Good morrow to you my faithful chums,

I have returned from my travels...I have been away to Olde London Town and a very pleasant stay it was. I have returned a tad knackered and a lot broke...hey ho.
Whilst I was there I went on a visit to St. Pauls cathedral...I was not impressed and at a tenner a throw I so wanted to be. It wasn't the fact that the entrance fee was so pricey...it was such a dry and souless place, it could well of been a wine bar or some such venue. The ceilings were beautiful though so all was not lost...plus...it was a major work out walking up all those steps to the top of the dome.
I managed to get to the "Hadrian" exhibition at the British museum...now that was worth the fee. It was really very interesting and some of the sculptures were stunning. I fell in love with the "mummy" portraits and left the proceedings completely inspired and wanting to mummify someone just so I could paint their portrait. Not too sure if that's quite the done thing in this day and age but a bloke can only try...not sure if it's legal either but if anyone out there fancies being mummified and then immortalised then I'm your man.

I am now back to my sort of reality...mmmm...not sure if that's a comfort or not??? I have been so engrossed in these "Romanesque" paintings since my return I wonder if I should don a gladiators outfit and fight some lions...mind, with my legs and our weather it could prove dangerous. I have still got to add something or omit something and they will be spot on...I keep painting bits, gazing at bits, tweaking bits and distressing bits...one day a bell will go off in my head and I will know that this is it...finished. I sincerely hope that day arrives soon because I am going crossed eyed and virtually blind working on them. If I charged an hourly rate for all the man hours spent on this series they would retail for about £4 squillion..........

I am also in a bit of a conundrum and am wondering if I should be very brave and quit the work on the ward for a less stressful and less time consuming job. I so want to be concentrating on my painting and illustration stuff but am a big fat scardy cat about leaving my "comfort zone". When did I become such a coward??? What hapened to the boy who left art college with a song in his heart and a spring in his step?...mmm...bordering on bursting into song here so will shut up...and with a voice that could shatter plastic it would not be good...hey ho.

Thank you for taking the time,

Ivor x