…Any tips on tilting a gradient on Illustrator?! (For lid top…) I also need to work out how to wrap the text around. I am currently using a flat shape rather than forming it from an isometric doodah thingamie wotsit-a-tee-jig.

Forgive any hint of self-promotion here, it is not intended! I was just excited to find a new yellow pages on my doorstep today with an advert that I designed in it! How childish I think it was perhaps just something of a novelty to have my design ‘delivered to the door’. It is an advert for a nursery who wanted something “a bit different” and that was the only information that I was allowed!! So this is what I came up with… You probably can’t even see it in fact! Still, I was excited.

I have stolen this quote from Tim’s blog because I laughed out loud when I read it…

“The loud flower selling woman outside Beechwood Place Cheltenham can once again say ‘On yer Daffs, on yer daffs, three for a paaaaand.’ What on earth is she going on about? What’s on the daffodils? It’s the same scene every year, and I can never crack the code.”

It is so true!! almost every day I meander past this lady and JT has noticed recently that depending upon the day and the time of day it differs as to whether you get “two bunches for a paaaaand” or three! Fascinating.

There are many ‘characters’ in Cheltenham and I have just noticed that yet another new group has appeared on Facebook in tribute to little old Derek, the old man with a shopping trolley who laughs at everyone and everything!! Every now and again he will park his trolley in the middle of the street and (whilst still holding on to it) will shout at some pigeons and then utter his famous “ehh ehhh ehh ehhh!” laugh before toddling on.

Derek is an interesting character, he is a bit like a frog who is really a prince. People look at it and think “ahhhh a frog - sweet!” but it is sitting there giving you a reproachful look saying “if only you knew…” Yes, Derek is rather eccentric, but has certainly not given up on life! He actually lives in a very posh house on a very posh road in Cheltenham (when he is not ambling around town or the Bath Road). He loves classical music and often attends my Dad’s concerts in the Town Hall and Pump Rooms!!

WOW! Since writing this post I read on Facebook (when trying to find a photo) that Derek (formally known as ‘the laughing millionaire’) was last seen pushing a lawnmower (with the engine on!!) around near Christchurch, trying to mow the tarmac!! I thought it was a joke, but here is the photo… He is totally cool and always up for a conversation even if you have no idea what he is saying! Someone has even YouTubed him…

I have a lot of work to do over the Easter ‘holiday’… Some of this is paid and some is (sadly) not as it is for Uni!! In the midst of this I have to sort out address transfers, packing etc etc.

Uni work will involve the design and computer mock-up of the packaging and promotion of a pooing dog (which I am seriously considering changing to ‘nettle and rosehip exfoliating face cream’ - one for the ladies!!) Or maybe stubble and sandpaper? Hmmm…. I also have to prepare a presentation on the subject of bricolage, write an essay about decoding advertisements and try to draw this blinkin’ perfume bottle!!

Paid work is the construction and/or finishing of 4 web sites (in three weeks!!) and a few other bits and pieces that have been on the back burner for a while.

Life ist hecticus maximus. Still, at the end of the holidays we are hoping to nip to London to see Simon run the marathon!! So that will be fun. Maybe we can take in an art gallery or even use some theatre tickets that we were given ages ago?? oooh there’s an idea!! I have never been to a London show!! How exciting!

“A committee is a body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.”

My Mum snet me this and it made me chuckle… It’s ‘tongue in cheek’ tone actually makes it quite a clever article, what do you think?

The Lord is good. We have just (hopefully) secured a little house in Leckhampton (it is the one in the middle). My Dad says it runs across the old railway line, which JT will be very pleased about!!

It is a cute little 2 bed house with a little garden for the cats. My only reservations about the property were the decor, the distinct lack of shower (awkward with hair like mine!!) and the fact that it was furnished.

After praying about our current rental nightmare, I felt that the Lord would honour us if we played by the rules and didn’t try anything too high-handed. After phoning the landlady today, Alex Clark were able to confirm that she will probably re-decorate, she is having a shower fitted and is seriously considering ‘un-furnishing’ the property. This is costing us hundreds (we lose two weeks rent from this place and have to pay all the ridiculous letting agent fees) on top of having just paid what we now have to try to claim back from NPower, but we hope to save money in the long-term by not paying extortionate bills again and generally being able to live more frugally.

I will have a longer bike ride to Uni/town etc and JT’s bike is going to need some serious DIY, but we hope to be more peaceful. A serious plus point is being able to do weekly shopping (actually works out cheaper!?) at the ‘local shops for local people’ on the Bath Road! Yummy local produce and butcher meat…. Mmmmmm….

We will be sad to leave ‘Zion’ (the affectionate/tongue in cheek term for this area in which a lot of our friends live!!) and not to be able to fall out of bed and land in town, but if last night is anything to go by I will be so relieved to sleep on a Sunday night without hearing boy racers until 3am whizzing around each side of our bed!! It will also be nice not to have sirens screeching across the cross-roads every 20 minutes or so too. We will keep you informed.

I love walking past this garden every morning and will miss it… This is my favourite time of year for the trees - if you want to catch a glimpse of God, walk to this garden and check out the blossom, it is stunning! I was out this morning with my new lens snapping away.

I am possibly one of the world’s worst when it comes to people watching… It FASCINATES me! I love to imagine what on earth they might be doing and today was no exception as JT and I sat eating our sandwiches in town. Along came a man who was clearly wondering why he picked up the TV stand from the sale bin in Argos, followed by a very gay looking man with clown hair and a very little dog.

after that came this fellow who I named “left for dead on a stag do”. I like to post my more unusual finds and this guy wins today’s contest for wearing a hat with ear warmers (all in one) and shorts?! Surely this combo would only occur after your friends had strung you up on a lamp post on your stag do. (?) He sat on a bench and smoked a cigarette for a while until a lady (who we can only assume was his Mum) came along and dragged him away!! You could almost hear the “Come on Anthony stop being stroppy, we’re going to buy you some new trousers” by looking at her face. She was completely unlike him, making the situation all the more hilarious. You had to be there really.

I have just noticed actually, his ‘Mum’ is the one in the lime green coat withdrawing cash behind him!!