What a ghastly week weather wise!  I think it rained almost every day.  Managed to get a walk with Bertie at Osborne house but the other walks were a bit rushed.  Went to Cowes yesterday and bought some goat meat!  Cooked it up today and it was delicious.

Finished my oil painting of stormy weather - could have been better. 

Ive also been continuing my sketching.  Sometimes I get a bit desparate and Bertie gets drawn yet again, and I've also continues practicing my watercolour.  May even do something serioius tomorrow.

 Found the photos, but they were in the wrong file.  This is the little church in Bonchurch.  As most of the graves appear to have fallen in the sea with a landslide, they built another church in the Victorian period a bit futher inland.  Was really tricky getting to Bonchurch steep and twisty narrow roads.

mini waterfall aat the bottom of the hill in Bonchurch

finally the coast at Bonchurch

Ive done it asgain.  Lost the photos.  I will keep trying though!  Weather has been absolutely awful, and although I've been keeping up my sketch book, it has mainly been indoors.  Have been on another oil painting workshop, but not yet finished my latest masterpiece!  Also have been restarting work on watercolours, mainly doing washes.  Still it's a start. 

Better now go back and try and find out what happened to these photos.......

I think I have found them.  So here goes....

Berie trying out his new socks

OK so it's not a very good picture, but it is Norris castle.

All four paws with the socks on.  You can see how pleased he looks!

Well that will teach me to be smart.  I have successfully lost all the photos I wanted to post on the blog.  They consisted on Bertie in his new non slip socks (!), and pictures of Norris Castle when we went out for a sail.

How stupid is that.
I have been keeping up my sketch book (almost three months a daily sketch), but it is getting a bit harder now and since we have been back here the subjects are getting a bit repetitive.

We had someone come down to visit the boat and have a (free) sail.  Not interested!  We were both pretty deflated by that.  So we're having a rethink. 

Looks as though I will have to do some photography search.

I cannot believe that I haven't posted anything since April!  My goodness.  Well we  had six weeks sailing, a few days back, then ten weeks in France.  Just got back on Thursday.  Better update with pictures.  Must admit, we have had virtually no wifi so couldn't actually update the blog regularly - what an excuse. 

Left mid-May for trip to the west country - or the aim was as far west as we could.  Started with favourable easterly winds, so managed to go west fairly quickly.  Ended up as far as Falmouth.  Had a week there, and then steadily started our trip back home.  Met up with Dick and Judith at Dartmouth and also bumped into Nigel and Sue there as well.  Ok now for the photos, if  I can manage to upload them.

Brixham en route to West Country

visit to the Yealm

Yealm

Dartmouth

Brixham trawler racing - on return journey

Round the Island race on the Saturday before we left for France

what a lot of boats!

Left for France at the beginning of July.  Very hot.  Then the disasters started to happen.  First - had to get the air conditioning sorted on the van - no choice, because it was so hot.  Got that sorted.  Went off for a couple of days, just to make sure all was well, then the starter motor started to go through it's death throws.  Back to the garage.  We knew it would be expensive, but Perry decided to take it away from the garage and we would "nurse" it for the rest of the holiday as we didn't know how long, or how expensive it would be to repair, and he would sort out a replacement from UK.   So off we went again.  Very hot again.  Bertie not too well in the heat.  Stayed by the coast on Cotentin peninsula.  Had three weeks away.  Back to la Pelouiniere for gardening, washing etc.  Then off again for a week. This time Suisse Normande. Then back home.  At home one of the shutters started to fall out of the window.   Repair.  Went out for an afternoon, and then the car started to pack up.  Injector problem.   Back to garage.  This time we knew we would have to shell out a lot of dosh, also it was getting close to return to the Island.  So 500 euros later - car was fixed.

However, we did visit some nice places and we met some lovely people, particlarly Graham, Cath  and Olivia from Wales.

Well, let's try again with the pictures from France....

Sertainville - what a busy beach!

Out there is Alderney, Guernsey and Sark

Audeville - top of Cotentin peninsula

La Ferriere aux Etangs - in the Suisse Normande

Well we've been back a couple of days.  A bit cold, but today is slightly warmer. Best get on with the jobs now!

Bit behind in posting.  Oops.  Nothing sold at exhibition at Royal Vic, also put in three oil paitings to Isle of Wight Art Club exhibition at Quarr - nothing sold there either!  Have signed up to do a watercolour weekend in Dorset - not until November though.

The family came over to see us for a long weekend.  It was absolutely lovely. Tapnell Park Farm was a hit, although the weather was absolutely awful.

I didn't mean to add quite so many,this computer often has a mind of its own!  Beatrice slept through everything.  Alice is now very confident on her feet.
Following their visit I have had a cold and cough for 10 days now, so although we have been visiting the boat I have felt absolutely lousy.  Typical, the weather has been brilliant and |I have felt terrible.  Weather will change as soon as I feel better!