If there is anyone out there still following my blog then please accept my apologies for not having updated it for almost a year. Life has been pretty busy since I last wrote, although it hasn't really meant more money. Life is still pretty busy, but I should actually get time to paint soon. Well, once I've sorted out the garage, sorted out and boarded the loft, and then worked out where all our stuff, currently in storage, is going to go in a house that is all ready pretty full with all my parents stuff and my grandparents stuff. A pint does go into a quart pot doesn't it? Well if it doesn't, it will now. Hopefully, my life will get back to normal soon. On to more artistic things now and, with my Mother, I will be taking part in the Isle of Wight Open Studios event. We are taking part with other members of the St. Lawrence Art Group next weekend. This is a first for our art group and we are all pretty excited, but also a little nervous. We will be in the Holy Trinity Church Hall, Trinity Road, Ventnor, PO38 1NS. Various members will be taking part on 25th and 26th, there is free parking, a bus stop right outside and refreshments. So, if you are on the island that weekend do come along and see us, we would love to see you. Part of my sorting out has been the restoration of my professional drafting board. When I left home and moved to London my Father decided my drafting board had to go from my room. He dismantled it and stored most of it in the garage, unfortunately the legs were in the shed and the shed at the time had a leaky roof. I'm sure you can imaging the rusty state I found the legs in, the other parts in the garage were in better condition, but still had rust patches. So, I did a lot of sanding and wiping down and have now painted it with special paint. Sadly, I couldn't find a nice grey to match it's original colour, but I had the choice of black or white. I thought perhaps I could mix the two, but the instructions said no. So now I have a nice shiny white drafting board. I like black, in fact it is my favourite colour (or non colour depending on who you talk to), but I decided it would not be the right colour for the bedroom. I hope to assemble it in the next week and really look forward to using it again, I have missed it over the years. I hope you have all survived the recent storms and are coping with the hot weather, maybe a good time to get outside (storms permitting) to paint. All the best, Linda.