Back In The Studio With The Hamster

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Me and Costya having our own Zen Moment in the kitchen together. Hamster could be anywhere, it doesn't care as long as it is on its wheel.

The Hamster And I Have Run Away Together

And ended up in the studio. The Hamster, as always, has no say on where it goes. It is only a dwarf hamster but can make one hell of a noise on the wheel which it does all night long. Only Costya knows how to put WD40 on the wheel and avoid the hamster which is addicted to its wheel and gets Cold Turkey if you get between it and the wheel. I have WD40'd the hamster once or twice so if Costya is not here, I put the cage in the furthest corner of the Studio and everyone sleeps like a baby. Except for the Hamster which goes bonkers on its wheel to compensate for its sense of displacement.

So here I am in the Studio. I have not been in here as an Artist for ages. I have been on Holiday with SAGA, I have been a Car Boot Seller, I am now a Dinner Bed and Breakfast Person, I am always a Mum (exhausting job) and now I am, again, An Artist. I will start painting Angels on stones and small canvases for Arundel. It will be a peaceful, silent, lonesome occupation. But that is balm to my soul, which has been a cooking, cleaning, driving long distances, not much sleep kind of soul for a while now. It almost feels like cheating to have such a pleasant day ahead.

I do have my French Student's parents and brother with me for a couple of days. They are the Dinner Bed and Breakfast victims. Very nice people indeed, and so clever. They all speak English and the children of the family speak 3 or 4 languages. Blinking Ada. That is very good. "I can't speak French, or German, or Spanish" I should say conversationally at dinner, "but I can paint a Fairy on a Pebble. Look!" and show them an assortment of Fairies on Pebbles.

Eileen is superbly placid still. Having no gall bladder seems to have made her unpeterbable. In order that I can rent out her room she has gone back up to London for a few days, and will come back here tomorrow. None of this has rippled the calm of her gall bladder free psyche. (This is in reference to Tasha's comments and my reading somewhere that the Gall Bladder is linked to Bad Temper, Frustration and Being Thwarted In One's Plans etc. Removing it removes all obstacles to Happiness). Eileen is the New Buddha. (Thin one.)

Another thing I must do today is to re-read my clever friend's new book. I am hoping to illustrate it and it is a Darn Good Book, for children, but because Friend is so funny and witty, the book will appeal to adults too. Today is turning into a very acceptable day it seems. Later, I will start to cook for my Guests From France, and my Sons From I Am Starving Land, and that will be the end of my peaceful Antonia moments in the studio (with the Hamster). Until then, Friends, Zen Moments In The Studio for me. (And the Hamster).