Sunday 31 July 2011

Saturday evening tank


Saw this tank walking home on Saturday. It is at the end of Pages Walk. Not entirely sure why.

Saturday

Sunday 24 July 2011

self portrait collage

collage

Sunday 24

Saturday 23


Just an experiment combining two scratched photos and drawing on them. May try more of these, using bleach, heat etc. We shall see.

Saturday 23 July 2011

Monday 18 July 2011

Sunday 10 July 2011

This dog was so cute



I am not normally into dogs, but this one had the prettiest markings.

last lot



And More Again


More Barnes Fair



Barnes Fair


Barnes Fair was fantastic: the best ever.Lovely sunny day with only a couple of five minute light showers, masses of stalls and a fun parade.

Victorine turned up after lunch and was most impressed by the array of offerings. There were bands, a wonderful carousel, a helter-skelter, barbecues, craft stalls, furniture, clothes, jewels, cakes etc etc.

Pete was there, selling masses of bottles. I bought a Keiller marmalade ceramic pot, plus a small ' J. Sainsbury's potted meats pot' and a "Hailwood's pure rich cream' pot from the Manchester Creamery, Broughton. Elsewhere I bought a lovely blue brass and enamel cloisonne vase. I also purchased a rather jaunty red recycled hat, some red slingbacks with white dots, and a gorgeous black brocade jacket. Victorine purchased some jewels, a teddy bear and a rather daft large wooden chicken with jointed legs which could sit on a shelf.

We sat in Victorine's garden later, drinking gin and tonic, until I cabbed it back to feed the long-suffering Kook before falling into bed.

Saturday 9 July 2011

and here's the cover - a bit boring

Friday 8th July


Here's the entry for my first day of my new journal. It's a bit crap, but I think these thumbnail sketches are a good idea, anyway.

All we have to do is think of a name for our group: various suggestions have been made, some not entirely suitable, so we shall hope for some inspiration by the next meeting, which will be at Kate's gaff. Apparently the local caff where we will be having lunch is really good.

Since the sun is out at the moment I intend to go to Barnes Fair, and see if either Madeleine or Victorine wish to join me later, though it may rain in the afternoon. We shall see.

I suspect I will have a conspicuous weight gain this week, having eaten for England throughout, culminating in a slice of chocolate cake yesterday (but I did manage to chuck the rest out).

Friday 8 July 2011

Friday



Wild garden in bloom - the tall things are the artichokes.


Great fun having dinner last night at Bob Bob Ricard. Art deco booths and very attentive service. Julian's birthday and cocktails were drunk: mine was rhubarb gin and tonic, which seemed to be gin and tonic with rhubarb juice in - delicious. I shared a leg of lamb with Dorothy, while Julian had a delicious crab cake, and we ended with super puds: souffles and a strawberry meringue thingy. We shared a small glass of Chateau d'Yquem, which was a great treat.

We do seem to be fated when we go into the West End, last week it was Gay Pride and last night the Harry Potter opening, so we had to return home by a rather circuitous route.

Sorry to hear about the death of Major-General Sir Roy Redgrave. He was a member of the theatrical Redgrave family. My memories are of when he came to visit me in the CHC office in Hammersmith. He had just returned from Hong Kong to take up the running of Hammersmith and Fulham DHA. I found him very funny, and like a breath of fresh air at the meetings, during which he was totally politically incorrect, referring to 'the ladies' which irritated them greatly, and once, when informed of a possible strike, he suggested that the union leaders might like to be dropped over Hammersmith Bridge to take a swim and cool down a bit. A frozen silence greeted this suggestion. After a few months, he pitched up at my office. I had heard that he was being replaced at the health authority on radio 4 news that morning. I asked him about this and he said the first he had heard about it was on the news that day. Rather rude of them, I thought. And a bit of a pity, since he was the only colourful character around.

Today, Evon and Kate came around with their ideas. Evon had made a journal about some medical treatment she had undergone, and Kate had done some photography and made some cards during the week. We are going to meet at Kate's in two weeks, to draw each other. Meanwhile we will attempt to do some drawing in our sketchbooks. We also decided to go to First Thursday, where exhibitions are held all over the place in Spitalfields on the first Thursday of the month. Kate had been to one last night, which sounded quite interesting. We are also going to try and decide on a name for our group.

Thursday 7 July 2011

back page

seventh page

sixth page

fifth page

fourth page

third page

second page

first page

Friday


Here's my first journal cover. A bit crap, but there you go.
This week has been eventful, if only because of conspicuous food consumption. Bocca di Lupo and Gelupo last Saturday, Boot & Flogger on Wednesday, and last night, Julia's birthday dinner at Bob Bob Ricard. I fully expect to have gained several pounds this week, unfortunately.

Monday 4 July 2011

Sunday and Monday

Bought some white crops from Marks and popped into Holland and Barrett. I also obtained some more very dark rye bread with caraway seeds - Lithuanian bread seemingly made in Luton and containing something called Calamus (sweet flag) which Wikipedia makes sound rather dodgy. I suspect that the hard dried grass stuff embedded in the bottom crust is the calamus. I am eating two slices of this with a scraping of butter and marmalade for breakfast. It is very filling and apparently can help weight loss, though not sure quite how. We shall see.

I have changed the sheets, and put a pale green bottom sheet and pillowcases on, with a pale pink top one, and a pale pink quilt. I really love having linen sheets, though the French union sheets are pretty good.

I was going to Richmond today, but the tides preclude that. I may go next Monday. Meanwhile I shall wash the bedding, then purchase some folders and tidy up my old artwork and cards which are in an awful mess.

Had a long chat with Nibby, who is tarting up an old rocking horse to sell in the craft market. Apparently they went to an enormous car boot sale yesterday, and found all kinds of stuff there, including children's toys.

Something has gone wrong so that I can't co-ordinate my mobile with the laptop so the snaps are stuck on the phone which is a nuisance.

Saturday 2 July 2011

Saturday

Many years ago, I gave birth to my son on this day. After 24 hours in labour, I was glad to finally see him out, and so happy (well, I was, anyway). I slept for a very long time afterwards.

I had breakfast with him today in Borough Market and we are going out to dinner this evening.

This morning, I did a bit more of my journal, cleaned out the pond filter, tidied up the garden and did some washing. I will have to purchase some clear folders for some of my artwork, and particularly for my card images, which I may as well keep as throw away. I have a very large file which I can use for these. Finally, most, but not all of my sketchbooks have been found. I must have thrown the rest away.

After a glass of excellent cava, we set off in a cab. Though our table was booked for 10.15 pm we became stuck in a huge traffic jam caused by Gay Pride, so staggered on foot to the restaurant, through the drunken crowds and street debris. Bocca di Lupo is a great place with excellent food. Cocktails were drunk and we had great fun, before devouring the most fabulous ice creams over the road. After coffee at my place, the others set off intending to go to a club. I am still rather tired this morning.

Friday 1 July 2011

Friday


Forgot to mention I bought this huge fun 'coral' ring at South Bank yesterday. It goes well with a lot of my things, and when it starts dropping to bits I can use the beads for my bracelets and other bits of jewellery.

Actually had a pad thai for lunch today which was delicious. Lovely and sunny, so having coffee outside. I did mean to do the boat trip to Richmond, but the energy was lacking.
Ocado delivery earlier this morning, and I shall continue with my journal later, after sunning myself and tidying up the garden.