Late Post. Not Quite The Last Post. But Definately Not Early.

http://www.agracefuldeath.blogspot.com/ for the latest on the A Graceful Death exhibition
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http://www.jesusonthetube.co.uk/ for my Other Website
antonia.rolls1@btinternet.com to email me


Late Night Blogging, Because I Am So Busy. Join Me In Some Haphazard Blogging Hours

Haphazard because I am normally very structured, when I can fit structure in, and I write this before I do anything else in the morning...

News Flash - the Hamster is still alive. There was a terrible silence early this morning, and still no sign of movement late tonight when I returned to the studio. I was terribly alarmed and thought maybe the influence of so much Art on a Hamster is Deadly. But no, this is a cultured Hamster. It was asleep for a long long time, in my studio, and may have been thinking up an epic hamster poem while resting, so I was right to leave it alone and go to Oxford for the day with my 80 Year Old Mum. Because it can't write it is going bonkers on its wheel again.

But this morning, as I have said, I went to Oxford with my 80 Year Old Mum . Mother is not happy driving and I took her to a lovely sad beautiful celebratory requiem service for her old Nursing Days Friend, called Rosemary. We went to the most picturesque village outside Oxford, where Mother had spent many happy years training to be a Nurse. At the end of each pew in the tiny country church wich held the service, was a pot of rosemary. A thoughtful and loving touch. Rosemary for Rosemary. It set me wondering what to do at my mother's memorial service one day in the future, as my mother's name is Maureen. Little pots of Maureen doesn't work (nor exist). Her surname is Rolls so little bread rolls on teeny saucers was as far as I got. With teeny teeny pots of jam and little knives to spread the jam... But no. The service would become a giant sandwich eating memorial service. People would not remember Mother's dignity and elegance, they would remember her every time breakfast was served with a tray of hot rolls and jam. Or at afternoon tea. They would say "I say, this reminds me of someone." And the reply would be , "don't know why, but Maureen Rolls comes to mind" and there would be some thoughtful munching. "Wasn't she that glorious lady who's daughter linked her with Crusty Bread at her Memorial Service?" someone would say after a few minutes. "Can't see the link myself. Fancy being associated at ones Memorial Service with Hovis" . But for the rest of the day, and each day following, Maureen Rolls would live on with splendour and joy in all their thoughts, and only a few would have Worked It Out.

It is late. As I speak 13 Year Old Son is in the studio behind me feeding the Inspired Hamster. It is too obsessive about its wheel to say Thanks Very Much, but I know it will be grateful in its little poetic heart. 13 Year Old Son says Hamster will go back to his room tonight. That will mean someone has to either remove the wheel from its cage, WD40 the Hamster or WD40 the wheel. The Hamster will, whatever happens, relentlessly work out its displacement issues on the wheel, and take a long time coming through. It may even forget its epic poem as it can only do one Big Thing at a time.

It is late. Soon I will go to bed. Tomorrow I will get up extra early and make two pizzas and some pasta for both 13 Year Old Son and French Student when they come back from their places of work. I, where will I be? Friends, I am like the Hamster. My life is on a Wheel and like the Hamster I am crazily and sqeakily going round and round on it. Tomorrow, despite having commissions to do, book from Highly Talented Friend to read so I can illustrate it, Angels on pebbles and canvases for Arundel, dinners to cook, I am going to London. I am taking the Beatific Eileen (see other posts about the removal of Eileen's Gall Bladder and the references, in some circles, to Gall Bladders being linked with Bad Temper, Thwarted Plans etc etc. The thing with Eileen being that she wasn't terribly cross to begin with and is now on a par with God for cheerful benign happiness now that her Gall Bladder is gone) to London and home, dropping off Costya's Stuff to him now that he is back at college and living with my Lovely Sister In Law, lunch with an Eccentric and Loveable Bonkers Geologist Cabinet Maker Friend of Many Years, tea with the Ever Inspiring Clarissa and then ... I was to go somewhere else but I know I will be so very tired and incoherent that I am going to come home.

I am very over tired and overwhelmed at the moment. Time in the Studio, with self-feeding household would do me much good. Or perhaps the removal of my Gall Bladder.