Friday, 1st Nov 2024 at first light, and I am in shorts at West Bay, paddling 😀.

This week, the old exercise bike that my mum and I bought back when I was about 16 – I am 60 in a few weeks—was peddled to the 5400 km mark. This is an achievement between Mum and me over those years for two people who never thought the bike would still be in our lives – and functioning probably better than we do—albeit mostly it’s a brilliant coat rack.

The rest of the week, I left art supplies ready for potential wakefulness because I have been having trouble staying asleep at night and am plagued with nightmares when I do drop back off again. So, if I have woken, and if it is near 4 a.m., I get up and find a ‘paint along’ ( Mel Chadwick or another) or I set myself away on a panel from my photos in whatever medium I have left there.

I did two sessions on LHR manuscript this week and was satisfied with a new scene and firming up some other ideas for this part of the story.

Unusually for me, I have left the farm every day and gone for a walk with a photo shoot in mind. I have taken a backpack of art gear along, but then I just haven’t felt like getting stuff out.

I lead an abnormally isolated life and I have to make myself find an acceptable reason to leave the place as I struggle to see the point if not food shopping. But, if I don’t force myself to go – no matter how busy I am with writing or whatever – then by the end of the week, I feel as miserable as hell! So, off I trot on two legs these days rather than four, but go I do😀