09/05: I'M LATE, I'M LATE .... FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE ....

I'm late / I'm late / For a very important date. / No time to say "Hello, Goodbye". / I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. 

Well I know how the white rabbit from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' feels now.  

I promised an update on the two dogs today - with some requested refinements ... but I've been chasing garden furniture and ornaments round the garden  (gale force winds in Kent) and have been chasing my tail most of the day it seems.   Lots of email enquiries to respond to and then a much needed haircut this afternoon.

I made some adjustments to the portrait but by the time I photographed it the light was poor so this is the best I could do ... .   I 'untidied' the dog on the left a little and added more grey to the dog on the right (although the camera has over-emphasised the grey) so will try for a better photo tomorrow and I'd also like to make a start on the double cat portrait ready for when I'm back from holiday as I have several commissions which need to be finished and despatched by end June/early July.   So much for the recession - no shortage of people wanting bespoke portraits it seems.

The owner of these dogs makes the most wonderful traditional carved rocking horses.  I'd love one for myself (no chance) or for my Grand-daughter if only she wasn't such a tomboy .... perhaps when I can show his name etc I will be able to show an example of his work ... but t'internet is a funny place and I don't want to risk his name, or the dog pictures, coming up on an internet search.

I bought a new can of fixative on Tuesday so have given all 3 of my recent small coloured pencil pics a light spray and added final touches so will submit them to the jury for the forthcoming UK Coloured Pencil Society exhibition which is being staged at Patchings Arts Centre, Notts this year from 1st September to 6th October.   

I had planned to spend more time on doing a larger picture for entry this year but I was busier than usual with commissions, and the deadline was moved forward slightly to 5th June.  I will be on holiday next week and not back till 7 June so need to submit entries before I go.

I did show all the potential entries on this Blog as I was trying out some new pencils and supports and these are the ones I'll submit but I won't show them again now as the exhibition entries specifically say that there must be no critique or help with drawings .....

Garden visitors are as prolific as ever - the male woodpecker is almost a permanent resident now and visits several times a day to raid the fatballs - no sign of the female though.

David and I did our usual voluntary day at Pilgrims Hospice eBay office yesterday and I just had to photograph the back of this old car which was parked in the nearby car park.  I cropped it down a bit to hide the registration

I guess all car drivers will sympathise - although petrol prices have dropped quite considerably in the last few weeks

 and finally ......

I'm late / I'm late / For a very important date. / No time to say "Hello, Goodbye". / I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. 

to go back to the original quote on this post.   The very important date is my Wedding Anniversary (well actually it's David's Anniversary as well).   We'd booked a meal at a local restaurant we like but I was so busy trying to photograph the dog portrait (in poor light) that I left it to the very last minute to get ready and David was getting a bit ratty ... though he won't like that description!

The meal at the 'Oyster & Chop House', Herne Bay was superb.     The owner/chef is Bulgarian and his cooking is worthy of a Michelin Star and certainly as good as, or better than, the local Whitstable restaurants which are very trendy and expensive.   The owner sources all ingredients from within an 18 mile radius.  Although he specialises in 'game' he also offers vegetarian dishes and most of the accompanying vegetables/green stuff is organic and much of it is 'foraged' so quite unusual.   He makes a point of visiting the tables to describe and discuss the ingredients he uses.       The meal was Fantastico!!

The owner always provides free water, an 'amuse bouche' small tasting dish, home baked mini bread loaves and home made butter and a sorbet dish between starter and main course.    So I can never manage more than a starter and main course but David (bless) likes his desserts.

This was the chocolate mousse he ordered ...

It may look small but, boy was it rich, and David struggled to finish it.   The raspberries and strawberries were delicious!!

Thats it for tonight!!