always change...

I'm delighted to say that the brown-outs (see below) have retreated. They were replaced for a few days by inflammation, stiffness and pain, and then blessing of blessings, three days of near normality which coincided with a trip to Suffolk to see my Mum. And whilst I was there, the enjoyable, nerve-rack of a joint radio interview with ace mind-bloggler Klahanie**.

It would be good to be able to say that it was wonderful to see my Mum - but we are not close, and time has widened rather than narrowed the gap between us. She is now 86, and I'd like to think that something could happen that would bring us closer again - but that kind of thing only happens in novels.
When I was young she seemed warm and affectionate, but when she met a new partner following the death of my Dad, she became increasingly detached from my sister and I.
I sometimes get the feeling that she resents me moving so far away from the east coast, but there were always very good reasons to be elsewhere - to be further north and west where both the people and the countryside are more friendly and comfortable.

For lots of reasons (mostly to do with being brought-up there) I have never much liked East Anglia - it's flat, and the light is cold and glaring - well, to my eyes. But Pen and I had a great day out in Orford and Aldeburgh - a boat trip, ice-cream, cake, fantastic fish and chips, a paddle and a walk - since the onset of RA, a proper walk has become a rare treat.
We took hundreds of photos - including a couple that I think are amongst my best yet. Pen made a wonderful video starring that perennial heart-throb, the sea.
I'll do a gallery of Suffolk coast images very soon - but left is a taster - taken in Aldeburgh, at the origin of the remarkable spit of shingle that is Orford Ness. (click to see a bigger pic).





We had a nasty journey back - long, tiring, queue-ridden and hassled by faster vehicles. But when we got home - a really good surprise - a letter telling me I have won first prize in a photo competition organised by the Higher Education Academy. And then, while looking in a magazine published by English Heritage, Pen noticed another two of my pictures - they'd asked ages ago if they could use them - I thought they'd forgotten.
Less good was opening my payslip - sick pay has stopped this month - from this point on I'm unwaged and effectively jobless. If I could cross my fingers, I would that work's sickness insurance will pay-up - it's not a lot of money but it would really help.
Perhaps you'd be good enough to cross your fingers for me?


It was four years ago today that Sara died - in part a victim of ill-funded and ill-founded mental health services, her last few years were troubled and anxious. Those who knew her, will remember her caring ways, a clever mind and an uproarious sense of humour. She is most greatly missed by our sons Phil and Rich who lost the best Mum either of them could have had.






** - you can hear the interview about mind-bloggling, along with a chunk of Radioman's podcast about Sanity Fair, on Radio 5 live on Tuesday 31st July at around 2-o-clock in the morning or on the BBC's listen-again facility


BTW - If you have been - you can un-cross your fingers now - Thanks