'It doesn't quite feel like I am on holiday yet', I said to Mr Cooper, whilst assembling a lasagne to take to my Mum's to eat later that day.  'Oh don't worry, it soon will', replied a relaxed Mr Cooper.
We were heading off to Mums on Tuesday, in order to catch the train to Glasgow on Wednesday, to help celebrate Olivia and Jon's wedding on Thursday.  As we were taking Mum, we were travelling first class (a first for me and Mr Cooper) and as Mum is now 84, we were providing the evening meal.
Son John was coming with us, so I was beginning to feel like I was in charge of a small school outing but with the possibility of complications.

It was good to arrive in Eye, and to complete stage one.  Luckily the lasagne survived the journey, and soon I was busy preparing a salad and rosemary roast potatoes to accompany it.  Mr Cooper kept shouting from his position on the settee, firmly clutching the remote control, and I kept leaving the kitchen to find out what he was saying.  Mr Cooper: 'I was just asking you if you needed a hand' (said with eyes fixed to the screen) Me: Sorry, I didn't hear what you were saying as I was busy chopping/washing/roasting/preparing'.  (I still wasn't getting the holiday vibe.)

First class train travel, it is so worth it, and when you book in advance, it is only fractionally more expensive than cattle class.  I sat with Mum, and we enjoyed our free food, and wine.  Mr Cooper sat with John and they also enjoyed their free food, with wine and beer and whisky.  Si met us in Glasgow, a very excited father of the bride, and after a little rest in the Premier Inn, our home for the next 3 nights, we went to have an evening at Nik and Si's.
The evening before a wedding always has a chaotic excitement of its own, and this one was no different. No sooner had Si given us a brilliant Glasgow gin to try, adorned with crushed rosemary and sliced green chilli, than he had to rush off to help with the food preparation for the reception.  Son John went too, and I was in charge of the evening meal.  Despite having a gin top-up, everything came together, and we enjoyed the first sitting, with Si, John and Rowan rocking up later for the second sitting.

After a busy day, we were all looking forward to our respective beds, but the taxi driver had a very hazy idea of how to get us there.  A two mile journey took half an hour, as we explored many dead-end roads, and even a road blocked by an overturned lorry!  I was feeling many things by the time we were back at the Premier Inn, but not as if I were on holiday. 

After our breakfast, the next day felt much brighter.  Mum got ready to go to the wedding ceremony, and we began our preparations for the evening reception, starting with a walk to Waitrose to buy our drinks for the evening.  Then we did a lot of resting to ensure we were ready for dancing.

Here is Olivia, all beautiful and ready to be wed.

And here they both are, the new Mr and Mrs Lennox, obviously delighted to be wed.

This was all taking place whilst my other brother was in the air, flying up with his children, and it was great to see them all that afternoon.  We then ordered a seven-seater taxi, and transformed ourselves into well-dressed and happy wedding guests.  This taxi driver knew where he was going, but also used the 30 minute journey to try to convince us to book him for a day's sight-seeing, castles optional.  Well, it helped pass the time.

As I was on 'Mummy duty', I knew that me and Mr Cooper would not be having a late night.  It was such a lovely reception, filled with friends and family that were all so happy for Olivia and Jon.  The speeches were good, and the food was excellent.  The cake was beautiful, and the playlist was great.  I did my best to condense a long night into a short time and I think I succeeded.  When Mum announced at 10.30 that she was ready to leave, I was happily dancing with new friends and some Prosecco.  We had to leave when Mum took position standing on the dance floor as a reminder that she was ready to go, and I then demonstrated that there were several different ways to get into a taxi, other than the more conventional one.  Head-first was fairly successful, and sitting on the floor of the taxi is another way forward, too.


Friday was a day full of happy reflections, and lots of fresh air and water drinking.  Mark and his family had left the reception at 3.30 that morning, followed by Si at 4.30.  Just think of all the dancing I could have done!  We all enjoyed a lunchtime drink sitting outside in the sun, one of the few occasions where lime and soda was chosen over beer!
Mr Cooper and I explored Bearsden later that afternoon, and instead of our usual pub exploration, we went into a teashop to enjoy a Fentiman's Rose Lemonade.  I know, what is the world coming to?

What better way to end a stay in Glasgow than to have a curry?
And what better way to get ready for it by sharing a huge bottle of Prosecco?  Although tentative at first, it perked us up no end, and we set out to enjoy haggis pakoras as well as many other delights.  Nothing wrong with our taxi trip this time, apart from us thinking we had left someone behind and stopping the cavalcade to have a quick head count.  All was well, and everything was delicious, from the first poppadom to the last mouthful of pistachio kulfi, a rare treat.

Saturday morning saw us getting back on the train, with a parting gift from Si of Haggis-spice chocolate.  We did get a bit of a surprise on the train.  The menu was a lot smaller, and we were told that if we wanted wine with everything, you had to purchase it, at the weekend!  On the plus side, you could eat as many sandwiches as you were physically able to, which kept Mr Cooper and John happily occupied for most of the journey.

Then back to normal life on the Monday.
On Monday afternoons I work as a volunteer at Trinity in Winchester, and this coming Monday we are having our summer art show.  Which made me realise that I needed to work towards completing my painting which had food as its starting point.

It has become more of a study for a painting for the future, and my initial idea has evolved into something else.  That is one good advantage for when you take a long time over a piece of work.  In between doing the actual painting, your ideas grow and change, and the painting almost takes on a life of its own.  I will also be wearing an artwork also for the exhibition, and I will show you what in the next blog.  Let's just say that I will be a work of art from head to toe.

Now, I hope you are sitting down, for I am about to show you the idea for the first illustration for my cookery book.  I am so excited for not only am I pleased with the composition, but I also know how I want to make it.  I didn't want to produce a painting, but will be making a layered collage, which will include painting, paper cut-outs and printmaking too.  I think also that red and white checked fabric, plus green donkeys and blackbird pie-funnels will abound throughout.

In fact, I was so much on a roll that after getting the idea for the 'pastry' chapter, I came up with the beginnings of the 'small cakes' design. Yes, I did say it was only the beginnings!

Well, I must away now to do my preparation for Monday's art session at Andover mind.  I am off to spend a happy hour in the shed with PVA and tissue paper, which will hopefully provide a visual inspiration for tomorrow.
Good preparation is usually necessary for a good outcome, so aim to put a little extra into your preparations in the week ahead.  It should result in not only a better outcome, but less stress in the long run, always something to aim for.  You don't have to use glue and coloured paper in your preparations, but what fun if you do!
So until next time, be prepared for what you can be, and be ready to be receptive to events you can't plan for.  Just embrace those changes, before applying pink tissue paper to them.
See you all soon, take care and have fun.