Egypt4u

I saw the surgeon today - he's put me on the list for a fancy dancy rotating lever hinge joint replacement on my "other" knee. :d2:

There is light at the end of the tunnel as if it takes about the same time to recover as the one I had done last year, I might be able to go back to Egypt within the year. Yaaaay things are moving.

Add to this a dear friend is coming to visit on Sunday and on Monday I have the first of my course of Art lessons

Al Hamdulillah.

The springtime is bringing you some good news and optimism for the future then MD. Really pleased to hear that and hope you move up the list very quickly for your 'bionic knee'.

That really is great news "The Bionic Woman is Back"

(sorted your double post)

Thanks Horus for putting the double post right.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

MD tha'ts really great news onwards & upwards

So, MD, how did the visit and the art class go?

Well, unfortunately Dear Friend had to cancel her trip, she was as upset as I was, but it was unavoidable.

However, since I was feeling quite fragile it was probably for the best.

The morning of the Art Class - Holes In Space appeared. I can't believe I am the only one afflicted with this phenomenon.

I needed to take with me a 4B pencil and sharpener, a putty rubber and an A3 drawing pad. Of course I have lots of everything except the drawing pad, but I do have several of those, just not lots. I knew exactly where to find all the above of course.

However 5 minutes before the taxi arrived, everything went into hiding and the wrong substitutes appeared. I did chuck things about a bit in my search for the originals, it drove me crazy, I do like a place for everything and everything in it's place, so where had they gone? Eventually I raised a couple of pencils and rubbers and a near enough pad - but I had put my everyday glasses down while reading the size of the pencils with (obviously) my reading glasses............. I still haven't found them. However, on the couch which was absolutely clear and unused for the last three weeks, my backup glasses appeared in the nick of time. I've been searching for them for three months and the couch wasn't even there when I lost them. They were followed by pencils and rubbers popping up everywhere.

I wasn't sure where the venue was, hence the taxi, but it turns out to be within hobbling distance, even for me, which is wonderful. I was on time, but no one answered the buzzer to let me in, so I had to wait until I could slip in behind someone coming out.

The class is right next to the café, so half way through the rest of the class retired for a cuppa and a chat - but I was on a roll and didn't want to stop. In a few short minutes the art master made me see things literally in an entirely new light. Amazing.

He is totally obsessed with horse racing. We found common ground because I used to work with horses and knew a lot of people in the racing world - I still watch racing for fun, but haven't had a bet since about 1962, though I was a very successful punter it is a fools game.

I enjoyed it so much I think I might take another class. My girls and I used to take evening classes - something new most years. I've done basketry, spinning and weaving, jewellery making for several years - all sorts really.

Sorry you asked now Ruby?

Nice funny story, MD. So, you call it Holes in Space ? I call it The Borrowers. I have long stopped looking for items, just wait until they appear again as I usually have spares in a cardboard box under my desk. Will you be posting photos of your artworks ? ?

Artwork?

Well if I get this downloading/uploading of photos sorted it might be good for a laugh.

Disappointed for you over your visit- or lack of it - but delighted that your class went so well!

A most entertaining report MD So it is not just me who puts things where I know i will remember and then forget when I come to find them. It's an age thing dear.

I remember my very first ever art class at grammar school 'How to draw a horse'. These art teachers must have a thing about horses.

A traumatic and enjoyable day for you MD, my own artistic talent does not extend to drawing anything, I am totally useless at it so admire anyone who can.

Me too Horus, but I so enjoy looking at this wonderful world, especially the subtleties of light and shade.

Art will give me an opportunity just to appreciate the subject, doesn't matter if I think that the result is laughable. I can admire the work of the Creator

I never did get to draw a recognisable horse, I just remember starting with some boxes of certain ratios for the head, body and legs; then filling in the detail.
I can do a reasonable sketch of architectural type subjects but people and animals are a No No!
I like the softness of water colour and have a few amateur pictures about the house. I quite like this one of 'The Green Door' that hangs above my computer desk. It has a sort of Mediterranean flavour about it.



But it is only amateur and I couldn't do anything like even that.

PS: Did anyone watch the recent series for the best amateur artist in Britain. I enjoyed that but wasn't Una Stubbs oh so twee.

Edit: Here's a little bit of seasonal colour MD. A pair of magpies getting all lovey dovey last evening.

Nice magpie picture Grandad
I'm like you MD, even now I still look around me in wonder at our beautiful world and especially our own lovely countryside which is second to none if the sun is shining.

I like that watercolour, Grandad! The play of the sunlight through the leaves is nice.

Lovely pictures Grandad.

Years ago I used to do fine cross stitch while waiting in the car for my husband.

I had done about 80 hours work on courting magpies on an oak branch wreathed in ivy and honey suckle.

It was only about 15 inches square, very complex 9 shades of green I remember. I loved it.

Travelling light I kept it, with all the silks in a carrier bag.

I didn't notice my Siamese cat getting in the bag.......................

She wet on it and all the colours ran, but I so enjoyed those hours of English spring in the car outside Egyptian ministries in 40C +. Truly.

P.S. I wrote this on my Kindle The predictive text would insist on changing Magpie to Bagpipes when I wasn't looking.

MD, I liked the cross stitch story and it reminded me of one of my own. Some time after my wife had passed away I was sorting through some stuff I needed to clear out, amongst it all was a sewing basket a bit like a foot stool. Inside of it was an assortment of coloured threads and all the little things you need when doing cross stitch, I decided that I would save all those bits to give to a neighbour who I knew did that sort of thing. Whilst delving through the contents I came upon two neatly rolled up finished cross stitch pictures, one about 18 inches square and the other about 30 by 15 inches. This started me thinking and it was then that I remembered that many years ago my dear wife was keen on doing them herself although she usually gave them away as gifts, anyway the upshot of my tale is that the neighbour who inherited the cottons asked me if I would like them framed as she used a proffessional shop that did a good job of them. She took them away and a few weeks later they were returned to me all mounted in wooden frames with glass fronts and a coloured mount surrounding the pictures and they looked absolutely fantastic. I have one daughter so I gave her the smaller one as a keepsake from her mum and the other one hangs on the wall above my bed, a case of pure serendipity and a lovely reminder.

How lovely Horus, something that gave so much pleasure to the maker and still does.

That's a special neighbour too.

It certainly IS a special neighbour! All my cross stitches have been professionally framed and they cost the earth!