A very hectic time

I have rather neglected therunningwave recently.  Apart from the occasional rant about verge cutting and talking about dog walks I haven't written much.  The verge cutting is still very much on my agenda.  I've reached the point where I barely want to drive through our beautiful East Lothian countryside, especially the immediate locality, because the farmers continue to butcher the roadside verges and the wild flowers.  But that's another story and I must not digress.

Yesterday was my last day at the Leith School of Art.  :o(  

I really don't know where the last (academic) year has gone.  It has certainly flown by.  I have learnt a huge amount, and I know very well that I would not be able to produce the kind of images I have been working on over the past few months without the wonderful tuition and guidance of my two tutors.  I am feeling rather guilty as I have finished two weeks early because of my imminent trip to Australia next Thursday, so I am missing helping out with all the practicalities of staging the end of year exhibition.  We spent some time yesterday trying to find a safe place to store my huge drawing, to keep it out of the way of all the busyness (sp?) of the next couple of weeks.  It has ended up being taped to a wall in the upstairs corridor!

Feeling all bowled out I thought I would just have a bit of play for my last day of term.  So I drew a poppy.  I was hoping to pick some in the garden to take in to the school, but the heavy rain over last weekend has wrecked all the lovely fat buds and they have just fallen to pieces, so I had to settle for a photograph I had taken a couple of weekends ago.  Looking at the photo below I can see things that need fiddling with, but it was fun to do, and I enjoyed my last day at the school.  I will miss everyone.  We have agreed to meet up for exhibitions in Edinburgh and become art students who lunch!  Looking forward to that!

So now I am down in Melrose in the Scottish Borders, for the Borders Book Festival.  Last night was good fun.  Here's a snatch of my evening :

Lynda la Plante on a table on my left hand side, book signing, Jennifer Saunders at the other end of the same continuous table on my right hand side, book signing with Rory Bremner lolling around next to her.  One lady takes a Lynda la Plante book to its author and shows her the back page, which has been signed by Jennifer Saunders "Who the bloody hell is Lynda la Plante?" - a crazy few minutes!!!  And that's why I love it here so much!

A busy weekend coming up and no doubt more mad moments!