under another sun

Lorraine up at six again, and brought up some tea and porridge which we ate together in the bedroom. I got up and soon heard Dawn, who had let herself in in the middle of the night, as her plane back from Rome was delayed. She then left for work, and we arranged to meet up at school on Friday as Dawn and I are going to do another more able children session. Nothing through from the agency, which was fab. I was able instead to work on the play and tweak some poems plus a few other admin bits. Felt more relaxed and cheerful this Monday than I have done for several months of Mondays. I worked happily all day, apart from a walk down to the pier to get a breath of air. Bumped into Di briefly who told me off about not selecting an Adrian photo yet. A grey day, and nothing much happening down at the pier, but I felt free and happy nevertheless. Listening to an audiobook Joni Mitchell in her own Words , which is interesting. I've always thought Joni was the bee's knees and her lyri...

Applied desk manacles at eight and pressed on. Working more today with my other UK based new client, who was cheery and very good at his job, which was a refreshing change. A few calls during the day,  and started third piece of work for my old chum Keith. Beth and Lorraine enjoying themselves and cooking up a storm. Tonight was a delicious pork and beans combo derived from a Jamie cookbook. Lipsmackingly good it was too, like a spicy chilli and tomato beanjar with black-eyed beans. Finally unshackled, I stole away to the park for some air and exercise. Another business call which chilled my hand somewhat as I had to take my gloves off. Temperature dropping again, and lurking around zero tonight. Gazed fondly on the snowdrops as I sloped by. I have a deep longing for Spring. Spoke to Mum, who had her pal Diane around and Mum was taking photographs of her for a dating website. A process which involved quaffing fizzy wine. Mas now off on his business trip. Waiting for a ...

After Quorn sausage and fried onion sandwich for brunch then off to see Adrian and Diane who were having 'a drawer sale' on behalf of Macmillan Cancer, i.e. work that had been in his plan chest drawers. We were able to buy prints of Adrian's amazing seascapes at a bargain price. And we bought two, and had coffee and chatted, listening to Adrian's jukebox. Then into Brighton for a bit of non-nosebleed-inducing shopping after which, we walked down to the seafront, wandering into Jack & Linda Mills' prize-winning Brighton Smokehouse, where we bought locally caught kippers served piping hot in a bread roll. Simple and delicious eaten looking out to sea on Brighton Beach. Home for an evening of lounging. Watched the recent Prometheus movie on TV, and really enjoyed it. I wasn't expecting too much, having heard the disappointment of Alien fanatics. Wish I'd seen it in the cinema now. Lots to enjoy and some genuinely horrible moments. Less single minded th...

Hail and hearty Buzzing around town today. Beautiful blue skied day after the morning rain stopped, interrupted by hail from a single humongous cloud. Had a long chat with Sophie. Into Resident Records to discuss them taking CDs (unlikely I'd say) got my specs fixed after I squished them carrying in boxes of CDs the other day, then met Dipak for coffee in the Marwood to discuss music in a sagacious fashion. Heard some of the new material he and Richard and working on, and it sounded amazing. Then off to see Di and Adrian for a cup of tea and give them two CDs as Adrian photographed Matt I and the musicians, then off to Simon Scardanelli to give him a couple of samples. Thanks to Adam Bushell the PA is all sorted for the concert. Things are taking shape, now I just hope some folks show up for it. Otherwise we're going to look a bit sheepish. Heard from the French Bloke this evening. Turns out they won the eyeball pitch I worked on with Keith at the beginning of the month. Nice o...

Moving the big things Up early, with Calliope noisily exporing her new environs of the bedroom. Lorraine and I back blearily early to the Twitten. Cath and Dawn very kindly arrived to help. Then Steve and Lance, the 'nice man big van' guys sparked ant-like ferrying along the twitten, past the talkative man waiting for his drugs, and into the back of the big van. Dawn seemingly able to carry her own bodyweight. Beyond, the centre of town unnusually lively around the station with Brighton football supporters, who played their first league game in their new ground up at Falmer. At the end, Lorraine reminded me to lock the back door of my house, and I walked in again, noticing my footfalls echoing, and I felt a moment's contentment. I've had a great time at that house, but I am ready and very happy to move in with Lorraine. I left the aquarium there to be collected in a day or so. At The Old Church Hall, a mere five minutes away, Betty and Mark were ready with te...

Ho-hum Rain tumbling from the gloomy Monday sky. Another twitchy morning in The Summer Suck, and between twitching I sorted out posters and flyers for Pack of 3 . Learned next week's work in London is not now happening. I am going through a streak of this kind of thing. But this is good news as I can bring my house move forward by a week, which will banish this limboish feeling. Once this is done I have to seriously focus on generating doubloons, as I can see the wooden bases of the Kenny offers. Visited Di and Adrian to talk to them about the photos I need, and discuss many and several topics. Talked to Lorraine who has the tired/cold lurgy, and I had little cheer to bring her. Worked till 11:30pm tweaking the CD cover. Design and art direction is a thief of time, you can be working away quite happily and realise that three hours have gone. Below between rain had a quick walk down by the sea. Hard to credit this is July. And one of Mum's new cat heads. We had a long chat this...

Barbecue of beers Lots of admin this morning. Fairly satisfying to biff through things, including working out at last how to send email from peterkenny.co.uk, which involved a week of helpdesk emails. Met Mark for coffee to discuss the Marlborough theatre dates at the end of Tuesday. Mark's pirate idea sounds very funny. Discussed Betty the Spacegirl too, and talked about the branding for the show. Both came out in a happy place. In the afternoon off to Di and Adrian Turner's studio to discuss the photoshoot next Tuesday. Adrian is going to mooch about during the rehearsal and snap candid shots of us. Always enjoy popping into see them, Adrian printing off prints of his beautiful seascapes as we were talking. Really looking forward to having a proper photographer work on the project. To the Marlborough Theatre to drop off an envelope, before repairing to the inevitable Basketmakers. There had been a planned barbecue, but the unreliable weather put the kibosh on it, so we all w...

A Beacon Up early thanks to Calliope. Felt run down, blocked up, and with a persistent sicky headache. Did however have another cracking hour or so on poems, which I am so pleased about I don't really want to say more in case I hex myself. Also pushed on slowly and surely with Betty the Spacegirl and have agreed with Di and Adrian Turner to take some photos of us for the CD - which is spendid as Adrian is a top photographer. Phoned The Sussex Beacon who Matt and I want to give a proportion of the earnings from the CD to. Not only is this good karma for the project, but it is also the place where my friend Tim Gallagher found some real respite in his last months. Spoke to Mum who was 'working on her head', another cat head as it transpires. Also to Matt to discuss various business things. The Barbarie's email newsletter, Barb Wire, mentions Defenders of Guernsey which is rather nice. In the evening off to Lorraine's house where we popped around the corner to pi...

Raining poets in London Sleeping-pill assisted sleep made me feel much improved today, although still unaccountably edgy. But cut through things quickly, sent copies of Defenders off to an agent and to Shaun Shackleton at the Guernsey Press. Also contacted The Sussex Beacon about the CD project, went to see Adrian and Diane about photographs, taking in dozens of spangly high heels Adrain is shooting. Was made a lovely cup of coffee and had a nice chat with both. Off to London, plans changing at the last moment so took myself amid torrential rain to the poetry library in The Royal Festial Hall. Had a strange sequence of coincidences all relating to people I knew really well in the early 90s. Wandered over at random to pick up a copy of Acumen and it fell open at a poem by Rhona McAdam, an old friend. Next magazine I picked up it fell open at a review of the excellent iTuplips by Mario Petrucci, another old friend. Wandered aimlessly along the shelves and Tim Gallagher's Narcissus G...

Penny drop Finished the poem I am going to read at Ken's 80 th birthday party, I am rather pleased with it and I hope he likes it. Then crept off to the gym again but only briefly. Returned to do an hour or two of French press ad work while before putting my long coat and hat on to go out and meet Di Turner for a coffee. I don't know what it is about her, but she seems to spark off penny drop moments every other time we meet up. We pushed off to a teashop in New Road and sat in what has become our usual table by the window. Diane helped me realise three things. First was that I needed to separate my identities as Peter Kenny poet, librettist, all purpose airy literary fop from my hard-nosed business side. At the moment I am presenting myself as a hybrid, which makes me seem a bit of a dilettante to business types, while the arty types have no interest in how I make money at all. This results in me watering down both sides to meet uneasily in the middle. Second was in talking t...

Framed In the afternoon I went to visit Adrian and Di Turner at their studio, and saw some excellent portrait work Adrian had been shooting. Di and I went for a coffee afterwards at what is becoming our usual place. They are preparing to go to Arles for the photography festival where Adrian has a show. I gave them a copy of A Guernsey Double as something Di had said to me in the cafe a few months ago had informed my poem The Little Chapel . Adrian's work looks spiffy here . His seascapes are simply fantastic, and these are what they are showing in Arles.

A turn with the Turners Working on my French tourism work for the bulk of the day. Managed to sneak off for an hour and a half walk by the sea in the middle of the day. Brightness and fresh air work wonders. In the afternoon called around to see Diane and Adrian Turner at their studio. Had a nice coffee with Diane in Cream Tea in New Street, Diane's new favourite haunt for meeting and thinking. Good cakes apparently, and the young woman working there had a slightly floury apron which is always good to see. A nice wide ranging chat with Diane, and then back to the studio where I peered over Adrian's shoulder at many photos on his giant screen, including some excellent ones he took as a young boy in Paris. He always wanted to be a photographer. You'll find some examples here . Diane pressed a copy of The seven habits of highly effective people on me as I left. I had a quiet night in, and Lorraine came around to be fed and sleep on the sofa in front of the TV. All well. Below...