Now where do I begin, after another long absence?  Well, let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start......only, let's just fast forward a few years, 56 to be precise, and look at what's been occurring just over the past three to four weeks or so.
When I was at primary school, we used to be given a card with a picture on it and a set of facts relating to it, and then we had to write a 'comprehension' about it. The more you did, the harder they got, and they were colour-coded.  I think purple was one of the hardest, but I loved getting to that level as it was also a colour I really loved, and still do.  I think you will find elements of that comprehension process creeping into today's long-overdue blog, as I will be looking at pictures taken from four to one weeks ago, and giving you a hopefully witty precis of the facts related to that image.  These facts are stored somewhere in my head, and to make matters even more complicated for me, material for my next blog is already in my head too, and jostling for position.
But here goes, lets get those facts lining up in the right order.
I spent three weeks looking after Mum, firstly in her own home, then in my home, and then again back to her own home when she was restored to far better health.  Part of the 'recovery process' involved trips out to lunch, and Mum visited The Chequered Skipper in Ashton three times in all, accompanied by all three of her offspring in various combinations.  I won, as I was there twice, with Si and Mark coming a joint second with just the one visit.
If you have never been, add it to your 'to do' list, nearish the top, and definitely above cutting the hedge and cleaning the car.   http://www.chequeredskipper.co.uk/

And after the first visit, Mum developed an extreme liking for their fig tart, served with pistachio ice cream, and it became a treat she enjoyed all three times.  If it is still on the menu, she will be enjoying it a fourth time as we hope to return next Sunday for lunch.  Which reminds me, it is down to me to book it.....
I had to break off then to make a call to the Chequered Skipper.  All booked for Sunday 3rd, I didn't want to leave it any longer in case I had to tell Mum that there would be no fig tart on Sunday as it was already fully booked!

The pistachio ice cream with it is a delight.  If you enjoy a good ice cream, as I do, just order two scoops of their white chocolate ice cream.  After that, all you want to do is sit on the green in the sunshine and gaze at any passing peacocks.  In fact, sitting and gazing is just about all you feel capable of, in a very pleasant, full-up sort of way.  I can also really recommend their mushroom 'burger' served with sweet potato chips and coleslaw......

Whilst we were dining, then gazing, we left Felix in charge at home, where he also did his fair share of gazing.  He was enthralled by the sight of many passing farm animals, plus a few cheeky additions.
Felix accompanied me on my last trip, as Si was joining us, and he is Felix's rightful owner.  Sadly, not everyone loves Felix as Simon and I do, some people describe him as 'dirty' or 'grubby', and think he should have been left, eyeless, in the charity shop.  But Si bought him and restored his sight, and now he lives with me where he is loved and stroked.  You have to stroke him from back to front however, because he was made with his fur going the wrong way.  Another reason why he needs a safe, loving and understanding environment in his declining years.  Some people actually shudder when they spy Felix, but after nearly 30 years of having a son who has caused many people to shudder at times, I am very much on the side of Felix.  I have often describe son John as being like Marmite.  You will either 'get' him, or not at all.
 And for those who do, your life will be a lot richer, and full of flavour.

Here he is, packed and ready to go home, along with Snowy, his travelling companion.  You can see from this picture just how successful Si was in restoring his sight.  His vision looks to be more powerful now than that of a bird of prey!  Perhaps his gaze does unsettle some people slightly, rather like two beams of light from a lighthouse.

When I was making one of the many journeys to Mum's home, this time to deliver a restored female parent, I noticed my car was making a new sound, but not a very desirable one.  A long time ago, in an effort to save money, we had pared down the benefits of our AA membership.  After experiencing 170 miles of a strange whine, I made a quick call to put back a previously abandoned aspect of it.
 I was assured that it would come into effect after 24 hours, and it most certainly did.  28 hours later, on our return home, the whining ceased as it was replaced by a bang, and we limped the last mile to seek solace in The Stratton Arms.  If you have to break down, there are far worse places.  Chris from the AA came very promptly and found the fault, a broken alternator.  As it was Bank Holiday Sunday, he was unable to get the part, although he did try.  Instead, he made the journey to West Sussex with my car,  after having first taken us to pick up a free hire car for 3 days.  Good job I made that call!

The whole event put us back by only 2 hours, and here we are, overtaking Chris pulling my car.
 We are in a modern Clio, which was definitely OK, but I am not going to be buying one.
The consequence of the car breaking down was to have a far-reaching effect, as was having had 3 weeks away from paid employment, but more of that to come.......

The following day, me and Mr Cooper, as we are 'well old', thought that the best thing to do on a sunny Bank Holiday Monday would be to go for a long walk, to start and finish in Selbourne.  As I am not only 'well old' but probably boring too, the walk we chose was one I have walked many times before, and is one of my very favourites.  I have walked it with Mr Cooper, and also alone.  That's totes boring and sad, isn't it?
And when it came to stopping for a chocolate break, me and Mr Cooper had very little trouble deciding who should eat which bar.  The only thing I would say is that one of them should have been Kingsize, with the would 'very' added to it!

I am becoming aware that although I have featured animals, birds and events, there has been no sighting of an actual person.  To rectify this, I decided to take a photo of Mr Cooper, when we reached the top of Noar Hill.  Each time I go there I am always hopeful of running into Bill Bryson, as it is one of his most favourite places.  This time I was conscious that I couldn't share any homemade flapjack with him, and that he would have to settle to sharing the remaining 'grouchy' bar with Mr Cooper, probably whilst I tucked into the one that says 'beautiful and intelligent'.
One can always dream......
But this is not a dream, this actually is Mr Cooper, looking as if he has just eaten one called 'In My Sixties But Still Intrepid!'.  Perhaps I should contact whoever manufactures Snickers, and offer to work in their ideas department for one day a week.  That might actually solve a lot of problems!

It was a beautiful day for a beautiful walk, and we saw just masses of wild garlic.  For those of you who can't even begin to imagine what masses of wild garlic actually looks like, here is a big clue.

The next week saw me able to return to work again, in both a voluntary capacity, and for money.
Very sadly, one of the outcomes of the previous events had forced me to hand in my resignation to both Andover Mind, and Trinity in Winchester.  I could have coped with not working for 3 weeks, or having my car fixed and MOTd, but the two together put me into a very precarious financial position, and it was with extreme sadness that I had to tell Mind, and Ali, of my decision.
Previously, Trinity had been working with Winchester School of Art, to make art that would be included in their boat sculpture, that was to be exhibited at The Tate.
  Here is my contribution, the four cardboard cubes featuring an autobiographical piece about me and son John entitled 'Almost Naked And Surrounded By Life' and some writing I did at the time when parts of my life were very much out of my control.  These are the boxes just prior to them being handed over, before their journey to The Tate.

Sadly, I was unable to join in with the trip to see them there, which was really the event of a lifetime.  But at least I can say 'When I was exhibiting at The Tate....'   There was no choice but that I had to be working, Mr Cooper had just paid for a full structural survey on our intended new property, and we were both properly stuffed on the financial front.  However, Ali took loads of photos and I will ask him for some, to show both you and me what it looked like in situ!
Happily, some of my work is really enjoyable at the moment, which is good as I am having to do a lot more of it! Painting Dilly comes under the 'really enjoyable' heading. She is a vintage caravan, and I am giving her a wild flower frieze.  This is the first quarter of it, having just received its undercoat.  There will be lots more photos to follow, as colour is added.  In fact I am off to paint again this Monday. If it is sunny, it will be a lovely way to spend the Bank Holiday, especially if Mr Cooper provides a delicious festive feast for when I return.
Dilly can be seen at many events this summer, with her proud owners Rose and Paul.  Rose is a wonderful herbalist, and you can discover more by exploring the link below. 
https://www.facebook.com/herbsmagickpath

Just before I go, I thought I would show you the whole image 'Almost Naked And Surrounded By Life', parts of which were exhibited at The Tate. I won't add the written work, as it is too personal, and involves details of lives other than my own.

  Strangely enough, it wasn't accepted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize competition. This year is the first one for ages that I haven't completed an autobiographical drawing to enter for it, but I now have the idea for one, so it will be not one but two years in the making.
Here is the progress that has been made so far, so you can see there is still a little way to go!

Let's continue to look to the future now and not the past.  A future where skies are blue, the sun is shining, and fields of dandelions positively glow.
 These are the things you see when walking in the right places.
 What you don't tend to see, however, is Bill Bryson, and I really would like to.
 Are you reading this, Bill?

I hope you have a week ahead when you are able to do some walking in the right places, places of your own choosing.  Sometimes part of our journey is against our actual wishes and inclinations, but the journey will become a lot easier when we sometimes stop struggling against things, and look around to appreciate what is actually there, and not what we would wish to be there.
Have a happy Bank Holiday Weekend, and  enjoy what it brings, requested or otherwise.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

 You must bear with me for a little while because although this blog was started just after Easter, I have only just got round to completing it, as I will explain a little later.
So don't worry, I have not completely lost the plot.
Now just sit comfortably, travel back in time a little way and, hopefully, enjoy........

I am safely back at work now, after a festive family time.  As always, it was really good fun, if tiring.  The last two words are more a reflection on my advanced age, rather than any weariness produced by tiresome people.  There are no tiresome people in my family.  And talking of people, tiresome or otherwise, I do intend to introduce into this weeks' blog more glimpses of actual people.
In my last blog, I was starting to learn about the complexities of my new camera, if not photography in general!  Here I am taking copious notes in an effort to change my photographic life forever, and here you can see Barry's copious notes and numbers, in his effort to aid me on this path.
The journey has started, but is having to jostle for place with numerous other important projects.

 Easter was spent at Mum's, with my brothers and a good selection of partners, nieces and nephews.  No sons with me, as one was working and the other still taking things easy.
You should now be seeing a picture of the chocolate Easter bunny sitting on its green grass jelly, but I managed to take the photo of it on my 'broken' phone that I thought had 'mended' itself.  I thought wrong, so the image may be lost forever!  It was a much more defined bunny than last time, and also two-coloured.  When you are pouring the blancmange into a mould and your elderly mother tells you to 'be careful' and you ignore such advice, the mould has a tendency to lose its balance and spill some of its contents.  As you are then in a situation where you are in the presence of more fastidious family members, you are then unable to scrape the spilt blacmange up from the table and back into the bunny.  You have to wait till what is left in it has set, then top it up with a lovely stripe of raspberry flavoured blancmange.  It was a good photo, very lurid, but one you shall just have to imagine ( I told you my photography journey was proceeding slowly, didn't I?)

When at Mum's, we were remarking on the carpet being very 'seventies', which is not surprising, as it was purchased then.  Mum said that it was very good quality and expensive, but she has never liked it, and it was chosen as it would 'hide the dirt'.  Here is a photograph taken by Simon demonstrating that not only can it do that, but it can also 'hide' small toy cats called Chantelle.  Simon is dead clever, and he changed his settings to take this in black and white.  I am looking forward to those days!

 Whilst at Mum's I had a short and enjoyable escape where I went to visit my best friend from years ago, and to meet her husband too.  As we had been out of touch for some years, I had not yet met Martyn, and it was really lovely to to so.  It is also really lovely to know that we will not lose touch with each other again.  Whilst I was there, Deborah gave me an Easter present, of my favourite sort.  Something to do with eggs but not to do with chocolate.  What else could it be but egg cups, and even better, of my most favourite sort!  Here they are, having a chat on a table I decorated years ago.  I think the bunny cup is communing with his new bunny biscuit friends.
This was a table that I painted and decoupaged at least fifteen years ago, so if you are at all hesitant about commissioning me to create a painted table top for you, fear not.   The design is varnished to be very hard-wearing and long-lasting, and my prices are fairly reasonable too.

Here is one I was commissioned to make, for my friend Janeese.  Another benefit of you wanting one done is that it is also a job that I very much like to do, so we would all be happy.  Plus, I can always do with more earnings, particularly art-based ones!

 After  Easter, we travelled back to something approaching normal on the Monday.  It was far better than normal life, however.  I went to work for just the lunchtime shift on Tuesday (9am-4pm) avoiding having also to do the evening shift (6pm-11pm) as my bro Mark was coming over that evening with his partner George and big-boy Jem.  Sam was also coming over with his partner Molly.  Following a question from Sam earlier that day, I explained that Mark's partner was not trans-gender but was called George, short for Georgina.  That saved having any awkward conversations that may have started with 'And how far have you got in the process?'
The next image might not include any people, but it gives you many clues as to who was visiting.  The flowers on the left were from Mark and George, and those on the right from Sam and Molly.  What excellent taste they all have, and how well they know me!
Little Snowy, who belongs to me, is very happy to be with his cousin Big Snowy, who lives with Jem.  Not only is Jem rather partial to variety packs as fodder, but also their boxes as sculptures.

 There is a soft-toy theme running throughout, and just over a week ago I was asked to mend a green teddy, who had been assaulted in a pub by non-Irish rugby fans, and was in a bad way.

 Each month I attend a crafty morning in Southbourne, where you bring along projects and share ideas.  It seemed just the place to take Green Ted, so I gently parcelled him up ready for the operation to come.  You will be pleased to know that it was a complete success, and I will show you a picture of him, when he has fully recovered from the anaesthetic.

In between working, producing studies for an important commission and mending bears, me and Mr Cooper are striving to do a substantial walk every week.  We studied the forecast carefully and picked a rare day when it was not raining in the south of England, and set forth.
I had previously adjusted the white balance and the saturation on my camera, and it was my intention to capture moments from our walk, and also to include a picture of Mr Cooper having fun.
We set off from the Pub With No Name after a swift half (Mr Cooper had fun in there, but no photos were taken) and headed across beautiful countryside, towards Happersnapper Hanger.
Here was my first photo opportunity, freshly cut yews in The Warren.
Mr Cooper kept suggesting many other subjects for me to photograph, and I kindly suggested that he would be able to take all those pictures, were he to buy his own camera.

A little later, we were visiting again the two elderly Massey 35 tractors.  The moss is really flourishing, and it won't be long before all traces of red have turned to green.  We saw a difference since last year.  It always seems so sad to see two old faithful work-horses just abandoned.

Then came the hardest part of the walk.  In fact, it was the hardest part of the actual day, the ascent of ....Hanger.  It should really be called the 'I can't believe that I'm actually doing this' Hanger.
And if you look very very carefully, you can see Mr Cooper enjoying the ascent.

As my camera has an amazing zoom, I was able to zoom in more closely, to make the tiny speck turn into a climbing upwards Mr Cooper.  I'm sure if I had zoomed in once more, we would have been able to see his sunny smile as he enjoyed the steep ascent!  At the end of the day, we decided to do this walk of our own free will.  Perhaps we are losing the plot, after all.

I love being in the countryside, especially between the showers, and just lately I have been bringing the countryside into my shed, as I have been working to produce a detailed drawing of wildflowers, to form a frieze to be painted around a charming vintage caravan.
The eight wild flowers were chosen for me, and I spent a rainy but happy Sunday in my shed, sketching away, aided by Radio 4, starting with my Sunday favourite, The Archers Omnibus.
I was also greatly aided by a fantastic wild flower book, featured below.
Although I was fairly pleased with the outcome, I knew that it was not me that had to like it, and as ever, with a potential commission, I spent a lot of time thinking about why the drawing might not work, and what I could do it to improve it.

After all the mental stresses of being an artist, it was time to turn to another book, and seek solace with beautiful food.  Another link to the countryside here, as the recipe I was making was from plants only, and it was delicious.  Mr Cooper really enjoyed it on Saturday night, and enjoyed it again on Monday night, but perhaps a little less as he was then in charge of the chopping and shredding, as I was enduring my Monday evening spinning class.  If only it were with fleece, and not cycles!

Here is Green Ted, upright and up-together once again.  Let's hope he can put that upsetting afternoon behind him now, and move on to a brighter future.

My future is much brighter now, as the past two weeks have been spent looking after my elderly mum, who became very ill very quickly and is now becoming well again, but a little less quickly!  I know she is a lot better as the need to have the last word has re-surfaced, and having a glass of wine with a meal has replaced the desire to have no meal at all!  So that explains why blogs have remained un-written and work has been cancelled.  Thanks all the Greyhound chefs  for your kindness and understanding, and I am looking forward to returning to work the week after next.  I dare say that I will wonder why I was looking forward to it when I am actually doing it, but it will be great to know that I am returning as my poor nursing skills are no longer needed!
On another bright note, my wildflower design has met with approval and although the start of the job has been delayed, all the materials and myself are now raring to go.
And on a final bright note, I now have a new-to-me phone, courtesy of Mark's fab partner, George.  And as well as that, in the process of learning more about phones, I learnt that I could still use my phone without its Sim card and was able to send myself the rabbit photo from it.
Looking at the actual image, and the way its head is apparently detaching itself from the body, I think the bright note here is that I learnt a new process, not that I created a splendid bi-coloured rabbit.
However, you must judge that for yourself!

Let's hope your week ahead contains many bright notes, particularly if you have been having a bit of a grey time recently.  May your problems be those of a short duration, and may your decorative blancmanges leave their moulds in one piece.  And if you weren't planning to make a decorative blancmange, why don't you find or buy a properly funky mould, and make one for your friends to enjoy with you.  By the time jelly has been made and flowers added, the world will indeed seem a much brighter and happier place.  Especially if you also add a glass or two of bubbles.
Looking forward to seeing you all again very soon.  Until then, take care of yourselves and have fun!

Is there an overall theme to this week's blog?  If so, I imagine it must be 'ever onwards and upwards'.
What a difference a week makes!  Not only have I been moving onwards (not that there's much choice in that, really) but there has been a noticeable upwards trend.
To start with, the first few days following Sam's accident felt more like an uphill struggle rather than an upwards trend.  But as the week progressed, the rain clouds began to part and the sun started to emerge and shine through.
During that first week, following repeated orders from my eldest son (he's good at that) I went online and booked a date to give blood.  I had tried to, in the early 90s, but had been unsuccessful, with my blood not flowing rapidly enough to fill the pint bag in the time required.  So having been rejected as a donor, I decided that after 25 years I would give my blood flow another go, and so, stirred on by John's admonishments and also the fact that Sam had received a transfusion a few days before, the booking was made for the following Friday at 13.10.
In the meantime, Sam was very much looking forward to Molly's return from Somerset.  In fact, the sun was now not only peeping out, but casting a little warmth too.
Sam picked up the cake he had commissioned for her birthday party, and what a cake!

But the clouds that had parted to reveal the sun now produced a lot of snow.
 Molly became snowed-in, in Somerset. The party was cancelled and there was a very large cake that needed eating (well, every cloud does have a silver lining, even those snowy ones.)
Luckily Molly made it through the snow in time to accompany Sam to Southampton General for his check-up, and the removal of many stitches.  The team did a first class job on repairing Sam's face.  Now in a horror film he would no longer be the one rising slowly from the coffin, but probably be the action-hero of the piece, with a distinguished large scar or two.  The check-up also revealed that a) Sam was not able to fly yet and b) he needs an operation on his right eye, as soon as the swelling has subsided.  The appointment was booked with the consultant for the 9th of April.
As they were unable to continue with their planned week in Venice, Molly and Sam decided to enjoy days out in their own locality.  I had a text from Sam, saying they were enjoying a visit to Hillier's Arboretum near Romsey.  We used to go there a lot, when John and Sam were small.  'Do you remember when we decorated a monkey puzzle tree with camellia blossoms?' I texted back.  Not only had Sam remembered, but him and Molly had already transformed a Taxus Buccata (box, to most of us) into a thing of beauty and wonderment, and were sitting on a bench near it, listening to the comments it was provoking.
If you ever fancy a laugh in Springtime, all you need is an evergreen, and an abundance of fallen camellia blossoms, plus a nearby bench.

As life settled down once again, I had a couple of afternoons free to make onwards and upwards strides with my current illustration.
Here is the picnic cloth, all ready to receive the food.

Here is the plan of what is to happen, minus the lowest plate which got cut up for a template, and then consigned to the bin.

I must admit, I surprised myself by managing to complete almost all of it. I thought that I would be able to paint the cake plates, and then time would run out.  But no, blackbirds and a green donkey made their appearance, complete with their very own miniature pic-nic food.
 Do you see the teacup on the right hand side, still on the table? It's a little bit more obvious than the green donkey, which is successfully merging into the verdant lawn.

Well I now have to decide whether to add it to the design, as below.  It does look as if it belongs there.  Next decision, do I paint it, or take a photograph and add that?  Well, here I have a temporary pause from the onwards and upwards direction, and stop have a static ponder instead.  The answer really is to do both, and to see what suits.
 It will mean a little extra effort, which I might be trying to avoid, just by way of change!  Sometimes the 'upwards' bit just means more work!
 I am thinking that I might keep these chapter-heading illustrations as they are, which is mainly painted with some collage.  I want to employ photography in the individual ones, plus a little knitting too, of course. And perhaps some lino-cuts.

Looking at the photos above I notice that the colours and exposures are inconsistent. After an intensive photography experience on Wednesday, I am starting to know how to solve that, but before talking about visual art, let's just explore a little literary culture. 
I chose this book from the library as I have enjoyed works by Peter May in the past.

When I started to read it, I was initially disappointed, as it felt decidedly 'clunky' both in the plot and the style of writing.  There was a 'shall I, shan't I' moment or two, but I decided to proceed onwards, to see whether it would start to go upwards in my estimation. Also, I was running short of reading material!  As the story unfolded, the subject matter became of great importance, as it was about an undercover study of bees, designed to provide proof that there is a positive link between the use of neonicotinoids and the decline in the bee population.  On the surface, you could study the bees and say that their overall 'health' is not affected by this chemical being used on many crops, but when you study them in depth, it is proven that the use of neonicotinoids affect their brain and memory, so they are unable to gather food then 'remember' the way home. This is put very simply here, but the result of this is devastating.  These are also facts and not fiction, but facts that lots of big industries are choosing to ignore, for their own immediate gain, and to the detriment of us all in the future.
I then realised that my own decision to do something about this, starting with including bees and this concern as part of my cookery books (notice the use of the plural there, I must be zooming both onwards and upwards in my long term plan) had been put on pause somewhat.
This book has jolted me out of 'pause'.  It pressed 'play' and made me think of how to include bees and their very uncertain future in my work.  Ideas have formed and are moving onwards.

So thank you Peter May.  I may not have enjoyed your book as much as I thought I would, but it gave me a much stronger and more timely message than I would ever have anticipated.

Friday came around, and I kept my appointment and duly gave a pint of blood.  All was very straightforward, the actual painless donation taking five and a half minutes.  Apparently my blood is now flowing strongly and swiftly, so I must be doing something right. I felt I deserved my drink of water (new donors don't get hot drinks) and bag of crisps. I have already booked my next session, and have found that my blood group is O positive.  The thought of giving blood is perhaps the worst thing about the entire process.  Giving blood does not hurt, and it does save lives.  You don't have to see what happens at all, and you do get a nice lie down during daylight hours.  Somebody provided the blood that Sam needed, the need for blood is constant, and they always need new donors.
  I can donate every 16 weeks, which is of very little inconvenience in the overall scheme of things.
 
A policeman rang me last week, to say that they had recently apprehended a burgler, who had also admitted to breaking into and stealing from 'The Gables.'  Our stolen possessions have gone forever, but he thought that with some victims, this further knowledge also helps to bring a sense of closure.
 Mr Cooper, after an initial burst of rage and bad language, thought that he did feel better to know that the thief was now behind bars awaiting his trial, after which he was likely to be there for a long time.
I felt, as I looked into my depleted jewellery drawer which mostly contains funky plastic items, really pleased that my silver deer brooch had been overlooked, unlike most of my silver items.
This brooch is very dear to me, and I love it dearly, as well as deerly.  I will aim to take a good picture of it very soon, to show you of my upwards progression with a camera!

Bear with me now, as this story does make sense soon.  Well, it does to me.
Saturday dawned and me and Mr Cooper headed off to Uppark, to enjoy a National Trust day with the Lemons.  We had such a lovely time, and it was just like pretending to be grown-ups, but grown-ups who laugh a lot, and talk to all the volunteers until they have had enough of us.  Dawn and I reckoned they have to follow a code of conduct, where they are allowed to engage with individual members of the public for five minutes, then they move you on.  Either that, or they found Dawn and my conversations really boring! As usual on an excursion I took my camera, but took only one photo, of a deer's head situated in the servants quarter, which reminded me of my brooch.

The following day me and Mr Cooper set off with Sarah and Gareth to Compton, to enjoy a beautiful walk with stunning views of Uppark in the distance.  I will put it down to being misty as to why I didn't take any photos at all that day!  But all that is going to change.
When I chose my camera to replace the one that had been stolen, I also picked up this postcard from the London Camera Exchange.

And what is more, I then picked up the phone and booked a one to one session with Barry, which I had on Wednesday morning.  I learnt so much in those three hours, but I have also learnt that I need to learn so much more.  So intensive was the morning that when Barry asked me a final question, about what two things I could pre-set at home, before going out to take photos of landscapes, my mind just froze over with having had so much information.  I got one of them, before realising that even more thought was just beyond me, and all I could say was 'I'm sorry, I really don't know'. 

 This was not a negative comment on Barry's teaching, but rather a reflection on the intensity of the previous three hours, but my goodness has it opened some doors with glimpses of a new future. 

 Not so much onwards and upwards this time, but more like a vertical take-off but with only a sketchy idea of how to pilot the jump-jet.  Exciting, yes.  Scary too, as it will involve lots of work.  I could return to life as before, and choose the Automatic setting (safe and easy), or I could learn how make my own visual choices.

Sometimes going forwards requires very little effort, as we may already be on level ground.  Sometimes we come across a hill, or some rough ground. We may choose to stick to the path that we know, the one that we are comfortable with, but then we will never find out where that extra effort and hard work will take us.  So in the coming week or two, roll up your sleeves when faced with a new situation, and give it a go.  

It could be trying a new activity, learning a new skill, or working to complete a project that you have shelved for too long, whilst you trundle along your safe, smooth path.

And with all this talk of rough and smooth paths, spare a thought for those who take a tumble when the road is rocky.  You already have your sleeves rolled up, so go online and book your first donor appointment.  The range of snacks afterwards makes it very worthwhile, as me and son John have discovered and discussed.  https://www.blood.co.uk/

It might be harder at times to attain higher ground, but you don't half get a better view!
 And the plus side to all this onwards and upwards is that you can always pause for a drink of water, a flask of tea perhaps and definitely some chocolate!

See you all very soon, after the weekend of chocolate eggs.

Happy Easter to you all, however you are choosing to spend it.

This last week or so has contained many journeys, sometimes cruising through a happy valley, and at times, hurtling along on a roller coaster that you hadn't intended ever to board!

Let's start with a 'Happy Valley' excursion.

The Friday before last saw me and Mr Cooper heading for Eye, taking with us both sausages and good will.  We were nearly taking son John too, but on the morning we left he was feeling not quite the ticket, so it was only the two of us who made the usual stop in Turweston, at The Stratton Arms.

https://www.facebook.com/strattonarms 

Mr Cooper has moved on from dining on the filled rolls (delicious and extremely good value) to feasting on the hot steak pies, which are delicious in the extreme.  Not only is the filling all you could desire, but the pastry is amazing too.  I did have to convince him that the pub is too far away for it to be a regular lunch venue for him and his mates, Jim and Dave.

Later that evening, after a sausage supper with Mum,  my dearest friend Deborah came over and together we braved the elements and walked to the Blue Boar, a very different pub to my lunchtime venue!  Having braved the elements without, we then braved the elements within, and were soon catching up on our lives, sharing both experiences and much laughter as only true friends can.  There are two good safety valves to coping with life's difficulties, one of which is talking to your nearest and dearest female friends and laughing at life's tribulations where you can, and the other is, at times, have a jolly good cry.  But more of that later on.
How can there possibly be tears on the horizon when you have a box of blancmange in your hands?

As my little brother Mark was joining us on Saturday with his three children, I thought it was time that we re-discovered the treats that Granny and then Mum used to make for their grand-children.  Lucas and Jem have yet to experience the chocolate bunny on jelly grass.  This was such a loved pudding that I have made several lino-prints of it.

If you are looking at the above and thinking 'That looks amazing, Sue' just send me a cheque for £45 and your address, and you can have your very own, and be amazed on a daily basis.  Simple.

Anyway, on Saturday I made the jelly and popped it into the fridge, and then I made the blancmange and didn't pop it into the fridge.  Why not?  Well, I only read some of the instructions.
What you can do at this point is learn from the mistakes that I made.

Jem was my sous-chef in the creation of this dessert.  As you can see from the actual rabbit mould, if the blancmange is not chilled, it does not gain all the details!  As Jem added the jelly grass around the 'rabbit' then arranged the flowers, he said that it rather resembles a tasty chicken leg than a rabbit.
So there you have it, a chocolate bunny heavily disguised as a chicken leg, but tasty, nevertheless.
We will get it just right for Easter, just you wait and see.
Jem did a first class job with grass and flowers.

We continued our culinary trip down memory lane, with Mark bringing to light the sundae glasses.  They were aptly named, as they were only used ever on Sundays.  Sometimes they had Angel Delight in them, and in the 70s we experienced our own food revolution by having 'starters'!  Whilst watching the Galloping Gourmet, a much-loved weekly programme, we took down the recipe for prawn cocktail, which became not only our very favourite starter, but also influenced my art in later year.
I made sure to include mum's carpet in this shot, as it also hails from the 70s.
Be warned, Simon, the glasses have gone back with Mark to Portishead, so get in quick with any special requests!

Here is my knitted prawn cocktail brooch against the background of my prawn cocktail apron.
 You can commission me to knit you a brooch for not too much money, but an actual apron will cost you dear.  But if you are fortunate enough to be one of my beautiful nieces, you will already own one of these potential heirlooms!
 I might just give mine an outing tonight, teamed with my most favourite dinosaur necklace.

Now we have strayed into the realms of art, let's have a burst of culture on the literature front.
Of late, I have experienced a spell of choosing books that I have failed to complete. and the ones that I have completed have not been anywhere near good enough to recommend.  One book I very nearly added to my blog as having been 'a deep disappointment', but I decided that was not really the way I wanted to go, though I very much felt like it. But then this one came along.

Usually when I read the word 'epic' I associate it with 'very very long' but this story had many glorious strands in it that were so beautifully interwoven.  It gave a tremendous insight into the reality of not only living but surviving under Chairman Mao, and beyond.  It also mentioned often a sweet that is one of my very favourites.

The 'White Rabbit'  Chinese sweet.  Here are wrappers from two that me and Mr Cooper ate earlier!
'I must buy some' thought I, and so I did. (The Katmandu food-store, Andover, well worth a visit.)

Last Sunday I had a cheery call from Sam, to wish me 'Happy, Happy mother's Day' (I don't think son John knew the significance of that day to mothers everywhere).  Much later that day, as he was travelling to Winchester on his moped, he had a bad accident.  George had the call from the police that every parent fears, and was able to go to the scene of the accident, and then onto Southampton General to be with Sam.  Very luckily, his wounds were not life-threatening, and he was prepared for surgery the following day.
I was oblivious to these events as it was Monday morning when I was contacted by George, and the two of us travelled to the hospital to be with him after his surgery.  It was such a relief to see a sleeping, living Sam after only a few hours on the roller coaster when you are not sure at all how far you are going to be hurtled in the downwards direction.  Sam was very battered and bruised, with the addition of about fifty stitches to his face, mainly to re-attached his forehead back to the right place.  His right eye was damaged both in front of it and behind it, but hopefully not actually to it.  When I talked to Sam he was how you are shortly after a general anaesthetic, but there were two things he kept talking of.  One, that he stood by the side of the road after the accident (which he doesn't remember) barely able to see, and knowing he had been badly injured, but waving both arms to flag down passing motorists, of which there were many.  He was eventually found by the best person ever, a passing fireman called Rodney.  By that time, Sam was extremely confused, had really given up, and just sitting in a puddle. It makes me cry just to think of how much help he needed, how vulnerable he was, and how many people thought it wasn't their business.  Even if you felt you weren't equipped to be 'first on the scene' and I can really understand that, as he would not have been a pretty sight, why not just stop a little further down the road to call for the emergency services?  I know Sam is going to thank Rodney in person if possible, and if anyone knows who he is, give him a huge thank you from me, and George, and Sam and John and Molly, and the list goes on and on.
Luckily Sam was discharged after a couple of nights on Ward F5 (thanks to all the staff there too).

And on the day he arrived back home, it was to be met with a triumphant yellow garland (albeit one he could hardly see).

Juliette has been helping George transform his home back to being a place of beauty once again.  When I left The Greyhound in my break to go and see Sam on Tuesday, these were flapping in the breeze, and it felt like a good sign for new beginnings.  It will be a while before Sam establishes a new 'normal' but he is now experiencing a new beginning in his life, whether he wanted one or not!  As are all those of us who love and care for him. And when you are on that roller-coaster, hurtling down at speed, there are times when you don't think you will survive the crash that surely awaits you at the bottom.  Luckily this roller coaster drew to a stop after having frightened to death everyone of its passengers.

So, in the week ahead, and beyond, if you are unable to stop and help someone in distress, just go a little further along, then stop and make sure you contact someone who can.  It won't take many minutes out of your own life, and could actually save the life of somebody else.
And on a more cheery and uplifting note, go out and buy some yellow dusters (or wash your existing, grimy ones) and dust your beautiful belongings.  Work to make at least an area of your house a lovely place to be, then wash those dusters in readiness for when any greyness tries to creep back in.
Just one addition to all of this, if you read this and know Sam's Grannies, they haven't been told, and don't need to be, it is far better that way.  If you know them, you will understand why.
So go forth and celebrate life, vigorously waving those bright yellow dusters!
Looking forward to seeing you all very  soon.