under another sun

Up early, and writing, while Lorraine made off to do Storytime in the Library. When she got back we caught a train to Brighton. We had a fresh and zesty lunch at Wahaca restaurant, and we drank some kind of fruity water with hibiscus, and lots of lovely bits of picky food. Lorraine popped off to do some lengthy bank business, I went to Caffè Nero and had a cup of coffee and stared blankly at my notebook.  I was thinking about something that Brian Eno wrote in A Year With Swollen Appendices , about the book you have already written.  I have several projects that are near the touchline, I just need to focus and do some hard work. I have quite a few published short stories, which I could collect for example. Lorraine found me and we mooched happily through the Lanes, ending up in a shop called Julian Stephens. Lorraine made magpie noises while looking at the shiny things, and soon I bought a nice ring as a late birthday present.  Then we walked up to the Evening Star where w...

A peaceful day, Lorraine creeping off with a bad back to do rhyme time this morning, and I did a bit of work, but found I was not concentrating well. Spoke to Mum and arranged to go up next Monday or Tuesday.  Gave into sluggishness and read some of a memoir by Virginia Woolf and lurked about with Lorraine who was giving her back a day of rest too. Lorraine having quite a few things to sort out for Maureen who had received a bogus call from someone saying they were from Barclays.  In the evening off to Gino's with Lorraine's new pal Helen and her husband Andy. All good here. A cheery meal, and nice people with plenty of chatting. I like Gino's. All you want from a local Italian restaurant, I've not yet gone beyond their Diavola pizza which is a bit limited of me. I like a good Diavola.  

Lorraine struggling with a bad back this morning. But after taking painkillers and moving about a bit, decided to drive Pat and Maureen back to Ashford. I met Palo at the Church Lane Tea rooms, to sign some more copies of Snow, and have a cup of coffee and a scone. I went there with Lorraine, Pat and Maureen some other time, and they are famous for their pies.  A cheery chat with Palo. Mark the guy at Hedgehog press is going to send us lots more copies as they are going like hot cakes. One nice thing about Seaford is that it is a smaller pond, and its easy to find your artistic tribe. I like Palo very much and its nice to connect with people through making art in its different kinds. We went into Gallery Uno, and chatted with Phil who runs it, and a man there who makes automata, and then we popped into the Crypt, where two artists were having a show. Good work there, but I was deeply impressed by Palo flogging one them one of our pamphlets. Home and helped Pat and Maureen into...

A bank holiday. Now that I am no longer working. A lengthy breakfast, and I nipped up to do some writing this afternoon. Having cleaned up the barbecue yesterday, I got it out this evening for the first time this year. A bit hard to get the charcoal going for some reason, but I managed to cook trout, asparagus a whole chicken and a large steak shared by Pat and Lorraine.  Was contacted by Gabriel in France to do some work, he had no sense this was a UK public holiday. I declined. This turning work away,  encouraged by Lorraine, is a novelty, and feels a bit scary but also wonderful.  Saying no is fun and I want to focus on my own writing projects now.  A long walk this afternoon, mooching around Tide Mills again, with my camera and thinking about the stuff I am now writing as I walked. Don't seem to have my eye in at the moment, but quite liking this bit of damaged wall and these teasel leaves.

Pat and Maureen taking a break today from viewing properties and having a much needed down day.  Lorraine and I pottered about, Lorraine in the garden lots and I varnished the sanded window ledges etc this morning. Then this afternoon took a long walk down to Tide Mills and along the sea. Finished Will's book, The Cut That Wouldn't Heal , which was rather brilliant. Annoyingly I finished it about two minutes after I left home. But it has change the way I think about memoirs.  Here is a big branch that someone poked into the pebbles on Seaford beach.

A mystery this morning. Some unknown creature moved one of the plants in our wildlife pond about a foot from its original position. I suspect fowl play and think it may be a seagull beaking obnoxiously at its container. After breakfast with Pat and Maureen, Lorraine plunged into the garden, and I did sanded the ground floor window ledges and door step, like a proper DIY geezer.  Then a bit more flat hunting. The four of us piling into the car. Off to a flat that the estate agent was rather ashamed to show us once he arrived. The walls were literally sodden with damp, and there appeared to be some species of deciduous tree growing from the skirting board. Two other places potentially to be viewed were discounted unseen being similar to one already rejected. We went back to the place they looked at first, Stratheden Court with the sea view, and as this seems perfect for them in every way, the die has been cast. I spoke to a bloke sunning himself in the garden, he said he loved it in ...

Writing this morning. Lorraine off to do story time, then take Pat to a physio to help him with his leg with a painfully tight calf muscle. Gardening mid day, and later a spot of house hunting. The four of us piling into Lorraine's car. Off to a flat that the estate agent was rather ashamed to show us once he arrived. The walls were literally sodden with damp, and there was a small deciduous tree growing from the skirting board. Maureen, meanwhile, has fallen in love the first one they saw yesterday, and not really wanting to see many more as it is perfect for what they need.   At tea time I made off to The Old Boot Inn for a beer and a chat with Steve who had been invigilating again this week, and then went to the Cinque Ports, having been drawn by the idea of a pint of Director's bitter. We played a game of pool, which took ages as we were both dire at it. There were only two cues to use, one curved like a banana and the other a stubby one with the butt end missing. Home earl...

Up early this morning, made tea for everyone, then zipped into my study and blurted out some prose, for a change. Breakfast, then we got into the car to meet a youthful estate agent called Adam, who showed us a flat in a block used by older people. Lovely place, with a wonderful sea view. Maureen loved it, and Pat liked it too. We went to see a second place, but this fell at the last fence having difficult stairs to the flat, when we had stipulated no stairs. Home and I called Mum and did a bit of writing, Lorraine went off to Hove (actually) to see Rosie.  After warming up lasagne for Pat and Maureen and I and leaving the TV on for them to have their afternoon doze by, I went out for a walk, carefully applying a bit of suncream first. A poetry rejection just to buck me up as I left, but a two hour walk listening to Will's book helped. Took my camera, but something is wrong with the memory card and it wouldn't work as I lined up a deathless snap at Tide Mills. Then in a Pooteri...

Catching up somewhat. Had a long chat with Keith this morning. Life as a freelancer is fairly slow. Much of it traceable to Brexit of course -- it is easier for the US pharma countries to do business with a country inside the EU -- which is why my continental clients were the only ones keeping me in business. Unless something genuinely interesting emerges, I feel I am now going to devote myself to doing PK stuff, a bit poorer but much happier. Listened to Robin's podcast edit, heard from Palo, we have been charging £5 for Snow, and will use the money for charity, MIND being the one we fancy. She thinks she has raised over £200 already. Astonishing. Linda Goulden, one of the writers on the Understory Conversation sent me a note asking for a copy too. Otherwise doing podcast stuff with Robin. Spoke to Mum, who was off to the pub later, and Anton who was at an event in London. Lorraine had driven off to Ashford and returned with Pat and Maureen early this afternoon. Maureen cheerful ...

Up early and had another morning looking at Mum's hoard of photographs. I am finding this quite therapeutic in a way, seeing all those familiar faces many of them now having joined the majority.  I like the idea of good times in the past, and seeing myself looking fairly cheery in a variety of situations. I like seeing things just at the edge of what I can remember. I think Mum felt a bit sad seeing all those people too, she is aware of her aloneness at the moment.  Unlike yesterday, it was rainy and cool again. Mum and I went to the Jolly Badger for lunch, very crowded for rainy Tuesday afternoon. Enjoyed the bowls of salad, and chicken there, washed down with a solitary Guinness.    There was a worry about thunder too, and Mum unplugged things when she went back. I walked off in the rain to Mill Hill Broadway station, and had another smooth journey home. I listened to Will's book and I am still enjoying it. Texted Simon, as I found a photo of him and another friend...

Recording with Robin, first thing, then after a certain amount of faffing trying and failing to find a workaround for the time lag in my channel when we are recording, which is ruining the quality of what we do. Then a fish pie lunch, and up off to Mum's, arriving at little after six.  The trains pleasantly undisrupted, which made the journey almost pleasant. I enjoyed listening to Will's audiobook, read by him, called The Cut That Wouldn't Heal , which Callum said was his favourite of Will's books. It is a kind of memoir about his father's death. A strange experience hearing him reading it, having just seen him having experienced a bad stroke, and to listen to him describing his mother, days after meeting her myself. Shortly after it really started reminding me of of Knausgaard and then he began to talk about Knaussgaard. Will reads it very well. There is a lot of craft in it, making it fascinating to follow.  Picked up some tortilla chips, hummus, and coleslaw at ...

James's birthday today, they popped around this morning to collect the bottle of rum we bought from a local distiller, and in the evening went around for a cheeky drink with them, after his dad and brother had left. They had been watching motor racing in the afternoon, after lunch, a bit of a ritual with them. James and Beth all very cheerful. We played Porno or Pacino, a game where you have to guess if dialogue comes from a one of Pacino's movies, or from a porno film e.g.  Saturday Night Beaver.   Otherwise I had got up early to record some podcast stuff with Robin - talking about the poet Seni Senevaritne. Lorraine and I spent some good amount of time pottering about happily in the garden. Below are a pond lily and a gorgeous currently on show in the vast grounds of the Kenny home. 

An enjoyably lazy day, and very happy to lift up the drawbridge reading and popping out briefly to the supermarket and so on. Spoke to Mum and firmed up my visit on Monday, Lorraine made celeriac and white bean soup, I read a book of poems called Egg/Shell by Victoria Kennefick, about having miscarriages and being married to someone who changes gender. Also looked at stuff to do with wildlife ponds. We went to bed quite early, and read more of The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe , which we are reading as a bedtime story. Very soothing. Had to backtrack as listening to it last night, Lorraine was reading, sent me fast asleep. Below, our wildlife pond area taking shape, and irises from two directions.

Had an exceptionally good morning of writing, got up again at sevenish and went straight to my desk with a cup of tea. Wrote the first draft of a poem, I was very pleased with. Off in the car with Lorraine, after she had done with story time in the library, and we drove first to a house in Seaford, where the rum and gin distiller guy, and came away with a large bottle of rum for James's birthday, which is this weekend. Then to Portslade, to a gorgeous art shop there to buy a present for Adele whose birthday it is today.  Off to Dawn and Paul with Lorraine for lunch. There is a lovely country lane near them called Maudlin Lane, which I love the sound of. Sat outside in their lovely sloping garden in Bramber. Dawn and Paul seem really happy together -- and this is very heartwarming. Had a lovely and very healthy lunch, and then sat at the bottom of the garden, near their summerhouse where Paul does his meditation. We went off, Dawn giving us lots of cucumber plants she'd been giv...

Full of ideas after talking to the understorians yesterday, and attacked that MS with concerted effort first thing. I got up at seven and began work, as I was lying in bed thinking about it.   Off this afternoon to Brighton, to the county hospital, to see Will, who is in the stroke care unit. Found myself rather dreading the visit, as it pressed many of my hypochondriac buttons as I made my way from the bus stop.  He was pleased to see me, and surprised me by saying how brilliant he thought my poetry reading had been as the first thing he said. While entirely recognisable as Will, his mind is wandering somewhat and he told me he feels lonely and depressed. And has idées fixe about not getting enough medications, and needing the bedpan and so on. He also began describing the garden party he wanted to have, and that he was getting married and the business success of a close friend.  Callum and Will's mum Mavis arrived about twenty minutes or so after I got there. His mum st...

Up early with Lorraine who had to take the car to Mendall Motors (see what they did there) to have the water jet for the windscreen looked at then off to deliver rhyme time in the in the library. Called mum this morning, and arranged to see her early next week. Then I got on with some writing, in short unfocused bursts.  After a couple of hours I did lots of ironing. Who needs therapy when you can iron? This afternoon, another meeting of the Understory Conversation. Really enjoyed this two hour session, and it was very thought-provoking. I shared some work I was undecided about, but the feedback was that it was good. It helped me take a big decision on a MS I am working on, so all good. As well as Charlotte, my fellow understorians are Nina Ricci, who I am in the Mariscat sampler coming out later this year with, Emma Jones and Linda Goulden.  Afterwards, it being a gorgeous day, I went into the garden with Lorraine. Lorraine working on the raised beds, and I was planting ferns...

Lorraine off to her personal trainer this morning. I did some writing, then met up with Callum and went for a late morning saunter along the seafront. First time we'd had a really long chat since about 1990, so that was nice Catching up with where we are in life. He is still doing a bit of freelance journalism, and has written several plays and is working towards getting them performed, so lots to discuss. Chief among them is Will, my old University pal, that Callum had remained close with over the years. A week after they came to see my poetry reading, Will had a severe stroke, and is still in hospital. I agreed to visit Will with Callum and Will's mother Mavis on Thursday. We went for a coffee in Baca too.  After Callum left I did a bit of work including listening to the latest Planet Poetry interview Robin had done, under very difficult circumstances.  Popped again into the Last Minute Artists show, chatting with Adele, Palo and Geraldine, and another lady with two others. ...

Lorraine off to Ashford today.  So a quiet day, doing some writing and thinking, and having a nice walk along the sea, followed by popping into The Last Minute Artists where I chatted to Adele and three other artists. Lucky she was there, otherwise I would have been strong armed into buying dozens of things I did however, come away with a dodo under my arm, as I intended. It was no price at all, and it spoke to me last when I saw it the other day.  Lorraine home again in the evening. Below, the dodo. I don't think I've met the artist who did it. Elarissa it is signed. 2020, rather a significant year to be painting dodos I believe.

Up and another gorgeous day. Lorraine and I did a bit in the garden, including varnishing a window cill, one of many that will have to be done. In the evening Lorraine did some planting out of vegetables into the raised beds, and I did a spot of watering newly planted things. At midday, a beautiful leafy drive to West Hoathly and a pub called The Cat, where I'd been once with Anton after a walk, to meet Penny and Steve. We had an excellent Sunday lunch in the pub garden. Nice to see Penny and Steve who I'd not seen since they'd been to Japan -- a challenge for Penny as she hates fish. Meanwhile in the Cat I had some generous slices of roast beef trusting that the threat of orc foot will be staved off by my allopurinol. Washed it down with a Wobblegate cider, from Bolney near Lorraine's last school. Just once every couple of months red meat is marvellous. A Great Dane type of dog, but in grey, in the garden, that even I found it impossible not to smooth its head when pas...

A gorgeous sunny day again, so out in the garden doing stuff. Planting things into the area near the new pond, such as native plants, and cornflowers, and popping in a few bulbs for next spring. Lorraine removing yet more bucketloads of pebbles from the beds, which I poured on one side of the pond. It's all a big project. Went off in the late afternoon to Beth and James, and sat in their garden. It makes me very happy to see Beth in this phase of her life, and how she and James are getting used to their beautiful garden and their big koi pond which it turns out has frogs too, and loving their frisky little tabby called Micky, still zooming about indoors but soon to be released.  Beth made us a delicious salad and chicken, which we ate outside. Then inside, and had the Eurovision Song Contest on in the background, which I quite enjoyed. It is best to watch stuff like this with Beth. I predicted the winner too. Noted a prominent poet on Facebook renounced the joys of Eurovision this ...

Another beautiful day. Friday, so Lorraine off to give Story Time. I called Mum, and did a spot of light admin, then met Yvonne for coffee in the Grumpy Chef cafe, nice and funny to gossip with her as ever, hearing about her recent holiday, and the ghastliness of waiting weeks for medical test results, which were, it turned out, fine. Then to Brighton for a much-needed haircut. Arriving a bit early, I bought a hot sausage roll as a treat from the real sausage company. Emerging from there I bumped into Anton, who'd left his desk to do a bit of shopping. He was in shorts and floral shirt with skulls and so on, and mocking at my long trousers and light jumper and white shirt. Nice to be in Brighton, thronging with people of all sorts. Arrived early, but Stacy had finished his previous customer in record time, being a famously annoying local character, whose parting shots were to mock Stacy for his name, and telling him it was a girl's name. When I left some time later, shorn and s...

Up to Edgware. A beautiful warm, sunny day. Peskily missed the train I had earmarked. Then because of working to rule of railway folks, a majorly reduced train service. Had to go to Brighton, then a train to Victoria and tube to Stanmore. Arrived at 12:45 to find Mum chatting with Wynford, now out of hospital but dealing with an unpleasant   autoimmune condition. He is a lovely caring man, with a strong faith that sustains him. Mum and I had a chat, then zoomed off to The Waggon for some lunch. I had cider with Mum which was sweet and refreshing, then my usual chicken shish with decent salad and chips. Home again, and I dropped off at the garage Tescos by the roundabout to buy some bits for this evening. We had a happy hour and a half looking at old photos, although Mum a little sad when she saw photos of Betty Tostevin. There were some snaps there I did not remember.  Then some supper and a watch of MASH, but I pushed off after the first episode. Better journey back, as I had...

Pleasantly creaky from yesterday's walk up Seaford Head. I need to do more walking again now that I haven't renewed in the gym, and you see loads more than staring at a wall while on the cross trainer.  Otherwise something approaching a perfect little day. Up fairly early, had breakfast with Lorraine, who then zoomed off to do rhyme time at the library, and then go around to her pal Helen's house. I meanwhile phoned mum then completed a good draft of my new horror story, I'm currently calling The Emptiness. Quite pleased with it, and it is an interesting scenario around wearing a giant rabbit suit in a farm shop. I based it on a job Beth had once in Kent. Then a late lunch. A spot of pottering in the garden, and Lorraine preparing dhal. A little before six Lorraine and I walked to The Crypt, where the Last Minute Artists were having a show. Adele one of these, and she was exhibiting some fabulous Punch and Judy themed glass. The crocodile eating sausages was inspired.  ...

Writing my story this morning, quite a good session and it is shaping up well. Lorraine doing lots of things today, going to her personal trainer, and visiting Sarah in Bolney, and going to see Coílín the dentist. Lorraine liked her lots too, and she was nice about me. She is certainly the most charming dentist I know. In the afternoon, I walked along the sea to splash point, and saw a seal there, and also fell into conversation with a man who said the birds were kittiwakes, and you could tell them by their cries. He was a bit older than me, perhaps, and said that he moved here when he was about four, and loves the place. Obviously spoiled by time and so on. He told me about how the level of pebbles and shingle had been raised all along the coast here in the 1980s by dredging.  I then walked by the side of the golf course, and up a woody path to the top of Seaford Head, falling into conversation again with another old geezer walking a dog. Once on top, I walked by the side of the h...

Lorraine and I up and tidying the house in a frenzy of hoovering and dusting and so on. Not long after noon, Catherine, Tanya, Guy and Tim arrived. And we had, as is traditional, bubbly and crisps first. Great to see everyone and catch up. Tim greatly recovered now from his illness, and is looking very well. A cheery throng. We sauntered off to Amie's kitchen for some anglo Vietnamese food. Even though there was only six of us, we had to order it a day or so in advance. I had a noodle soup and splashed my shirt with it. Sitting opposite Tim who with a naughty gleam in his eye was talking about throwing off duty and responsibiltie and just doing what you want in life. Why didn't I, for example, just go on a writing retreat for two months?  Went for ice cream at Holy Cow! and we sat outside. Guy making friends with two older ladies and a dog. Then we all went for a stroll along by the seaside. I had a lovely long chat with Catherine while walking along, a fascinating conversatio...

A lovely sunny day, and after getting up for breakfast and calling both mums, we plunged into the garden and spent the next eight hours outside. I mowed and strimmed the lawn edges, and with a spade and shears, cut back the overlapping grass back to the path, cut the big hedge, finished building bits of the pond, tidied up the fish pond, we moved one of the big plants  hefting sacks of earth around, and generally tidied and made good. Lorraine replanting, hefting rocks, digging up a suffering acer and re potting it, and wobbling precariously on the island rockery thing getting into the difficult nooks and crannies and doing a hundred other jobs in the greenhouse, clearing paths and so on. We broke for lunch. Lorraine brought some food out, and I was just finishing cutting a path through long grass and Lorraine popped in to get her drink, when Robert made off with the lump of cheese from my plate. Thieving wretch. Despite this, lunch was lovely, and we continued working till almost ...

Lorraine off for story time this morning. I was a little sluggish after last night, and mooched about tidying my office and the house after  putting in a lot of work podcasting this week. Walked this evening to Patrick's house. Lorraine and Beth went to book group, (slightly delayed by taking Micky the cat to the vet's). Bumped into Kate, Adele and a brown as a berry Brian, who gave me a manly hug, en route. Andrew arrived moments after me, and we went up to Patrick's studio where he played us three songs he had been working on. All quite different, one with a punkish energy, but more sophisticated, another slower song with a beautiful melody, and a dance track with rock guitars.  Andrew and I invited to listen and comment -- and we had a good deal of fun listening, and suggesting edits. One thing is clear Patrick has an amazing ability to write melody, and has mastery over all kinds of forms. And of course the technology is there, at one point Andrew suggested changing an ...

Sent Robin the episode this morning, and she returned it with a few tweaks, uploaded and so on, and a relief to get this one uploaded. In the evening off to Brighton. Reading The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Learner on the train. So far it's a meh from me.  To the Evening Star, where I met Mark and Peter, the Messrs H&H.  They were kind about Mason and Mum, and generally we put the world to rights over some enjoyable quaffs. I gave them each a copy of Snow . A cheeky pizza in Fatto a Mano in the North Laine, and after one in the Eagle, ended up in the Basketmakers. It hasn't changed, but though I keep expecting to recognise people in there, I didn't. A fine night. And nice to be meeting up with old school friends so regularly. Just missed the Seaford train, so hopped on a bus instead, drinking a much needed litre of water. 

May the first... Up and working at eight, recording with Robin, then spent much of the day editing. Nice to chat to her, and she was as ever, encouraging after my two shortlisting and getting nowhere. Still getting the time-lag problem, and I had to reboot wifi and computer halfway through.  Lorraine off to do Rhymetime, and then she spent the rest of the day with Beth, who had taken the day off. At the end of the day,  I walked across the back of Seaford to Beth's house, where I found her in the enormous back garden with a large net, scooping sludge up from the bottom of the koi pond. She had also been mowing the lawn. She is changing. Lorraine had been gardening with her too. They'd had a really fun time together. James on a cycling holiday around Spain. I met Micky, the cat, for the first time. A frisky little tabby, who is clearly besotted with Beth. Beth and I were standing outside when Lorraine and I were leaving, and Micky was looking at us, with what Beth says is look ...