under another sun

Heard from Carl this morning that Jayne was in hospital with Covid. I spoke to him during the day, and it seems she had another infection. It wasn't anything to do with lungs, so that's good I guess. He has covid too, but fairly mildly having been vaccinated.  Leaving the cats in the capable hands of Sam and Jade, Lorraine and I made off to see Sue and John. Into the car first thing, and drove off. A free and easy drive, which we both enjoyed, stopping for tea and sandwiches at a service station. Saw dozens of red kites from the M6, I'd never seen so many of them. Lovely impressive raptors.  The feeling of escaping from Brighton was excellent, as I have been feeling a bit hemmed in and fed up lately. Arrived at Sue and John's while it was still light. A nice cuppa and some Christmas cake. Whiskey the dog, sporting her Irish tricolour collar, springing about enthusiastically as Sue told us Whiskey now has an Irish passport. Lorraine and Sue went off to get eggs from a fa...

A relaxed Boxing Day. Lorraine and I enjoying chatting and hanging out in the morning with Sian and Jade and Sam.Christmas bubble and squeak for lunch,  I did a spot of work preparing for my next podcast interview, and afterwards took myself off for a walk up to the hill fort to get a breath of air, Jade and Sian having mooched off to the seaside, and Lorraine enjoying Star Dew Valley. A big day on the cyber farm as she found a dinosaur egg. I enjoyed my walk despite a superabundance of dogs and played with my camera.  We all played played Yahtzee a dice game in the evening, which Lorraine won and Sam was in his element.  Watched the film Don't Look Up late, a satire of modern life and Ecological destruction. A giant meteor is hurtling towards Earth but the scientists fail to elicit a response from politicians or business which will allow the world to be rescued. A bit heavy handed, and not as funny as it thought it was, but still worthwhile I thought. Took shots facing ...

Christmas Day. Up fairly early and feeling relaxed, and no present opening to cram in  Making breakfast with Lorraine, scrambled egg avocado and smoked salmon. Anton walked round in the rain, to drop off some pressies which included a lovely volume of Tolkien paintings, which surprised me with their quality, and lots of spoiling foodstuffs.  As we were quaffing a cheeky bucks fizz with him Beth and James dropped around, before heading off to see James's mum Julie, who he calls The Goose. A brunch of cheeses pies and pickles and so on left over from the spread, and then we had a proper Christmas Dinner in the evening. Sam, Jade and Sian are currently pescatarian, so we cooked vegan haggis for them, and had a spot of roast pork for ourselves, not fancying turkey.  Lorraine and I chatting with Mum and Mas. Mum and I chatted for a qood while, and I was sipping a wine, and it was almost like being together. Sian, Jade, Lorraine and I watched a film called Happiest Day, a lesbi...

Christmas Eve and everything happening today. Lorraine and I pottered about getting things ready.  Sian arrived this afternoon, and Beth and James came around. The now traditional spread, with lots of salmon which was nice.It was decided that presents should be opened on Christmas Eve this year, continental style. James, Sam and Jade, Lorraine and I swapped presents (continental style) on Christmas Eve as Beth would be at James's mum's place. A cheery time, with Sam wearing the Santa hat and distributing presents.  After the presents done, I amassed many socks and a pair of excellent trousers a book about smugglers pubs in Sussex, among other bits, we played a game of Cards Against Humanity which was ribald fun.   

The day before Christmas Eve. Spoke to Mum, whose Welsh neighbours had invited themselves around for the afternoon. She had wrapped presents for Barry, and now couldn't find them which was frustrating. Some time as sellotape snipper for Lorraine who wrapped presents. Calliope plonked down in the middle of the action of course and got involved with ribbon and so on. Beth arrived, tired, but with a bit more clarity about when they are moving: probably February. She set to baking things with Lorraine. I floated about feeling a bit worn thin generally. I met up with Anton briefly. We snuck into the very empty Evening Star, from where I am banned for language. I encountered no problems, perhaps because I was with Anton who *looks* respectable. Sent a photo of myself there to the Beermonsters, saying I had been parachuted behind enemy lines and received messages of encouragement from the Monsters. I had missed the place.  Home again, and there were piles of sausage rolls, mince pies and ...

A day without freelance work, which was good. Although I had some bits and pieces to do. Lorraine being careful, and taking daily PCR tests, in case she picked up anything nasty from school. A walk in the Knepp Estate with Dawn and Paul, and Rosie and Innis, staying outside by way of avoiding Omicron. Paul told me he had links to the place, and knew the ecologist there and gave talks with them. A long walk for Lorraine, but it was fun. It is a large farm that has been rewilded and has cranes and beavers and ancient looking cattle with meaningful horns. Also large lakes.  Ate food outside on a little wall, where Lorraine quietly scoffed all the cheesy biscuits Rosie had brought with her. Paul and Dawn getting on very well, which is good to see.  The estate has an old eel house, which made me think of a poem by Janet Sutherland from her collection Home Farm 'pools where eels still hide trapped in a storage well,/somersaulting, tumbling and unbalancing.'

An email at 7:30 with a load of amends from the Germany job I thought was done and dusted. Felt fairly irritated by this, but my irritation focused itself into a tight beam of action, and I got the job done sent off in time to mooch down to Preston Park where I saw some of the glass folks. Adele, Sally, Frances, Deana, the two Kates, Rick around the corner and Ben. Weirdly warm this morning, and we sat outside drinking coffee and swapping cards and Secret Santa presents. I had a mad scramble to get this ready beforehand. It was my first Christmassy thing of the year. Cheery to see some friendly faces.  Back home and a few work bits to sort out, and then a bit of a walk taking me over ten thousand paces for the first time in quite a while.  Struggling a bit to feel at all Christmassy yet, which makes me feel a bit sad as I usually love this time of the year.  Lorraine's last day at school till the new term. She came back with bags of presents from the kids, as well as a Ch...

More detailed, tedious German work this morning. Then a recording session and meeting with Robin. As the day wore on I had glimmers of feeling more Christmassy and cheerful after a fairly depressive sort of week. Lorraine off to work in Christmas-themed clothings. Spoke to Mum trying to count our blessings. She said Tobs called her yesterday and spent time showing her around where he was in Tahiti. Lorraine has one more day to go before the Christmas break. Beth called around for a coffee at lunch, and Sam, Beth and I had a nice time hanging out in the kitchen for a bit. Beth being very funny as usual. Took a walk this evening and a short one during the day. Contrary to yesterday, the sky was clear and the lights of Brighton twinkled down far below the Hillfort.

Very pleased that Lorraine got her booster today, and seemed to suffer no effects afterwards. For me: boring and detailed stuff for the Germans. Nice folks though. My soul failing to soar. Chats with Anton today.  Meanwhile in the "real" world Omicron is beginning to explode in the UK as Johnson launched Plan B amid the usual tangle of lies and mixed messages. He is the worst PM in my lifetime. Meanwhile stories and photos keep leaking out how while the rest of us were locked down there were boozy parties going on in No 10 -- not one but several. What a shower of hypocrites and liars.  Meanwhile Richard is sending a stream of Anti-vaccine material to the beermonsters WhatsApp. Making it even more difficult to message him to say I wasn't going to the pub with him tomorrow to celebrate his birthday (Steve did the same) because of omicron. With Lorraine only vaccinated today, I didn't fancy an evening in a crowded pub incase I brought home more than the smell of Harvey...

Beth at home today and hanging out with Pat and Maureen. Maureen has not brought her hearing aid so this a bit trickier than normal. We ate one of Lorraine's famously delicious chicken and leek pies for lunch, and did crackers to wear Christmas hats. In the evening, Beth drove Pat and Maureen to the theatre and went into with them to see Riverdance the Irish prancing festival. Apparently loud, so Maureen could hear. Lorraine and I picked Pat and Maureen up afterwards from the theatre. A man there very helpful at the door and allowed me to nip in and sneak up behind them as Maureen was pushing her tricycle into a lift. Below people with strange faces. Beth with one of her trademark dinosaur jumpers. Sam demurred.

A step forward today, with Lorraine venturing out of the house. We toddled off to five ways and bought some veggies and Lorraine lurked in her favourite gift shop. A big step forward. Home and Lorraine's brother Ken brought Pat and Maureen over from Ashford. Spoke lots to Ken about cameras, and he showed me lots he had taken. His photos of a model railway were featured on a website recently and he is entering lots of competitions.  Nice to see Pat and Maureen who are very happy to be somewhere different for a few days. 

A pre-dawn message from mes amis in France wanting me to do a smidge of work. When I couldn't find a quick fix, I gave up. Off to see Stacy this morning for a haircut. Almost an hour. The last ten minutes is given to cutting stray hairs invisible to the the eyes of muggle non-barbers. Back via Sainsbury's. Lorraine quite a bit brighter, although still coughing. I decided to bump my jolly with Bob next week in London. My estimation is that Omicron is passing like wildfire through the population. I would be very surprised if lockdowns don't start just after Christmas. Lorraine only gets her booster on Wednesday, and will be going back -- gradually -- to work, but I don't want to share crowded train germs with her.  Calliope split Sam's lip by head-butting his face in the night. It's a sign of affection.  Met Anton late afternoon. He looks remarkably well considering his probable TIA. He is on medications and going through further tests. Anyway good to see him and ...

A weirdly decisive and productive day. Got up early and working on my One Day Forever manuscript, and even sent it off to a particular publisher as a work in progress. Lorraine sitting with me in my office as dusty dolls did their business.  A longer walk for me this afternoon, taking my new camera with me on a learning walk with it. Love how it can zoom into an aspect of the landscape. Walking along I had an encounter with an amiable carrion crow, who came very close to me, and hung about pecking at things, and gripping some chalk as I snapped it. If I had stayed there long enough it might have written me a message. A dog walker and I chatted about the crows briefly. She says a man goes there to feed them, which is why they are friendly. A crow feeder would be something to snap.  Home and feeling pleasantly aired out. However politics at the moment is unbelievable. Boris Johnson's Number 10 it appears was partying with no social distancing, while closing down Christmas for th...

Lorraine a little perkier this morning, even getting up early and bringing me a cup of tea. Beth came around and we sat having a bit of breakfast. Then the rest of the morning devoted to the luxury writing my own work -- having a proper bash at getting a first running list for what I am optimistically thinking of as a collection. The working title is 'One Day Forever'. I proceed because this is what I do, rather than with any optimism. Broke off this afternoon to mooch up Hollingbury Hill to blow the cobwebs off. An actual storm blowing today, and I felt properly buffeted and pushed about. The rain started lashing down rather than merely raining, and my trousers were utterly sodden and sticking to the front of my legs when I walked back into the wind. My legs frozen when I got home, but a quick change of trousers (and underpants which were also soaked) and a hot cup of coffee and all was well.  Chatted with Mum this afternoon.  Sam back from tired after a long journey from Sco...

Starting a week which seems mercifully free of freelance work. However before I got wearily out of bed I had an offer of a few days working with my German friends, starting next Monday, which helps to keep the Kenny coffers a chinking.  I gave much of the morning to tinkering with poetry, and looking after Lorraine, who while a bit better, is still nowhere near right. After dinner I made off to the Battle of Trafalgar, for my first visit to a pub for what seemed like ages. Met up with the Beermonsters there. Good to see Steve as always. I am going to lurk with him in Seaford soon. Nick in a cheery mood, and becoming almost lyrical telling us again about hang gliding in the Himalayas. He said there was something called a red zone, that it was important not to fall into, as you would be unlikely to be found for weeks. Richard has chosen not to be vaccinated for his own reasons. His problem now is that his employer is the NHS, and the Government are saying it will become mandatory for...

Lazy Sunday. Looked after my Lorraine who continues to slowly recover. Breakfast in bed. Later I had a bit of an ah-ha moment talking with Lorraine that I realised that the new slew of poems I have been writing were actually a separate group. Otherwise I made a rather excellent fish pie under Lorraine's supervision.  Chatted with Mum and with Anton, who recommended a programme about brewing, (he described it as the Great British Bake off but for blokes) where teams around Europe are tasked each week to come up with a new beer to a brief. Also watched some footie on Match of the Day. Football is a consolation. Weather horrid, so the great outdoors untroubled by me at least. 

Rosie and Innis round this afternoon. Innis drove me off to Stanmer House. I'm really lucky as I am getting advice from an real photographer. I'm learning about using the shutter speed, and how depending on the speed a fountain -- as our example -- would look completely different. I did a snap on a fast speed, and caught all the droplets frozen in time. A longer exposure gave me lines of water. I took a few photos, but somehow managed to lose them probably by pressing the wrong button, but managed to take a few afterwards. Nice that Innis is finding explaining it to me really reminding him of why he loves photography too. Home in the min, where Rosie had been chatting to Lorraine, stretched out on the gold sofa. Rosie had come armed with bits of brownie, including a sort of hybrid mince pie brownie. Lorraine quite drained after chatting. She is still not anywhere near recovered. We watched Final Score and Match of the Day despite Chelsea losing a game, and surrendering the top ...

Up fairly early, meeting with Keith that stretched on and off all morning, while we sent some emails, and discussed various strategies for work and did bits and pieces for a couple of hour. The job stopped in its tracks last night, but will be picked up next month. To be honest, I am quite happy not to be slogging on another brief. I am very low on energy at the moment, and I want to put what I have into poetry instead for the rest of the year. But making plans seems futile, because every time I make one something else happens. Anton off to the stroke unit first thing, and they are pretty sure that he had a TIA the other week, although why is not he had it is not clear. Spoke to him on his way home -- and it is a lot to process. Sam left Kenny Towers for Scotland this morning so Lorraine and I have the house to ourselves for a few days. SadlyLorraine still ill with her chest infection, and now with a very sore eye. She spoke to her doctor again this morning, and will be off next week t...

Off colour and coughing this morning. Hard to separate the hypochondria from reality. I returned a dab of poo through the post to the bowel screening folks. It seems rude really. Keith and I started what was supposed to be seven days work with Americans this afternoon. The job was only confirmed at noon, and we were given a briefing late afternoon, on a particularly depressing medical matter. We were asked to reconvene at 10pm and where -- announced as good news -- the project was biffed till January. Somewhat galling as we had both put off other work to do this project. Business dealings in the last week or so are chaotic.  Lorraine at home, and officially off sick. She did, however, conduct a Governor's meeting from bed this evening, where it was officially confirmed she was going to finish in the summer. Otherwise she seems a mite brighter today. Sam prepping his trip up to Scotland tomorrow, and went out shopping and bought Lorraine chocolate and treats. I uploaded the new epis...

Lorraine went to work today, not feeling well at all. There was an enormous traveller funeral in the church next door. Horrible tragedy of a young entrepreneurial guy killed in a freak accident by an exploding truck tyre. Lorraine has organised more time off work as she has a bad chest infection, and after work saw her doctor and collected antibiotics. She will have to postpone her booster too unfortunately, which was for this weekend. I met her outside her surgery is just across the park.   As for me... Up early and doing final edits on the podcast, and then recording the intro with Robin. We had a laugh as usual. A bit of Santa banter on Tomorrow's episode. Had wanted a haircut today, as my barnet has tipped into its chaotic phase. Stacy was alone in the barbershop, and cannot do me till next week. I walked into town nevertheless. Spoke to Anton has to go for more check-ups on Friday.  Freelance a zone of confusion and uncertainty as usual. The job that was supposed to start...

Lorraine working from home, but feeling ill again. Taking care of her as best I can.  Assorted freelance shenanigans today. I am finding this kind of thing increasingly tiresome. The job I was supposed to start this Thursday has been bumped. I had been strung along for a few days waiting for them to finalise the details.  It may have started next week, but as I received another offer of work with Keith starting on Thursday I accepted this instead. Spoke to Keith, groggy and horrible after his Pfizer jab the day before.  Felt upbeat as the day ended, and as if things were more in control. Podcast editing most of the day. And a walk at the end of the day up to the Hillfort and had a good chat with Mum while I was roaming about around sundown. I was wanting to go up to Edgware to take Mum and Mas out on Christmas Day, but there seems nowhere to go, and we agreed it was better to do it a bit afterwards. Chats with Anton, and then Bob during the day too. Bob and I are hoping t...

Lorraine feeling somewhat improved today again. Late in the afternoon we got confirmation that she (or I) did not have Covid right now. Felt relieved about this. I felt much brighter after a gold sofa day, and went for a walk this afternoon up to the Hillfort. I enjoyed the pink and orange skies, and the way that makes the clouds seem blue. You could tell it had been windy as I saw three separate dogs wandering about carrying branches in their mouths, which looked sweet. Lorraine decided to buy me a camera tonight, as a combined birthday and Christmas present, with me adding a bit too. Felt a bit scary spending so much money to snap up a camera, but I do take photos most days, so I know it would not be wasted. Reading the book Innis lent me, and fiddling around with the camera he also lent me has been invaluable. Viscerally disgusted by Chelsea merely drawing at home with Manchester United today. I read Grief is the thing with feathers  by Max Porter. An interesting book harking ba...

Off then in the icy rain to get yet another Covid test with Lorraine. Luckily we went to Preston Park where there is a site in the park itself. Drove down some of the way, then toddle across the park. Bloody freezing today and windy. Snow and drama across the north of England. Cold and windy here. A gold sofa day all round, as the weather was horrible and my throat was sore again and I felt lifeless. This cold is a boomerang.  Had planned for Anton to come around but biffed him in case Lorraine had got Covid from school.  I want her to get her booster, and at least she was able to rebook it for a week earlier. She needs to hold on till next weekend. The news, however, full of a new Omicron variant of Covid, first identified in South  Africa. It will already be here of course. This diverges from the last variant in several ways. Nobody is clear what those ways are, or how well existing vaccines will work against it, other than it seems more transmissible than the Delta var...

A very sociable day today, at ten I made off in the rain to Rotunda cafe at Preston Park at ten and met up with Adele, Sally, Frances, Deana, Ben and Rick around the corner in the cafe. Nice to chat with everyone, and was amused by Sally talking about her dog's phantom pregnancy. She has just moved to a big new house in the country, and I pictured it teeming with ghostly puppies.  From there I walked into town, and having plenty of time did a spot of shopping -- two new masks --  before meeting Catherine. Turns out I had the time wrong, and actually was twenty minutes late. We had some lunch in the Bath Arms, and slow pint of beer, followed by a pint of soda and lime. Catherine made me laugh telling me about some infuriating feedback on her writing she'd received from a friend. We celebrated her new job, which required her to learn six programming languages. She is a bit of a marvel, and the job sounds great for her, as it is lightly supervised and working from home. Fond fare...

Decidedly improved this morning. Luck to be able to take my time over recovering, unlike Lorraine who has had to plunge back into the thick of things. Spent the day on several things, a good chat with Robin, a touch of recording. It did me good talking to her, as I am going through a bit of a despondent passage with my work. Not helped by feeling unwell and muddle headed. Negotiated with an agency, over a week or so work upcoming.  After dark, I mooched slowly over to see Anton in the evening, where he had made pizza dough, and we had a feast of pizzas washed down with assorted beers in (in the appropriately-labelled glasses) and listened to tunes. Deep conversations tonight, as the pizza dough bulged out of the bowl, and tore through the cling film Anton had stretched over the bowl. It truly was alive.  Fond farewells and a taxi home. Below the monstrous dough. 

A good night's sleep. And greatly improved, if not quite human something very close such as Homo erectus (pictured) or Australopithecus africanus .  Felt much better all round, and improved enough to get on with finishing editing the first draft of my interview with Alireza, did some copy, resolved some freelance stuff and seem to have negotiated work for December, and generally got my act together. In a much better frame of mind.  Lorraine had a horrid day at school. There is covid breaking out in her classes, a parent having a go at her, etc. All I can do is listen, and serve up a diner with mashed potatoes as one of the ingredients. This seems to help. Spoke to Anton, who had a major health checkup today, and needs to go for more. He has invited me to pop around for a pizza tomorrow night.   Below today's selfies. (Okay they are Homo erectus reconstructions, I nicked from the natural history museum site). 

Insomnia most of the night, by the morning the combination of cold and jab left me feeling like garbage. I 'binned off' my plans for making progress in any direction, and spent the day in a hypochondriac grump on the gold sofa feeling wussy every time I stood up. 

Feeling worn out today, and sniffles and sneezes returning. I felt that I had overdone it a bit yesterday. People getting in touch about work and so on, which was, frankly, the last thing I wanted. Good news was that I had my Pfizer booster, in the pharmacy across Preston Park. Had to wait for 15 mins afterwards. Even though I am okay with being jabbed, I appreciated the relaxed and chattiness of the woman who vaccinated me. I was a bit worried that I would be sent packing because of my cold, but I was routinely jabbed.  The walk there and back through the autumnal park, on a beautiful day, just about did for me on the energy front. Spent the rest of the day feeling worn out and thinking about all the things I should really be getting on with should I have any energy. Chatted with Mum today, and Anton. Lorraine back to work on a half day today... Poking her toe back into the shark tank for the afternoon. 

A lunchtime birthday party for Beth today, her birthday was yesterday, and luckily as I felt a good deal better, I jumped in the cab with Lorraine and Sam. We travelled to The Station pub in Portslade by taxi, which made things easy. Beth had an excellent Birthday yesterday, being taken up to see Hamilton in the West End by James, and cried with happiness through the first several songs. She and James also had a nice meal with Gary and Sophie. I loved being out and seeing friends like James Kuszewski -- who'd acted in my Christmas play We Three Kings and is such a creative soul, met his partner Rob too, who I really liked.  Amy down from Chester too, sporting excellent blue hair, last seen by me -- I think -- when we were up in Edinburgh doing A Glass of Nothing . Dawn and her new boyfriend Paul were there getting on like a house on fire. Innis and Rosie, and lots of Beth's friends pals, from drama and also Sarah who is Betty's boss when she does her first aid training, an...

A poor night's sleep and woke early feeling a bit wretched still, but then brightened steadily as the day wore on. I had a shower, and cooked breakfast while Lorraine was running about doing various things. I think I am going to recover more speedily than Lorraine. Tried to do some writing, but I kept losing interest and hating everything. Also received a poetry rejection tonight, just to keep spirits up.  Reading about autism today, articles in the Guardian about people diagnosed as adults, and I also visited the autism.org.uk site. Before this I did a short quiz online with Lorraine when we were in bed this morning, supposedly to discern if we had any autism traits. The suggestion, which should be taken with a pinch of salt, was that I scored low, and Lorraine, scored somewhat higher. Became diverted by football and its stories and dramas. It is a safe little world in its own way. Could it be that Chelsea are three points clear at the top of the league, or is it that Manchester U...

I now have Lorraine's evil cold too. Just as Lorraine had been doing earlier in the week, I spent lots of the day in bed, alongside intermittent bouts of sneezing, coughing, streaming and so on before making it to the gold sofa for the evening. Decided to book a covid test, although Lorraine did proper one and two lateral flows all of which were negative. Luckily Lorraine is improved enough to deal with the carpet layer who arrived today who replaced the carpet on the stairs. She also took care of me bringing me teas and food upstairs, despite not being fully recovered herself, bless her. I spoke to carpet fitter from my bed.  Also Beth and James were going to come around tonight, but decided against it as they did not want to get the terrible cold. Instead Beth picked up her presents at the door with her and James wearing masks.  I also had to text Catherine to postpone our lunch. I think it is unlikely I can attend Beth's Sunday lunch party. Hopefully Lorraine will however. ...

My new MacBook Air arrived today. Spent much of the day setting it up, quite a bit of it sitting with Lorraine in bed.  They are things of beauty. Chats with Catherine this morning, who told me she has been offered a programming job. We are planning to celebrate her resilience and generally inspirational quality in the Bath Arms tomorrow.  Today, a bit of writing and thinking, and looking after Lorraine, who is slowly improving after days of feeling horrid. Spoke to Mum too. Off this afternoon for a brisk walk, around and about, after buying Beth a card and some wrapping paper for her birthday this weekend. Love walking through the autumnal scenes nearby. In the evening, however, I began to stream and sneeze and generally exhibit all the signs of Lorraine's cold. Gah.

Lorraine a little better today, which is still a country mile away from being well. She is not going back to school this week, which is absolutely the correct decision. Beth came by this morning briefly. Just as Lorraine and I were getting up. One good thing about Lorraine being off work, is that I find myself getting up at 8, which seems decadent and late.  Spoke to Mum as I waited for a bus, heading off to the Peace Statue at Hove, where I met up with Innis. Very kindly, he has offered to lend me one of his nifty cameras, so I could try one out, and he lent be a book called, Read this if you want to take great photographs which I flipped through at home, and seems excellent.  Innis explained about proper cameras to me in a way that made more sense to me than it ever had. The relationship between the size of the aperture and shutter speed and so on. We sat at the cafe by drinking tea and having small bits of cake, and then we mooched up and down by the sea for some time. It ...

Poor Lorraine still suffering. In fact she got up in the night and ended up sleeping on the sofa, after having a hot herbal tea. She went to bed again in the morning, and I took her up tea and so on. I don't think she should go back to school this week. I feel happy I can take care of her, and am not bogged down with work this week. Had a meeting with Keith and his lovely daughter Ffion who was on the call as it was take your daughter to work day at her school. Keith works in his kitchen mainly, so it probably wasn't the most exciting thing for her. She likes writing, however, and when I asked her what kind of thing she writes, she replied 'Books'. Shows ambition. Later we spoke briefly again, to screen grab us talking for her school report. Otherwise sent off work to the mes amis in Paris, faffed about somewhat ineffectually on my own writing. I did some editing on my interview with Alireza Abiz. Thank God I can edit out some of my more idiotic moments before it goes t...

Monday and Lorraine suffering from a dreadful cold, and doing her customised ear-splitting sneezes. I took care of her as best I could. She is absolutely too ill to work.  I don't have any symptoms but am feeling lethargic. Had time to do stuff today, such as chasing an agency for payment, billing the guys we worked with last week, and receiving a few hours of work form the French agency, which I did this afternoon. I also added to a new strange story, tentatively called The Bottle Garden, which is still in its early stages, and fiddled in an inconsequential way with a couple of poems. Shortly before sundown I went for a quick walk. Dogs everywhere as darkness fell. Most dogs wearing collars with coloured LED lights. One baying like the Hound of the Baskervilles into the night near the hillfort. One stealthy cur jumping up out of the dark at me as I walked down Hollingbury Park.  Cooked and then Lorraine, suffering on the sofa, but soldiering on with Star Dew Valley (she is fe...

Another poor night's sleep. Working with Keith on a job which appears to be going well *nervously touches wood* judging by a presentation in the middle of the day. A few business negotiations going on in the background (with me biffing a booking). A smidge of work sent over by mes amis in Paris. Received a notification that boosters were now bookable. I went online, and the nearest place on offer for my vaccination was effing Crawley. I shall give it a couple of days. Toby has had his booster already.   Trying to avoid the news, all the stuff about Cop 26 is so numbingly appalling. Political and business fools still haggling for advantage as the world ends. After work a walk at sundown up to the top of the hill. Lorraine very tired tonight, and we slugged on the sofa all day. Roasted red peppers and mushrooms and ate with cold chicken and oven chips. An early night with a shattered wifey.  The final streak of rosy light beneath the glowering clouds over Brighton.

Lorraine and I had a nice afternoon. We whizzed over to Catherine and Tanya's house for some fizz with them and Guy and Tim for Catherine's birthday. We gave Catherine some cheese and cheese plates. Guy and Tim brought Catherine a trip to the circus. Guy told us that he and Tim had bought each other genetic testing kits, and found out they were both bog northern, with a touch of Irish. Guy surprised to learn that he had above average Neanderthal DNA too, finally dispelling his dreams of really being suavely French.  Then an amble down to the Giggling Squid followed by Brass Monkey ice creams, consumed int he cold outside. Excellent ice cream. I had a black sesame -- the first time I had ever had licked a black ice cream. It was nutty and nice. Spent lots of time chatting to Guy, who was telling me about the appalling journey he had to get a diagnosis and operation just a short time ago for an endocrine problem which has been blighting his life for the last seventeen years. Tim ...

Lorraine and I off to Sole Sisters this morning, where our feet were buffed up and cosseted by an excellent and podiatrist. She confirmed I had a mild case of nail fungus, but I was told I had been doing the right thing with creams and so on.  After this, we paced off to Raven's bakery, scored two apple pastries and scoffed them at home with coffee. Lorraine drove us to Horsham, through some windy autumnal lanes, where we did some shopping. I had read that you can buy Guernsey butter from Waitrose -- there was none left. Fun shopping with Lorraine.   In the evening Steve and Penny came around, and we walked down to the Station pub, the other side of Preston Park Tube station and strapped on the nosebags. Surprisingly delicious food washed down in my case with a few pints of Harvey's. Steve and Penny well, and very pleasant company. Penny, who was a headteacher till recently, is now doing some work working as a magistrate. Steve still working hard as an assayer of jewels. ...

Up this morning writing early, glimpsed how my 'collection' might be configured anew, which was quite exciting. Lorraine working from home, but I zoomed off to London to meet Mum and Toby in the Salisbury. Toby has to take his preflight covid test soon, and squeezing into a germy tube with Mum to get to the Salisbury wasn't optimal. First time Mum and I had met in the Salisbury for some time. Toby, however, understandably stressed by the proximity of people. A bite to eat and a couple of drinks there (Tobs out with Rabbits last night, lapping at ginger beer). This followed by a saunter towards Covent Garden, where Toby realised he had left his glasses in the pub. Luckily they were still there. We regrouped for a cup of coffee outside a small cafe, before I bade them a fond farewell at Leicester Square station. Toby back to Canada on Monday, so I won't see him again till next year which made me feel sad.  Easy journey home for me, jumping on a Brighton train at Victoria ...

Felt a bit more mentally joined up today. A meeting first thing this morning with a new client, briefing Keith and I on a new job. We had a quick chat afterwards. Then Robin and I recorded most of the next episode of the podcast. Robin and Nick both have Covid, picked up on a break last week. I have been feeling a bit wan and tired lately too, and took a quick test at lunchtime. I'm fine.  This afternoon walked into town to buy some birthday cards, and noticed a lovely mural for a young girl who had committed suicide. Another I noticed of a rough sleeper around the back of an evangelical church near, appropriately, where the bins are kept. I like this kind of street art that is so prevalent in Brighton. Plus another black and white sky.