under another sun

A bit of writing first thing -- having woken up with an idea about a poem that has been on the back burner for ages. Improved it, but not there yet. My brain a bit sluggish, and not really in a very creative space.  Lorraine drove us off to nearby Newhaven. Our way blocked by the shipping bridge going up at 10:30 and then the railway barriers going down. We parked up and went to the little old streets in the little town centre. Those shops and streets are in want of love. We found the Boots chemist where we had our flu jabs, and chatted to an older lady who hobbled over and had chat about the strangeness of modern life, much stranger than wartime with the bombs and everything (she said she was born in 1936). She said she had broken her leg recently and ended up being put in the maternity ward. She made remarks about the dim view she had of young mothers these days. Reading Robert Hamberger's book A Length of Road. Excellent.  Lorraine and I, jabbed and fine, back to the car, ...

Up early, made tea and egg and bacon sandwiches, and had breakfast in bed with Lorraine. Then I sprang off walking down to the Salvation Army hall near the Level, where I got my flu jab. The nurse told me in a stern way -- as the needle went in -- that my surgery need a blood pressure reading from me. An Orwellian moment, that didn't add to my feelings of relaxation. But they mean well.  Up the hill, bought bread, and then a relaxed day with Lorraine. I did a bit of podcast editing, and otherwise watched a film based on the Green Knight, with Dev Patel in it, which I enjoyed. Enjoying Match of the Day too, with Manchester Utd being schooled by Leicester. Chelsea won away to Brentford in their new stadium, tucked behind Kew Bridge station. I experienced a sense of divided loyalty. A perfect result, 0-1, with Brentford not being humiliated, and Chelsea still top.  Beth and James were due to come around tonight, but they cancelled due to colds and not wanting to share them. A sor...

 Dawn's 60th birthday today. Foul day of lashing rain. Lorraine and I had a slowish start this morning, then zoomed about. I got a private flu jab at Kamson's down on Beaconsfield Road, which was quick and easy, although being jabbed while looking at heart attack risk charts not my favourite interlude of the day.  Then Lorraine and I drove off and shopped in Churchill Square, where I had not been in since the beginning of the year. Lorraine bought some skincare stuff with some vultures she had been given at school, and I bought a new watch strap. This a lengthy process, as the first one they started to put on cost £59 which I rapidly nixed. The second one, at a more reasonable tenner, was put on and as I walked out of the shop simply fell off my wrist as the buckle was faulty. Third time lucky. Then off to Martlet's charity shop to drop off Pat and Maureen's rug. I ran out in the rain to ask if they were accepting them. The woman charity worker weirdly bolshy. Is it jus...