Accountability

Its been ages since I've posted and I don't know why.

I'm back down to earth after a tremendous Birthday week. Thank you for all the birthday wishes.

Perhaps my life has been too nice to spend time on t'internet.

 I feel very contented at the moment. 

I daren't say that too loudly, as my friend Margaret says 'When the sun is out and your sails are full of wind, thats when your ship get blown onto the rocks.' Its so true but just now all is well. We are off to Dorset on Saturday and have resident house sitters who want to come for a little holiday so the cats will be well looked after.

I'm so looking forward to our visit to Dorset, staying in a teeny weeny cottage near Lyme Regis.

 Our exhibition is going so well! I feel so buoyed up every time I visit. Lots of visitors, great comments, lovely place. 

But into every life a drop of rain must fall. My drop of rain is only small but very boring. I've been doing my accounts. My assistant was no use at all. (At least he wasn't licking his nether regions in this one.)

 I gathered everything from bags, coat pockets, decorative midwinter casserole dish with lid in danger of dropping onto the floor by being too full of proofs of postings, cupboards, shelves and those safe places and it amounts to this.

 A big heap of disorganised clutter. I wouldn't mind but I earn so little I rarely pay tax, and still I send my figures to my husbands accountant and he just fills in the form and says 'that'll be a small fortune please'. I  do all the work. I don't have the confidence to know what I can and can't claim for.( Please don't try to help!)
So, I get easily distracted when I have to sort it all out. I take pictures of stuff you've already seen..

 and then when I get really fed up I cover it all up in this bit of nuno felt I made a couple of weeks ago.

 I tried out my new camera. Its made the purples a bit bluer than they should be. Time to tweak I think.

 I apologise that this looks like a pair of bosoms.

So back to the accounts. Nearly done.

I had my last 'One to One' (tuition session) at the Apple store and had expressed an interest in stop motion animation. He suggested I took a few photos, so I did, (76) and he showed me how to put it into a slide show so here it is.  I ask for your understanding..its my first, I did it without a tripod and just with what was to hand. I learnt a lot.

I've also started road testing my kindle with my first e-book, 

I thought it was a nice lighthearted start. I like the lightweight ease of the Kindle, and the way its so clear to read.
I have a few problems...I keep accidentally grasping it by the next page or previous page buttons.
If I want to flick back a few pages to remind myself of something I have to go through all the pages so a Russian novel is out..all those names.
And you can't swat flies with it.

Lovely day

 A restaurant, 

and all my favourite people (except for one who should have been there but couldn't)

 made for a very happy birthday.

 I took lots of photographs with my new camera..and even changed the shutter speed for one..

careful now!

(But not one of me in my 'party frock')

I had a gadget filled 60th Birthday.

Camera, Kindle, sat-nav, and bird box with webcam.

 Thank you for all your delightful Birthday wishes.

 They mean a lot.

Good morning

..............ty.

Two tours

Yesterday we had the preview of our Exhibition at Astley Hall Coach House Gallery, Chorley.

A beautiful space. We each introduced our work with a few words and had a fun time with our invited guests.  Here's my corner.

 In this picture from Left to right, Jenni Ripley (3pieces) Elizabeth Rayton (5) then two and a half of Mary Holden's

 Mary's full works here,

 Brenda Smales' work then around the corner to 

 Gill Yates' print based works,

 Here's the showcase..in bad need of a re-organise which I'll do some time soon.

 On to the retrospective section..more of Elizabeth's,

 Yvonne Downing,

 my work to the left and Gill's work to the right.

 Margaret Kay's 'Pool at Le Jardin Majorelle'. 

I've missed a few but I'll get them on another day.

 Here's a long view of the whole space. 

Me again 

 and I hope you'll forgive this one. Its all part of trying to be less self conscious..and makes me realise I haven't lost as much weight as I thought!

It also looks stiff because my husband takes so long to take a picture I'd got a bit tired of smiling.

Now a tour of last weekend when we should have been in Paris. We couldn't go, but look at these pictures. 

I know where I'd rather be? 

Lunch at Chesters by the River at Skelwith Bridge.

 then we drove to Elterwater village and walked back towards Skelwith Bridge along the river.

Just enjoy, especially the Herdys under the trees.

Update: Just watched' Countryfile' on BBC and there was an item on Herdwick sheep. Farmers lose 70p per sheep on the fleece. It costs more to shear them than they can sell them for, so they may be a sight which will disappear.
Beatrix Potter was a great champion of the Herdwick.

 The doors to the workshop at the Lakeland slate company.

 Then home via the Windermere ferry

 past Belle Isle.

Better than Paris.

News

At last.
The Exhibition at Astley Hall is up and looks amazing even though I say it myself. If you live anywhere in the vicinity it would be great to see you. Easy parking, nice cafe, lovely old Hall to view and then pop across to the Coach House Gallery upstairs for our exhibition.
70 pieces from 9 people. Mostly new works and some older ones.
Heres a bad view of the hall which is a gem.

 Here is the Coach House, newly restored and waiting for you!

My days for minding the exhibition are this coming Saturday, then 20th August, and 4th September.
I live quite nearby so I think I'll be popping in on other occasions.

Other plans for the summer: a week in Dorset. I had a bee in my bonnet about Dorset and have found a delightful little cottage which happens to be the home of a Textile artist. It was meant to be. We got a cancellation.
A trip to the Festival of Quilts on the Thursday is also booked, and a visit to the Royal Exchange theatre next week . Then its the big six-o.
Oh.