Lights switch on

Before and after, the local Christmas lights switch on at the top of our hill. Everyone counted down and then… The gentle lights came up on the Christmas tree. Not overwhelming but restrained and pretty. We ate a mince pie that were being handed out. The local brass band played the carols and people sang along. As the Carol service continued children took their places as characters in the nativity. Two tiny. Little girls were the angels and there was a flock of shepherd’s. Well done to the organisers who created a warm welcome despite covid. X

Floaters

Do you have floaters in your eyes? When I look at anything I can see vague shapes floating about in my eyes. Luckily they are mainly around the periphery of my vision. I just drew this eye and tried to mark out their positions and opacity/transparency, The trouble is as you move your eyes or head they move and ‘float’ about too ( I guess thats why they are called floaters). Sometimes they’re very obvious, like on a bright sunny day they look like the shadows of birds flying overhead, or against a bright screen they can look quite dark. From talking to my Optician I believe they are the shadows of dead blood cells that are loose inside my eye. They either leak out or are pulled out by the gel in your eyes shrinking as your eyes get older. Mine are mostly unnoticable except when I’m concentrating on a drawing, or looking closley at something. Sometimes I see them when I’m driving , or on a snowy day. I wish I had asked the optician more? I think its something to mention if you have them as the optician needs to know, and it may be indicative of something going on. But don’t panic. Just take care of yourself.

Cool

It’s a bit chilly inside but I just put my dressing gown on. It keeps me snug. I am concerned that the price of gas and electricity is going up soon and that people won’t be able to heat their homes or food. So what can I do to save money? I’ve started sweeping up instead of vacuuming. I only do that once a week. I try not to use my car as much. I’ve only filled it up about six times this year. I also microwave some foods first to get them hot, then finish them off in the oven. For instance jacket potatoes. I’m wondering if there are other ways of saving power. Maybe I should use a hot water bottle instead of central heating? They say we should insulate our homes more. I did try and find out about that but we didn’t fit the criteria. I’m sure ideas will be thought of. Hopefully before climate change gets us!

Art box

I thought I’d post another picture of my old art stuff. I’ve certainly collected a lot of art equipment over the years. The pastels have dried out but the pencils are still OK. The watercolours are a bit old and powdery, maybe I can use them in a painting.

Ask me how old they are? I think twenty or thirty years old? Certainly not when I was at college, but not long after that.

Where is the box now? I think its upstairs somewhere. This photo was taken a year or two ago. I have a tenancy to find things, then put them somewhere ‘safe’ again. Which means I’ll probably not see them for another ten years! Life….

Snoring cat 🙀!

The cat that came in from the cold.. Our outside cat is mostly indoors now. He’s grown into a big cat. He’s getting portly and sometimes when he sleeps he snores! He is outside in the garden in the day but when it gets dark he sleeps on the arms of our armchairs on a cushion. He’s very sweet and purrs at me and makes cute miraow noises when I feed him. He’s lovely and the other two cats tolerate him well. I make sure they all get loved. I suppose I felt sorry for him because he was abandoned and he needed looking after.

Reading

A friend here, @stoneronarollercoaster just asked what book got people into reading as a child.

I remember reading Myths and Legends books from quite early on. The story of Pandora box for instance. I remember them when I was about eight or nine. And when I was older I liked the Nancy Drew Mysteries then Agatha Christie stories.

But the main book that got me was when I was about ten I read ‘Old Yeller’ a book that shocked me as it was about a dog that had caught rabies. I remember it was very sad and made me really aware of death. I’ve never read it again. Maybe I should. I’ve been a bibliophile ever since.

Yeti Alert

Drawing of a Yeti. I thought I could write a children’s book about one, but I don’t really know what it would be about, I just liked the idea. Then I saw Terry Pratchett had written a story about a baby yeti. It’s due out on Christmas day on the BBC. I’m looking forward to it… Whatever my Yeti story is I hope its funny enough.

You are number 17

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Am I regressing?

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Why Vivaldi….?

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What? What? Why?

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Almost there…

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Yes I am!

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5, 4, 3, 2?

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HOORAY!

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Oh what’s forty five minutes among friends…

Hello? Oh I’m sorry, Jack has just left for the weekend. Could you ring back on Monday?!

Argh!

Drawing bubbles

Drawing a simple pattern, a series of circles. Somehow this is relaxing, a meditation and concentration. I might cover the whole page with this.

It was based on watching a tap drip into a bowl of water that had a small amount of detergent in. The drips created tiny bubbles that gradually built up into a single layer.

I could try adding ripples on the water surface. But I’m not sure I want to. I will try and think about it.