Gareth

Friday we drove down to Llandeilo, Charles trying valiantly to stay awake after his Venetian and Mexican jaunts (don't worry Libby was driving). The websites implied that Llandeilo was a 'happening' place so we expected lots of restaurant choice in the evening - zilch! Charles idly murmured that it would be lovely if there was a little Mexican cantina - and you'll never guess what, abracadabra, round the next corner there was the one and only cafe in town - Caffi Salvador, serving Mexican/Spanish dishes. Completely unpretentious, a lovely jolly owner chef, great food, and exactly what the doctor required. Even Charles perked up - well, a glass of wine and some interesting food usually does the trick.

This morning we set off early for Gareth's studio where the glass panel is coming along famously and we filmed him putting the leading in place, and also making a perfect circle of lead for one of his apples - posh French mustard jars come in useful. This is the last filming sequence with Gareth so he can happily shave off his beard now!

Back to the hotel to deposit the equipment and a relaxing lunch at Nigel Williams Barita and Deli. Couple of hours left in the afternoon - what to do? Charles shyly suggested that he'd been overworking and deserved a treat so what about the Gwili Steam Railway a mere 20 minutes away.

Gwili it was, and as luck would have it a train was about to leave as we drove into the car park. A dash to the ticket office - 'certainly, 2 senior citizens tickets' said the man looking at my youthful companion and I. So stunned was I that it was not until we were safely seated on the train that I exploded! To be taken for an old age pensioner - GRRRRRRR!

Injury to insult - it then transpired the fireman had turned up missing that morning so no steam trains allowed, and then the old diesel engine had broken down, so we were being pulled by some ordinary diesel engine. However at Llwyfan Cerrig stop Charles did get a chance to pretend to be a train postyman and Libby (still managing to smile) posed in front of a very old carriage - predating Libby herself.

Tomorrow it's back to Film Farm for a 2 day Piper session (see http://piperpapers.blogspot.com)

in the meantime, in between time

No, not Venice - but Teotihuacan, Mexico

What's been happening since Venice I hear you ask? Well, perhaps not, but I'm going enlighten you anyway.

It's been frenetic - for both of us. No sooner had Charles returned home than he had to pack for Mexico and process the Venice photos and rushes, which I collected on the 5th June en route to the opening of the Victorian and Edwardian exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull. The exhibition was accompanied by a very weighty tome featuring every single work in their collection over this period - a fantastic resource and well worth having (only unfortunately not available outside their own shop at present). Contributors were Christopher Wright, Paul Goldman, the irrepressible Donato Esposito and yours truly who did the Brangwyn section (now there's a surprise!) Book and one of the Brangwyn double spreads below.

I then spent a few days with my mother in North Yorkshire before returning home to sort out all the Venice photos and rushes and put together my new Gourmet Art lecture.

Meanwhile Charles left for Mexico 6th June returning to Film Farm Sunday 14th, having worked even longer days than we did in Venice and in greater heat and without a Libby bag lady. He then had a mere 3 days to recuperate and repack bags before I arrived June 18th having given what appeared to be a very successful and fun lecture. The only negative comment I received was that I didn't allow the audience sufficient time to laugh! And the Gourmet nibbles went down very well!

So, after that minor preamble - on to the purpose of this trip. We're off at early light to drive down to wild windy west Wales again, this time to film Gareth leading the stained glass panel.

Venice

Above: The old gondola yard in Venice, which Brangwyn painted

Just spent a glorious week in Venice, mainly to film Piper stuff, but also Rigby Graham and Frank Brangwyn - so to follow the FB in Venice trail see our sister blog http://piperpapers,blogspot.com
Happy hunting!

Above: Libby jumping for joy!

Banana skins and Brangwyn

These two items may seem unconnected. However, back in 1911, the vicar of Bucklebury church, Berkshire, complained mightily about the mess in his church, pea shooters, nut shells, orange peel, defaced prayer books etc etc. We felt behoven to re-enact this scene and luckily Pepper agreed to act the part of the church cat (Zutty being far too posh looking for the part).

We had from Wednesday afternoon to Sunday morning to edit the Bucklebury film and work out what we required in the way of equipment for the Venice trip, and despite Mike Goldmark hauling Charles off on Friday to film Brian Aldiss climbing on and off a helicopter and interview same personage (Mike is publishing Brian's latest book Walcot), we actually succeeded in accomplishing our goals. Amazing Grace!

April update

Amazing how much work one can get done when staying in one place for a number of weeks. In the past 5 weeks I've succeeded in writing the film sequences for Dublin, Elveden, Bruges and Miscellaneous little bits and bobs together with putting together the relevant images, and tackled some Piper related work.

Plus I've met Peter Blake ( a hero), done lots of gardening, running and exercises and painted a picture for elder son who's getting married 9 May - sunglasses obligatory for viewing!

Meanwhile Charles has been working on putting his Robert Dawson video on to DVD and enhancing and making a grand master DVD of all his Rigby Graham films. He had also started preparing for the Montezuma/Mexico trip, to be undertaken with Anna B-G and a pile of worthies from the BM, when of course the epidemic/pandemic put a stop to such activities.

So he's got to suffer an editing session with little old me instead!

Post budget Paxo was screened against a word cloud - you too can create one by going to www.wordle.net/create - they are fantastic fun and a great time waster - especially if you start mucking about with the final image in Photoshop (this was just a quickie, made by putting in the blog URL).

A Big Wet Adventure

As if the previous day were not sufficient excitement, a problem was spotted with the fuses which led Charles to investigate the cellar - AWASH! The house is built on top of a stream (not the cleverest plan known to man) and the cellar naturally fills with water, necessitating the aid of a full-time pump. Unfortunately the cord fastening the pump to the beam and maintaining the pump's position had snapped and said pump had tipped into the water and for some reason stopped working, hence the deluge. Obviously all electricity had to be switched off before a wellie clad Charles ventured forth to assess the situation. Much sloshing around in water with the aid of a torch, removal of said pump from scene (of crime), check that wine bottles not affected etc etc.
Sometime or other we managed to complete the Manaton film which is rather glorious and atmospheric with the pianola and the rainy, windy, thundery weather.
Libby returns back home Sunday, meanwhile Charles anticipates the arrival of the Bear on the 30th for another week of Charlotte editing. And then yet another guest (Anna B-G) after that.
No rest for ....
However Libby is keeping out of his hair for about 6 1/2 weeks or probably even longer if Anna secures a Montezuma related trip to Mexico. Ole!

Filmmaker helps police with their enquiries

About 4am Friday distant sounds of planes could be heard. Charles, in a delusional state, decided the Air Force were practising a royal fly-past in secret. However the noise gradually became louder, until at about 5am it was obvious that a helicopter was circling overhead. Police cars with lights blazing drove round the drive countless times - it should be remembered that this is a pretty remote part of Lincolnshire. The cars could be seen negotiating the small roads in the area and the helicopter appeared to be hovering over the neighbouring church. Having ascertained that both of us were still alive and safe and the doors well and truly locked, we hunkered down until morn, when we discovered (via the local radio station) that some gangsters had driven a fork lift truck into the wall of Barclays Bank in Spilsby, thereby removing the ATM machine, and, for some strange reason had made their getaway to East Kirkby church, an isolated spot to be sure but also a dead end. Here the felons had been located by the helicopter (borrowed from Yorkshire since amazingly enough Lincolnshire do not own one) and finally apprehended by the constabulary.
A very attractive young blond officer of the female persuasion came to the house later in the day to ensure everything was safe and no-one was hiding out in the barns. Youthful Charles was only to happy to help with enquiries.
We had to make a fleeting visit to Spilsby that day (since we came from the 'big 'ouse' we were waved magisterially through the crime scene and dozens of police-personages and forensics) and actually saw the 'Hole in the Wall' (literally), excited townspeople describing the 'wild west' character of their sleepy little township!
More progress on Manaton despite the broo-ha-ha! And in the evening Libby devised a rather splendid Bread and Butter Pudding for Soundbites.