Tuesday PM

I came home from work early - I've walked the dogs and I'm just going to have dinner (Oven Chips) then I'm going back to work for a meeting. We have to discuss our objections to the development next door to the studio. Essentially - it's become clear that if it goes ahead - we will all have to move out of our studio - it will be impossible to work here - and a number of people may lose their livelihood as the conservation area becomes a workmen's depot and traffic turnaround. I am more than happy for the development top go ahead - but not at the cost of the town centre. There are many other issues, including the drains and services will frankly all end in tears and have been so poorly considered that most people assume the entire application is a trojan horse.

I did managed to get a lot done today - didn't earn anything and the first email I had was a project cancellation - but I kept busy - and in the back of my mind I'm still trying to work out solutions to bigger problems. So far I'm not doing very well.

I found out this morning that someone I only knew vaguely and from a distance took their own life at the weekend. Nobody can understand why and there is quite a lot of upset as a result. The curious think  that they had two lives - the first half of their life when they were a very unhappy, insecure and troubled man - and the second half when they became a much happier, more free and energetic woman. It's very confusing and perplexing for everyone that knew them - there is a great deal of upset and heart ache.

Early this morning I took the dogs out for a very cold, frosty walk. As we made our way to Fairlight - we walked up the narrow lane that connects hastings with Rye, Winchelsea and Dungeness. A small, sporty car sped towards me and a plump, ruddy faced middle aged woman with big blonde hair, very blowsy and middle class looking - caught my eye and frowned, then gave me the finger in a very aggressive way - sneering as she performed the gesture. Perhaps she thought I was someone else, perhaps she just wasn't very nice. It didn't give me a very happy start to the day.

Here are a couple of images of the proposed development I mention above - my studio is in The Printworks, directly behind - 10 feet away.