April. A day after returning from Paris, Jo had to drive up to Darlington for work, so I grabbed a ride and she took me the extra 30 minutes North to Newcastle. It gave me an unexpected week in Jesus Mound and my bubble-world there. Quality time with mum, whooping her ass at Olsen-one-card; good progress with Yellow Dawn 2nd Edition (the laptop set up on the kitchen /breakfast table for the week); a few games of Fury of Dracula with Pete next door; a divine curry and a couple pints after a bike ride with Pete / Rosie; a walk in the Dene with Richy; daily strolls up to Kitsch'n cafe on Acorn Road, along tree-lined streets, below fresh skies and embraced by that magical energy that flows through Jesmond; conversations with Samantha, with Mike & St John, with Derek (teacher bloke). It was a week but felt like a month. Deeply satisfying.

April. Newcastle ends after a long and pleasant day, I pack my bags around 6pm, by 6.20pm I'm kissing mum goodbye and out the door; a short walk up to West Jesmond Metro, a 30 minute Metro ride to the airport, check in, quick pint, jump on the plane, met by Jo at the Bristol end and driven back home. And it feels like home these days. Thank God. All the emotional turmoil of past two years has finally receeded. Jo and I grabbed drinks in a local pub. Next mornin she's up and gone to work; I make my 1st mug of tea and spent a few minutes in the Room With a View, gazing out across the edge of the city to the nearby hills and countryside, before heading up to my sky bunker.

April. It was a beautiful day so I did the short drive to Bath to see Matthias; going via Bitton & Kelston Park I get to experience the lush countryside and rolling hills between the two urban settlements. Matt's been busy building his lab, plus Tanya's recording studio and has now turned his attentions to the construction work taking place in their house.

Tanya got attacked by somebody weilding a recycling bin, smashing her lip and bruising her arm (which she'd raised to defend herself). This person was arrested and charged, and now represents a strange blister of tension within the vicinity.

It was around this time that Mat & I had a proper boys-night in. Tanya was out. Jo was back in the Cosey Castle. I arrived with a mountain of fish and chips. Matt and I watched THX-1138, then played Star Wars Battlefront II for several hours. Utter bliss.

May. I'd spent the morning at my favourite caffeine-den, Coffee #1 on Gloucester Road. I was due to have lunch with GBH (Hagen) but popped in on Simon & Vicky before I jumped into my car (I usually park outside their place then walk down to Coffee #1); I knew Becky was visiting and wanted to say hello as I'd not seen her for 2 maybe 3 years.

I've known Becky since 95. Through Simon, when I was still living in Hotwells. She now has a wee chap in her life called Archy (2 years old I think), only needs to work 2 days a week and is generally pretty happy. Becky joined me to go meet GBH, at the Blue Lagoon cafe, and we all had a really nice long lunch together.

May. I was in London to meet up with Baraka and the collective of creatives she had pulled together to discuss the project she's scored funding for, a project that could take concepts like myspace to beyond the next level.

It was an exhausting session (Angel Islington). I went to see Alex in Camberwell. Apart from his greatly appreciated appearance at my dad's funeral (last December) I'd not seen Alex for about 7 years. So this was our first chance for a proper reconnection. I met his dogs "Rags" who is the most incredible and wonderful animal I've come across bar Bob & Sid, and of course, Karli the Wonder Dog.

I met Alex's wife Kat, who is lovely, although it was a quick exchange of hello & goodbye as she was heading off to work. Alex and I hit a bar, he placed his credit card behind the counter and that was that really... at some point he and I rolled home. Met Kat again around 2am when she got back. Good chats then I crashed on the sofa. Woken up by Rags sitting on my head; I rolled over and Rags clambered over me to get into a "spoons" position, head on pillow, her back nestled into my chest. Go figure.

For me the night was special. I'd reconnected with Alex in a very important way; and at the same time I felt a stronger bond with Ciaran, the 3rd of the three muskateers (all 3 of us are the same age and grew up on the same street in Jesus Mound), even though Ciaran is 320 miles North, in Newcastle.

Alex showed me his wedding video; helicopters and singing Elvis in the Grand Canyon outside Las Vegas, and Ciaran looking amazingly uncomfortable...but putting on a brilliant brave face in the midst of surreality.

Alex has claimed wonderful success with his photography, and has now moved into directing. Watch his space :o)

Alex handed over a copy of all the photographs he took during Dad's funeral, so I'm going to review them and plant a few back in December's pages.

May. After leaving Alex's pad on Sunday morning, I headed up to Liverpool Street and stood around in a freezing rainy bluster for 20 minutes until Ben showed up. I've not seen Ben since December 2005, not long into my gig at the big-corporation in London. Since then he's been working on DaVinci Code, Poseidon, Sunshine to name a few. Still earning big bucks but living without living because the job appears to consume him and his time; but he'd just returned from a week sorjourn in France and was rather relaxed for most of our rendezvous.

We parted company in Soho and I went and found a cafe to park my bum for a couple of hours, which transpired to be a really wonderful couple of hours just relaxing. My sister (AKR) and Nk phoned me to say they were parked in a cafe further down the road: i joined them and treated myself to a divne plate of smoked salmon, poached eggs and toast.

Eventually back at AKR's pad it was a night of DVD's and mugs of tea. Bliss. I got to sleep in a proper bed in the converted loft space, my face only centimetres from the sloping Velux skylight...woken to the sound of rain pounding the glass just beyond my nose, cosey grey light...I rolled over and fell back asleep smiling.

May. It was one of those rare nights when Tony initiated a social; he was meeting up with a couple of ex-Agency colleagues, young Phil and Barry (both of whom had worked for Tony during ITXpress days).

It was really nice to see them. I have fond memories of those days but it was good to meet up and talk about everything else but work. He's still into IT. Got himself a cute little girlfriend and seems very happy with life.

May. The same night as Tony and Phil. Barry is one of life's unique characters. Easy to pick-on, in one way, because he's different, but stubborn and impossible to push around. He and I had a few 'run-ins' during our shared Agency days - simply because he refused to budge from the rules at times...so it was nice to see him and have a chilled-connection without any lingering shadows from those moments.

May. I get a message from Facebook, something I'm not even part of, from somebody called Michelle, inviting me to be a friend. After a bit of probing I realise it's an online friend I used to know as Brooklyn. A rapid-fire barrage of words fly between us and we're back up to speed. She's still living in Vancouver Island...and has some "news" it seems, though I'm still in the dark about what it is. Watch her space.

May. This was a really nice surprise from the Sharkman. A photo of him with one of my babies in a foreign location. Quite an incredible experience from my point-of-view, to see it leaving and breathing in paper and printing ink... beyond my hands. Gave me the idea of asking other people who were getting into my books to do the same.

I've created a page here

Kelvin is well although his world is fuzzing around the edges with potential dark clouds. Somebody close to him is sliding into personal torment and he feels powerless to help or stop the descent... the risk is that this could jeapordize the plans he has for the end of this year, and that would be a real shame.

May. I've not seen Øivind for weeks. He's been busy, I've been busy. This was a preview launch party for an exhibition of his work and several others. I was reminded how broke I am at the moment; I would have loved to have bought one of his pieces, and would have done, but I'm currently squeezing as many days-of-creativity out of every pound I have left, determined to finish Yellow Dawn (2nd edition) before I run out of funds.

May. I've known Bjorn for as long as the rest of the Vikings in Bristol but have probably seen less of him than most. Another very talent artist with a very unique style.

May. After the Centre Space Gallery exhib, I joined several people on a mission to Budokan for sushi. I got talking with a lovely couple, Chris, and his partner Samara. I thought Chris looked a little bit like H P Lovecraft.

May. It was one of those nights when you get talking to strangers who are open to new people saying "hello" and there a mutual vibe of interest. They're a good couple, two individuals sharing common emotional space, it was lovely getting to meet them.

May. I've very probably spelled the name incorrectly, which I apologise for. Aivind is another of the Vikings, someone I first met along with Ant, Bjorn and Øivind, through Hagen on long lazy Summer evenings outside the Arnolfini last year. I've not see Aivind for many months and was amused by my own reaction when I went over and shook his hand, it was like grabbing hands with a boulder...I said "Jesus have you been going to the gym or something?" To which he replied, "Yes." He's one of life's solid characters, reserved and somewhat enigmatic, very self-assured.

May. It's the weekend that Jo's brother (Rhino) gets married. Jo's twin sister has a major life change (D) and so lives with us for one day a week; something I'm really enjoying as it brings a new colour and energy to the house on a cyclic interval. I'm also more loved-up with Jo than ever before. Next month, June, marks an important and possibly life-changing moment for the both of us (0)(-)

May. Andrew, or Uncle Andrew as I've come to know him as. One of three brothers that includes Jo's father. He's a senior lecturer and a professional archeologist who spends much of his time in the Middle-East. I'd been hearing about him from Jo for 5 years but this was the first time we'd had a chance to meet and I very much enjoyed the encounter, particularly Andrew's passion for Polanski films. This picture is taken the day-after the wedding; in a room crammed with Jo's family, munching a full cooked breakfast churned out by Jo's parents slaving away in kitchen (delicious thanks!).

June. I got a call from Dan B, to say that one of his closest friends Nathan was having a 40th birthday bash at some ancient manor house, out in the sticks. I'd met Nathan twice. Once was back in January on a random night out with Dan; met Nathan and his g/f and struck a real connection with them both, a really lovely moment in time when you encounter new people that you really like, and who like you. So Nathan had asked Dan to invite me to the party. Timing could not have been better. I was riding the jagged front end of several days pushing hard towards the end of Yellow Dawn (2nd ed)... my brain was frazzled and the idea of being away from the city for 24 hour was delightful. Plus, camping was involved. It was something to look forward too.

I parked Swampy at Dan's place, and rode with him and his V-dub out to the location. The house would not have been out of place in The Shinning. It was magnificant yet brooding. A vast array of colourful characters stood around the sun-drenched gardens. I sipped Pimms and drifted between clusters of strangers who were all open to a new bod stepping up and saying "hello". It was great. Lovely people.

June. Great memory of setting up my tent in the late evening sun whilst Dan pumped out technotronic versions of Depeche Mode and some other cool tracks.

June.

June. The place did have a surreal vibe to it, not least because of some of the artwork on the walls: portaits of figures in black-tie with the head of dogs with vaguely human features.

June. I'd popped round to Sonja's to take some photographs for her and her new business venture. Indi was there, from London. It was really lovely to see her, but also strange seeing her transforming into a young woman. It made me wonder how different with Zed look / act, when we finally get to see her again after being away for sooo long.

June. Got a text out the blue from Mick T, he was in the area and was thinking about popping in. Hell yeah, I enthused. I've not seen him for about a year. He's now got two kids, a lovely woman (who've I've not yet met) and a house. He's still working in the Force.

9th June. I've been putting a lot of text up on my blog but I'm conscious of the fact that it's very public, and although I can mention more tricky issues in my life, I don't really want to "reveal all" in public. This place is, I suppose, more private in that only a handful of family and friends know about it. What' s on my mind? My health and my finances. I'll probably finish Yellow Dawn (2nd edition) today...or I could finish it but I might just leave the damn thing alone for 24 hours. I started it in earnest back in the start of Feb and it has consumed everything. My time, my general fitness levels and the last of my money. I've spent 6 months sitting in this very chair (in the Sky Bunker) for hour after after, day after day, week and month after week and month. I'm exhausted. This is not some terrible complaint, I mean, I've really achieved something special...and it could help bring me the success I'm seeking, and I'm incredibly privalleged to have been able to do this in the first place.... a solid block of creativity, because if I'd tried to do this whilst working it would have probably taken me 5 years. No this isn't a complaint, it's just a statement of fact... a mental scribble on the wall, "Hey, I've almost done it...and it drained me."

It's a sunny Saturday morning... the back garden needs some work, and the gravel outside the front is looking like the Triffids have begun an invasion...so rather than excitedly finish off Yellow Dawn, I'm going to send a couple of E-mails and then get out of this chair, away from this laptop and go do physical stuff, outside.

I did a Tarot reading this morning. Body: 5 Cups (loss) Mind: 5 Pentacles (aware of hard times, and rejection). Spirit: TOWER (dramatic changes ahead).

Christ.

June. It's around now that Sarah, Jo's sister, went through a major life change. It was bad enough that their Dad was potentially seriously ill and going through surgery, but, a major relationship came to a end. This meant Sarah spent a couple nights a week living with Jo & I... which was pretty cool because I like Sarah a lot, so it was like having a good mate crashing with you on a regular basis... and added a nice dimension to the energy of the house. Some funny moments waking up in bed with my hand wedged between two backsides though...

June. Jo had to come back up North for work again (same as last month), so I flew up with her. This time I stayed on a bit longer, initially another 4 days, which I then extended by another week, and then another 2 weeks... so it'll be mid-July before I return to Bristol.

Meanwhile, Mum vanished off to Norway for a month, Jo stayed for 3 days then headed back South West, leaving me alone in the house with Freddy... mum's recent lodger. In one sense he's the perfect lodger, because he's also never here... working in the oil business he often gets sent to far flung locations at a moments notice, for a week or so at a time. But for mum, I think she was hoping for some company in the house...

...but this period of time gave Freddy and I a chance to know each other. He's a lovely bloke. 7ft tall, dutch with a jaded sense of humour that fits well into mine. We began a routine of him bringing me a cup of coffee every morning...or taking turns cooking dinner.

28th June Freddy asks if I want to join him for a pint. I say "definately." He tells me he's joining some fairly new friends. A guy called Dave he met cycling a few months earlier, and some of Dave's friends. A really cool car pulls up outside, and we follow it to a fabulous pub near the Tyne called the Cumberland. This is where I meet the Be Safes. A band, but also a group of really wonderful people... I felt an instant rapport: this was Alex, Tim, Helen and Dave. Also an American woman called Laura. I said I'd like to hear their music, they said come to our gig tomorrow night... I offered to take some publicity shots for them, they said "great!"

29th June. Freddy and I head down to the venue. On the door I show my camera and say "Press", so get in for free. Freddy fumbles his words and tries to say he is also press... they look at him and he pays the full entrance fee.

David was up on stage doing a solo routine.

June. Tim came on stage after Dave to do his own solo routine. This image is of him on the Irish drum, but the main part of his performance was on keyboard... which was frankly jaw-dropping and unbelievable. Tim started playing a few keys, nothing special, and then BLAM broke into the full strength of the peice, a melody that repeated on itself, building up in waves of intensity... I was struck, emotionally by the music. It was like Philip Glass meeting Michael Nyman.

June. Another band came on before the Be Safes. They were okay, I suppose though I don't think Freddy was enjoying their style... meanwhile I grabbed Alex, Tim and the guys and set up a few shots for them.

June. Finally the main performance got under way. Really good music, really good stage personalities... they looked like they were having a lot of fun and that energy radiated out into the crowd.

June. I'd met Helen that first night in the pub with Freddy and had a good vibe from her. A few nights later I met up with Alex, Sammy, Sophie and Helen at another pub overlooking the Tyne and had one of those great conversations when you discover a range of things in common, that probably, most people wouldn't do. (Archetypes - Right Hand Path).

June. About halfway through the set, Freddy told me he was leaving because he had to be up at 4 A.M. the next moring to catch a flight to Milan. I'd taken my photos so figured I'd grab a ride back... stepping outside I thought, what the heck am I doing? I'm having a great time, and this is Newcastle... I can walk back home if I need to. This decision led to a little fork in my life path...

June. Laura was there the previous night, when I first met most people, and it was great to see her again. A really lovely person. She's responsible for religous studies in a university in Ohio... so we had some interesting conversations. Spoke about Burning Man festival...and the possibility of hooking up there to share the experience.

June. Throughout the night, I kept trading glances and smiles with a blonde girl - pink top and thick black belt. We got chatting and had another wonderful moment of connection: there must have been something in the air. Or more likely the fact she's closely connected to the Be Safes. But how often is it that you meet so many diverse and interesting people? It's around now that I realised my favourite people to meet and know are musicians... I think it's their energy, and the fact that their creativity can produce an immediate and tangible result: music.

At the end of the night there was a general rally for people heading back to Alex's pad for a bit of a party.

June. 4 A.M. came and went. So did most of the people - some of whom nobody knew - leaving a core of dedicated drinkers... meanwhile Alex mixed tunes on his laptop.

June. 5 A.M. Nothing like the last man standing to keep up the party spirit. Alex mixed. Tim danced.

Eventually Alex grabbed my hand and shoved me into a bed, so I managed to get at least a couple hours of kip... but by 9.30 I was up, out, and enjoying a walk home through Heaton Park and then the Dene... smiling with that chilled euphoria when you pop out the other side of a great night with no come down, no hangover, just some great memories of some great people.

June. It was one morning when I was sitting at the wide expanse of oak table, near the French doors that I saw Bobby arching his back and going into stand-off mode. I glanced further to the left and saw this monster-cat... just eyeballing Bobby, and then me. I even shuddered, the thing had such a malevolant air about it. I've since discovered it comes into the garden a lot, and here, Sidney is acting brave (for once).