The rest of Sunday evening in Brighton was lovely. We listened to music on the beach, drank wine and beer, went to the train station. At the station we booked an hotel at the last minute. This is tradition now for trips out of town. It was a hotel in a gay bar, we were tired and tired of drinking. In our room we listened to music and played cards with the union jack backed deck we'd won at the arcade on the pier. The kebab shop around the corner from the hotel has an item on the menu by the name of "Mexican Surprise". Sofia got that. It was just a normal hamburger. A Mexican surprised. It wasn't long until we went to sleep.

On Monday we woke early but skipped the hotel breakfast, leaving the room and hotel just before check-out time. Rain was pouring heavily and we both got soaked through, seeking refuge in the arcade by the pier. We had a lot of fun throwing balls at clowns and shooting dinosaurs. The wind was blowing very strong, even for the sea. One time, trying to leave, we found the rain so cold and the wind so strong, it blew the wooden shutter off the window of a concessions stand and it took all of both our strength to get it back into place. When the weather that had held us prisoner seemed to wane we made a break for the station. It caught us and drenched us.

On Tuesday we went to the Tate Modern and the Twinings shop, and then the Harry Potter shop at King's Cross shopping gifts for her sister. We made it to the airport on the Elizabeth line, and said goodbye over airport pub fish and chips next to security. On my way home some dude started following me around the underground which I found unpleasant.

Wednesday was the day of the work social, but I was not feeling great so I skipped it. Thursday saw me wake with a chest infection. Friday it was worse. A couple of days spent reading and taking notes was good, though. I joined BOTA. I made an Irish Stew on Saturday. I made a lasagne on Sunday. Still have a chest infection. Feeling happy, though, and relaxed.

sunday…

after the zoo i don’t remember.

tuesday night we went out and had dinner with becky. it was lovely but then after becky left sofia and i had a fight and she left and went to the airport. she came home about 7am.

i did some work i found worthwhile this week. i have high hopes.

went out with people on friday night. saw keran. was good shit. did have a fucked up conversation with someone, but am trying to ignore it.

apart from that… we finished Lodge 49. don’t know what else. oh i got a OB-4 at a discount.

we’re in Brighton today. that beach needs a few more thousand years. the sand is too big. we stood at the ocean’s mouth listening to classical music and taunting it. we’re at brewdog brighton now.

you wouldn’t believe how much i hate myself at the moment.

hi. week was nice.

mostly worked and didn't leave the house, sofia went on adventures during the day. on Friday night we used a voucher to get a hundred fifty pounds worth of alcohol from Majestic. there was a beer tasting event. lots of people. the brewery representative said "hasta luego" when we left. on saturday we went to the zoo. i met the coati who is my favourite animal now. i invited him to jump into my coat and i would bring him home and feed him fresh bees in honey every day, and also mangos. he considered it, i think, but it's better the devil you know. coati has a big long snout and a bright pink nose upturned at the end. met val, sofia and her got on very well. two tiny friendly ladies. then sofia and i walked down past nelson and large benjamin and sofia enjoyed westminster very well.

on hallowe'en i hid inside my house. i sent some people post cards typed on the typewriter, and sent orla foster a letter typed on yellow paper. happy birthday orla. got a nokia 3210 in the post, taught it colonel bogey's march. did some work, it went well. i was ahead of schedule but then i tortoise and hared it and now i'm behind schedule again. it's all good. good things happening at work. feeling helpful. it's nice.

went out for dinner with miss mccrispy at garlic & shots. had garlic, had shots. ate several bulbs. laughed plenty. mccrispy and i won over an incredibly unimpressed waiter by the end. went shopping at the graphic centre for paper and tape. went to ace & tate and i picked some frames, but i haven't been able to get them yet because i didn't bring my whole prescription. going for a pair of gold dust large ninas.

met sofia at the airport. we went for dinner and wandered around for hours. dinners and breakfasts and wandering around; never quite managed to get drunk. lots of city left. i'm really sleepy today. it's good. i haven't done so much in such a short time in so long. but i need to get better at explaining when i need to be alone or focus on something.

anyway, it's time for the end of the night.

x