Tuesday 31st August 2021

Woke around 0830 and read a bit more Hilary Mantel...can't put her down! Another rather grey day in store. We haven't really had a summer this year...so much for global warming!!! Drove over to Hove to pop in on Colin and Trudi in Modena Road. They showed me their new rear extension...very nicely done. Cost them £110,000 though! Had a cuppa tea then strolled down to the sea front to meet Ray and Stef for lunch at Morrocco's. 

A new building has gone up next door to the restaurant, which turns out to be David Gilmore's new pad...or one of them! Appears to be built of white brickettes, which give it an elegant feel. He's got a recording studio just around the corner. Colin and Trudi left, and I waited for Ray and Steph to show up. They managed to find a parking space right outside the restaurant. Updated them on Aki's situation, and chatted about trying to find somewhere suitable to live down this way, only to learn that they are thinking of heading northward, and are planning to check out Lancashire next month! We enjoyed our food...I had the parmigiana with a ball of burrata stuck in the middle of it. Parted company outside the restaurant, and I took a walk toward the city centre along the prom. Got as far as the Odeon, a little beyond the wreckage of the West Pier, then headed back to Morrocco's for an ice cream. 

Drove back to Findon. Called Aki who has had a negative PCR test...but now needs to get the flight certification properly stamped, so is planning to head for Heathrow early tomorrow to make sure she can get everything sorted before arriving at the departure gate. Drove to West Worthing and picked up Lou before driving on to The Brewhouse to meet Debbie and Phil. The hostelry has recently been refurbished, but as soon as we got there they began having problems with the electricity supply, so the place kept getting plunged into darkness before the lights would flicker back on again. It didn't seem to affect the kitchens so we managed to get food, but had to eat by a mix of candlelight and mobile phone torches! Phil's daughter Tatiana joined us, as did Casper the dog. Phil has just finished cycling round Great Britain...took him 12 years, doing a section every summer, totalling about 45 days & nights on the road. He's kept a diary and is planning to write it up and publish it. Put my bid in for a signed copy. Got back to Findon around 2200.