i had a really nice surprise today.
i had just sat down to e-mail a friend before settling down to some revision when i heard the very loud thudding of a motorcycle in our little cul de sac. i didn't pay much attention for people are always getting very lost, ending up here, turning and going...the other day we had a very entertaining five minutes when a man with big car and bigger caravan made a wrong turn and found they way here!
the sound got louder and i looked out of the window to see a large motorcycle pull up behind pippin...curiouser and curiouser...they my brain finally started to register...
it was my dad come all the way down from his home in a little village between Tewkesbury and Evesham 125 miles away. he had set out at 7am,taking the scenic route and stopping to see friends on the way.
his partner Adele is in Australia visiting her son and so dad and the cat 'peep' are home alone.
i have to say he looked great too-he still wears very old fashioned motorcycle gear, wonderful, worn knee high boots and a big red, silk paisley scarf wrapped around his neck...although the helmet was a very new, posh Harley one...all in all very dashing!
i had just sat down to e-mail a friend before settling down to some revision when i heard the very loud thudding of a motorcycle in our little cul de sac. i didn't pay much attention for people are always getting very lost, ending up here, turning and going...the other day we had a very entertaining five minutes when a man with big car and bigger caravan made a wrong turn and found they way here!
the sound got louder and i looked out of the window to see a large motorcycle pull up behind pippin...curiouser and curiouser...they my brain finally started to register...
it was my dad come all the way down from his home in a little village between Tewkesbury and Evesham 125 miles away. he had set out at 7am,taking the scenic route and stopping to see friends on the way.
his partner Adele is in Australia visiting her son and so dad and the cat 'peep' are home alone.
i have to say he looked great too-he still wears very old fashioned motorcycle gear, wonderful, worn knee high boots and a big red, silk paisley scarf wrapped around his neck...although the helmet was a very new, posh Harley one...all in all very dashing!
one of the collection
oh it was such a fantastic surprise-as pippin has been messing us about so much we have not been to visit them for months, the only trouble is now i feel sad.
as many of my older readers know my dad and i are very close with a great deal in common.
when i lived at home and before he left to follow his own path in life i would spend hours with him in his room watching as he painted or made the intricate little models for his business.
the stereo would always be on playing anything from classical and opera to john denver, neil diamond or the carpenters (right now his album of choice is mark knopfler and emmylou harris 'all the road running'-actually i sent it to him for his birthday)
his room would always smell of oil paint and there in the corner would be his easel in the corner with art work in progress, his finished paintings covered the walls~he would exhibit in a gallery in lymington but was never keen on selling! his models would be everywhere also and this was his business, selling to collectors worldwide until he had a heart attack in his early 50's and had to slow down a bit...notice i said 'a bit'?!
out of curiosity i have beed doing some investigating online only to discover his work has become very collectable and when a piece does come up for sale people are paying very high three figure sums...they have even been sold at Bonhams...
it makes me so proud to know he has made things with his own hand that people wish to own and love.