Snarl

I hate being listed for half-days at the hobby, since it buggers up a day, and usually, if it's Friday pm, means a short sitting.  This week's rota had me down for two different places at the same time, which I took as a flattering but ill-judged vote of confidence.  Pointed out the error as soon as I spotted it.  Arrived to find I wasn't needed in either place, so turned round and headed for home, mentally drafting a moderate enquiry by email. 

Our neighbours' front garden, recently adorned by an inverted Ford, is now open-plan: they've had the remains of the hedge cut down and grubbed up.  We're wondering whether they plan to put in a new hedge, or a stretch of Armco: all will doubtless be revealed. 

Now, there was I thinking that Jokers Я Us Home Improvements had finally got their act together.  Their call centre is now staffed with sentient beings with social skills, and the chaps turned up to measure the blown double glazing units and to fit the replacements, due notice having been given in advance.  Chap 1 measured carefully; chap 2 arrived with replacement units of completely different dimensions.  Chap 2, to his credit, took out the units that are to be replaced, measured them carefully, and put them back before apologetically leaving.  [Just occurs to me that we didn't even offer him a coffee.  Must Try Harder.  But perhaps they've heard of our past-sell-by Nescafé...]   

Footnote on the Portugal trip: when you travel by train hereabouts, the local flora tends to be opportunistic beeches and willows, and as the wayside becomes more built up, rosebay willowherb (epilobium angustifolium to the pedants, fireweed to the Colonials) and buddleia.  In Portugal, the railway cuttings were carpeted with Morning Glory in the sky blue that doesn't seem to reproduce from seed in these parts, and the open land with pampas grasses.  Interesting.  (Discuss...)

Art group was fun yesterday: Miss had told us to arrive with a base painted red, upon which to paint a landscape.  To the astonishment of the others, I actually did as I was told, and, between toast and shower, slapped some cadmium red on a little canvas, and later dashed off a little landscape of the poppies I'd photographed near Thézan back in the spring.  I used too little scumble glaze in the grass tones of the field, so had to slap on more cadmium red.  All good fun, and not intended as more than a quick daub.  Oh, and for the first time in recent years I used some green pigment, rather than mix it myself from the primaries.  Cobalt green and green gold might feature more often in the palette: thanks to Mary Fernandez Morris (who had given her acrylics to Les Dutton, who in turn passed them on to me, his medium being oils).  I've been feeling rather stuck and uninspired lately, so this was a refreshing exercise.

It has rained and rained and better than rained these last few days, so the pond is at the level of the surrounding grass, the grass is totally waterlogged, and excursions to the compost heap call for wellies.  Such is November, alas.