To Bramber

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 given, which need to grow in a glasshouse. Big red kites in the sky high above us, with the splayed wing ends with finger-like feathers. Also looked up after hearing the unmistakeable Merlin engine sound of two Spitfires. 

Then back to Seaford. Had a light bite in the Old Boot with Steve, who we'd not seen for several weeks.  He'd been busy doing exam invigilations all week. He'd been to France for a few days, staying with a friend a bit north of Toulouse. Apparently the weather was dire there too. Fond farewells and home, as the gold sofa was calling.