I'm Still Here

Did you miss me?
I'm okay, but busy... and finding life just a tad stressful which has made it difficult to write. Nothing new... mental health issues (not mine), unemployment (again not mine), anxiety, another brief A & E visit and family tensions... it's all a bit crappy if I'm honest but you've heard it all before so I won't bore you to tears all over again because there's good stuff too.

I had a fabulous weekend teaching in Coventry, almost two weeks ago now. Such a lovely fun group of ladies and all so enthusiastic. There was much beautiful work produced by everyone and I played around and stitched some sunflowers while they were all working hard. I got to swim in the hotel pool in the mornings and ate croissants for breakfast, so it almost felt like being on holiday and not a bit like work. And in the evenings I managed to relax with my knitting. The fact that it matched the hotel bed linen probably pleased me more than it should have done but... small pleasures!

Back home I took my portraits along to Art Van Go and set up my mini exhibition. It seemed a bit far fetched to call it an exhibition when the entire collection fitted in a shoe box.

But they made a good display when hung together. While I was there, Viv just happened to ask did I have any other work I could bring along as the gallery was looking a little sparse.

I didn't need asking twice, so this week I brought along everything I could find behind cupboards and under beds and I really do now have a solo exhibition at Art Van Go of a variety of work spanning the past eighteen years! It will be up until the beginning of June so do pop in and have a look if you are in the area.

I'm rather excited at my first ever solo exhibition... definitely a sixty x sixty!

I have snatched some odd bits of time here and there and have finished the second of the wedding waistcoats. Number three just needs the buttonholes doing... so only four more after that!

I was also in a musical variety show with the local Amateur Dramatics group last week, comprising of readings, short sketches and lots of fabulous rousing songs, which was just what the doctor ordered. Nothing like a good sing song to release tension. Fortunately our audiences seem to enjoy it too.

And in between times I've indulged in some very light, feel good reading, not too deep, not too sad, not too taxing... again just what the doctor ordered.

And I've finished knitting my very cosy warm shawl, which I'm hoping will encourage the warm weather back again. We really all have had enough of the cold and rain... it's May for heavens sake! So like I say, I'm still here, muddling along like you do.

Hopefully I'll not be away quite so long next time!