A Walk in the Park

Nothing ever is as straightforward as you hoped it would be and so it was in the progress of Nettie. A week or so after the purchase of the coat I was down for our early morning cup of coffee outdoors. We had been taking a flask and a couple of mugs and having our coffee as we walked round the square. The house was never far from sight but we were now venturing slightly further. I was therefore surprised one day when Nettie told me she could not go over the door that day. I am not sure she knew why and, if she did, I never ever found out. What Nettie said was that when this had all started she had been ok because the outside air was cold and it kept the sweats at bay. Now the weather was turning to spring and yesterday she had felt bad. I said I understood, even though I was finding it very difficult. Lost for words I said it would be alright because I would go home and do a version of the rain dance only instead I would dance for snow. I was really trying not to show my disappointment and near despair. I was staying positive, but I knew we had reached a difficult stage. I went out to do some other visits and work with a heavy heart.


The next day I arose at the same time ready to go down and see if we were walking or not. I went downstairs and looked out the kitchen window. I could not believe what I was seeing, there was a beautiful covering of snow everything was white. I was now for real dancing round the kitchen floor.

Determined to make the most of this event I headed down the road to see Nettie. “Right,” I said “Coat lets go and make the most of this marvellous day.” We got in the car and drove back to the manse. I nipped into the house and got my daughter and my dog. We drove the very short distance to the nearby estate with its large grounds and big house. Here we could walk, all four of us, and we would be lucky if we saw anything other than wildlife at this early time of the day. It was marvellous. I took some great pictures. My daughter took Nettie’s hand something she had never done with her daughter. I could see a tear running down her cheek and knew we were back on track. We were now in fact more than back on track because not only had we walked but on the way back Nettie came into the Manse for coffee with my daughter, she helped by showing Nettie where everything was kept, the two of them were getting on like a house on fire.



I never told her I was hopeless at dancing, after all the snow had come. For long after this day we joked that I did a great turn at snow dancing. Tomorrow I will bring this story to its end and answer the question of Netties daughter.





This blog is linked to my other blog where the artwork is discussed:-Linlithgow Palace

Walking and Running

Spring brings thoughts of longer days and daylight runs. If you have ever gone running in the streets you will be aware of the many hazards that this activity brings with it. The unseen potholes ready to trip you up, the dogs that run at you and frighten the life out of you. Then there are those who either cannot run or choose not to run or who are too lazy to make the effort but still feel they have to shout comments at those who do. The favourite seems to be, “Keep on running.” It used to annoy me but no more. Now if they shout that at me I am just so happy that they notice I am not walking.


Hold that thought in your mind.

Every year the new intake of students where I taught would have heard enough about Mr. T. to know that he could take a joke, so there was always some who wanted to point out my white hair and their youth. My way of overcoming this was to lay down the challenge of a race, a short but hilly six miles. There was always the odd few who were foolish enough to try. One year was different. On my giving out the challenge a voice was heard to say, “Don’t be silly, he took my big brother out for a run and he was in bed for two days after it.”

Hold that thought in your mind.

I remember running with a very good athlete on a training run. As we ran he said, “This is lovely you should always run at a pace where it is still possible to hold a conversation.” I replied, “I hope you notice then that this is a one sided conversation.”

Hold that thought in your mind.

Now have you noticed what I have done? You are now trying to hold three thoughts in your head and wondering what one to think about first. You are now multi-tasking with the brain. I am sure you all know that multi-tasking is a female thing; men don’t do multi-tasking. So I am continually informed.

The Toa says when you walk, walk, when you run, then run. In other words, one thing at a time and that one thing to the best of your ability. Who am I to suggest that multi-tasking is not possible. But if something is to be done to the very best of ones ability it requires all of the thought process for that one action. If the artist is to produce a meaningful piece of art then it calls for the full interaction of the artist with the work in hand. Recently I was struggling with two paintings. A fellow artist said, “Lay one aside and just look at the one.” So simple but it worked both were soon completed. If this is true for the artist it is true for everything else in life. One thing at a time done well.

This is the way of the Tao.