15 05 2026

 Hurrah and hurray, the Stafford book is off and given to Desktop publishing for their approval!

       What could possibly go wrong?

12 05 2026

 Playing host to three cyberneticians, great fun if chaotic - the filmakers and recorderers of my dads 100 years. Now Bobs family are here, sweet folk who are used to me bunking off - which is what I've done, to get to grips with the last of the maths book. 

Had a life drawing session on Saturday evening which was grim but I came away cheery enough, just nice to wield a pencil. Totally unnoteworthy otherwise. (though Karim was modelling, her first go - she was v good)

Otherwise, domestic stuff interferes as ever. Bank appointment later. Hospital scan tomorrow. Stafford book with designer, goodoh. So all OK really, just no studio work. Given the huge Asian hornet that has moved in there, I'm not too distressed.

02 05 2026

 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.

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.

14 04 2026

spot the difference...

cant find the photo of the original, which is sold - these are done from the drawings the first was done from. Also did some book plates of it which didn't really work.

I'm really really tempted to do another few. They're just so cute. And, so far, each had its own challenges, without being terrifically taxing.  Think it was Munch who repeated his paintings - and whyever not.

 

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. 

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...