under another sun

Made a Monday morning list of things to do this morning, and did some of them. Today is blue Monday, but I didn't feel blue at all. Not having to work really helps.  Longish chat with Mum. She is okay, and her face is less swollen now. I sent one of my shorter short stories, called The Merger to a new anthology of stories.  I'd not read it properly for a couple of years, and I liked it more than I did before. I also completed a bit of writing for a friend of Richard's called Phil Dunn, sending him a draft of his book blurb. I am not sure how I found myself writing this, but it's done. Went for a walk. Almost finished with the Inklings now, dealing with Joy Gresham's marriage to Lewes. This seemed to coincide with a coolness for towards Jack Lewes by his mate Tollers.  Live Canon release their shortlist today. There was a cast of thousands on it.  Mark Flowers came around and measured our hallway and stairs for our carpet this afternoon. It will be green.

A better night's sleep, with fewer coughing fits. Took myself to my desk optimistically, but had no ideas. I walked for a while by the sea, and finished the BBC Radio version of I Claudius. It ends with Claudius is fed a dish of poisoned mushrooms. He was succeeded by Nero.  I began listening to The Inklings by Humphrey Carpenter,  C.S. Lewis and Tolkien are familiar territory for me but I suspect I they would have been insufferable in real life.   I am about to buy Mum a new phone, have been looking at straightforward ones that text and call without being bogged down with apps. Checked that this is what is needed.  Lorraine took Maureen to get her knees injected. Then had to return as Pat was unwell. In the evening she zoomed off to do a pottery course, I stayed at home, and listened to jazz. She had great fun there, which is excellent. A part of the skateboard area in the Salts.