under another sun

A day with Sue and John, scorchingly hot, and ending in big spots of rain, and thunder north of Birmingham.  Opted not to do anything arduous. I spent plenty of time reading in the back garden under a tree, Pascale Petit's Mama Amazonica, and also reading through a few copies of Supernatural Tales. Mysteriously, I managed to accumulate five thousand paces playing football with Whiskey in the back garden. The day hadn't begun well between us. She undid my laces as I came into the kitchen this morning, and bit my hands. However this little pup is a keen footballer, leaping over the ball and biting bits of surface of it while barking and leaping happily. Something unexpected was happening to me, I found myself positively liking this dog a great deal. I hadn't kicked a football in years, and this was great fun too, and I found myself dancing around the garden and laughing with the pup. Evening, Lorraine cooked curries supported by Sue her Sue chef, and we forked these down ...

A staycation! So Lorraine and I jumped in the car and zoomed north to South Littleton on the edge of the Cotswolds, to see Sue and John. We came armed with bottles of wine, but it turned out that Sue and John decided to have had a booze free year, both demonstrating wills of iron and so on. I am not sure how I would have coped this year without the judicious application of a little booze. Good to see Sue and John again. John had a recent spell in hospital but had been released back into the wild, and put on a few medications and sick leave. He has been under huge pressure at work, but seems in good spirits. Also met their lively little long haired Jack Russell called Whiskey, which is still very much a puppy. Lorraine cooing soppily over it, and Sue slipping on its sports bra for a saunter over the fields in the heat. We walked across what John said were ancient ridge and furrow fields, which gave the ground a  corrugated look, and was done to increase surface area and improv...

Off by car to Elstree, and the early fifteenth century Waggon and Horses pub on Watling Street where Lorraine and I met Mum and Mas. Really good to sit in the beer garden, at an appropriate social distance and have a bite to eat and my second pub drink with them. Luckily the sky, having been cloudy all the way up, allowed some sunshine. Mum and Mas on good form generally and we sat outside for about three hours, the first time since well before lockdown. Strange not to see them in screens, and good to just be able to spend a good amount of time together. Mum snuck off and paid for the meal, which was kind of her too. Mum and Mas had all day breakfasts, which they have lots there.  The woman who looked after us, really pleasant and cheery, and recognised them, and took good care of Mum and Mas. Fond but socially distanced farewells. Off next to Kingsbury to see Sam and Jade, who are now living with Sian, in a street tucked away behind St Andrew's church. Now they have left Edinbur...

Raining and horrid weather. Did bits and pieces of my work, trying to get things organised. Spoke to Robin, and Lorraine drove me over this afternoon to the Sussex Back Pain Clinic, where I had another cracking session with young Bradley.Felt like I had a bit of a beating, as Bradley was quite determined to set about my back today. Still not had the great freeing crack, between two vertibrae that seem almost locked together. Discussed football with Bradley, and the fact that Chelsea had finished in a position where they can qualify for the Champions League. Found Lorraine in Beth's flat, where I had an excellent cup of tea. Beth said that Amy has a little trampoline in her room, and she can hear it when Amy has a little bounce now and then. Amy is very keen on exercise of all sorts, and goes out running before breakfast and so on.

A morning of hoovering, and cleaning, and various bits of sorting for me, and cooking for Lorraine. Lorraine, greatly excited, had bought thali dishes, and filled them with a variety of goodness which we had with Anton and Anne in the back garden later with a few cheeky beers. A cheery late afternoon and the weather just warm enough, despite it being blustery, to sit comfortably.  Anton approving of the thali dishes, as he had a bit of a craze for the Thalis in the Bottom's Rest, which we had several times before the plague hit. Nice as ever to chat. Below Lorraine with an array of empty thali dishes. And a yummy filled one, with Persian rice, chicken and onion curry, cauliflower and potatoes, dhal, pickled onion, coriander and tomato, and prawns in dark sauce.

Off to Kent today, to see Pat and Maureen, who we had not seen since lockdown. A dull day weather wise, but great to drive out of Brighton or the first time for me for quite a while. A cheery afternoon with Pat and Maureen. We drove out to the farm shop at Perry Court  and then off to a garden centre at Bybrook Barn wandering about with our masks on. Hung about cheerily afterwards, Lorraine adjusting their enormous TV so that it could get all the programmes again.  Lorraine and her dad went off to buy some excellent fish and chips. We even played some cards afterwards, which I lost. Maureen making me laugh lots as usual. She has wonderful comic timing.

Walked off this morning to Hove, rather a long walk, but I was listening to my Ancient Egyptian lectures as I paced. There I met a circle of my glass amigos who were having a socially distanced circular doughnuts, outside Chris William's hut. Very sunny when I got there. Found Adele, Sally, Rick, Chris, Kate, Kate and Jane there, Ben arrived a little later. Lorraine joined us towards the end, but was blinking freezing. She and I mooched along the seafront back to the car. Amazing how this little group of folks has stuck together through the thick and thin of things over the last few months. A nice bunch of people. Ben offered me help restarting my window making, which I am keen to get on with. Just the best of Brighton. Lorraine and I drove home and had hot coffee afterwards, which was rather nice. Below Chris, with his beach hut, in a moment of sunshine, Chris wrapped against the cold and Ben, Lorraine and Adele.

Woke up early, despite this being the first day of Lorraine's hols (although she did do some work). I had just had a dream, where the entire plot of a short Christmas animation had played out in my head. Simply got dressed, had a cup of tea and wrote it down for the next hour and a half. Then took Mrs Kenny a nice cup of tea. Dawn arrived to work on the bathroom and bedroom upstairs. Lorraine got up and we had breakfast. Then I had a long conversation with Robin. This done, and a bite of lunch had, Lorraine and I zoomed off to Lidls at Whitehawk, facemarks on, where we returned the two bottles that had been sold to us with their protective caps still on. This a palaver, as they had never encountered this before, especially as we were now trying to return them. Lorraine had been given two bottles of nice gin in the last week, and Beth had told us the rum we had bought 'tastes like arse' as she had bought one recently. It took a phone call and the summoning of a manger bu...

Lorraine's last day with children for some time.  Off to work with a song on her lips, and to a wonderful letter praising her efforts with a particular child. I did bits and pieces of stuff at home, and then feeling disinclined to work much made off for a long walk listening again to more stuff about Ancient Egypt. Home to a cheery Lorraine, and a celebratory meal from Red Chillies, and a glass of beer, and a few episodes of Modern Family on Netflix. I am delighted she is finally done now. It feels a bit like I'm on holiday too now.

Felt much brighter today, although still a bit stiff from the walk. A happy day, simply lurking about at home. Found a few things to do, and I spoke to Mum and arranged to come up and see her and Mas with Lorraine in week, which felt good to have in the diary. We are going to see Pat and Maureen shortly too. A very relaxed afternoon, listening to Guy Garvey on radio 6. He plays lovely stuff. Lorraine doing a vast and difficult jigsaw of two otters swirling about in water, while I read a little. We watched the last bit of the Blues Brothers, and I also watched the end of the match at Wembley where Chelsea were beating Manchester United 3-1 in an empty stadium for the semifinal FA cup match. Despite the feeling of absolute unreality of the game, the result naturally pleasing. Chelsea now meet Arsenal in the F.A. Cup Final whenever that will be. Below: Lorraine pulls a mighty Kenny Farm carrot from the trug. We ate it raw with a salad, as it was the only one that was quite ready. You ...

A terrible night's sleep, and continually getting up to get more water as I seem to have gone to bed utterly dehydrated as well as in my cups. Far from lively this morning. Up for breakfast, however, and a little later Beth called round for brunch, bringing fruit and pastries which we ate sitting in the garden in the sun. Beth glowing with good cheer at the moment. Later, Lorraine and I drove off to Hove to a bed shop or two, as the frame of our bed is disintegrating.  In one shop our temperatures were taken, which while I understood, was a jarring note of the new normal. Imagine if you had been diagnosed with covid in a bed shop in Hove. Lorraine and I had fun hopping between beds in a couple of showrooms, but then began to flag. Then some much needed time lounging on the gold sofa, where I at last had a doze. We watched most of The Blues Brothers film, which was fun. We had both seen it, but could barely remember it. An early tea and water sipping night.

Friday and a long-postponed walk with Anton. Who called around for me at 9:30. We did about 14 or 15 miles eventually, walking up past the Hillfort, into Stanmer Woods, down to the Amex Stadium in Falmer, then up over the Downs towards the sea at Rottingdean, which I just looked up and means the valley of Rota's people. From there a brief pause, a snack and then along the seafront back to Brighton. It was a walk full of variety, from the iron age hill fort, crossing the bridge into Woodland at Stanmer Park, passing Brighton's new football stadium, designed to be in sympathy with the downs, and across farmed downland, and alongside the sea into the buzz of Brighton's seafront. Anton eyeing with approval the little powered scooters ridden by some rather well groomed men driving up and down Marine Parade.  Up the last haul up a hill to The Crescent Pub where we went into a pub together for the first time since February 12th. All sensibly run. Had to add your name and phone num...

So, readied and prepared another short story (after a good deal of rewriting) which I sent out this afternoon. Dawn here again, working very hard indeed, and then she gave me a lift to Hove for a late afternoon back crack at the osteopath. I waited alone in a waiting room, and young Bradley strode in and I didn't recognise him for a moment, due to the fact he wasn't at first wearing a mask. The session itself hasn't yielded the big crack I need in my back, nor I suspect will the next. I wonder what is to be done. My back is some percentage better however. Walked home listening to my lectures about Egypt. It is exactly what I wanted: a detailed overview of Ancient Egyptian history. I particularly like it when he explains an antiquity in detail. I found one piece he was talking about online and could understand what was going on, even down to recognising the hieroglyphs for the name of the king. Calling kings Pharaohs was a Hebrew thing, apparently, as pr-o in Egyptian mea...

Spent much of the day continuing to pull together some kind of portfolio of my work (so much work done, so little evidence of it). My new contact who had prompted this, contacted me this evening about a job that involved interviewing senior pharma execs to produce an article about Covid. I said I could do it, but was emailed four times in the evening demanding proof of all the times I had done a job just like this. I had none, of course as nobody will have done. After harrying emails, I had had enough of him and his job. So left peeved at having to turn work away, but also happy that I was able to simply nip a what would clearly have been a world of irritation in the bud. A quick chat with mum this afternoon. We are lucky to have FaceTime at this time. Otherwise sent a story, The Grieving , off to Supernatural Tales. Fingers Crossed. Readied another one to send tomorrow. Dawn working upstairs again today. Lorraine home with some presents from kids and parents, and after a quick lun...

Awake for several hours last night. Listened to a short lecture about Napoleon in Egypt, who while he had a fairly disastrous military adventure there, had thoughtfully taken lots of artists and scientists with him, who kicked off the study of Ancient Egypt. Before I went to sleep I listened to a second lecture about the Rosetta Stone. A bits and pieces sort of day. I focused on the tiresome business getting my new credentials document together. I have always been terrible at forcing people to provide evidence that I had done any work in the last twenty years. Normally I don't have to prove anything to anyone, but it is good practice. I found a few minutes of film at the foot of this page , which Brad shot when we were in Chad. Took me back it did, especially in one or two shots I was standing next to  him.  Not often you see a movie shot by a filmmaker of such a vivid moment in your experience. Ignore the voiceover commentary. Anton and I discussed a local walk we are pla...

Up early with Lorraine, felt curiously stressed this morning for no good reason. Perhaps it was because we had slept in a different bed last night. Took myself into the garden to chill out with a brief sound meditation that helped. Got to work on more animal diseases stuff, which I worked on a good deal during the day, and pinged it back to Paris late this afternoon. Dawn came around to start prepping the painting she was going to do for us. Nice to have a coffee with her this morning and chat. Also talked to Anton today.  I was able to go to on my walk this afternoon, and mooched up to Hollingbury Hill. Toby FaceTimed me while I was out. He and Romy had returned from a great holiday, to find there had been a severe storm in Toronto, and the big tree in the house opposite them had split.  Mooched about a bit on my walk, the little circular pond to the east of the hill was like a dried up African watering hole, despite a little recent rain.

Downloaded The History of Ancient Egypt by Professor Bob Brier, a series of half hour lectures for undergraduates. Today was the prehistory of Egypt. Lorraine and I listened in the garden this afternoon, after a morning spent moving things around, as we are having our bedroom and en suite bathroom painted by Dawn, so we had to clear everything away and hoover behind the bed so that she would not think we lived like animals. Also hoovering the big bedroom at the front of the house and stowing various Betty things in containers under the bed.  Lorraine and I had a couple of our cold beers we bought yesterday in the sun, and pottered about tending to our trug, and ate our Sunday roast in the back garden in the sun, and then had a couple of games of cards. All good fun. 

Lorraine and I had a happy day, pootling off to Shoreham to choose paint for our bathrooms, and bits and pieces for the house in  Dunelm, and popped into Lidl  to buy some food. Just felt cheery to be zooming off in the car on a bright day to go shopping a little further afield. We were pleased together out of there as it was an unpleasant experience, with a woman getting panicky and aggressive as she tore around the place. It was crowded too, with few wearing facemarks. We bought some a crate of the nice lager they sell there, and a small bottles of rum and gin.  Only when we were home did we find the security tags had not been taken off, so we will have to return to the store again at some point. I tweeted them about it, but the offered no solution other than returning to the store. Nevertheless, a restful afternoon and evening. I even had a cheeky snooze. Then vegetarian chilli and binge watching Modern Family .

Up and finally heard from my French clients. I had emailed them this morning, having had an anxious dream that they had gone out of business. They said they had been very busy, and would get back to me this morning with feedback. I got it at 6:05pm, and simply ignored it. Otherwise working on a my new updated track record document to send to potential new client. A few emails, then off to the park to day hello of a ring of glassmakers on the grass, chatting with Ben, and Chris Williams, Adele, Rick, Sally, Kate, Frances and Jane. They were eating donuts, and so I had one too.  Ben has lost lots of weight, and is eating lots of fruit. Then my first proper haircut since Valentine's day in my usual barbers called Clippers. However three of the five guys have left, two retired and one left for new pastures. I had my hair cut by the new woman, very chatty with tattoos and piercings and full face visor who charged me about six quid more than the last time I had it cut there. Stil...

Up early, wrote some ideas down for Lorraine when she is giving a leaving speech for bairns at her school. Requested more antibiotic for ears, although as the day wore on I realised the steroid cream was working well as I had stopped itching my ears. A drizzly start to my walk to New Church Road in Hove to see the young Bradley the osteopath, who had another go at cracking the two vertebrae that are rigid in my back. Failed, but failed better. After this, I literally walked across the road and popped in to have a nice cup of tea with Betty. Amy was there too. Beth seems very happy there already, and is glowing with cheeriness, which is lovely to see. Walking back, Anton phoned and we talked of many things, including Ancient Egypt, which I want to read more about. I want an overview of its history. Home and had exceeded my 10k paces of walking done for the day. I finished The Book of Science and Antiquities by Thomas Keneally as I walked too. Full interesting ideas but I found I di...

Decided to chance my arm with the barbers at Clippers. They open very early and I zoomed down, but when I got there I was told I'd have to make an appointment, which I did for Friday. I learned three out of five of the originals have left in lockdown. The two founders retired, and the younger one has set up on his own. So there were two guys there I knew, and a woman, which was a tad revolutionary for Clippers. From there to Sainsbury's and then home. Felt lethargic, uninspired and dull. My ears were hurting a bit too. Had a short snooze this afternoon and utterly squandered the day despite sitting at my computer trying to be productive for hours. No feedback from mes amis in Paris either. There are things I should be doing, but I was too apathetic. Pleased when Lorraine was home, as at least I could make some dinner and feel a bit purposeful.  Started reading a little about the ancient Egyptians in bed. Read the opening of a chapter to Mrs Kenny which sent her off to slee...

Up early, and two hours of focused work on the animal diseases work, then sent off for feedback which never arrived, resulting in one of those limbo-ish annoying days. Despite new treatment on ears, which is lessening the itching in part, has not changed their internal state, and this persistent infection is making me feel a bit run down -- so I think I haven't yet reached the end of the ear saga. Did three short walks to take me up to 10k paces.  Walked past the little playground near me, which is locked and has a notice about being closed on it. Inside were dozens of children and adults. Chatted to Anton too, while out and about planning a short walk just outside town. Finding myself having to dodge people on pavements, many people, especially the younger ones, seem to have grown oblivious to social distancing on the street. A good article in the guardian today by Suzanne Moore, the title says it all:  What's more stressful than lockdown? The easing of lockdown.  Ap...

Up early this Monday with Lorraine, and continuing my work (without much gusto or elan) on the work for mes amis in Paris all day. Took a call from my doctor to discuss my ears at 9:20. Going to try a mild steroid cream now, although not deep inside the ear obviously. The ears are making me feel sluggish. The house quiet without Beth as I worked, with only Calliope's patented 'heartbroken' howling miaow to be heard, and the occasional roof stabbing of peanut eating rooks overhead. Nevertheless a couple of short walks to oxygenate my brain, and one around the park when Lorraine got home after dinner. Made me think of Romy and Toby who often do postprandial strolls. Lorraine and I getting a grip on calories again. The time is right.

A brighter day, Lorraine and I went on a trip to Brighton Recycling Centre, whose organisation impressed us. Waved in and kept apart as we emptied bags of cardboard from Beth's move, and a few bags of garden waste. Drove past a pub, The Fox on the Downs, where a couple were sitting outside in the sun with pints, wearing PPE. Lorraine had lots of school work to do. The staff member with a temperature tested negative, which is a relief, and one less headache for Lorraine to manage. I just want her to be able to get to the end of the term, now two weeks away, unscathed. I began work on some stuff for mes amis in Paris, on goat, sheep and cow diseases. I began idly putting a file together containing all my published poems in order, going back to 1982. And had to dig out a couple of very early poems indeed. Some better than I had remembered, other sadly worse. Story called Snowfall, sent out to US speculatively was swiftly rejected, but with the caveat that 'we are certain it ...

Beth up early this morning. Lorraine got up to be with her and Beth came into the bedroom and kissed me goodbye, and off she drove in her little red nail varnish car off to start a new chapter of her life in Hove with her old pal Amy. She is really excited and happy. Lorraine was already missing her not being in our bubble by the afternoon. Lorraine and I sorted things out in the dungeon, now Beth has taken her things away, and did a kitchen clean up. Lorraine had a session of gluing things back together too, such as a garlic pot from Moulin Huet pottery that smashed a couple of months ago. Otherwise a quiet, somewhat gloomy and rainy day. I felt gloomy too. Lorraine heard that one of her teachers has a temperature and is unwell, and he went off to get a Covid test in the evening. More uncertainty. I just want Lorraine to get to the end of the term in one piece.

Beth moving her belongings out today. She and Lorraine went early to her new flat, and later they returned so we could all load up a car club van she drove over with Lorraine in it too. Luckily we loaded up pretty swiftly, then they drove back, not needing me as I wouldn't fit in the van too, and Amy was helping at the other end. Despite the carrying, thanks to the work of Bradley yesterday, I felt no back pain afterwards: a real result. I also followed up on a new business lead, put my way by my old pal Fraser, and sent out a story, rather randomly, to a US magazine. I had a long video call with Robin. And later a long chat with Mum. Beth and Lorraine back this evening, and we had a phone in curry from The Shahi, and watched the original cast musical Hamilton that was released on Beth's Disney channel today. Beth was unbelievably excited by this and was saying it was the best thing she had ever seen. I am not a massive fan of musicals (although in fairness since I have known ...

Walked off this afternoon to the eastern bit of Hove, to the Sussex Back Pain Clinic, and there had an hour and a half with Bradley, an excellent osteopath. Reassuringly methodical, and the stuff he did has already helped. Quite a long walk there and back. Turns out that the Sussex Back Pain Clinic is literally across the road from where Beth is going to live, and I was busy painting at the weekend. Felt a bit odd going into a room with facemask on, and talking to a bloke in PPE too. I have no idea what the bottom of Bradley's face looks like. I felt I had good treatment though, Semi-anonymous back cracking part of it. As I left a little before 5:30 I saw that Val had emailed me in Paris about some work next week, which was good news. Also my old pal Fraser had got in touch too, with a possible lead. Home and I had a zoom thing, watching Charlotte chatting to her publisher Nell and deep diving into the poems in her new book. Interesting. Also afterwards, there was a zoom 'd...