I've finally finished the big oil painting of the sweep and his black cat and will post it on my blog when it's varnished. That will be in a few weeks time after allowing it to dry. Compare the size ( forty by thirty-five inches ) to my latest, and smallest miniature. It measures less than one inch high and is encased in diamonds and gold. Soon it will be worn by a Malaysian Sultana.
We've been to three films in the last three weeks. My verdict - 'Dad's Army' - amusing in parts, good cast, but not as well scripted or as good as the television original. 'The Big Short' - very good and tremendously fast moving but I needed to know a lot more about the money markets to really know what was going on. Finally 'Hail Caesar' A big disappointment. Unfunny and a lot of wasted talent I thought.
It's now Sunday afternoon and the sun is out at last. My young friend has just mowed her lawn and is now doing a bit of tidying up and probably pruning. I planted about thirty highly coloured polyanthus in my little plot in her garden last week and have found that all the flowers have been eaten.
I rang Colin, the gardening expert on BBC Berkshire this morning and he thinks pigeons may be the culprits because the flower bed is right under the bird feeder. It may be mice, however, as the paper MYF wrapped the begonia corms in had shown signs of nibbling round the edges.
To end this blog on a very sad note. My friend Paul Daniels died early on Thursday morning. Debbie was with him until the end. She's being incredibly brave. For many years they've been an amazing love match. Paul, world famous and incredible magician, was one of the kindest men I've known. If ever I wanted to know something technical he always knew the answer. Ever the funster he made everyone laugh. Goodbye Paul, it's been wonderful to have known you. Here he is on my boat last summer pointing at my young friend who couldn't figure out where her card had gone to. ( She was busy looking at his hands).