Wednesday 21 November 2018

It Just Wasn't my Day!

Having delivered these four paintings for a small local exhibition last week, I was looking forward to seeing them in situ. Although I have had textiles in many exhibitions over the years, paintings are still new territory for me and I wasn't feeling too confident. But on Saturday morning we set out, collecting my Mum en route, to visit the exhibition.


Imagine my disappointment to find two of my pictures hung together like they had run out of time and space. I wouldn't have minded quite so much if the whole exhibition was badly hung but every other picture had lots of space around it and looked very professional. The chances are I wouldn't have sold anything anyway but I knew there was no chance of selling them looking like this. I felt like I had been an after thought.


It was disappointing but there wasn't much I could do at the time (I have let the organisers know what I felt since) so we left and went off for some lunch before returning home to carnage! Our very naughty dog had managed to get into my studio (he likes it because it is the only room downstairs that has carpet on the floor) and take six embroideries out of a bag, destroying them all, along with several reels of thread. I'm not sure how much of it he swallowed but so far has shown no ill effects (Suffice to say some of it has reappeared!) He had no concept of having done anything wrong and was really excited to see us and wagged his tail enthusiastically when we got back, keen to show us the new toys he had chewed! I wasn't quite so enthusiastic as him as you might imagine.


Taking the philosophical approach that it is only stuff that can be replaced, we had a quick cuppa and I took Mum home. When I got back there was a message from Stewart that he had gone out to collect his son from the station but was unable to start his car again so was stranded at the station. I had to go and rescue them leaving the car there for the weekend until we could get it towed back. It's a very old car. Originally mine, it was the first one I bought for myself after I was divorced. That might not sound very significant but was actually the first car I had ever bought or chosen for myself, having always had cars chosen for me, (don't get me started on the subject of control) which at the time seemed a huge step  towards my independence. After four days without it, our local garage have got it working again for the time being but its days are definitely numbered. I know it's only a car but I will be sad to see it go.


By then, we didn't  think anything else could go wrong. In the evening we were going to a village social fundraising supper to celebrate Thanksgiving. I decided to wear red, white and blue so put on my special dress that I had made for Kirsty's wedding, along with red shoes and cardigan. As the first course was served I suddenly had a whole cup of pumpkin soup poured over me... accidentally I might add, the poor chap serving us was mortified. It mopped up and the dress has been washed so there was no lasting damage but I couldn't help thinking I should have stayed in bed on Saturday!

I know I have not replied but thank you if you commented on my last post. I really appreciated your kind words and thoughts but didn't have the energy to answer. Jacob seems to be in a better place and dare I say it, life is returning to normal... well as normal as it ever gets if you have just read this post!

27 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, Gina, what a Saturday. Best to stuff the memory of it in the drawer of "things to never ever remember again" . I am sorry your paintings were hung so thoughtlessly. They are beautiful and deserve to be hung with care. I am glad that Jacob is slowly recovering. Wishing you a lovely few days, hopefully with no upsets at all. x

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    1. Thank you Christina. At least I can laugh about it now... as long as the car keeps going!

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  2. Oh my word, you really should have stayed in bed, you poor thing. I hope that your life has improved since then?

    Hugs, T. xx

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  3. If it's true that these things come in threes, you should be OK for some time now. How disappointing that your pictures were not hung properly and whilst I wish him no harm, I hope Hector had a tummy ache to deter him from eating any more of your work! Glad your dress wasn't ruined by the soup and I hope you have a peaceful weekend and can start afresh next week.

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    1. Hector didn't seem to suffer any ill effects at all! Onwards and upwards!

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  4. Oh Gina! You really didn't deserve any of that. Just catching up on some blog reading, so only just read and commented on your last post! xx

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  5. Goodness what a run of rotten luck!! Such a shame about your exhibition.
    However its all in the past, onwards and upwards and I'm so glad your son is feeling much better!

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  6. What a day. Hopefully, you've had all your bad luck for a good while! Glad to hear things are better with Jacob.

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    1. Me too... it's been a better week so far!

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  7. Isn’t it strange that some days just turn out like that. Such a shame about the way your lovely work was displayed. B x

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    1. Definitely wasn't a day to try my luck at something dangerous! Onwards and upwards!

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  8. What a day Gina and how insensitive to showcase your work in this way. Good on you for telling the organisers how you felt.Life can be a pile of do do sometimes but somehow we remain optimistic and move on.I wish I was clever enough to understand why.

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    1. I think we can let things get us down or just chalk it up to experience. If it comes to sinking or swimming I'm definitely a swimmer!

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  9. Oh no that is a shame I see what you mean about the paintings it does look like they were hung in a rush. The paintings are wonderful though. Such a shame about the embroideries too, I can't leave anything at dog level or it will get chewed, that includes pens or sewing on side tables! I'm glad your dress had no lasting damage and lets hope that was just a bad run out of the way.

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    1. I've learned to make sure there is nothing tempting aye eye level... he does like sparkly things!

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  10. Rubbish for you Gina. I hope this next weekend beckons brightly and there are many positives... the only way is up! As a child we had a lab' who managed to eat 3 large homemade Christmas puddings complete with sixpences one year! Trials and tribulations of being a dog owner. Much love x

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    1. I think Labs are notorious for it... my brother has Hector's brother and he is ten times worse! He's had to be operated on twice to remove things from his stomach!

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  11. Akkk! And after such a lovely healing kind of weekend with the ladies. I hope you have many more of those healing moments over the coming weeks and much to encourage you.

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    1. Thank you Joanna. At least the car seems to be running okay now!

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    2. Glad to hear that! At least that is something :)

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  12. Careful! What a day!
    It might be a good idea to go to the vet. The threads can somehow wrap round intestines. And if he chewed the hoops, the splinters can work their way through places and cause perforations.
    Glad the watchfulness has eased off for now.

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    1. Fortunately he is fine and seems blessed with a cast iron stomach!

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  13. I am just catching up with reading blogs again. Oh Gina, what a time you have been having, I hope the bright side has come along for you now. I was so sorry to read about Jacob's problems in your previous blog - hopefully he will stay in a better place for quite a while.
    Hopefully you can prevent Hector from eating anything else - and when you find out how, do let me know! Jess will eat anything softer than a rock - so far with no apparent ill effects - and she knows quite well she has done wrong - she cowers and wags her tail - and then is likely to try to eat the stockings, socks, hats, whatever almost immediately if she can get to them! But they do give us all great joy so I suppose they need to be forgiven! Hopefully you have had a much better week this week. XX

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    1. They are such horrors at times! I'm not optimistic about finding a solution!

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