Sunday

Dogs insisted on getting up and going out at 6.30am. It was cold and dark - but in 3 weeks, the nights start getting shorter again - something to look forward to.

Went to the Illustration festival yesterday, which was good - but not the party afterwards ( I was already in bed). I also went to a vintage fair on the Pier (vintage now means '80's) and later to another xmas fair - mostly craft and art, all of which looked exactly the same. I know one of the stall holders, he told me that despite everywhere being really busy - it was essentially the same people trying to sell to the same people, usually themselves and each other. It was a lovely day so I had a bag of chips on the beach. I met two people both wearing the same highly distinctive 'one of a kind' coat in different colourways - the kind of coat retailers put in the window but never expect to sell. I saw someone I know wearing an elf costume in the Old Town. He's about 7 feet tall so it ... didn't work. Despite not having a telly and shunning most media - I can'y help noticing that it's already full-on xmas in Hastings - 3  weeks to go and I'm already waiting for it to end.

I'm more mobile today but still can't sit down for fear of not being able to get up again. The Mac engineer is coming to the studio tomorrow with my computer screen - it's apparently repaired, which is great. I should mention to everyone that my engineer has had a sex change and they will be used to her as a him. I actually really like Clare and she's a lot happier now. A really interesting person, a munitions engineer, motorcycle enthusiast and the owner of an industrial 3D printer. And a very good Mac support person.

I think I may have sold my spare bike to a guy at work, so I'll clean it up today - I can't cycle it at the moment - I'll probably end up walking it down the hill. I should get enough to pay for my next back session.

I won £10.50 on the Euro Lottery. At this rate - I'll be in a decent financial position in about 400 years.

I'm getting bored and frustrated now - there are things I need to do - but can't. Working standing up might be fashionable - but I'm not enjoying it and I'm less productive - and I'm struggling to concentrate properly. The year is drawing to an end and it's been fairly crap - I've earned very little and there are things I need to do to try and make it better, or I'm 'out of the game'. This back isn't helping.