under another sun

Bank Holiday Monday. And nice weather too.    Jade doing a tense interview for a University position today, for a St Andrews university. She had to give a lecture first thing, and then do an interview. By the afternoon they offered her the job -- a tremendous achievement. She has shown enormous resilience, and as far as I can tell as a philosophical plains dweller, absolutely deserves it.  Meanwhile Lorraine and I cabbed over to Catherine and Tanya's house, where we also met up with Guy and Tim and had a bit of bubbly to celebrate Tanya's birthday. From there we sauntered down into Town to a restaurant called The Flint House, where we had more bubbles and tapas-style food. Loved talking to everyone again, and I sat opposite Catherine, always a conversational treat. After we went to the Brass Monkey ice cream parlour where we all had a dessert. I had scoops of hokey pokey, a honeycomb ice and a ginger ice cream. Both delicious. Fond farewells with everyone. Lorraine finding talk

No progress on bank matters, but a spot of writing first thing and some nice feedback about my interview with John. Made off at lunchtime, after a quick chat with Sonia to call on Anton, and we went off to play a game of boules by the seaside again. Rather nice it was too. A very enjoyable game. Home via Anton's back garden. Home and I phoned up 123-reg again and thoroughly enraged shared my feelings about how my email still is not working or the mailbox transferred after two weeks. Lorraine finally finished work today for the half term. I was so pleased for her. She managed to get the end of another tricky half term just about in one piece. I nipped around to Red Chillies and picked up some takeaway for us. We were alone tonight as Sam and Jade were in London.  Here is Anton in his back garden (which is looking immaculate) pictured drinking a beer and talking about books.

An early morning communication from 123-reg saying I had changed the password so they couldn't do the migration. I had followed their instructions to the letter, but they are going to do it again now after a reset. All I have to do now is sit tight. Nothing happened all day of course, and nothing from the bank again. None of this helping my fed up mood. Recording chats with Robin, and going for a walk in the afternoon, and even a little writing. Lorraine here for the first few hours which is always nice. I took some nice black and white photos on my stroll. Clouds are wonderful.   

Phoned the 123-Reg helpline (wait for 37 minutes to speak to anyone) then I persuaded the helpline person to explain things methodically and after half an hour we were three steps from completion of my migration when the 123-reg site crashed. I wrote down in some detail what I had to do next. Later I returned to the 123-reg site, and completed the rest of the steps. But though everything says it is has been done successfully, no emails are arriving and the test emails I send just disappear. I received a highly confusing message which seemed to suggest there was a problem their end. Another day without the email I use for work, plus roughly three hours wasted on this problem alone.  Meanwhile logging onto my new business account, the £271 cheque claim against my account has disappeared but I got in the post an automatically generated letter telling me off for drawing on funds I did not have. However a new cheque has appeared trying to draw another £20 from my account. Nothing yet from t

Thoroughly infuriating start to the week. Was automatically texted by NatWest, saying that I did not have enough funds to cover the payment I had made from my business account. I had made no payment of course, and there was another incident of a cheque this time of £270 being drawn on the account. I phoned up and after waiting enormous amounts of time got the security people to flag it up, I will be contacted about it later in the week. This again took well over an hour on the phone, with no immediate resolution.  Left feeling frustrated and angry, having also raised 'an official concern' with the bank. Meanwhile in the migration of my email to Microsoft 365 through 123-Reg is also farcically slow and difficult. Eventually got an message from their technical people, telling me about the next step. I did this successfully, but then no contact and nothing happened their end. As this means the email I use for my business is offline.  All this futile time wasting nonsense put me in

Not much happened this weekend. One weekend to go before Lorraine has a week off work, which can't come soon enough for her. Lorraine retreating into My Time at Portia, I read a bit, and looked long and hard at pictures by Paul Klee and thought about asemic writing.  Football this weekend, the last one of the premier league with a smattering of non robots in the crowds as previously mentioned. Chelsea contrived to lose, but still by virtue of Leicester losing too, managed to qualify for the Champion's League again next year. Watching final score on Sunday afternoon, which as the final game of the year is the time when all teams play at the same time. Something both tedious and reassuring about hearing football results. Lorraine and I did a spot of gardening between the rain. I cut the ivy hedge which made me sneeze. Lorraine and I moving things about in the garden, which is looking rather nice. The water in the bird bath still blood red due to a bloom of red algae. It's li

A storm of wind and rain overnight. The job that was mooted for next week definitely not happening now. Working through a list of to dos for Friday.  Was finally sent the log on details to my new business bank account (it has taken about a month) only to find someone had already taken funds out of it with a cheque.  I don't have a chequebook and so had to phone up the bank, and be passed from person to person for almost half an hour. Eventually I got through to the fraud department. After twenty seconds of talking to this bloke I was cut off. Repeat the process and finally, after well over half an hour I was refunded the money. It seems like it was a bank error, rather than someone trying to defraud me.   A lunchtime treat. I sauntered back down to the Open House and met Reuben for a bite to eat.  I had a vegan club sandwich which was incredibly filling, we also had a Guinness and cup of coffee. Just lovely to catch up. I hadn't had a proper chat with him for ages. Just as we w

Up with the sparrows this morning, a few bits to sort out and then I walked down to Brighton station, stopping outside the the pharmacy to pick up my prescription. A man in furry trousers and a tattoo of a tear near his eye was lurking about not too far from the door, so I asked him politely if he were waiting to go it. He said very aggressively, 'no I am waiting for fucking Christmas'. I replied, 'Oh I see. You are being sarcastic' and things became somewhat edgy for a bit. Luckily someone from the Chemist popped out and gave him the drugs he was after and all was well. I legged up to the station then, and hopped onto the Bedford Train. First time on a train heading into London since last October when I snuck up to the dentist. Still very few folks on the the train, which made for quite a pleasant journey.  I walked from Mill Hill. Weirdly Mum and Mason's front garden looks larger now it has a path in it than it had before. After a bolstering cup of tea, I folded m

A day, unbelievably, of two pubs.  Quite a bit of work and fiddling around with infernal things this morning. And possible new bit of freelance, but there are many rivers to be crossed first. I walked off to the Royal Sovereign on Preston Street where I went INTO a pub, and had a quick drink with glassmates, Adele, Ben, Rick around the corner, Kate and Fran. It turns out that it had been Adele's birthday recently, which had passed without me remembering. I felt a bit bad about this, as Adele is one of the kindest people I know.  The group ordered Thai food, but I just ordered some nachos with bits on them. Everyone's meal came except mine and eventually as we were all going I ended up having to cancel it and get a refund. However, I did enjoy two pints of  a local brewery's Casual Pale ale.  Then returned home and sent a few more emails, cooked for Sam and Lorraine, and went down to the Open House for  5.00 where we had a table booked. Nick already there, and Steve not long

A quiet Sunday and so Lorraine and I 'did the dungeon' which means going into the basement and moving things about in there to create more space. Beth called by for a cup of coffee and a lengthy chat about the game My Time In Portia with Lorraine. I read a bit more of the book I mainly read on Sunday, Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, almost finished. The elevator pitch is simple: examine race through the lens of caste, but it is an excellent book. Lorraine wandering inside My Time In Portia , where her name is Linda, which makes Beth laugh lots, for some hours. Linda is constantly having to run around doing bizarre things like collecting mucus from snails, and animal faeces and rocks so she can manufacture things. Sometimes she gets into sword fights with giant ladybirds and so on. I leave Lorraine/Linda to her own devices.     Spoke to Mum and to Toby. Mum and I decided to bump the trip up to London to see mum later in the week. Meanwhile Toby and Romy in lockdown doldrums. Two mor

Feeling antsy. The weather a despicable mix of coolness and and rain with tantalising spots of sunshine. L and I sprang out of bed fairly rapidly for us, and after I bought some bread, we drove off to Bolney to Jo's house where there was an outside plant sale combined with a cups of tea and coffee and bits of cake to raise money for a charity Jo supports.  Lorraine knew one or two folks there. I felt uncharacteristically trepidatious about going to meet a group of people most of whom I did not know even vaguely. It was of course fine when I got there, and in fact nice to be eating a rather nice bite of carrot cake made with ginger and sipping a tea in the open air.  Home again, and we read and faffed about a bit. Lorraine wandering into My Time At Portia , her game. I read a somewhat underwhelming edition of the otherwise excellent  Under the Radar magazine, and saw a review of Robin's pamphlet in it.  Shortly before tea time, I went off to buy a packet of crisps, and some tor

Accounts off to accountant at last (there's no accounting for it). Then spent quite a bit of time editing the interview I did with John McCullough. Sonia here today. Whenever I say to her, Hi Sonia how are you? She looks at me as if it is a mad question. I will miss her. Texts with Keith. I am hoping that the freelance work hasn't not ground completely to a halt. Feast or famine is the freelance way. Did some more work on my poems and this was pleasing. Went for a bit of a walk, listening to geopolitics, and spoke to Mum about while returning back from a late afternoon walk. Ended the week on a vaguely irritable note, with lots of the simple jobs on my Monday list still incomplete through reasons behind my control. Lorraine home at a good time today. She has got herself lined up with a personal trainer starting next week to get her going gently on exercises again, which can only be a good thing. I have rejoined my gym and I will be going back in due course, once my second jab h

Another great couple of hours working on poetry first thing. Poetry of some sort is flowing out of me at the moment. It may all be rubbish of course, but you never know. Lorraine working at home this morning till eleven thirty. After about ten I worked on my accounts, and by the end of the day I had got everything ready to send off to the accountant. Otherwise the podcast domain name still not mapping. New bank account still not showing up, although I have now received a bank card. The quality of the time is that if something simple can move at snails pace it will.   Betty called me sat in her car waiting to pick  up Tilly from school but had been ambushed by a heavy nosebleed, which was a bit alarming. All well in the end. Clem next door called me at lunchtime and came around and began fixing up the decking. This as great but it necessitated me having to shovel things in the garden, and move and carry stuff, and make tea and so on rather than carrying on with work.  Jade doing an impo

Up early and writing. Poems. Only time will tell if they are any good or not. After a couple of hours of this, the rest of the day spent frog eating. Did some work on something for Lorraine, I waited for the young plumber to arrive, who was over an hour late, but very cheerful and full of banter. Once this was done, frittered more futile time trying to make the web forwarding for the podcast address I have purchased work, involving yet more emails with Robin, internet chats with technical support and so on. I wouldn't mind but I have achieved the domain mapping effortlessly in minutes before. Stomped off late in the afternoon for a walk. In the scraps of wood below the hill, I walked over a sturdy fallen branch, about a foot or so long, which flipped up and somehow jammed itself between my leg just under my knee and the ground as I strode forward. It was like walking into an iron bar at pace. Continued my walk despite it hurting like a bastard for a while. I don't think anythin

Lorraine back to school with some trepidation, having had a very stressful Friday. I have offered to help her do some admin type stuff to just take a few small bits off her shoulders. I wish I could do more. I was up early and feeling rather inspired this morning. I spent the first few hours from 7:30 writing with gusto and enthusiasm, working on a few poems including the one I jotted down yesterday. Did some excellent work, even if I say so myself. Robin and I did some recording for the podcast this morning. Good to chat to her, and feeling positive about all of it.  After this, I started doing my books for the last financial year as part of folding up my business. Also received notification about  sole trading business account, but then had to complete a whole new load of forms as it does not appear with my other accounts on my internet banking. Really feeling the benefit of being with the same bank for 30 years. They are like blinking goldfish, with no memory of ever having interact

St Helier harbour blockaded by French fishing boats yesterday. Two royal navy ships dispatched to keep an eye on things. Today the situation was calmer but the underlying problems remain. Another Brexit win.  A busy start, swallowing a few frogs, tidying up before Sonia came,  subscribing to some poetry magazines and, inspired by excellent poets, having a bit of a bash at my own stuff.   Noon, and I walked over to Anton's place and we sauntered down to the seaside at Hove and played some boules. We got there early so we went unjostled by people indulging in bouts of expressive gallic shrugging and saying things like bof etc. We both really enjoyed the games, looking out at the seaside in the bright sun. Blue and cold today. Walked back up to Anton's and sat in the back garden with a couple of cold beers talking about geopolitics, listening to Stiff Little Fingers and XTC, and reminiscing about an exceedingly lively trip we once made to Manchester. Then I walked home across Pre

Carl's birthday today. I sent him a message via social meeja. Be lovely to see him over the top of a pint again one day.   A chat with Keith early this morning about business. Also had a long meeting with Robin about Planet Poetry, a bit of recording with her, but also about taking it up a notch. We think we have good content and are slowly getting better at what we are doing. I bought planetpoetrypodcast.com and we are going to set up a proper web page and so on. Struggling for focus when we were recording. I hate it when that happens.  In the afternoon, after a few bits of work. I went for a stroll to clear my head, and the sky was cloudy, and the sea dark blue grey but streaked with light.  In the evening, I interviewed John McCullough who is a lovely man and a poet I genuinely admire. A few stressful technical shenanigans first as he headphones mic set up didn't work, and there was glitchy sound in the recording which I will have to fix. But what he was saying was absolutel

Working on poetry again this morning. I have a clear idea now on a full collection, and I just have to assemble, edit and write new material to fill in the gaps. I have a name for it too, 'One Day Forever' which helps. The difficult matter, of course, is making sure the poems in it aren't useless and sucky.   Then swallowed my frogs such as chasing the plumber and altering my linked in entry to reflect new biz etc. Talked to Anton, just before going out for a walk, and he persuaded me to download Prisoners of Geography , a book about geopolitics by Tim Marshall. Sauntered about for a bit up the hill for a short walk listening to how geography shapes politics and nations. Came home cooked a large vegetable chilli ready early as Lorraine had a Governors meeting tonight in my office. She arrived home looking pale and tired, but seemed a bit better after a quick sleep on the sofa. In the evening I had yet another thumb through John McCullough's books and worked out what I a

No beers today, and an iron resolve to get a grip on my diet as I am putting on a bit of weight again. I got up early with Lorraine, ate a sensible plate of porridge and wrote the first draft of a poem, which I feel is quite promising. Then I ate some frogs. This is a new learning from Jade: you eat your frogs early, so that the rest of the day seems fine. For me this was a bit of billing and redesigning my invoice not being a Ltd company any more and so on.  Then I went for a walk into town principally to buy a new watch battery. I went into a place in Churchill Square, who told me that I would have to leave them my watch, have it sent to the manufacturers and returned in a month. Instead I went to Timpsons and got it replaced on the spot. Walked down to the sea for a while. Gorgeous day, the sea striped by clouds and bands of brightness, then home again. I ended the day on 13k paces. Found out I had a poem called Mezquita de Córdoba accepted in Finished Creatures poetry magazine, wh

Bank Holiday Monday ...  I made breakfast and cups of tea which Lorraine and I scarfed in bed. As it neared 12 noon, however, it was clearly time for yet another beer. So I strolled down to The Park View where Rick around the corner was waiting. We surged in to the table and spent the next ten minutes downloading the app to order the beers and food. You scan a QR code, which takes you onto the app, where you have to find the right pub, and complete your details and then order, summoning a barmaid bearing a wholesome Guinness for me and a coke for Rick. So much easier than asking someone for a beer and being given one.  We waited for Ben to arrive, as the drink had been his idea. However wires had been crossed, and it was only after a text and a call did he arrived much later on his bicycle having been wrenched from his bed, having spent the previous day labouring for a friend. A good laugh was had, albeit in a pretty fresh wind. And although I had taken the precaution of wrapping up in

First day of May, and Lorraine and I up early, and heading north to The Waggon and Horses at Elstree to meet Mum and Mas for 12 noon. It would be for me my third day in a row of going to sit outside a pub.  Tanya and Robert came too, and we had drinks and food and it was all rather jolly if a bit nippy, with moments of rain.   Luckily the head chef who is veryfriendly with Mum and Mas, organised an outside heater to be put near Mas who wasn't wearing enough clothes. Tanya very kindly put her snood on his head, and also her gillet on his lap to keep him warm. She said she wasn't cold herself, but Lorraine said she was shivering at the end.  Lovely to see Mum and Mas, and Tanya and Robert too. Mas said he had been in touch with his son Brad, who is now a Trump supporter, which leads to a lively exchange of ideas. Robert scorning global warming in the cold, and saying Brexit will be good for the UK economy and that covid was no worse than flu in numbers now. He had been to hospita