A new friend ......

   Well two if you count my Auction find of a few weeks ago but more about him later. The thing that's occupied me lately is, who cracks the whip when I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be. A close friend says I'm too hard on myself, for not having done this or that. Now I'm not talking about a cure for World hunger or conquering Everest. I talking about the mundane stuff. I will admit though my inner voice isn't helping. So I have a dilemma to resolve. Go kinder on myself and run the risk of forgiving myself for everything. Or continue to crack the whip, which truth be told, isn't actually working. 

   Now my current thinking is leaning towards finding some middle ground between the two. Yeah I know, I can hear the sound of you all, slapping your foreheads and going "wow". You can see now, if you hadn't guessed way back, why I'm not involved in finding an answer to World hunger. At the risk of sounding a complete nut job and while you're still rolling around the floor laughing. I've decided to give those little nagging voices, names. Trust me. I haven't flipped just yet but in order to get stuff done I need to recognize who's helping and who isn't. So lets call the negative thought the "critic". Seldom happy about anything and quick to offer a negative opinion when one isn't required. To counter this I need a positive voice. Not forgiving of all but one that doesn't point a finger either. Who lets the past stay in the past. Who walks beside me all the time. Who has a positive spin on everything and pokes a bit of fun at me occasionally to keep the mood light and darkness free.

   The biggest change for my ex, two daughters and myself. Since me moving out three years ago, is just around the corner. A chance to end what is, without doubt a very sad time with something positive. My parents and my ex's parents never missed an opportunity to have a pop at each other after their divorces. I'd really like us to come out of this knowing we treated each other fairly and with as much mutual respect as we can muster. So I've got to get my finger out and get stuff done as quickly as possible. My new imaginary friend is going to be busy :-).

                                 



   Back to the pictures. I found him at a local auction house a couple of months back He's about 18 inches long, dates back to the 1920's 30's and is made from plaster. It's obviously a copy of an original Bronze. I've always wanted something like this. Animal sculptures were very popular. Wild cats, leaping gazelle, afghan hounds anything anything as long as it was leaping or growling. This particular cat was of the growling variety. It had some damage to it's front paws a couple of dents in it's back and was missing half an ear. I got it ( along with a dozen old plates) for 40 quid plus auction costs. It had a really nice finish, black but with a hint of bronze showing through around the head and shoulders, just like a real bronze but the damage had gone through to the white plaster so no option but to fill the dents and repaired his ear. I then sprayed him all over with red primer. Followed by a few coats of a dull gold. I'll finish with a thin coat of black and rub that back gently around his nose, shoulders etc and see if I can manage the same look as the original.
   Now back to the plates. There were several blue and white China plates amongst them. Which a friend of mine collects. He gave me a small pine cabinet in exchange ( which a customer brought from me for £35) a really nice pink porcelain plate went to another friend as a thank you, for some help. Two went on eBay and raised another £15. So my big cat  has cost me almost nothing, has provided me with a few hours distraction and half a post. Not bad really :-)


Onwards and upwards in the pursuit of fulfilment and happiness :-)))