... Sit there

   We're up to chapter 18. Only another 92 to go. You know those times when you're sitting or lying there thinking I must get up and do this or that. Well this is the chapter for you. SC says stay there. Absolutely alone just you and silence. No TV, no radio. You and your thoughts. He points out that seldom are we truly alone and we need that time. To be alone with our dreams and thoughts, our plans and solutions. I have moments, quite a few of them where I do nothing or something to avoid what I should be doing or procrastinating about the whole thing. Never have I used it in the way SC talks about. His way is a positive use of nothing.
   You may wonder why I'm listing these chapters. Well firstly it's a great book put together with a lot of care and thought. Secondly it's a great way to remind myself over a period of time of all the clever ways to give myself a lift.
   In other news..... I'm off on holiday next week. Mad girl and I booked it last August. February is a bit of a quite time work wise for me and Mad girl knew she wouldn't use all her holiday entitlement. So we planned ahead. You can find somewhere with a little sun, not too crowded and reasonably priced around this time of year, I'm beginning to sound old and sensible, aren't I.  Well we're off to Gran Canaria. I went there a couple of years ago, to the south of the island. The south is a series of small purpose built resorts. Which is fine but with the unpredictability of the weather at this time of year. You can get flattened in the stampede, as everybody heads for the buses to find something to do when the sun doesn't shine. So this time we're staying in Las Palmas which is as north as you can get in Gran Canaria. It's a beautiful city. So lots to do and see if the Sun decides not to play ball, if on the other hand it does, our hotel is just two blocks from the beach.

 As is my way I left renewing my passport to the last minute. So made an appointment and took myself off to London for the one day service. Between the form checking and the issuing of my new passport I had four hours to kill. So went to the Tate and saw the "Late Turner" exhibition. Two things struck me. Firstly how cleverly the rooms had been set. The first was painted a very dark blue. The pictures were all lit and most had huge gold frames so you just got sucked in as you wandered around. Each room a different colour, plum. deep green and yellow. You went from darkness to light. A clever
way to add to the beauty of the pictures. Secondly, and truly impressive were Turners sketch books. Looking at the books makes you feel a little closer to the artist. Turner painted mostly in oils and these had to be ground and mixed as he needed them. So not portable. Instead he would go out and make sketches in tiny books. Sometimes adding a little water colour. Then back to his studio to create the full size pictures. The sketches were stunning, very small and detailed, some with a dash of blue for a sky and sepia for a building or collection of buildings, quick, simple and beautiful. Filled with the romance of it all, I brought a couple of small sketch pads and a kids water colour set.  I haven't drawn for a few years but with a holiday just about to start and full of inspiration it beats a cheap airport novel as company.
Ok I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you for reading. I do get a bit of a boost knowing you stopped by.

Onwards and upwards. In the pursuit of fulfillment :-)))