Besides doing the usual housework, yes housework, like changing bed
sheets, laundry, groceries & cooking, and washing ceramic floors indoors
and out, we have visited with other members of our family and friends here. But
first, just so you don't think that we are in a luxury hotel ordering room
service, let me tell you what goes on here.
(I'm not complaining mind)
The windows with screens are
usually open and the dust that blows in is a bit oily. Not sure if it's from all the sea vessels,
small, large and gigantic that travel in our bay or sail back and forth further
out at sea, but always visible. The
small fishing boats, sail boats and power boats are in and out every day and
since it's still early in the season, not all of them have even been
launched. The larger cargo ships are
always on the horizon, sometimes closer, waiting to go into Freeport either to
unload or return to port to reload before sailing away to unknown destinations
like Sicily, Italy, North Africa and who knows where. Their engines must certainly add a lot to the
atmosphere, where eventually it comes into and around the houses. After a two week period of on and off rain
and high winds, everything outside was covered in limestone dust. So, of
course, sliding glass doors on the balconies had to be cleaned and also the
metal railings of the balconies and their ceramic tiled floors. My red geraniums look so beautiful on my
shiny clean balcony.
The T.V. is mostly in Maltese which Mike doesn't understand, and I have
difficulty myself especially when they speak very quickly. We watched episodes of Seasons 1-3 of Downton
Abbey almost every evening, and Seasons of Call the Midwife. We're scraping the bottom of the barrel and
have our own re-runs happening!
So, back to family. We have met
with the only Uncle surviving, and all but one of his six children, my cousins,
of course their spouses and their children.
We all met at my Uncle's brothers birthday. My father's sister had several daughters and
we have reunited with one of them again.
We have also connected with our friends Leli and Kitty who is brother to
one of our London, ON Maltese friends and we didn't expect this, but others we
know from London are also staying in our village for a holiday. I was at a beautician's shop and while Mike was
passing the time, bumped into them and stopped to have a coffee at one of the
many cafe's on the seafront. I haven't
seen them in the 'town' as yet, but possibly on our walks along the seafront
we'll meet them again.
I have had two wonderful sessions with John Dimech and had a couple of
breakthroughs. John keeps encouraging me
to not be fearful when it comes to experimenting. Good advice I will work hard to
remember. Two of my small work are
seascapes, something quite new for me.
With invitations to a Wedding and Christening
events with the family and the unexpected additional expenses I am postponing
more classes, but will definitely arrange to spend more time with John in his
studio - somehow, sometime before we return.
I have two more classes arranged with C.S. Lawrence before having to
make a decision where to continue with my art instruction. With Caroline's group I did experience my
first group plein aire outing and there is one more planned as long as the
weather co operates. We went to Mermaid Street in Senglea, my street & home town. How appropriate! Such stricking views from there,. Decisions,
decisions....
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| one of our views across Grand Harbour to paint |
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| painting with C.S. Lawrence & group on Mermaid Street I'm tucked into the door way behind the easel & white shirt |
.JPG)
