The last two weeks have been filled with dining out experiences, interspersed with interesting and varied commissions.  Plus, of course, a little light reading.
From what I have read in the past two weeks, I am recommending this as well worth a read.  Looking at the reviews on the back, I must admit I was a bit sniffy with 'An engrossing and memorable read' Daily Express, but as there was also this one, 'Utterly compelling' Independent on Sunday I plucked it form the library shelves.  Just how retro am I?

On Thursday I had a meeting with Nigel, the creator of the Mission Tent http://www.missiontent.co.uk/   This resulted in me being commissioned to create 23 more illustrations for his book 'get Him out', much joy and excitement there. Then the next day, me and Mr Cooper walked into Emsworth (we hadn't intended to, but we missed the bus by lingering for too long in 'The Travs') to meet Dawn and Aaron at Spice Village, for an exciting Indian dining experience.  I like the decor there, and the food tastes great, but nothing happens at any great speed there.  Well, your order gets taken promptly, but that's when the prompt and efficient part of the evening ends.  When I placed my order for freshwater fish with Himalayan broad beans, I was told that I had picked a dish requiring 30 minutes to cook.  No problem, we all said, as Mr Cooper and Aaron had ordered starters.  But do let us know if there is a problem, we added.  Which they did, 30 minutes later.  Unfortunately, I was told, there were no broad beans.  Mr Cooper, having enjoyed some very reasonably priced Cobra on draught, offered to pop out to the Co-op, and purchase some.  Well, that wasn't quite the only problem, as the next was that there was no fish.  Would I care to order something else?  Luckily my next choice of lamb with butternut squash did not take 30 minutes to appear, but when we left, after 2 courses and no coffee, we had been there for 3 hours.  Luckily we had a lot of catching-up to do, and Dawn and I both decided to do the South Downs walk together again, next year.  And Mr Cooper and Aaron decided not to.

Whilst working, reading, walking, swimming, creating, cooking etc (I think it is called life) I continue to knit in the evening.  Last week, William received a jumper (1-2 years) and this week, Nana Sue posted one to young Henry (2-3 years). Whilst Henry was very cleverly blowing bubbles, his mummy very cleverly posted me some pictures, and here he is!  The hat he is wearing brought back many happy memories, for I knitted it in The Falklands, completing it in Havana. And as long as his arms don't decide to suddenly grow, the jumper should still be fitting him in the spring.  Looking forward to seeing you and mummy in November, Henry.

My next 'interesting commission' was from 'The Trav's, our local watering hole.  I have been asked to paint the 'A' signs that help to entice people in.  So although this takes me away from my cookery book illustrations, at least I am engaged in a food commission.  Anything to do with lettering is not my favourite occupation, but as my car exhaust needs replacing, this job has come along at a very fortuitous time.
 So here is side one,

closely followed by sign two.  At least I have done some artwork in my shed this week! (As well as catching up with The Archers.)

'Fortuitous' could be the word of the week, because when I was busy at work, washing dishes, I saw my friend Rose at the window, waving to me.  I had not seen her for about 2 years, so I popped out to say hello, and arranged to see her in my break for tea and a catch up.
 Well, the last time I saw Rose, she was poised on the edge of starting a business selling her own herbal remedies.  'How is it going?' I asked, then sat there enthralled to hear about all the events she goes to, selling her products in her vintage caravan.
 When she described the 'Fairy Fair' in the New Forest, I realised I needed to go there next year, especially as everyone dresses up in fairy costume!  Suddenly my break was nearly over, but before I left, Rose showed me her beautiful caravan.  Inside, it has been decorated so wonderfully, it has become its own work of art.  Rose said there were a couple of items inside that still needed painting, and also they wanted part of the outside to be painted with a fairy forest theme.  'I can do that' I said excitedly, and 10 seconds later I got the job. I am just so excited and thrilled!
 I have no pictures to show you at the moment, but just watch this space.

Well, that ends my commissions for the week, but not the dining experiences. Two more to go!
 We had a family excursion to The George and Dragon in Hurstbourne Tarrant, where Sam has a new job, starting in December.  Me and Mr Cooper booked a room for the night, and Sam, John and George came over at 7.30 for us to all partake of the taster menu.  I really recommend both staying there, and the taster menu (the duck was so good) with 5 courses for £39.  I am sure we will be going again, and the customers there were so very posh!  It has been a long time since I was sharing a room with people called Otto and Fergus (although I am sure I wash up their cutlery and plates twice a week, at The Greyhound on the Test). It was fascinating to listen to what posh people do during the week, and as they spoke so very loudly, we couldn't fail to hear!
 The whole experience was very pleasurable.

The last dining event was designed to celebrate a bottle of stupidly strong beer, 32% proof, that Sarah had given her Dad for Christmas a while back.  What better way to do it than by inviting Nigel over (another Nigel, a Friday regular from The Travs) and making a pie to go with it.
Beer and pie, two things that Nigel, along with Mr Cooper, especially loves.  Look above to see the stupidly strong beer, alongside the 'little something' that Nigel brought along for us all.  This photo will help to explain a couple of pictures that are yet to come.

Me and Mr Cooper don't often eat pie because I don't often make pie.  But, as the old adage goes, 'If you are going to get wet, you may as well go swimming'. The filling for the pie was from a beef stew recipe where brisket was slowly braised with anchovies and thyme, courtesy of Nigella.  The pastry contained the following controversial ingredient........

.......plus butter too!  This was courtesy of Jamie, and was used to adorn our 24cm diameter pie.

I was going to put here a photo of the huge pie I made, freshly out of the oven.  As I used my phone and not my camera, the result was not sharp enough.  So here is a picture taken the day after, of what we failed to eat, with the wonderful purple blackbird pie funnel ( and yes, that does make sense) all the way from The Falklands.
We had to use that pie funnel, as both it and the beer were gifts from Sarah.

Although I say it myself, everything was delicious (thanks Nigella and Jamie), and then we tried the beer.  As Nigel said, it is not technically a beer, as it is beer that went on to be triple-distilled.  The taste is indeed powerful, and it took us a very long time to finish our measure.  However, after that, we found the Ladybird book of 'The Hangover' intensely amusing, with Nigel especially liking these two pages.

And as the evening progressed, as well as laughing a lot, I realised I had also become, in the space of three hours, extremely wise, and, just like in a fairy story, bestowed a gift for each of us, in written form.

Nigel has instruction number three, get a kitten! Mr Cooper needs to actually go on a hot cruise, and I am going to do something about nicotinoids, a pesticide which really could not be much more widely used.  I have always been sensitive to the plight of bees, and concerned at their decline. I only grow flowers that are friendly to bees, in that they are single blooms and not doubles, so the bees can gather nectar from them, and also pollinate them.  Some more decorative flowers, with their development over the years, are no longer accessible to bees, so yield neither their nectar or pollen.  But to do this is not enough, I find, as so many plants are treated with an insecticide that is causing the death of an incredible number of bees.  Not so much by poisoning them, but disorienting them, so they no longer are able to return to their hives. And the most worrying thing is that it is so little known.
This should be of a concern to everyone, for ultimately, no bees and insects means no humans.
I do not know quite what form my actions will take, but a bee will now appear in my Green Donkey illustrations, alongside with the original green donkey, and blackbird pie funnels.
I will indeed keep you posted!


 Well, next week looks a little quieter, as I am only eating out twice.  Once in Southsea with the girls, and then more intimately with just Mr Cooper at Fat Olives in Emsworth, where I will celebrate getting even older than I already am!  I know I am getting old as when I last went to the library (it in itself an elderly thing to do) and opened my bag to find my card, the young assistant said 'Look, there it is' as if I was already deficient in simple recognition skills.  Well, if you are twenty-something, I am considered, as the young ones say, 'well old.'  Must remember to tell the girls all about it next week, when we are out, looking gorgeous and laughing as only girls in their fifties can!
Well, a week has passed since writing the above sentence, us girls went out the night before last, and indeed we all looked truly gorgeous and laughed a lot, but I did forget to tell them that particular story! Thanks Diane, as always, for your friendship and laughter, plus bed!

And now I must stop writing and start publishing, as it is to be my last blog written when I am 55, as tomorrow I will become really well-old. Happy Birthday too to nephew Jamie, who almost shares my birthday.  Something was posted to you today.
As well as commissions, meals and my new crusade, family and friends have formed a strong part of this blog.  I am so fortunate to have a truly lovely family, and also truly amazing friends.  Not too many, but the very best.  Here are a couple of photos, courtesy of Juliette, my super-duper friend and work colleague (united we stand, divided we fall.) Yesterday, Juliette gave me a 'bag of goodies' for my birthday, but also some blooms that are no longer good enough for The Greyhound, but are a long way from the bin!

So, if your week ahead cannot be filled with friends and family, just make a connection with them.  Why not pick up the phone (for a chat) or just send a card.
 Sometimes, the old ways really are the best.

It has been a long time since I wrote my last blog, far too long, in fact.  (Not long enough, I hear some of you cry, but I shall carry on regardless.)
At the beginning of September, being more than a little dismayed at still not having sold our house, me and Mr Cooper took positive action.  I turned our beautiful pink bedroom into a white one, re-painted and further de-cluttered the dining room then painted the stripey staircase and hallway white, and Mr Cooper went to Bristol to watch the Rovers win, and to drink beer and eat curry.

Then it was time to pack away the seagull bathroom, making it far less like a work of art,

 and more like an empty, blue, anonymous  bathroom. 

When the hallway was also changed from being its own little art exhibition, we removed all of my paintings and put them safely into my shed, which is now the only place that makes you realise an artist lives here. This was with the exception of The Flying Kittens, which was safely wrapped up, before beginning its journey to be with the three kitten's rightful owner, who now lives in Cambridge.

I have grown very fond of the flying kittens over the years, but it is lovely to know it has gone to its real home, which is a very kind, loving, and music-filled home.  (They don't need much feeding, Rowan, just words of admiration every so often.)

Mr Cooper pleased me greatly as we drove to Peterborough, not particularly with his fine driving skills, but by buying me lunch at one of our favourite pubs, the Stratton Arms in Turweston. Since drinking a pint of Sea Fury there, I have gone on to purchase it in its bottled form, for the occasional treat.  A good partner for it is a packet of salted, or salt and vinegar crisps.

We were going to Peterborough to celebrate Mum's 85th birthday, and her twin sister's too, then travelling upwards to spend a four-night stay in the Sherwood Forest Center Parcs.
Now, you must just imagine all the photos I could have taken over the coming 7 days, capturing happy family moments filled with smiling relatives.  You need to imagine them, as I don't often photograph people, apart from Mr Cooper.  Eighteen of us enjoyed ourselves with an early 85th birthday celebration for Mum and her twin sister Aunty Joan, at The Chequers in Gedney Dyke. I even baked and decorated a Mousie Mousie cake as a finale.  The one below was made for a previous celebration.  I think the birthday one looked even better, but sadly it was not photographed, along with everyone and everything else that week.

Then onto Sherwood forest, to spend a busy four days with Rachael, Ben and Henry, and Ben's lovely parents Dave and Julie, for our first ever visit to Center Parcs.
Although it was really lovely to spend holiday time with everyone, me and Mr Cooper did feel as if we had landed on the set of a science fiction film.  Lots of the actors seemed to be really getting into it, but we were more wandering around, wondering why we didn't quite 'get it'.  My advice for anyone intending to visit........takes loads of money, even if you do not intend to pay for any of the activities.
If you mean to enjoy a cheeky pint or two, be prepared to pay double!  Swimming and walking around are free, as long as it doesn't make you too hungry or thirsty... save those urges for when you are in your log cabin, tucked up with all the provisions that you have most sensibly brought with you.
Apart from swimming daily, I did manage to knit daily too, this time for young William, from Emsworth.

We helped ourselves gently back into the real world as we travelled home, by stopping for lunch again at the Stratton Arms.  Not only my sort of pub lunch, but my sort of photo too.  No people, just atmospheric glasses of beer, vibrant salty snacks, and rolls that are both inexpensive and delicious.

You may remember that a while back that I had drawn a picture for Nigel White, to help him secure a pitch for his Mission Tent, at the Great Dorset Steam Fair.  His bid was successful, partly thanks to the artwork, which helped the organisers get a visual picture of what Nigel was offering.

And here it the actual picture he sent me, from the Great Dorset Steam Fair.  Usually people draw from a photograph, but this time, the photograph seems to have taken its inspiration from the drawing!  Watch this space for further drawings as I am meeting Nigel tomorrow, with view to producing more illustrations for the second print run of his book, ' get Him out '.

I must admit that I have felt a little cast down of late, with regards as to the non- sale of our house.
 Me and Mr Cooper are in a not very pleasant limbo-land, whilst having to act as if everything is fine.
It was very sad to parcel-up the last seagull, and to place him in the box with all the others.  This one I especially love, as Sam bought it for me as a holiday 'thank you', for when we had a week in France, many years ago.

But what better thing to do when in the doldrums than to bake a cake, or two, and invite friends round to swap life stories and laughter, whilst eating ' coconut charmers' and 'yum-yums', both of which will be featuring in my forthcoming cookery book. (I am still working on the second significant illustration, this one for the Small Cakes chapter, which is where you will find the recipes for them.)

 It is very true the saying that as one door closes, another will open.  No sooner than I had wrapped my last seagull than Sarah and Gareth arrived to sample the above delights, and presented me with not only an eggcup that I haven't got, but also these fabulous Mexican 'Day of the Dead' mermaid earrings!  I just can't stop wearing them, thank you so much, both of you.

 And then, when I went to work on Tuesday, it was to be greeted by a large milk chocolate fish, a present from Sam, all the way from the Isle of Wight.  I think an evening spent eating this will definitely cheer me up from my temporary loss of seagulls.

And you never know, in my next blog I might be describing the seagull's new house, having had an offer for this one.  Or I might not, but there will be a new house for them sometime in the future.

Enjoy your next week ahead.  Be patient if you need to, and pro-active if that helps.

And more importantly, meet up with old friends to catch up, laugh, and to enjoy home-made cake.

See you all in the next week or two.