Seal spotting

Kim's still on his school break , so we decided to do a bit of seal spotting on the north Cornish coast earlier this week. It was a grey, blustery day over at Gwithian but we were well rewarded for our little effort of getting to the top of the cliffs, where we saw around 50 grey seals lounging on the beach below us...



Okay, so from this high up they look like slugs, but they certainly sounded like seals! I was sorry I only had my rubbish camera phone with me and no binoculars, but it was still a sight not to be forgotten. And it certainly got Kim all excited - and away from the dreaded video games...

For all you anonymous Kim admirers...

The new haircut - and no these weren't taken after he'd been to bed!

Earth to Kim...

Well, after almost 10 years (make that eight, he was bald for the first 2), of enduring either me cutting his hair basin-shaped or some old codger in a barber shop making him look like an old codger, I decided to treat Kim to a proper hair cut (a bit like the difference between a proper pasty and a Ginsters). As you can tell, he thoroughly enjoyed the experience of 'free' juice, a hair wash (oh yes!) and space age looking gizmos to dry you off! Naturally he wasn't interested in the hairdresser's usual array of magazines, so brought along a copy of Captain Underpants for the occasion. The haircut was "cool", so he said. And anyway, it was 50% off on Wednesdays.

Goings on at Newlyn Art Gallery

The 'anti climactic eruption' of Oliver Sutherland's Volcano

Kim takes a look into Patrick Lowry's sculpture, to see how far down it goes...

We trundled down to Newlyn yesterday for this fun, light-hearted exhibition that was part of the Newlyn Art Gallery's Transitions programme and was curated by Sovay Berriman. The work on show was inspired by the film Journey to the Centre of the Earth and had a fantastical, childlike quality to it. The film was playing throughout the event on a tiny old-fashioned tv and was a great distraction for Kim - while I hung around stuffing the rock cakes on offer! Mmmmm, well what else is there to do on a wet Sunday afternoon?

A squatter moves in...

Hmmmm... Not only does a squatter move in on my very limited bedroom floor space, but apparently he has to bring his friends, Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eyeore too! And of course a few books to read. And a duvet. And cushions. And pillows.

Oh god, it'll be the Lego next...

Some pretty pictures for the new year

Bonfire smoke getting caught beneath the trees in Mylor

Very still water and crystal clear reflections on Mylor Creek

January sky from my bedroom window the other day

Kim on an early evening walk today

Winter skating at Eden

Kim cheating...well at least he didn't end up in plaster.

Sorted!

Ta daaaaaa! We now have a very festive looking sitting room
and Kim is just waiting (should that be hoping?!)
for Father Christmas to arrive with some pressies!

Aaaaaw, me and Kim after a hard day mooching about!
You might think the smile has something to do with feeling festive,
but it's probably got more to do with a big glass of gin!

Getting creative

Above: Kim with some of his festive creations: a fantastic Father Christmas model that he made at school and a gingerbread house that we decorated together this evening... I wonder if it will last through 'til Christmas day? Hmmm, ok so so far I've demolished a box of Roses in about 5 days and a whole Camembert cheese in 2, now I'm working hard on half a bottle of gin in an evening, but please a gingerbread house? I'll definitely leave that one for Kim - and maybe a bit for Father Christmas himself!

Bang!

A glass of cider, a toffee apple, a few sparklers, a massive bonfire and some pyrotechnics and you know autumn is definitely here. It's curious how we lose the meaning of things though; every year children dress up a Guy and chuck him on the fire without any apparent understanding of the fact that they're celebrating the burning of Catholics. Nice. I wonder what they think they are doing? Of course I relish in telling my child exactly what they're doing, but it falls on deaf ears, he just says "what's a Catholic?"! Aah, the sweet innocence of an atheist's child! This year, as is our custom, we went to the nearby village of Devoran to watch the fireworks, it was great as usual, but it all seemed to be over so quickly and here I am again...

Left: Kim sticking his fingers in his ears - I loved the echoes of the bangs and the way the sound reverberated around the creek! right: Kim in the garden with a sparkler which doubled as a light-sabre, apparently.

Another quirky video by Kim

Suggest maybe he needs a tripod! And no wind. He said he thought he was taking a photo!

Kim's second video...

A quick, quirky and not too comprehensive tour around oneinamillion changes! I should point out that copyright of the works remains with the artists Tim Chamberlain, Chantal Brooks, Rupert White, Kate Ogley and me, but I think Kim can retain copyright of the video!!!

Kim makes a video!

Above: Tim Chamberlain and me 'invigilating' outside Voguebeloth Chapel yesterday afternoon. Note that I am actually drawing, not just getting some much needed sun!! (This is the first video Kim has ever made).

What's this?!

We went for a stroll around Manningham Woods in Illogan today (part of an excursion to put up another 30 posters 'round the village advertising the under-visited show...) and Kim found... a bower! It's a little entrance into a living willow maze; maybe I should just hang a few birds up here and have done with the exhibition?

Meet Monty

Monty is gorgeous, with as much energy as he has gorgeousness. He helped Kim keep boredom at bay at the chapel this afternoon, by wearing him out with a game of football, aaaah!

AAAAAARGH!!!!

Just when you think you're having a great day and can carry on working with no interruptions, along comes your little cub scout to remind you that he wants taking over to Perranporth this evening for the cub's barbie-on-the-beach. And of course being cubs they'll only want to be there for an hour and a half, which means I have to sit on the bloody beach with them....aaaargh! And Perranporth beach being on the north coast, will be full of surfers, teenagers (ugh) and emmets (double ugh)!!!!!! Then I calmed down for a minute and remembered something....The Wateringhole (link to live webcam!!), which bills itself as the only pub on the beach in Cornwall...artists and alcohol the two don't go together at all!!!!

School's finished

Well that's the summer term over and Kim is now officially on school holiday. I decided to mark the occasion and get to the school gates on time! (His teacher should have given me a star for that...) I decided I'd cycle over to Perranarworthal for a change, since it's the first dry day we've had for bloody ages. I thought it would be fun for Kim to cycle home, but apparently I got that wrong and was moaned at for the ensuing four miles. For my sins I got to push two bikes up the hills. And got to carry the "heavy" school rucksack. Now I need a run to get rid of the stress... Anyone would think I'm an impatient person (you may mock!), but come on...over an hour to cycle four miles?! He was on a go-slow, I'm sure - he kept telling me he was tired!!!!

Not just a great sportsday...

Kim also had a brilliant school report this year, so we decided to celebrate and take him out for dinner tonight! His choice: Pizza Hut. Not for pizza of course...

but potato wedges

and an ice cream from the 'ice cream factory'.

Having explained what 'unlimited visits' to the factory means,
Kim contemplates his first bowl and wonders if he's bitten off
more than he can chew - hmmm, I bet you can guess the answer to that one!!!

Sports day

The rain held off long enough over Perranarworthal School this afternoon for Kim to win his first ever sportsday race - a 100m sprint. He was as pleased as punch to cross the line for the blue team ahead of the other runners, so I felt it was my duty to give him a great big kiss in front of all his friends and their parents! Well, what else are mummies for?!

Another artist in the house

Not that he's obsessed with Star Wars or anything!