MARCH 2025

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Saturday 8.3.25

We set out for Owlpen Manor near Dursley at about six When we arrive down its mile long drive and as we walk down the path after parking the car, we can see the daffodils under the trees illuminated by the solar lights. People have already begun to congregate in the pole barn and the cyder mill. Karin offers us champagne or pomegranate cordial. There are some very beautiful fancy dress costumes including that of Sarra, Nicky and Karin’s daughter, who had so kindly sent us the invitationIt is very elaborate and she tells me she’s had her sewing machine out making hers and Nicky’s rather marvelous Magus gown. She loves making costumes and organising parties. When I tell her she could be an events organiser she says “that’s what I do” There are lots of beautiful children excitedly running around after their wand making workshop, some of them making animal heads. and a beautiful boy we meet on entering who was adjusting his white bow tie in his reflection in the glass door. I chat with Jane Davis who shares a birthday with Richard; she and Stephen who have just become grandparents for the first time on 2th February, used to live at Bownham Manor when we first got to know them but now live in beautiful barn in Suffolk where he gives talks on the ancient church with its round tower and the reliquary stone within. He’s almost finished writing a book about it, writing bing his speciality - he wrote various episodes of Waking the Dead and Silent Witness etc. He, Nicky and Anthony Gormley (and the King) were all at Trinity College Cambridge together. I’m delighted to besat between Nicky and Stephen for the meal.

Sunday 9.3.25

Monday 10.3.25

Tuesday 11.3.25

Wednesday 12.3.25

Start painting the palette for th Chelsea Arts Club who have provided artists with these on which to create an mage for their silent auction in aid of student bursaries and the Artists General Benevolent Fund. I have to be very decisive s I’ve only allowed myself three days in which to complete it and as it will be world poetry day at the end of next week I decide to pay homage to Mr Lear again, with an Owl and a Pussycat having studied the palette shape I decide that the bottom curved edge below the thumb hole would lend itself to  pea green boat so manage to block in the idea and get Richard’s response when w call it a day

Thursday 13.3.25

After working on the chess players I move back to the painted palette and work on it intensely until 4am.

Friday 15.3.25

Richard packs up the painted palette and takes it to post for special (next day) delivery. I then realise I haven’t written on the back so do a label that he cycles down late to catch tomorrow’s post.

Saturday 16.3.25

Call from Chesea Arts Club saying the palette has arrived.

Wednesday 19.3.25

Today Richard goes for his full body PET/CR scan for which by a canular he is fed radioactive sugar. He’s actually in the scanner fo a whole half hour as it is from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. It is a miraculous technology that enables the consultants to see where the lymphoma is active and to look at the health of all his internal organs etc. It is almost too extraordinary to comprehend but a technology we are truly grateful for . But meanwhile in the studio, wanting to impress himI paint the sea in the Vetia structure(which I had started a couple of months ago and start two new works. I didn’t stop for breakfast or even to do my morning ‘work out’

Friday 21.3.25

Interestingly hear Satona discussing, as the Japanese expert (she’s a Japanese professor at SOAS), the merits or demerits of a new computer game inspired by the Japanese samuri who have always been an inspiration to western culture creatives as with manga and much of Japanese culture.

Now working very hard on the Venetian themed angular frame creating a new story in a similar format.

Wednesday 26.3.25

Today was going to be a day we had been preparing for for some time as Florence was coming down from the Portland Gallery to see the paintings for my forthcoming exhibition with them. Richard had hung both rooms of the studio beautifully and prepared the lunch and been to collect her from the train station.

So Florence and I were looking at and discussing the works in the studio when we heard noises of great distress from Richard.Who was lying on his side on the ground just outside the studio door facing the wall. What we could of his face was covered in blood and so were his hands with broken glass lying all along the side of the wall just the other side of him. Florence ‘phoned for an ambulance and they instructed me to get a towel and press it against his head where the blood was coming from and I also got him a cushion to put under his head.

Simon, one of our neighbours arrived (lives in Brian’s old bungalow) as he was in the garden and heard it all. It was rather frightening, Poor Richard said as came up the three steps he felt his ankle give was and stumbled, falling against the Cotswold stone wall in which Simon spotted some of glass  (he had been carrying)  had become trapped.

Eventually he wanted to try and sit up and looked terrible with his bloody face and hands. But luckily he hadn’t cut himself on any of the glass but the impact with the rough wall had caused a cut under his hairline, grazes and the most enormous bump. There’s also a wound or two on his nose so his nose had been bleeding inside and out.  The paramedics got him sitting on the sofa just inside the studio and began examining him and cleaning him up with great care and patience

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The one thing that really worried them was high blood pressure at 218 so whilst they wrote up all their notes in the ambulance they said he could come into the house and use our blood pressure machine which was still over 200 so they said they would like to take him to A&E in Gloucester to be checked out. There he saw two separate doctors and a consultant reviewed (the blood measure was now 234) . The first one thought it might be the lymphoma that was affecting him so he admitted him and got a nurse to take some blood. Later another doctor did a big examination including an ECG  and more blood tests. Eventually they let him out about 9.30pm. I can now see the beginning of a black eye.

He keeps me on my toes!

Thursday 27.3.25

Richard has got to take his blood pressure each day; the hospital are writing to is GP and then he’s to make an appointment for two or three week’s time.

He walked into the village today and  no-one batted an eyelid at the way he looked, not that he saw anyone that he knew well. And of course I encouraged him to do so as although your blood pressure goes up when you’re taking exercise, afterwards it goes lower than it was before. Systolic was 240 in the ambulance, 190 this morning, 170 after the walk and 158 now so it seems to going in the right direction.

That is so very kind of you to send him treats to aid his recovery. He looks a bit of a sorry sight with his two black eyes but the good things are that he didn’t suffer concussion or break any bones; poor Maureen had a fall just before Christmas and broke her cheek bone. So apart from aching, which is understandable, we feel we’ve got way with it lightly.

Friday 28.3.25

Whilst working in my studio in the evening I suddenly realised I haven’t sent my writings on te Rood and the Altarpiece to Kirsty to help her with the talk she’s giving at he Museum in the Park, Stroud. So do so after dinner and send it just after midnight.

Saturday 29.3.25

Started writing pieces on the paintings for the catalogue for my forthcoming exhibition as suggested by Florence.

Lots of lovely tings arrive, a beautiful hand-made card from Henrietta and the boys then a large box full of glorious roses, sunflowers, stocks, golden rad and many moreand later another parcel containing a silk pillow case to promoste good sleep. Whilst and equal number of presents seemed to arrive for Richard, a blue tin biscuit barrel containing double chocolate chip biscuits made in Beverley, E Yorks. and a pair of striking black socks with red ad wite London buses riding around them. Yesterday he received a box of chocolate bars from my sister Gill ad Ian. So he’s doing very well

His two black eyes look perhaps a little less swollen today and the bump on his forehead is not quite as pronounced.

Sunday 30.3.25

Today is Mothers’ Day and I’m thinking of the the mother in Myanmar waiting by the collapsed and disintegrated building from which she hopes her daughter might be rescued even though the chances are so remote and all those like her awaiting news of their families and loved ones.

It’s a beautiful sunny first day of summer time and I sit in the garden to have my brunch whilst contemplating what today’s painting schedule will consist of, trying to prioritise.