under another sun

Another busy seeming day. Up and off to drawing class in the morning. Our model today was a woman from Mumbai. Adele and I were chatting in the break about how much more fun it felt to draw people who aren't skinny and perfect looking. My own drawings all curates eggs, but I did do one in the two minute poses at the beginning that I quite liked. We always start with these quick poses and I inevitably make a hash of them. Then home, a bit of faffing about, then it was time for the Understory. However as Robin sent me the podcast at exactly the same moment as the Understory session started. My manners were terrible for my fellow poets, I was eating noodles, had prepared nothing and had to make my excuses after an hour. To do some editing and blurb writing. We managed to get the podcast, featuring Robin's interview with Erica McAlpine. The second I'd finished this, a quick change and into the car with Robin. We drove to Crawley where there was a presentation and a bit of a par...

The Frogmore Papers arrived today, with my horror story in it The Dream Home . Lots of time wasted struggling to get a speaker working, trying to connect it to the wifi and so on. Galling when it has worked perfectly until recently. A hot day. In afternoon Lorraine and I went into town and I collected my new glasses from Specsavers. One of the pairs looks a bit Harry Potterish. Then Lorraine bought me a much needed new pair of shoes as an early birthday present, and found a pair for herself that fitted the shoe rules. We passed a cafe that had little cannoli in it and we bought three, one of which was a lobster's tail. A message from Val in Paris needing some urgent help. Then we mooched down to the seaside and sat on a bench in Hove looking out to sea. It was high tide. The Labour Party Conference is being held in Brighton, and there was a gathering of Labour politicos listening to amplified speakers talking mainly about climate change, and how this was woven into the strugg...

Up fairly early for a Saturday morning. Lorraine off to the gym, but dropped me off at the hospital, where I met Janet, and we went in together for an appointment she was having. She needed a CT scan and some blood tests, but it all turned into a Kafka/Samuel Beckett/Orwell style of nightmare and we were only done six and a half hours later. Most of the time was spent in waiting rooms, waiting for information that never came. We chatted lots, and I was pleased I could help Janet a little bit through this ordeal. It gave me a sort of business idea about waiting rooms which might be useful. Very stressful business for Janet. Ken was being looked after by a carer, but we were hours later than expected, so luckily Hus had been phoned and had gone around to look after Ken. We caught a cab back from the hospital, and I left the taxi in time to join Lorraine, Lynn and Malcolm who were in Riddle & Finns eating various sea creatures. We had a really cheerful evening, which I was ready for...

Oddly fragile and demotivated this morning. I blame Anton. I made myself a cup of tea and poured myself a glass of water in the kitchen this morning. As they were side by side, I added milk to the water, which I took as a bad sign. I'm not sure of what it was, exactly. I worked a little on the play, and was phoned by the agency to give a short amount of time to considering an client idea that even the dogs in the street could see was a wrong 'un. Meanwhile various friends have been doing highly interesting things. Richard Gibson is out in Kavala with Glen and Eleni in yet another manifestation of the Shakespeare Heptet. I saw this link to a local TV appearance . I love the bit where Richard starts talking and overdubbed Greek emerges.  Meanwhile Jane's been at her Royal impersonations again as you can see here . I read an excellent essay by David Foster Wallace here , a humorous account of a seven day Caribbean cruise, which I heard being discussed on R4's A Good...

A few more freelance bits, and I worked on poems in hot knife through butter mode. Feeling better 'in myself' as they say than I have for some time. Vile rain this morning, which made me feel even happier as I was working from home.  Eventually into the windy wetness to saunter over to Janet and Ken, and to drop off a document and pause for some Janet's pistachio balls and a cup of tea. Learned that part of Ken's fitness regime is being made to walk to the shop if he wants fags, which I found rather funny. Otherwise both in pretty good spirits. From there to The Good Companions where I met Anton for a swift drink, and to use his magic card that he was given there once which entitles him to cheaper drinks. Amazing. Hearing about his plans for when Mari comes over, which he is clearly looking forward to lots. Then I walked down to The Shahi to meet Lorraine, and Malcolm and Lynn for a curry. Enjoyed the evening, and they were asking about the great Chad adventure in ...

More hobbling today, curse it. Worked hard on my assorted projects all day - if I can't walk much at least I can manacle myself to the desk. Focusing more on the business side of the blogging today, with some success. Aim to keep this going. Managed, however, to hobble down to The Shahi with Lorraine to meet Malcolm and Lynn, who were waiting for us there for a pleasant night. Interesting to hear from Malcolm about his cartooning, which he is doing lots now, and quite successfully. Meanwhile learned from Lynn about her family's propensity to spring out of wardrobes at each other. One of her sons has taken to stealthily filming himself springing out on his mother too. Malcolm drove us back up the hill, which proved rather embarrassing as we were circling the streets for about for 20 mins trying to find a parking space. In for a hot drink, before our guests left and we opted for bed and painkillers.

Some good and steady work this morning, and at two o'clock met Catherine for a late lunch and a couple of beers to celebrate her finishing her PhD thesis. I am keen to hear about people finishing things at the moment, but Catherine she said she felt strangely bereft after working on it for so long. Had a decent plate of fish and chips and a couple of pints of Lanes best before I swapped to mineral water. Wide ranging conversation with Catherine, who I admire immensely. She is an amazing source of information about Victorian literature and history. Also good to hear her perspective as a publisher. I always feel I learn lots when I talk to her. Grabbed a bus home feeling suddenly under the weather, but rallied enough to enjoy more knife and forkwork with Lynne and Malcolm who had joined us this evening for a cheeky curry at the Shahi. An ofstead inspection at Lynne's school finished this afternoon, which Lorraine was involved with too: so a high high pressure day for both. N...