under another sun

I cooked breakfast, which involved frying two eggs which stuck to the bottom of the pan so badly that when I tried to flip them they completely disintegrated. Lorraine told me off for stabbing the eggs with the spatula in fury. After, we pottered briefly in the garden, and some tall plants that had been disturbing Lorraine for weeks, and were quietly removed. We also picked two or three more little sun gold tomatoes eaten whole as a small explosion of niceness.  Took myself for a long walk which greatly improved my mood. Everywhere I went there were blackberry bushes groaning with berries. The air hazy towards the sea. A lovely warm day, and I felt freer than I had felt for ages. Also listening to the book The World Before Us, by Tom Higham , which as it is about paleoanthropology, a subject I love boning up on.   In the evening, Lorraine and I walked down to the Hampton, and had some Indian streetfood with Anton, as part two of Anton's birthday. Very busy though, and stressfu...

Bloody hot. In fact the hottest day in the UK ever, 38.7 recorded in Cambridge, that is 101.6 F  in old money.   Lorraine working from home for a bit, before taking time off to proof What You Look For for me, and she made a couple of useful suggestions, before I sent the thing off to Bloodbath magazine. I was then officially done. We bussed over to Beth and John this evening and were fed roast chicken and veggies and couscous and played Euchure. Lorraine also took a bottle of champagne she had been saving, as now her Ofsted inspection success is official, and her school is officially 'good'. Bussed home and home, happy to not have to get up tomorrow. Boris the evil clown no forging a cabinet of the maddest and most far right politicians on offer, looking to drive Brexit through even on a self-immolating no deal basis. Meanwhile THE CLIMATE. Christ. I made this nonsense a few months ago, below, but it seems more appropriate than ever. The other guy is Nero.

Saturday, some time before eight a sound of roaring flames and a workman re-coating next door's kitchen roof. Betty chatting with him, having an early morning coffee and cigarette outside, a conversation she replayed with voices to us before going to work. Up fairly early, and pottering about. We went to sit in Hove Town Hall for a while waiting to see the parking people, as we need a new yearly permit for the car. Then a shopping in Hove where I judiciously invested in some brown shoelaces. Then Sainsbury's and back home to sit in the garden for a bit as although there was a bit of sea mist over the water, it was a warm and sunny day. Beth home tonight and we ate salmon, and salad, and the ladies did some jigsawing, while I read an absolutely wonderful short story by Thomas Ligotti called In the Shadow of Another World . When he is good, he is exceptional. Then a game of three-handed euchre, enlivened by Lorraine producing a second joker during one hand. All well, and Lor...

A gorgeous mild springlike day. Sprang out of bed early as Russ Shed, a plumber came to look at our ensuite bathroom which is need of help. We both liked him, and he seemed thorough and knowledgeable. A porridge breakfast after he went, and we found ourselves weeding the front garden before we zoomed off to Burgess Hill and Hateful Heath to look at bathroom furniture and tiles. A Japanese style toilet in one of them. After this, we hung curtains and lampshades from yesterday. Varieties of house business. In the evening Beth and John came around. Lorraine cooked a giant chicken and leek pie as a special request, and we had a really nice evening in, eating pie and playing endless games of cards. John and Lorraine won the euchre, and Beth and I were very encouraging and pleased for them. Then Uno at some length, while listening to music and drinking various drinks. A really cheery night, till they caught the last bus home and we sloped happily off to bed. Below a sign in the tile sho...

Foot somewhat better, and the weird exhaustion that comes with my flare-up on the way out. Spent a very productive day working at my desk. I managed to get lots done. Amusing discussions with Sonia about property. She showed me photos of a nice property in Bulgaria which she and her husband are doing up. She's told me about the good times under communism some time ago. Makes me laugh about what a capitalist she is now. John came around this evening, and I got a Shahi curry delivered. Nice to see him and we played some cards. There must have been a malformation in The Force, as Beth and I were badly defeated at Euchre for the first time ever by Lorraine and John. Beth and I less competitive so it's always a pleasure to beat people that care. Fun evening, although Lorraine and I pretty shattered, and sloped off to bed fairly early and soberly for a Friday night.

Up fairly early and brought Lorraine breakfast in bed, before getting into my walking gear and being collected by Anton. As we drove to West Hoathly down wooded roads, Anton's sat nav went into night mode a few times as it was so dark under downpour of dark clouds. We walk into the lovely wooded landscapes around West Hoathly. Now transformed into a relive the Somme experience. Beautiful country, however, and we were soon lost. Finding ourselves in a forest at a time when the deluge was at its strongest. Still we had a really nice walk and a good chat. Something wild and lovely about walking in bad weather, and there is no better way of letting conversation fall out slowly. After a couple of hours, having accidentally found West Hoathly again, we neared Anton's lovely BMW convertible for the return drive home. As we did so, the clouds absconded.  A dreamlike return journey sitting in heated seats, with the roof down narrow rainwashed lanes, everything gleaming with sunshine...

Betty's birthday so first thing we had the 24 year old Betty perched on the end of the bed excitedly opening birthday presents, like someone far younger, before having to zoom off to Eastbourne. I had early chats with Matt about the editing of the DRTV stuff, then the meeting I was due to have this afternoon was cancelled, thankfully freeing up time. Chatted to Sonia a bit who told me about seeing her dream house in Bulgaria when she went back to the old country last. Lorraine having a horrid morning at work, but things gradually improved once she was home in the afternoon. I popped over to see Janet and Ken. Said hello to Ken who was feeling a bit rough and exhausted in the last few days which is making Janet anxious. He went to bed as I arrived, and Janet and I chatted for an hour or so, and she gave me a pokey compost aerator. I hurried home, the temperature dropping noticeably, pausing only to buy some emergency eating chocolate for Lorraine in addition to another bar of ...

Saturday woke up and had a large breakfast and walked down to the walled garden in Preston Park, which is the one we visit lots, which was having an open day which meant there was a couple of trestle tables with home made cakes and a few plants in pots for sale. Then a bit of food shopping, and home via buying some plants from someone's garden stall, before devoting the afternoon to intensive gardening, planting dozens of plants, many of which we were not even particularly sure what they were. Betty laughing at our garden frenzy. A really nice way to spend the time poking things into the earth and watering them heavily. A sunny gorgeous afternoon, not too warm and perfect for working in. At tea time John and Krys arrived, but unfortunately Krys had begun to feel really rough on the journey down,  so had to go to bed early, and eat little or nothing.  John, Betty, Lorraine and I however played some hands of Euchre and Lorraine and I drank some rum and coke, and we had a reall...

A happy day. Lorraine and I off to Steyning to a shop where we bought some plants, and then to another garden centre to buy more plants and compost. I don't know what is happening to me, but I find myself staring at the variegated leaf of a zonal geranium and deeply appreciating it. A misty day, with very low cloud over the downs, making them look particularly mysterious, and Lorraine and I pulled up in the car, got out and walked up a country path between two fields, one of which had horses galloping about for fun in it. The downs disappearing into the cloud were quite magical. Home and we planted lots of plants into the garden, with Lorraine doing the digging to save my thigh. Really exciting to see the bed fill up with plants. I can't believe how much I like our garden. Now it's just a wait to see what survives the onslaught of slugs, snails, foxes, Calliope, Brian and the rest of the neighbourhood cats. Lorraine cooked a lovely roast this evening. John came home w...

Mum's birthday today. I'd given her a CD by Stan Tracey called Under Milk Wood. She used to know Stan Tracey quite well when she worked at Ronnie Scott's. Lorraine and I lay in bed like slackers and then did a spot of gardening in our front garden, in the few minutes this took I managed to hurt my back abominably by lifting up a sack of wet sand. Then we drove with a carful of stuff to the tip. A good feeling to be getting rid of things rather than constantly trying to find room for things. The evening spent enjoyably playing cards with John and Beth. We played euchre and uno, and another not particularly good game called crazy eights where eights are crazy. Great fun sitting about listening to music and sipping the odd Christmas drink, especially for me while playing Euchre, which of course forcibly reminds me of times past. To bed, where my back began to hurt abominably.

A mercifully slow start this morning, and Lorraine caught up on some good sleep and I brought us quorn sausage sandwiches and cups of tea in bed with the cats happily lying about with us. Off this afternoon to Brighton. Yay! To return digital TV aerial and see Interstellar , a baggy science fiction romp at the Kommedia. Sure the plot has more holes than a crochet blanket, but it was an exciting spectacle and the emotional bits had Lorraine weeping satisfactorily next to me. I enjoyed it a great deal - a bleakish escapism -- with some incredible visual sequences. The infinite library scene in the end (somebody has read their Jorge Luis Borges) rather splendid. By the time I left the cinema, the headache that I had been nursing this morning had transformed into a full on thumper, and I wanted to get home rather than to The Basketmakers to meet Matt. Lorraine went off to get the car, and I popped into Sainsbury's where Beth caught up with me and we jumped into Lorraine's getaw...

To Brighton this morning to meet Beth during her lunchtime break, and I quickly went to the bank, and bought a couple of books. Felt great to be in our home town, even if it is just for a flying visit. Off this afternoon off to Staplefield, a village with a pub in it called The Victory. Jo, whose house we are currently renting and a work pal of Lorraine's, got married to her husband David quietly on Friday and gathered a few friends this afternoon. Our new next door neighbours were there too, and were very pleasant. Chatting with people working in education (several knew Lorraine) fell in with one of the locals too. Pleasant afternoon, and I enjoyed a few pints of Harveys. Then to to collect Beth from the station. Plan A was go to a nearby firework display -- a controlled display as Lorraine can't abide the uncontrolled ones. It was however hosing down with rain, so instead the three of us ended up playing Euchre till late. I taught them the three handed game and it brought...

Crib notes Off today to deepest Kent to visit Lorraine's folks Pat and Maureen in my capacity as fish consultant. After a nice cup of tea we went off to the local garden centre and fish emporium where I selected various plants and rock and bits of wood. Back home to set it up, and to be rewarded with roast beef, and roast potatoes cooked in goosefat. I like Maureen and Pat. After the aquarium business, they taught me how to play cribbage. Lorraine and her parents were able to add the scoring permutations in a flash, which made me feel slightly retarded. But I like playing cards, and crib seems a good game. I have spent countless hours hunched over hands like feet playing Euchre with my grandparents in Guernsey. My grandfather Dave, who Lorraine's dad reminds me of, was rather a good player, and played in a local Euchre league. After playing a hand badly, my Grandmother was frequently warned by Dave that if she'd done that down the club, she'd have left like a cullender....

A hand like a foot The bellowing of a bull at dawn from several fields away. And leaving Lorraine dozing happily in bed, a quick cup of coffee and then I was taken for an early morning walk by the dogs Maggie and Nico. They led me into the forest, bounding around and looking impatiently over their shoulders while I stopped to snap photos. Maggie springing tiggerishly in the long grass and the edges of fields planted with fodder crops alfalfa and timothy. A very still and quiet morning. Later Lorraine and I snuck out to try to snap shots of hummingbirds, and could hear Dick talking indoors. All day, when I was indoors, I was conscious of the house being surrounded by a great quietness. Lorraine really inspired by Joan's craft work. Showing me with great approval Joan's funky hats that she sells for a good price in a local hairdresser. When Ethan came around, the afternoon was given over to gaming. For they are fanatics on Deviation Road. We played a game called Stone Age and I w...