DECEMBER 2024

Sunday 1.12.24

Now only thirteen days to finish the group of miniatures by.

Monday 2.12.24

R goes to the surgery to have the dressing changed on his leg. This has now been going on since the summer so has been causing concern

Tuesday 3.12.24

Richard goes to Gloucester for his appointment with the Haematology consultant who has him x rayed and then sends him to the pharmacy to collect a  big bag of steroids in preparaton for a new round of chemotherapy. But luckily the work towards the Chritmas open studio helps to distract.

Wednesday 4.12.24

Payment from Panter & Hall for my little Lighthouse painting.

Cards arrive today from the Chelsea Arts Club They have reproduced the winter scene from my Four Seasons as commissioned by Paul in Australia. Such a nice young woman ‘phoned for my card number to cover the postage and the Yearbook last night and she said it was the bestseller and how she loved my work and had kept the postcard I wrote along with the painting I had sent for their last charity exhibition because she liked it so much.

Thursday 5.12.24

Working hard on the miniatures inspired by the beautiful gothic shaped frames that John has created out of recycled wood. He is such a treasure and we are so fortunate to have him. He delights in working out new shapes and proportions for these glorious little  miniature frames.

Friday 6.12.24

A splendid Christmas tree arrives in the afternoon, full and green up to the top and reaching the ceiling

Saturday 7.12.24

Now have the start of a Helter Skelter on a tall thin frame

Sunday 8.12

Also a small nativity in one of the pointed arch frames …

Monday 9.12.24

… St Francis apears in another

Richard goes to London to collect a couple of paintings we had bought back at auction

R puts images of six of the moniatures onto the website to give an opportunity to people who are further afield and cannot make the Open Studio.  I’m really touched when I get an e mail from Celia Washington saying she would like to buy the guardsman, Attention! as she has alwasy wanted one of my paintings. I’ve known Celia from a distance for many a year so it means a lot. Then a message pings through from one of Henrieta’s school friends Lucy, who would like to buy the two cats for her brother who has recently finished cancer treatment and is now doing well. Then our dear friend Ren meassages and then all six have gone within a very short time.

Tuesday 10.12.24

St Nicholas has appeared in another of the gothic arched frames.

Wednesday 11.12.24

And a polar bear

Thursday 12.12.24

R has a telephone appointment with Dr Jess Bailey. They have decided to postpone any treatment until the legs are sorted.

Friday 13.12.24

We had hoped to go to the National Stars Christmas get together but I’m still working on the paintings and Richard is filling, painting and hanging in the studio.

Saturday 14.12.24

It’s wonderful as usual to see so many friends. Dear Ian and Maeve have got St Francis and a smaller one too. Sue and Andy have the Nativity. A busy stream flows through during the rest of the afternoon. Its lovely catching up with so many people we sometimes don’t see for the rest of the year.

Sunday 15.12.24

Wallace comes and is delighted to find St Nicholas and the Twins still avaliable. Rowena’s Mum buys the Angel and the Tiger and Alayne buys The Tiger who came to see. We see lovely people like Anne and John who hae invited David and Eleanor to lunch so we have the joy of seeing them too. Thanks to all our wonderful friends and collectors we have made in excess of fourteen thousand pounds for The National Star College; Linc and the Friends of The Wilson

Monday 16.12.24

New washing machine arirves as old one gave up.

Tuesday 17.12.24

Sadly we miss the Alderman Knight carol service at Tewkesbry Abbey as R has to go to the surgery to have his dressing changed.

Wednesday 18.12.24

We’re now busy with Richard posting off minatures or people coming to collect them

Decorate the Chritmas tree

Thursday 19.12.24

Gill comes all the way from Blunham in Bedfordashire bearing wonderful Christmas gifts. Weve got an orange and a lemon tree for her as well as a basket of other gifts. It’s lovely to see her she is always so good at driving down in her hybrid electric car.  we enjoy a celebratory lunch

Friday 20.12.24

R has his dresing changed

Saturday 21.12.24

As well as Christmas preparaions I am back working on Supper - the course of time for Art London in January. Also finishing the sides of The Rhinocerous on the Bridge

Sunday 22.12.24

ditto

Monday 23.12.24

Nathan arrives with Bea his beautiful boxer dog bringing also a wonderful pheasant casserole, all taped up so that it didn’t leak on the journey. The pheasans have been given to him by a friend of his neighbour’s in Ramsgate. He’s a very good cook and it is absolutely delicious. It is so good to sit and catch up.

Tuesday 24.12.24  Chritmas Eve

R goes to the surgery to hae his leg dressing changed

Henrietta, Kev and the boys arrive. It’s such a joy to see them. Isaac and Samuel look taller than ever. In the evening we let them open all the wonderful presents that have come from Nancy, Peter and family.  It is so good all being back together.

Wednesday 25.12.24 Christmas Day

Everbody helps with the cooking and preparations. Henrietta ad Kev have aready been out for a run and Kev takes the boys to play football before we exchange Chritmas presents and then enjoy the Chritmas feast. Henrietta had made the Christmas pudding and brought it with them and Nathan does the brandy butter.

We play cards in the evening as we did last night.

Thursday 26.12.24 Boxing Day

Richard cooks his piece de resistance, flambeed bananas in rum with almonds and sultanas

Another glorious day being all together

Friday 27.12.24

But today Hnerietta, Kev and the boys set out to travel to his parents in Little Ann near Andover. Nathan leaves for Ramsgate shortly after. I go back to the studio to continue work on the two paintings for the Portland to show at Art London.

Saturday 28.12.24

Super - ‘the course of time’  absorbs my time

Sunday 29.12.24

Working on the top & bottom of Rhinocerous on the Bridge

Monday 30.12.24

R goes to the surgery to see the nurse and Dr Wybrew

Tuesday 31.12.24 New Year’s Eve

Duncan comes to collect his owl and robin painting

I spend the evening working in the studio on Super - the course of time but we speak to Henrieta, Kev and Nathan in the early hours of the New Year.

It has been a good and fruitful year.