New paintings and regular art updates.
This is our wall between us and next door. The builder who is installing a new boiler drilled right through and knocked some of out plaster off! He’s offered to come round and patch it up, but if he does things like this I don’t want him in here! Might take a note of his phone number. I don’t want him causing a problem. I’m in two minds whether to put in a complaint to trading standards. I’m more concerned that he does the work properly for our neighbour who is very elderly.
I didn’t get a photo of them, they move too fast. One cat plays with a small ball, batting it round the bathroom so it clunk’s off the cupboard and the side of the bath, racing into the kitchen, the living room and back again, zigzaging along the floor, sometimes skidding to a halt and then whizzing off in another direction. Her brother, bigger and more staid, sits by the back door as this goes on. Until she chases the ball under a big green coat hung opposite the back door. It’s long enough to reach the floor. She bat’s the ball away, under the coat and chases after it. He watches, head twisted round away from the cat flap. The ball trickles out, he can’t resist and pounces, she rushes out, sees him with her ball, twists in mid air, catches the ball with a claw and flicks it away, all so fast he can’t react. She speeds off and he chases. So it goes on. Life, fun, two cats, one ball.
194 miles in two days on motorways to visit two brother in laws. A bit of sketching, visiting places to buy food, looking at bicycles and toy trains with my hubby. Did so much driving today that I didn’t take photos.
I was worried about the trip before we went so didn’t sleep well. Then last night we had a very comfortable bed but I still couldn’t sleep. Traffic noise, being too hot, then too cold, people moving about and creaking floorboards. I tried to get half an hours sleep after breakfast but my hubby has a bad cough so I didn’t sleep. I was genuinely worried about driving down motorways, especially since I kept yawning so much my eyes were watering. We went somewhere for lunch near Hebden Bridge then drove to see the other brother in law. Then home. Tired. Shattered. Over tired. Ugh….
The photo? Not relevant but I liked it.
‘Please put down your cutlery, an error has occurred in the seafood menu.’ Blared the tannoy in the restaurant, ‘whelks were mistaken for scallops’. ‘cuttlefish have been substituted for squid’ ‘this restaurant has had to reboot its robot chef.’
Di and Jo sat mournfully waiting, twenty minutes passed. The auto platter was steaming and the Dover sole on it had started to sizzle.
‘So much for a quiet evening out’ muttered Jo. ‘Not very romantic,’ said Di, a frown on her face. ‘Where’s the Piscean monitor when you need him?’
Jo thought for a while ‘all at sea?’ she quizzed. Di replied ‘that’s a fishy tale!’
This is one of my cats, she likes sitting on the back of the settee observing what’s going on. She uses this perch to see if her brother is walking by. Sometimes she pounces on him from there and then makes a quick getaway. She’s definitely ‘ queen of the castle’ despite being two thirds of his size.
I think I might do a tiny painting of her. The fuzzy effect is because I had to zoom in. If I’d gone closer she would have jumped off.
Anyway its almost two am. So I’d better get some sleep. Did I say I spent all day painting?
Night x
Sparks flew up into the night, blooming like a flower as he threw her old books onto the bonfire. He thought back over the last few hours. Finding her asleep on the bed, the sun slanting through the curtains. He’d left her to rest.
She’d come into the kitchen for coffee but barely noticed him. Just muttering fine when he asked he if she was OK.
She put the radio on, one of those inane poppy channels he hated. Started a little jigging dance. She seemed happier now, so he asked again how she was? OK she responded. Then she looked at him, a long stare. Who was that woman you were with last night? she said.
He knew he would have to answer. But not now, not yet. He hadn’t decided what to do.
Cat got your tongue she said?
Now it was night, the books were making sparks. He threw her record collection onto the bonfire.
She always asked too many questions he thought as he walked back into the house.
Sometimes it’s hard to see whether something looks right in a painting. Then I try turning it upside down. It really does give you a different perspective. In the case of the painting I’m doing it also allows me to get closer to the top of the picture as I’ve got it propped up on a chair.
Eyesight is another problem. If I’m staring at my phone looking at the image it’s hard for my eyes to accommodate (called presbyopia) where the lenses in your eyes get stiffer as you get older, so they don’t focus as well.
I’m now starting to paint the cracks in the window frame paint. I may come back to the clouds (thanks Martha, a bit of finger painting helped).
I’ve rotated the photo back to the vertical on my camera so I can look at it without moving the canvas. Eventually I will turn it back the right way so I can paint the bottom half. It’s going to take a while…..
X
When cats get in the way
You just have to live with it
Or push her away?
Give her attention
Let her just play.
Jumping and leaping
Up on my lap,
Knocking my paints over,
Splashing the water,
Sharpening her claws
On my canvas.
She’s lovely
But mad.
Even when I’ve got my eyes closed I have to do something arty. I like pattern and colours. Plus this is a way of hiding my double chin a bit! I’ve left painting till there is some daylight so that I can see the colours of the image of spode better.
Anyway I will see how I feel. But for now goodnight.
X
Her face seemed chiselled and angular, it was pale and smooth. The one blemish was a small mole just below the left side of her mouth. Icy, that’s what he thought, like an ice sculpture. Her manner was friendly though, a slight smile played around her mouth as they chatted. He was attracted to her and decided to ask her to go for a drink.
At the bar he asked her what she wanted? Vodka and tonic was her reply, no ice.
They sat and drank and chatted, he felt closer to her than anyone else he’d ever met. He held her hand and she smiled that quiet smile again.
Look I’ll give you a lift home he said. No problem, it’s on my way. She readily agreed.
As they pulled up outside her house he leaned towards her, a little peck on her cheek, it felt cold under his lips. He looked into her tranquil blue eyes. She took his face in her hands, directing her mouth towards him, pulling his face down, inwards. He felt the cold now, sharp, icy, his mouth was numb. The chill spread across his face, his head. Despite the heat he was freezing, shivering. The kiss continued until his eyes glazed over and he slumped forward.
Sorry hun, she said.
Mallaband-Brown