under another sun

A decent day, keeping myself busy. Chatted with Mum and Anton, and messages from folks. And uploaded this Skelton trailer on YouTube . Was helped greatly by Beth however, with the social media side of things. Connecting many platforms together begins to hurt my head. Beth with fewer things to do lately is brilliant. She cooked an amazing pie last night, full of turkey and chicken and stuffing and veggies and Cranberry that made it taste like Christmas on a plate. Lovely. I did a yomp up to Hollingbury Hill and walked as often do across the top of Wild Park to Hollingdean. Lots of people about today, perhaps because I set off at about 5pm. Had to be careful to keep my distance walking along the street once or twice.  Once on the golf course and walking about in the park I could be far from everyone. Came out at Hollingdean and walked through streets to get home. Passed a skateboard park with about a ten teenage boys on it, and a scrap of ground with boys playing three a side f...

Recording readings of Magnificent Grace and fiddling about with the videos. Showed them to Beth who made some good suggestions. A brief interlude of feeling stressed and horrid, but snapped out of it watching some Frankie and Grace. Beth made me a cheese and ham toasty with her toasty maker for lunch and I simply carried on to a productive afternoon. Delicious smell drifting up from the kitchen, as Beth baked a batch of peanut butter cookies. Listening to a chapter of The Lord of The Rings. I went for a walk up to Hollingbury Hill at five, and had an enjoyable time up on the hill, and dodged people on the street. Did The Covid Stroll down the middle of Osborne Road to get home. Not many out, but a few couples taking a careful tea time constitutional. Lorraine home from work when I got back. She has to go in tomorrow too. A quiet evening in, obviously. Two snaps from the empty gold course on Hollingbury Hill. Very clear, and if you click the top picture, you will see a thin smud...

Roast chicken tonight. A game of scrabble. Lorraine and I toddled around Blakers Park. Lorraine and Beth doing puzzles on the table. Chatted to Mum and Mas and tried to get delivery food for them. It's currently impossible to book a slot. Tried to sign Mason up as a high risk case but the categories for being high risk did not apply to him. Did some writing. Stayed in.

Slow Saturday start, generally hanging out with Lorraine and Beth. I spent much of the day feeling antsy and tense, not helped by news of an acquaintance fighting for her life in an IC ward. I sat with Lorraine as she did a puzzle while we listened to the audiobook of Lord of the Rings. A walk to Hollingbury Hill late this afternoon helped a good deal. A cold wind blowing from the north east. To get there a good deal of skirting people in the street but even then it felt good to be walking, and listening to Tolkien as I went.  One teenager refusing to keep his distance forcing me to walk out into the carless road. I could see he enjoyed this little moment of power. Enjoying very much being back in Middle Earth. The air fresh and free of pollution. Lorraine cooking lasagne tonight, which was delicious, and we watched Montalbano, which Mum and Mas were watching too. Toby called this evening, and I had a good chat with him. Yawning my head off tonight, and all at Kenny Tower...

Still a little sluggish, but hard at work today. Grace 2 , then more or less completed the trailer for the Skelton Yawngrave TV SYTV, and recorded the first chapter of the book for the first episode. A call from Slug, offering me a bit of work next week, which was welcome too. Nice to chat with him. He said he was already stir crazy. A boon for the sparse Kenny coffers however. All in all quite a productive day. Lorraine back at school for the day, and phoning parents in the afternoon. Boris Johnson has coronavirus, as does Prince Phillip and the Health Secretary. In the evening a curry, taken away stealthily by me from Red Chillies. A curry supper and some cans of beer, and a game of Trivial Pursuits with Lorraine and Betty in the evening. A coffee in the back garden this morning, with Calliope coming too.

Trying to maintain a routine, and not quite so buoyant. Lorraine working at home. Beth off to look after Tilly. The ladies went off to Marks and Sparks food hall and came back having had an almost normal shop. I wrote for a few hours this morning, and then made a little progress for the trailer for the Skelton channel. Almost there. In between I used the water pressure cleaner to clean off much of the algae and staining from the decking outside. In the afternoon a short walk up to Hollingbury Hill, having to dodge people on the street though by crossing over a few times. Doing what I think of as my outbreak stroll down the middle of the Osborne Road. Chatted to Mum and Mas a little, they seem fine. To Anton, and other pals online. People are there keeping in touch a little more these days. Curiously tired at tea time, and sniffy due to pollen. Watched a bit of TV. I'm finding Grace & Frankie a welcome interlude. Tidying up the kitchen this evening, and I glimpsed out the ...

Slow progress today in Kenny Towers. Lorraine working from home, which was nice. Chats and messaging with folks, including Mum.  Feeling a frustrated with what I was doing by the late afternoon, I went for a short walk and took the opportunity to pop into the off licence to buy four cans of lager from the empty off license. The owner disinfecting things when I arrived, and served me with blue latex gloves. Sadly the finger tip had come through one of them. The idea of drinking beer in the sunshine seemed suddenly be exactly the thing a right thinking person like myself should be doing. So I scurried outside into garden and drank lager. Soon to be joined by Betty and Lorraine. A holiday mood descended on us temporarily in the warm afternoon sunshine. The four cans were used up fairly soon so Lorraine popped out for a few more. Soon however the sun dipped towards the horizon, it was had got too cold. It is only March after all. After sundown and dinner we went in and played Tri...

A positive day today, I got up and worked on creating some ideas for a campaign Valérie had sent me, which was a nice little job, and kept me out of trouble and my mind focused. Once this was done I went for a walk up to Hollingbury Hillfort. A glorious day, and few people about. I took some shots emphasising the emptiness of things. Weirdly, my normal almost panicky dislike of being in bald, wide open spaces was mostly absent, and I enjoyed roaming about across the hilltop golf course which was barely being used. It felt like snatching some of freedom. Otherwise chats with Bob walking his dog, and sounding reasonably optimistic, and Mum, who was still struggling with TVs. Lorraine home tonight, now with two days working from home. Feels good to have her gathered back in. I'm please Betty's at home too, and not one of those poor sods in a flat somewhere suddenly struggling for work and rent. Feeling grateful today for those things I have.

For me a pretty good day. I am managing to feel burst of positivity. I began work on Skelton Yawngrave TV, a YouTube channel coming soon and chatted to Beth about this too. Went for a gorgeous walk up to Hollingbury Hillfort, crossing the road to avoid people on the way there. Still a few blithe golfers up there. The best day of the year so far, I was even able to sit outside and do some work in the corner by the kitchen, which is a sun trap, and protected from the wind which is still cool and coming from the east. This evening the lockdown was deepened. But as far as I was concerned, it changed little here in Kenny Towers. Tomorrow Lorraine has to go to work, Beth goes off to look after Tilly, the daughter of an NHS worker, and I stay at my desk and am permitted a government permitted exercise walk. Was phoned by Valérie, now relocated to a country location in the middle of France, having escaped the prospect of a lockdown with a son and partner in a small Paris apartment for some...

A strange Sunday. Woke up having done something mysterious to my neck and back in the night, and which gave me a headache. Mother's day today, spoke to Mum. The pesky television stopped working, and she had to have her tooth looked at again. Breakfast in Bed with Lorraine. Lorraine a bit less exhausted today. We did some pottering about in the garden. I cleaned half the decking of ingrained stuff, with my compressed water cleaner, but then stopped to give the neighbours a break. The action was doing something to my back too, and making my headache worse. We sat in the garden for a while, it was warm enough with the sun on our faces.  With Beth we watched Toy Story 4, which was fun. Lots of people still not abiding by the rules, judging by photos and comments on Social Media etc. Crowds gathering in the sunshine. A bit of TV watching only connect with Beth and early to bed as Lorraine has work tomorrow.

So a cool and sunny Saturday. Lorraine absolutely exhausted by managing the events of the week. Next week she will have only a skeleton school with a handful of children in it. But new rotas and responsibilities have to be worked out. The children have been sent home with work to do, but there will be no examinations this year. We however got up fairly early for us, on a Saturday. Had breakfast with Beth and then Lorraine spent much of the afternoon dozing. She and I went out for a walk in Preston Park this afternoon. Quite busy, although we kept as far apart from people as was possible. Lots of messaging today. This connected world comes into its own, at times like this. Heard from Richard in Guernsey, with a poem saying that weirdness was normality now. I hate the idea of Guernsey becoming infected, as it now is, as to me it was a place of safety in my imagination. I can't wait to get back there when all this has passed. Richard sent me a pdf of Shakespeare's Sonnets Ab...

Craig's funeral today. Strange surreal business of logging onto a webpage to see the service, and spot lots of friends there. Lovely service, without religion, really reflecting who he was and incorporating lots of people's reflections -- some of the music he liked and poems read by Matt and Sylvia. I felt bad I wasn't there, as there were many there I knew. Matt, The French Bloke, and Robbie among those carrying the coffin casket. Shed a tear in my room for Craig and especially for Mel, and wishing everything was different. Matt read The Road Not Taken by Frost, which was a poem Craig liked lots -- and I found it unbelievably poignant in the circumstances. The Government at last announced that pubs and restaurants should be closed today. I went on a long walk this afternoon, and passed three pubs, before the announcement, and all of them had a handful of people in them, almost all of them middle aged men taking what might prove to be their last few beers in a pub for so...

Over the years I have become good at managing anxiety, but I was ambushed just as I woke up this morning. After a minute or so I successfully shook it off, but it was a poor start to the day. But it meant things could only get better. I took my news in small pinches and chatted with Anton, and First Matie, and Facetimed Mum and messaged Toby. Like me, First Matie (who hasn't been well) will be joining Craig's funeral remotely tomorrow. Got a text from Ian, Kate's friend. Nice note, and he mentioned he was reading my book too. More encouragement: an old friend Nicki posted a photo on facebook of her two boys, one of whom, Stan, was reading Magnificent Grace for the second time. With my freelance work evaporated after the double blows of Brexit and Coronavirus, life has become very simple all of a sudden.  Take care of people I love, write the sequel to MG, and try to do something positive for the world. Routine is my friend, and once I get going at my desk I feel okay. W...

Up early as usual and began some work. Lorraine off to work, bearing lots of responsibility on her shoulders. I woke up with a plan for Skelton Yawngrave readings on You Tube starting soon. Then an expedition: Beth and I drove off in a car club car to Sainsburys by the Vogue Gyratory. Fairly calm and civilised inside, although locusts had stripped the shelves of loo roll, pasta and lots of other groceries. We got quite a few things we needed, such as a couple of bars of soap and some toothpaste, and a few other bits and pieces. Luckily as we stood in the checkout, the people before us, who looked South American to me, were forced to remove some of the five packets of pasta they had managed to buy. We asked for one of them. Then we drove to Aldi just down the road, and I quickly dived in. Slightly more chaotic, and of course no toilet roll to be had for love nor money so I dived out again pronto. People in supermarkets are on the front line. A huge realignment might come out of this a...

Brighton beginning to fold in on itself. Beth and I drove off this morning to the Sainsbury's local down the road and came back with little but the Christian offerings of wine and bread. No pasta, flour rice or toilet roll etc. It's what you get when you live in a country that has been told in all kinds of ways that there is no such thing as society. Now people are going to have to wake up and realise that, actually, it's all we have. I did a little on Grace 2, stimulated by a note too from Tracey who reminded me to keep pushing on with the book online. Otherwise I mooched off to Hollingbury Hillfort in the afternoon. Was walking around the ring of the fort, clockwise for a change, when I saw Rick, who lives around the corner, doing the same thing but counterclockwise. He told me he was self isolating, so I gave him a wide berth. Big of a chat up there, standing on the wall of an iron age fort, which felt slightly surreal. This wide berth thing is something I find I am ...

It seems the UK government waking up to the reality of the situation at last, and this evening wheeled out a partial lockdown. However schools are exempt. So however much Lorraine and I and Beth might want to self isolate Lorraine has to go into school with a 100+ pupils every day. Beth's drama teaching looks like it is being curtailed too. I was due to meet up with Robin tomorrow, but we cancelled that. By the evening the show I was going to take Klaudia to this week was also cancelled. I am beginning to think that I will avoid Craigs funeral on Friday too, which will necessitate a lot of public transport and mingling. Feeling a long way from Mum and Mas at the moment too. Thank goodness there is FaceTime however, and I can have regular face to face conversations. I posted a note on Facebook: 'I noticed that I was responding like one of Pavlov’s dogs to the pinging of push notices from (in my case)The Guardian. Virus news was arriving regardless of how I was feeling, or what...

Lorraine and I off to Woods Mill, as is traditional for us around this time of year. Had an amble around looking at new spring flowers, and sitting in the bird hide watching small birds and one mouse foraging and eating from the bird feeders. My favourite bit was sitting in the sunshine, by a lake. Lorraine said she wanted to do a sound meditation, and we both sat there with our eyes closed, listening to the wind moving in the trees and birdsong and distant children and it totally helped me get my head together. Meditation is the answer. Lorraine finding booking a delivery for food for Pat and Maureen and found there wasn't a delivery slot till April. Home and chatting to Mum, and a quiet night in. Sights around Woods Mill, and the place we sat to meditate.

A slowish Saturday, with Lorraine and I spending lots of time chatting this morning. Also chatting to Toby -- his school has just closed until after Easter. Lorraine up early to prepare some food for this evening. Much lurking around and I wrote to a few people including Gregory in New York, who is happy with Sin Cycle becoming a pamphlet. I also chased David at Supernatural Tales for the third time as I had subscribed to the magazine and had received nothing -- and this time received a pleasant note in response. When we were on holiday in Sicily Toby made me download an app for my phone called Radio Garden. Essentially it shows you a map of the world with lots of little red dots on it, if you move the little target over one of the dots it plays the radio station from that city. This morning I went to Chad, and Japan and a few other places before dropping in on BBC Guernsey. Suddenly out of my phone came Jane's voice in a trailer for Jenny’s programme, talking about Jane's ...

A very productive day today. I have a new strategy which involves meditation, and trying to tune out the health related panic sweeping the globe. I have suffered from anxiety off and have experienced debilitating panic attacks in my twenties and early thirties, my panic was always focused on my own body and health. This current crisis would have to go some to be more triggering for me, I am finding that my coping strategies acquired over the decades are being deployed now to good effect. Anyway, I did a good day's work, and was cheered by being contacted by a parent whose child wants a copy of Magnificent Grace . Sonya wanted a signed copy too, so I obliged. Betty went out on a shopping spree today and returned triumphantly with a four pack of toilet rolls. She stopped off at the Preston Park Tavern and I took my life in my hands and joined her for a beer there. Talked about doing some more theatrical stuff together in the new year, after I have written Grace 2 and launched Sin...

Decided to not to flog the horses, and then ended doing quite a bit of writing on Grace 2. Took a stroll around the parks. Good to speak to Anton, who found himself being upgraded on empty flights and in empty hotels on his business trip to Dublin last week, and has just bought some new walking shoes. Spoke to Mum who told me two ghastly tales. One about rat wrestling, with poor Ben across the road being obliged to boot the rat that was trapped in Mum and Mas's house out through the kitchen door. Last night Mum also broke a tooth, which is now being temporarily held together with dental glue. A Sainsbury's delivery this evening. A whole list of substitutions, and no toilet paper because of panic buying. It is as if there was going to be a zombie apocalypse twinned with with a nasty outbreak of diarrhoea. This, of course, is due next year.

Up and did a smidge of work before heading down to the doctors for an 8:55 appointment. A very young woman doctor saw me exactly on time, and she was excellent. I went about my ears. which are in a parlous state. I have irritable eustachian tubes, which seem to affect my balance and give me tinnitus and so on. I did feel a bit a wuss sneaking in to discuss my ears, in the quiet before the storm.  The place was empty, and there were only one or two people in the spacious waiting room. Straight to the pharmacy to pick up some nasal drops, as all the tubes are connected in your head somehow.  Then to the pharmacy, where while I was there a French guy came in and said he had cold like symptoms. They asked him if he had a dry cough, and when he said yes the workers there took a step back. I was already a step or so back and added to them.  Other than that simply came home, walking through the park. Tiredness and lack of focus adding to the sore throat I've had and so nat...

Misty day. Worked in fits and starts and progressing by inches on Grace 2. My concentration not at its best today. Up to the Hillfort this afternoon for a walk and found that it was a good time to snap the wall of the Hollingbury Hillfort. The mist erased the golf course and made it easy to imagine Iron Age warriors striding out of the murk. Home and my concentration a little better. Have a pile of books to read too. News dominated by Corvid-19, which will one day become a great name for a band. Italy has shut down travel for a few weeks, and I think it will only be a matter of time before that happens here. Lorraine says many of her head teacher mates are expecting that schools to close shortly. Craig's funeral will be held on the 20th in London, but the way things are going I wonder if I will be able to travel there. I also have tickets booked for myself and Klaudia to go to the theatre the night before, this may be affected too. Below Hollingbury in the fog. In the first...

Quite pleased not to have to be representing a skeleton in various schools this week.  Did a spot of billing admin, walked through the park to the bank in North Street, where I poked book cash into a machine with the help of an employee at NatWest, who said she liked reading. Wrote a bit more of Grace 2 and thought about the look and feel of my upcoming poetry pamphlet Sin Cycle . Spoke this evening to Katie First Matie who is feeling sad about poor Craig -- as so many of his pals are. It happened that Kate was reading my book as I phoned. Luckily she was liking it as it would have been a bit awkward if she thought it was nonsense. Then I called Matty who has found himself with the unenviable task of breaking the news to many of Craigs pals. Matt told me that Mel is in practical mode and is being supported by family who have flown into be with her, and close pals. Spoke too to Mum, who had been to eat piles of fish and chips with Mas in the usual pub. One of the cats had brou...

A cozy slow morning, then I set off to meet Robin and Sarah at Brighton station, and we zoomed up to Victoria. Found myself in a quiet mood, but luckily the ladies more than compensated. A good laugh today, and we went to what was once The Raymond Reviewbar   but is now, by day at least a cafe bar and a theatre upstairs where Robin read from her new pamphlet Why? And other questions. There were also readings by Tania Hershman, Katie Griffiths and Miranda Peake. All of whom were accomplished. Also said howdy to a couple of other poets there, Hilaire, and Tamar Yoseloff who I have known slightly since the 80s. Robin I thought read best, clear and communicative, and I liked her poems more too. Sarah and I had a bottle of beer each called Zen IPA and shared a plate of dirty chips. Then into the rather excellent theatre to listen to the poets. An ouch-inducing £12 to get in too, but it was very professionally done. Bought Robin's pamphlet of course too. All home together o...

A lazy day today. Lorraine and I had little energy, and while we talked of doing lots of things, we only managed changing the batteries on the catflap. It was much needed down time for both of us though. In the evening Lorraine drove us out to the village of Laughton, on the other side of Lewes, where we had dinner with Mark and Carol. Even though Mark and I only see each other occasionally, there is something very comforting about talking to someone you have known since you were eleven. They live in a very nice house, if a little hard to find, in the grounds of a former psychiatric hospital. When they first moved into the house, the hospital was still extant, and they found patients wandering about in their back garden and even inside the house on one or two occasions. Also met their son David, who I have not seen since he was a child. A lovely intelligent young physics graduate who has a job to do with carbon and sustainability, and his girlfriend Aisha who helps people with anxi...

A sunny morning, thank goodness. Lorraine showed me the Mrs Bland of the Ordinary People's Party badge she had worn to school for World Book Day yesterday. Trundled two suitcases full of books down to Balfour Road, which is the road parallel to Osborne Road, and went to Balfour School. Led into a big gym room they use for assemblies, and proceeded to do two assembly sessions with four classes each of nippers in them. My readings and talk went quite well, and I felt fairly calm, although it does feel a bit like going on stage every time. Sold a box and half of books there, and they will take some further orders, so I hope to sell a few more. All done and home a little before noon. Sonia here early, and I had a chat with her, and pottered about doing a few bits and pieces before heading off with an empty case to Downs, where I met Emma and signed several more books for nippers in Downs Junior, as I had thanks to Dawn cleverly left a box of books there. Wheeled back a light case, ...

Vindictive and relentless rain. Dragged a heavy case of books down the hill to Preston Park. Utterly soaked to the skin by the time I got there. Then to Balcombe via Hateful Heath. Hauled case up stairs and along the path up to the village. Forded along the running muddy stream that was the tarmac path. Arrived in the school, and was greeted in a friendly way, and given a cup of tea. Children somewhat fractious as they had to play indoors at lunchtime. Did a big afternoon session with the two lots of year groups in one class. The teachers left me to get on with it. Spoke about the things I had been speaking about at Downs, but this class a bit less engaged, however I still had fun with them. I signed a boxful of books, which made the case much lighter. Trundled back down to Balcombe station through the biblical flood for a half an hour wait in the cold for the train. Soaked again, despite wearing my Berghaus, but a mother and two kids were on the platform, and one of them whipped out...

Very saddened to hear that Craig died this morning. Many heartbroken responses on WhatsApp, and Facebook. Although I'd not seen too much of him lately, we had swapped messages a few weeks ago as I had invited him to my party. Shortly before he told me he had been diagnosed with tumours. He spent the next few weeks in hospital and died peacefully and in no pain. His wife Mel and his very close pals are devastated. My favourite memory of him was when he came to Guernsey on my 50th as a surprise package with Matty boy and Katie, Lorraine having secretly liaised with them. Craig's open-hearted, open-minded delight in the island I love was typical of him. I loved his gravelly Minnesota voice too, and he was a natural storyteller. A lovely human. This all put me off my stride a bit, and I did not feel like writing today. Instead, as Lorraine had taken the afternoon off to go with Maureen to the doctor about her knees and hips and walking. So I hopped aboard too, and we drove across...

Up early and feeling nervous. I got into good clothes and once my minder Dawn had called around zoomed off to Downs Junior school not too far away with boxes of books. Dawn who left the school last summer, being hugged and kissed by all the teachers. Then I sat in a hall full of children rowdily filing into their classrooms from the playground. There was an interlude of calm in which I collected myself. Then Dawn came back and we sat on the edge of the stage together and a couple of hundred or so children filed into the hall. I was introduced and then talked about the fact I had been to Downs before and earlier children had given me feedback, and that Downs had a special influence on the writing of it. Then read, pretty well I thought, the first chapter of the book. Children very well behaved and very attentive. Then I plunged into four classrooms for long sessions with the kids talking about things like unfairness and prejudice, and skeleton videos and what kind of pseudonyms they w...

Best night's sleep in a while, and felt good for it. Lorraine had an appointment before work so we had a small lie-in.  Always welcome on a Monday. Beth drove Lorraine to school I worked from eight on some rather laborious French work which I had hoped to do quickly, but wasn't done till the afternoon. I went for a walk out up to Hollingbury Hillfort and enjoyed the fresh air. Spoke to Mum, and Dawn about my stint at Downs school tomorrow morning. A fairly peaceful evening. Watching Masterchef, and Picard, neither of which is taxing. Reading more of The Happiness Trap, which Sarah Barnsley bought me. It is very sensible and helpful. Below a crow and assorted sunshiny views. The crow positively scolded me as I approached it.

Lorraine suggested we use up one of her visitor's passes and she took me to her gym. It is nice at Wickwoods, and when the sun shone it was pleasant. Had a workout there, which accelerated my return from post wake haze. Then we bobbed and bubbled in the jacuzzi pool, and nipped into the sauna. Disappointed to notice I am a tad more sumoesque than I have been lately. Feeling concerned about the breaking pandemic. As I noted on Friday, it is impossible to avoid. Then home again. I did some preparations for next week's school visit. Also heard from Jeremy with the welcome news that he wanted one of my old poems 'One Under' for a forthcoming anthology. Beth home tonight, and we ate roast chicken and played Exploding Kittens along with the expansion pack Beth had sent off for this evening. It features an imploding kitten card, and a cone of shame that you put around your neck like an injured cat or dog. Luckily nobody wore the cone of shame this time. It will come though...