under another sun

Editing this morning, finishing off the edit of my last interview with a poet called Ali Lewis. Time consuming, correcting the recordings after the pesky time delay.  Lorraine off to her personal trainer, then met Penny and was given some plants for Beth's garden. A horrible accident on the Seaford Bends, meant Lorraine was very delayed getting home. We had our financial review today, with our advisor. He is a lovely guy, and loves weaving the progress of our small savings into the fluctuation of world events. All good. Then Jim and Joy came round from next door for cups of tea and a biscuit. I like our neighbours very much. Jim borrowed a book from me, as he wanted to learn more about the Stoic philosophers, and I happened to have a book on the presocratics. After they left, having been indoors all day, I went for a long walk along the seafront. When I arrived at Splash Point I found people looking at a grey seal which was snoozing on the pebbles, and adjusting itself, looking com...

 Lorraine off to Ashford today. A beautiful day, which I was supposed to be editing, and sat at my desk for hours, but one of those days where your brain goes off at tangents however hard you try. I met Palo for lunch, and we sat in Baca cafe signing copies of Snow , and making a few plans. Palo suggested we shoot down to Gallery Uno and sign the copies there, seeing as we had our signing boots on.  She suggested that maybe I could go to the private viewing of the art show next week, and read poems. She will check if this is okay.  I like Palo, and she is a can-do person, and this little collaboration is fun. Went for a long walk this afternoon, eventually, having been frustrated by my own lack of progress on the editing. A gorgeous evening, with blue skies. Mooched along the seafront. A murder of crows at one point.  Very blue and lovely. Home, and not long before Lorraine arrived home safely. We are watching The Orville all over again.  Below Palo and I in Gal...

Up and having avocado on toast with Mum. She had her covid jab yesterday, and her arm was a bit painful but otherwise okay. Mum had not been able to get the new carpet cleaner to work, and bits of a spring valve had fallen out when she tried to get it going. I was able to piece it together and thankfully the machine sprang back into life, and I set about the carpets. Certainly an improvement, but not a transformation. Then we looked at Mum's hideous tax things, but after finding all the stuff, the actual tax form to be completed was missing -- mum later called them and got them to resend. One good thing:  the parking fines mum had during the time her car was stolen -- and we disputed -- have finally been dropped. A little victory over jobsworth bastards. I texted Wynford, to say Mum and I were thinking of him, as he was taken to hospital recently. He replied saying he should be out on Monday. He has been very kind to Mum. After a while, off to The Jolly Badger. On our way in, we bu...

So up and fiddling with photos and generally doing my stuff this morning.  Breakfast with Lorraine, who went off this afternoon to Rosie's mum Susan's celebration of life.  I sent my love to Rosie by text. I went to see Coílín my dentist. Was a tad early, so stood by the sea for a bit. The sun, breaking through briefly, was beautiful and compelled me to snap it. But another old school English April day, being cold and wet. I like her very much although I had to tell her that her root and branch cleaning had made one of my teeth very sensitive. She x-rayed it and pronounced it sound, and then later put fluoride on it which she said would help with the sensitivity. She deep cleaned the other side, which was much easier and by the end of the day, I felt generally much happier all round in the mouth department, and my sensitive tooth a lot less wince inducing, and my smile slightly brighter. Then to London to see Mum. At Lewes saw a bunch of rooks and a jackdaw on the edge of the ...

Back to  desk early and preparing for a podcast interview, and sending a few other emails, and sorting out some domain hosting stuff, which luckily only took a couple of minutes. The interview dogged with a time lag, which made spontenaity impossible. Lorraine up and about this morning, doing rhyme time in the library, and then went off for an eye test. In the afternoon she drove off to see Rosie and collect Pippi dog, who is staying with Beth. I had a long walk, walking to the top of Bishopstone, to take a closer look at a barrow I fancied could see from East Blatchington. Nothing much to see in Bishopstone, it is just a housing estate, but with lots of nice houses, and in a field behind it I saw a very unimpressive mound and no way of getting close to it. Still it was a mini adventure. Later I discovered there are a six bowl barrows up there, Walked down to the sea again, and along the seafront home and completed my 10k paces with something to spare. Started editing the podcast a...

 Farewell to Sam at the Cellardyke bus stop, and then off to St Andrews. We decided to go to Leuchars station, even though we were very early. This turned out to be a blessing, as they had cancelled our train, but we were able to get an earlier, slower train to take us to Edinburgh Waverley were our service was reinstated. The train at Waverley was almost empty when it left, and we had a very comfortable journey down to Kings Cross sprawled across four chairs. This compensated somewhat for the abysmal cancellations both there and back. Managed to get to Seaford fairly rapidly, by judiciously hopping off a train at Gatwick and catching the Lewes one.  Lorraine went home, and as it was late, I bought some fish and chips from Trawlers. Happy to be home, and rather tired too. The cats all in one piece and sitting on us all evening. From the Forth Bridge again... Going west this time towards Edinburgh.

I got up early, and learned that I had been highly commended in one of the a pamphlet competitions, but had not won. A bit like getting to the FA cup final and losing. Gah. But at least I will not have to explain myself now, should the other one win.  I put all this behind me as it was Lorraine's birthday turned my attention to having fun instead.  In Roger Road, Lorraine and I had tea in bed and Lorraine opened lots of cards and had some presents and had several messages coming in. After a leisurely breakfast, we jumped on a bus to St Andrews and Sam hopped on the same one down the road at Kilrenny. Jade of course, on her way to New York today. We had a gorgeous journey sitting upstairs at the front of the bus, next to us were a couple from New Mexico, who were entranced. The woman said she felt energised by the grey days, and everything was like a Disney film. Lovely countryside there, and I loved how the coastline looked so blue in the distance.  In St Andrews Sam came...

Chilled morning, walked to Sam and Jade, and we all went to Kellie castle, where we had a cup of tea, and then left again as we had arrived a bit late to look at the interior, and it was hosing with rain which made the gardens a damp prospect.  Jade dropped us at Roger Street, and I had yet another long sleep. Felt a good deal brighter afterwards, and Lorraine and I mooched across to Sam and Jade's place. We had all been invited for a roast beef dinner with Mog and Jerome, and Mog's parents Peter and Shelia, and another 'communard' staying with Mog and Jerome, a historian of the Spanish civil war, Roseanna. Mog, Peter and Roseanna all wearing fetching green hats with tassels that Shelia had made. Mog looking particularly lovely in hers. A jolly time of it, in their amazing dining room, with a table that comfortably sat nine. Really liked everyone there, and had my first slice of roast beef for quite a while. Lovely it was too (all praise to Allopurinol the drug I take t...

So up fairly early, and Sam came around and we wandered down to Antstruther Harbour, where we met Jade, and all boarded the Princess of May. Sat in the harbour almost fully boarded for at half an hour, chatting to each other and a couple with a boy armed with a bird book. Lorraine, who feels sick standing on a pontoon, leaning heavily on her pills for motion sickness. Sam thumbing through his pocket book of Scottish Birds.  Then The Princess of May bellied out into the blue. A long slow roll in the sea, and the old Scottish bath tub, rolling companionably along with it. Water on the deck every now and then. The journey against the tide was about forty minutes, and May looking very impressive as we neared it. Puffins in the water and flapping rapidly through the air, and Sam pointed out gannets from one of the other islands. The Isle of May has shags, guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, gulls, eider ducks, cormorants and more.  The entrance into the harbour was tight and fringe...

Jade working. Sam also doing his two shifts. A slowish start for us in our Roger Street, Cellardyke. Went for a stroll around Cellardyke, passing a blue plaque for Peter Smith, known as Poetry Peter born in 1847. Eventually mooched up to Kilrenny to chat to Sam between shifts. I snuck in a sleep too, as I am still feeling drained from this heavy chest cold.  Also much exercised by a poetry dilemma. I entered two poetry MS into two competitions -- the same MS but under two different names. I find myself shortlisted in both competitions, and am now excruciated by the idea that they might both win and I would have to explain to one what I had done, and be expelled in ridicule from the poetry world, with too many penalties on my poetic licence and so on. I find out next week. Sod's law says it will be the same day.   Once Jade was done, we went outside a pub in the weak Scottish evening sunlight and drank some beer, then made off a few yards to the Anstruther Fish Bar. Here we had...

A long slow schlepp to Scotland. Went to Brighton (as there were no London trains at Lewes) then Kings Cross. The train was supposed to go from there to Leuchars, but instead terminated in Edinburgh. There was talk of a bus replacement service, but Lorraine would have hated that. So in the end we had to get a little local train from Edinburgh Waverley which chugged past the airport and Murrayfield rugby ground before crossing the Firth of Forth towards Kirkcaldy. Here we were met by Jade who had driven from work to collect us.  The big open countryside beautiful with the low sun turning everything orange. Things going well for Jade in her career at the moment, and she is off to New York next week to give a paper. She looked well and seemed full of energy.  Our lodgings were in Roger Street. We arrived at Roger Street in Astruther, but it turns out we wanted Roger Street in Cellardyke (the two little towns are joined). After Lorraine had clarified where we were, we let ourselve...

Preparing for our trip to Scotland, lots of jobs done by Lorraine especially. Feeling okay, apart from my heavy cold. I popped out to the shops and got flour from the shops, and nosed about, and queued for Lorraine's prescription, which was not in yet. Into Gallery Uno, where I had a chat with two artists who were manning the shop. Palo and my Snow pamphlets stored there at floor level which is not ideal, but at least they are there. On the way home, spoke to a neighbour Jenny, and talk quickly turned to how to remove cat excrement and pee from carpets. Pee conversations seem inescapable at the moment. Had a nice chat with Mum, and Lorraine talked to Pat and Maureen recovering from the nasty stomach bug they probably got from Lorraine.  I saw I am on the shortlist for a pamphlet competition, but have decided not try not get excitable about it as I have been down this road many times before. It's hard not to have the odd gleam of optimism though. I also spent a couple of hours ...

Lorraine out to her personal trainer this morning, and then seeing Penny. I spent some of the morning, writing my new horror story, which is going fairly well, if slowly. I enjoyed allowing the story, which hasn't a name yet but features a rabbit suit,  to fall thought a new trapdoor of psychological disturbance.  I am still coughing like a docker and feeling a bit run down, and fancying a sleep most afternoons. Had a nice chat with Mum, who had decided to take herself off to The Waggon for lunch.  Heavy rain today. Went out for a walk, having been indoors, and a huge thundery cloud arrived as I got to the sea, but I made it back before a drenching. In the evening Lorraine and I crept off to The Crypt to see Janet Sutherland reading. It is a gorgeous venue for reading poetry. Nice to chat to Antony Mair who was there. Janet read from the new book she is starting, and the work seemed very good. Alex Josephy read with her. Her work wasn't for me, though I liked her and she ...

Lorraine off to Ashford this morning, as Pat and Maureen unwell. Weather foul. I didn't go to see Mum today, due to chesty cough and cold, and not fancying a six hour round trip. I was unable to contact her this morning, and ended up texting Wynford next door -- who told me her car was gone. Mum had been out shopping and going to the bank and so on.  Wrote some of my horror story. Otherwise had a bit of a walk in the afternoon, looking at the sun on the sea, making a brief appearance. In the evening to  Brighton, as I wanted to give Anton, Oskar's 18th birthday present, which was his mixed martial arts gloves for biffing people. Lorraine and I will be in Scotland then. Nice to see Anton, and have a judicious beer with him in the Evening Star, which mercifully seems to have changed managers, and play a game of bones which he enjoyed greatly, storming from behind to enjoy a flukey win. He was bracing himself for another ghastly work week. Did me good to get out. Home and Lorrain...

Lorraine and Beth went to somewhere called The Range for shopping --  Beth buying some picture frames. Lorraine came back with cat food, and barbecue wood lighters. Nothing as eccentric as a whole cod, fortunately. I lay low, and did a bit of writing, but have little or no stamina. I'm having ideas but little actual drive. My mouth still painful. Chesty cold still in full flow. Lorraine and I went to Morrisons, a wild adventure for me, as I'd not been out in several days. I am the human embodiment of draggy.  Beth and James came around for a roast Sunday dinner. Afterwards we played the card game called golf at which I by chance triumphed. James exasperated and competitive which was amusing. Nice to do something a bit fun. Fun is in great demand.  Below a tulip, bluebells and honesty in our front garden. 

I got up and worked on the horror short story I had started a while ago. Can't shake off this chesty exhaustion at the moment. So Lorraine and Beth went to Seaford to do some shopping.  Some time later they returned giggling. Beth carrying an entire cod in a black bin bag. Lorraine spent a good deal of the afternoon packing up the giant fish and cutting it into steaks. She also wanted to use the giant head about as big as the Labradors head as the foundation of the fish stock. There was the idea of cutting out its gills and delving into the head I saw the girls were still there. I started to cut at them for her with a sharp global knife but the whole business made me feel so disgusted I felt like retching. Lorraine however is made of stronger stuff than me and completed the job with scissors.  In the afternoon I was overcome by feeling of nausea. After a sleep however, this seemed to wear off.  I was suddenly worried I would get the vomiting bug now too, but I managed to ...

Up earlyish and making breakfast. Lorraine had an egg and toast this morning, and regretted it. She is stills struggling to keep food down after several days. Spoke to Mum who was feeling gloomy. Cold still bad feeling decidedly ropey and it moving onto my chest. Paracetamol is a boon. Otherwise recording with Robin taking about the latest National Poetry Competition winner, Ursula K. Le Guin and a few other bits.   And lay low, feeling thwarted, wanting to do lots of things but having no energy. They will be coming to paint a plague cross on the door soon.  Early evening, I watched a film about Frida Kahlo called Frida, with lots of stuff about her tempestuous marriage to Diego Rivera.  Seeing Teotihuacán reminded me of my time in Mexico City. Salma Hayek rather good in it. The real Frida Kahlo. An unforgettable face.   

My sore throat became a heavy streaming cold. I also woke up first thing to more migraine spangles in my eyes. I think I have pinpointed what causes this... If I don't eat enough carbs the night before and I get low blood sugar. Lorraine was feeling a little better today, and managed to keep down dry crackers and a piece of dry toast, and some plain boiled rice. Once up I made breakfast, and spoke to Mum, who is finding the grey rainy weather gloomy. I then mooched off to the shops. As soon as I stepped out of the house, Stephanie across the road hailed me and told me how down she had been since she had covid, and she certainly seemed it sharing a few quite gloomy things. I bought rehydration sachets for Lorraine, paracetamol for myself, and got some cash out using Maureen's card for her, and enjoyed being in the fresh air, and some momentary sunlight. The sea looking lovely and rough from afar.  Pat and Maureen went back to Ashford at lunchtime by train. Beth kindly collected ...

Sore throat, sinuses, nose mouth etc. Woke up wanly and phoned the dentist to ask if this would prevent me from having my dental appointment. Luckily it did not. Lorraine of course far worse, wretched and unable to eat. She got a little better during the day, but is still far from well. Phoned mum this morning. Pat and Maureen who were as good as gold in their extra holiday, and I did them toasties for lunch and sausages and mash for dinner. Lorraine struggled down a bit of mashed potato this evening, and was able to sit up in the lounge.  Out in Seaford queued outside the pharmacy for ages with snowy haired elders: my tribe. The dentist appointment was delayed, so I did the food shopping.   Half my mouth deep cleaned. It cost an arm and a leg. Lots of injections and surgery level cleansing for at least half an hour.  Cóilín  told me this the deepest clean I would ever need, throwing shade on that cowboy Lucinda on Strand on the Green.  Part two the week after n...

Maureen's birthday today. I got up early and began organising some notes towards another interview. Breakfast, with Maureen opening cards and presents. Lorraine had to rush off and be horribly sick, and spent the rest of the day and night in bed, probably with some kind of vomiting bug, or maybe food poisoning. Possibly from her home made kombucha we drank yesterday which was a bit pokey. I think it is a bug, and she was not at all well today.  Spoke to Mum who had been out to a neighbour's party last night. She'd also been to the pub in the afternoon, and chatted with some of her mates there. Love the idea that she had some fun. Rearranged the day, instead of us all going to Betty and James's place for cake and coffee, and having dinner here, Beth came around to collect the food we had bought, including lamb, and she cooked for Pat and Maureen at her place this afternoon. I stayed at home to monitor Lorraine, but instead fell asleep on the bed with her and woke up with...

Having been in touch with Brad, Mum has agreed with him not to transport the ashes to California. This is good news on the admin front, as it would have been highly expensive and complex to organise, and only possible after the death certificate is released, which of course we have no idea when that will be. A big relief for mum, and an entire Kafka of admin vanishing for me.   A cheery Betty around this morning, chatting to Pat and Maureen, and sending off for some knitting needles for her. Otherwise Pat and Maureen on the gold sofa most of the day avidly watching snooker.  Brian had peed on the carpet again last night, and Lorraine caught him thinking about it again. Luckily we took taken delivery of Scouts 'Honor' Urine destroyer, and we pulled up the carpet in two rooms and have treated the whole place. Brian now in disgrace and confined to the kitchen and the outside world. Having to pull up the carpets has released an appalling and detestable miasma as I got busy with th...

Up in Edgware, having slept quite heavily. Breakfast with Mum, and I replaced our Friday list of things, with a new list of Mason related tasks now with fewer things on it. I researched couriering ashes to California. Eye-watering expenses, and nothing can be done till the death certificate is issued anyhow, and that won't be for months potentially. We drove off to Edgware and took seven big bags of clothes to the charity shop. While Mum finds this sad, there is at least the idea they are going to a very good cause. From there back home, and thence to The Waggon and Horses, arriving a bit later than usual, had lunch and some Guinness. Steve and Paul at the bar chatting to mum and I cheerily, and inviting her to sit with them next time she comes. Mum made me laugh mishearing on of the staff talking about duck wraps, as lab rats. Fond farewells with Mum, then I set off at 2:30. With assorted rail problems, having to go via Brighton, where I had to change to bus travel, it took me fou...

Patrick and Maureen here today. I lurked in my office doing some recording with Robin this morning. Just as Lorraine and Pat and Maureen were going off for a little trip into Seaford, Lorraine found evidence of more criminal behaviour -- in two varieties -- from Brian in the dining room. We thought he was on the straight and narrow, but it is starting again. Just after I finished cleaning this, Brian was getting under my feet and I ejected him with threats out of the cat flap. Felt like a monster afterwards, as he obviously had no idea what was up.  Off to Edgware then, for reasons there are only limited trains at the moment from Lewes to London, so had to go via Brighton. I ended up staying on the train and going to Victoria, then tubing it from there for a change. I felt strangely separated from the world of work, now looking at those folks commuting home after a day at work as an oddity. I have not had to commute to work since just before Covid. I miss it not a jot.  Bought...

Awoke up feeling creeped out at 3am, and realised it The Loney , the book I had been reading before I fell asleep, had made me feel uneasy.  Some time at my desk this morning, and a quick chat with mum. Off with Lorraine just after lunch to collect Pat and Maureen from Eastbourne station. All safely installed in the car, and enjoying the journey back looking across fields to the sea.  Home and  listening to Robin's latest interview. Also took delivery of the little Snow booklets, which are small and lovely. Very pleased with them, and Palo was too. A tiny triumph. Lorraine had bought an entire salmon going cheap in Morrisons. I went for a gorgeous walk by the lively sea and also popped into Morrisons. A glimpse of Seaford's dark underbelly. A man and his young son outside the supermarket as I passed. Boy: I don't like Mum. Man: Neither do I. She's a cheating whore for a start. Slightly startled by this I crossed the road, and saw a woman leaving the pig roast place, sm...

Time at my desk writing, and doing a bit of self promotional parping about Snow  and the Scottish publications in the Roots publication, and in Driech Magazine. Looks like my author  copies of Snow will be delivered shortly, which would be exciting. Adele suggested that Gallery Uno might take some copies.  Mum went on her own to collect Mason's ashes today. Apparently they were heavier than she thought, carrying them on the bus. We will sort out together about getting them shipped or conveyed to the US to be with Brad. I am going up to be with her on Thursday. In the afternoon Rosie visited. Poor Rosie still dealing with the untimely death of her mum Susan, and is very sad. We had lunch, and then Rosie and Lorraine chatted for quite a while before going off to visit Betty. I was going to go for a walk, but the ghastly weather was at it again with heavy rain. Instead after I read more of The Loney , on the gold sofa. A great read on a dour day. I cooked this evening, and ...