under another sun

Lorraine went into school for a few hours for a meeting and to do some office work. A big psychological barrier, but she returned reasonably unscathed to make a fish pie of some excellence. I bashed the spuds.  Feeling better, I had a day to dream and write deathless poetry... ( insert record scratch SFX ). Nope. More absolute f*ckery from Natwest today: a letter about an unpaid cheque on the account that is now closed, and I have spent since April sorting out.  This made me feel murderous I wrote a very scary note to the complaints guy. The  Natwestisögur  goeth on forever. Otherwise admin and billing to do, as well as an abundance of filing, which was dull but improving.  The good part is things that a few days ago seemed utterly impossible, now seem doable. Spoke to the Tobster today, on the edge of a little Canadian lake, watching the Romy swim in it. He's planning to come over in October. I loped off at lunchtime like a diurnal Mr Hyde to see Jewel, who got...

I'm mostly back to normal now after the norovirus, with only residual whining. Lorraine much better too.  I made it as far as the local shops to buy bread, otherwise I lay low, reading an interesting non-fiction book by David Grann called  The Lost City of Z  about a fanatical Amazon explorer called Major Percy Fawcett who -- having mapped and explored vast areas of the Amazon -- made his last journey in search of a mythical lost city, never to return. Some vile descriptions of what 1920s insects can do to you there. My God, the flappers.   The Natwestisögur continues. Like an ancient Viking heading for Iceland over the stormy seas, I wrote again to my complaint handler, as the request for a bank card to go with my account has disappeared without trace, despite having a reference number etc.  I told Lorraine I had got an out of office message from him, and she told me the clue is in the name: it's a bank holiday.  Mrs Kenny and I watched the second ep...

Sam and Pat's birthday, for which a table had been booked at the Cleveland to celebrate. I wasn't able to go of course, and there was no way I could have eaten a pub lunch, as even a small breakfast had left me with sicky burps.  After a much needed shower, I popped downstairs to talk to Pat, Maureen, and Ken. Nice to see them, albeit from the other side of the room. I was joined in the singing of happy birthday. Sam and Pat both liked their presents, then they made off for the Cleveland to meet Beth and James and have a slap up feed.  I repaired back to bed with a cup of tea, and had a nice chat with Mum who showed me Felix who was sitting nearby, and said that she had a long and friendly talk with the evil neighbour's daughter among other news. She was going out in the afternoon too, by car, which had been fixed again.  After chatting with Mum, I fell asleep again while roaming in the Shire.  When they all came back, I crept downstairs again, for my back after a da...

Fever broke in the night and, feeling like the worst was over, spent the day sipping water and herbal teas and loafing wanly in bed, not hungry but when when Lorraine brought up some crisps that Sam had bought, the salt tasted delicious. I later had some dry toast and herbal teas. Lorraine now much improved and even went briefly into town to do some shopping for Sam and Pat's birthdays tomorrow. Very and tidy and organised that her dad and her son have the same birthday. Sam being very kind and checking on me when Lorraine wasn't around. I texted Anton hoping he did not have anything -- he said he would see it as an opportunity to lose weight. Mostly though I slept. Being ill is boring. Lorraine taking good care of me.  Began to listen to the audiobook of Lord of the Rings again, beautifully read by Rob Inglis, because if I fall asleep it doesn't matter because I know it all so well anyway. Something nice about listening to travelling through landscapes of the shire, even i...

Lorraine somewhat better today, and taking up an afternoon residency on the gold sofa.  For me the last day of the job Keith and I have been slogging on, and a final presentation last thing in the day. Somewhat weary this afternoon but had time for a cheeky catnap before I had to present. During the meeting the coldness I had been feeling all day, despite wearing two jumpers, turned into shivers.   Free time at last! I went directly to bed to enjoy whole body shivering, then a high fever and vomiting. Lorraine rubbed my back as I spewed, just as I had rubbed hers. Afterwards I gave myself to the simple pleasures of extensive whining and listing the minor symptoms in delirious detail. Lucky Lorraine.

Lorraine much better today, after having horribly upset stomach yesterday, and even managed to eat things again. It was good to see her colour go back to normal and her temperature drop. Kept checking on her during the day. In the late afternoon she got up to sit on the gold sofa. A shame as she had planned to meet James's mother today, in a grand Mum Summit in Lewes. And talking of Mums, I spoke to Mum at lunchtime, she has had more difficulties with her car, and Felix needed to go to the vet for stitches after having a nasty cut. The trauma of journey there with the cat in a box, is worse than the injury. Another tiresome day's freelance, battling on with Keith, but finished just after six.   I met Anton in the Batty for a beer, and we ended up going to a couple of pubs before a cheeky meal of decent Indian street food in the  Hampton. He was wearing excellent new brogues of a dull reddish colour. Lovely. Felt a bit like old times wandering into a few pubs. Face masks here a...

Lorraine has food poising, or perhaps even a norovirus, as she was vomiting on a regular basis from this morning. A temperature of over 101 in the owd munney late this afternoon when I took it. We had been emptying the freezer of frozen stuff and she cooked a chicken dish from some long frozen chicken bits hidden among mammoths and dead sea scrolls etc. which she ate last night. I had to throw the rest away today.  I was working lots today, so did not notice a message on my muted phone. It was only when a poorly Lorraine came into my office that I realised she was ill. Kept my door and ears open after that for any squeaks. Poor thing couldn't even keep down water till the evening. Otherwise a bit of banter from poets about our meeting yesterday, and a day of slogging at the freelance job -- only for the goalposts to move yet again after 6pm -- with something of a re-brief. Luckily it didn't affect me or Keith too badly, as we had ignored the terrible brief and tried to work out...

Up feeling fresh and working with Keith from early on. Early afternoon, and possibly the worst brief I have ever been taken. Full of irrelevant information and no clarity at all about what they were asking us to do. Cue assorted creatives from both side of the pond trying to make sense of it, asking questions that were not able to be answered. I had to leave early today, so missed a subsequent meeting with the poor CD attempting to re-explain it.  Late afternoon a months-planned meet up with Robin, Charlotte, Sarah and Stephen at the Open House.  I had just escaped from work and it took me a moment or two to tune out of that drivel. But having a beer and putting the world to right about life, managing (or otherwise) the pandemic, the good the bad and the ugly of poetry. Robin, Charlotte and Stephen already there when I arrived and we were soon joined by SJB fresh from the hairdresser and very proud of it. Sarah also has her first collection in the pipeline, which we toasted. I...

Monday, then. Lorraine busy today working from home, then going off to visit Penny and have a workout with her personal trainer. She is feeling trepidatious about starting work again, but went to her office today and felt okay. Sam being very kind and thoughtful to her. Up in St Andrew's Jade received the birthday speaker we'd sent her, saying the bass was good.  In Kenny Towers, I was manacled to my desk, with Keith on my screen. Today's going was slow and sticky with not much to show for our efforts at the end of it all. A brief conversation about foraging. Keith says he makes cider with crab apples.  At five I left the frustrations of work behind, and took a stroll over the hill to clear my head. Lorraine cooked too on return, and we had dinner with Sam in the kitchen.  A quiet evening. I watched Frasier episodes, and Lorraine played on her Nintendo Switch.  More black and white skies around the hillfort. Top west towards Seaford, and east towards Moulsecoomb....

Felt a good deal brighter, and not exhausted when I woke up. A domestic day, where I made my first bean jar for some time. Felt great to be able to boil my beans, chop my onions and carrot, and add a few herbs from the garden to add to the parsley I had bought yesterday, and then have the bean jar, from Moulin Huet pottery, which they don't make any more, filling the place with a lovely aroma of slow cooking shin beef, haricot and butter beans, herbs and onions. Sam tried some too, carefully picking out the bits of meat. As they ate it, Sam and Lorraine kept discussing what the bean jar was a bit like, rather than focusing on the timeless glory of the bean jar itself. On the scale of my bean jars, this one was slightly above average, but not stellar. In the afternoon, Lorraine and I drove up to the hill fort to scope out the foraging, and we ended up picking almost a kilo of berries. I had brought two left handed gardening gloves (you need your picking hand naked as God intended) a...

Feeling drained and burnt out this morning. I hate it when you walk up early, but still feel exhausted. We had arranged to meet Anton for lunch, to replace the BBQ that was inevitably rained off, but I selfishly needed a gold sofa day of staring at the wall.  Discovered a book I had been given a while ago about foraging in the UK, and spent a happy time reading aloud about weeds you can eat to Lorraine -- prompted by Steve Cartwright sending me a link to a blog about a similar subject. At the top of Hollingbury there is definitely a crab apple tree I sea groaning with fruit each autumn. In October I am going to pick it. To this effect I ordered muslin from the interwebs to strain the jelly with. Feeling curiously excited about the idea of making jams from blackberries and so on, and feel a forage or two a'coming in my bones. Lorraine and I sauntered off to buy parsley from the Fiveways Fruits, the greengrocer. Big boxes of flat and curly leaved parsley. I opted for the curly for th...

Up early, and working with Keith. Much better morning today, and we got our act together well enough to have everything ready for lunch.  Had a chat with Mason at lunchtime, whose birthday it is today. They were off to the Waggon to celebrate.  Lorraine home today, and so she and Sam dealt with the drains man who came with his poo poker to probe at one of the drains the gutter runs into which had become partially blocked by a black plastic bag that had been left under the decking nearby. Not a complicated job apparently. All well.  Back to work: Keith camping this afternoon, and so I flew solo on the transatlantic presentation. Felt unusually nervous about my bit, and had to sit through an hour of other people presentations before mine. However I got through it unscathed, and they seemed fairly positive after I had presented. Nothing to do then, but wait for feedback, which I knew wouldn't come to the evening as the US are behind us in time. Felt drained and stressed afte...

Dreaming about my own death last night. Not great. Crept out of bed to try not to disturb Lorraine. She drove off to see Pat and Maureen and had a good time with them and Ken.  A torrid day's work which began before eight. Presented eight ideas to the CD at lunchtime in what was supposed to be a work in progress meeting.  The CD, who is generally a good egg but is rather under pressure on this job, began judging them as if we had had a two week to work on them rather than a day and a half. He was hostile to a beautiful  idea that we had come up with and Keith had created gorgeous image for. A bit preciously, I lost patience at this point because the stated demand at the beginning of the brief was for originality, freshness and creativity. I said I was sick of coming up with original work to meet the brief, and when what is actually wanted is just more of the same. In retrospect, I quite enjoyed the fact that Keith had to step in to play good cop for once.   We slogge...

Getting stuck in on the new brief with Keith about childhood epilepsy. Otherwise managed to pop out for a cheeky walk, spotting a outbreak of purple common mallow wild flowers in Blakers Park. Squeezed some admin in between the work and, after Keith and I were done, I went for a walk with Sam. We circled up through the woods and back back down Surrenden Road and into Preston Park, where he popped into the chemist. He stopped off at the Park View for a beer and crossword session, I simply came home and I sent some photos of little Monty to Sue and John, wrote to Robin explaining my lack of finger pulling on Planet Poetry, and paid the plumber and sent a speaker to Jade's new address in St. Andrews.   The Dusty Dolls arrived again today at lunchtime. I opened the door to them. PK: Hello lovlies! Chief DD, a young lady in her twenties: Hello Lovely! I don't know why but I found this quite funny.  Lorraine at the garage getting the car serviced, and then spent the day with Beth pl...

Trying to get things sorted with my bank, various admins, once I had crawled out of bed. Keith texted me at around nine to see if I wanted to talk to him about today's work. I texted back I was still in bed, which made him laugh. I had a new brief today, the Teams meeting with perhaps as many as twenty people from various locations in the UK and US. Meanwhile Sian arrived and everyone except me, packed up the van with Jade's belongings. All a bit emotional, as Sam is staying here for the time being. She is nervous about it, and sad to be leaving Sam behind. Sam feeling sad too, and both mums wanting everything to be okay. Was able to break away from work in time to hug Sian and a tearful Jade before she left. Sam and Lorraine and I all a bit sad afterwards. 

I woke up hungover, after a night of enthusiastic drinking with Jade. Spent the first few hours of the day trying not to die. Then off to the tip with Lorraine, with loads of bags of garden cuttings and so on. Then to Sainsbury's where we bought a cheeky little cake for Jade, whose birthday it was today.  Our extremely expensive pepper mill came today from Peugeot. (An Anton recommendation obviously). In the evening Lorraine drove us off to Tottingham Manor Hotel, just the other side of the downs. Sam encountering a snail in the back seat. Here we met Beth and James and Innis and Rosie too and had a fine meal. A sadder and wiser man today, I had a single pint which I nursed like Florence Nightingale.  My main contribution to the night was telling everyone that our pepper mill had arrived and we had got it from the internet. I had to prompt everyone to ask me what site, and then I said Grindr . Beth told me the joke needed work. Good food, although not brought out with alacrity...

Piled in the car and off to Horsham today, to John Lewis to look at a few bits for Jade before she relocates, and also Lorraine and I bought some big bowls as ours were all chipped now, and nobody wants chips with their pasta. Stopped off on the way back in a country pub called The Wheatsheaf near Henfield and had a couple of beers in their beer garden, rather fun to be outside in the sun eating minicheddars and drinking a cold lager. After we got home I had to drink lots of water as I was dehydrated before the sun and beer. Home and after several pints of water and some supper Lorraine, Jade and I stayed chatting after supper, till Lorraine headed for the gold sofa. Jade and I continued talking, and recommenced the drinking, for hours, talking lots about her move among other stuff, and having a good laugh, until we ending the evening in a disagreement about what Marx's primary concerns were. Funny how the only thing we two left leaning people could find to disagree about is left ...

Up early for a Saturday, and off to meet Mum and Mas at the Waggon and Horses. Left in loads of time, but the traffic came to a standstill several times on the M25. It took us almost three hours to get there. I had called Mum beforehand saying we would be late, but they left early, and so had been waiting for us there for an hour and a half.  Good to see them however. They had been picking at a bit of food and having a slow drink. We all had lunch, Lorraine drinking lots of coke and coffee to keep awake for the return leg. All very friendly there still. Something wrong with the beer however, and I ordered a pint of Guinness I had to return. It was replaced by a slightly luke warm lager. Something wrong with the temperature of their taps.  Mason talking to one of the young guys there with beefy arms, about Arnold Schwarzenegger and passed on a bit of Arnie's bodybuilding advice. Lorraine and I ate chips and chicken wings, which were quite nice. When it was time to go, Mum jokin...

A walk about on the Hillfort this evening, for the first time in a good while. Beautiful, and full of flowers. Including this oddity, which much later I identified as a rose gall, or Robin's pincushion made by a gall wasp. Scenes from the northern side of the hill fort.

A peaceful morning, with me slipping off to buy some bread and having bacon and egg sandwiches and teas to start the day. A chat with Mum, organising a visit for this weekend. The glasses I had lost yesterday, and had pestered Rick around the corner about, as well as the Elizabethan Tandoori, turned up under my own duvet last night. The agency at it again today, saying they now only want Keith and I for next week, with a pencilled second week. I would rather not do any of it till next month, but its money. Lorraine and I off to Sussex Prairie Gardens, a few miles outside Brighton. I think it was the third time we had been there, once with Janet and Ken. By the time we reached it, the weather had become sunny and gorgeous, and the gardens were a riot of colourful flowers and plenty of butterflies. We ourselves followed the butterflies and drifted happily about pausing to look at a sort of Indian Bazaar, and to consume flapjacks and tea. Lorraine wrongheadedly ordered a savoury flapjack,...

Up early with Lorraine for an epic house tidy. As two young ladies, aka the dusty dolls, came by to give our house a deep clean. Annoying to-ing and fro-ing with the agency, who now want me to work for the following two weeks, thus effectively ending my holiday with Lorraine this week. I have to accept, but very reluctantly.  Jade off to have the massage that Lorraine had sorted out for her, and then Lorraine and I nipped into town on a bus, did a spot of shopping. Lorraine to meet Beth and Jade, and I mooched up to see Anton, who had a holiday. We decided on a game of boules, so sauntered down to the sea for another close game, which I won for the first time. Then we returning to the Batty for a beer in the beer garden.  The sun had come out, and Anton told me about his trip to Norfolk to buy tailor made clothes that will be sent to him in October.  Then off to The Foundry pub, as Anton's researches had revealed a new chef there. We had another beer and a light snack of ...

Lorraine and I mooching about happily today,  driving to Hove to change a tyre on the car, and to order some carpet to replace the stairs carpet, which looks atrocious and threadbare then to Homebase to buy electrical stuff.   Then off to Seaford, a little seaside town along the coast I have never really been to before. We went to the South Hill Barn to see my pal Adele, who was doing her first ever exhibition of Stained Glass there. The barn itself was on top of a hill, surrounded by countryside, and was near a car park and was a place where walkers congregate. Just a little east are the seven sisters. It was a beautiful location. It was great to see Adele taking wing with her work. I took some photos, not many of which came out nicely. She said that people were asking her about which art school she went to. She hadn't been to one of course, but we all thought that was a compliment. Lorraine brought a little glass heart. Some other interesting work there, including some by a ...

Various bits and pieces to attend to this morning, and irritated by agency shenanigans over bookings today. Seems like I will have quite a bit of work on for the rest of the month, which I have to reluctantly accept. However, more cheerily, Lorraine and I drove off to the river to meet Innis and Rosie and little Pippi for a walk about. Innis  knows quite a lot about wildflowers as well as books and things. Lovely to see Rosie too and get Lorraine out for another walk in the country in her new walking shoes along the river bit that we saw the seal a while ago. No seal today however.  Below Innis, Lorraine and Rosie with Pippi in a fetching green coat. 

A comparatively wonderful night's sleep. Woke up having slept like a log, and accompanied by cats. Got up and bought some bread and bacon from around the corner, and made breakfast and took it up to Lorraine. Gradually got up and unpacked our case full of dirty clothes. Spoke to Mum and Mas this morning, they showed me the new rail in the garden outside, a big improvement. They seemed fairly cheery, and were off to meet Robert at lunchtime. I also spoke to Ben who called by.   Utterly rainy again. Reminding me of the year that Romy stayed with us in Brighton, and it rained harder and more often than I had ever seen it. In the afternoon we walked down to The Beirhaus pub where we met Anton, free at last after serial self-isolations. He has mostly been bored and working really hard. Had a few cheeky German beers and hot dogs with German mustard and sauerkraut and caught up on the news. Then to the Fountainhead for a bit more to eat and a game of euchre. We had some veggie stuff, but ...

A weird feeling as if I had pins and needles in my back in the middle of the night. I woke up and realised that rain was falling onto me through the Velux window. A call from Natwest Bank this morning, finalising the problem that had started in April. All good now I hope.  Fond farewells to the Creates bed and breakfast, with a big cooked breakfast this morning. Packing our millions of things, then Lorraine walked off to the long stay car park and drove the car to the short term carpark behind us. While I was waiting an old lady engaged me in quite a lengthy chat asking me if I had liked Monmouth. Also chatted to the owners of Creates, who are friendly. Car packed, we did a last bit of Monmouth shopping, and Lorraine nipped into he sewing shop to buy some bits, and happened happily on some bra extenders. Homeward bound then. Down the beautiful Wye Valley road, past Tintern Abbey and out to Chepstow and over the Severn Bridge, which is quite long and made Lorraine's stomach go over,...

Heroic walking today, much of it in the teeming rain to Symonds Yat. After fruit pancake breakfast, we drove up to the top of Symonds Yat , and just before we got out of the car the heavens opened. Nevertheless we had a walk up to the viewpoint, to look down on the river and the beautiful scene.  Then we drove down to the riverside, and had a long walk along the river, after pausing in a hotel bar to have a rather nice baguette with salad. Lorraine went to the bar to pay, and the ticket said that she had payed French Dave, which made us laugh.  A long riverside walk, scrutinising wild flowers in the rain. Among familiar friends found some nettle leaved bellflower. Lorraine insisting on reaching a wire bridge over the river, which Lorraine forced me to walk to the middle of.  A steady yomp back to the car in soaking Celtic rain. Nice to be back in our wee Owl's Roost. In the evening we slipped downstairs to the restaurant where we had tapas, and I finally had a drink of Br...

 A day of little driving today, lurking in and around Monmouth itself, and finding little walks to go on along the penny-coloured river Monnow. A spot more shopping today, and Lorraine picked up some half price sunglasses, and I bought a new anorak in a sale, and Lorraine bought some walking shoes. Well pleased.  We bought some picnic bits and had some food by a small pond, watching a little girl and her mum feeding the ducks. Then a walk along the river, where we came across a site of cows in the river which made me think of Constable. A bit more walking here and there, and I received a call from the bank about the rogue account, and it turned out that all along there had been a problem with an almost identical account with just one digit different on the sort code. Some poor blighter was having as rotten a time as I was for months on end. Luckily that account is now being closed.  A cheery meeting this afternoon. Lorraine and I went around the corner to The Punch, where...