Thanks for registering a vote for the RA selection either in person or on the blog. I'm compelled to say you all have excellent taste :)
The results are...
No.1 = 12 votes.
No.2 = 11 votes.
No.3 = 2 votes
No.4 = 11 votes.
No.5 = 3 votes.
2+4 tie so my casting vote goes to No.4...mainly because I have a frame for it and I don't have two large frames (1+2 are large). so it's 1 and 4 that get to go. I just hope one of them is selected after all this trouble. Thank you so much.
Other good news today...
My son has got tickets for us to see the FA Cup Semi-Final between Aston Villa and Chelsea and Bev's sister in law has got tickets for the whole family to go to Belton House on Friday. With a good day hoped for in London tomorrow, I feel pretty lucky.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Feeling very fortunate
I forgot to mention what happened on Saturday. See if you can pick out the unusual one...
Yesterday we took full advantage of the day of rest. Studied the mechanics of repentance at church in the morning and totally chilled in the afternoon. In the evening we walked, talked and made plans.
Today I found out that Tracey J has had lung cancer confirmed. Last year her only concern was the ill health of her husband who is now fine by all accounts. Dot also has been unable to contain the spread of cancer. Jo ended up in hospital last week and Karen informs us that she has clots on her lungs. Florrie now needs 24 hour care and will move into a rather plush looking establishment this week I believe. Me, well I'm 100% fit...at the moment. You never can tell what tomorrow will bring though. If I eventually end up in a place like Florrie, I might just change my plans to windsurf the English Channel aged 89.
Feeling very fortunate.
- I sat in the lovely sunshine and read my book for an hour.
- Bev enjoyed sorting the garden out.
- Lots of rubbish to the tip.
- Wax removed from frames (needed two more coats of paint).
- 2nd coat of varnish on paintings.
- Bev backed the car into the brick entrance pillar...the one I've just built.
- Enjoyed an evening out.
Yesterday we took full advantage of the day of rest. Studied the mechanics of repentance at church in the morning and totally chilled in the afternoon. In the evening we walked, talked and made plans.
Today I found out that Tracey J has had lung cancer confirmed. Last year her only concern was the ill health of her husband who is now fine by all accounts. Dot also has been unable to contain the spread of cancer. Jo ended up in hospital last week and Karen informs us that she has clots on her lungs. Florrie now needs 24 hour care and will move into a rather plush looking establishment this week I believe. Me, well I'm 100% fit...at the moment. You never can tell what tomorrow will bring though. If I eventually end up in a place like Florrie, I might just change my plans to windsurf the English Channel aged 89.
Feeling very fortunate.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Can you help me to choose two for the RA selection committee?
Okay, here we are. I have quite a few paintings but have decided to include just five. Out of the five, three have to be discarded...but which three?
I think these have been on my blog before but in an unfinished state and to be honest, the others are either not quite finished or not as good as these.
I've reworked this entire painting...trees, tables, foreground, removed lettering, putting two people back in (romance), the background less white...the whole thing much looser and a lot warmer and sun-kissed.
Completely re-painted the background of this 30"x24" to be indistinct...also the boats and foreground.
I sold the original 15"x15"of this one but decided to paint another but just the boat and a different size. I got the idea when I cropped it to use as my blog banner. This one is a lot bigger at 24"x18". It's a bit dull here. The colours are more vibrant in the flesh so to speak.
I've done a lot of work with this one to make the figures noticeable but very loose. I love the lack of detail.
The other paintings will appear here each week as I finish them to satisfaction.
Thanks for your help!
I think these have been on my blog before but in an unfinished state and to be honest, the others are either not quite finished or not as good as these.
I've reworked this entire painting...trees, tables, foreground, removed lettering, putting two people back in (romance), the background less white...the whole thing much looser and a lot warmer and sun-kissed.
Completely re-painted the background of this 30"x24" to be indistinct...also the boats and foreground.
I sold the original 15"x15"of this one but decided to paint another but just the boat and a different size. I got the idea when I cropped it to use as my blog banner. This one is a lot bigger at 24"x18". It's a bit dull here. The colours are more vibrant in the flesh so to speak.
I've done a lot of work with this one to make the figures noticeable but very loose. I love the lack of detail.
I've re-worked this 24"x24", the foreground, people and other bits...
Thanks for your help!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Almost there
Painting bare-faced frames...top coat. I started to varnish the paintings and considered the safest and flattest place to let them dry. MIL had just gone to town and wouldn't be back for hours. Bev was at work and wasn't due home till evening so the best place appeared to be the hallway floor next to the front door.
I didn't reckon on the free newspaper delivery boy shoving his load through the letterbox and landing right on top of one. You've got to laugh!.
Apart from this little mishap, I've had a good day really. Although I've finished the paintings to consider for the RA selection committee, I carried on with the others and made reasonable progress.
Tomorrow I think I'll post the selection to get the views of anyone dropping by. It will be interesting to see if we have the same view on which two should go.
I'm quite excited about taking them to London on Wednesday.
I didn't reckon on the free newspaper delivery boy shoving his load through the letterbox and landing right on top of one. You've got to laugh!.
Apart from this little mishap, I've had a good day really. Although I've finished the paintings to consider for the RA selection committee, I carried on with the others and made reasonable progress.
Tomorrow I think I'll post the selection to get the views of anyone dropping by. It will be interesting to see if we have the same view on which two should go.
I'm quite excited about taking them to London on Wednesday.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Just the ticket!
"Be careful, they are red hot in Newark!"
These were Bev's last words as I dropped her off at work. It was my good deed of the day because of the rain. She was referring to our lovely traffic wardens.
I had been put in a position of trust and I had my list ready...£200 into our bank account. Transfer the cost of the painting frames from my personal account to our joint account. Have my glasses fitted. Be at the doctor's surgery by 10:20. Pick the frames up from Hills. Varnish paintings. Prime and paint the frames. Do not get a parking ticket.
Outside Hills (no parking between 8:00-6:00) I parked as soon as they opened and rushed in taking care to look up and down the street for an orange jacket. It was deserted. I put a sign on the windscreen to say I'm picking frames up and left my hazard lights on. No problem I thought.
I was the first customer and within a minute I was bundling the frames into the back of the car. I nipped back in and was handed my receipt and card. When I left the shop I glanced to my right and spotted the female warden suddenly picking up speed not twenty feet away. I ran round the car and jumped in, started the car, indicated and pulled off in one swift move. I left her standing, ruddy faced and out of breath. I reckon she could see my smile in the rear-view mirror as I sped off.
My next stop was the banks, so I headed for Morrison's Car Park. As I approached, I realised I didn't have a pound for the ticket machine so I quickly pulled into a 30 minute parking area and ran up the hill to the town.
Can you recall how stupid you feel when you push the door open only to realise the place is closed and you only succeed in breaking your wrist...or your nose on the glass? It was worse for me because there were two people waiting for it to open. "They don't open until half-past". "Oh, right", I said.
This meant that I would only have 15 minutes to visit two banks and run down the hill to the car.
To pass the next 10 minutes or so, I took a stroll around the corner and saw the very same warden taking photos of a car and slapping a ticket on the windscreen. She looked happy and I swear there was a glint of recognition in her beady little eye. I decided to call her Bertha...in my mind.
I was about 7 minutes late as I raced down the hill just as a traffic warden was coming in the opposite direction...it was Bertha! "I don't believe it", I thought, as we passed and exchanged glances. The words came back to me..."Be careful, they are red hot in Newark!" Bev will kill me!
Imagine my surprise when I reached the car to find no ticket.
Next stop was the opticians, so I parked in another 30 minute parking space and ran for five minutes into the opticians to have my glasses fitted. She was very polite considering how horrible I was to her last week. I began to panic at how long she was taking to get the frames right but decided against being the grumpy old man again.
I was late by the time I reached the car and guess what? Bertha was nowhere in sight. No ticket.
Next stop was the doctor and yet another 30 minute parking space. I walked into the surgery bang on time...and spent the next twenty minutes looking at the clock in the waiting area and seeing everyone being called but me. I felt sure that Bertha would be approaching my car soon and would get me this time.
No ticket!
Life is good.
Oh, the doctor's appointment was to have my ears syringed. I can hear everything now...it's incredible!
These were Bev's last words as I dropped her off at work. It was my good deed of the day because of the rain. She was referring to our lovely traffic wardens.
I had been put in a position of trust and I had my list ready...£200 into our bank account. Transfer the cost of the painting frames from my personal account to our joint account. Have my glasses fitted. Be at the doctor's surgery by 10:20. Pick the frames up from Hills. Varnish paintings. Prime and paint the frames. Do not get a parking ticket.
Outside Hills (no parking between 8:00-6:00) I parked as soon as they opened and rushed in taking care to look up and down the street for an orange jacket. It was deserted. I put a sign on the windscreen to say I'm picking frames up and left my hazard lights on. No problem I thought.
I was the first customer and within a minute I was bundling the frames into the back of the car. I nipped back in and was handed my receipt and card. When I left the shop I glanced to my right and spotted the female warden suddenly picking up speed not twenty feet away. I ran round the car and jumped in, started the car, indicated and pulled off in one swift move. I left her standing, ruddy faced and out of breath. I reckon she could see my smile in the rear-view mirror as I sped off.
My next stop was the banks, so I headed for Morrison's Car Park. As I approached, I realised I didn't have a pound for the ticket machine so I quickly pulled into a 30 minute parking area and ran up the hill to the town.
Can you recall how stupid you feel when you push the door open only to realise the place is closed and you only succeed in breaking your wrist...or your nose on the glass? It was worse for me because there were two people waiting for it to open. "They don't open until half-past". "Oh, right", I said.
This meant that I would only have 15 minutes to visit two banks and run down the hill to the car.
To pass the next 10 minutes or so, I took a stroll around the corner and saw the very same warden taking photos of a car and slapping a ticket on the windscreen. She looked happy and I swear there was a glint of recognition in her beady little eye. I decided to call her Bertha...in my mind.
I was about 7 minutes late as I raced down the hill just as a traffic warden was coming in the opposite direction...it was Bertha! "I don't believe it", I thought, as we passed and exchanged glances. The words came back to me..."Be careful, they are red hot in Newark!" Bev will kill me!
Imagine my surprise when I reached the car to find no ticket.
Next stop was the opticians, so I parked in another 30 minute parking space and ran for five minutes into the opticians to have my glasses fitted. She was very polite considering how horrible I was to her last week. I began to panic at how long she was taking to get the frames right but decided against being the grumpy old man again.
I was late by the time I reached the car and guess what? Bertha was nowhere in sight. No ticket.
Next stop was the doctor and yet another 30 minute parking space. I walked into the surgery bang on time...and spent the next twenty minutes looking at the clock in the waiting area and seeing everyone being called but me. I felt sure that Bertha would be approaching my car soon and would get me this time.
No ticket!
Life is good.
Oh, the doctor's appointment was to have my ears syringed. I can hear everything now...it's incredible!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Surprise, surprise!
Kirsty set me the challenge of not eating any lollipops, crisps, chocolate, chewing-gum or anything else not good for me today. She doesn't think I have any willpower. This morning she immediately pounced and I had to get rid of the crisps (I hardly eat them anyway) and the cheesecake that I was really looking forward to. Everything else was very healthy, although I didn't tell her that the chicken was doused in mayo.
Anyway, I mention this only to register my crushing victory over what she thought was too difficult for me.
When she left at 4:30 pm I cast an eye over the lollipop deliberately left within sight. Kirsty can be very sneaky. I bet she can't wait to see it gone tomorrow. I only hope a cleaner doesn't polish it off.
Before I finished work, Hills phoned me to say the frames for my paintings were ready and I immediately phoned Bev to see if she could pick them up for me. She wasn't answering the phone. I tried twice more before giving up on the idea.
Bev rang some time later after finishing work late and I asked her if she'd be able to pick the frames up. "I'm on my way right now", she said. "They rang earlier and I was going to surprise you when you got home". She was disappointed that they had phoned both of us because she really was looking forward to surprising me.
I arrived home but was surprised not to see them on the back seat of the car or in the hallway. "Were they not ready after all?" I asked. "Oh yes, they're on the coffee table". "Isn't it fantastic how quick they were", said I, whilst also thinking how strange to put them on the coffee table. I poked my head round the door in anticipation. Nothing! "What do you mean by quick, they've been weeks?" Bev shouted from the kitchen. "Weeks...it's only been a few days". Then I saw them. Bev had picked the frames up but not for my paintings...they were for my eyes!
We both laughed because she had surprised me after all. In fact, we surprised each other!
Anyway, I mention this only to register my crushing victory over what she thought was too difficult for me.
When she left at 4:30 pm I cast an eye over the lollipop deliberately left within sight. Kirsty can be very sneaky. I bet she can't wait to see it gone tomorrow. I only hope a cleaner doesn't polish it off.
Before I finished work, Hills phoned me to say the frames for my paintings were ready and I immediately phoned Bev to see if she could pick them up for me. She wasn't answering the phone. I tried twice more before giving up on the idea.
Bev rang some time later after finishing work late and I asked her if she'd be able to pick the frames up. "I'm on my way right now", she said. "They rang earlier and I was going to surprise you when you got home". She was disappointed that they had phoned both of us because she really was looking forward to surprising me.
I arrived home but was surprised not to see them on the back seat of the car or in the hallway. "Were they not ready after all?" I asked. "Oh yes, they're on the coffee table". "Isn't it fantastic how quick they were", said I, whilst also thinking how strange to put them on the coffee table. I poked my head round the door in anticipation. Nothing! "What do you mean by quick, they've been weeks?" Bev shouted from the kitchen. "Weeks...it's only been a few days". Then I saw them. Bev had picked the frames up but not for my paintings...they were for my eyes!
We both laughed because she had surprised me after all. In fact, we surprised each other!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
That's telling me!
Okay, I forgot that I can't put everything I feel here on my blog. It may be my journal but I still have to be selective to a degree. I tend to forget that other people read it.
I'm in real trouble from my family for being so grumpy, caustic and ungracious of late. They are right of course. The thing is that's how I feel at times. Thankfully it isn't very often and generally only is manifested when I feel I'm being taken advantage of. I don't bear grudges and quickly forgive and forget. Really!
So here I am...at peace with the world once again. I'm taking my medication and promise to be good. I've even moderated my last two posts...make that four and a few beyond! Dear me, was I that ungracious?
Sorry!
I'm in real trouble from my family for being so grumpy, caustic and ungracious of late. They are right of course. The thing is that's how I feel at times. Thankfully it isn't very often and generally only is manifested when I feel I'm being taken advantage of. I don't bear grudges and quickly forgive and forget. Really!
So here I am...at peace with the world once again. I'm taking my medication and promise to be good. I've even moderated my last two posts...make that four and a few beyond! Dear me, was I that ungracious?
Sorry!
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