under another sun

Feeling very cheery this morning, and reminded of my childhood Sunday mornings in Guernsey, as Lorraine and I dropped in on Pat and Maureen as they were getting their dinner ready. Like going off with my granddad Dave on his rounds of dropping in on family. P and M in good form, Maureen forthright about needing a new chair and pulling appalling faces when telling Lorraine and I how much she hated the current one. She also told me about going to Bingo the other day, and how she and Pat had won their first game first go. I told Pat I'd seen a seal up at splash point earlier in the year. He said he'd seen two through his binoculars yesterday.  A saunter back along the seafront with Lorraine, which was looking grey and lovely.  A bite to eat, and I prepared for the interview I am going to do on Tuesday, which took quite a bit of time. Also chatted to Mum and arranged to see her on Wednesday. A glorious evening of not drinking anything, after two lively nights I was very ready for ...

The heat is back, a hot sunny Sunday drying the clothes on the line in no time.  We had to miss seeing Dawn and Paul as Lorraine still unwell, although improving.  Read some more of Essays in Idleness by Kenko, and then had, appropriately enough, to doze. Harvested tomatoes, cucumbers, a courgette, and chilli and padrone peppers. Loving being able to bring in bowl full of home grown. Our leeks, celeriac, onions and so on all looking great too. Lorraine rallied to cook excellent Dahl and saag aloo. Mum in good spirits. They had been to the Waggon and Horses. I shall travel up again soon.   Catching up with Match of the Day this evening. Chelsea are shocking at the moment, having spent over a billion pounds on players, an expensive new manager and they lost at home to Nottingham Forest.   Below tomatoes in our greenhouse  

Happy to have Lorraine home this morning. We had a stroll by the sea and caught up with assorted bits and tidying before having what was for Lorraine a much needed rest. 

Lorraine almost finding the days when she is not working at least as stressful as those when she is at the moment. However we spent the day fairly calmly, and I mooched off for a Sunday stroll in the afternoon. A hot day and we had a drink this evening, listening to music as we cooked together. In the evening, Lorraine, Sam and I played the card game Golf this evening, which was fun. A picture of my view, and a selfie sitting on the bench on the wall of the hill fort.  If we do move, God willing, I may not be coming up here so often.

Cheerful Sunday morning, and purposeful too, clearing out some stuff and taking it to storage with an eye on our eventual move.  Lorraine spent the afternoon with Beth, Sam was in Scotland so I had time to myself today. I had pictured myself in a frenzy of creative activity, but the truth was rather different. I just wasn't in the mood, and simply had a long walk this afternoon instead and lazed in noble solitude. When Lorraine got back we ate shepherd's pie. All well. In a nearby thin strip of woods there is this one tree which is always decorated. I don't know the story behind this, but it seems pagan. I wonder if it is special because it breaks into three trunks.

A tired day, have been fighting off something for days now and I have no energy. An extra hour's lie in with the clocks falling back, but Calliope didn't get the memo, however, so I got up early and fed the weasels and drank tea and caught up with this blog a bit sitting in bed. Also talking to Lorraine about what I'd learned yesterday, and also how I felt a bit disappointed in my own presentation. A few hours working on some branding stuff for Lorraine's school and then had a luxurious nap on the gold sofa as Lorraine continued working on her preparation. Then dancing about in the cold and rain potting up acers. Lorraine cooked chicken and leek pies and I phoned mum for a chat. Then we watched Dr Who, which was full of large spiders, looming nastily from the screen like Mondays.

Lorraine and I not so springy this morning, but gradually crawled out. I went around the corner to buy an expensive chicken, and various bits. Breakfast, then Lorraine and I into the garden, to survey our grounds. A very mild day today, around 10c, and we did general tidying and stood about discussing what needed to be done in that garden. A good deal, is the answer. Fox poo here and there. And cat poo. And snails. Occasionally a few plants. The little ferny area, and the small half barrel pond looking good though.   A relaxed day, however, although I found it hard to settle to anything. Started reading my book of Ancient Egyptian texts, and instantly fell asleep. Then I cooked the aforementioned chicken in the evening (as Lorraine did her emails etc.). Sunday roast then, and watched the first in the new series of No Offence, and then Sherlock and then to rapidly to bed. Texting with the Tobster now back from Japan, having had a very good time by the sound of it.

Hopefully a day of recovery as Lorraine still not feeling well. Beth and John home today, and Lorraine did sewing and cooked a delicious roast with a cheesy leek and breadcrumb dish, roast potatoes and so on, which we forked down happily for Sunday lunch. I worked most of the day on various bits and pieces, including starting on my accounts.  Betty back up to London, and I bought a ticket for next week at the station. Feeling under energised, and the foreboding sense of having a tiring week ahead.

The colour of Sunday Up at early and painted my green fence green. This was to cover some numpty tagger's purple addition. Needed a painting anyway, and it felt a virtuous way to start a Sunday. Finished painting and stepped back to admire my handiwork. Cue old testament style clouds gathering overhead and I paused then to read the tin which said do not use if the weather is wet. Visions of the fence running onto the white wall beneath like green mascara, and passersby and neighbours gathering to point and laugh. Mercifully the rain held off. Then painted the inside of my front door white. I will paint the outside blue shortly. Long chat with Mum, discussing plans and wheezes on our book project, she had also received the flowers I'd sent her too. Spent the afternoon pottering about listening to the audiobook (a mere two hours) of 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Likeable stuff, and of course transatlantic dialogue quite resonant for me. Made time for Bianca my white guit...

Lazy Sunday Afternoon Off up to Edgware today to see Mum and Mase . Caught the train up to London and walked from Mill Hill station in the sun. Feeling a bit of a zombie, I sat about in the garden crunching on salad and watching sparrows gorging messily in the bird feeder. Mum showed me a sculpture she'd made from shells and stones pilfered from the shores of Guernsey (see left). Also she gave me a flowerpot painted to look like houses reflected on a green sea. After sleeping and sipping reviving cups of tea in the garden, Mum and me got her Skype up and functioning so she can keep tabs on me and the Tobster . Nice meal in the evening chatting with Mum and Mase . Told Mum about my plans to visit Japan this Christmas. It am very excited about the prospect, but hope my planned hypnotism is successful so that the flight is a pleasure rather than an ordeal. It is a wonderful opportunity. Received an email from Anil , my old school chum and we may meet up soon.