Woke up realising that the scanning thang has to go on the back boiler... people coming and still preparing for builders. So putting stuff away and forgetting it, pro tem.
vanilla beer work diary
In Amsterdam, by luck, I met Lino Hellings. She advised me to keep my work diary on-line, exposing my work methods rather than protecting them, risking the humiliation involved in failure. So:celebrate error. In my heart I knew this to be a good idea. My brain, horrified, fortunately tells me it will be too boring for anyone to read.
Saturday, 2 May 2026
Saturday, 25 April 2026
26 04 2026
Led by a dream, I began scanning my press cuttings, contacts and so forth - from my CV file - as a start in assessing my career. I have 4 volumes of this stuff, all grimy achieved by dogged etc etc and now irrelevant. Got up to 1990.
Either I used to photograph well or I was a very pretty girl!! I had no idea. Or perhaps in the culture of the time, I wasn't right - like so much else.
Got two days before Bob gets back, though today is taken. One day then... well, l can finish up between times.
Tuesday, 14 April 2026
14 04 2026
Saturday, 11 April 2026
11 04 2026
...so, done lots but non art. Moving furniture and books in the study where a window is going to be positioned shorty; and done my back in. Accordingly, started work on taxes; rendered fairly straightforward due to lack of income :) Surprisingly large royalties though.
Wednesday, 8 April 2026
08 04 2026
Think the book illustrations are done - sent off a bundle, have to wait for comments and (hopefully) approval now.
Next trick is taxes. Family go tomorrow, if I can find and adapt last years taxes then I'm free to hit the easel on Monday.
Though I might take a day out somewhere. Would like to test energy after stent fitting but new drug regime something of a hurdle; made it to the riverbank today, exhausted! Guessing it takes time.
Considering that in 5 years and 3 months I will be 80, there's not that much left...
Tuesday, 7 April 2026
07 04 2026
Got seven - seven!!- drawings done yesterday, by simply refusing to do anything else. Marvellous. Life goes easily on without my fussing.
Got the dentist this morning but plan a couple more before I must go. Maybe work this afternoon too .
Saturday, 4 April 2026
04 04 2026
Got six drawings off yesterday, despite an excess of chronofarge (new fave word, distress caused by computer bollix) Ronan, excellent local fixer, rebuilt one computer by hard drive and firefox, and we were forced to buy a new printer since the one that broke under guarantee has to go somewhere to be tested. I'm working now, having passed 2 deadlines.
And guests arrive! Lucky I'm so well.

