I admit, I’ve been lazy. Very lazy. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t done anything at all. I’ve done a few things…

Including this very large painting of a shell.

It’s a commission for an air bnb studio apartment, the theme was something island-ey and the main colour had to be grey.

It took a while to do, first I had to find something I liked as a theme, then I worked on layers to achieve the colours and texture I was after.

I think I achieved it.

For now I’ve hung it over my bed in my bedroom as its the only free wall in my place. The new owner will pick it up in a month or so, till then I’m the one enjoying it.

Here are a couple of close ups that show the texture I was aiming for. It’s not nearly as textured as the cat on a chair I did last year because I didn’t cover the canvas with magazine pages first.

I’m pretty pleased with it. I’ve rarely worked on something this size – 120cm x 90cm. But I like it, it was fun. It was done on a recycled canvas so now I’m looking for more large canvases to recycle!

So, you may ask, what other things have kept me busy? Well… Vincent keeps me on my toes for one thing. He’s either sleeping, chewing on things he finds in my toolbox, selecting a toy from his toybox and playing with it, asking for cuddles, wanting to go out and socialize and have coffee with friends… what did I do with myself all those months without a poodle?

Plus I am working through a list of things to get done both online and in real life.

I’m halfway through making a small table to hold my grooming tools while I work, using all sorts of odd and end bits of timber I have lying around.

My dog bath arrived and has been set up. Now I await the plumber.

I’m waiting for the wind to die down so the guys can come out and do more concreting on our building – a slab for the container to sit on, columns and a structure which will house the electricity meters.

Yes. You read that right!

I actually heard from the electric company and it took me two visits to see the guy I needed to see, who just wanted to show me the map he’d made of where they will bring in the power.

I said “That’s fine”.

He said “Get your construction crew to build a spot for the meters.”

I said “Sure” and it was done. Only took getting up at 6.30am two days…

I also got a call from the water authority!

Wonders will never cease.

This was trickier.

I was told that the closest route to get water into our property was through one of the 3 neighbouring houses above our land. So I have to find out who they are and knock on their doors to see if any one of them will give the water company permission to put pipes through their land…

This is Greece.

How likely is it?

I don’t know.

As for the road access… I’m still on that, but I’m told I will most likely need a solicitor to locate the owners of the other properties who would benefit from opening that section of road. No way I can find the owners on my own… and the neighbour who said she will fight the issue with me can’t find her contracts… which would mean I’m requesting a road on my own.

How likely do you think the council is to do this if me and my brother are the only ones asking?

hm.

z