So, almost a year has gone past since my trip to the UK to see Josh and Molly, they seem to go faster each year. I've not been all that good at taking pictures either this year, not for lack of a camera or anything, but most of the pictures I take these days are related to my paintings. I don't want this blog to be about that, so I'll have to make do with what there is.
This then, is another 'so that was' kind of entry. So that was 2017.
When I got back from the UK, the following week we went to the wedding of my friend Tammy, who came to me a few years ago to 'ask' me if she could set up an art school in her garage teaching kids. I said, better than that, why don't you do it here, in one of the 3 units, since I'm looking for a way to cut my overheads...and she did, and now she has 220 students...although having recently moved to other premises cos someone at our set of units complained about the noise the kids made going to the loos...which they had to do together cos they're communal between all the units.
Anyway, Daile wanted a hat. I said I'd get one. Here 'it' is....
The wedding was down in NSW, in a field! We took the opportunity to meet my new 'mentor' (James Guppy) who has kindly agreed to take the role as part of the grant stipulations that I was awarded early in 2017. It's a cool thing, and I'm due to exhibit 16 paintings in Jan 2019 off the back of it.
So..below, the big tree, under which they got married.
Just before she died, Mum gave me her old water colour tin. I didn't even know she'd had one.
But there were no pans or anything...
...so I made some.
...and gave it to Tild. She decided she needed more than 6 colours, so divided the pans into two.
Then a in April, I won a competition in Brisbane. It was a painting of Josh and Feeb...and I won $10k! I also have an exhibition coming up for the gallery that runs that competition. 10 paintngs this time.. for April.
I sold this one of Matilda and Ned very shortly after.
....and did a series of paintings about Feeb and clothes and movement. This is one...then I'll not post more here.
Phoebe and Matilda continued to be active in trying to get Mojgan out of detention, and finally she was released. Sadly however, despite Milad, her husband having attained the hallowed status of 'Citizen', they're still threatening to kick her our and only give her 3 months visa at a time. How cruel.
Phoebe is very focused on this stuff. I've got rather cold feet of late. It feels like they're not listening... we need a better way.
Matilda bought 'brine shrimps' again... they always die, I don't know what the attraction is. But this time, we thought we'd make something to aerate the water....and it worked. They all hatched...but then they died anyway. :(
These are a couple of pics from my dog walking this year. My dog walk is like my 'gardening' really. I notice stuff each day, what's new, what's changed.
8 years ago, (really!) I bought an old boat with a view to doing it up. I had new stearing fitted and overhauled the engine so that it was lively to say the least, but having stripped out the fittings, I lost interest. Mainly I think because I've decided I don't like those kinds of boats. Finally, Daile persuaded me to just dump it. Here it is, all sad, at the dump.
But...
I kept the trailer, cos I wanted to build a caravan on it! (I kept the engine too...but that's another story)..
These windows all open for ventillation... and will have little swing arms to open them and lock them up. The other windows will also be hand made.
It's now coated with waterproof paint, pending addition of sweet little windows and a two peice or even 3 peice door. I'll post more on that as it happens...or at least at the end of this year!
Phoebe continues to be stridently vegan. She's quite an encouragement to me....
Now and again, the girls and I will go out for, or meet up for coffee somewhere. This is really good. It feels all grown up! They're both completely independent in terms of getting around, especially Feeb, who loves being out on her own, markets, cafes, mates houses etc.
Earlier in the year, about March I think, Matilda sat her theory (of driving) test. That felt like a good thing. But actually, she's not really taken to it really, despite having 10 lessons to start her off. I was surprised. I know she'll get there, but she's so confident normally, (on the face of it at least) that I thought she'd be more cavalier than cauteous. So more on this later...
I came across these maps this year....which are quite shocking! They are about the rising sea levels. They're published by the government, and they show that many many houses that are currentl blissfully unaware, are going to be flooded by 2100. Now I know that's a way off, but imagine trying to sell your house when that gets out!
Some pics of the short one..and 'her' dog.
...and me leaving comments on Matilda's homework.... ha ha
Hey, remember that accident I had on my bike in the forest? Well Daile and I were walking past the place that I came off, and I was talking about how I still play it back in slow mo...when a cyclist came down the hill towards us. I got Ned off the track and we were just standing clear when the poor bloke came off HIS bike too! Pretty much the same scenario, except he REALLY did himself in!
He broke his shoulder so badly, that he's now got a socket where there used to be a ball, and a ball where there used to be a socket. We couldn't believe it.
We all had birthdays....but I only took pics of Feebs, cos she had an attractive pile of pressies wrapped in some cool paper that we found.
This is a view down Plantain Rd. I often wish we had a view of the sunset. They're often stunning here.... but hey, now and again is good too.
And on a 48 sheet poster site not far from us, this happened. I wrote to the MP, said how can this kind of advertising be good for the community? Heard nothing back. God they're all useless twats!
Last year, before my pathetic and stupid fall off my bike...I'd agreed that I'd make Matilda a skin on frame canoe for Christmas. Not sure how I got into that pickle, but there we are. Wasn't the first time, and wont be the last i'm sure. So, anyway, poor girl didn't get a Christmas present from me last year cos I couldn't actually finish it, and I resolved that I would do so for this year. In the event, it's definitely two years of Christmas present anyway. Here's some pics from this years work. The gunwales were this year, I'd got the other timbers on before the accident...so it was nice to see it coming together. I did it whilst Matilda was down in Victorial seeing the Martin family down there.
Essentially, the thing is based on the idea that you tie it all together, and it is, but I've also glued and pinned it with dowels. It's quite light (so that she can pick it up on her own and carry it over her head) and very strong.
The video is at a local (ish) dam. There are no engine driven boats allowed, so it's very peaceful. The little canoe handles very sweetly and is pretty stable...although we did capsize it when I lost my balance when Tild and I were going off for a trip across the lake. Lucky that happened in the shallows. I've plans for some bouancy bags to go at each end, just for safety.
Going to make a seat for it...and maybe some rowlocks, for her birthday.
Finally, as a development of the paint tin idea, this was Tild's present to Feeb for Christmas...with some help.
And as non drinkers...here's to another year!
