It has been incredibly hot here, which has meant a big dose of lethargy.  Perry has done a couple of jobs on the boat and |I have done some painting, even been swimming.  However, we both could have done more.

Muffin had a couple of days when he very clearly didn't feel too well.  He seems ok now, but I think both boys have suffered in the heat.

I have continued with the oil painting sketches and now also started to include water colour sketches as well. 

oil sketch
 

oil sketch

oil sketch

oil sketch.  This is not all of them, but the most recent ones.

water coloour sketch

watercolour sketch.  Again, there are a few more.

 I do feel a bit more motivated than I have done of recent months, but I do still need to wind myself up a bit better.  I have continued my morning sketch, but unfortunately it's been very confined to East Cowes.  I need to move about a bit more!

Meryel and I are getting ready for our exhibition next month at the Monkton Gallery.   

 We are home, and have been now for a fortnight.  We did end up in Dartmouth and had five weeks there.  Mostly the weather was ok.  We tried Muffin in the dinghy but he was really not very happy with it.  However, we moved up to Dittisham for an overnight, and because it involved a lot of going in and out of the dingy, it was clear that it didn't really work very well with Muffin, so we went back to Dartmouth.  Dick and Judith we with us most of the time and that was fun.

I realised I was short on medication for Muffin, so we had to arrange to go to the vet in Portland.  The trip there across Lyme Bay was incredibly rolly and I felt quite unwell, so did Henry.  He felt so bad he tried to get off! Fortunately he was tied in.  I got the medication in Portland and we had to stay 11 days there, before it was suitable to sail on to the Solent.  Unfortunately I only received 15 days worth of medication from the vet.  I did have two weeks emergency supply with me!

We then moved on to Lymington and had a few days there.  After that, two nights in Bucklers hard, where we met up with Dick and Judith again, who had finally managed to sail from Dartmouth in quite reasonable weather.

The weather now was incredibly hot.  We got back here, and the first thing I checked was the medicine store - and unfortunately I had more than a months supply!  Why on earth I didn't bring the whole lot with me, I don't know.

We were out for 7 weeks in all, and it was really lovely, very relaxing.  It's a shame Muffin was so nervous about going out the in the dingy, because that meant we really were confined to staying in Darmouth, but still, it is a very nice place to spend time.

We haven't been out since, because we had quite a few things to catch up on, but we hope to be going out again soon.

I have been spending time oil and water colour painting, and I'll put some of them up in next week's blog.

Just started last Monday to go back swimming, and to be honest it was like swimming in treacle.  What a state to be in.  So this coming week I am going to try a bit harder! 

 we are in portland marina and moving off, hopefully to Dartmouth tomorrow. So far

day 1 - East Cowes to Yarmouth in the afternoon.

day 2 - left Yarmouth about midday and went to Portland, a bit earlier than planned but the weather looked right. Dogs were pretty desperate to get off after a very boring 7 hour journey.

Day 3 - woke up to fog.  Lucky we left Yarmouth the day before! Bit worried about Muffin, not eating breakfast and then a bit lacklustre.

Day 4 - shopping.  Visit to Portland catle. Muffin still off his food.

Day 5 - Very windy and cold. Did washing. Perry made bread.

Day 6 - at 2.00 in the morning a Bavaria 40 managed to hit our starboard quarter! Not too much damage, but we all woke up - not surprising. Very cold and windy again. Went to Chesil beach for my outdoor painting today.  Have kept up with the sketches.

Day 7 - shopping and getting ready for departure tomorrow.  At about 6.00. Very unlikely to get wifi as we are not going into a marina.

 Just aquick update.  We had a long weekend in Lymington and were very blessed with the weather.  Met up with Dick and Judith, which was great.  Chocolate cake, yummy.

We are planning to leave for the long holiday on Wednesday, all being well. Weather looks good.  We'll probably sail down to Yarmouth and have one or two nights there, then on to Portland. Weather looks fair for the next week or so, but not sure yet how long we would stay in Portland before hopefully moving on to Dartmouth.  Our biggest concern is the health of Muffin.  He certainly spends a long time sleeping.

Should see Dick and Judith again, about a week after we set sail.

Meryel has managed to successfully book us in for two weeks at the Monkton Gallery in August. 

Will try and update where we manage to get a wifi signal.

 Cold again, but at least it's dry. (Except for yesterday eveing!).

Meryel and I visited the possible exhibition venue, although it was very nice, it really isn't sensible for usto exhibit there.  Not only cost, but not much likelihood of selling paintings there, and bearing in mind the cost, that would not be a good idea.  Still we do have some other venues to look at.

I have finished two more paintings, but need to revisit them before photographing them.

Took the boat up the river for fuel and a little motor about.  The holiday is getting quite near now, and it's time to think about what to take.

My paintings have been up at the Apollo Theatre for over two weeks now.  No interest shown, well at least not to me.  I did think that was likely.

 Can you believe it - it's hot, so hot that I can't sit outside!  I finally managed to finish a watercolour painting that I am reasonably happy about.

It's taken me a while because I was not really happy with the colour combinations.

I've continued painting outside in the mornings, but still having a bit of a problem getting the gouache to the "sticky"  stage.  Sometimes just about ok, and other times not.  I went to the esplanade in the hopes of painting the beach, but low and behold, the tide was in.

Meryel and I haven't been able to sort out our new venue, because unfortunately she's been unwell. Perhaps next week.

I also heard from a good friend in Downham Market, that her poor cat has died.  Both Bertie and Kebi got on really well and it was fun seeing them try and work each other out - usually by staring!  Still miss Bertie.

Henry and Muffin do not like the heat, and make it very clear that they want to stay in the cool.  We haven't been out on the boat yet, because Perry has been fixing the car.  Hopefully we will get out next week, assuming the wind is not going to blow too hard!

 

 Still trying to catch up on things! Not a lot of painting taking place.  I have been trying a particular subject, but just can't seem to get the colours I want.

Managed to get my paintings back from the shop up the road.  I wish they had told me that they were closing the premises, because I would have removed my paintings earlier.

Meryel and I are trying to put an exhibition together, just the two of us.  However, it does involve some leg work and we haven't yet fixed a time for it.

Not a lot else going on.  Hope to have tea on the boat this afternoon as we are now getting lovely sunny afternoons.  Still a cold wind though.

Won't be long before we go on holiday, so we are beginning to get that sorted as well.