Hi Mama-
Missing you tonight, but not in a depressed sort of way- rather, I wish I could give you an update on things here. Things I know would make you smile.
2012 is starting off with success. The life drawing classes I teach continue to go very well and attendance numbers are good and steady. I launched my second local class today: still life drawing. I only had two students, but it was good. I hope to double attendance next week and just keep growing from there. I’m also in talks to do another class in a nearby village and private tutoring could be taking off soon too. You’d be so very proud of me. I’m doing what you knew I always could, and what I was afraid to believe was possible. Now I just feel great. Happy. Things feel right.
In other big news, I wish you could see our new dog! He’s very similar to Charlie; imagine him in pale blonde/golden tones, lanky, and taller. Jasper is likely different breeds than Charlie was, but he has that same gentle way and is what I’m calling my whiskerchild. We found him through a rescue/rehoming place a few hours away and couldn’t be happier. He’s bigger than we thought we’d adopt, and he had aged and changed significantly from the photo we saw online, but none of that matters. He really rounds out the home and is so good for Neil and I. I wish you could see him; you would be in total, complete love. (I think Jasper might have even convinced you to finally get your passport just so you could visit him! Forget London – look at this amazing dog!)
So I was checking some stats on my Flickr page and saw that I’ve had a few views of a photo of you and I from a vacation in South Carolina today. You looked beautiful and happy. I miss you and often think it would’ve been good to know you when you were a young mother, to be your friend. I sometimes feel cheated that I only knew you as a daughter.
Neil and Jasper have just come in from a walk and I have much to do before closing this day. I will likely be joining a small business organisation tomorrow… what a grown-up I am, eh? I don’t even know myself.
I love you.
j
Along came a vineyard
North Cornwall is a funny place. You never know quite what’s going to pop up in your life next, and that’s down to an amazing bunch of people living in these rugged and rural parts. Case in point, I’m now going to co-run/co-make wine. Now I know you know that I already make home-batch wine, but this new venture is about a small vineyard and a good friend.
“How the, what the?” I hear you ask… Well, I’ve got a friend who has a daughter who knows an American guy who just bought a property a little north of us. Turns out the estate he’s renovating has a small, mature vineyard on the premises, but he has no interest in being the winemaker. My friend comes barrelling into our driveway one lunchtime, leaps from his car and brings in a bottle of wine to accompany his proposition. How would you like to make some wine, Jen.
Oh, no. I’ve no time for it. Things are going well for me, but I’ll go have a look with you, I say. We hit the road and meet the owner, march through some mud, and scope out the facilities.
Needless to say, my mind was changed. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, really. I’ll make time. I’ll make wine.
We’ve just had the vineyard work assessment/plan/schedule thing done and there is much to do, but we’ve got a professional to guide us and work with us.
You just never know what’s going to happen in North Cornwall. You could wake up one day a winemaker.