Better Adventures

 

We are currently not flying anywhere since it's a major contributor to climate change.

So when the grey days of late winter are crowding in and those friends who can afford it are taking airborne flights to warm shores, how do I get a break?

Last weekend I got a very different kind of break.

On Saturday I went with Extinction Rebellion friends and made 3D models of deep sea creatures like sea angels, dragon fish and Dumbo octopus. These models will be used in a spectacular parade to protest against the damage done by deep sea mining.

On Sunday I joined Carenza and took a beginner's course on screen printing. I came away with ten moody prints of an image I made of the Primaporta Augustus.

At the end of the weekend I had learned several new skills and worked closely with a new set of people. 

And I came away with a sense of wellbeing that will hopefully last longer than an out-of-season suntan.

Mother's Day Restored

Last year, I failed to establish a quorum for Mother’s Day.

My powers of emotional blackmail were clearly beginning to wane.

However, this year, Nigel and the twins turned out for a Mother’s Day outing.  This despite Carenza having run a half marathon (involving 630m of elevation) just the morning before, and Perran having his bags packed for a fortnight’s work trip to Europe, leaving that afternoon.

Pascoe gets out of Mother’s Day on account of living in Edinburgh, although he did put in a lovely phone call.

We went to Kenwood House in Hampstead (English Heritage, free admission) where there is a stunning art collection.  It took my breath away.

Perran and Carenza incidentally recreated moments which recalled their childhood: 

·       They both supplied me with handmade cards (although nowadays elegantly lino-printed).

·       Due to a London Transport event, they arrived and left on by old-fashioned bus with a proper conductor and paper tickets – the kind of vehicle which used to fascinate younger Perran (and still does).

·       On encountering a dressing up opportunity in Kenwood house, they did not hesitate!

However, even I had to acknowledge they are very much adults as nowadays they are the ones who pay for Mother’s Day lunch.  There are some compensations in one’s babies growing up!

Thank you for a great day, Perran, Carenza, Pascoe and Nigel.