under another sun

Lorraine and I had much careful discussion of houses, and have resolved to put an offer in on Monday. This a big decision. Beth in a lively mood at breakfast, and two of her pals Kayleigh and Becky slept over too, Kayleigh needing an icepack for her knee after a falling over during the evening. They all left early, and left Lorraine and I with the novelty of being on our own. A gorgeous day, and we went for a short stroll down to the Levels, past the soft smack of skateboarders hitting the ground, and along the planted gardens, past the Pavilion to the sea where thousands basked happily on the pebbles. A quiet evening. I am slowly feeling more human after a real health nadir. Lorraine cooked lovely food. She has also lost nine kilograms, there is definitely less of my wife than there was. Ominously, she made a graph for me too. I am nowhere near my heaviest but it would be good to lose weight - especially as drinking seems to be out of the question for a while. For none of those ...

Off in the evening to see Avenue Q at the Theatre Royal in Brighton. Weirdly I can't ever remember going to this theatre. Nice old place, and Avenue Q (which L and I went to swept up by Betty, and her pals Kayleigh, Amy and Becky) was a fun show. We'd all arrived in a big taxi (being cheaper than a bus fare) in remorseless bank holiday rain. A music with big puppets and adult content. The girls all liked it thoroughly (I think they'd all seen it before) and Lorraine and I enjoyed it too, particularly liking the Bad Idea Bears, two bears which cropped up every now suggesting characters play drinking games during the show. Below the Bad Idea Bears.

My recent interest in paleoanthropology is producing strange dreams. Woke up this morning after dreaming of myself as some kind of cave man. I was able to see my face which was mine, but more primitive somehow. Could see it clearly as I woke up. Broke off from working to wash gravel and add it to the tank. Suddenly feeling quite holidayish. Betty and her pal Kayleigh popped in while I did this, and it was good to talk to them. Kayleigh has just taken her exam to be a dance teacher. After work, off to meet Matt in the Shakey's Head for an overdue catch up. Matt recovering from a cold and has longer hair than I've seen him with. I think composers should have long hair, especially if they conduct their own work. Our plans for this year are fairly modest, due to an absence of funding and time, but that doesn't stop us assembling new material. However there will be a concert of Matt's new choir in June who will do some of our work, and po...

Slugs and a lightbulb moment A sluggish start to the week. I woke up having slept the sleep of the dead. Neither Lorraine nor I felt the need to spring from bed. Lorriane on half term, but is spending the days preparing for the interview at the end of the week. I gradually felt more energetic as the day progressed. Popped out to buy a pressie and card and a wee rose which I hid out the back for Lorraine on Valentine's day tomorrow. Beth spent much of the day with Kayleigh and they went to see War Horse, which they both liked. I met Matt this evening briefly where we had a postmortem of the gig and then a rather brilliant idea for what we think may be a ten minute choir piece to be sung outside in Churchill Square during the festival. Both rather buoyed by this. Matt generally upbeat and full of drive. Matt off home, and I went home and waited with Lorraine, for Beth and Kayleigh to return before going for a meal in the Shahi. Cheery evening, and good fun.

A night with the Kyngs Lorraine up to Kingston on a trip with Beth and Rosie to do some shopping. I however was feeling a little coldy so took the opportunity to lie low watching football and having a Larry Sanders fest. I have not almost viewed the whole thing, and I really like it. In the evening off to see The Sumerian Kyngs at a boozer called The Horse and Groom. As Brighton's leading proponents of psychedelic swamp groove they did their thing with great aplomb. An enjoyable night, and some folks dancing. Odd juxtaposition of traditional boozer with exploratory, free form music. One thing I did notice however was the smell of sweat. It is quite a while since I went somewhere where there was uninhibited dancing, and in those days the cigarette smell masked everything. I think I prefered the cigarettes. Wandered home afterwards to find Lorraine, with Beth and Kayleigh sipping win and chatting. Very nice to see Betty again and Kayleigh too. Below a few snaps of the Kyngs, who inc...

Party time So today zooming about getting ready for a large party to celebrate Betty's 20th birthday and me and Lorraine living together. Lorraine off to get an astonishingly red hair cut n' colour which everyone agreed was rather smart. Then Betty, Lorraine and I going off to buy quantities of boozes and food in supermarkets, blow up ballons, prepare food and move furniture about. Very tired all day but a shower and a stiff drink worked wonders. Max, The French Bloke and their cherubic children Tahlia, Zemirah and Elijah arrived an hour and a half early, which effectively started the party with the children zooming about. Betty upstairs glamming herself up with two of her pals, watched awe-struck by young Tahlia and Zemirah. Another pal Linda arrived somewhat before the party started already drunk and slightly chaotic. Then lots of guests, First Matie and Matty Boy, The Shakespeare Trio who gave us a bit of a tune accompanied by Steve Cartwright on banjo, Claudius, Matt and Wa...

Recharging Felt a good deal brighter this morning, although my ankle is griping after the gym session. Really laid back morning, having a slow breakfast with Lorraine, and then we went food shopping. I enjoy shopping with Lorraine. Then home to chat to Beth and Kayleigh who'd stayed overnight. Beth back to college this afternoon so we four had a large Sunday lunch. It had been really nice to see her. After she left, Lorraine and I spent the evening on the sofa reading. I am thumbing through 'Just Kids' an autobiographical book by Patti Smith talking about her relationship with Robert Maplethorpe. I am really enjoying it, despite not really knowing either artist's work paticularly well.

Cider in the country Up early this morning and wrote a new poem in about two minutes, and it is good. Experience tells you of course, that you have to let these things settle for a while. But I have never written a poem so fast. It is called Predator and left me feeling on a bit of a high during the day. In the late afternoon off to Beth's pal Kayleigh's 21st birthday party, swerving by Mark's place to collect him and Richard and Glenda. Off into the countryside, driving along narrow roads with dozens of rabbits in the verges. Pleasant garden party with a barbecue, lots of nice people with singing interludes from Mark, who wrote a song for Kayleigh with a hangover this very morning, and other performances from Betty, Amy, Jo and others. All rather good fun. I mainly drank cider with Richard and Glenda and other guests, and waxed exceedingly loquatious until shepherded into the car by Lorraine. Richard and Glenda singing Strangers in the Night in the back as the entirely s...