It was all going so well…
The week started so well - I’d had a great time at the Swaffham Bulbeck Church Fete on Saturday; plenty of people came to say hello and brought cards, coasters and paintings, and despite the strong gusts of wind which took a few gazebos up into the air, it was a fun morning.
My stall at the Swaffham Bulbeck Church Fete…before it blew away….
On Sunday we had a lovely walk out in the deepest, darkest parts of the nearby fens - just behind Lode :) We were on the hunt for Owl pellets for my wife Susie’s school science week; the children were going to have fun dissecting the pellets to see what the Barn Owl’s had been eating. So off we trod, across fields and into a large open barn where we found enough pellets to satisfy a few inquisitive minds for the class. Four miles later…..we finished!
My inspiration: the fens of East Cambridgeshire.
The last few weeks have been a bit challenging, as my wife had Covid so couldn’t be in to teach all week. My usual routine normally consists of taking one of our children to school, coming home to put a pot of coffee on and then get to work in the studio…..in peace and quiet. Obviously, I tried not to spend too much time with my wife throughout the week as if there’s one thing I don’t want again it’s Covid. But I became a sounding board for her ideas and proof-read some of the documents she created. And though it was frustrating at times not being able to just get on, it was even more frustrating for my wife who couldn’t be a Teacher in a classroom. Just like clipping the wings of a bird then asking it to fly, anyone who has a God-given gift and ability to teach or instruct, manage or lead, perform or sing and can’t be in the place where they flourish will never reach their potential.
So when Monday morning arrived, Susie went off to school with a smile on her face, knowing that she would be in her happy place for the week. And me?
I decided to do some admin - my business accounts needed sorting out, and as I don’t employ the services of an accountant, I needed to print out invoices, file receipts and destroy some very old accounts now that the HMRC statutory five years had passed. I spent a genteel half an hour ripping up paperwork, placing it into the wastepaper basket whilst drinking a cup or two of Ethiopian coffee from Blue Bear Coffee.
Once I had finished I stood up, bent down to pick up the bin to empty it into the recycling bin and POP - STRRREETTCHHHH………..something in my back gave way and now I’m sitting here writing this dosed up on painkillers and Diazepam and under strict orders to rest and not lift, bend twist or exercise…..so much for getting back into my own routines now that I’m home alone! Life throws us curve balls, and sometimes you’ve just got to let it float you along the river of life and let it do its thing. I’ll pick up my paddle in a few weeks……
Until next time,
Keep painting!
Jamie