under another sun

Pat and Maureen's 63rd anniversary. Lorraine had booked a table at the Cleveland Arms nearby, and we walked there, Maureen scooting along briskly on her wheels. Beers and food brought to the table, which is slower, but means people don't mill about in the pub. We were joined there by Beth and her new friend James, who exhibits a kindness and sensitivity I  really like. Food actually really good there, most of us had roasts which one some kind of small food award recently. We renewed our friendship with the Harveys brewery via the medium of pints of Harvey's best. A cheery meal. Spoke to Mum and Anton. Anton worn out after working on his house, and also being back at work. A small poem of mine came out here in London Grip  several of my pals are also included.

An expedition to the seaside near Beth this afternoon. Pat and Maureen had a good look around Beth's flat, Maureen loving it particularly. Amy at home, and getting ready to start school again like Lorraine, as she is a teacher. Then we drove down to the seafront where Beth and I nipped off to Chippy Chips on Victoria Terrace, and ordered some bags of decent Fish and Chips. I waited for them on the street outside, and then found everyone by the seaside in what was an archetypical English seaside scene, of a family fully clothed. The sea however was very still, despite the the fact that it was ridiculously cold for an August bank holiday. Ate the fish and chips, staring aggressively at the gulls to prevent them getting ideas. Lorraine snapped this before we went down to the beach. I took a snap of people eating fish and chips, but it did nobody any favours. Pat sporting my cap, which being a bit large for him, gave him a rather jaunty air I thought.

Bloody freezing today, a cold northerly wind. It was Pat and Sam's birthdays. A cheery breakfast where Pat got several cards, and Lorraine and I had bought him a construction kit for a Lancaster bomber. Later Lorraine drove Pat and Maureen into town to do a spot of shopping, I remained at home, tidying up and tinkering with some writing. Lorraine got a text from Sam, thanking her for the money used to buy himself some new boots. In the afternoon Beth came around and Lorraine cooked one of her thali curries, and we had candles and sat up at the table for dinner, and had banana bread.  Beth left in the evening, and we all watched Death in Paradise , from the first ever series, which none of us had seen. Then the absolutely delightful, Gone Fishing with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse, which has turned into a gem of a programme, funny and touching in turn.

Weird weather again, very cold and raining. More thunder, or more accurately, more of the thunder going lots of places except here. A little bit of writing today, and also manufactured a new batch of jam, from my hard-won blackberries (I still sport the scratches on the back of my leg) but infuriatingly the jam turned out completely runny. Felt exceedingly peeved, especially as I had been making it. This amid Lorraine and I getting things sorted prior to the arrival of Pat and Maureen, delivered by Pete who turned around and zoomed back to Ashford again, in good spirits as Charlene has just passed her driving theory test. They arrived carrying a box of blue teacakes professionally baked by a neighbour, and exceptionally good they were too. They are really happy to have a change of scene. I wish I could give Mum one too. However I spoke to Mum, who had sent a link to a video of her pal Ronnie Findon playing clarinet a few years ago.

Up early and Lorraine and I cat herding Brian and Calliope into the carrier, and we took them off to Top Cats in Patcham. A bit like an alien abduction for them this time, as we had to sit outside in the car, then hand them to a veterinary nurse, who took them in the basket inside to be examined. We were phoned in the car to chat to the vet, and then they were injected and brought out again. The cats were fairly calm, and even Calliope's yowling was only half hearted. Home again, and then did a bit of work, a sandwich lunch, then walked over to the osteopath in Hove, and back. Pouring rain on the way back. No thunder though. Not sure much is changing in my back, but I will not return for a month now. Home and a hot shower, as I was soaked. Then a bit more fiddling with jobs, before I began the third attempt to interview Tess. My invitation emails that she had to click on to join the conversation went into her spam file, or were mysteriously delayed, then her headphones wouldn...

Up early this morning and working on a bit of work for mes amis in Paris. The storm had died down, and one of the tomato pots in the garden had blown over. Luckily I was able to right it, and everything was still intact. The French work, about palatable animal antibiotics that improve compliance, finished to Val satisfaction,  I had a bite to eat, toyed with the new poem in the back garden, then made off into the scratchy brambles of the golf course around Hollingbury hill to get another tupperware full of blackberries, not quite as much as last time, but around 800grams worth. Took a lot of picking, both easy and hard, as there were plentiful nettles between the brambles I got stung lots as well as scratched. Still it was worth it. Home again, and chatted with Carl and had a good laugh, although Ellie had an accident in her car but is okay. Lorraine home early, from having worked at school, and we pieced together little bits of film she shot welcoming people back to school. Sp...

Much improved day. Got busy preparing for the interview this morning with Pascale Petit, down in Cornwall. Really enjoyed talking to her and, thank God, the interview actually recorded. Pascale has a new book out called Tiger Girl, and I sped read it first thing this morning, it is very good, and it was a real privilege to have her reading it to me in my study.  The results will be in the podcast. Had a chat with Robin afterwards, with lots of planning, she has been busy too. It is all quite exciting. Lorraine working from home today, but it is hard work accommodating changes for the new year, when the government's guidance is so poor. Outside a howling gale, Storm Francis apparently, and lots of rain. I went for a stroll around Blakers Park and the wind through a pine tree there was reminding me of walking at Icart Point in Guernsey. I really miss Guernsey. Luckily Tess was happy to go again on Thursday. This is great news. Felt much happier with life than I had done last ni...

Felt like a back to school day, and Lorraine hard at work doing unspeakable work. I spent the morning doing various bits of preparations for interviews, and also chatted to Val in France who gave me a new wee job. Then, after a light avocado-based lunch, I walked over to Anton's house in the sunshine. Anton on the scaffolding at the front of his house, showed me the scene of the fire, a nasty charred hole on a window frame, which all things considered was a good deal better than the alternative. I went to the back of the house where Oskar was working and nipped up the scaffolding and began painting the window at the top of the house. Ten minutes into this job it was raining hard, and so we simply had to come on. Anton resigned to the ire of the gods. Poor guy has had little luck. He blamed both me and Oskar for the weather however. Spoke to Mum, Mason not too well today with an upset stomach. I walked back home in the rain, grateful for a bit of a stroll at least. At 7 o'...

Sluggish start, somewhat hungover and worse for going to bed some time after 2am. Cats, however, are no respecters of regrettable heads, and were demanding food till I relented and slouched downstairs at 8:45. Lorraine and I up later for a big breakfast with Sam and Jade, who wanly repaired back to bed for a hobbit's second sleep. Anton called with news of a hideous morning, the wooden window frame in the front of the house catching fire when he was stripping paint from it, and filling the room inside with smoke.  He had to call the fire brigade, who arrived five minutes later. I said, 'that was quick. 'Not when you're watching your house on fire,' said Anton. What a nightmare, and obviously entertaining for others in the street. Still, nobody hurt and little damage was done. Sam and Jade got up shortly before they left to catch the four o'clock train. Lorraine drove them off after fond farewells. I had been reading A History of Ancient Egypt, volume one by ...

Breakfast this morning, with Sam and Jade. Including one of our big tomatoes from outside. Much of the day spent hanging about chatting. I stole away to do a bit of work, and even write my first poem of 2020. In the afternoon, off to Beth's place, and collecting Beth and her flatmate Amy, then we sauntered down to the sea at Hove. There had been some bold talk about going for swims, but the sea was rough and it was extremely windy. Instead we hunkered down on the beach behind a groyne out of the wind, and chatted and had a drink, in an archetypical beach experience.  Beth's flatmate Amy, is a very funny girl, and her and Beth form an excellent double act pinging off one another hilariously. I had an excellent chat with Jade too. I am very fond of her. Back to Beth's flat, where we met James, who is Beth's new boyfriend. He did well, considering it must have been a bit daunting to meet Beth's mum, stepdad, brother and sister-in-law in one hit. I liked him, he i...

The big house clean this morning, much hoovering and arranging and cleaning of things, prior to Sam and Jade coming to stay. An old agency pal, Phil dropped in and we had coffee in the back garden. Good to chat, he is a very interesting guy, and has a really funny way with a story. He gave me a horrendous account of a friend of his accidentally killing a neighbour's cat that had broken into his kitchen at 4 am. An appalling story of a woodland burial and the guilty friend seeing posters of the missing cat for weeks on end. It reminded me of Crime and Punishment. The afternoon willingly taken up with kitchen porter duties, as Lorraine was on an enormous cooking mission, making a variety of curries. I sent a few emails arranging an interview with Pascale Petit next week. Sam and Jade, driven by Beth from the station, arrived early evening. A cheery evening, having a few drinks, eating Lorraine's delicious curries, and playing Trivial Pursuit afterwards which Lorraine won. B...

Set off this morning in the car, Lorraine driving us to Elstree where we met Mum and Mas, to celebrate Mason's 86th birthday. Our rendezvous was the Waggon and Horses, where we sat outside again. The weather was good, fortunately, and chatted in a good socially distanced way. I am kicking myself that I did not take any photos however, as we were too busy chatting. The people who run the pub are really friendly, and the same woman was there who helped us last time. She is super friendly and helpful. Lorraine and Mas had some big sandwiches and mum had a vegan stew and rice, and I had a cheeky chicken burger and fries. Mas in good spirits, and telling Lorraine about the early days of movies in Hollywood. The lady in the pub brought Mas a bowl of various ice creams with a candle in it too, which he enjoyed. Lovely to be able to hang out again, after lockdown. Sad to say goodbye, and start the drive home. Although I did not photograph Mum and Mas on his birthday, I did  get the c...

Interrupted the holiday today, to have a long chat with Mario, and old poet friend who I had not spoken to for ages. We knew each other pretty well in the late 80s and early 90s, and it was great to catch up. He has done excellently as a poet, and I was talking to him about his books, which I own, in some detail for the podcast. I find I really admire his tenacity, as well as the subjects he is prepared to take on in his writing. Lots to catch up on, and we will meet up in meatspace when this becomes easier. Lorraine and I had planned to help Anton this afternoon, but it was raining heavily, so Anton wasn't working today. He did send a text that said 'curse you' however, as he thinks the weather is a magical reflection of my ever-thwarted desire for thunder.

Lorraine and I had a fun day, despite the weather being a bit unreliable. We went looking at water features again, but the one we looked at again was basically a boulder, and the prospect of dragging that bad boy through the house was something neither of us relished. Stopped off at a garden centre too, and couldn't see what we wanted either. But nevertheless doing little things like this with Lorraine is just fun. Strangely enough, we feel like we are on holiday.

Another attempt to interview Krishnan editor of Neon magazine today, and this time it was all fine, thank God and I could speak in joined up sentences and everything. And Krishnan was as interesting as he was the first time round. Much relieved. Lorraine out with Beth this afternoon, and I poured into jars another batch of the jam that Lorraine and I had started this morning, another six jars of Kenny Farm plum jam.  Spurred into action, I went for a walk this afternoon up to my usual haunts around Hollingbury Hillfort, and collected 1 kg of blackberries in a large tupperware tray. I managed to sting my hands lots on stinging nettles, which in turn set off the gnat bites from yesterday, and picked up several scratches. But it was all well worth it. There is something gleeful about foraging like this, good food for nothing, and I was forcibly reminded of Dave my grandfather, who liked nothing more than liberating fruit from the wild and (on occasion) other people's gardens.  ...

Up at six, to write a few things down, and then back to bed, and slept a further few hours. An overcast and threatening day, that finally gave us half an hour of heavy rain, and two measly cracks of thunder, which Anton texted me about saying that I had hexed him. Me, thunder loving cove that I am, had been yearning for thunder all along, and obviously Anton, having to work on a house caged in metal scaffolding, strangely averse to violent electrical storms. Lorraine and I tidying the house and making good the craft room again, where I hope to embark on some glassmaking soon. Off late afternoon, picking up Anton en route, and off to Steyning. The weather miraculously improved, and we sat outside the back of Dawn's house on an idyllic summer's evening, and mooched off to the allotment, where Dawn had been growing beetroots, and onions and purple beans and all kinds of other things. Lovely place there. Then back to drink beer and eat some delicious lasagne and salads and the ...

Got ourselves slowly up and at em. Muggy, overcast day, a few drops of fine rain, and mistiness. Lorraine and I walked off to The Open House pub, where we were greeted by neighbours from three doors down, who are running it. Shown to a booth outside which I had pre-booked. It had a corrugated iron  which I was pleased to see as we were expecting a deluge which actually never arrived. Loads of space, and far from anyone else, so it felt a great place to be out and about. Soon joined by Catherine and Tanya, who w'd not seen in the flesh since February.  Great to see them, and hear how they had appeared to thrive in adversity,  even though they think they had covid early in March or February (early adopters as Catherine said), but Catherine was working very hard but felt absolutely shattered for a month. Despite the distancing and the unnaturalness of this, it was great to see them. Had a nice bite to eat there, and left after a couple of hours, Lorraine and I walked h...

Lorraine attracted to the idea of doing nothing this morning, and so I sauntered down to the park and met up with some of my glass homies, Adele, Sally, Kate, Ben, Chris and Rick. Cheerily sat in a ring on the grass, while the sky looked as if it were about to open at any point. It did not. Feeling sad looking at my lightning app on my iPhone which keeps pinging with nearby storms, but they never come here. Boo!

Sweltering day. Once Lorraine and I were up I called Mum, and arranged to see them on Mason's birthday.   Anton had today began two weeks of work on the exterior of his house, and Lorraine dropped me off just after noon to lend a bit of a hand on his first day. There is a bit right on the top of the scaffolding, which has fine views. Anton is no lover of heights, but as this is not in my extensive library of phobias, I did a bit of work on the roof, sanding and undercoating the outside of Klaudia's window. Luckily I had a hat and sun block, but it was absolutely sweltering. Pints of iced water helped lots though. Chatted to Oskar who was helping too, and briefly to Anne and Klaudia.  Once we cleared up, a fast cold beer in the back garden, then Anton gave me a lift home.  After a much needed shower, Lorraine and I hung out for a couple of hours in the back garden, still really hot. Lorraine doing cross stitch, which she is absolutely loving, and me reading Flow...

A lovely relaxed holiday day. Up and pottering about, then off in the car, grateful for the air conditioning, and thinking about another water feature in our garden. Went to Maidenhead Aquatics, where we looked at overpriced things and fishtanks and fishes, and then a salvage yard where Lorraine spotted a bird bath, with roses on it. We scored that bad boy then came home with our booty, after stopping at another garden centre to mooch about toying with alternative ways of having a little fountain in the garden. My interviewee from yesterday emailed, and graciously accepted another recording. A chance to get it right this time. Off at lunchtime to The Park View, where Lorraine and I had lunch and a couple of cold beers in the beer garden, well distanced from anyone else. It being a Tuesday, the food was subsidised too. Beth had put the idea of burgers into our heads yesterday, and we simply found ourselves having burgers. Great fun though. In the evening we drove off to Hove, and ...

A bit of a disastrous morning. Got up early to prep for an interview I was doing for the podcast, then after a great deal of technical difficulty and delay managed to linked up with my subject, and do the interview, only to download the recording of it afterwards to discover that my part of the interview had not recorded at all. Unbelievable. The software has one job, to record two people talking. Humiliating. I had to send an email to request a repeat interview and heard nothing back. Gah! Felt like a huge idiot, and a waste of a morning. A chat with Mum at lunchtime, then Lorraine drove me to the osteopath this afternoon. He assured me I was much more flexible than when I had first arrived a few weeks ago. So I agreed to let him liberate some more cash from the much assailed Fort Knox of my wallet. Stole across the road to Betty and Amy's place, where Lorraine was waiting. Amy is a good egg, and she and Beth bring out a lovely playful side to each other. Lorraine and I then...

Anton round early this afternoon, having walked here in sweltering heat. he sat in the back garden drinking a few beers and playing one of his games, called Air, Land and Sea , which was quickly learnable and quite fun. Lorraine and I managed to win some of our games too. Lorraine, Anton and I played this, and then after a snack we played some Euchre, which was great fun, and gave me the opportunity to talk in grandiose terms about having played the game for fifty years, and offering Anton helpful advice, while he asked if the game had English instructions as well as German and so on. He bought with him a bottle of Woof Woof sauce, which he has tracked down from the people who used to serve woof woof wings in the Joker. Anton set off home again, and Lorraine and I had a little doze after the rigours of the day. A butterfly in the garden, which had pale blue wings when open. I think it is called a Small Blue butterfly. I like its stripy antennae.

Off in the morning to do a spot of shopping, including sugar. For what better activity on a swelteringly hot day, than picking plums, washing plums, boiling plums with lemon juice and a little water then later adding sugar to the brew all in a hot kitchen. Then proudly labelling jam into jars. This batch darker in colour than last year, but we tested it afterwards and it was bloody fine. Below boiling plums, and hot cats strewing themselves about the place.  

Lorraine somewhat restless today. We did several chores around the house, and then I left her in the afternoon sitting happily in the sun, about to do a meditation and some needlework. I walked over to Hove Place, listening to my Ancient Egyptian podcast and an episode about magicians. The difference between magicians and priests is that magicians take personal credit for stuff, while priests tell you it was the gods. At Hove Place I met Sarah, who I had not seen in the flesh since we all went up to London early in March, a fact which now seems rather remarkable. A good deal to be caught up with, although it took us a while to settle. They were doing their best to be Covid secure, but there were a few pinch points, such as the place where we were supposed to wait for our pre-booked table, which was where people were also pushing by to get out. Nevertheless, table service in the garden wasn't too bad. That all said, Sarah and I enjoyed pints of cold Brewdog, in what was hot sun, a...

A slightly more tranquil day. Have finally begun to relax and I think I have got in touch with lots of stored tiredness. Lorraine and I dissembled our bed, which had been slowly breaking for some time. The slats holding the bed up have brittle plastic housings, some of which have broken over the years. We then took delivery of a new wooden bed, which we constructed together, with surprisingly little difficulty.  This bed is quite high, Lorraine thinks she may have mismeasured it, however it means that jumping out of bed has never been easier. You simply slide out. Looks good too, being wooden and not brass. A nap in the afternoon, and both felt quite sprightly and much better for it afterwards. Had some dinner outside on the Taverna, which included a good portion of Kenny Farm carrots, grated and done Indian style with a little hot oil and mustard seeds over it. Lovely. Below the last of the little beetroots, and seven multicoloured Kenny Farm carrots, which were delicious. ...

Up fairly early this morning to pack and have a sturdy breakfast to prepare us for the road. Jumped into the car, and headed home. Our route took us along the Wye valley again and past Chepstow. A strong sense of déjà vu as we drove between the long stone wall of the racecourse, and the trees opposite -- although I have never been there.  Nor had I ever crossed the Severn bridge before.  First you cross the Wye, then the bridge becomes a viaduct going over a nub of land called Beachley then over the Severn. It takes a few minutes of booting across it in the car before you reach England on the other side. I felt a bit exposed and weird on it, even Lorraine determinedly zoomed ahead. The journey back, was pleasant and uneventful, the best kind of motorway driving for most of it. I was sad to be going home though, as getting away had been a tremendous mental boon, and broke patterns that badly needed breaking. Home and the cats were reproachful, but all in one piece. Spoke to...

A leisurely morning, and breakfast outside in the garden. The owner Lesley said we should go for a walk in the garden, and it was deceptively long, and kept opening up into new areas. Absolutely gorgeous and full of trees, including apple, pear and plum, plus some vegetables, trees an enormous horse chestnut and so on. We picked two apples and mine had pinkish flesh. Butterflies drifting about too. Had a long chat with Lesley who we both liked, she is a semiretired acupuncturist, and talked about the Monmouth Bubble. Chatted about the picture that is in the room too, a rather nice abstract from a woman living locally. Off then into the Wye Valley, and to look at Tintern Abbey, which windy old Wordsworth liked so much, he wrote one of his better poems about. A gorgeous road through forested hills, and Tintern Abbey impressive, although you couldn't actually wander about it as it was closed. Peering in, seeing the forest through empty windows, and arched doorways looking at remains...

Somewhat hungover this morning, however this was my Own Fault, and Lorraine on the moral high ground having switched early to soda. A leisurely breakfast outside on a little table, and I felt chipper again. We drove off to meet Katie and Ian at the Sculpture Trail in the heart of the Forest of Dean. Katie and Ian in good spirits, but had also experienced a mysterious jadedness in the morning. A bracing walk in the forest was what was wanted. Having known Katie for so long, and heard all about the Forest and surrounds, I'm really enjoying seeing it all with my own eyes. It is a glorious area. Hordes in the car park, but these thinned out once we got walking into the forest. Lovely place, dotted with sculptures and the whole walk was a little above five miles. All of the sculptures were worth seeing, and the stained glass hanging in the forest was quite majestic, but it made me wonder if doing a representation in glass of a forest scene in the forest was a bit obvious somehow. Ho...

A leisurely breakfast of croissants and tea with Sue and John, a sneaky rematch with Whiskey (a draw) before Lorraine and I got ready to go. In the short time I had been there, I had felt more relaxed than I have felt for many a month. Fond farewells with Sue and John, and then we sped off again. We drove to Monmouth, into the dragon country of Wales, through some increasingly gorgeous countryside. Found our self catering apartment, which looked like nothing from the front of the house, but was actually extremely pleasant. Katie and Ian were going to stay overnight there too. Unloading our things, having collected our key, we mooched into Monmouth, over a little bridge guarded by an ancient Monnow Bridge gate built around 1270, over the river Monnow, to buy some provisions and mooch about a little. Lorraine and I did some food shopping in the Waitrose there, and then loading up our little rucksacks and carrying a bag back, crossed over the bridge again (glancing down at the childre...