under another sun

What with it being the last day of June, a steady rain in Brighton. I stayed in all day, and worked through my list of things I didn't particularly want to do, such as making a osteopath appointment, a doctor's appointment about the wretched ears, uploaded a tiny YouTube video of Someone else's patch  in my Little Horrors collection which I recorded several weeks ago. Also wrote to Jane and Richard, from whom I got a lovely email back, wrote to Tess Jolly about the uncanny, and took a photo of a snail, whose people were busy chomping through everything in the garden. I cooked a bean jar today. The smell permeated through the house all day, and was pretty tasty. It was a beef one, it is the only thing I cook with beef, with herbs from the garden, eaten with chewy brown loaf was rather delicious. Chatting to Mum this afternoon, who was heroically filling in tax forms. The revenue normally sends someone around to help, but... plague etc. Lorraine home this evening, tir...

A dreadful night's sleep, mainly caused by a headache arising from a nerve pain in my back, triggered by carrying things at a particular angle. I must try to get this fixed. Woke up late this morning at a little before eight, to discover lovely Lorraine had crept in before leaving for work with a nice cuppa, which was still drinkable. Win! A bit bleary headed, made lists of things I did not particularly want to do, and felt I have a bit of a plan. A chat with Anton, another helping A short walk this afternoon. Extremely windy. Beth cheerily buzzing about in her little red car sorting everything out. Something happened to her phone today, and the screen is doomed. I am reading   The 'Uncanny' , a 1919 essay by Freud. He is easy to disagree with, and I do disagree with some of his conclusions, but fascinating nevertheless. He attributes fear about losing your eyes, for example, to a symbolic fear of castration. I don't know about other chaps, but if there was a choi...

Slept unusually heavily again, and pulled myself blearily out of bed this morning, as Lorraine and I had things to do. We jumped into Betty's nail varnish red car, and zoomed over to Hove to do a bit of work in her new flat. She and her pal Amy have had to negotiate as there is a moth infestation in the carpets, which the owner has agreed to replace. The flat had been standing empty for several months. Despite that I thought it was a really nice flat, lots of light, clean, in a pleasant apartment block. They look out onto a big communal lawn from their living room. Got to work with Betty painting her her new bedroom, while Lorraine begun heroically washing venetian blinds, which was exhausting and took forever. After a few hours of this, Beth dropped Lorraine off to Anton's house, and me at the Polish shop at Seven Dials. We had our first socially distanced afternoon in Anton's garden. Anton made woof woof wings, curly fries and a delicious cheesecake as a belated celeb...

Heavy rain showers today. Lorraine and I tired this morning, my ears are flaring up again. Lorraine really badly in need of a holiday. The Summer holiday is on the horizon though. Off to Heywards Heath at lunchtime, however, for an exciting moment: to pick up Beth's car! In what is a bit of a huge week for her. It is a Renault Clio, and is colour and slightly metallic sparkle made me think of nail varnish.  The three of us drove there in Lorraine's car, and Beth drove me back, as she wanted someone in the car for her first drive. She really is a good driver though, and just like her Mum, I feel completely safe as a passenger. She thinks the car may be called Dorothy. Home, and Lorraine and Beth went off to Beth's new flat, and start washing the walls with sugar soap. I simply had a sleep instead, and also watched Apollo 11 the documentary film on Netflix, which was quite good having just read the Michael Collins book.

Up early and made the last few changes to The Grieving, which is the name of the strange story I have been working on, it is only 4.5k but it took quite a bit of getting right. I'm going to set it aside for a bit now, before I think of unleashing it on the world. Then to Preston Park just down the road, where I met some of my glass friends. We all sat in a big circle near the Rotunda. Adele, Sally, Ben, Rick and Frances, two Kates, Dena, and Jane.  It was all very sociable, but still odd sitting far away from people. I was sitting nearest to Adele, Ben and Frances, and enjoyed chatting to them particularly. Ben has lost lots of weight, being on a steady diet for some time. There was a cool sea mist today in Brighton, so it was not hot at all. I decided to go for a walk, and ended up mooching off to the Hillfort Again. Tired however. When Lorraine got home, she had her post school shower and we sat on the bed chatting for a bit, and I fell sound asleep for three-quarters of an h...

I felt too hot to do much today, so stayed at home and did not walk. The hottest day of the year, and extremely hot for UK. Up early, and was editing my story sat outside eating a bowl of porridge at 7:30. Ended up doing a bit of a rewrite today, and so spent hours on it. Had a chat with Mum with their having returned from a car journey to Watford, Mason becoming pooped and immobile at one point, which was stressful. Beth dividing her time between getting everything sorted for her move, and basking outside. A hot Lorraine home tonight, and after a light dinner we sat outside. She needs a break. Meanwhile the rest of this benighted country going mad. Bournemouth had to declare a major incident as hundreds of thousands of people descended, resulting in traffic chaos, fistfights and a Lemming like crowding on the beach. There is general unrest at the moment. On Hove lawns groups of scuffling teenagers had to be cleared by Police this week, and there have been flare ups in the cities. Thin...

Hot as anything. Working outside this morning as well as in my office. Still on the short story, and some work on my new secret project with Robin. Strolled into town at lunchtime and met up with Chris Williams, we got a coffee (an iced coffee for me) and sat in New Road opposite the Theatre Royal chatting in a socially distanced way. Chris is a born traveller, and was telling me about some of his trips, such as walking on Indonesian Volcanoes, and a recent scary encounter with a rhino. Mooched home in the heat through Preston Park, lots of young folks there and a gleeful feeling of the end of lockdown. I noticed a girl wobbling on a tight rope (The French Bloke told me it was really called a slack line) and it seemed a fitting image for Blighty at present. Drank some beer outside in the heat tonight, having a nice chat with my lovey wifey. Below, park scenes. I'm all about the black and white at the moment.

A long video call with Robin today, making plans for our new project. This is in danger of translating from talking about stuff, to making stuff happen. Rather exciting. Otherwise still plugging away on a short story, which is beginning to feel like a banana attached to the end of a bamboo. What I don't realise is the bamboo is attached to my head, and as I move towards it, it gets further away. I went for a hot walk up to Hollingbury again, and bought some bottles of Harvey's best bitter from the offie at five ways that sells from its front door. Two rather lively young ladies enthusiastically groping each other in the queue before me. Nice to be reminded this is still Brighton. 

A hot and gorgeous day. I wrote my story, sent a few emails, and went for a walk.  Lorraine home, and having to have a zoom meeting. Then, finishing this had lots of conversations with Beth about car insurance.  Luckily I was nursing a can of beer in the back garden, and hanging out with Brian, listing to  my new audiobook, 'A book of science and antiquities' by Thomas Keneally (jury still out).   I snapped a few things in the back garden in black and white of course, like our  trug, and Brian, and reflected on just how lucky I was to be able to have somewhere nice to sit outside. Below trug life, the gravel and the plants, and Brian.

An exceptionally cheery Beth today, who having secured a flat the other day, also went out with Lorraine in the middle of the day, and has bought a red Renault Clio, which she will pick up next weekend. She is very cheery about this turn of events, which has seen her get a flat and a car in one week. Lovely to see her feeling as if life were on track again. Another walk at lunchtime, in my new walking shoes. Finished listening to Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller, which I found entertaining and accomplished -- without loving it. This evening, Lorraine and I watched the film The Shape of Water.  A thing of beauty it was too, directed by Guillermo del Toro. He has made so many great films, including the masterful Pan's Labyrinth . Beautifully art directed, with gorgeous greens all the way through it, and Sally Hawkins gave a great performance as a mute fish-fancier. Afterwards we listened to music and shuffled off to bed, just before Beth started chatting with her pal not too far fro...

Friday, and Sonia came here for the first time in Months this morning. She said she had been cleaning at other clients for weeks, and generally gave the impression that Coronavirus was not too much to worry about. Nice to see her and chat, but I, a-hem, kept my distance.  Working still on the short story, which I am still polishing. Everything takes so long. In the afternoon another saunter, up the hill and then when Lorraine came home, she drove Beth off to the seafront at Hove where she was meeting some socially distanced pals, including Amy she is about to live with. We said hello, and then bumped into Lorraine's old choir pal Lesley, who was ambling along with a Brazilian pal. I remarked to Lorraine afterwards that it was nice of Lesley to show us her Brazilian.  Home and Lorraine and I had a curry, and a chilled night in watching a cop show on TV. So photos... Flowers in the hill fort. My black and white shot of the day, then a rejected black and white shot for the day, a...

It seems Beth has a new flat, after seeing it yesterday. It is in Hove and she will be living with her pal Amy. All exciting stuff, and she is really buoyed by it.  I took delivery of a pair of bargain walking shoes after being fired up about it having talked to Anton. Mercifully, they fit nicely and gave me  spring in my step as I set off. Nice to have something new. Listening to Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller as I walked, but mainly boggling at clouds.  Off to Hollingbury Hillfort again this afternoon, after working on my story. Have been taking black and white photos this week, and the clouds today were spectacular. It resulted in this rather fab shot of the clouds bubbling up like mountains behind the hill fort, much better in black and white than it would have been in colour. 

Toby's birthday today, and I had a quick FaceTime with him to wish him well as he was lurking in his office, looking at school work on his screen. Otherwise I worked through my list of things, and worked more on my short story, and generally got on with getting nowhere fast.  A walk again this afternoon, of course.   Took a shot of Steven Seagull who lives a few doors down the street.   He perches on this post just a few doors down from our house every day. He gives you hostile glares as you walk past but rarely takes off. I thought I was witty naming him after the fighty actor, but it turns out that half the gulls befriended by Brightonians are called Steven too, for exactly the same reason.

A quiet day. Wrote to Jeremy saying what a good job he had done in editing Poetry South East 2020. Looked at my short story which is progressing well, although I need to trim it and magnify the horror and weird elements. Sent off a poetry MS, looked at a letter Lorraine was sending to parents and generally kept out of trouble. Another walk today, a gorgeous afternoon with lots of interesting clouds. Snapped this lovely black dog on Hollingbury Hill. I love black and white -- and although this dog was perfectly nice, dogs are quite often growling at me suspiciously at the moment. I have no idea why. 

This morning's hypochondria included googling shin splints first thing, as a sharp shin twinge woke me up.  Lorraine has a magical cream that smells of herbs and menthol and stuff, which I rubbed on as soon as I got up, and have felt nothing since. I did a long walk on Saturday wearing just Vans plimsols, and in retrospect this was a poor idea. Otherwise tweaking the new short story, swapped ideas with Robin about podcasts,  did work for mes amis in Paris on parasites -- and did other bits and pieces. Beth better, and teaching this afternoon via zoom. She is so full of energy and enthusiasm with those kids, it's quite amazing. The anthology Poetry South East 2020 arrived today.The last one was Poetry South East 2010. It is edited by Jeremy Page, and he did a lovely job.  The poems pass the baton one to another without a stumble all the way through.  There is one poem per poet, and it is a bit of who's who of poets from this neck of the woods. Happy to be...

A slow start, and kippers for breakfast. Lorraine made several calls, and I did a little work, then we drove off to Stanmer Park, which was busier than I had ever seen it. Always bemusing to see people who park in the bit of the field designated for car parking, make a picnic a few paces away from the car. However we were soon out of the car into the woods, and there ahead of us on a path in the woods we happened on a couple with a dog: Innis and Rosie and Pippi. We had a very nice walk threading through the woods with them, and pausing at a pond which had children running around it and a parliament of dogs leaping about and into the pond after balls.  Innis was telling me about his good friend who has cancer and is near end of life. Luckily he lives nearby, and he has been able to help and see him lots. The horrid backdrop to the world, doesn't prevent everyday horrible things happening too. These talked about we enjoyed mooching about, walked down a country lane flanked by summ...

Lorraine preoccupied all day with working out the various scenarios of children returning to school. The government has had three months to work this out, but beyond issuing a few dictates that are then withdrawn due to their ineptitude and lack of consultation. Even the dogs in the street could have told you that if you require two meters between each child, for example, you are going to need double the amount of rooms (not to mention the staff to supervise this). Nothing has been thought through. Just one example of Government by this inept band of intellectual Lilliputians. Up early, as Beth had bounced into the kitchen and begun to make pancakes, which I had with bacon and maple syrup. A taste combination that reminds me of Mason, and assorted North American adventures. Lorraine and I went to Marks & Sparks food hall at Patcham, and mooched around together. Some folks simply do not get the idea of social distancing. I was standing in an isle and felt something around my ank...

Started a list of ten tedious things I needed to do, and I did half of them, and then too bored to continue. Spoke to Mum, which was a pleasant diversion for a while, and did some hoovering in the house, then walked down London Road to the pharmacy, where I was the sole customer. The woman, who is older, who was serving me, and I have known by sight for years, just pushed the drugs at me and retreated to the back of the shop. Began working again on the story late this afternoon, and at around 6:30 I had one of those penny drop moments where I realised that the story I had written wasn't quite the one I had intended, but what I had written was more interesting than I what I had planned. Having felt all day that I had got nowhere fast this week, I felt my persistence was finally rewarded. A nice Shahi curry this evening, delivered by deliveroo. Played cards with Beth and Lorraine. All good. Fascinated by JK Rowling getting involved in what has become a very bitter debate around...

Up early and working for three or four hours on my new horror story first thing. It is going quite well. I enjoy my writing most when I discover as I write what the story is about, and how to tweak the plot. This work done, I seemed to have expended all my enthusiasm and focus for the day. Pottered about replying to my accountant, and listing things that I should be doing if only I had enthusiasm. My back is stiff and painful. Nearing the end of The Plot Against America . The character's wearying raging against the politics of their time, and the slide away from truth and towards fascism feels all too familiar now. Chatted to Anton. He is bored, being made to work very hard, and can't see the end of the plague.   Threatening rain here in Brighton much of the day without delivering much. It was warm, and my lightning tracker went off a few times, alerting me of the exciting fact lightning was occurring within 50 miles. I walked up to the hill fort again, but decided not to tarry...

A decent morning's work, on the new short story, which is still going well I hope. Writing with a bit more flow now. Beth nannying today, back with young Tilly. Turns out she did not have coronavirus, but tonsillitis. Beth also saw a flat today which she and the girlfriend she is hoping to flat share with both liked and have applied for. Other than writing the new story, no news from my pals in Paris. Listening to The Plot Against America by Philip Roth as I took my stroll for an hour and forty mins. There are some frightening resonances with Trump's US. I realised I read another of Roth's books a couple of years ago, called The Anatomy Lesson. Still absolutely loving the short stories of Bruno Schulz -- which  I recommended to Anton today. His writing is extraordinary. Rushed at by dogs yet again today. Two small dogs yapping and growling at me. I am beginning to feel it is personal. I cooked this evening, making a chilli with Lorraine's special Persian rice. ...

An early start, and the idea for a new story which I commenced immediately. I seemed to have several ideas when I woke up this Monday, which is great. However I was beset by a fleeting gloom, and then alarm as I suddenly began dry coughing. This lasted no more than a minute then utterly disappeared. As I keep saying, this is a terrible time to be a hypochondriac. Managed to man up after this and had a good day's work on my own stuff. A few notes to people, and otherwise a reasonably uneventful day. Walked, and fancied there were more flowers today due to the light rain that had fallen. Lorraine home, and surviving her day okay. I worry that there is a great deal of pressure on her, but she is doing well. Below a wild rose, and people in the meadow.

Keen to have Lorraine depressurise at the weekend, but today the school alarm kept going off mysteriously, necessitating a dozen phone calls over Saturday. We also chatted to Pat and Maureen, still doing well in Ashford. We did have some relaxing times however, such as planting the tomatoes which had sprouted from seeds in our bathroom. Other garden produce growing well. We deadheaded roses in the front garden, and Lorraine tucked in the wisteria to a lattice.  I took myself for a walk on Sunday, finding the ground gasping for water, which has fallen everywhere else. Here is the round pond near the top of Hollingbury Hill, and read more of Bruno Schulz's short stories. I have also been listening to The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth. By coincidence, the last audiobook I read, Carrying the Fire , had an introduction by Charles Lindbergh, who is the villain in Roth's alternative history book.  

Generally quite motivated today. Washed the kitchen floor, did some writing, talked to Robin  about podcasts through something called Squadcast. As I was trying, and failing to do this, Val called to ask me to do a bit more work on this week's concept. Went for a walk, under foreboding skies. All promise and no rain however. Spoke to Mum later. Good to have Lorraine home after another week. Beth cooked wings and focaccia bread today. It was exceedingly good.

The work I sent to Paris yesterday went down well, and just a smidge of checking work to be done at some point once they have let their in house creatives loose on it to tidy up. Did some tinkering with Grace 2. Went for only a short walk. Otherwise I chose today to do a thorough tidy up of my study, and filed stuff away and got sorted, and feel a good deal better for it. If in doubt, tidy up. Always works. Was listening to Prince while I did so. Beth cheerily checking out another flat today, so she drove Lorraine to and from school. Anton popped around in his car to pick up the Sherlock Holmes game he lent us. Although, unlike Lorraine, I dislike boardgames (something that Anton sees as a moral failing of the worst sort) the Sherlock Holmes game was one I disliked less than most. Anton took the opportunity to insist that my blue front door was purple and that this was also a failure on my part to see colour properly. I considered showing him the paint tin with blue written on it, ...

A much better night's sleep, and a welcome change of pace with two fun briefs to work on from mes amis in Paris. A quick chat with Val by phone. It was oddly nice to hear her -- something normalising about working with her again, after a bit of a break. One of briefs even required me to be funny, a bit of a first for me in animal health. This took up much of the day, interspersed with two short walks around Blaker's Park to think. Both times raindrops fell on me, although not enough to qualify as rain. After the wettest winter we are now by June 3rd, on the cusp of a drought. Although Lorraine said there were puddles in Bolney. Spoke to Mum who was setting up a FaceTime call with her old pal Mark Lewis. Finished Carrying the Fire . Fascinating book, and it makes me want to watch the Documentary Film Apollo 11, which was released last year and Toby said was amazing. I have some trailers on YouTube, it looks wonderful. The world you glimpse in the book, from an astronaut'...

A terrible night's sleep again, a chain of nightmares about getting lost in dark versions of London, that led me to start awake feeling horrible.  Felt a little sluggish today as a result. An absolute scorcher of a day, however. I took a couple of walks to get up to 10k. The Golf Course now recaptured by golfers, which in a way is better as there are fewer of them, and if you stick to the paths you can still thread around the place. Lorraine off to work again, in fresh clothes and a positive attitude. Heard from Val today, and all mes amis in Paris have been okay. She wrote 'I must say your Prime Minister remains a mystery to me.... the way the UK has managed the crisis is clearly not at the level of this country.' (She meant France.)  Her sister was running a C-19 ward in Quebec, but came through it without getting the disease. There was also a smidge of work from them too, which I did this afternoon. I wrote to Ben with an idea for a stained glass window. Had a Face...

A poor night's sleep. Lorraine sleepless and the alarm went off at six, getting back into the old routine  at school, with year 6 now attending, as well as the children of key workers. It went well apparently, but Lorraine was tired when she got home, showering and putting all her school clothes to be washed at 60C. I am very proud of my wife, it has been a gruelling time with lots of responsibilities, and she has done very well. I spoke to Pat today for almost an hour. He was telling me about his brush with COVID-19 and being in hospital for a week. Luckily he didn't have to be intubated, but he was on the maximum dose of 10L of oxygen for a while. This was March, and he is still recovering slowly now. It was a bit of a brush with death, and he told me he had a conversation with one of the doctors who told him he was not out of the woods. Pat said, 'are we talking Wimbledon Common or the Amazon?' It was an ordeal, but he is resilient and now very pleased to be stea...