Today I Shall Not Burn The Chickpeas

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No, I Shall Not Burn The Chickpeas.

A few days ago I put some chickpeas on to boil and went to the studio to do Art and forgot about them. Hours later I went into the house into a kind of wall of smoke. "What!" I cried and then remembered the chickpeas. Well, kitchen and downstairs was filled with smoke and smelt of real hard core overdone chickpeas. I put the pan into the garden and shut the door only to open it again, the smoke from the saucepan was chickenfeed compared to the smoke in the house. I opened every window and door and thought That will teach me to mulit task irresponsibly. And it did. Even now the house smells of charred chickpeas. So what did I do when I put the chick peas on to boil this morning? I wrote CHICK PEAS on my hands with indelible black ink. It worked and I have turned off the boiling saucepan containing perfectly cooked chick peas and I have been in the studio. The only thing to do next time is to write CHICK PEAS in washable ink. I am going to have to explain to everyone that I have not a chickpea tattoo and that I am not unreasonably attached to chickpeas, it was just an important reminder technique that was so important that it will live with me for, possibly, ever.

I am in the studio. I am printing brochures about my brilliant art-ness and Art Classes for the Nervous adverts. I am going to take some post card ideas to shops locally and I am going to try for some more flower and still life commissions. I loved the still life I just finished. Photo next time, it needs a bit of lace on the hanky and some butterflies and ladybirds.

This week I See People. My friend from Middleton, the artist who is excellent, is coming for a catch up. On Wednesday I go for a walk with local friend. She is setting up a Walking Club and so far I have joined. Fab. On Thursday I visit an old friend and on Friday I may, or may not, go and see the wonderful Olivia and get my spirits raised.

I must mention here that I had a lovely weekend with Alan. We spent much of Saturday in careful consideration of a new dress I have bought. It is a brightly coloured and patterned affair that I know gives me the edge on the rest of the world. Alan is not so sure but is doing his best to rationalise the lack of symmetry and oddness of pattern and colour. On Saturday afternoon we went to see if we could buy some shoes to go with it. We couldn't but it was great fun looking. How many women have a man who will go shopping for shoes for them and really take it seriously. Alan will. He does have very good taste, and is very sure of what he likes and doesn't like, and, funnily enough, this is very good for me.

We went out for a Chinese meal after that at a cold but nice restaurant and both finished with banana fritters. That night, possibly nothing to do with the meal, Alan was really ill with stomach pain. I was very sympathetic and unconcious most of the time, but woke feeling iller than I can remember. However, Alan still played a tennis match (he is super human) and I watched a bit of it and then went to bed for the afternoon.

Despite this, it was a lovely weekend. Today, I am back on form. And the word for today my dears, is Chickpeas.