My first visit to London for ages..
We booked our holiday, for the first time, and what a year to pick it, chasing the sun driving down through France to Spain. It was fabulous! The timing was built around Ollie's rugby tour and meant we missed all but the last few days of the Olympics. It seemed London was buzzing. I never listen to panic traffic warnings so why did I pay any attention to the 'don't drive in London during the Olympics' notices? This morning I drove past the banners, the union flags, the trampled dead grass in Hyde park where the big screens were and my heart sank. London always reacts well to troubles: - the tube bombings- I'll never forget the city coming to a halt a month later for two minutes and then the response to the riots last year. Apparently we can celebrate too. Apparently London was smiling. It would have been good to catch that. I understand it had never been easier getting in and out of the city too. Never mind. My kids will tell you I always get fed up after Christmas but I remind them it's not over yet. There's new year yet... And now we have the Paralympics. Rock on!
On another note I have just finished another couple of days with the wonderful APV (caroline and Ant Parker) filming in Bantham. We had one day of sun. Out of the five or so paintings done I think 2 or 3 came good which is cool. I can not talk while painting though so we have a voice over and a bit in my studio to do. Anyway I think the sun is peaking through here in London. I'm off to paint a piece of the Howard de Walden estate with a scaffold truck in the foreground.
