The kindness of strangers (and old friends)

Bloody Norah, I keep meaning to write the next blog and time has slipped away from me. Went, ( Helen and I) to London to see the pieces in the Mall Galleries and everytime I turned round I nearly bumped into HRH, not on purpose I might add and although she hovered near the Antelope and Hunting Dog she did not buy it - neither did anyone else I have to say. Not hard cheese - but there seemed to be fewer red dots this year, but at least I had both pieces accepted.

Then it was the Stockport Open and blow me if the raku unicorn I entered didn't get a prize! I was delighted and the best thing of all was a phone call from the organisers questioning the title of the piece (The Last of its Kind), as they found the creature so ambiguous they couldn't agree on what it was! YES!! It actually acheived its goal and I got more than my 4 seconds of viewing time! Here it is.

And here are the hippos -

Then it was the RDA National Championships! Joy had done for her shoulder so Janie valiently came with me. I arrived in the horse box with the WI marquee. It blew and it blew and I was close to tears as 12 kind people helped put it up. I was so grateful to them - everyone at the championships was so kind to me. The exhibition looked OK and a couple of ladies bought pieces but the success of the weekend was the workshops for children to come and have a go. Janie was brilliant, fighting off the most dreadful cold and keeping me calm inspite of torential rain and having to set up3 times in all. On the Sunday I was asked to help judge the art competition and I left Janie in charge. When I returned I found that she had returned to her nursery nurse roots and next to the rows of unicorns, lizards and other creatues were a selection of toadstools and gnomes! Brilliant! Will post the photo of me and Tony Head (actor!) who posed with me in the stand. When I got home - the old horse box was brilliant if a little slow (did get up to 55 on a couple of occassions) I was so tired I could have slept for a week and Janie took to her bed.

Then it was a small exhibition at the Queenston Arthouse in Didsbury. No sales but a pleasure to exhibit locally.

Now I am working on new ideas - nests(?) more about that next time. I have told Gill that I no longer want her kiln because the house is going on the market - board goes up tomorrow - and when we get a new place I am going to ring up Potclays and say, 'You know that top loader kiln in your show room? Well bring it to such-n-such address and plug it in!'