I’ve been on my holidays, I danced at a ceilidh and cuddled a puppy.
The end.
Love Helenx
Oh you’re still here? Funny you should ask, yes I do have some holiday snaps.
What I read on my holidays:
All Fours by Miranda July - I loved the first two thirds of this bonkers book about a woman who has a crisis about losing her libido after menopause. But the last third of the book felt like a lecture on feminist theory in long term relationships. Call me shallow but I just wanted to get back to the antics with the young man at the motel room (hot flush 🥵) I love feminism obvs but I don’t want to be lectured about it beside a pool on my holidays. It was like listening to an episode of The Archers (a long running British radio soap set in a farming community) when they start talking about a new farming technique and you know they are trying to educate the listeners. It feels patronising.
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton - Really interesting: about the writer rescuing a baby hare (a leveret) and raising it to adulthood. My criticism is that it felt like a book written for middle class people to get excited about at book festivals. Ha! Maybe that’s unfair. I loved the details about the hare, not so much the bits about how sympathetically resorted her house was.
Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I absolutely LOVED this book and wholeheartedly recommend it. My niece told me about it and I am so happy I took her advice. Last year I read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin on my holidays and Daisy Jones had a similar theme. It was about a group of creatives working together, through all the ups and downs of life, to create something truly great.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - Loved it. I want to try more Korean food.
Spying on unsuspecting victims at the pool
I made a film about my favourite part of the holiday: Spying on unsuspecting victims. Click below to watch it.
Do you like drawing people in the wild? Do you have any tips about how to be an invisible illustrator spy? 🕵️♀️ Please share your tips below!
Puppy
When I got back from my holidays my friend and Life Guard at the Good Ship (you might have met her in the emails or seen her on our Zoom calls)
came to visit with her thirteen week old puppy, Jet. Happy times. He likes chewing Alice’s shoelaces, biting socks, climbing up my face and chewing my ponytail.
The Good Ship ceilidh night
It took me back to my childhood when I went to Scottish Dancing lessons every Friday night. I even won a few medals! We often practiced in my dance teacher’s betting shop with betting slips scattered under foot, and the racing commentary blaring out in the back ground.
How’s your summer going? Do you plan to take some time off? Or are you mid deadline, arg! How do you stay invisible when drawing unsuspecting victims in the wild?
That’s all for now, see you soon,
Helenx
P.S. The other day I saw four roadmen carrying two nice pastel duvets and an arm full of pillows. I guess it was a roadman sleep over (here’s the definition of roadman in the urban dictionary for any non brits).
I loved Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow too! It’s always such a pleasure to read about the creative process isn’t it? I might research some more, and will deffo read Daisy Jones.
Re: sneaky drawing. On the beach, I’m clearly not very sneaky at all! The other day, after I had been drawing two Mum’s and their kids paddling, the granny walked past and started chatting and took photos! So much for anonymity! Ha!
Cor, I haven't heard Slave to Love in aaaaages. Will be remedying that on a train ride this weekend! Thanks for the Sunday Buffet, I always hope there will be one at the weekend.