at the tree makes me feel happy. Nipped out into the damp and took this photo of Lorraine with xmas lights in our front windows.

Fierce stormy hit Britain today. In Brighton it took the form of icy rain, then pouring windy rain.  Just what the nations retailers wanted on the biggest shopping days of the year. I took photos of the condensation inside the bus as we snailed through the city centre on the way to Churchill Square. At the mall we stopped by at Santa's Grotto to see Beth, Queen of the Elves. See photos below and bought a few Christmas presents. Lorraine also bought me a pair of shoes, as my sturdy winter shoes all have holes in them. It seems like a whole generation of my shoes have passed on at the same time. Then we had a tea in a cafe, and then made off to Beth's place. Here we ate a Thai take away, that John and I snuck out to collect, and played a board game called Articulate. Beth and John beat us easily. Still a very fun night, and we sloped off to get the bus home fairly tired. Below Beth as a green haired queen of the elves, and two of my condensation pictures.

Slept like a log, and as the new day dawned my guts were tranquil. I had a toast based breakfast, and Lorraine dropped me off at Preston Park and I trained up to Chiswick, to see my pals there.  Had an idea for a new ghost story on the train, and started it quickly on my laptop. Happy to be back to see my pals in Chiswick, as I'd not been there for two years. Good to see Matty and other pals there. And weird as ever, to leave their office, and find myself looking down at the flat I used to live in in my last year in Chiswick. Only half day briefing this morning. The excellent brief, from a woman called Fi, appallingly, involved looking at the Bristol Stool Scale , and discussion of poo colours from a medical point of view. Something that brought the realities of yesterday to mind rather too vividly. Liked Fi, and it turns out she is a writer too, and we chatted lots in the Roebuck at lunchtime. Most of the team there, and great to catch up with Matty and also Lucy the poet...

Diarrhoea today. Working on my bits in the morning, then after judicious Immodiums, I caught the train to zoom up to meet work pals Keith and Jaz in London for a beer, but I got as far as Haywards Heath, and the guts were too, um, lively to continue. Being caught short while travelling is grim. Boo to this, as I was looking forward to seeing them.  Luckily though, there were no working ticket machines, nor was the ticket office staffed so I was unable to buy the ticket to London, so it meant my change of heart, simply getting a return from Hateful Heath was cheap at least. On the train back I also started a streaming cold, so felt a bit low as I sidled warily home. I bought a couple of pies, as despite everything I felt a bit hungry eventually. Home and sat on the sofa watching Larry Sanders till Lorraine came home and pies were eaten. A very early night. 

Worked hard all day, finishing The Inheritor , my new horror story on which I was making 'a few final changes', which turned into three days of fiddling. It is set in Guernsey, and again was taking a half finished story I had, and then completely reworking it. Nice to be thinking about the island even if disturbing things are happening there in my story. I have sent it to an appropriately named American publisher called The Dark Magazine . All I know is that I am greatly enjoying writing these horrific things. Made a soup, which was weirdly brilliant from chicken stock, butternut squash, leeks, a few greens and a bit of onion, chilli, and ginger, plus tarragon, turmeric, and cumin and dancing. All this against a national crisis. A vote of no confidence in the Maybot, which she won. The zombie leader staggers on towards the biggest act of national self harm I have ever witnessed. Off in the evening to meet Anton who took me out for a bite to eat and a few beers. A nice nig...

Woke up worried that Lorraine wanted to move to London, as she had been insisting on it in my dream, although she denied it in real life. Otherwise a sense that things were moving forwards a bit again. Spoke to Fi at the Chiswick agency, and arranged to go up to London on Friday morning and the extent of the job. It only seems a two-dayer, but that is nevertheless welcome indeed and I will get to chat with Matty Boy and Slug too. Also I signed off my accounts. I had a reply from the accountant from 1AM, with news of what my tax bill will be this year. Thankfully not as steep as I had feared it might be.  In thanking him, I advised an early night. Otherwise I went virtuously to the gym, and worked hard on completing my horror story, The Inheritor. It is shaping up really well I think, and I have a very neat ending to it now. Lorraine working late tonight, it being a governors meeting, so I snuck off and got myself fish and chips, which I enjoyed a good deal, and watched Larry San...

A palpable sense of blockages freeing themselves today. I was contacted by all kinds of folks, tweeted and messaged and emailed. And even took delivery of a case of wine, sent by Mum and Mas. I worked on my short story and went to the gym and generally felt more optimistic than for some time. My accountants still dragging their heels though, so I emailed them a fairly stiff note this afternoon. But overwhelmingly things seem to be moving again on a personal level. The country, of course, is going to the dogs Brexit an unspeakable shitstorm. I am genuinely fearful for the future of the UK. But hey-ho. Lorraine and I listened to a Kermode and Mayo podcast about films instead. 

A calm day today. Lorraine shattered generally and in recovery mode. I looked after her somewhat, although had been a bit over enthusiastic about the post-Santa beers the evening before so felt a little sadder and wiser. In the afternoon we went for a walk to a nearby Open House and looked at some art. There were some stained glass bits in there, they were decorative enough, but not the kind of epochal meisterwerkes my future self will create. Otherwise I spoke to Mum who made me look at a video with millions of hits about a giant spider terrorising Toronto, which features the Tobster in a cameo role (a Tobeo?) as a passer-by. Luckily he did not scream at the spider that lurks in the doorway he is approaching. The girls are scream though.   Watch it for yourself here . Otherwise a roast chicken was eaten and all was well.

Up fairly early, made Lorraine a bacon and egg sandwich and tea and took it to her in bed. But today was all about the Christmas Fayre in Lorraine's school hall, and we drove off reaching there just after noon. We had the bag of Santa gear with us, as I was the Santa in the Grotto. I sat in Lorraine's office working on the end of my new horror short story. Then the time came for me to change into the gear. I had a big swirling Santa cape, another Santa jacket worn back to front underneath it, some rather skinny felt trousers, and two brown boots, a size too small, and a Santa hat. A bit of ho-ho-hoing and Merry Christmasing  about the school while ringing the school bell, before settling into my grotto. By then the felt trousers had already split along the seams in several places, and that my boxers shorts were simply hanging out of the front. Luckily I could deploy the long cloak over my lap to prevent anything appalling reaching the newspapers. Then I spent the next our ...

Finishing the new ghost story today, almost five thousand words, quite creepy and based in Guernsey.   Quite nice to have a Friday without having to go to glass. Sore throat slightly better today. To the gym if to trundled on the cross trainer. I have to step things up if I am going to lose any weight. Chatted to Sonia when I got back, who said it has been really cold and snowy in Bulgaria last weekend. Brief chats with Mum and Toby. I was contacted by the agency in Chiswick about some work, and this is being confirmed on Monday. So that was a good end to the week. Nothing from accountants despite chasing, and I am close to sacking them. One rejection from an agent for the children's book. Lorraine home, and we went to The Park View for a cheeky burger and a beer, feeling a bit more positive about everything.

An unlovely rainy day. I however writing up a storm at home, despite a wussy throat. Trouble is with the writing, there is not much to say about it, so it doesn't make for a lively blog. Just wrote all day, anyhow, and I broke off for a quorn sausage mustard and sauerkraut sandwich. Officially the Lorraine home early and I skipped out in the rain into the car and we drove off to Gladrags , a community costume place, where we scored a flowing red Santa cape among other things. Rows of costumes in there, some good quality stuff.  If I do more theatrical stuff it is handy to know. Home and Beth came around for supper. Lovely to see her, and Beth and Lorraine had a glass of bubbly and I a beer or two as we had dinner. Beth and Lorraine then bent on the serious work of making lists of food for Christmas. I keep a low profile in this not to risk affecting their concentration. Texting Jade too for confirmation about various vegan options.

A bad night's sleep and a really sore throat at the moment. Wrote this morning. Really writing well at present. Then decided to drag myself out for a walk in the afternoon, but it began raining again so I cut it short a bit, arriving home drenched. Poor Lorraine working late, so I watched The Larry Sanders show on DVD.  I did like this show very much in the past, and still enjoy it. Below an abandoned car I walked past. Something poignant about it. I guess it had been stolen and abandoned, but I don't know.

A rather raging throat today, but stayed in and did a bit of writing and sent another poetry manuscript out. Was pleasantly surprised by a note from Ben, who suggested an evening out to see some live music. I met him in The Rose Hill , a pub I have never noticed before. It is community owned and had weird plastic foliage hanging down over the bar, so that you felt you needed a machete to buy a beer. Most odd. The music however, on their Sunny Side swing jazz evening was excellent. It made me think a bit of the Hot Club de France, as they played standards with violin and guitar and bass, with a rather good pianist/clarinettist. Also a woman joined the boys later, playing a cello and singing sweetly. A great little scene there, with appreciative people of all ages some doing a bit of dancing and looking generally smart. I kept thinking how much Mum would like the place. Nice to chat with Ben outside the glass class. As I suspected we are on a similar wavelength, and have a fair few i...

Lorraine brought me a cup of tea in bed. No better way to start a week. Up after listening to one or two of the Thought Cages podcasts, which are quite interesting reframing of problems. Then I began writing immediately before mooching out into the light rain. Into the pharmacy then off to get a haircut, as I was getting comedy hair again. One of the barbers in my usual place does boxing. He said that due to a design fault in nature, your liver is attackable, just under the ribs, where a few square inches of it are vulnerable. Have that punched, with a body shot, and apparently you will not be able to stand for a while. Looked it up when I got home, and boxers call it a liver shot. Glad I've not had one. Into the gym, for a wee half an hour trundling on the cross trainer. Trundling a bit more rapidly than I have been. Home and various domestic stuff, and more writing till Lorraine arrived home and I fed her with roast chicken and vegetables.

Lorraine and I off to Ashford this morning to see Maureen and Pat and Ken. A nice pork roast cooked by Ken. A relaxed day indoors chatting. Maureen has been busy making figures from a book of 50 knitted dolls. She is knitting Ken a doll next, although there is some debate about whether to include the copious hair included in the pattern. Lorraine and I drove home in the dark and rain, and were back by eight. Below  Maureen with a knitted Santa.

A day of recovery for Lorraine. Uninviting rain outside, so we stayed in reorganising cupboards, then watching a violent and dystopian movie called Children of Men on Netflix in the evening. Nice just to be mooching about indoors together.