The autumn is now well into the gloom phase with only the most stubborn leaves remaining and winter maroon of the bare branches is increasingly noticeable. You will also notice by my submission of another run of pears however that we have not been able to capitalise on the autumn effects and indeed this leg problem is getting worse not better. We saw a chiropractor by the name of Bergdahl on the recommendation of neighbour Elisabeth's husband Joachim. This Bergdahl straightened us up in the hips somewhat with snap, crackle and pop but despite the initial euphoria has not done much to fix it. We'll see him again in a week but until then there will be nothing strenuous for us.
So even our plans to back away and focus on the painting have come a cropper but I remain positive that we will be out again in November and until then we will have to busy ourselves somehow. One thing that is going well is our media blackout in as much as I have managed to stay away from the news and currently have no idea what is happening anywhere other than the news that a teacher was beheaded by one of his pupils in France. This came to me from my mother of all people after I joked that she might fasten a bayernet to her rollator so as to ensure the distance is kept: "Oh did you hear about what happened in France....?"
As I was being told of the grisly details I could only think how surreal it seems to hear about such disconnected, and unpleasant events, but it did lead to a good talk about the news generally and particularly how the news, not so long ago, was delivered in three 30 minute bulletins at 13:00, 18:00, and 21:00 or 22:00 depending on ones preference. The world whizzed through quick as a flash then we all get back to enjoying ourselves. Was that better for us? Was that better for the powers?
I have been tempted once more to send submissions to actual galleries after a look into a few who seemed happy to display plenty of whimsy. We also contacted Robinson Alistair1 for some advice about a proposal of our DS1 but no response as yet. We wanted specifically his view on the question of plein air paintings in the contemporary gallery setting and the feasibility of the whole business really.
We have ordered Ducks, Newburyport2 to complete our reading list and meanwhile we continue with Don Quixote who we have left standing on his horse with his hands tied to a post by some playful maidens and this after all manner of drama at an inn where it is well and truly all happening. We're holding back on Pale Fire as it is short volume in comparison and besides we know it backwards but it will be interesting to read it in rotation with the others. Ditto for the Dickens.
Yours,
John
1 Alistair Robinson is the curator of the Northern Centre of Contemporary Art in Sunderland.
2 In Work 44 John claimed that the book had already been ordered?