I recently began a course to learn about woodblock printing.  It only lasted for a couple of days but it was amazing in that I have rediscovered my passion for working in the Arts.  In my early years I had always loved the work of the artist Piet Mondrian and I decided that I would like to produce a woodblock print along the lines of one of his paintings.

Black borders or grey borders?  I’m still not sure and although my technical abilities are at this stage still those of the amateur the joy of learning is still there.  On top of that I really must buy myself a decent camera and learn how to use it properly.

Since the beginning of the New Year I have been reading about the steps I should be taking to increase my fitness after hurting my back.  Part of my plan is to start walking regularly, something I used to do everyday when I was in full time employment; I walked in my morning break, at lunch time and regularly walked to and from work when the weather was reasonable.  However since retirement over a year ago my routines have changed.  For sometime now I have only been walking occasionally; this had to change and so for a few days now I have been building up my fitness with morning exercises AND going out for a walk everyday.  It hasn’t been easy but not because I’m not motivated but because the weather here has been so very poor.

However I have set myself a goal and even though the wind has been blowing since early morning and it has been raining AGAIN I did leave home to stride along some of the local lanes.

On these islands of Britain and Ireland there are many ways to describe a walk.  Today’s walk wasn’t a bimble or a dander or a doddle or even a soodle; I have heard that if I were a Scot I might say that I was spangin’, walking vigorously.  Way to go!