It has been a week of sadness and great joy… a funny old week.
A very dear friend, George, whom I used to visit several times a week, passed away relatively peacefully and with the best people around him, for which I am thankful.
And my little grandson of 1 month, came on a visit and I got to cuddle him, which is such a special thing in these days of social distancing. What a blessing and a treasure!
The weather has been equally at odds. While my grandson was here, we were sitting under sunshades and gazing up at clear blue skies, enjoying the warmth of the sun but taking care not to get burnt. And yesterday, on my way back from Cambridge, I was driving through snow showers and being buffeted by a bitter wind in freezing temperatures.
My good friend and painting buddy Helen suggested, rather pleasingly, that it was probably George (emeritus professor of physics at Warwick University) having fun with the universe and trying out some theoretical stuff, causing our weather to go all wonky. And seeing the fabulously distracting skies on my drive home last night I held onto that thought and it made me smile. There were strange little rainbow clouds and glorious orange haloed deep purple clouds with streams of golden light pouring from them, emanating from a huge, blinding, apricot sun. I like to think George had something to do with that spectacular sky.
To be honest I should really have pulled over, I could hardly see as I drove from East to West… a common problem on this drive. I set off for Cambridge in the morning with the sun in my eyes, and return in the evening, with the sun in my eyes! But the skies rarely disappoint. East Anglian skies can be extraordinary.
Painting has been sluggish over Easter… I am getting a bit sluggish too and need to lose a few pounds. I’ll start a diet after I’ve eaten my last Easter Egg! You can’t diet when you are in emotional turmoil and as I said at the beginning of this… it’s been a funny old week.
Here is something I did paint this week… Bill and Ben! They are joyful and they make me smile. Katie (with a bit of help from Alex) painted Bill and I took Ben. We sat outside, braving the chill air, and repainted the two very sad looking garden ornaments that I was ready to chuck out. I’m so glad I didn’t. I will let them wander the garden for my grandchildren to seek out when they are a bit older. What fun we will have!
