under another sun

Up fairly early for a Sunday, and Lorraine and I drove to Bolney. Another gorgeous day. We went into Lorraine's school, where she did several important jobs, and I watered the kids vegetable patch, and helped Lorraine laminate Be Smart Stay Apart sheets. Little rings two meters apart sprayed onto the playground to help with distancing while they enter the school too. Lorraine feeling a bit anxious  to get everything right for the school opening tomorrow. This done, we walked to the nearby woods, around the Mill Pond. Beautiful it was and rather tranquil. We were sitting by one pond and we saw a crow flying with a snake or slow worm in its mouth, something I had never seen before. The pond itself was gorgeous with carpets of lily pads, and shoals of fry near the edges of the pond along with azure damselflies, and dragonflies. All utterly idyllic, if you filter out the roar of the M23 in the background. Then to Bolney garden centre, and we bought in a socially distanced way some...

Raging is doing me no good. The lockdown is too soon. Cases and the so called R number are beginning to climb again in Brighton and Sussex. Painful gains are being thrown away. Not sacking Cummings loses any shred of moral authority the Government may have had. Instructing the people to do one thing, when even the people setting those rules flout them endangers the population.  I fear for my countrymen, not to mention the people I love and care about. My own wife, for example compelled prematurely to welcome back children. Turns out that the little girl Beth looks after just went down with C-19 symptoms. Luckily Beth had not seen her for two weeks beforehand. We dodged a bullet. As for Trump and the US.... And breathe.... At least I can breathe unlike poor George Floyd who was murdered in cold blood by a policeman still kneeling on his neck minutes after he had died. At least Johnson, and the cohort of amoral Lilliputians he surrounds himself with, still have some way to go before...

Finishing off the bits and bobs of work I was doing with Steve, who I still call Slug from time to time, as this was his very old nickname. Also talking to him at one point about his decade's long secret project The New Cow  featuring a back catalogue of dark ambient, synthesiser albums with titles like The Sea of Knobs , and Gothic Grotesque . The music is perfectly purgatorial. I have downloaded one and am toying with the possibility of using it for one of my horror story recordings. Otherwise a toddle along around Blaker's Park is all I managed. Finished work at 5:30, and thereupon sat in the garden with Lorraine, who was listening to an audiobook, and I listened to a bit more of Michael Collins  Carrying the Fire , sipping a cold beer and browsing on peanuts. Then a curry delivered by The Shahi Tandoori. Delicious. I have put on weight this week though. That tide must turn, if I don't throw away my good work from the last year.

A few bits and pieces of my own, before working through the afternoon for the agency. Off this evening for a walk around to Anton's house. I sat in his front garden under the magnolia tree, and Anton sat on his stairs and we had a few beers. First time we had seen each other in months. We didn't get near each other, but it was much better than a beer over zoom. We were sitting outside as the applause for the NHS started and we joined in. All in all it was lovely to see him. Johnson's riskily quick easing of the lockdown continues. It is too soon. Our numbers far higher than other countries who have begun to relax the restrictions. You have to look at Johnson and ask does this man have the best interests of his country at heart? He does not. Walked home, after having a discreet wee in a drain outside Anton's house. The park much less busy.  now. Home and I ate some chicken wraps and Lorraine and I happily watched a couple of episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine before bed....

Insubstantial bits and pieces of work coming my way, and spent much of the day waiting for work to arrive, and when it did it was in paltry amounts -- so what I can bill for today is minimal.  I wandered out for a couple of walks in Blakers Park. The government is a shambles at the moment. Even the right wing press are calling for the dead of Dominic Cummings. But it stays resolutely on his shoulders for without him, Johnson is an empty sock puppet. Expecting this shower to lead us out of the coronavirus crisis with any efficiency is like asking a dog to sing Wagner. In better news, they are clear in Guernsey now. In the afternoon I risked a longer walk, listening to Carrying the Fire , which has patches of being really fascinating. He is prepared to be vulnerable too, talking about how claustrophobic and freaked out space suits made him feel to begin with, but he couldn't talk to anyone about it for fear of being booted off the team.  Spoke to Mum today too. Salty i...

Working in concentrated burst on the Coronavirus stuff from early till just gone 5, whereupon I slunk out into the back garden where Lorraine was happily doing a cross stitch embroidery and listening to an audiobook. She and Beth had a distanced chat with Innis and Rosie, and had driven past a place in Hove where Betty is hoping to move in with two pals in the Summer. She is excited at the prospect, but trying hard not to get too excited until it's in the bag. I took a couple of strolls around Blaker's Park just to have a bit of exercise in short breaks during the day. A few messages with the Tobster, having a coffee outside his cafe in Toronto. Listening to Carrying the Fire . Lorraine and I watched the last few Episodes of Afterlife. This Ricky Gervais series is almost unbearably sad, but quite funny in places too. Lorraine and I watched it together, L crying lots, but liking it. Here is a picture of our trug. The salad greens on the right are all we have eaten so far. Th...

Bank holiday Monday... very hot too. I was feeling a bit unsettled, and spent the day doing Freelance work about coronavirus in kids. This I interspersed with trimming an ivy hedge, and after work watering the garden and  going with Lorraine down to the Sainsbury's local to collect some Argos stuff, over the counter.  I lurked about outside as you can only go in singly. A distanced queue outside. Young people cavorting about the place. The vile wormtongue Dominic Cummings in the news today, apparently immune to the sack and refusing to resign as Prime Minister's special adviser. Even some of the right wing press fulminating against him for breaking all the lockdown rules, driving up to Durham from London while he and his wife were infected, and going out for day trips and so on. Folks who were not allowed to visit dying relatives and so on, justifiably incensed. He gave an unapologetic press conference in a garden. It seems he is the real power in the land. When was the la...

Salty still awol from Mum's. Spoke to Mum a couple of times, and they have organised a campaign of posters and so. Very unlike Salty not to return. Otherwise I took a walk in the afternoon, listening to my astronaut book -- and counting my blessings.

A leisurely start to the day, then I uploaded the final episode of Magnificent Grace to SYTV. A lovely note from Ben in the evening -- he had listened to the whole thing. Now I have to maintain energy in the project and do more promotion. A walk this afternoon to the usual place, have paused  The Silmarillion  and am listening to Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins the astronaut, which is fascinating. Blustery while I was walking, and this walk ended in rain. Lorraine and I took another walk around Blaker's Park an hour later when the sun came out again. Spoke to Mum today, very worried as Salty their beefy white cat has disappeared. The evening spent playing cards and trivial pursuit with Beth and Lorraine.

A freelance day for me, starting early with reading loads of briefing materials, and then a zoom call with Matty boy, and Slug and others at nine. Matty has an austere buzzcut. My own barnet now taking on a misbegotten life of its own. Met Ozzie and art director, who instantly had to leave for a hospital appointment which became delayed so I spent the bulk of the day working on my own, which was fine. I then took myself for a long walk after work, but it was very windy and blustery up on the Hillfort.  I stopped at Quaff at Fiveways which has a bench in front of the door, and bought some Harveys beer. Chatting to the man behind me in the queue about the prospects of drinking in a pub beer garden soon. Lorraine, meanwhile, was into school, now responding to her leadership calls on how the school should open. So far so good, although some of the parents are troubled. The fact is in the absolute absence of coherent leadership from National or local level, it has fallen to headteac...

Lots of work this morning, recording a double episode of SYTV.  Chats with Anton, and a good chat with Robin this afternoon on WhatsApp's version of YouTube. Looking at people while you talk to them is increasingly expected these days. Sent a couple of notifications about the job starting next week, which was reassuring. Otherwise life at Kenny Towers in its new normal. Lorraine still working with governors and parents on what the new opening of schools will look like. Meanwhile the government is suddenly saying that the June the first date for a return to school was advisory only. Looked over some communications before Lorraine sent them out. Up on Hollingbury Hill late this afternoon. Quite a few people enjoying the sun. A second spike, little threat to the teenage friend groups there. The Isle of Wight again clearly visible. Ploughing on with the Silmarillion. My bad ears have led to the necessity of me improvising balancing the earphones on their sides, rather than having the...

I can now close my jaw properly and hear through both ears without opening my mouth, both positive signs that my ear infection is beginning to clear up.  Phoned by Slug this morning with job for next week, which was music to my recovering ears. Nice to chat to him.  The prospect of some paid work a pleasing bit of luck. Fairly productive today, recording SYTV episodes... The end is in sight. I also had the plot for a short story pop into my head as I was walking today, and managed to get this jotted down. A rather beautiful day, fresh and sunny, and I felt my mood improving. I was not listening to anything, because of my ears, and actually this made it more enjoyable. I noticed people are not avoiding each other on the streets any more, and there were groups of teenagers cycling over the golf course and together in friend groups. Slug was telling me that in East London, where he goes cycling sometimes, the lockdown has been definitely weakened, and people are openly flouti...

My ear is feeling a tad better -- but a general air of gloom in Kenny Towers. Did some bits and pieces of Skelton recordings, hoovered the house from top to tail and washed the kitchen floor. Went out for a short stroll with Lorraine, who is understandably preoccupied with school business. Wrote a review of Jane's book for my other blog. More cheerfully, Lorraine, Beth and I played cards this evening, after eating a roast chicken. I made myself a dark and stormy having made the wonderful discovery of a bottle of dark Bacardi with a decent amount left in it to go with the ginger beer and lime juice.

Another poor night's sleep, with the raging ear keeping me awake. Continued to rage today, despite drops, so I spent much of the day on the gold sofa, feeling wan. I started afresh on Jane's book Barking Mad! and read it cover to cover. A perfect escapist read for a gentleman with a sore ear. More about Barking Mad! here . Also read a couple of stories by Clark Ashton Smith , who I read when I was a teenager. He has a florid style full of purple prose, but he taught me many words when I was a kid, and I am still driven to the dictionary when I read him. His vocabulary is extraordinary. Otherwise rallied a little this afternoon and went for a walk with Lorraine around Blaker's Park. Lorraine understandably preoccupied by the decisions she has to take for her school. I am helping her as best I can, mainly by listening and talking things over. Lorraine cooked a marvellous curry tonight, which was a thing of beauty. Beth lying low today, and sending out for Taco Bell. Lorra...

Ear properly raging this morning, so I talked to my GP practice and was able to get an appointment. I walked down to Oxford Street, where my surgery now is, and blessing Mum for providing me with some rubber gloves, buzzed for entrance and was allowed in. I found it was all a bit like being on stage, a facemask was pushed towards me and putting it on, I walked past the one patient on a chair and went upstairs to a waiting room with three or four chairs all in different parts of the room, with nobody sitting in them. Saw a Dr Cotton, who I liked lots and masked up as she was, looked into my ear and was gratifyingly taken aback by it, saying it looked very sore and painful, and prescribed antibiotic eardrops and then spray steroids for once it settles down. I asked her how she was bearing up, and she said that they were doing okay, and that people were beginning to come back to the surgery now after being too afraid to. We had tried to have a remote session, but the video link would not ...

My ear ache is getting worse and making it hard to sleep. Talking to people one way or another today, Mum and Anton, and hearing from Toby, and Sarah Barnsley was nice. Uploading the new episode of SKTV. But fighting the feeling that what I do is absolutely futile. A walk around the park with Lorraine helped, however. She has real things to contend with, such as the government, local authorities and the safety of her staff and children -- all of which put my own self-indulgent gloom in perspective. These moods pass. Much as this day did, without much incident thankfully.

Ear inflamed and painful today. Mostly just working on SYTV all day, chats with Anton and a long one with Toby this evening, who told me about a guy coming to their house in Toronto to look at the decking a while ago, who turned out to have gone to Toby's school in Kingsbury and they knew lots of people in common. He was well remembered by his pals, aka the Rabbits, when Tobs zoom called them recently. I went for a walk this afternoon, now listening to The Silmarillion, although not with the same gusto as LotR. I have only read it once or twice, so it at least feels newish. There is a lot less of it to. Lorraine working hard all day from home, and Beth receiving an energetic personal training session over her laptop in the front room. Didn't drink again today, have abstained three of the last four days, not that I was worried about the amount I was drinking (these days 3 cans of beer seems like loads) but laying off will help control my weight. Also seem unusually attract...

Another episode of Skelton Yawngrave TV, and also uploaded a short horror story  The Dream Home . Kept myself pretty busy, and in the afternoon went for a bracing walk -- quite a few folks out and about now and noticeably more cars on Ditchling Road. Lorraine working from home, but with her nose to the grindstone sorting out how a restart in June can happen, and talking to staff and so on. Chatted to Mum, and then sat in the Taverna, in the sun, which was just warm enough, and drank a can of beer and finished listening to the appendixes of the Lord of the Rings. Listening to that has brought great succour and calmness to me. Reminded Mum that she had written in the three volume copy she gave to me when I was sixteen (previously I had read the family yellow-spined onevolume giant), 'for all your seasons of mist and mellow thoughtfulness.' Beth out for much of the day working, and Lorraine and I had a leisurely dinner, and watched TV, like you do.

A fairly productive start to the week, despite waking up in a fury at the government's handling of C19. Pictures emerged today of people cramming into the tubes again, and this is simply a recipe for a second wave. The ambiguous messaging and botched delivery is astonishing. Most of the agencies in the country could have delivered something better. As the day emerged lots of conflicting interpretations emerging, from within the government, let alone the general populace. Attempted a meme.... which at least made me feel better. Lorraine off at school all day. I finished editing, T he Dream Home , the short horror story that was published by Frogmore Papers, and the latest Skelton Yawngrave TV episode (I'm now on chapter 24). Essentially I think I am going to read everything onto YouTube, as it is a way of giving published material a bit of a second airing -- and also should I meet a sudden demise at the hands of C19 I want to have uploaded lots of stuff. Also had a really ...

A cold and windy day today. Indoors, Lorraine working on her assembly and me recording Skelton Yawngrave stuff, which involved Lorraine dropping the book into my hands from above, and also toying with The Dream Home , one of my horror short stories. Spoke to Mum too, who is rather bored. Lorraine and I had a walk up towards Hollingbury, dropping off a bottle of wine for Joe a few doors up, who is a GP. Lorraine had written a thank you note in it, just to be nice. I had spoken to him a few weeks ago and he looked haggard and definitely under pressure. It was Lorraine's idea. We walked up towards Hollingbury, then Lorraine turned back to do a spot of gardening and I carried on for a bit. Windy and spots of rain, but at least this meant there were few people to dodge. Had to tidy away chairs in the garden tonight, as I feared they were going to blow away. Lorraine waiting for the clownish Prime Minister's speech before completing her assembly. Johnson's speech full of ho...

A warm and lovely day, which was mostly spent in the garden. Thank God for it. Took a few idle snaps with my iPhone, read things and ate things and sat in the garden listening to the Lord of the Rings audiobook as Lorraine did embroidery. All rather restful if it were not for the virusy backdrop. Beth out for a bit seeing some pals at bargepole's distance. She came back in a melancholy mood. It is tough for her. A delivery curry tonight from the Shahi, however, it put a smile on my face at least. Below unfurling ferns, islanded Brian, and another hover fly.

Today was the 75 anniversary of VE day, and a public holiday. Although the notion of public holidays are somewhat modified under lockdown. A beautiful day, Lorraine and I doing some jobs in the garden, cementing a few stones around the steps in the garden and -- under Lorraine's adult supervision -- I drilled holes in the outside walls, and we hung an ornate plant holder and an outside clock thermometer moon phase thingy up that Anton had given us some time ago. These missions accomplished, we felt as if something important had been achieved. I also strutted about the place a bit as by my reading of T he Remaining Cliffs being accepted by The Island Review . I took a photo of a flower fly, also known as a hover fly.  They day passed without incident, which is just as well.

Woke up at four and was wide awake. Slept fitfully afterwards. Lorraine at school again today, I uploaded the Skelton Episode, which seemed to take ages, and then made off for a long walk in the afternoon. Walked about 15k paces during the day, and went over Hollingbury Hill and into Stanmer Woods for the first time in ages. It is blissful to walk among trees, and there were few people about, all of them on bicycles or the odd person walking their dog.  Hollingbury was noticeably busier today, and I noticed several groups of teenagers hanging out, clearly breaking the lockdown rules. The government has shot itself in the foot and leaked the idea that there will be some easing of the restrictions from Monday. The newspapers reflect the bungled messaging by trumpeting 'Freedom Beckons' etc.  All jostling of course with the groundbreaking news that the singer Adele has shed a few pounds. Home after my walk. Beth sunbathing in the back garden, Lorraine home and finishing off a b...

Another day, another episode read and uploaded, and another walk. A gorgeous day. Everything is getting a bit groundhog day-ish. Time floating by. Listening to Lord of the Rings of course and how all the protagonists cringe with fear under as a Nazgûl flies overhead. It is like there is always unseen in the blue even on the clearest days. Another view from Hollingbury Hill, and a family on the Crest of the Hill looking down towards Wild Wood.

Another blowy day but a bit of sun. Uploaded one video and in the afternoon, as it was a short episode, I completed and uploaded tomorrow's episode too. Also went for a walk up to Hollingbury Hill and another cheeky stroll around Blaker's Park at sixish. Spoke to Mum, who was telling me about her pal who had cut the hair of his dog and then his whole family. They all have the same haircut. Investigating government handouts, I have made a little money recently, which means I won't be eligible for anything for a while. I am a Ltd company, which makes things a little complicated. My accountant proactively wrote to me about it the other day, which was good. Had to overcome feelings of gloom over the future. At the moment, however, we have been very lucky and lost nobody dear to us due to C-19. At the moment it all boils down to that. In the evening a beermonsters zoom call, nice to see everyone's faces. Zoom calls are okay but it is certainly not like going to the pub, ...

Monday, and Lorraine back to work. Getting today's episode out was a bit of a struggle. Did this however, and then went for an earlyish walk. Speaking to Anton while I was walking.  He was talking among other things about buying a bandana to wear in the outbreak, toying for a while with the idea of a Mexican day of the dead themed one, he rejected this in favour of a red paisley. We concluded that if this pandemic is about one thing, it's fashion. Home and simply got on with tomorrow's episode. This evening I got to cook an olde world, old skool spaghetti bolognese with actual minced beef in it, and I even had a portion of the sauce myself, and sprinkled not with parmesan but with robust cheddar. Beth and Lorraine tucked into this crowd pleaser with enjoyment. I tend to steer clear of beef as it was a bad gout trigger for me before I started taking the  allopurinol a several years ago, which has prevented anything nasty happening since, and I ate it with no ill effects.

A misty, mizzly day with rain. A relaxed day, with Lorraine doing some needlework. I recorded part of a Skelton episode, and spoke to Mum. In the afternoon I made off briefly to Hollingbury Hill which was misty and shrouded in mist. On my return Lorraine and I had a mooch in Blaker's Park. I like walking with Lorraine in gardens as she loves looking at plants and budding leaves and flowers. I thought three purple flowered, round leaved trees were Judas trees, as I won a tiny poetry competition with a poem that featured one, so I think of Judas trees as elusive arboreal pals. Nice to discover them so close to home. Back in around 1987 I had been lurking in the British Museum and found a picture painted in India called Babur alters the stream . Babur was the first of the Mughal emperors who was actually from Istalif in Afghanistan. The image shows him in his garden changing the direction of a stream, which is of course symbolic. I just disinterred the poem, which was published ...

Up and at it today. A top to toe house hoover, and cleanup which took some time. Lorraine and I looking today at wedding photos and finally building ourselves a wedding album. Nice to look at the photos again. Lots of calls today, Beth spending the afternoon and evening with assorted pals, and attending a zoom birthday party this afternoon. We chatted to Pat and Maureen for a bit, Maureen demonstrating how she made a facemask with a handkerchief. I spent some time talking to Mum too, at a bit cheesed off with the lockdown today. Lorraine talking to Dawn on video link too. Lovely to glimpse her little face too, looking all healthy after working on her allotment. Sat briefly outside in the sun this afternoon, but when the sun slid behind some high cloud it was too cold. Lorraine and I had a Brooklyn Nine-nine binge, after Lorraine had been crying at Repair Shop. Beth appearing from time to time from her cyber parties.  Lorraine had a gin and tonic an I had two Dark and Stormy coc...

A rainy day with a bit of distant thunder. No pinching and punching for the first of the month. My lighting app was going off lots. I uploaded the last of the week's  Skelton Yawngrave episodes. Feeling restless and antsy afterwards. Spoke to Mum, and Toby called this afternoon, and during our chat Beth and Lorraine came into the kitchen as Beth needed her extremely long hair trimmed.  Lorraine employing my beard trimmers and a comb to take off a couple of inches. I strapped on the nosebag to a delicious roast, served with cauliflower puree, butternut squash and roast cauliflower. Tasty! Once the thundery skies (below) had passed I  sat outside in the cool watery sun for a bit, listening to The Lord of the Rings. TV and yet another quiet night... Below dark skies, and Beth's hair after being cut.