New paintings and regular art updates.
How do you express your gratitude?
With a note or in words
To receive and to give
Make good your gratitude,
Or say it with flowers?
For work of many hours
Giving back your pleasure
Of deeds well done
Or welcome support
In adversity.
For service rendered
Time spent in caring,
Thanks are required and accepted.
People aren’t around, and if they were I don’t want to bother them. Some memories have been arriving on my Facebook page and I remembered what fun I was having ten years ago. People were there then, a group who worked together. Work was OK, life was satisfying.
Now? I feel shattered, broken, I’ve caught myself crying a few times. I’ve got things planned for later on, so I hope I’ll be OK. Life is up and down at the moment. I’m sharing this here because it’s better to get things off your chest. I need to unstick myself and stop thinking about things. But worries assert themselves.
This was triggered by adverts for funeral plans and wills on the TV and seeing seven or eight police cars and an ambulance up the hill last night. What happened? Are people OK? Nothing in the news, but anxiety bites again.
Ten years ago, three horseheads of the apocalypse!
Up until Covid we were merrily holding Mystery Plays almost every July. We had a fallow year where we did other things, but the central play was missing. But now a group of residents are working towards a 20th anniversary performance in 2025.
So on Saturday 6th July 2024 we are holding a Titchy Theatre fundraising event to try and enthuse people to get involved for next year. The event will be in Penkhull Village Hall from 12.30 to 2.30pm.
We had fun creating props from willow withies and paper and glue. The horses were based on Picasso style ideas.
There’s a peeling paint appreciation society on Facebook. I’m always on the lookout for images to share and saw this today. The lock/switch looks pristine but the paint on the pipe next to it is flaking away. You can tell the order in which it was painted. I thought it made an interesting photo.
Noodles and beansprouts in a spicy sauce with dim sum.?
Enjoyed a lovely meal with a friend. The first time I’ve been to the Thai restaurant since my hubby passed away in December. We didn’t stay very long because memories hurt and I just felt a bit overwhelmed by them. The owner of the restaurant had found a drawing I had done of my hubby when we were there a few years ago. She got it out and put a glass of lager next to it as a sort of memorial. X
Last year I watched the tour de France with my hubby. This year, for the first time in about 20 years I’m watching it on my own. It feels strange, no point in cheering on our favourites, no discussion about how Mark Cavendish will do. Just muttering ‘you would have loved this’ to his memory. I could switch it off, but I don’t want to. Tears will fall. I only got into cycling because of hubby. I miss him so much. He would be out cycling after this, a short ride to keep his legs going. He was over 70 and still enthusiastic. 70 isn’t old, he was young at heart. Disease not age took him from me. 😢😢
I had just gone through an artists block. Sometimes I can’t paint, I come to a standstill. I don’t think what I was painting was that good, but I’m sure I felt better being able to pick up a paintbrush.
Since then my painting work has been up and down. I don’t always feel up to painting, and various stuff makes it more difficult. Painting isn’t just a physical ability, it’s a mental one as well. Both of those things are affecting me. Life sometimes gets in the way of intention. But I don’t give up. I will probably carry on somehow till the day I die. Art is my imperative in life.
Have you ever had surgery? What for?
Why should I share this information? Can I trust the person who is asking? Or the people who are reading this blog?… Sometimes we share too much information. It’s too easy to trust everyone on the Internet. And yet I wouldn’t tell people in the street my life story, my insurance details, if I’ve ever been in hospital. True I do share some information but as far as I can tell it’s of little use to others. I appreciate that it’s good to talk about your life, but I think you shouldn’t go too far.
Someone will be out there looking at your details putting two and two together, finding out about me. Well I’d rather not be too informative, I don’t think it’s a good idea.
What are your daily habits?
Habits? What are they?
Life turned upside down when I started caring for my hubby. Everyday was different and it was hard to do things the same each day. Then he died and things got even less organised. Since then I’ve tried to regulate my life. Going to choir has helped. I’ve been in choirs for twenty years and that habit has helped my mental health. If the rest of the week is confused and mixed up I can hold onto the knowledge that I will be going to choir. Other than that I enjoy art and try and hold onto that habit. I would be lost without it.
I made a mistake last night and decided to watch the Presidential debate. It started at 2am and I went to bed at 4.30am totally dejected by the whole thing.
What they talked about has no doubt been reported across the world. But as a person interested in politics it was in turn worrying and unbelievable! It was like two boys squabbling, one a big bully and the other a child with illnesses that made him weak. I’d hate to be their parents. Two moderators tried to keep control, but never chastised the bully or called out the constant lies. In fact I’d call one of the speakers a spoilt brat!
Why run politics this way? Too much power and pressure in the hands of one man. There must be other ways to do it. I know of one country that chooses a random citizen once a year in a type of raffle? You have to be a decent, healthy person, but then your job is to work hard for your country. There must be some guidelines but no one gets absolute power. Is that a good idea?
Mallaband-Brown