sprung

SPRING!!!! And boy am I happy about it! It’s like Spring flicked the weather switch on its way in and suddenly it’s a beautiful sunny 28 degrees (that’s 82.4 for all you Fahrenheit folk). It feels so wonderful, especially as just a few days ago it was so cold. I was saying to Mr You today that because the change in temperature was so quick and extreme, it felt like we had gone somewhere on holiday.

We spent the day outdoors soaking it all in. I picked a package of fabrics up from the post office this morning, then we joined Elle and Kilkenny for a long lazy café courtyard breakfast. After that we stopped in a guitar shop on the way to an outdoor market. The rest of the afternoon we pottered around the garden, cutting our small patch of grass, observing new blooms and drinking tea. We had such a relaxing holiday like day.

I’m experiencing that amazing sensation of uncurling my heat-retaining posture, unclenching my hands, and taking a long, steady, deep, sunny, breath in, and out.
I know that’s not the end of the cold, there’s always another chilly snap before the end of Spring, but for now I have a taste of warmth and am looking forward to more of it.

While we were at the market today we bumped into Wendy, a lady I used to work for. I haven’t seen her in about 8 years, so it was amazing to see she still has her stall there after all this time. She’s a ceramic artist, and when I was at Uni I worked part-time in her studio helping her make ceramic kitchen wear to sell at the market. She’s one of those excentric arty people you don’t come across too often; someone who is perfect for that lifestyle and enjoys every minute of it.

Her studio (with glass ceilings) was upstairs of her inner city terrace house. When you stepped inside you could have stepped into a little house in Provincial France: complete with a pianola, hand-painted silk wall hangings, black and white checked tiles on the kitchen floor, handmade plates, bowls and cups, a paved courtyard built around an olive tree, and 3 dogs and 3 cats. She’s a sweet loving lady who surrounds herself with family and friends, and treated her pets like her children, tying a bandana around their neck each day before taking them out walking. (When she did this you could see the pride fill in their little doggy chests).

We stopped and chatted with her for ages, we were so happy to see each other, she insisted on giving me this sweet “Pirate & Mermaid” platter. I was chuffed, even though I made stuff with her for about 3 years I don’t have a single piece. I painted a portrait of Lacey-T on a platter for her 21st, I painted a plate and a tile for my Mum, and another platter for my Dad, but forgot to do anything as a memento for myself.
This myth-filled platter captures Wendy’s whimsical style perfectly, I’ll treasure it.

It’s so encouraging to see someone living a life based around their creativity. Especially since I handed in my resignation at work yesterday. Yes, you heard right (gulp). I’m not going to say too much about it because:
1) I’m still in shock, it doesn’t feel real yet
2) I’m working up till the end of September
3) I have no idea what I plan to do after that
4) And if my mother hears about this… eeeeek!