December 19th 2018 Spending some time at Nick B's house. He lives a structured life. I notice that he completes several crosswords every day. The Times' Cryptic included. A list of clues: 'Rename, rename!' 6 (the answer being, obviously, rename!?) 'keeps us on land and sea.' 4/7 (ship builder) 'early morning shopping trip' 4/7 (head … Continue reading dream diaries…53.
An unfamiliar face appears from below the counter. I ask for cable. No longer than ten. You mean lead? Lead. Cable. Whatever. He turns and surveys the wall of cables hanging from hooks. Eventually, he points at a coil, says, these are good. Then he says, these are good, too. He reaches, unhooks and holds … Continue reading Ain’t No Shoeshine.
OS Grid reference. NY785635 Beltingham is a small village in Northumberland. It is situated 1 mile southeast of Bardon Mill and 10 miles to the west of Hexham. Attractive stone houses surround a little green. There is a fine Georgian house near the church, and another that once was a bastle house. It is either an … Continue reading Five Miles of Beltingham & Briarwood.
December 13th 2018 Bath, or an approximation of. Pete B is sat on a bank of grass near the river. He is eating a sandwich. I go over and say hello. While we talk, an Asian man (possibly Yags) comes over and speaks to Pete. I say hello but he seems reticent to speak to … Continue reading dream diaries…52
The shape of The Shale Basin, soon to be wintered, shading the bed of the Puget Sound, etching, at anchor, an orbit in the near-frozen water, caught between kelp and canopy of cloud. Low, early December sunlight casting long shadows, shafting the surface; an ever-complicated dance. Slow repetition, return and feign of … Continue reading The Shale Basin.
The day she won the National Exclamation Lottery - which was also her birthday - she decided, at once, that almost the first thing she would do was buy her old man the boat. She was generous like this. But, first, she had to go to work. So, she finished her second coffee, pocketed her … Continue reading Hejira.
