Back to back

Sometimes nothing happens. Sometimes everything happens. Last week was one of those weeks where everything happened. I had seen the GP during January about a little mole on my back which The Spouse had noticed and commented that it had appeared to change. I don't often look at my back, in fact I can safely say I never look at my back, so it was handy that he was looking and more to the point, that he was seeing, as he is inclined to be unobservant. The GP couldn't say for sure, but she agreed that it may have changed. She doesn't look at my back all that often either. An appointment was lined up with a rather lovely skin consultant who removed the mole and stitched me up so neatly and carefully I was tempted to ask if he wouldn't mind turning up the hems on some trousers for me.

So here I was, enjoying a week of relaxing and allowing my scar to heal nicely, when I remembered that I was due to attend a day at a spa with three girlfriends. L, W and I had given out friend, F, a day out at a spa for her birthday. A pamper day. The plan was that while F was being pampered, we three would recline in the jacuzzi and read our books at the poolside.Her birthday present but we'd get to enjoy it too.

It seemed like a great idea at the time. How were we to know that I'd have a dressing on my back, instructions to not swim for two weeks and to steer clear of chlorine? Or that L would do something to her knee that would render her a helpless invalid? Or that F herself, would develop a trapped nerve in her neck and be highly inflexible (and in some considerable pain) around the shoulder and arm region? Thus it was that a group of normally fit, not too mature yummy mummies staggered into the lovely Jacuzzi and laughed and laughed and laughed. And then we had lunch. Without a doubt the best part of the day. Although it must be said, lounging beside a pool in unseasonal warmth is pretty good too. Especially when with one's good friends.

Shortly after we returned from our pamper day I received a call from the consultant, he of the expert stichcraft. Everything was fine, he said, the mole was benign but it was worth having removed.

And in best Aesop tradition I end with a moral to the story. Get someone to take a look at your back from time to time.

chickens

The chickens have been incredibly cute today. They've been in the kitchen, wandering around, chatting to me, and enjoying their corn snack. They have inspired me to do some drawings of them. I haven't drawn for so long I'm not sure I can remember which end of the pencil to hold, but I'm imagining pen and ink and wash sketches of pretty chickens, so, if I can imagine it I can do it. Right? Now all I need is some energy.

Whilst on the subject of matters artistic...Talented Younger Son has been commissioned to do some portraits of the children of a family friend. I just love it when other people admire his art work! As a devoted/besotted mother I maybe think a little too highly of my sons, so it's great when others recognise their talent.

So, my new(ish) month's resolution is to get some chicken drawings done before the end of February. And if I do I'll publish them here. Right then, where's that pencil?

Magic Threshold

This has been an interesting week. On Tuesday I travelled up to London to attended a rather smashing conference at the British Library. Catching the train just after 7 a.m. is for the birds. In fact even the birds were still tucked up in their hen house when I left home. They have more sense than the commuters who make that horrible journey every day. How do people do it?

I was delighted, on arriving at Euston station, to be asked directions by a stranger. Oh goodie. Evidently I must have looked like I knew where I was going.

The BL building is quite superb and a pleasure to admire as an example of great modern architecture, complete with an imposing statue at the front. The sculptor, Eduardo Paolozzi has created an impressive Newton with echoes of that Blake painting we all recognise, but can never remember the name of!

The Library itself houses an unparalleled collection of everything ever printed. 14 million items apparently. If you want to take a look at a first folio of Shakespeare's, a Guttenburg Bible, or John Lennon's song scribbles, the BL is your destination. And it's free.

The conference was called The Magic Threshold - apparently a term coined by Barak Obama to describe Libraries. The seminars were fun and informative but the keynote speech at the beginning was the highlight. It was delivered by former children's Laureate, Michael Rosen. What a fantastic bloke. And I cheered when he criticised that ghastly "thing" that is taught in our schools - Literacy. He is all for the return of the Book to the heart of our schools and the abolition of what he called "bloody worksheets". Hear hear.

In other news this week my talented younger son has been busy with his art, and it's definitely blog-worthy. But that's for another diary date. I need to muck out the chickens now.