Everything happens for a Reason

A strange week that's gone by too fast - certainly too fast to blog it all. Junior OTR assistant has gone away for a couple of days which, by rights, should have left me some space to 'do my thing'. Has it by 'eck! I have managed to make one single Chocolate Jotter for a dear friend, and had other friends over for dinner. As for the rest of the time, I do not know where on earth it has gone. I did get to a local market yesterday, ostensibly looking for apricots (how glamorous a life she leads I can hear you say) but happened across an antiques type trader who had just obtained a van load of books - however hard I tried to find out where they got them from they avoided my insinuations and allusions. I bought several delicious ones from them which are being added to the gallery as I write this, and I'll have them on the website by the end of today, but apart from that the week has completely disappeared. No sign of the writing I'm supposed to be doing, being done. Oops. My very good friend Jules at Apple Tree Theatre company is awaiting a monologue from me, which she wants to share with the world. I'm full of ideas for what I want to do, but I'm completely overwhelmed by all the trivia at the moment and that is so effective a form of writer's block that I'm not even bothering to resist. However, I'm off on hols in a week and I'm hoping that my parents will be happy to play with my son whilst I can sit and smoke Gauloise and hopefully, hopefully, hopefully get it written. Once I start I know it will be fine, but starting is often the hardest bit.

I turned into a patron of the arts this week in the Butter Market art gallery in Newark. A picture by the artist Ann McLaren Hodgson quite literally shouted at me from the street (I have no idea what I was doing looking in a gallery window - I usually resist unless I've got unlimited time.) I wasn't previously aware of her beautiful work - it's certainly unusual and unlike anything I've seen before, but it is truly inspiring stuff. Before I decided to blow my holiday spending money on the picture I chose, I was aware of how badly I wanted to just plonk myself on the floor, surrounded by her art and write myself senseless. The inspiration was completely tangible. I had the very great pleasure of actually meeting Ann and she's a charming woman with a winning smile and a very very firm handshake. I can't wait until her exhibition (which is moving to the Sam Scorer gallery in Lincoln soon) is over because then I can take my picture home and hang it in pride of place in the living room. If AJ can get a nail into the brickwork that is.

I'm hoping we're off to the CLA Game Fair on Saturday (with evil Pooper who will be amazed that there are other dogs in the world. Again. Over and over again) and to a family bbq on Sunday. It'll be lovely to see my folks and for AJ to get to meet them again. Well, I think so, even if he doesn't. Then, one more week till the trip to France and then ta-da! On return I'm opening the shop up on the web and going for it BIG time with the very welcome assistance of Bertie at Click Creations . We reckon the world won't know what hit it. Have a lovely weekend!