Venice in colour

Two hours at MIND Aberystwyth yesterday and about one and a half hours today (complete with Spanish Guitar music playing in the background to create my CALM environment at home) to complete this small watercolour memory of Venice.

The photograph shows a watercolour that I completed earlier today (if it's cropped, just click on the image to open full size)

Fabulous eating

We've done well over the last few weeks.  You know what I mean; you can't really go hungry on a cruise can you?  Especially one on the P&O Aurora.  A £26m refurbishment in 2014 equals a fabulous cruise ship, and one we would love to go on again in the future.  But now we are back on dry land and find ourselves in England. We ventured out for Part 4 of our Summer Holidays and found ourselves at the easily booked table in the 'Blue Mango' (located not a stones throw from Brindley Place in Birmingham).  We enjoyed a lovely meal, and some very good service from the staff.  The place was packed, but we weren't rushed.  The pompadums were lush, as were the chutneys.  The starters fair priced and amazingly well presented.  All in all it was a great experience, and thankfully given the portion size we only ordered one bread and one bowl of plain rice to share between two.  Well it had to be between two really, as there was no way that we were sharing this feast with another table.  Oh, and I found the Dosa.

The photograph shows my Dosa starters, which I hasten to add, was amazing.

Photos

If the photo looks cropped, click on it and the image should open in your browser. When I'm away from the laptop I am unable to resize images and Blogger just uses them as they are. 

Mango

We are now in Birmingham on what really is Part 4 of our holiday.  It's a friends 50th Birthday Bash tomorrow and we are all booked in to dine at a Marco Restaurant (with the friend paying).  But we all know that tomorrow is another day and we mustn't get ahead of ourselves, so we grabbed a panini earlier on today, amd on a friends recommendation (the aforementioned birthday boy) we have just booked a table at the Blue Mango for this evening.  The Hilton Brindley Place is lovely and the car parking isn't overly expensive.  Now we need to plan out our weekend and sit back to enjoy Part 4 before heading back to Wales. 

Blighty

Well we are now back in good ole Blighty.  We stepped off the P&O Aurora onto the hard ground of UK this morning and enjoyed a very warm welcome at my brothers home enroute to visiting one of our daughters.  It has been a great and much needed holiday!  The art classes were an added bonus.  the aforementioned daughter has already had two completed pieces off me: a pastel drawing of Pen-y-Fan and a watercolour of what I refer to as 'The Milan Shopping Centre'

It wasn't just about art, as I managed ten exercise sessions.  Which I suspect is more than most people do when they are away. I would have liked to have done more, but the sea-urchin spines stabbing took me out of the game, along with a calf muscle cramp that had me almost crying.  So it's a gentle swim for me and a sauna at the hotel in the next few minutes, plus a look forward to meeting distant (geographically) friends this weekend, and hopefully close friends when we return home.

The photograph shows the Aurora onboard Art Teacher (armed with a brush) and her 'Glamourous Assistant'

Art Classes

I popped along to art class this morning, mainly to sit amongst friends in a comfy chair.  I knew that I had three more scenes to complete if I was to gift watercolours to those who deserved them.  It was an enjoyable experience and I am now sat in Anderson's bar (drink free I hasten to add) ready to hand over the piece that is shown in the attached photograph.  It is almost A3 size, and I'm pleased with the outcome.  Art onboard the Aurora has been very therapeutic.  In many ways it has been my highlight of the holiday.   

Fine Dining

It was a Marco Menu again last night for the Gala Dinner and I really enjoyed the first two courses and the champagne sorbet, but alas the vegetables with the beef Wellington were a bit bland. Anyhow I soldiered on and completed all six courses including indulging in a glass of port with my cheeseboard.  The theatre show featured Roger Wright from the West End, and was probably one of the best shows that I have seen while afloat.  Better still we had also attended the classical concert pre-dining, so for us it was a truly entertaining night.  We retired at 1 a.m. this morning and with the gentle rocking we were soon fast asleep

Wet wet wet

So it always happens in threes, and the same applies on holiday. Number 1 must have been the sea urchin stabbing spines and the subsequent medical costs.  Number 2 was arriving back at the room last night to find that our safe would not open.  That had to be felt with by the aptly titled 'safe buster'.  Number 3 started at around 6 a.m. this morning with Wifey shouting for my help.  I woke up in a daze to see my shoes floating around the bathroom, and water lapping over the threshold into our cabin.  Apparently our cold water pipe had fractured.  The team were really efficient.  Reception took the message, the plumber isolated the supply, and the cabin team, used more towels to stop the lapping.  Then someone with a big sucker upper arrived and removed the water.  Which of course others thought was the steward with the Hoover and came out to remonstrate, and then seen the big thingy; went back into their room.  The aforementioned plumber came back to repair the pipe work, and then a team of two with the hot air blower arrived to dry the carpet.  They mentioned that I needed to leave the room as it was going to get very hot.  Meanwhile I enjoyed a glorious sunrise and counted eleven separate colours in the sky.  An early breakfast of cereal and if we hadn't already had enough; water.  This was followed a few hours later with a bacon roll outside with friends on Deck 12 at the rear of the ship.  Now sat in the Crows Nest, having handed out some artwork as gifts to a few of the staff, we can think about returning to our cabin and cancelling that order for two pair of wellies.

A day in Cadiz

Well Cadiz was lovely.  We thoroughly enjoyed our day roaming the streets and enjoying at various points; coffee, beer, tapas, and ice cream.  We found an astonishingly cheap cafe bar with outside seating by the Cathedral Square.  The best bit being the Spanish solo guitarist playing quality music as we enjoyed a coffee and pastry.  Wifey also had a coke zero and the total bill came in at only 7 Euro.  That should have been the bargain of the day, but as time pressed on we found ourselves at a traditional tapas bar in a narrow road just away from the tourist crowds. Four tapas, two beers, some bread, and olives; and all for 12 Euro total.  Okay my beer was larger than Pauline's, but you must admit, this was the real bargain. The shops were lovely, the people friendly, the architecture interesting.  A few years ago we were in Cadiz and soaked into doing an excursion.  This time we planned our day around what we should have done last time.  It was a great decision, and became the perfect last stop on our cruise holiday.

The photograph shows us both at dinner that evening on our return to the ship. We were given a large six seater table just for the two of us (out of choice) and enjoyed good food and excellent service. Normally one would ask the other to pass the salt, but on this occasion we asked each other to pass the iPad. 

Clapham Free Weights

Our first sea day towards Cadiz was an eventful affair.  I need my own space and managed to get that in abundance and thereby finished two watercolour paintings.  Mainly in the coffee shop, having raided the onboard library for inspiration.  One painting of the now disappearing fishing nets and a sunset in India, and the other that is akin to a Milan shopping mall. Today's painting effort has been a crowded market place in India (a stark contrast to the light colours and space of yesterday's image).  I think that I am gearing up to hand over watercolour paintings to five employees from India who have provided us with excellent service.  There have been more, but you have to be ruthless and leave the task achievable.  Otherwise it becomes all to stressful.  I'm sat down in the 'Crows Nest' on deck 13 enjoying a diet Pepsi and have taken a sneak preview at the subject for this afternoons Art Class.  It turns out that the intended subject is extremely good for me.  It's an African woman stood in a field and carrying a child.  With a bit of manipulation I should be able to make it an Indian figure, and thereby complete the third gifted painting. That would leave me two to do with three art classes left.  But that's getting ahead of myself, and you don't want to reach the finish too soon.  Which is why I am smiling to myself while sat typing this Blog post.  You see, we went to the cinema again last night.  This time to watch the second best hotel.  A lovely film with lots of India inspiration for me.  Like India; it was crowded, and the people wouldn't settle.  At one point, Pauli blurted out "it's like Clapham Junction in here".  It was Indeed, but after my personal training session learning how to safely use 'free weights' I was a tad too tired to notice.  But I perked up, when, twelve minutes from the end, a couple came in and settled down to enjoy the film.  By now I was giggling, as was Pauli.  Indeed I even clapped, but they, oblivious to their early arrival for the late showing, simply soldiered on.  Engrossed in the film, the penny never dropped until the screen went black and the titles rolled.  That could have been a perfect end to the day.  I had bunked off from the black tie evening and dressed casually had loitered around the ship wherever I was allowed to tread.  We had even been to the deck 13 cafe for dinner.  The first time ever for us on any holiday.  I just didn't want to play, and our cafe dinner followed by the pictures was going to be our evening out.  And as we wandered back, our new employee friends at the 'Glass House' beckoned us in.  I explained that we couldn't as I was not wearing black tie, but they insisted.  The best bit is, they don't actually get my business, as the drinks I order have to be fetched from other bars on board, and they scurry off to complete the service and each of those bars get the sale.  Which is why one of the staff is going to deservedly get first dibs with the 'India' paintings. Which of course, like the weights, it's going to be 'free'. 

Spines

Well the big news story so far, is that I didn't have a bruised foot from the sea kayaking.  The pain in my left foot got progressively worse, and close examination yesterday afternoon suggested that I had an infection or a splinter rather than the assumed bruised foot.  I popped down to the Medical Centre on Deck 4 and explained my predicament, including that if it was a splinter, then I don't know where on earth it came from.  It turned out that a sea urchin had stabbed me, twice.  And yes it was infected.  So more antibiotics for me.  Antibiotics that is after the aforementioned sea urchin spines were dug out of my foot with a rather big needle.  The only good thing about this storyboard, is that the digging about happened after our homage to the Godfather excursion in Sicily.  We had a fabulous time and fully enjoyed the panorama, the relaxation, and the warm welcome of the locals that included setting of flares to announce our arrival.  It was great to wander the streets of two villages where the Godfather films were set. To see the tavern where the self imposed exiled future Godfather sits with his minders, to see the wedding square, and the church.  It was a great excursion, and one that was only slightly bettered by the previous day's visit to a Monastery and Winery in Corfu. 

Olive oil and wine

Apparently our time in Venice was the hottest day the city has had in 30 years.  No wonder we were baking and washed out at the end of that trip.  Yesterday's sea day gave me a chance to indulge in lots of water-colouring and have a private lesson with a personal trainer.  So on in all it was a perfect day especially given that I managed to read a bit more of my cruise book.  Today we were in Greece, and yet again without an alarm I was up and about at 6 a.m. which of course turned out to be a good move with all of that beautiful scenery to look at as the P&O Aurora sailed into port at Corfu.  During our excursion up into the mountains to visit a monastery, we were told that towards the end of last Summer there was so much rain that 90% of the Olive Oil crop and 50% of the Wine crop was lost.  That puts into context the fabulous weather we are enjoying while we both visit this part of the world for the first time.  It has been a glorious albeit hot day, I fell asleep on deck this afternoon and then managed to complete the Venetian watercolour that I have been labouring with over the last four days.  It's only slightly larger than postcard size, but nevertheless it turned out to be quite detailed.  I can't imagine that I will do many of those, as I can't deal with the stress of things that go on and on.  Maybe that's why I have started to like pastel drawing; it's simple and easy to complete in just a few hours.  We are now hauling anchor and leaving Greece for Sicily.  Somewhere where we were due to visit many years ago, that was until we broke down in Florence and had our holiday curtailed.  In about 1.5 hours we should be off the coast and into the Ionian Sea.  Around 0530 we are due to pick up the land off the toe of Italy.  Maybe I will wake up early yet again and watch that sail-in as well.

The accompanying sunrise photograph is from our balcony on the Aurora looking at part of the Greek coastline during this mornings approach.

Postcards, sort of

I was up and on deck at 0530 for the sunrise and sail away from Venice. It was lovely to be one of only a few outside.  It was also refreshing to see Venice again without the maddening crowds.  I had retired to bed last night half expecting the ship to move into deeper water, so it was a lovely surprise to wake up and find us still quayside.  The Aurora glided effortlessly out of the city, aided by a tug or two.  It was a lovely morning and a great opportunity to indulge in some scenic photography before catching some shut eye on a sun lounger rather than going back to the cabin and disturbing Pauli.  After breakfast a few of us met for an impromptu outdoor art session in the shade but near to the pool.  Watercolour painting is a lovely way to relax and time slipped by so quickly.  It was nice during that session to hear that I'm not the only one who suffers from stress and anxiety.  One of the group sort of snapped when someone came over moaning about this and that.  They simply asked that person to leave.  She explained that she lived on her nerves and simply couldn't cope with interruptions when relaxing and enjoying herself.  I knew what she meant, and I liked the way that she despatched the unwanted commentary.  The art session was a success and after a sandwich and a suitable break, I headed for a cardio workout followed by one to one personal training to learn how to use free weights safely and efficiently.  Then it was art class proper and my third Venetian scene of the holiday.  A lovely time amongst new friends, as we tried out yet another watercolouring technique. It was a pity when the session ended and it was time to dress for dinner.  We are heading for Greece and Pauli is tucked up ready for the early start and that excursion our postman recommended to us.  Oh happy days, and the best bit is; there are still eight nights to go.

The photograph shows the results of our impromptu Deck 12 art session.  The four panels are the output from that meeting.  Each piece of artwork is on watercolour paper about the size of a postcard. The idea is for each of us to write our name, address, and the date on the reverse, and then add some notes of memories about this cruise.  Thereby creating a memory card to cherish in the future rather than a postcard to send on to someone else.

Venice

Venice was lovely. Lots of wonderful things to see, a great atmosphere and a great visit.  You don't necessarily need an excursion, as every time you cross a bridge or look left or right, there is something to see.  We spent six hours in the city on a baking hot day and were glad to get back in board the Aurora.  After much needed further liquid refreshment, I even needed a nap.  Then we were in one of the Jacuzzi's on Deck 12, when I had to explain to Pauli that the roof was retractable and no we weren't in our usual outdoor jacuzzi that is further along the ship.  Pauli was quite surprised, and commented that it was like being in the Millennium Stadium.  Ah bless, I see the subtle similarity, both have a roof that retracts, but this ship (unlike the 'Eclipse') doesn't have any grass.  Six to seven pm is a great time to do some sensible sun bathing.  And now after getting ready for dinner, I find myself in the 'Glass House' on Deck 8. Thankfully it's only a glass house in name, as that folks would be unbearable in this heat.

Tips

Here are some tips for you first time sea kayakers who intend to have a go on a forthcoming holiday: (1) buy a pair of cheap cycling gloves to help minimise getting sore hands, (2) wear sandals that have a buckle or Velcro strap to keep them on your feet if you fall into the sea [they will stop you getting sores and or bruising on the outside of the foot where you press into the foot holds on the kayak], (3) put sun cream everywhere, including your ankles and knee caps as the light bounces everywhere, (4) if there's two of you, snaffle the front seat as the seat back offers more support than the rear seat in the kayak, (5) don't wear anything that can't get wet, as people do fall in. I'm testament to item 5; indeed I fell in twice.  But hey ho, it was great fun, and when we got to swim in the Mediterranean during the kayaking rest break, for me it was my third time in the water :-)  

Venice here we come

Dubrovnik was fabulous, and so was evening dinner followed by the Tom O'Connor show. I must admit that Des's bro held the audience well for an hour. We also held on well; especially now that we know it's baking hot at the back of the auditorium and air conditioned towards the front. Unfortunately though, there was a distinct lack of air conditioning while I was sea kayaking at Split in Croatia today.  It was so hot (35 degrees today and 36 yesterday) that I now have clear sunglasses outline marks on my face, and sunburnt sections above and below the shape of the sunglasses arms. I wore factor 30, the aforementioned sunglasses, and a hat. There was a lack of kayaks on arrival, plus everyone else was related or friends and had paired off.  So they found a single seater for yours truly.  Now I was warned that they are extremely unstable, and yep it was.  I fell in twice before transferring to the the slightly more stable two seater.  We headed out to sea and along the coastline. Before stopping at a lovely beach for a swim.  They all enjoyed their dip, but for me, it was my third go at swimming in the Mediterranean.  So I can tick that one of now, along with sea kayaking having done it twice.  Sea kayaking hurts.  I'm now back in our cabin with sore hands, sore feet (underneath on the outer edge) and a sore back.  Still, I managed to grab a sandwich when we got on board after the lovely boat tender ride, and then had a coffee and while my back held out, carried on with my current piece of artwork.

It's an image of Venice, in watercolour on a small piece of watercolour paper. Might be A5 but I'm not sure.  Plus I'm too tired and aching to bend forward and pick up the pad to check.  We are due to berth in Venice tomorrow, and that's the inspiration for this piece, but it may not get finished while I'm away.

Holiday

Started a new watercolour this morning, a scene of Venice. An enjoyable two hours and with a nice coffee. 

This afternoon we took the coach to the Old Town in our first port stop in Croatia and then had a ramble around, and a hour sea cruise in a glass bottomed boat. All topped off with a beer outside at a lovely place located in a narrow alleyway and in the shade.  It's baking hot, but we are enjoying the trip.

  Sea kayaking is planned for tomorrow at the next port in Croatia and of course I hope that the activity is laid back, and that I can keep up! At the moment I'm enjoying a beer 100 metres from the ship, using the Internet at a cafe that is far cheaper than the onboard costs for wifi. But then again, when you are at sea, the onboard costs are really quite cheap, as it's an extra facility that is gratefully received and paying for it is only fair.

Flicking and Poetry

Well it's been another delightful day. I've managed six days in a row in the gym and now intend a rest day tomorrow when we hit our second port.  Today's workout was 30 minutes of uphill walking on the treadmill at 5km per hour speed and 5% incline. That's great on both accounts as on each of the last five days I have been slowly building up from 4.5 speed and 4%. The plan tomorrow morning is to relax and enjoy some personal space time, maybe a watercolour or a pastel drawing and a coffee and a read of a brilliant book that I am enjoying regarding the birth of the Tudors.  Our onboard daily regime seems to have settled into a healthy breakfast of cereal, and a glass of orange juice and water. Coffee seems to be inevitable, and sea day art class at either 1030 or 3pm depending on how I feel.  Gym late afternoon, and then into the jacuzzi early evening for a long soak before changing for pre-dinner drinks.  Today was a bit special as we enjoyed our usual on deck lunchtime sandwich, and then saw 'the Theory of Everything' in the stunning and spacious cinema. 

The morning art class resulted in this effort. The poem was written just after I sat down and saw the image that we would be interpreting, and was written as I was sketching the outline for the painting.

Pen-y-Fan

As well as the onboard watercolour Art Classes, I've brought along my Schmincke soft pastels travelling set, 3 Sennelier soft pastels that I bought in Cardiff the other month, and a small set of Derwent pastel blocks. The latter aren't the best pastels in the world, but I bought them second hand (and unused) and they have a few different colours that are useful. I also have some card for pastels. So after breakfast this morning I headed for the coffee shop and completed this offering.  I also managed to pick up some Bristows 'natural hold' hairspray, no not for me, but to 'fix' the drawing.  Completing the artwork, made for a good talking point. There is at least one thing that I would do different if I know how.  I don't know how; so at this moment in time, this is as good as it gets folks.  

Ps I had the common sense and good manners to clean up after me, and to go outside onto Deck 7 to spray the drawing.

Tin Bath

You can dress it down anyway that you like, but it's a bath.  Yes, it may be a similar size to the tin bath that we had in Aylesbury Street when I was a child, but nevertheless it's a bath. And at 7 a.m. this morning it was a very welcome addition indeed to our cabin layout.  We always have a shower when holidaying, indeed several a day, and rarely have a bath.  So you can well imagine my delight, when having retired at just gone midnight, I woke up at 6 a.m. and lay there wide awake until it dawned on me that we had a bath. Yes, this was a result. 

Midnight Ramble

Dinner was a casual dress affair last night, and the post dinner show in one of the theatres was fabulous.  It was like an Abba spectacular, and there we were tucked in a corner, and feeling as if we had our own private box.  We had a great evening to cap off a great day in Gibraltar.  We even managed to assemble an alcohol free day.  Now we don't drink as such.  Wifey may manage one, and after three I am anybody's.  But the thing is, we all know that alcohol in excess is bad for you, and we also know that when you are on holiday it's relatively easy to slip into bad habits.  So we planned an alcohol free day.  We had done the same on Thursday, but had failed.  I succumbed to a Peroni while waiting for Pauline to change for dinner (I always get ready and head out first to give her space) and then post dinner I went for two Cosmopolitans.  Not together mind you, I'm not a lush.  No, I separated them with a suitable time gap.  But that was the previous day, and this one involved no alcohol.  It was two cans of pop, coffee and water; spread over the whole day for both of us.  It probably helped the bank balance and probably was a contributory factor as to why we stayed up so late.  Especially seeing that we had stayed up late the previous night and got up early that morning.  So having already had a great day; Pauli suggested a nighttime walk on deck as we retired towards our room.  Well, exercise is always a good thing, so I seized upon her idea and agreed.  I had intended to put on one of the two jumpers that I had brought with us.  But at the last moment grabbed and carried our coats as we headed for Deck 13.  Now I don't know what I was really expecting; was it rain, or a cool wind.  I mean, it was a reasonable assumption given that it was by now past midnight.  The heat hit us as we ventured outside, and instantly reminded me of my short break in Africa.  It was astonishingly warm and the coats were an unnecessary burden to carry around the deck.  We enjoyed our ramble and then took a more private route back to our cabin.  Probably sub consciously to avoid those awkward gazes, you know the kind, that when others see you carrying a heavy coat while travelling in the Mediterranean in Summer.

More Art

I'm smiling a lot on this holiday, probably because the 1 hour Art Classes are lasting 1 hour 30 minutes and I'm learning lots about using watercolours.  I'm also smiling because I have hit the gym hard, four days running.  While refusing to have a full breakfast on each of the cruise days so far.  Today's breakfast was scrambled egg on two slices of toast with a glass of orange juice and water.  Lunch was a sandwich and chicken from the chilled cabinet.  So all in all, I'm exercising my body, while also exercising a degree of common sense.  Wifey is doing the same.  In fact Pauli even walked the 20 minutes from the Port into Gibraltar this morning.  So good stuff all round, and with that in mind, the waitress is approaching with my evening coffee and I need to sign off and settle down.

The photograph shows today's artistic effort.

Transatlantic

The P&O Aurora is a lovely ship.  Even lovelier than suggested at first impressions. The reason being apparently it is a Transatlantic vessel with a keel rather than the usual flat bottom of the larger ships.  This means that the Aurora comes across as being remarkably stable.  Now that may be a simple illusion, and the reality of the calm Bay of Biscay, was simply the fine weather. Well, whatever the reality of the situation, I am extremely pleased to be on such a ship, only having to cope with the gentle rocking during my sleep time slumber.  Gibraltar is done, but unlike five years or so ago, on this occasion we spent more.  I've at long last picked up a TTL flash gun for my ageing camera.  Not an all singing Canon jobby with its mega bucks price tag, but instead a more simple affair.  It's a Metz with a pop on diffuser and a full tilt head.  I'm glad to say that it didn't cost a Kings Ransom, and the lovely chap in the shop in Gibraltar gave me a 1:48 exchange rate, a 50p discount, and threw in a full set of Duracell batteries.  So all in all I think that I came out of the deal with a smile.

Dining on Board

They have put us on 'Freedom Dining' which was not a choice.  I need it would never have been a choice having previously endured 'Anytime Dining' with another company a few year ago.  You see, we like to meet people and chat and thereafter build upon the relationship.  Whereas with 'Freedom Dining' you have to queue for a table and can end up sitting by anyone and in various group sizes.  But, in all fairness it has worked out fine so far.  On the first night (with casual dining) we sat by a lovely couple from Liverpool and an elderly lady travelling alone from Yorkshire.  On the second 'formal' evening we by chance ended up sat by the aforementioned Liverpudlians and were joined by two others from that fair city along with someone from the North of England who now lives in Wales.  Wherever they were from, they would never have suspected the turmoil that I caused by travelling without my dress shirts that fit.  Indeed, if it wasn't for Pauli, we would have ended up dining in the cafe.  The onboard shop assistant said that those hung up on display were the only shirts, and with no sizes suitable, we were about to leave the shop when Pauli spotted another display with packed items.  Phew, a lucky escape, and yet another gold star for Pauline.

The photograph shows me on the third option dining night: that of smart jacket.

Cruise

Well this is a lovely experience indeed. Here we are on a P&O cruise ship having a fabulous time! We were unable to have good Summer Holiday last year and this folks (on first impression after a few days) appears to be as good as it gets. We are extremely fortunate to have such a holiday this year.  The bonus to add to the fabulous service, ambience, and standards; is the availability of Art Classes.  Those who know me, know that I depend upon my weekly Art Class at MIND Aberystwyth, so to find that there are twenty Art Classes during the cruise, simply means that I am in seventh heaven.  Wifey is pleased as well.  So pleased that I even managed to get her into a jacuzzi for the first time ever.  Pauli is having a whale of a time, and so folks am I. 

Here is my water colour at the end of the third lesson.  It is A4 size on professional water colour paper using Winsor & Newton Artist quality water colours.  It took about one hour fifteen minute and ties in nicely with a piece that I am working on at home. 

Jeremy Corbyn

The best thing that Labour have done in years; is to have Jeremy Corbyn in the race for Leader of their Party. The best thing that Labour could do for the years ahead; is to elect him. 

I have voted Labour in the past, just as I have voted Liberal, Liberal Democrat, Conservative, and Plaid Cymru. My vote has been about what is best for my community and who is a credible potential winner.

I was in despair when the four declared, as it came across as the same old same old.  Labour was going nowhere, and then, in the depths of despair, Jeremy Corbyn's name appeared on the ballot.  With Jeremy Corbyn at the helm, Labour could become both a true Opposition and potential future General Election winners.  Jeremy Corbyn may become our next Prime Minister, but without him, Labour are destined to a decade or more in the wilderness.  That is, if they don't totally implode during that time.

Vote Jeremy Corbyn and give Labour a fighting chance.

iPad photos and memory

Eyes down and look in lovely iPad users as this is an extremely important post. 

My iPad is several years old and is one of those 68GB jobbies. I know that Apples GB hungry software eats into the capacity, along with those GB munching Apps. I like to store lots of photographs and had set up a few albums in the iPad photo App. 

Please hang in there and stay with me, because trust me, this storyboard is worth the journey. So, hungry GB munching things; meant that it came as no surprise to see my iPad GB reduce to a miserly 186MB. 

At this panic induced point, I decided to trawl through my Photo App and delete images that weren't needed. This meant sending quite a few to friends via Social Media so that the pics weren't lost for good, and making sure that my Dropbox was up to date. I also realised that any album created in the Photo App was just a duplication. So, other than one or two special albums (such as my 'artwork ideas' and 'art') the bulk of my albums got deleted, safe in the knowledge that my images were in 'Camera Roll' and in Dropbox. More importantly, there was no longer 2 of everything on my iPad.  I also cleared out my 'recently deleted' album. Normally this clears itself out after 30 days have elapsed after an image is deleted, but I done it manually because I had just deleted a lot of stuff. I also turned off and restarted my iPad so that all of thes deletions were recognised.  

This meant my 186MB panic system, increased to a nice 8.1GB

Which of course, those of you in the know, also know is good. And this story could have stopped there, but it doesn't. 

You see, over the years the iPad hasn't been keeping up with my photo deletions.  The difference between what the 'System Usage' and 'About' says that I have stored as photos, and what I actually have, differs by some 5,000 images. I have 2,000 something photos and an empty recently deleted album, and it says that I have 7,000 something images on the iPad.  Well it did up until a few minutes ago.  As of now I have an awesome 38.1GB available on my iPad. Yes, you read it correctly, 30GB more than a few minutes ago.  How you ask? Well, simples actually;

Open your Photo App, go to 'recently deleted' and delete any images sat there

Close the Photo App

Now go to Settings and find 'Date and Time'

Deselect automatic 

Take the date back 2 or 3 years (I went back 3 years)

Leave the 'Date and Time'

Open the Photo App and check the 'Recently Deleted' album

I found almost 5,000 images sat in mine although a few minutes earlier it was empty

Delete them and when done close the Photo App

Go back to settings and 'Date and Time' and set to automatic and then enjoy your iPad

. . . You're welcome 

Victoria Cross

Just read that today's Tory Budget contains a new provision for all living holders of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross to receive a stipend of £10,000 per annum. That is blinking great news, as each and every one of them deserves both the recognition and the financial security that should accompany such selfless acts of valour!  

This news has made my day.

Watercolour Apple

I've been enjoying using the watercolours and this is this week's effort :-)

Watercolours

So the posty delivered all of the Winsor and Newton water colours from the various sellers, and they were all as good as I had anticipated.  I'm well chuffed, but now of course I have to learn how to use them!  With that in mind I trundled off to the Botanical art course that I mentioned in my last Blog post.  It was far better than I had expected, and I can truly say that the university under sold it.  I'm not so sure that 'Botanical 2' will ever be needed, as this initial course is all about tonal work and water colours.  The good point is that there is no pressure.  The lessons are easy going, there's no exam and the dates are well spaced out with significant gaps.  I've even managed to practice at the MIND art class that I attend. I'm not very good, but I certainly feel as if I'm getting better at water colouring. Maybe I shall upload something, if indeed I manage to paint anything worth uploading.

Happier Days

Righty oh, Mr 'B' AKA Yours Truly, who I hasten to add is currently struggling with a pen and ink drawing of a building; is now signed up for a 'Botanical illustration 1' course with the Art & Design department of Aberystwyth University.  

The art course starts tomorrow and is spread over four very well gapped days with the last day due to take place on the 18th June.  I like the course brief; "ideal course for those wishing to . . . develop their fine art skills'.  Yep it's about botany, but it's also primarily about art.  Another course aptly titled: 'Botanical illustration 2', seems to be about watercolouring techniques and tonal modelling.  So that's going to be one for the future, especially given my recent spends on Winsor and Newton Professional Watercolours.  Plus of course I'm really excited, not because of tomorrow's course, but because I'm sat here with a coffee waiting for Mr Postman, who happens to be carrying several hundred pounds worth of water colour paints that I ordered online from three sellers for the bargain basement price of £40

Oh happy days. Now, back to that pen and ink drawing. . . 

Life should mean life

According to the BBC online News Service; "Colin Pitchfork was given a life sentence in 1988 for the rape and murder of 15-year-old schoolgirls Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, from Leicestershire." I recently watched an excellent two part docu-drama about the pioneering DNA work that caught Pitchfork, along with the excellent police work that caught the person who pretended to be him and took the first DNA test, that in turn allowed Pitchfork to roam free for longer.

Pitchfork was convicted of two heinous crimes, and Pitchfork should die in prison.  

To release Colin Pitchfork would be a travesty of justice and a shameful indictment of the low value now placed on human life by our society.  I don't care about perceived risk to society, as Pitchfork could be a bedridden 90 year old and I would still believe that such a person should still be in prison. 

The only reason to release someone who was convicted of the rape and murder of two human beings, is when technological advances or other evidence subsequently proves that the convicted person was innocent.  That will not be the case for Colin Pitchfork.  If a person is guilty of such heinous crimes, then that convicted person should die behind bars. 

Well Wednesday didn't happen

Nope, the DIY painting didn't happen, as Wednesday was a wash out in the pressure stakes.  I spent the day mooching around town instead.  Whereas Thursday was about exercise and an enjoyable Trail Run at the fabulous Nant-yr-Arian. So the decorating was simply put on hold.

So on Friday I cracked open the paint tin that has been hanging around for quite a few weeks, and took a laborious 6 hours to apply one coat of emulsion to four walls. Yep, they need a second coat, but alas that means more pressure, so that idea has been parked for a while.  And Nope, the walls aren't large.  I just think that it was a case of not being up to the task. Maybe they will be painted next week or indeed the week after, who knows.

Thankfully not all tasks are the 'your face pressure stuff' that I try to avoid.  Avoidance strategies work, and are an important defensive mechanism.  Another defensive mechanism is to flitter from one thing to another.  So using pastels is good fun, but that fun mustn't diminish.  Hence the pencil drawing, and the watercolours.   Mix it up, and the pressure is reduced.  With that in mind; I'm trying to complete a pen and ink and watercolour as a gift for two friends of ours who are getting married.  It's slow, and has to be set aside and picked back up, but it's enjoyable.  It might look good, but then again it might not.  But I suspect that they will be grateful.  Albeit it's likely that the finished item will be handed over well past the marriage date.  There was a time, a long time ago, when I would have worked slavelessly to finish to a deadline. Not any more, as deadlines are now something to be avoided at all costs.  I'm not really that fussed when and how I do something, and I simply don't set myself the target.

Seascape imaged

So this is how the seascape (shown in an earlier Blog Post) eventually ended up looking like when using Winsor and Newton professional quality Watercolours applied onto Sennelier Pastel Paper. The watercolor painting is approximatel 25cm high by 63cm long. It's our intention to mount the Artwork using White Mounting Board and to surround that with an Oak Frame ready to hang above the bed in our Guest Bedroom. 

The restricted space between the Dado Rail and the Bedroom Ceiling in that part of the room; is the reason for the deliberate narrowness of the image. Some of the colours were used for the Watercolour to compliment the color of items bought for the room make-over, now that the room has become vacant. 

As usual, I can't put myself under too much pressure when doing these sort of tasks. So the redecorating has already taken many weeks, instead of a day or two.  I've managed to fill the holes, and today I got around to eventually painting the ceiling.  I now have to build myself up to painting the walls.  We are thinking, take tomorrow out and instead do some art at 'MIND Aberystwyth' and go for a coffee, and then see how I feel on Wednesday.  If not Wednesday then Friday might be a DIY Day.  But Wifey understands that Friday could even turn out to be next week or the week after.  But in between all that DIY and pressure sort of stuff, I shall try to complete a Soft Pastel Drawing image of the same scene and using the same type and size of Pastel Paper. But I am enjoying using watercolours and I am already on the look out for some new Kolinsky Sable Art Brushes. I also intend to buy a sheet of watercolor paper, having today been told the difference between 'hot press' and 'cold press' paper.  I want to paint some butterfly's and I'm also keen to paint eight or ten leafs (in two rows, one above the other) without a background. Don't ask me why, because I simply don't know.  But there you have it, this is where the art direction is going at the moment. And before you know it, the art will probably be placed back inside a box (metaphorical not actual) and I shall move onto something else. Which of course is what we do when we need and use such defensive mechanisms. 

 

Imaging the SeaScape

Today was the day that I should have been settling down to that much looked forward to 'Imaging the Landscape' using Pastels course. I was particularly excited about that pastel course as mentioned in a previous Blog post. 

Indeed, I am still smarting about the course being cancelled two days before its intended date. Worse still they had cashed my cheque and sent me joining instructions. So although I had been forewarned by others that they often cancel adult learning courses, the cashed cheque and the joining instructions meant that I didn't see the negative outcome that was looming.

Maybe the cancelled Pastel Art Course was the catalyst for this temporary change from my recent determined flurry into the world of Soft Pastels.  It seems to be onwards and upwards and onto a new medium.  So the artist quality soft pastels have been set aside, and we are now indulging in a watercolour journey.  I deliberately chose to use Pastel Paper (that was kindly gifted to me by my friends at the Art Shop) and set an intentional panoramic view by cutting the paper in half along its length to end up with a 25 x 63 cm sheet.

This is the just the start of the image.  It's from an idea that Wifey found online and wants for one of our rooms.

I'm using 'Winsor & Newton' professional quality watercolours bought from the Art Shop on Pier Street, Aberystwyth, along with a 'Winsor & Newton' Kolinsky Sable art brush. Kolinsky Sable brushes hold more water than other types of art brushes and therefore allow longer strokes and cut down on the 'drag' that occurs with cheaper brushes. I have had quite a few Sable brushes in my tine, but to my shame, most of them have been used with modelling acrylics when painting massed armies in 1:72nd and 25mm scales. Oops, now that was a tad foolish wasn't it? 

Coastline Art

This is another one, in my so far mini series of Coastline art images.  Artist Quality Soft Pastels were drawn onto A3 size Watercolour Paper.  This means that some of the watercolor paper ridges show through.  A combination of Schmincke, Rowney (out of production narrow sticks) and Sennelier soft pastels were used. I waited a few weeks for the Sennelier set to arrive before finishing off the foreground of this image.  My main problem at the moment is working out how to sign completed artwork.  Soft Pastel sticks are too broad and clumsy to form letters and numerals, whereas various grades of charcoal pencils from Soft to Hard, seem to break away in their wood when the charcoal pencil is sharpened using a normal pencil sharpener, or a pastel sharpener, or a knife.  For the darker images, a white Pastel Pencil fairs no better.  It is pretty frustrating in this so far 'teach yourself' course of artistic development; that I am having more problems with signing rather than completing the work.

As usual, All Rights are Reserved: Roger Bennett 2015

I was due to start a three day art course called 'Imaging the Landscape' tomorrow, but alas, the course was cancelled due to what appears to be a lack of numbers.  It looks as if it was two of us.  Which is pretty sad as I had built myself up to attending this pastel art course and was really looking forward to the three days spread over several weeks as being part of my springboard to better pastel artwork.  Worse still I had been forewarned by several others that this particular institution often cancels adult learning courses due to poor uptake.  I don't know if that's true, and I don't for one moment suspect that such last minute cancellations are deliberate, but I do wish that they get their marketing act together and go ahead with this intended high end stuff.  It appears in a prospectus, but the bottom line is that adult learners probably don't look in a prospectus like an intending University Undergraduate.  We probably rely more on posters and advertisements being placed in the right places and in a timely manner.  It's not much use putting up a poster a week or so after the early bird discount date, that sorts of misses the point really.  So as you can see, the artwork is developing, but alas I am bitterly disappointed regarding the last minute cancelled pastel art course that I had paid for last month.

Meanwhile, I need to get back to practicing how to sign my finished pieces, before I go and cause a calamity and ruin a piece at the last hurdle.  Mmmm, I wonder if 'Imaging the Landscape' would have taught me how to sign my name? 

Sutton Medieval Bridge Pastels Snow Scene

The last piece of original artwork that I uploaded was a Pastel Pencil drawing of the Sutton Medieval Packhorse Bridge in the village of Sutton, England.  That pastel artwork was completed on thick 160g orange pastel paper (see earlier post).  The pastel paper colour was allowed to show through when representing the Sutton packhorse bridge and other parts of the pastel pencil drawing.  The second piece that I completed over Easter 2015 was another A3 size image of the same bridge (shown below).   This new image was constructed using soft pastels (a combination of artist quality Schmincke, Jacksons, and now out of production narrow Rowney pastel sticks). This representation of the Sutton Medieval Bridge has a slightly different perspective than the image that I completed earlier over this Easter weekend, and of course unlike the Summer scene in the former, this one is in the grip of winter.

Sutton Medieval Packhorse Bridge, Sutton
Soft Pastels on Red Pastel Paper
A3 Size

Like all of my artwork and poetry; all rights are reserved.

Sutton Packhorse Bridge

This is my first attempt at using Pastel Pencils instead of recent move towards using Soft Pastel 'sticks' for a piece of artwork.  It  was drawn using various Derwent Pastel Pencils from a wooden box set of 48 that I recently bought for detailing the broader strokes of the larger pastel sticks, but alas pastel pencils seem to have a harder binder to hold the pastel inside the wood of the pencil, and therefore the pencils are not that good in my hands for detailing, as they indent into earlier strokes.  This artwork of the Medieval Bridge at Sutton was drawn onto Daler Rowney 'Murano' 406x305mm size 160 g/m2 warm colour pastel paper with the chosen base colour allowed to show through in the final piece. 

The Medieval Sutton 'Packhorse' Bridge and ford, in the village of Sutton in Bedfordshire.

Funeral

I attended a funeral today.  Not family, and not even a close friend.  But nevertheless a terribly sad and for me, an emotional affair.  I really had to get out of there as quickly as possible.  And that's all I have to say about that. 

MIND

I don't mind admitting that I am a member of the mental health Charity MIND. I have mentioned before that I find art therapeutic.  But of course, like many things, I also find it stressful.  I can't work to deadlines, and unsurprisingly I can become compulsive. There's a lot more that I could say, but I won't bore you with the detail.  Anyway, I started Art Classes at MIND, and I am extremely grateful, both for these classes and the drop in sessions that I have attended. 

In one of the Art Classes we were asked to create a ship that was representative of our life. My Charcoal sketch took 50 minutes to design and execute.  The two birds and the break of cloud cover is representative of a glimmer of hope.  At the start of the next Art Class during the following week; we were asked to write a few words regarding our artwork.  This is what I came up with.  The sketch was done on the 3rd February and the charcoal was fixed yesterday.  Interestingly enough the 'facilitator' was kind enough to buy and bring in hairspray for that purpose, and was kind enough to take my sketch outside and fix it for me. What a lovely person.  

The words were written at the start of yesterday's art class, before moving onto a new piece of artwork.  That new piece is not particularly spectacular, the idea was, but its execution wasn't.  The 'Ship' in this post is a photograph of my original piece that was slightly bigger than A3 size.  Another one of the facilitators at MIND was kind enough to photograph my sketch on the 3rd and hand me this photograph when I arrived for the class on the 10th.  Ps 'the victim' is in the water, just to the left of the hull. 

Taffy

This pooch is my first attempt at using Charcoal. The artwork (including the pencil outline that I drew to help guide me), took all of about forty minutes. It's a gift for two good friends, and the owners who live in Sutton in England are thrilled.  I tend to over analyse my artwork, and usually take a very long time starting and finishing a piece.  It takes time to get around to starting the intended work, and that's probably down to the mental ill health, and then a long time working on, putting down and picking back up.  My last oil painting took two years, and the pen and ink and watercolour of a Hyundai i30 about eighteen months.  I'm not a prolific artist, so it was nice to sit down and spend an enjoyable short period thinking about light and dark and thereby come up with this.  Yes, it's not great, there's a lot wrong with it, but it's mine, and I'm proud.

'Taffy', Charcoal on paper. January 2015

Model making

I have updated the Monaco Layout section. Click on its title above, and then scroll down to see the text (as the page doesn't look as if it changes when you select any of the tabs).  You simply have to scroll down to find the detail.

Prayers

I pray for Pauline Cafferkey daily, and will continue to do so.

The Stupid Stuff

How does someone returning from West Africa suffering from Ebola get back into the UK with ease? We have lost the plot. We don't do enough to contain the spread of this killer disease when it could have been contained, and now someone gets back to the UK yesterday, with ease across our border. I pity all of those exposed on the flight, through customs either side, on public transport and who may have come into contact with the person who is now seriously ill. I also pray for the victim, who if international efforts had been better, may never have been exposed to Ebola. Can someone in our government please stop pissing around with the stupid stuff AND instead please start dealing with the important stuff

Malala Yousafzai

So Malala Yousafzai becomes the youngest recipient ever of the Nobel Peace Prize when the joint award was announced today. Okay, so I was out by a year when I uploaded the following blog post in October 2013, but nevertheless the receipt of the award for me was always a given. 

"So Malala Yousafzai is favourite to win the Nobel Peace Prize when the Winner is announced this coming Friday.  Well, there is no surprise there then.  Especially if you had read my Blog Post of the 03 September 2013 when I commented upon the madness of the decision to cut the broadcast of one of Malala Yousafzai's speeches in mid flow."

Maybe the BBC can now respond by repeating her astonishing speech of 2013 in full. 

Relief

My friend Adam described my poem 'the vote' as "five lines of relief". Yep, I can't argue with that.

The Vote

Welcome back Scotland 

I am really glad

That you chose to stay

In our old Union

This September Day

Roger Bennett

19 September 2014

All Rights Reserved 

Chess

I scored 3.5 out of the 9 Rounds of Chess in Cardiff. Two of my opponents were in the stratosphere of my Rated Opposition, so with those games aside, I managed 3.5 out of 7 from the remainder. This included 5 draws, 4 of these were in a row, which is the longest run of draws that I have ever had when playing over the board chess. My tournament result was not great, but the outcome is lovely. 

I enjoyed the games, and enjoyed the week away.

NATO

Is it wrong to write about the NATO Summit being held in South Wales? We can't afford a holiday this year and are staying in Cardiff after a kind relative offered to lend us their place in the City while they are away. So with the support of my good friend Adam, I am chancing my arm at the South Wales International Open Chess Tournament. A six day chess extravaganza held in the centre of our Capital. 

Although at the moment it is not the vibrant cosmopolitan city that I know; not with all of this security fencing and vehicle barricades dotted about everywhere.  You can't even escape the intrusion when strolling or jogging through what is normally the lovely Bute Park. Nope, for the last five days, I have felt quite intimidated and feel as if I am in the Middle East rather than in South Wales. The worst part is, I thought that the NATO thingy was taking place in Newport.  Gwent get the Summit, but South Wales get the expense. And what's this 'working lunch' malarky? I've dined in the Castle many years ago, and with that standard of quisine, there's not going to be that much working going on.  Unlike me at the chess board, slogging it out for a few hours at a time.

To be quite honest, if it wasn't for Adam, it's highly unlikely that I would be here at all. Well yes, I would be here drinking coffee and strolling around, but not playing chess. You see, the aforementioned friend sort of acts like my 'second'. Of course it is quite unheard of for a club level chess player like me to have a 'second', but the support is essential with my mental ill health. 

Adam researches chess ideas and themes, researches my opponents and preps me as to what chess opening to expect, and then analyses each of my chess games in detail following each round. I wake up in the flat to a ping on my mobile phone, and that is a text or email from Adam informing me who I am due to playing etc., Following the game I photograph my chess scoresheet and then email it to Adam for analysis. We also met up several times prior to my jaunt to the fenced off City. So while other people do a lot of work, I just have a lot of fun, and the pressure valve folks is wide open. 

So thank you Adam, because you are helping me to live my dream, but bugger off NATO because you are making me feel vulnerable and intimidated. 

Next time, please host your Summit out on a ship or away in the countryside. 

Oh the chess, how is it going you ask? Well I lost in Round 1 to an International Master (so no surprise there then) and somehow drew the next four games. Part of this unusual string of draws, is risk aversion, and of course lack of confidence. The other part must be down to my aims and objectives, the primary one being enjoyment. I mustn't care about the result, but I must ensure that I do enjoy playing.

Swotting

Well Friday came and went and no swotting occurred for the British Chess Championships Week 2 AM Open Competition. There was alas (and still is) lots of sweating with this heat wave currently engulfing Wales and the rest of the UK but no swatting. So here I am, feet up, watching the TV and wishing that I had the money to install an air conditioning system. It's times like this that I wish that I was on a long drive, because at least the car is cooler. 

Although I did pay a visit to the main playing area today, and I must say that the room appeared to be really cool. The Championship organisers had also put on lots of water. But even the cool water and the cool room wasn't as cool as the cool commentator in the Commentary Room.  Now he seemed to be shrouded in his own personal air conditioning system, and I must admit by the manner in which he commentated on the games; he had certainly done his swotting.

British Chess Championships

Well that's a strange but rather interesting turn around. Having been treated to the 'Chess Menu' at the Gwesty Cymru restaurant yesterday evening by our good friends Adam and Nia, I went and made the plunge and entered the Open tournament AM for Week 2 of the British Chess Championships. 

Now. Haven't played competitive chess since I had my first mental health breakdown in 1998. So the big question for me is quite simply: can I wrangle my way out of the opening five days on the trot next week?

Will I have to resort to 1. b4 the Polish opening when white, and some strange fianchetto when black? Or do I play 2. f4 irrespective of what my opponent plays, while revisiting the chess openings with some swatting on Sunday? Quite a lot to consider, and seeing that I need to avoid stress, it's quite likely that the plan won't be formed until Sunday night and very little or even 'no swatting' will actually occur. Meanwhile I look forward to relaxing tomorrow in this heat, running on Saturday, and doing very little on Sunday.