Crowdsurfing

An utter deluge first thing, then off this morning to Steyning, to have brunch with Dawn at her house. It had been her birthday a few days ago. Also invited where Dawn's old pals Mark and Jane and Denise, all of whom I have met several times. I bumped into Jane in the park the other day with Toby. Most newsworthy was that we also met Paul, Dawn's new man friend. He was well read open and chatty, and born the same year as me. 

Everyone had bought assorted food with them, and Dawn had been making her famous quiche with a baked rice base. Lorraine and I brought a courgette loaf, which we had made yesterday. 

Dawn often has good parties, and this one was featured lunchtime dancing in her wee front room, and Dawn stage diving from her sofa into everyone's arms. She is prone to this sort of thing from time to time. All very cheery. Dawn and I swapped birthday presents too and she gave me a book called All Art is Ecological by Timothy Morton, who the back jacket calls the philosopher prophet of the Anthropocene. Quite a claim. I look forward to finding out.

Lorraine and I home in the afternoon. Back to reality for Lorraine who now has two staff off with Covid to deal with. I disgracefully slugged about, watching episodes of The Expanse as Lorraine sorted things out then made a delicious red cabbage side dish for the roast I was cooking.

A flurry of excited squealing outside from many trick or treaters for a couple of hours. The houses either side of us had put up the pumpkins, which is code for being allowed to knock. We went untroubled by children, ghouls and so on.