BEAUTIFUL SKIES TONIGHT

ANOTHER DAY INSIDE

MY FRIENDLY HEATER is keeping me warm as i stay in and knock this cold on the head - will miss the opening at Art Vault but i've got plenty to do with organising things for the Flood Rally exhibition for the Wentworth Makers.  

CAL

LITTLE MARA

RECENT PICS OF THE ADORABLE ONE

BEAUTIFUL SKIES

Last night the sky was lovely as the sun went down, i ventured out with the camera (i've spent days inside throwing this cold) and a big kangaroo took off across the front yard. he stopped and looked at me, as they do but just as i was about to take a pic he sprang over the fence from a standing start. i'm always amazed to see that 

 i've still got my

cold, but it's not

too bad - it's been

great to be so

comfortable in the

house with the 

new wood heater

and i like the whole

process of bringing

up the wood and

getting the fire going

- it works really well

and just look at

that hearth - my

own handiwork :0)

being inside has been the perfect opportunity
to work on ideas for a new cover design
for Swan Lake

i

ARTWORK DELIVERED!!

I DELIVERED SWAN LAKE last week but didn't put up the photos - hammy yes, but what the heck - we want it documented :0)

celebrations with
champers afterwards
at the great little
Union Hotel in 
brunswick, i got the 
longest chip in the 
place :0)

COUCH POTATO

A ROASTING SPUD - that's me lounging on the couch in front of the heater, nursing my cough.   i think i've knocked it, only three days and it's not too bad. but i'll take it easy again today, plenty of indoor things to do. drawing, crosswords, knitting, dozing. Weather is cool but very mild, not a breath of wind.
thinking about the cover of Swan Lake . . .

NOT 100%

HANGING AROUND THE HOUSE with a cold, haven't had one for a long time but my magic Target luxe hooded dressing gown is a tonic,  like being wrapped in a friend :0)   

And I lit my new heater last night for the first time.  went to bed at 11.30 and was able to re-gnite it  with a new log this morning - no more freezing house and the firelight is so comforting :0)

ooh i just looked out the window, gorgeous mist.   raced out, took some pics and jumped back in bed    it's ICY out there!!

WHAT A DAY!

I HEADED OFF THIS MORNING in good spirits, work dropped off, a night with sunny, looking forward to seeing helen, a couple of big vinnies stores to investigate in brunswick before i really got going.
but . . . i felt i might be getting a cold, not quite sure.  but i knew i wouldn't go to helen's if i had a bug to pass on.
Hit the road and travelled towards ballarat then got stuck between about four Bdoubles and missed a turnoff.  had to go back and get on it again, and by then i'd decided i was definitely getting a cold so rang helen to say i'd go straight home.
I thought i'd drive till about six then get a motel, but when i got to Sea Lake at dusk, not a motel in sight.  i travelled on to ouyen and the 3 motels were full.
it was dark, windy, very rainy with black shiny roads and i really just wanted a room.  i would've stayed in mildura but no luck so i drove all the way home.  a very long day and now it's 12.20 and i'm still up  :0(    

better turn out the light


next morning - it's friday and i'm home so that's good. airbnb lady might arrive a day early tomorrow so i'm glad i've got all day. it's wet wet wet here - lovely.   

A tip for everyone

who reads this blog.

i took my friend 

donnie's advice for

an oncoming cold 

and rubbed vicks

vaporub on my feet

and put on socks

when i went to bed.

instead of waking up

with a dry mouth and sore

 throat my nose is clear

 and i had a great sleep.

the vicks gets right

into where it needs

to be.  good old feet :0)

pic - cosy and warm in my magic

luxe dressing gown   Target $49

everyone should have one

HITTING THE ROAD

I'M HEADING HOME TODAY  just about to pack up and leave - bye darling sunny :0)

ARTWORK DELIVERED!!!

AH!  A VERY SATISFYING DAY - i had a long long bath in the morning before meeting a good friend for lunch, we had a long long walk up sydney road and across to lygon st before finding somewhere to have lunch, then another lovely walk home.  he dropped me off at allen and unwin which was great because i didn't have to battle the traffic. I'm over driving in melbourne.



sydney road buildings

I had an hour's wait so dropped off the folio and went for a wander, up the street to the melbourne artists group for a look in their galleries then across the road to visit st. patricks cathedral for the first time. it's just awe inspiring, huge stone columns, beautiful leadlight, vaulted ceilings, wonderful sculptures and carvings.   a nice way to fill in time

home to catch up on my own for a while, then a glass of wine with sunbeam, and bed - a nice day :0)

CATCHING UP WITH MEZZ

CHAMPERS at the Grace Darling (or grey starling) in smith st, small open fires, pumpin' music and lots of talk :0)  

AT LAST - WI FI AGAIN!

CATCHING UP on the past few days - lovely days of staying with friends, eating out, sleeping in, rugging up and a little bit of op shopping.  cold and wintry but nice

A MYSTERY

I HAD AN EMAIL from a lady saying she's acquired one of my paintings, could i tell her a little about it.  it was the cover to Bright Star, a book i illustrated in 1994, written by Garry Crew.
I know that the publisher bought this artwork when the book was completed and through further emails discovered that the buyer, Cathy, had picked it up at the anglesea op shop.  the publisher lothian was taken over  a few years after this book was done and maybe the artwork went up to their office in sydney, but we think it could have just been acquired by a member of staff. anyway between lothian buying it and cathy finding it , we don't  know the history at all.  fascinating.

 Cathy and husband Tony tracked me down through my signature and today Gail and I travelled down to meet them and see the painting, definitely the original and bigger than i remember.  but the amazing thing was that they went back to the op shop next day and found an original Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, she's one of Australia's most famous and collectible illustrators from early last century.  it's a beautiful watercolour, talk about luck!  a fascinating visit :0)  I'll be trying to find out more 

on the way back, delicious corn chowder at a beautiful nursery/cafe on the anglesea road,  mcgain's  - great food surrounded by pergolas and displays of beautiful flowering plants