General Synod announcement

General Synod announcement

A rumour has sprung forth that I have been elected to General Synod. I received the following e-mail from my vicar following a conversation on the subject: ‘Most of the Chelmsford Diocese seems to think you are on it and I was so convinced by them that I’ve put it in the Notice Sheet! OOOPs!’…

Southminster art and craft exhibition

Southminster art and craft exhibition

On Sunday I am making an appearance at the Southminster art and craft exhibition at St Leonards Church in Southminster, Essex (location). If you would like to see a few of my cartoons or buy a book and you happen to live in that particular part of rural Essex I might be as bold as…

Tent news

Tent news

We have a new tent. It is to replace the campervan which was retired from active service a year ago. In order to prove to ourselves that we can put up the new tent we went on a highly unadventurous camping trip to a camp site approximately 3 miles from home at Barleylands, a ‘farm…

We have a squirrel in the roof

We have one or more squirrels in the roof. I hear it, or them, pacing inside the soffits. There is no way to tell how many squirrels there are, because in the time it takes to move the stepladder to the loft hatch, work out how to open the step ladder, work out how to…

Overdue library book

Overdue library book

I was quite surprised when I had a look on the library computer to find that I had had one of my books for over 100 years. Fortunately the maximum fine for such an offence is £3.70.

I am a menace to society

I am a menace to society

Sorry everyone. I would like to point out that my van does not present a blockage to the emergency services. There is plenty of room for them to get past. However, the refuse and cleansing operational services (bin men) have to reverse around a corner and so I can see why they would think my…

The shops

The shops

It might seem as if I post the same cartoon week in and week out, but in fact it’s just your memory playing tricks. On Saturday we went down to Greenwich market. It’s quite easy from here – for those that are interested: Buy a travelcard, change at West Ham onto the Jubilee line and…

Folding bikes (continued)

Folding bikes (continued)

As I have said before (hence the continued’) I love the idea of getting a folding bike. The picture above is me test riding a ‘Brompton’, the ultimate in folding bikes, at the Cycle Show. Bromptons cost about £600 once you have bought all the trimmings. As you can see I am blurred owing to…

Evening classes

Evening classes

We are currently in the evening class signing up season. Brochures are being thumbed, tutors are reading up on their subjects and people like me are telephoning the admissions hotline. Last year if you remember I did two different oil painting classes. This year I have changed direction and have decided that I am going…

Basildon Church

I have recently been working on the website for the Parish of Langdon Hills, Basildon, Essex. I’m just putting a post on here to let the search engines know about it. Regular readers: feel free to talk amongst yourselves or take an opportunity to visit the lavatories or the book stall. If you’re looking for…

Going walking without a dog

Going walking without a dog

This is a three minute cartoon, which explains why it looks a bit odd. The dogs look like crosses between sheep and rabbits, but that is just the angle. The man walking is stooped over owing to the burdensome cares of life which are weighing heavily upon his weary shoulders. The trees are just there…

How I draw cartoons

How I draw cartoons

Evie sits on the desk and shows me where the lines should go. Unfortunately she is rather more interested in things like noises and creatures, so her attention is often divided as the picture shows. This evening I had planned to some of the drawings you suggested earlier and also one or two e-mails, but…

Leigh-on-Sea Art Trail 2007

This post is of interest mainly to people reading who are fairly local to me, which is probably in the region of between none and three. The Leigh Art Trail is on at the moment in Leigh on Sea. The idea is that lots of local artists display their work in different venues, and people…

Christian Aid collecting

Christian Aid collecting

Last week was Christian Aid week. I suspect some readers will, like me, have had the joy of delivering their Christian Aid envelopes and then collecting them a few days later. The above not-really-humourous-I’m-afraid diagram illustrates the various responses one gets at the doors. Now, one thing must be said. I am not a particularly…

Gardening news just in

Gardening news just in

Today was a day for attending to the woeful state of the garden, which has been allowed to fall into rack, ruin and disrepair because because we have been busy with getting cats and doing all the travelling we could manage in the six weeks before getting cats. I assembled a mini greenhouse. The above…

Our cats: Additional supplementary news update bulletin

Our cats: Additional supplementary news update bulletin

I have been overwhelmed by the immense level of interest shown in our new cats by those in certain sectors of the internet. People have been e-mailing in, and other people have been writing blog posts about them and everything. Here are some more pictures: The answer to a question that a lot of you…