under another sun

Lorraine opened the door to see a Spiderman car with a man at the wheel dressed head to toe in a Spiderman costume. Lorraine called out for me to come and look. Very odd when he looked over at us, with his big Spiderman eyes. He told Lorraine that he was your friendly local Spiderman, and after a while drove off in his noisily powerful car.  We drove off less spectacularly to collect Pat and Maureen and went to the Tiger Inn at nearby East Dean. There we met Ken and Claire, over from Ireland, with their three Great Danes. A nice afternoon in the sun, chatting and having lunch, and soft drinks and puddings and so on. The dogs spent most of the time in the huge air conditioned van, but when out caused quite a stir. It was a complex modern ballet piece, for two people and three Great Danes, with their leads being skilfully being handed between Ken and Claire as the dogs tangled around them.  I let them smell my hand, and they seemed very benign. Not the greatest dog fan of course...

Up this morning and had coffee and breakfast with Claudia and Jonas. I think they've enjoyed picking tomatoes to have on their toast in the morning. We took them to the bus stop, and waited with them till they boarded the bus to begin their long journey home. I am very fond of them, and enjoy having them at Kenny Towers. Lorraine loves having time with them of course too, so lots of hugs as we released them back into the wild. A touch of Autumnal coolness at the bus stop. It was Pat and Maureen's 69th wedding anniversary today, so late this afternoon Lorraine cooked them dinner at their house, after having spent some time on pottery. Maureen didn't want a big fuss made, the visit to the Boot the other day being lots to deal with. Enjoyed a quiet day, as my batteries needed a recharge. Worked on a poem a little, then read some more of The Go Between by L.P. Hartley, as recommended by the Anton & Camino book club. I love it so far. Also watched highlights of Chelsea's...

Up reasonably early, at my desk for a short while before making breakfast. Spoke to Mum and this morning, who was going to see Robert. Chatted with Anton who was taking it fairly easy I was pleased to hear.  Pat's birthday today. Lorraine's uncle Steve having arrived at our place, Jonas and I went to collect Pat and Maureen and get them across to the Boot in the wheelchairs. I had to double back to fetch Maureen's hearing aid. Meanwhile Lorraine, Claudia, Beth, James, Enzo, and Delores and her granddaughter Azaria gathered in place. Plus there was a cake and the big balloons, one a heart, the other with nine, and the other with a three for Patrick's 93rd birthday. We all strapped on a preordered nosebag, and Lorraine phoned Sam and we sang happy birthday to him too. Enzo teething and not at his best today, and Beth and James took him home to give him some pain treatment. Otherwise a cheery gathering. I enjoyed chatting to Azaria, a bright girl who likes writing but had ...

Enzo this morning, then with Enzo, Lorraine and I went around to Pat and Maureen's where Handy Kate was going to do some work in their flat. Lorraine drove Pat and Maureen home, and I pushed the wee boy home. On the way back I saw that Melissa was doing her art installation from her window, so we stopped to see her. Enzo being shy. Melissa sitting by a sign she'd made saying The Department of Boundaries is now closed.  As were chatting a woman, with some kind of special needs came by and started going through her tray of things. I couldn't stay long as I we had to get back. A day of looking after folks, playing with Enzo, making Pat and Maureen teas and so on. I did have a little time to think here and there.  We took Pat and Maureen back, and spent an hour or so settling Pat down, as he'd had a toilet accident. The love and care Maureen and Lorraine give him is heartwarming.  Was able to call Mum too, to confirm I'm coming up tomorrow. Home and I cooked a curry fo...

A chilled day with Toby. Up and chilling in the back garden with coffee and breakfast. Then after Lorraine left for Pat and Maureen's place, Toby and I got ourselves together for a walk, down to the sea where we found Lorraine and Delores pushing Pat and Maureen.   I tormented Maureen by pushing her too fast and in tight circles, etc. on the way to the Sailing Club. She told me she had swapped one of her anxiety pills recently, and it hadn't agreed with her, making her feel sick as well as sad. Lorraine had already been in touch with the surgery this morning. Pat sporting an excellent sunhat sad little of course, but was enjoying being with people and sitting in the sun. Some of us had little baskets of scampi and fries, while others ate sandwiches, and drank some shandy. We pushed them back, Toby and Delores talking lots, she was keen to learn about Toby living next to a mass murderer in Sacramento. Delores also started a Substack, writing a very authentic piece about stopping...

Up early doors, and multitasking, doing laundry, preparing breakfast, carrying the oversized chair from my study down to the studio, while getting dogs abuse from the gulls. Looking at the absolutely bloody final poem from the full poetry collection and making some more final final tweaks. Lorraine off to Bolney to see her personal trainer.  Then spoke to Mum for a bit, before scampering to the bottom of the garden, where Rosie was bringing us some blankets. Rosie and Innis had hired a two men and a van who were dropping off furniture to Laura and Adrian from the back alley behind our house. I went to shoot the breeze with them, Innis and Rosie, and two of their neighbour friends.  The van also collected the bits of Rosie's Mum's furniture we had been storing. Rosie gave us a gorgeous chair and footstool which had been her mothers, and is exactly the right size for my study. Later, I sat on it and played a little guitar for the first time in ages, as it is perfect for that job...

Breakfast, and as Lorraine was drawing a little mind map of what we were planning for the day, an emergency call from Maureen. We zoomed around. The carers were already there, but Pat's urine bag had become detached from the overnight bag soaking the bedding, carpet and Maureen's sandals. She got very stressed about this and needed her spray a couple of times. However all was well after a bit, and we took the bedding home to wash, that the carers had stripped off the bed, and made teas and both were fine when we left. As we were already near the supermarket, we did a big shop in there, then home, to finish our coffees and plan the day. We made off to see a potter, who Lorraine was enthusing about, collecting Delores en route. The traffic was at standstill towards Newhaven due to a road traffic accident, so as the potter was having an open house tomorrow and next weekend so we cut our losses. Delores, Lorraine and I then walked to Gallery Uno, where Adele and Liza Morton were ha...

Up early again, and writing first thing. A gorgeous hot day. Sloped off to the gym where I finished listening to When You Are Engulfed In Flames another of collection of David Sedaris's stories. I enjoy his autobiographical anecdotes which seem polished to perfection. A man hogging the lat pull machine, who walked around the edge of the gym, before doing yet another set. I noticed, in a very Sedaris way, that he was bulky about the arms so I said nothing, even though that is the one machine that helps sort my back out.  Tried to arrange meeting up with Anton tomorrow, but he is unwell. Home, and a shower, off to Stratheden court with Lorraine, to pick up Pat and Maureen and meet Maxine and Simon just by Frankie's beach cafe.  Maureen rather critical of my wheelchair technique. Lovely to see Max and Simon again, and they were very affectionate with Maureen. Lorraine and Pat, sporting a nifty Spitfire cap, joined us shortly after and we had a quick drink then went for a saunter...

I got up early and joined drawingisfree.org to drawing people's faces in an online zoom call for the length of a song. Adele told me all about it and sent me the link. My drawings were a bit cartoon-like, but it was very good practice. The convener asks attendees to volunteer to sit, and there are dozens of attendees and people willingly agree. Up and then off to Stratheden Court, to collect Pat and Maureen and bring them round to ours for the day. Some logistics needed what with wheelchairs and walkers and so on, but fairly easily achieved. Maureen especially enjoying a change of scene. Beth came around with her little sunshine boy for a couple of hours, which delighted them. Pat was really smiling and happy to see hm.  Enzo with a bit of help is almost standing, and always on the verge of crawling. But he is so communicative and bright and is sung to so often, and is doing things like clapping at the right point in songs.  A delicious curry made by Lorraine, we took them hom...

A necessarily quiet day. We had to cry off from a night out at Sally and Marek's in Brighton tonight. Took Lorraine breakfast in bed, she is improved, though still in need of lots of rest. Wasn't worried about her like I was yesterday.  I spoke to Mum, who was off to meet Robert in the pub. Then I made off to see Pat and Maureen to take them some medications and a delivery of two summer blouses that had arrived at our place. Maureen full of dangerous ideas about panelling one of the walls in the living room, and she enlarged on her theory that Lorraine does too much, which is why she is ill.  Home after a short stroll by the greenish sea. Lorraine fed and watered, I did some writing for a substack post, and in the afternoon, popped out to buy tamari sauce for the stir fry I made later. Lorraine a tad brighter as the day wore on.  I finished reading The High Window , by Raymond Chandler, and we watched the last couple of episodes of Small Prophets , which was quirky and or...

Up fairly early, as there were things to be done. At my desk for a bit this morning, and speaking to Mum on Mother's Day. Then off to Pat and Maureen's place to trundle them in wheelchairs off to meet Delores in The Plough, where we had a table booked for a late lunch. I like pushing Maureen and begin most journeys by laughing malevolently and telling her that she's in my power. Lorraine got lovely messages and cards from Beth and -- remarkably -- even Enzo. We made it to the Plough, where they had forgotten that there were wheelchairs involved despite being told twice in advance. Found our place, and found Delores. Unfortunately the service was excruciatingly slow, so that our mains didn't arrive for an hour and forty minutes. I complained about this twice and ended up feeling very angry, I felt a bit bad about this afterwards, but Delores said it was exciting, which made me laugh. However otherwise we had a nice enough time. I won't be going back. The weather impr...

Up at seven, feeling like starting the week with a good dose of early morning writing. By springing out of bed, I woke Lorraine up. This was fortunate, as we immediately got a call from Maureen saying Pat was on the floor having slipped out of bed. We drove around, and popped him back in, and afterwards enjoyed a spell by the seaside, looking at the lovely colours of the early morning. Home again, and I got on with writing more of Kansas . The first draft is almost done, but the end still needs work. It comes in at about six thousand words. I also called Mum arranging to see her on Wednesday.  A walk this afternoon, unremarkable, but I was listening to a the rest is politics interview with former labour leader Neil Kinnock, which was quite touching. I always liked him, and he seemed a man of principle and sometimes raw courage.  Lorraine and I in the warmth tonight, eating chicken stew I'd made, which was rather good. We are watching Dexter now, and enjoying it. Early to bed....

Peaceful day, although a bit low on energy. Counting our blessings though, which we do on a regular basis. A lovely marriage, a lovely house in a pleasant little town, lots of people we love and care about. Lorraine and I getting organised for our respective trips tomorrow. Spoke to Mum, who was on good form. In the afternoon we collected Pat and Maureen and brought them home, for a Sunday roast, and we put some in Tupperware for them tomorrow. Pat a bit more mobile, and the transfer from wheelchair to car to wheelchair to chair and back fairly smooth. Maureen enjoying a change of scene, and quickly boofed onto the gold sofa awaiting cups of tea. After dinner, we all started watching the Magnificent Seven as I have been thinking about cowboys lately.   Robin had got together an archive episode for Planet Poetry. I'd suggested we repeat the Danez Smith interview, given the Trump-inspired carnage in Minneapolis. Even Danez's 'Afropessimism' seems a missive from a more opt...

Writing Kansas this morning and using Chat GPT which I am using as a fast way of understanding the geography, and history of Kansas, then known as an Unorganized Territory, in the early 1820s. Now that I am a --ahem-- mature man, whose own life and recollections span the 20th and 21st centuries, the nineteenth century seems quite close.  Then I went to hang out with Pat, while Lorraine took Maureen for a blood test. Chatting with him, making him a cup of tea and laughing at an estate agent's haircut on some long running daytime TV show featuring  property developers buying down at heel properties and doing them up and selling them at a profit. Home again, and then Delores sent me some of the work she had been doing, on which I offered  comments and tweaks, which took a while and was an unpleasant return to copywriting. Then off for a longish walk to shake it all off. A pleasant evening in the Boot with today's cast of Adele and Patrick, Helen and Andy, and Andy. Talking l...

A major feat of organisation and logistics also known as Christmas Day. Lorraine up before me, to put on a Christmas ham, once Mum was up, we got down to a fast smoked salmon breakfast. Soon Beth and James and Enzo arrived. Much swapping of gifts. I got excellent jumpers, art supplies, a book on life drawing, plus a useful box of Long Man beers. Lorraine liked the earrings I got for her. We all had pressies to open.   Then the ham was done, and the turkey put on. A good deal of cooking, and running about, then Lorraine and James left and returned with Pat and Maureen. Uncle Steve was there too. Another bout of present opening.  Pat being here was excellent, getting him here involved Lorraine doing lots of planning, using an E Tack turner, used to swivel him from one chair to another. And I was especially pleased to have Mum with us too, and having Enzo was a bit of a game changer. I'd never been around a baby at Christmas, and Enzo was like the Phial of Galadriel, shedding lig...

Breakfast with Mum, filled her up with seeds and live yoghurts, toast etc. Not long after, Beth and Enzo in matching pyjamas came by, and Mum met Enzo for the first time and was as enamoured by the little lad as everyone else.  I peeled many root vegetables. Later Lorraine and I zoomed around Morrisons and then took Mum to see Pat and Maureen. A nippily gorgeous day with the sun on the sea. Maureen pleased to see Mum. We made plans about tomorrow's festivities. Mum and I went out by the sea for a bit for five minutes or so, but it was parky a piercing north east wind.   Early evening and we took Mum to the Old Boot Inn, where we met up with Delores. The pub was rammed, and flukily we managed to get a table. Mum liked the busy festive throng. Melissa was on a nearby table and we chatted to her and Chris her husband as they were leaving. I assured Melissa that I would eagerly return to her drawing class next term. Chris, one of the rebooters, turned up too with his son Keiran, w...

A day with Beth and James and Enzo. We went off to The Long Man Brewery where there was a Christmas Fayre of sorts. I scoffed a very nice sausage roll, washed down with a half of Long Man's plum porter.  It was pleasantly Christmassy. Otherwise the normal sort of stuff. A chilli products stand, soaps with scraps of flowers in, a stand selling breads and excellent mince pies,  and the Long Man brewery shop,  full of geezers looking seriously at beers. We sat in a drafty former cow shed drinking coffee before zooming off down the narrow road to the Barn at the Friston forest visitor's centre, where we looked at more Christmassy stands, selling everything from Honey to festive baubles. In the art exhibition part, we met Adele and Mandy, who were exhibiting their artworks. Then Lorraine and I off to see Pat and Maureen. Maureen feeling a bit down, and we spent some time with them.  Beth and James and Enzo already at home when we arrived. Beth in Cinders mode beginning to...

Some work this morning first thing, getting another poetry proposal together. Less depressed now, and able to countenance at least trying again. Met Lorraine for coffee at the Church Lane eatery, where I also had a rather paltry looking tuna melt. We noticed a large centipede walking across the floor, only to see it meet its end underfoot. Wished I'd scooped it out and taken it across the road to the graveyard before it met its maker. Then across the road to The Crypt, which had its Christmas of local artists makers including Adele and Mandy. Bought some Christmas things, and one of the exhibitors liked Lorraine's bag so much, she had to have a ten minute conversation with her about it. Then made off to Pat and Maureen's place. I sat with Pat for a couple of hours looking at the sea and chatting with the carers. One of them in a hijab, who Maureen calls Vee was very sweet and told me to just rest myself, when I said let me know if they needed anything. I said she should spe...

A poor night's sleep. Woke up in the middle of the night certain that I had wasted my whole life writing poetry; that I had invented a machine to invite continuous rejection and failure into my life. Got up and had a cup of chamomile and asked the I Ching if I should just give it up. The hexagrams of my reading were  Treading  changing to The Creative. Essentially that I should not be foolhardy in my conduct and suggesting a time of creativity is coming, which cheered me up. I don't consult the I Ching often, but given that there are 4,096 possible readings to every consultation the fact that it always seems to supply such a precise and pertinent answer seems statistically improbable. I always come away from reading it as if I have had a dose of wisdom and feel generally much more philosophical about life. Back to bed, then up early and Lorraine drove to the flat and I followed shortly after on foot. Various people round today to check on Pat. Paramedics where there, as ...

Marginally brighter today, and didn't sleep during the day. Mainly lying about like a slug in the afternoon. Certainly no walking. Sylwia gave me a little mug with Pete needs coffee NOW! written on it, which was very sweet of her. At my desk this morning but can't focus. A few emails though, one to the people who had rejected Gordon Road, they were quite nice about it though, so it is only civil to reply nicely thanking them.   Jason and Derek with Pat and Maureen today, having survived their horrendous journey. Lorraine at home for some of the day, but involved in all kinds of admin for them. I am enjoying reading though. I bought the physical book of Powsels and Thrums by Alan Garner, having listened to it as an audiobook.  Some of what he writes about his creativity I find very interesting. Began reading The White People and Other Weird Stories , by Arthur Machen. I bought the book a while ago and read a story or two from it, now can feast on the whole thing. Was listenin...