Its been the wettest month on record, everyone is talking about the rain, and then its back to the rain. Around Firle its been very damp indeed but when the sun does poke its nose in we walk up the downs and suck in the wonderful home we have. The barn is coming on, the roof has been off and now its going back on again, the stud work is on going and standing inside we can now get a true sense of how wonderful its going to be. Tony the builder is doing such a great job and Lou gets on with his so well that they are working together on another property in Hove. January is a time for sowing seeds, a great time to just look out the window and have faith in the months coming down the calendar. I have been writing, lots of writing, my book is well on its way, my lyrics are flowing again so its a time to really indulge in myself. Time has been passing. The seeds planted represent my imagination tucked up in a bed of lyrics and prose, that connection is deep its something i never want to lose sight of, it is me after all. My brother Lew had a piece written about him in Small Woodland Magazine, he has planted trees in memory of my Mother Father and brother Les, its quite incredible. It was so great to see his name in lights talking about Ragwort. He is as ever the very best. This month was all about planting seeds and staring out of the window trying to be present in the mind, there are many questions to answer, all in time. Nice. I met up with Mr T and Mrs T we talked about touring later in the year, we talked about trying to work more closely. It was good to be back in the sack. I can feel a change of heart there, it will be a slow return and in the return perhaps we will find new ways of being. Many rivers to cross. I have not seen the Strypes all month as they have been on tour, i would have loved to have been there in America with them but Julian from Rocket took the New York straw and Jazz from Rocket the West Coast, it would have cost too much for me to be there as well, but it left me feeling a little Strypes empty. I was upset not to be there as America is the place to be for a young band, in 1978 i was there too being young myself and wide eyed too. Next time i hope, but as ever its about budgets. It all went so well for them which is expected and im happy for them, it could be where they too lay roots and make a future for themselves. Wow, its all go. Outside the storms and the rain lash our cottage its like being at sea, under the downs in this cosy and happy place. Above is the first laptop i ever had in 1989. On a tour bus one afternoon it flew off the table and hit the floor, but never cracked or stopped working. It was slow. A portable laptop, it was my dream for it to have pictures on it and music too. I wanted it to work as a TV and a radio all in one. Today my dream has been answered. Many laptops later. he Apple Macintosh Portable had 1 MB of RAM, a 1.44 MB floppy disk drive and the option of a 40 MB hard drive. The Portable often was referred to as the “luggable” because it weighed nearly 16 pounds, thats four bags of sugar in old money.

So the month has gone well, i have driven 2010 miles and the ground has been sodden and seeds have been tenderly planted for the coming year ahead, this is the pre month, soon to be followed by the month of cold and yes more rain. The band head out on tour, the kids are still all great, Grace in India, Nat is in Utah, Riley is in Kingston and Cissy in New Cross. The steps are all as ever the young, in trouble in school in front of the TV. Happy days. Januaury has come and gone with some great emotions some inspired moments in the word factory upstairs and in the arms of. Nice. Its been the wettest month on record, everyone is talking about the rain……