Plastic Sun-lounger

This is the essence of the garden at Miraflores. A large proportion of the average day there involves the repositioning of plastic sun-loungers, this might be in order to optimise position or to move away from garden sprinklers concealed in the grass.

Return to the Roof Garden

Returned to the Roof Garden where there is an air of calm tranquility as I watch out over Barkers of Kensington (now Wholefoods). There is the faint sound of water from the beautiful stream that meanders over the roof tops and houses the flamingoes and ducks. I am joined by a film crew just out of view who are capturing some kind of barbecue demonstration, every now and then there is a strong waft of meat and the sound of a cameraman shouting "....and relax". I am most tempted to go and see exactly what kind of barbecuing this is.

Organised tours are not for me.......

I have muscled in with a friend on an organised drawing trip to the Kensington Roof Gardens. This is an incredibly tranquil spot high above the mayhem of Kensington High Street. There are huge squashes growing alongside grapes and figs and a group of flamingoes who rise gracefully above a gang of rather aggressive ducks. When approached by the trip organiser who asks if I am joining them I almost hear myself say "no" but realise that I am sitting there with sketchbook and watercolours in hand. I have got to get over this pointless rebellion against organised tours.

The Miraflores Bowling Club

While in the Marbella area my friend and I visited the beautiful garden surroundings of Miraflores Bowling Club. After the first day drawing we were already on first name terms with most of the bowlers. By the third day joining them for drawing and coffee, we were invited to participate in a tutored session. As can be noted from the drawings this is not an action sport however the tuition was most thorough, with a good 30 minutes assiduous attention paid to placing the mat correctly, after which there was a Q&A to ascertain how well this information had been embedded. Following on from the mat workshop there was "Jack work" which required several "air throws" before getting to handle the Jack itself. The two hour tutorial did not allow for any casting of the wood. We presumed that was being saved for the following lesson. This was a false assumption, Thursdays lesson involved further mat and jack work, climaxing in two not full length castings of the wood. I remain a novice at Bowling.

Men and Dominoes

Breakfast in the Centro de Mayores in La Cala de Mijas, an old peoples centre with a cafe attached. The perfect location to enjoy pan con tomates, cafe con leche and a few rounds of dominoes. On returning to the same cafe later in the day, lunch for example, the same old boys are to be found seated around the same three reserved tables deeply ensconced. On being shown the drawings by the charming waitress who had trained as an industrial designer, they gave the barest of glances before returning to the important business.

Painting in St Nazaire

In a tiny village in the Languedoc, Pearl and I are painting the same scene and listening to the village go about its' business. Mr Shouty Man, our very friendly loud voiced neighbour is audible from around the corner. We like him because he brings us le salade from his allotment. The dog owners of the village seem to congregate around the bench where we sit and at times a small friendly poodle comes to say hello. Eventually a large, old dog slopes around the corner and lays his head in a friendly manner on my knee. He drinks the water from the Windsor and Newton portable water colour set I have owned since I was 18 and leaves, just popping back to eat my sponge.

In Bloomsbury Square

After finishing a course in High Holborn on the official "hottest day of the year" realise I have an hour before the next engagement. Decide to do the just walking thing and find myself on Bloomsbury Square- a real haven of shady calm though only a stones throw from the manic sweaty fleshpot of Holborn with it's shorts clad, red faced hordes rushing about their business, always in the opposite direction to mine and making sure to bump and jog me as they go.......or perhaps I was walking like a tourist?