under another sun

My birthday. Sixty six. Thinking of W.B.Yeats, 'An aged man is a paltry thing, a tattered coat upon a stick, lest soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing for every tatter in its mortal dress.' So I shall try to maintain my gusto, not that I feel too aged, thankfully. And luckily, feeling a bit perkier than of late, and o longer catastrophising about having to abandon the holiday because of some appalling disease. Lorraine brought a cup of tea and presents in bed including a gorgeous handmade leather belt, and a stained glass window made by Adele of the crocodile from Punch and Judy. She'd also got me, on Mum's behalf, some knee pads which will be incredibly useful for scrambling about in the loft and other knee-based activities. Adele and Patrick also gave Lorraine some lovely art pencils and brushes for me. Many kind birthday messages during the day. Spoke to Mum too, before the big jaunt tomorrow.  Assorted packing and organising to go away tomorrow.  In the aft...

My lovely Lorraine's birthday. She opening her cards and a few pressies in bed, many of them pottery focused, and after breakfast zoomed off to Caroline's place with her gym gear on and did some exercises.  Then we went off to Mamoosh by Newhaven harbour for lunch. Had fun chatting and planning over a delicious plate of falafel and all kinds of salads and pickles and chilies and chickpeas and hummus and leaves, and flatbreads baked there. Marvellous and incredibly healthy. Then to Pat and Maureen's place for a cuppa, and Maureen suggested she look after Brian while L and I are in Scotland. A solution nobody had thought of. Maureen is so happy in their flat these days, and has made so many new friends and acquaintances it is lovely, Pat has settled in really well too. Home and after a sleep (I'm still tired and a bit brain foggy) we pottered about in the garden, watering the parched plants. (A few hours later it rained all night) and planting some new biggish plants for...

Up to Hampstead this morning, fiddling with my poem on the train. A gorgeous sunny day, I arrived early at Hampstead tube station, so popped into Waterstones for a cup of tea and bought Giving up the Ghost , an autobiographical book by Hilary Mantel. Met mum, and we walked all the way down to Belsize Park looking in the kinds of clothes and shoe shop windows that have no visible prices. In one there was an elegant reindeer decoration, and mum pointed at it and made the shop people laugh. Eventually we found ourselves in The Roebuck, just opposite The Royal Free hospital. We had a bite to eat and a drink sitting either side of a table on plush bench seats, one much lower than the other. I swapped with Mum after she began to look like a hobbit. Mum said that she remembered watching people come into the Roebuck from the hospital when she had her cancer in 2008. A lot to be grateful for in her continual health. As we left mum told the man behind the bar that she was only paying because she...

A unusual birthday in that I felt completely happy all day. After last night's liveliness, happy to be in bed open a few cards and presents and spend time with Lorraine. I also felt physically better and more energetic than I have felt for weeks, a feeling that I had turned a corner somehow.  In the evening, we went for curry at Spice Village, and then sleepy Seaford burst into life, with gangs of stripy shirted people dressed like pirates or perhaps smugglers, walking through the streets with flaming torches. It is part of the Sussex tradition of fireworks which culminate on Guy Fawkes night in Lewes. It is to celebrate the foiling of the gunpowder plot of 1605, and also the burning of protestant martyrs who were burned at the stake between 1555-57 on Lewes High Street. Nothing like a bit of grudge bearing.  We followed the crowds down to the seafront towards Seaford Head and after a bit of sitting about in the wind, there was an enormous bonfire. The bonfire itself seemed to...

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...

So a certain Beatles tune had a lot of resonance this birthday morning, but Lorraine said she would still love me. I got up and fed the cats and brought us some green teas. Opened my laptop, and clicked a link that mum had sent and saw an orchestra of bears playing Happy Birthday. Lorraine gave me a present of a Keith A Pettit print, and some stem ginger.  A few cards, one with £20 in it from Pat and Maureen, signed Mum and Dad,  but a humblingly large amount of messages, calls and texts from friends and family. Thanking my lucky stars that I didn't have to waste today working. Even my Godbairns texted me.  Season 4 of the Planet Poetry podcast began today, with my interview with Ian McMillan . When Robin and I started it, it was almost an experiment. Now it's a thing, as they say. Now the lounge is painted, Lorraine and I played games of dragging the furniture into different places, as well as fixing curtain rails and rehanging curtains and so on. Amanda now busy paintin...

My lovely Lorraine's birthday. I brought her tea in bed and quite a few cards and an ecard from Mum -- and a couple of pressies from me, a print by Charlie Mackesy and a book about food cultures. A cheery start to the day, Beth calling first thing, and Pat and Maureen called to sing happy birthday. After looking around at the garden, we mooched off into Seaford and bought a few bits, like flavoursome water kaffir from a stand, where Lorraine talked fermentation with the stand holder. Then into the supermarket to pick up some salty snacks for the afternoon. Luckily it soon became sunny as Anton, Dawn, and Rosie and Innis came round to celebrate. Anton bearing orchids, and Dawn bringing a chaenomeles and a cake. Innis and Rosie brought a marvellous flan a little greenhouse tin, and heart shaped plant labels, beautiful twine and a book about things to do in east sussex.  A clear theme. We sat in the back garden in the sun on our new garden furniture, having a drink and eating buffet s...

My birthday. First thing I saw was an ecard from Mum and Mas, involving a cute cat. Then our own cute cats... Lorraine brought me not one but two cups of tea in bed. Feeling a bit ancient this morning. Lorraine began discussing wills, as we had been talking about them for a while. Nine days from Seaford now. The countdown continues apace. Pat still coughing, and Maureen and Lorraine coughing now too. They all tested for covid but nobody was positive. Cards from Lorraine, and Pat and Maureen -- a recorded piano and voice rendition of Happy birthday from Robin and Nick, and from Dawn and Paul who had Maureen's address plus messages from Toby and Romy and Betty and James and Sam and Jade plus dozens of kind and lovely messages from friends during the day. A recording session with Robin at 10:30 this morning, which was fun. Lorraine made me a delicious sourdough bacon and egg sandwich. I spoke to Mum, and Anton. As did Bob, however this was during the big excitement of the day. The dra...

An enjoyable birthday, not overburdened by the usual existential crises. A busy day. Breakfast with Lorraine, and then an early morning coffee with Beth and Sam who got up too. Gifts of high-quality socks too from Beth, and Sam and Pat and Maureen. Lorraine is going to buy me a camera, and I am going to consult with Innis on a good one to get. I love taking snaps, and it would be nice to have an excellent camera.  Messages from Toby and a beautiful e-card from Mum. Maureen and Dawn both phoned me to sing happy birthday, and facebook full of nice messages too. A lovely text from Rosie. I took delivery of a box from Fortnum, which contained a small library of beers from Catherine and Tanya. Also a poem and a St. Martin's parish an old magazine on memories the Occupation from Richard and Jane.  In the evening after Lorraine had returned home with a birthday carrot cake with a candle, and I had put on some high quality socks, Sam, Lorraine and I drove down to the Shahi, where we m...

My actual birthday. Sixty blinking one. This one however not at all traumatic. Lorraine gave me another pressie, which was Steve Howe's autobiography -- which certainly reveals, ah-hem, a lot about his personality and guitar geek side. Also a Molesworth book from Richard and Jane in Guernsey, and a card warning me against the evils of drink from Pat and Maureen. The outside world somewhat grey and dour.  A bracing lunchtime walk however, after eating a cheese and tomato toastie which I snapped and sent to Beth. Dozens of lovely messages from people on Facebook, email and so on. Maureen and Pat phoned this morning, as did Anton and Katie. Lorraine home early today, which was nice. A very pleasant day, after a cheery birthday weekend. Below a snap from the wall of the hill fort looking slightly southwest in gorgeous black and white.    

A cup of tea brought to me in bed by my lovely wifey this morning, before we surged up and at the day.  I am enjoying this extended birthday weekend immensely. Lorraine cooked a roast dinner par excellence, with me as sous chef. In the afternoon Beth and James come around, brandishing pressies and bottles of nice wine, and so did Innis and Rosie.  Rosie and I have come to share our celebration being born a day (and many years) apart.  A fun afternoon, a little bit like Christmas, with Rosie and I opening pressies. Innis and Rosie got me a gorgeous little collage with a human body and a cat's head.  Beth and James got me a toasty maker! As when Beth moved away she naturally took her toasty maker with her. Very pleased with this. Rosie got a bottle of gin that is like a snow globe with bits of edible gold in it, and a little light underneath it. Lorraine and I gave her the lovely cross stitch Lorraine had made, with a little butterfly in it and the name Rosie and two O...

Set off this morning in the car, Lorraine driving us to Elstree where we met Mum and Mas, to celebrate Mason's 86th birthday. Our rendezvous was the Waggon and Horses, where we sat outside again. The weather was good, fortunately, and chatted in a good socially distanced way. I am kicking myself that I did not take any photos however, as we were too busy chatting. The people who run the pub are really friendly, and the same woman was there who helped us last time. She is super friendly and helpful. Lorraine and Mas had some big sandwiches and mum had a vegan stew and rice, and I had a cheeky chicken burger and fries. Mas in good spirits, and telling Lorraine about the early days of movies in Hollywood. The lady in the pub brought Mas a bowl of various ice creams with a candle in it too, which he enjoyed. Lovely to be able to hang out again, after lockdown. Sad to say goodbye, and start the drive home. Although I did not photograph Mum and Mas on his birthday, I did  get the c...

A truly excellent birthday today. Tea and breakfast in bed, and a slow start. Many birthday messages coming to me from lots of folks, including Tobs and Mum. At no point did I feel like screaming sixty! at myself repeatedly in a mirror. It is, like all these so called big birthdays, much better to be it than be on the cusp of it. Maureen sent me a huge and slightly tormenting badge with 60 on it and phoned to wish me a happy birthday. It was however raining steadily all day, so Lorraine had planned a short walk in the country but we biffed that, and went onto phase two, which was afternoon tea at the elegant (if David Lynch sounding)  South Lodge , which was like a tasting menu of lovely but bad things, gorgeous little sandwiches and patisserie and scones and all the tea you could drink. It was lovely stuff and a hold onto your hat sugar rush. A short regroup at home, and then Dawn came to collect Beth, Lorraine and I off to the Bottom's Rest for thali dishes and several beers...

A cup of tea in bed and some birthday cards and pressies. I got a signed hardback copy of The Spy and the Traitor by Ben MacIntyre, and a shirt, from Anton and the Bairns and another book Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss from Dawn. Lorraine said that what she'd got was too complicated for first thing. Getting ready for my glass class, and Maureen phoned me, the first of many messages from all kinds of people during the day.  All very friendly at the class, and Yvonne even gave me a card.  I really enjoyed the class, and am at last beginning to speed up a bit. Afterwards I was bought a blueberry muffin by Adele, and a coffee by Chris, and hung out with them and Mick and Yvonne in the cafe. Then we all went our separate ways, and it hit me then that I had no obligations, so took a walk along the seafront. The tide was up and the sea was rough. The rough sea always makes me cheerful. Caught a bus to the bottom of Preston Park and I went to the cafe there for a falafel panini read ...

My birthday. Lorraine gave me a book on stained glass, and is going to send me on a stained glass window course, which will be wonderful as I love them and have often talked about this, without actually doing anything about it. Now I shall do something about it. Dozens of messages today wishing me a happy birthday, most of them through Facebook, but e-cards and, actual cards from Janet and Ken, and Maureen and Pat, and emails and so on, calls from Mum and Beth. Felt very touched by these, and the affection they represented. And for my business conundrums, everything fell perfectly into place. The folks in Paddington did want me after all. This was reassuring as I was beginning to think I had completely misinterpreted everything. Plus they are happy for me to start once I have sorted out the work I need to do for my French clients. All in all, it couldn't have worked out better. Heard people discussing The diary of Adrian Mole on the radio the other day, which is a bit Pooteri...

An unusually happy birthday. Lorraine brought me tea, and banana porridge in bed, as I got happy birthday texts from my godbairns and Anton. Lorraine bought me an art piece by Nikki Ward I'd admired earlier, a box containing a matchbox, exploding with paper butterflies. A very poetical thing, as well as cards from Mum and Mas, and Pat and Maureen. Off up to the smoke, to a cafe called Bad Bean (a silent place where three or four people drank coffee and stared at their macs. One went off in a huff when Paul and I started an exploratory chat about his business. It's a potentially very interesting and different project.  I liked Paul too. I got an unexpectedly large stream of well wishers contacting me all day via facebook, which was unexpected, as well as calls with Mum, Janet and the more unusually, the French Bloke too. Back to Clapham, and after they had ineptly tested their emergency procedures, and people left the platform I was on, back easily to Brighton.  Arrived ...

Lorraine's birthday. I was unable to spring up and make her an early breakfast and tea as planned as my leg was locked in spasm. Instead Lorraine had to bring me an icepack, tea and breakfast before she went off to work. One of her schools had an ofsted inspection, which meant she did not arrive home till late either.   As my bones don't seem to be broken I couldn't face the prospect of spending hours in outpatients. Talking to Lorraine about it this evening, all the symptoms (and the sort of popping as I fell) are consistent with a muscle tear. The muscles have locked up. And the treatment is ice and bedrest for the first couple of days. I slept too as I'd not slept the night before.  Luckily Beth was at home for some of the day, and brought me teas and icepacks, fetched Lorraine's present from town (a nice tan leather bag) which had finally been delivered and generally looked after me. Luckily I am a good hobbler. I had planned to get up to London to see Mu...

My birthday started rather hungover. My lovely wife however brought me tea and presents in bed. Including two cardigans. I love cardigans and wore one obsessively in my twenties. Naturally the trendy irony of sporting a cardie in your twenties has eroded with the years. Lorraine yelped with laughter and said Hello Granddad to me when I wore one. However they look very smart and are currently quite trendy, like the big bushy beards sported by hipsters everywhere. Everyone's a Granddad now. Lorraine also got me the new Murukami novel, which is splendid, and a poster of Tales from Topographic Oceans by Roger Dean, which will have pride of place in my new study when I am in there. Beth got me a large cup, a special request, and a pair of Chelsea socks. Then more interminable house stuff, reading the survey of the new house, which seems pretty sound. Off out and collected by Dawn and driven off to Stanmer House where we met Rosie, Emily and Tim, and Emily and Tim's twin three y...

An uncommon amount of presents and cards. In bed with Lorraine this morning opening my presents almost as soon as I could open my eyes, which included a decanter so that L and I can return home in the manner of Frasier and Niles Crane and help ourselves to a sherry, a bottle of sherry and sherry glasses, and the boxed set of The Wire TV series. Lorraine then cooked me a substantial and delicious breakfast to set us up for the day. We devoted time to discussing wedding stuff, talking about music during the wedding and so on. Betty arrived home for the weekend after teaching in Shana's stage school in the morning and gave me a lovely card and a book of poems. Then off into town where we encountered First Matie, loitering outside a shop in the North Laine who had come to Brighton for a birthday surprise.  Kate got me one of those Moleskine notebooks I love. We repaired to the Eagle where we were going to meet Anton and the Bairns for food but it was too busy, as was the ...

Lorraine's birthday. Big kiss and cuddle for L this morning, and up early to feed the rampaging cats and make tea, before Lorraine after opening various cards and pressies made off to work.  I spent the morning slightly disappointingly wading through a backlog of email and admin. Come lunchtime I felt a bit jaded, having had a terrible night's sleep. Had tom yum soup for lunch, and while slurping it down watched a TV documentary about rockpools made my Richard Fortey who wrote a book about Trilobites I had rather enjoyed. Off into the outside world, walking down London Road, which was being its usual conduit of all that's wretched, before strolling about in the North Laine. Also into Churchill Square to buy a species of Nerf blaster gun for Oskar, while talking to Anton on the phone. Also bought Lorriane a present connected to her new craze of embroidery. Lorraine got home in good time and we made off into Brighton again, she signed on to another season with Hullabal...