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.