German efficiency

Taking in walk near home, December 2008

Sorry, late post!

The queue was out of the door at the post office just two days before Christmas but I knew that I would not be standing there too long and that there was no need to get out my note book and start drawing or writing.

German efficiency came up trumps again as I knew it would, and quick as a flash I was at the counter bewildering the post office worker with my order of 100 stamps for Europe and various other countries.

I apologise now to anyone who is awaiting Christmas post from me, these hundred stamps are still unused, the cards still under construction on the table beside the Christmas tree and the Christmas letter is still in my head ready to be typed. At least I got the Christmas tree decorated on time!

I have nothing and no one to blame except perhaps enjoying Norway too much.

A village in the city

This week I feel like I am on holiday, at least for thirty minutes! I walked to the Post Office from my flat and on the way, in the village-like setting in the middle of a big city, I discovered the Nürnberg office of Fleishmann, the model train manufacturer, I found an Asian "open all hours" shop with plentiful supplies of PG Tips, the tea for monkeys and ex-pat Brits. A bit further along the road was a tailor's shop with a Christmas window display of Fleischmann products, just the thing to drool over and wish for sticking out of the top of the Christmas stocking. Then I found a sushi bar, a Greek restaurant, an expensive clothes shop and beside the church the Post Office. I am at last getting to know the area around my home. I even found the dry cleaners!

After the short queuing time I walked to the square around the local church to photograph the Christmas-tree sellers. I can not imagine a better place for selling Christmas trees. At this point it started to pour with fine drizzle and although only a short walk from home I decided to take refuge in my favourite café in the area, the Café Dampfnudelbäck. I had discovered this wonderful place about this time last year with my old friend who died in the summer. We spent many hours there sitting over a glass of wine as he schooled me in public speaking! He used all his experience on the stage to prepare me for making presentations on Conductive Education. I think that he did a good job.

I spent many more hours in the spring, in the same café, warming myself up as I escaped the cold and rain between flat viewing appointments. Today the rain is just an excuse, I am here to get the feeling of having a day off, being on holiday, enjoying some more bits-in-between, my note book to hand, newspapers in the racks to read, Christmasy music piped through the speakers and cosy armchairs to relax in. Of course the sketch book is also here with me - a drawing is definately called for.

Inspired again

I seem to have being doing quite well with the bits-in-between recently and my plan for one art work a day may possibly happen in 2009. Since being inspired in Norway I have been quite productive, sometimes up to six pictures a day. The sketch above took all of thirty minutes. Surely I will have that much time to spare every day to fiddle with a paintbrush or a pencil.

Looking out of the window at the dreary, rainy darkness I am not inspired as I was by the amazing light and colours in Norway, but looking inwards, into the café full of cosiness and good feeling, there is enough to inspire a drawing or two.

There seem to have been many bits-in-between in my life recently, I have been succeeding, just as many of my clients do, to utilise all that I learn through conductive pedagogy in my daily life. I learn to create interesting bits-in-between to feed my soul.

Notes

Open all hours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6wQOUiLq-Y&feature=related

PG Tips - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzEBLa3PPk&feature=related

Café Dampfnudelbäck - http://www.dampfnudelbaeck.de/index3.htm

Fleishmann - http://www.fleischmann.co.uk/index.htm, http://www.fleischmann.de/?pid=1746