Amore

Alex and I have been to Rome a couple of times. The last time we arranged a romantic long weekend seeing the sights and having candlelit dinners. We arranged and paid to be met by a limousine at the airport which is someway from the city itself.
All went well and we collected our baggage and went to the exit. we looked expectently at the uniformed drivers with name placards. No "Cox" there. Eventually we found a large man in a grubby shirt with a sheet of paper holding our name disinterestedly. We were tired hot and just wanted to get to our hotel. He took us out to the car park and got into a Transit van indicating we should put our own luggage in the back! Not the first time we had been in a van but hardly what we had ordered and paid for. Unfortunately we didn't speak Italian and he didn't speak.

 Not a great start to the weekend but we are pretty positive and laughed it off.
We were dropped off at our hotel and later had dinner on the roof garden overlooking the City.
The following day we saw the sights and walked miles which was fine by us. We like to explore on foot. The second night we stood outside the dining room door waiting for the dining room to open. A sign said it opened at 7pm. The door was in the reception area. and we nodded to the staff and smiled. At about 7.15pm I walked over to the reception desk and asked when the dining room was going to open. I was told it is not opening tonight with no explanation. We went out and found a street restaurant which was okay.

To sum up we enjoyed the rest of our stay and I got some sketches done. Come the day of departure we waited to be picked up as arranged, by our friendly Transit Van. The pick up time came and went. I asked the reception if they could phone for me. When I handed them 10 euros they did ring and confirmed the driver would be 5 minutes. 15 minutes later we were getting a little concerned our flight was now 2 hours away. I went to the reception desk again and with the passing of another 10 euros the receptionist agreed to phone again. With that the man arrived. The receptionist made no attempt to return my money and we ran outside and piled into a nice Mercedes. The driver spent the whole journey driving with one hand and talking on his mobile. He scared the living daylights out of me and I have been in high speed pursuits. Alex closed her eyes and hung on to me. We alternated between 90 mph and 0 mph when he had to stop for traffic. We got there and caught our flight. That is probably the most memorable and frightening car journey I have ever had in my life.

Yes I remember Rome. How could I forget.

Anyway the link is Amore  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnoDb0bMQuk

Strangers in the Night

We had a few computer problems yesterday so I didn't post anything. As I have mentioned before I first met Alex in Edgbaston County Cricket Ground. The picture above shows her as she looked then. A mere young girl. I have no idea what she is doing in the waste bin! The Okey Cokey? .
Anyway the following day we met by a chance in a million in the City Centre and the rest several decades later is history as they say.

Mill Bay

The sketch above was done from our boat. It is of chapel Beach Bay. Jac remembers it fondly.
Whenever we sailed into the Haven it would be the first place we anchored (weather permitting).
Then I would row him ashore in the tender for him to have a comfort break!

Chapel Beach is near to Mill Bay where Henry Tudor landed in 1485 when he claimed his right to the throne.

Last night I had an epiphany moment.  We were watching University Challenge. UCL were against Manchester some of the finest minds in the country (allegedly). Suddenly Alex started answering the questions and getting them right. Now this was one of the most frightening moments of my life. Had an alien being taken over her body?  I sat quietly while she went to make a cup of tea. Ah, she put the tea bags in the wine glasses instead of the cups, all was well, Alex was back in the room!

Sledging in the snow.

I don't pretty much feel the cold, well provided I have dressed appropriately. I grew up in a house with no central heating and ice formed on the inside of the bedroom window in winter. If it snowed my brother and I had to climb in the loft to shovel out the snow which blew under the tiles.

I used to look forward to the snow but it never seemed to work out. My father made us a sledge. Come the snow my brother sister and I would take it to the park half a mile away. There was a superb hill which took you down to the trees and then the lake. Often youngsters could make it right on to the frozen lake.

We had one draw back. Bless her, our sister can't stand the cold. She always wanted to come but after 10 minutes she was frozen and near to fainting. Inevitably my brother and I would have to pull her home on the sledge. She would be shivering and we would be overheating from the effort of pulling up the hill home.

Strangely Alex also hates the cold. She even puts hot water in a  cold drink!

Simples

Here is a watercolour I did of Alex. Its been kept fairly simple and for me watercolours on the whole work best when done simply. Just blocks of colour sometimes done over a wet surface other times over a dry one.

It was a beautiful sky last night but also a bit on the chilly side to stand around too much. Hope to do a watercolour or sketch today.

Dinner dance

I usually dress quite casually and in old clothes. Quite practical when you are using oil paints most days.
Having also spent 30 years pressing a uniform and bulling boots to a mirror shine it is a nice change too.
I still have short hair which again is practical. When it gets to the point I need a comb Alex gives it a once over with the scissors. The grey hair is a lifestyle choice nothing to do with 3 children and 8+? grandchildren.
I do occasionally dress up as above for a dinner dance.

Anyway the sketch above was done waiting for Alex to get ready it was only a quick sketch to pass the time come to think of it I could have done a full size portrait! Alex says I look like something out of One flew over the cuckoos nest! It is a bit intense. A bit chilly this morning but a lovely sunrise with the moon still out.

Link


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M81ph3BslqQ

Police Uniform

Here is  watercolour sketch of me in uniform during the early 1970's. You may notice there are two unusual things about this picture. One it is of a policeman walking and not in a car. Two I look like a policeman and not a escapee from Hill Street Blues. Sorry I know I live in the past and I add I do have the greatest respect for today's officers who have to put up with so much. I read an ironic headline the other day, "Police Blamed for sinking of Titanic!" Says it all really.

Anyway some years ago when Mid Wales Constabulary became Dyfed Powys Police new uniforms were sent out to officers. This included new helmets with a new name badge. In a small town in Mid Wales manned by the local Sergeant and 2 constable the uniform duly arrived. The sergeant and elder constable opened the boxes and took out the uniforms and helmets. They then obtained a piece of coarse rope and un- platted it. They unscrewed the missing officers helmet top and proceeded to fix the rope through the top of the helmet. By the time they had finished it looked like a plume from the household cavalry helmet.

At 2pm the second officer arrived for duty and was instructed by the sergeant to put on his new uniform and go on foot patrol in the town. They both waited until the second officer went out into the street before falling about laughing. Apparently it looked very impressive except the plume was a little long and went some way down his back. Unwittingly the officer spent the afternoon on foot patrol with his fancy new helmet which drew lots of attention from the public! He only found out when a passing police patrol officer stopped for a second look before falling into fits.
I can't repeat what happened when he found out he had been had.