thank you

for all thoughts and prayers and well wishes. My grandfather is on the mend and safely back home from the wilds and snowy bilss that is winnipeg. We are so relived. he is very old but we weren't quite ready to part with him yet and none of us quite wished to have in go so suddently on the airplane... that's for sure. But it was quite the drama... we're just glad it's over and that he's on the mend!

I started back at school here last thursday. it's a different course than to the one I took before I had my side track back to the UK... not as intensive but at least it's something... even though it is only 4 days a week.

Today I arranged my new room and cleaned and tidied to the best of my ability and got things in a semblance of order. I came to the horrific conclusion that I have well over 500 pounds worth of cosmetics... scary. please remind me of this when i next try and purchase a new lipstick... it would be number 20 or something obscene like that! My painting studio is all organised and I've started working again on my goldfish lady as i have been calling her... she is orange with gold and yellow highlights. She's making slow progress... this week I hope to finish her and start with my new painting on my massive new canvas!!!!

I went to an opening of an exhibit here that was an 'anti fashion week' show that was meant to contrast with the bread and butter festival that was taking place here at the same time. It was a nice evening. The highlight/most humourous part of the night is when one of the art buyers said to me after meeting me... 'ah yes... I know your work' ! how hilarious is that!?! I guess i'm very new to all of this... and yes they had seen my work as fredu had emailed them some pictures before xmas... but it was still giggle worthy in my books.

Seestor has booked her trip to come and visit me here in march. It will be a blast! Miss Andrea is booking in for early april apres her ski holiday and miss b and miss joey are hopefully going to come around the same time as well for a full on girly weekend!

I saw a reportage on the news the other day where they were reporting an increase in sales in chupa chup lollies since the new smoking laws came into effect here jan 1st. They interviewed a bunch of people who were attempting to quit and were using the lollies to help... I love the innocent optimism that some of the spanish exhibit. I wish them all the best. It's soo sweet... now if we could only get the bars to go completely non smoking... we'd be getting somewhere... and my clothes wouldn't smell so bad after going out!