Sue in the Studio

For the 2nd time today I've escaped out to an artist's studio. This time, it's to Sue's where she's painting an interesting abstract. It's meant to be a garden through myopic eyes. Although, to me, it looks like the colours which dance before the eyes just before sleep.

I love the mess and general detritus around studios. It's not often as an adult that you have the sanction to make an absolute mess. This artist business looks like a lot of fun to me - give or take the odd ear.

And here is a very special piece - the cockrel/bird of paradise that Maddy persuaded me to paint the other week. Maybe I should get the paints out more often 8-)

The Cat That Thinks it's a Dog

Like everything else at 29 QS (see entries passim) I am broken - full of cold, shivering and snivelling. I am sustained by i) Lemsip ii) Wimbledon iii) the collected routines of Bill Hicks (who I adore despite a Coldplay album being dedicated to him) and iv) Billy at my feet.

Not content with being a party gate crasher, he has been lying at my feet like a hound on a knight's tomb.

The home PC is still dead and squealing, so if you want to send me love and comfort please text me 8-) - or send round white palfreys with expensive presents.

Escape to Pinkhill

Fate seems to be consipring against us:

• the PC is knackered


• someone rear ended my car on Thursday


• the boiler has f*&%ked out (although The Boy many have soted that out)


• our BT line isn't working


• and my memory card has yet to arrive!

Rather than descend into a morose fug, I suggested we go out for a walk. Here are some of the fun things we saw.

Broad beans growing wild by Pinkhill Lane...fill your pockets....

...or in my case, handbag.

The meadow grass made me think of 'Little House of the Prairie'.

The flags are past their best....

...but I loved the refections on the water.

Here's a brave little lily...

...a nicely weathered sign....

...and a frankly vicious looking sheep.

If you can pop down to the lock and see the garden, it's glorious.

Now I recognise that pink duck!

No comment....

Obligatory boat shot.

Not sure what plane this is but it was heading for Brize Norton.

This boathouse is a ruin now. It looks nice and gothic, but I wish the owners would restore it to its Edwardian grandeur.

The big boats down at Oxford Cruisers. I love the way they dominate the river.

Adam took this pic of a rather friendly hound we met.

And here is a cute foal just by the Troll Bridge.

At this point the rain set in in earnest and we were lucky enough to be rescued by Sue, David and Harry. Not only did we get a lift, but we were also given pizza and beer! It just shows that you never know how a day is going to turn out.

After the Rain

I love to go out in the garden just after the rain. Every thing is so fresh and zinging.

The mock castor oil plant crys out to be photographed all the time. The leaves are such fantastic shapes.

You could eat your supper off one 8-).

I was SO tempted to lick along the washing line and catch the rain drops on my tongue.

You didn't know I had a dinosaur in my garden did you?

Friendship

As I can't blog my pictures you're going to have some more incoherent ramblings instead 8-).

I've been thinking about friendship quite a lot over the last few days. I don't think I can do better than Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics (which I studied long ago). he divides friendship into 3 types:

• that based on brief pleasure (common amogst the young)
• that based on utility (typically involving commercial transactions or a distinct time and place)
• that based on goodness, this is rare and needs time an intimacy to flourish. Once it does it's permanent

"It is those who desire the good of their friends for the friends' sake that are most truly friends, because each loves the other for what he is and not for any incidental quality"

I was once asked what I'd like on my gravestone (it was an existencial exercise not something threatening). On reflection I'd like it to say "She was a good friend"

Alas and Alack

Our PC has died, or rather is very sick. It's started crashing, and now makes a high piched squealing noise whenever you try to boot it up. A friend's husband has kindly said that he'll come and look at it on Friday afternoon (note to self - bake cake Friday morning). Adam is taking his laptop off to Portugal - so no pics from me for a while.

What I have been thinking about photographing:

- Mr Dust Documentry (Iain at Pinkhill Lock)
- Addictions (jewelery, handbags,food,beer)
- More glass and reflections
- Adding to my hand collection
- Lorna at work in her 'studio'
- more generally about capturing 'creativity' in action
- The texture of thick oil paint up close
- Something to capture the changes in A as the HGH kicks in (rebirth?)
- Eynsham door knockers (or just door decoration generally)
- Medicine (saviour & deadly)
- Portraits of people through objects they own/are associated with
- Maddy/Courtney eye view, taking a series of pictures from child height

Although just playing with my new D80 will take up a fair amount of time methinks!

It's Those Cooks Again

The Cook Clan came round for lunch today. Gary seemed determined to have the kids taken away by social services...

....really determined!

However, Maddy had a plan....

...she quickly persuaded Adam...

....and Gary had a taste of his own medicine!

We found him something else to do - see if the 'f*$k off' lense from old SLR was compatible with my new digital (it was).

The kids continued to eat us out of house and home! I love the colours in this plum - and yes we know the table needs oiling.

Sue and Maddy serenaded us.

James showed what a cool dude he was.

All in all far too exciting and we had to have a rest!

OK chaps - you can stop playing dead now, they've gone!

Camera Blues

So....I went to Cambridge to see Mr Watson and the lovely Cathy. And yes, to pick up my new camera. It's lovely...but Mr W left the memory card in the States! I now have to wait 'til July! Boo!

SNAP!

Sue - I see your sexual lily!

And raise you a glorious hosta flower...

...a delicate bramble...

...and a rather delightful lily type thing. See I can do the close up flower thing...

Emporium - Friday

Ah - the wonderful Eynsham Emporium - a coffee haven. Here is A. being adored by Biscuit - and why not.

I love these shoes of Corin's. They show a flirty, girlie side to the steely business woman 8-).

My Supper

You shall have a fishy, on a little dishy etc. etc. Aren't these beautiful? These lemon sole look like two little ghosts.

I find the patterns on fish quite fascinating. The delicacy is amazing.

A few minutes under the grill and it tasted amazing too - the very best kind of fast food.

Looks like Billy agrees!