under another sun

Although low on energy, I felt positive and got lots of stuff done. A lovely day, I sauntered around the park for bit, before popping in to the local Sainsburys, after a few hours of writing, and wandered into the walled garden. Noticed ruddy darters around the pond. It's good having looked things up in advance. There is a curious satisfaction to being able to think 'ruddy darter' to yourself when you see a dragonflyish thing zooming about. Worked in the garden today, and sorting out the Telltale reading. In the process of doing so picked up another reading for me to do -- in October 2017! Forward planning.  Also contacted about work and generally having the sense that there's lots going on or about to go on. Lorraine out doing her governors meeting tonight, Beth out too. I had been due to see Anton but he was unwell, so I guilty bought myself a bag of fish and chips from Jenny's down the road, and watched the movie Watchmen , which was based on a graphic novel ...

Woke up late, and then simply had breakfast with Lorraine, had a walk about the place, and sat in the walled garden near the pond where a ruddy darter kept sitting on my trousers. Feeling a little better today, physically and the temperature gone. Then Lorraine and I worked through the afternoon on various bits of work. I also counted up the loot retrieved from the Poetry Book Fair and emailed Robin with the tally. Otherwise a bit all work and no playish in Osborne Road today. In the evening ate roast pork with Lorraine and Betty, and watched The Returned again, as Beth has not seen it. Loved the shot of a dead butterfly pinned to a board coming back to life again. The image I was going for in one of my poems called The Moth Display, before I saw it done but much better in film here.

Spent hours doing my books today, and finally sent them off to my glamorous accountant this evening, after Lorraine had dug out the final pieces of the puzzle. Had a small glass of ouzo to celebrate afterwards. Now I hope my accountant can perform her wily Scottish wizardry on it. And it looks like more work next week in London too, to cover for First Matie, which is good news. Also booked tickets to Guernsey for a few days in November; a couple of writing days for me, then being joined by Lorraine for sheer fun. I went for a walk for a couple of hours, drifting about in the walled garden and park and peering into ponds at fish and what I thought were dragonflies but turn out to be ruddy darters, and looking at spiders and cyclamen, and walking among squirreled trees and other things that make me feel happy. I have a simple nature. Went back to Sing Li my old fish and chip shop this evening, as I had an enthusiasm-for-cooking fail tonight. The owner smiley at my ...