Self Portrait

A rough self portrait done from a photo. (Oil on board)

Left handed sketching

I've started doing sketches with my left hand and found I'm quite pleased with the results. For some reason I find it fun and I like the loose effect.

Boots

Tasha

Whilst settled in Droitwich Spa for the winter I have been doing quite a lot of painting and sketching. Earlier last year when we were travelling near Rugby we met a boating couple who asked me to paint their dog. She's a lovely affectionate rescue dog, Tasha. They didn't have any decent photos of her so I snapped this one just as it was starting to rain and Tasha was going back inside their boat. Unfortunately we had to travel on and didn't see them again, but if we ever do I'll give them this painting which I've recently finished. Oil on canvas 12" x 15"

Wonderful Worcester

Wednesday 10th October – 19th October We stayed in Worcester for 9 days – 7 days longer than we were supposed to because we were waiting to see if we could get a winter mooring in Diglis Basin which looks like a very nice place to stay. Jackie, the woman that works there, said that she would find out and let us know. In the event, while we were waiting on tenterhooks to find out, she had blissfully forgotten all about us and when we spoke to her on the 18th - the longest we could have left it - she said there were no spaces, sorry!.. Nevertheless we enjoyed our stay in Worcester – a rich tapestry of a city even if it may be fraying a little at the edges... Friar Street is the best - a beautiful old cobbled street full of tudor buildings housing cosy restaurants, pubs and expensive shops. The view on top of the hill in Royal Fort Park where we took Molly in the mornings encompassed the whole city and the Malvern Hills in the distance - breathtaking! Whilst we were in Worcester we had to do our washing in the launderette which was a long walk but there was a junk shop next the the launderette with a bunch of second hand bikes which were cheap – just what we've been looking for for ages. So off we popped to the cash machine and the man was very happy to get £100 for 2 of his bikes - so happy that we thought we should have haggled a bit more! Never mind, neither of us are good at that. During our stay in Worcester we visited a very shabby old pub by the basin called the Anchor which is nevertheless very popular and full of characters and an old cat called Thomas who found Dale's coat to be a comfortable nest. After finding our that we couldn't stay in the basin we had to make alternative arrangements so arranged to stay in Droitwich Spa at a new marina who were only too pleased to accommodate us, so we were very pleased about that.

Along the River Severn

Tuesday 9th October We got up at 6.30am to negotiate the staircase locks in Stourport Basin after we had filled up with water and emptied the toilets. We got through the locks with no problem thanks to Dale and finally we were on the Severn! It was exciting to be on a wide river again - although it's very rural and not much to look at along that stretch. We had 3 locks to go through and they were different to the ones on the Thames – very deep and you have to hook the ropes through a thick wire at the side to hold the boat. We were so excited when we caught our first glimpse of Worcester Cathedral bathed in sunshine (although you can't tell from this photo).

We had to turn off into Diglis Basin and the Worcester and Birmingham canal and go through 2 large and deep locks which took quite some time. We eventually did it and moored up just past the basin. There was plenty of space which surprised us as we were in the middle of the city.

Stourport on Severn

Monday 8th October We left Wolverley at about 9am in the drizzly rain and travelled through a few locks. We got to Kidderminster, a typical large industrial town but not too grim, with some nice old buildings handsomely renovated into shops and restaurants.

All the locks through Kidderminster need anti-vandal keys unfortunately! Molly was getting cold and wet in the rain so I dried her and put her coat on. She doesn't think she can walk in her coat so stands still all the time and I have to carry her if she wants to go anywhere! She soon got fed up and went inside the boat.

Approaching Stourport on Severn we remembered that a fisherman had told us it was a beautiful place but when we went to explore the town we found it a bit disappointing – the usual signs of recession that have become all too familiar on this trip – a high street with lots of empty shops, loads of charity shops and pubs looking deserted and doleful. It reminded me of a sad neglected seaside town - with an amusement arcade and even a funfair bereft of visitors by the Stourport basin.

We did a recce on the basins and locks we have to go through tomorrow to get onto the River Severn. The lock traffic lights were not showing red so it seems we can venture onto the river and get to Worcester tomorrow morning!