Flo acting at the Edinburgh fringe festival
My daughter, Florence, is acting in this production of Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Round and round the garden’, so when the director was discussing publicity, guess who piped up with ‘My mother is a graphic designer…’ Anyway if you’re in Edinburgh between the 24th and the 29th of August I recommend you see it.
My posting is going to be a bit erratic over the school summer holidays, but I don’t want to assist potential burglars by making it crystal clear when I’m not in the house, so if I take a bit of time to respond to comments it may be because I’m not actually here, or it might not…
Oh and my header has disappeared – my hosting company are playing silly @%^&* ers and I’m just too busy to sort it out. But just in case you didn't know, this is Julie Oakley’s blog
After the bath
A very quick and not terribly satisfactory sketch of Hugo wrapped in towels. There’ll probably be a few of these ‘only post if you’re desperate’ sketches while I clear the decks of paid work in anticipation of taking some time off over the summer hols.
Barbecue with Vance and Annie
Covering the grey
You might think that I’ve had a lovely time today pampering myself at the hairdresser. But I’m afraid for me it’s just one extra stressful chore. It’s only since I recently started going grey that going to the hairdresser has become part of my life. It seems horrifically expensive and then I’m not used to the etiquette surrounding who, and how much – if at all – I am supposed to tip. Aagh, quite honestly I’d happily go grey – but everyone whose opinion I care about seem to prefer me covering it up.
Fenella
I quickly grabbed a pen and sketched Fenella for my One Mile from Home compatriot Penny (also Fenella’s grandmother) as she and Flo watched a whale being dissected on TV. I know, I know a bad workman blames his tools but as I drew I was bemoaning the poor drawing and the dried-up pen, so I left the room to find a better drawing implement. I came back to find my models had gone to bed to get plenty of sleep ready for a day seeing the sights of London. So better implement in hand, but beautiful models gone I had to settle for drawing what was available.
For those of you who enjoyed Xavier’s comment last wednesday, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but Fenella has impeccable manners and is a delightful guest.
Last year in Edinburgh
A quickie that I did last year at the Edinburgh Festival. I hope I’m going to manage to go again this year as my daughter Flo is performing with some fellow University students in a production of Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘The Norman Conquests’.
When I was a student I would have thought I’d died and gone to heaven if I’d performed in a play at Edinburgh, so it’s wonderful that my daughter is living out my fantasy for me.Oh and if any of you are going they’re on at The Space on The Mile at the Radisson Hotel from August the 24th.
Summer Garden Party at Mansfield
We went to my daughter Flo’s college for a garden party lunch and afternoon tea. Her friend Mia gave hours of her time freely to entertain the alumni and parents, and on her birthday, so thank you Mia for the lovely music.
Marcus Borg, who went to Mansfield College in the sixties gave a lecture in the afternoon in the chapel. He made some fascinating points about Christianity in the US. However the lecture was hard to follow and I think we were the embarrassing family in the audience, my husband Robin fell asleep, my hard-of-hearing father had had enough towards the end and was loudly tutting every time someone asked a question and was thus extending the length of time we spent in the chapel finally to crown it all my mobile phone went off – aaah nobody rings me on my mobile phone and the one time they do it I’m in a lecture. That’s the last time we get invited anywhere.
Joint artwork
Xavier did this drawing to show just how bored he was on Sunday June 21 (see below). And I added the colour later. I think I should have left him to create all the art that day because it’s a damn sight better than my efforts were.
