The Roaring Dark

A steady rain, and fierce sea visible from Seaford station this morning. Breakfast with Lorraine, then off up to meet Mum at Hampstead. A fairly easy journey. Took one of my yellow book and sketched out some   practical next steps, and trying to get a grip. Last train a little delayed so I had to yomp up Arkwright road up to Hampstead. Met Mum slightly late, but we mooched down Flask Walk and then around to The White Bear which is now serving food again.

The place empty. The new menu fairly unappetising, and the woman who runs it despite being quite friendly, was very pushy. Mum ordered a high quality sausage roll with fennel, and I had some risotto, which I had to send back as the rice was still hard and grainy. I ordered something else which was a bit meh. Mum unimpressed by the sausage roll's short and stubby shape, but was delighted by the Spanish house wine, and had three glasses of it. We like The White Bear. People began arriving as we were leaving, and there was a merry fire which we wished we were sitting near. Also there was a husky dog, which gave a musical little yowl at one point.

Fond farewells at Hampstead tube, then the journey home. I got off at Bishopstone station, the one stop before Seaford, to have a walk along by the sea in the roaring dark. Bubbly globs of foam being whipped through the air, by the wind that was trying to knock you off your feet.  All rather wild and lovely. Home to a cup of tea, and to hear what Lorraine had been up to all day -- going to her personal trainer, and getting some acupuncture among other things. We watched part one of the documentary which rocked Denmark, a business lawyer, who had gone to the dark side, and was now exposing Denmark's criminal underbelly. Quite compelling.

Below one of the many polar bears in The White Bear. Note the onset of Christmas.