productive.

 A positive day today...washing done, and the clothes got four good drying hours on the line in the breeze.

yoghurt made. (and I've just remembered that I need to go back downstairs to get the tub out of the machine to cool down..there is always something!!)

printing done...half a dozen of the new Arches block and a dozen of the Castle as there was only one left before the Smiddy Gallery reopened. Some of my cards eere sold yesterday, but I don't know which four.

The footfall and the day's sales are posted on a Whatsapp thread for all the group.

I started writing the backs of the cards after supper....ten left to do tomorrow.

Duolingo to do, a few pages to read ( having read the prequel "Vianne" I am rereading the rest of the series that started with Chocolat, by Joanne Harris)

but first that yoghurt!!

Meeting

 Today dawned wet and windy...again...not much incentive to leave my warm and comfortable nest!! Apart from the need for breakfast!!

I thought I'd managed to sell my tv today...but he hadn't measured the space where it was to go....at least he was genuine, not like some of the usual timewasters. Then after lunch friends called by.

They live in the NorthEast of England now...but I last saw him in Cardiff...over twenty years ago? and I'd never met his wife who is from Mexico! Although we have been "chatting" on fb for years and watching each others photos!

The weather redoubled its efforts after they left...so half an hour on the turbo and create a new block for printing cards.

This will make three cards with views from the arches at Culzean.

Hail!!

 I walked out at seven this morning into a heavy hail shower!! throughout the day it has swung from hail showers and bright sunshine!!

The lesson went well...fraught with worry that I'm making mistakes but then finding that I get most right on each section.

What I lack is confidence in actually speaking...not just remembering the different tenses...despite ddoing the extra assignments ok...and missing the honework off the website. I must download a few of those before they delete them as it is the end of term, and practice.

I'm wondering if I should sign on for next term as I know that I'd probably miss four of the nine weeks.

Messaging with a friend about this she passed on details of U3a French conversation classes less than ten mikes away....I've emailed them...I need to know how long their waiting list is for a class place....

We'll see...

I thought you'd like the sign....

Gallery...nearly ready....

 Last minute additions today, of stock I had replaced at the Dancing Thistle. These are all bar one at the Smiddy Gallery now.

Here's hoping that tomorrow will be a good day....without today's sharp cold showers!!

Just when I thought of a bit of garden work...!!

Life...sucks sometimes

 I found this morning from a mutual friend that our friend in France had blocked me on fb. There's a first time for everything as they say.  I've no idea why, as I was very careful NOT to do things that I knew he didn't want.

He has blocked some others too..so not just me. 

Still, he gave me a break in the sun when I most needed it, couldn't have treated me better. Introduced me to an area I now live...and will return to in May. Introduced me to places and people...some of whom are now friends who I'll be seeing..

Got me brave enough to organise and book this trip for myself....

So he has done me many favours. 

But I don't give up on people just like that...which he knows.   So hey ho...Things might work themselves out one day, meanwhile it is just carry on and be positive...or Possee-tive....as Possee was Pirate's surname ..and attitude.

"woodwork"

 Not exactly wood...shelf material, plastic coated fibreboard I think that it is called.

The pieces were cut for me by the glass artist as he has a proper saw bench to get them accurate.

I haven't done any construction for a very long time.  Between having husbands who enjoyed doing that ..then children also, including my daughter. 

In her teens she built a bunk bed as we were to host a school exchange student from Brittany. 

I've just made a plinth.  screwhole filling and painting to be done to finish.

Not a lot else constructive done today oras after a blue sky start we had 50mph gusts all morning and heavy rain and hail showers all day!!

stocked

 I took my stock to the gallery this morning. What is there looks good, but I need bigger pieces...and less of a scattergun choice of items!!

Then to buy a countersink bit...an independant shop was shuttered ..and it wasn't lunch time quite... so off to Toolstation where I got a pack of three different sizes. ok for metal, so shelf plastic shouldn't beat them!

Asda for some reduced items and a picnic lunch to eat in the car. then home in the rain. as if we hadn't had enough already!

Further north has snow....

Not much else constructive apart from fettling some bowls and putting them sae in mushroom trays.

taking stock

 I got the washing through nice an early and a brisk but chilly breeze almost totally dried it by lunchtime. Rain arrive mid afternood as the breeze became wind.

Now it is almost nine p.m. and the wind is roaring around and whistling through cracks ...

I listed all the stock I have here to decide what is going where. A group exhibition by Carrick Artists in the small gallery at Souter Johnies in Kirkoswald in May.  The Dancing Thistle small art and crafts shop in Ayr and the Smiddy Gallery at Culzean, our main group gallery.

I can sort the cards for the Smiddy tomorrow. Nothing new yet....no inspiration!!

Now to do my Duolingo evening session...

homework for the  AF class can wait for tomorrow afternoon!

Improvement

 To edit...it was the penicillin antibiotic which has caused the problems....

All the symptoms are steadily disappearing as my body clears the penicillin. It will take a while with some of them, but even my hip is easing steadily..I'm keeping up with anti inflammatory gel..and keeping moving!!

Despite a chilly breeze, I weeded a quarter of the polytunnel and cleared the grass as well as I could from the quarter which has alpine strawberries. With the wind from the front of the house and with the late afternoon sun I was warm enough and the fresh air was good.

Then a bit of improving..fettling the greenware which is waiting to be fired. I am putting it in mushroom trays, packed around with shredded paper.

discovery...and commenting

 With help from a knowledgable friend I have worked out that I'm allergic to penicillin....muscle and joint pains kicking in after two days...consequently walking was a bit difficult today..

But I did it!

Concentrating on the lesson wasn't easy either...after a sleepless night...despite that I got much work correct.

I'm having difficulty commenting (even on my own blog!) The method to use when it just sits there saying "publishing" is copy the comment, reload the page, paste the comment..and it usually works. 

If you get the sad face instead of a comment box, reload...or go back later.

It was frosty again this morning...and I found a good sign the the Glasgow School of Art..and the old building still smells smoky as you walk past 🙁

Ayr today

 Shopping and French conversation today...not a lot of shopping...and never enough conversation!

Concentrating again on those little words that say nothing but are very useful in conversation!

Bah, Alors...Bof !!! Pfft !   Enfin..,Donc....

Every language has them!!

some building details on the way to the class...and sunset after getting home.

steady garden progress

 I'm making best use of the warmer weather before it leaves again!! 

I did what I could out of doors today..boosting my vitamin D naturally! I was a joy to see a blue sky.

Kale has been potted on, broad beans planted out, carrots and radish sown together. one patch mulched with cardboard, another hoe-ed over. A quarter of the polytunnel weeded.  No rushing, just steady work..with stops to appreciate the weather!!  If the weather holds tomorrow morning I could weed the strawberry bed...

The antibiotics seem to be working on my sinuses and chest...that wasn't the intended target!! The swelling is still on my finger...but looks to have stopped spreading.

I hope that this hasn't been triggered by getting back into throwing!!

Onions !

 Steady gardening has been the order of the day. Planting out 120 red onion sets (and protecting them from Jackdaws and cats!!

getting the last of the compost from the compost bin...I could have used twice as much. 

I trimmed the shrubs in my front garden by my neighbour's wall. Gradually pulling everything together.

Her funeral is a week on Thursday. Hopefully one daughter will buy her siblings out. 

Nothing much after that!  Antibiotics aren't very good for one's Get up and Go.

It does feel like these are clearing my

back to front photo order..I haven't had that for a while!!!

sinuses.  It may not be the reason for taking them, but they are at least helping in one direction!

just when you think things are going ok

 I had the sad face when I tried to publish a comment  so I just went back to the blog following list and returned to that blog. Occasionally I hit Publish and it just sits there saying "publishing"...copy the comment, out and back again , paste and it goes through ok. which it is doing right now 🙄...

Only it didn't....I'll be back again later!

I went to the local surgery yesterday..one of my fingers started being red and swollen at the tip on Friday morning.  The pharmacy's advice of anti-inflammatory gel didn't work...and it was spreading.

No obvious damage, so I'm on antibiotic meds. Something I rarely take.

Meh!!!!

But on a positive , it is warmer and actually feels like Spring, the sun is shining (between showers , yesterday!) and the pelargoniums on the windowsill are flowering .

The one on the left is a quince grown from seed.

Getting Things Done

 

First job this morning was to paint my plinth in the gallery..it has drawers that others can use, I painted the fronts of them out of the plinth body...I didn't want to have them painted in and stuck!!

Then to sort out broadband..so fortunate that EE has a shop on the high street...far easier to deal with. That got me a reduction.

Shopping next...spotted a few reduced prices and loyalty card offers on things I usually buy...and then feed the car!!

Then to the big box DiY store for drawer knobs. and glue, a countersink bit (cos I can't find mine 🙄) and plastic screw caps to hide the screws in my little plinth (which will go on the big one) Plus a tub for shifting compost...my wheelbarrow is propping up the back gate after all the storms.

Next to another supermarket..a couple of small good deals including organic milk reduced...and lunch! 

Then home...escape from all the rushing...

and tonight a phone call from EE..to improve my phone contract and further tweak the broadband.  It shows that it is better to deal with people instead of doing it online...it took a while for EE man to look through all the contract variations to find the right one. What chance would I have to get it right!

Even better, he found special offers on top of the good deal..saving more. Plus the timing means that I avoid the inflation price rise...

Not bad going!!

Then 2 pints of the milk started the process of of becoming yoghurt , and 2 pints went in the freezer. I've been lucky being in the right place at the right time...there are now three boxes of milk for yoghurt in the freezer!  You can't turn down a good deal when it us something you regularly buy anyway!

a sad day

 Now I know where yesterday's sadness came from.

Our good Aussie friend Larry Hickmott..cyclist, photographer, journalist and all round good and kind bloke..died this morning. 

A shock to the worldwide cycling community. Watching reports of his health problems over the past 6+ and more months has been heartbreaking.  But at least he managed to visit family in Oz recently.

I finished the basting (tacking) of Our Shirts quilt.  Remembering the kind words from Larry when Pirate died.  

One and a half hours to do one quarter...so about six hours in total on this process.

Next step, design the quilting, which should be relevant to both of us.

coffee to start the morning as usual...in my mug from Peter Gregory, the potter in Waikouaiti, north of Dunedin on SH1 

The bowl and vase will be going to a group exhibition at another small gallery .

a good Saturday

My phone has been rather reluctant to add words after pictures..possibly a combination of phone , me and blogger not getting it right! So this time I'm writing first and inserting photos after...

Anyway, to start with, the bigger bowls...I'll work on even bigger possibly tomorrow if it isn't too cold.

The snow we had yesterday..this was at 6.30 am. Not a lot...but enough! 

There was more by the side of the motorway on the way to Glasgow this morning...and black ice on the pavements in the village!

The dawn was pretty though...seen through a fence so that the sun didn't just glare out the image!

I had time for an extra wander....and found more wall art...not a Banksy I think?

and gradually left the canyons of central Glasgow!!

There was even time for a decent café avec un croissant!...but I didn't expect to see a Taco Bell over the road.  Mind you there is every kind of food establishment along Sauchiehall Street from all around the globe!

Just before I arrived at the Alliance....

What else?!

The lesson ..on the futures, simple and conditional..went ok..and conversation is coming. 

Then the walk back to the bus station.

A new variant on older style. I'm not sure if it is that successful.

And a gate. Sadly closed.

I found another op shop....and found a book!!   Then on arriving home, there was a card waiting for me from The Carpenter and family (son#3)

So all in all...a good day.

cold front

 As the cold front moved across Scotland (and points South as well) we had high winds and rain bucketing down.

I videoed it....on my old phone....bother!!

Today started indoors...no escaping house cleaning!! Towels and suchlike got washed and put on the rack..as the dehumidifier was on anyway to help dry the latest bigger bowls.

Homework was written out and submitted..I wonder what the tutor will think,?!

Fettling the small berry bowls after lunch.

When I can get the timing right they will need less "tidying up"....

and then the rain stopped after tea...

Time for some gardening...

The bed that will have onions...it has had cardboard over winter which is nice and wet and the compost goes over that.

and there is more in the compost bin to spread.