under another sun

Slow start for me, but like the chaos butterfly, me not getting up properly and making breakfast made Lorraine late. The bus arriving to collect Patrick was early, and she had to zoom around, but then she was unable to attach the headrest of the new wheelchair, needing an Allen key she did not have. So she had to take Patrick and Maureen to Eastbourne, and miss Rhymetime and felt stressed all day.   Far less stressful for me. I wrote a light substack post about being photographed . Otherwise boxes of who gives a crap loo rolls were delivered. I spoke briefly to Anton, and Sylvia was here. The Gym later, and then home for five, shower, call Mum and start dinner.  Had to down tools however,  to go with Lorraine to pick Patrick off the floor, as he got up as Maureen had been in the kitchen. He was completely unharmed thankfully. Home again, thank goodness its just five minutes away, and relaxed with a spot of Celebrity Masterchef.

Called Mum and Anton to see if he wanted to meet me in Brighton for coffee. But he he had to travel up to London to have a medical procedure, poking a probe into his arm and up into his heart. He told me his valve is toast, and so he needs open heart surgery. Luckily Oskar had to go to London today too for a modelling job. And they travelled back together in the evening. I got my hair cut by Stacy. He took a perfectionist's age, especially as I just needed a bit of a tidy up as Innis is going to take my photo tomorrow for the cover of  One Day Forever . The talk today well worth the time as it strayed into the supernatural, after a friend of his poked his head into the barber shop and said something about a mutual friend of theirs called The Ghost Whisperer. Turns out this was someone I'd met last time Stacy had cut my hair, who was keen on dabbling in the supernatural. He then told me about a medium he'd visited with his mate years ago, who told him the last thing his dad ...

A monkish Monday, as Lorraine was with Maureen all day, and was a bit zonko when she returned. However she did arrive with a present for me: a new jam thermometer, one with a sensible metal prong, with a dial at the top of it. Sometimes, and this is one of them, I feel like this has been ghost written by Charles Pooter.  I completed proofing and tweaking a short story called Good Boy, and is, among other things, about unspeakable canines. If published (I sent it off this evening) it won't play well in Barking or the Isle of Dogs.  Otherwise: to the gym. Later, I cooked us a cheeky curry and watched a documentary about Manchester City and Pep Guardiola. How City have done so well under Pep beats me. I wonder how his players can understand what he says in his briefings. Luckily Amazon have subtitled it. We went to bed early to read. Blissfully cool night air. All well.  Charles Pooter, on the right of the drawing.

Up and finalising the manuscript for a new pamphlet I've been writing in a frenzy for the last few weeks. For better or worse it is done, and I just have to send it off now. Another private feeling of accomplishment. I've entered it into a competition so nothing much more to do with it for the time being, as the results won't be announced till next year. Then I went to the gym, now that I am over my cold. Enjoyed it. Lorraine busy, taking Pat to Eastbourne this morning. Then she brought Maureen home. In preparing a lunchtime bite for us all, I went to the glasshouse and picked a particularly gnarled, knobbly cucumber with prickles, which I showed to Maureen who was appalled by it and refused to believe it was a cucumber. She ate some of it though. A long chat with Maureen this afternoon, after she'd had an afternoon doze. It gives her a bit of a break when Pat goes off for the day, and Pat seems to enjoy it. When  Lorraine drove off to Eastbourne to collect Pat in the a...

Enzo first thing. Sitting between us on the bed. All very sweet. I fed him this morning with his breakfast mashed Weetabix and blueberries, after he'd shown no interest in it half an hour before. Beth and James called round and hung out chatting while the bambino had a nap. We are going to go to France soon for a cheeky week.   Lorraine potting again today, and having a much needed day of downtime. Chatted to Mum to decide on what day I'm seeing her. I went to the gym, then I made off in the evening to Brighton to meet up with Anton.    A lot to discuss. Work has been hell and it has been making him consider his options. We mooched about in Brighton, shooting the breeze. He said he had found a YouTube video of Psychobilly band called Guano Batz, that had played in the Klub Foot in the Albany pub in 1987. It had been close to  Hammersmith Station, but long gone now. He had found film of himself in the crowd. It's like time travel.  We stopped at an Afghani take a...

Neither of us felt fresh as daisies after a sweltering night and yesterday's boozes. Assembling poems like a maniac this morning. Marvellous fun. The project so far called So What, You're Weird Too .  To the gym this lunchtime to make up for the sausages and beer snarfed on the beach. Very enjoyable, and I was able to get on the lat pull machine this time. Home and a bit more writing, before meeting Lorraine in Morrisons. I think I am weird because I love shopping with Lorraine. Home and I made a rather excellent veggie chilli. I put nutmeg, cumin and lots of black pepper in mine, as well as fresh chillies and chilli powder.  No Babylon 5. We urgently need a new supply of people dressed as aliens, plus spaceships. An early night. Started re-reading R.S. Thomas in bed. I love his stuff.  A sweaty out of focus selfie on the cross trainer in the gym. That's two selfies in two days. A record.

I wrote freely and with some gusto this morning. At lunchtime Lorraine gave me a lift to the gym, before she collected Betty and they made off to Eastbourne to see a musical theatre show Project Mincemeat, which they both loved. I went to the gym, passing Blatchington Pond which is now drying out. It's like the sub Sahara here.  I enjoyed the gym, apart from  the giant shouldered man who arriving at the lat pull machine two seconds before me, squatted on it like a toad till I had to go. Bah. Home and relaxed. Chatted to Mum. Apparently it is going to be incredibly hot again next week. So we will have to take a view on what happens to our plan to meet at the White Bear on Wednesday.   Into the garden to pick plums from the tiny tree and this time they turned out to be worm free. The jam, three jars of it, set nicely and tasted fine. I always feel a real sense of achievement about making jam, I don't know why. Then I put together a quick stir fry and L and I happily scarfed...

Up early, after a horrible night's sleep. Lorraine to her personal trainer, and then popped around to see Pat and Maureen. I worked a bit on the acknowledgements section of the book, then made off to the gym, and was back in time to have a cheeky shower before Sue and John arrived with Whiskey dog, who was on exemplary behaviour. We had a happy evening chatting in the garden, drinking some cold drinks. And then it rained. Like fifty or sixty invisible gnats spitting on us for a minute, and then it was all over.  It was much cooler this evening, thankfully.  Lorraine cooked a nice flan for our dinner. Whiskey behaving in an exemplary manner. Lovely to catch up, hearing about weddings and travels and so on. Everyone tired at the end of the day. 

A short hiatus during a late Sunday breakfast. Lorraine drove us, and I popped into Pat and Maureen's place. Opened their door to a gale, as one of the windows was wide open and they couldn't close it, a cheery chat before I pushed off as Lorraine was waiting in the car, and there was more coffee to drink.   To the gym at lunch time. Its emptiness was, like, totally awesome. Not having to scowl at teenagers was a plus. Spoke to Mum and confirmed seeing her and the Tobster, now back from Aberystwyth, tomorrow in Hampstead.  Not much happened, except this cucumber Lorraine harvested from our greenhouse. The first of the year. I like how it still has the remnant of its flower. It tasted highly-cucumbery too.

Lorraine went early to pick up Beth and Enzo from hospital. Turns out there is a spewing bug going around the nursery, but the hospital properly checked him out because of his head bump. Lorraine stayed with Enzo and Beth, whose day off it was. But slid off to get an eyelash tint at lunchtime, she's never had one of those before. Another scorcher of course, it goes without saying.  Lorraine came back home before going back to see Beth and Enzo, she dropped me off at the gym, and I did another sweaty workout.  In the evening, England v Argentina in the semifinal of the World Cup. England were overwhelmed after taking a lead, and it ended up losing 2-1. Lots of politics, and the Malvinas playing a huge part. Argentina deserved to win, despite playing like thugs in the first half. I had not expected England to beat Argentina, but still felt a bit disappointed. Bah. 

A cooler night. A relaxed day, not able to do too much due to the heatwave. Sitting companionably outside with Lorraine, before I went off to the air conditioned gym early in the afternoon. I seem to be losing a bit of weight and toning up, but the gut is making a magnificent last stand, and if anything has become even more prominent as the rest of be gets back into shape. Sigh.  Late afternoon L and I drove off to Squirrel's End, and had dinner in the garden with Beth, James and Enzo and Micky the cat under the gazebo, which is still standing despite the wind, in their lovely garden. Nice summery salads and chicken, washed down with, for me, a cold lager. Enzo splashing delightedly in his little pool. All well. Getting the little boy off to sleep is a bit challenging however, and the answer seems to be take him for a drive, which Beth and James did after we'd left. 

Spoke to the Tobster and Mum. Toby having arrived first thing this morning, and now facing the double whammy of jet lag and monstrous heat. Looking forward to seeing him soon. A day with the baby boy for us. Lorraine is so brilliant with him. Seeing him drinking out of a pint glass today was a new one. To the gym again this afternoon. It's cooler there than outside. Enjoyed it. Otherwise politics amusing for a change. Farage in some populist stunt has resigned his MP's seat at Clacton on Sea, home to a depressing number of swivel eyed bigots.  He is forcing a bye election, in the expectation of being re-elected, thus in his mind anyway making the allegations about money and sleaze go away. Seeing through this nonsense, the other major parties declined to put up a candidate, except the independent Count Binface. Your current choice in Clacton is between a massive racist hypocrite or a rubbish bin. Let's hope he sends Farrage to the dustbin of history. Below a Count Binface p...

L and I up early, as Sylwia had to be early today. After breakfast L went off to do Rhymetime and see Pat and Maureen, and I manacled myself to the desk and finally finished my edit of the Will Harris interview. Then the gym and home to talk to Lorraine, and do a bit of idling, it being too hot to do much. Spoke to Mum, who had Ben around. Lorraine and I wandered down to the greenhouse, really noticeable after not looking for a couple of days, how everything is burgeoning. Below a nice snap I took of one of the gulls through the roof light this morning. 

A much-needed calm day, both feeling a bit tired. Slow breakfast, and a food shop (I always enjoy food shopping with Lorraine), Lorraine did some gardening, I went to the gym to atone for the last two evenings. Then studio. I am exploring in sketches what I am now beginning to write about. It accesses a different part of my brain -- which I should not find surprising after decades of image plus copy advertising, I don't really understand. I seem to learn the same things over and over throughout my life. I have a vague idea of doing a hybrid project, if I can get my art standard high enough. Spoke to Mum and arranged to see her in Hampstead next Tuesday. Arranged a haircut for Monday as it's all gone into clown mode. Air fried chicken tonight, with delicious beans I picked from the garden among the veg. Football tonight. An interesting game between France and Paraguay, who played with callous gamesmanship and thuggishness, and confined their beating to 1-0 because of it. France,...

Much brighter, after yesterday's migraine. Up fairly early and did some writing, then after breakfast, and speaking to Mum, I wandered down to the Bay Tree Studio at the end if the garden, where Lorraine was already at work at her wheel, and I did a bit more to the drawing I posted yesterday. Lovely to be working in the same space on creative things. Then Lorraine took popped around to take Pat and Maureen some fish and chips. I went to the gym for an enjoyable workout. I notice my clothes are a little looser than they have been of late, which is good. Home to watch a bit of World Cup football highlights from yesterday.    In the evening off to The Old Boot Inn, where there was a tableful, with Adele and Patrick, Delores, Debbie, Andy, Steve, Mandy, Chris and Julie. My first pint since last Friday, and it was all very cheerful and fun. Below Lorraine in the studio working on a pot. The drawing I posted yesterday with a little more love put into it, not perfect of course, but ...

A day mostly to my own devices, as Lorraine off to her personal trainer, an afternoon of chat with Helen, and then to the pottery studio in Eastbourne.   I spent the day working on my poetry collection -- working title Did This Happen?  -- which is the complete poems about memory and its reliability and so on. Filled a gap this morning where a poem was wanted, by working up an fragment which seemed to fit. Printed the full MS out, with this new poem in it, and realised I'm not happy still with the order of the last few poems. Much exasperated head scratching, and puzzling. Eventually I went to the gym instead for a decent work out.  Also I began editing the podcast interview with Will Harris, which is in better shape than I had imagined.  A chat with Mum, she seems not to have been paid her US pension this month as usual. I am not seeing her tomorrow, but said I will be up on Monday to help her sort it out. Tired by the end of the day, physically and mentally. Below ...

A happy Friday, doing some actual writing this morning, which is very nice. To the gym at lunchtime, when Lorraine zoomed off to take Pat and Maureen fish and chips. I am enjoying being in the gym again. I am using my decades old neoprene knee support, which stops my knee clicking when I trundle on the cross trainer. I was reflecting that my knee support is probably over twice the age of many of the people around me. I am doing some more weights and upper body stuff, as this isn't currently a pretty sight. I am already beginning to notice a little less flabbiness, and it helps generally with health anxiety. If I can survive a workout, I might be less fragile than I think.   Met Lorraine at Gallery Uno, where Adele is having a show of her work, along with another artist called Liza Morton. I am really thrilled for Adele, who seems to be becoming a really accomplished artist in glass and other media before our eyes. To the Old Boot tonight. Adele and Patrick there for a bit, Chris an...

For the first of the month... Cooler night, and a comparatively wonderful night's sleep. Lorraine and I on the first of the month, in an unhurried fashion. This calm shattered by an alarming call from Maureen about Pat. Lorraine dropped everything mid breakfast and went around to see them. Pat ended the day with antibiotics for a chest infection.  I called Mum a bit later, and arranged to see her on Wednesday, she told me that Steve from the pub had been to Germany on holiday, and had two heart attacks, and was treated in hospital there. I was a  bit shocked to hear, this. He is back home now. Will meet Robin, Stephen B, and SJB on Thursday for a poet's get-together. Slightly put off my stroke this morning, so did mundane tasks: laundry, food shopping and going to the gym. Lorraine home after a full day, cooked a tasty aubergine dish  Watched Babylon 5 this evening, sipping sparkling water. The story arc is genuinely interesting. The weather forecast promises heavy rain o...

Final edit on the Kansas story underway. Still finalising the proper title, worked on it all morning.  Spoke to Mum, getting ready to dye her hair. She's saved thousands over her lifetime doing her own hair. A light lunch with Lorraine, then to the gym for a cautious beginning again workout. Between 2-3 am seems to be a sweet spot, sans schoolboys clotting up the machines while studying their phones. My new bone conduction headphones worked a treat. Now I can trundle on the cross trainer and comfortably listen to a podcast.    Lorraine and I mooched down to the bottom of the garden to our 'studio' where Lorraine did pot trimming and I did some much about with visual ideas. This was very pleasing. I melted away to make a curry from chicken, chickpeas and mushrooms. We passed on the pub tonight. I was out yesterday, and Lorraine and I are out tomorrow night instead. A note from SJB wondering if I would introduce her and Tess Jolly at a reading they are doing in Brighton in ...

 Lots going on this morning. I had to bump a recording session with Robin till this afternoon. While Lorraine was out collecting Maureen, Wenda, an old friend of Lorraine's arrived with flowers. She turned out to be a kind, empathetic person to whom I warmed immediately, and in no time we were talking like old friends.  Then a man arrived to look at Lorraine's tyre and found there was a screw through it, and it needed to be completely replaced. Lorraine and Maureen arrived, and Maureen was delighted to see Wenda too. I slunk upstairs to call Mum and do a bit of writing before coming down before the left for Lewes, where Wenda's husband David, who is an actor, was filming for a day. In the afternoon, after banter with Robin, I sloped off in the afternoon and rejoined my usual gym, as my upper body needs help. Same nice lady as last time, who told me I was there day's different in my birthday to her brother, which made her like me.  Slight rain on my way home. There is a ...