ARCHIE's Art will raise funds for The ARCHIE Foundation’s appeal to make
Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital ‘a world-class hospital for today
and tomorrow’s sick children’.
ARCHIE’s Art takes place on November 12 and 13 at Wood Group’s Trafalgar House, Hareness Road, Altens, beginning at 6.30pm.
Wood Group employees have organised the event as part of their pledge to support The ARCHIE Foundation’s
High 10 for Archie campaign, which sets out to raise £1 million to
transform the ten key steps of a child's journey through the Royal
Aberdeen Children's Hospital.
Wood Group is proud to host ARCHIE's Art - an exhibition showcasing
artists from throughout the North and North East of Scotland and the
Western Isles.
Well folks, one of those artists was me. Most of the artists were Artists capital A. Professional. I gulped at some of the price tags. Which had 3 noughts at the end.....
As is my wont I let the cultural side down. Do I care?
As the great and good of the art world, and purchasers of ! gathered to view. Sip their white fizz and indulge in the canapes, and have a good laugh at some of the work on show
Being forewarned that there was no red wine, I brought my own.
Chariot is ace for concealing bottles. And no, the man to my left is not challenging me on smuggling it in. I was quite honest about my nefarious activities. I draw the line at bringing my own glass so explained my need of same to (very efficient and discreet waiting on staff.) (The DP had asked if I would like a box of red strapped on to the chariot. Perhaps next time.)
Should explain my expression. This is my usual expression when the DP takes my photo, as he never says 'Smile' just presses the b****y button when I am not ready.
Just to prove it, here is another.
Hope the local rag got a better one. At least he said, "Look at me, ready, right."
As you will have seen from the blurb at the top the exhibition/raising funds is on for 2 nights. One night was enough for me. It took us almost 2 hours to get from where we live to Aberdeen. 30 plus miles. I thought they must have evacuated Peterhead. One expected nose to tail coming out of Aberdeen it being the going home time. What I hadnt expected was the nose to tail from Peterhead going the same way as us. No, I wasnt driving!
Now the best bit.
SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 50% of the sale price to Archies.
So I am celebrating tonight, glass of red of course.
The older I get, the more I have to force myself out of my comfort zone!
Today I visited the city of Aberdeen.
First up was this barring the only way in to the only multi storey car park I feel comfortable in, (despite fighting off young men, who want to wash my car, (and I thought they were chatting me up.))
Happily my internal satnav, which only comes into play when I am in panic mode, found me another way to the car park.
Once out of there and into the mall, I avoided all temptations, Debenhams, Waterstones, but just had to go through Primark, waiting for the knell of doom at any minute. It really is against all my principles to go into such places where they exploit cheap labour.... £20 lighter and with a whole new wardrobe of clothes, I walked across Union Street down Belmont Street, turned right into Gaelic Lane, and there was....
The Coffee House.
Inside. Oh wow.
Yum.
Fresh flowers on the tables. Home made soups, home bakes, sandwiches, smiley serving staff. Lovely.
And, furthermore, one of these places with free wi-fi.
A lot of people diddling about on lap tops.
Not to be outdone, I asked the young man clearing tables how one connected, so he told me the password, apple, in case you visit, and this silver surfer connected her tablet, just for the hell of it. (No emails, and no-one sharing things on facebook, so slid the whole thing back in handbag....loking as if I had had loads of messages, hah)
And was then joined by Christine. Christine's blog can be found at , www.christinelaennec.co.uk.
Suddenly I was in a comfort zone! We had one and a half hours solid exchange of chat. Lovely.
Then I had to return to the car and drive home.
It to0k me thirty minutes to get out of the car park. Stop start, stop start. Cities are no way in my comfort zone. No I didnt feel the buzz, I just felt my chest tightening from all the fumes from car exhausts, and my blood pressure going up, and a feeling of claustrophobia.
I am more used to this,
Once everyone got moving and I was out of the middle of the city. I just had to call in at Dunelm and the carbon monoxide or whatever having gone to my brain I decided to look for curtains. For our bedroom. We have been here for two years and the curtains were recycled from our previous home, and are, here, dark, gloomy, and not in keeping.
Even so, this decision to go buy some new ones was a bit of a surprise, even to me. In fact the decision was so bad I bought a pair which are totally the wrong size. I had spent over an hour trying to phone home for the DP to measure up so I got it right, but there was a fault on the line. ( i.e. the DP not replacing the phone properly) so I continually got the engaged signal. So I guessed the size. Blame the carbon mono etc.
As it was his fault he is to return the curtains and get the right sized ones.
But all in all I am so glad I escaped my comfort zone. I got to see Christine, such a lovely person, sadly missed seeing her gorgeous daughter, and also sadly our fellow blogger Tina, but then, there will be other days when I will manage to escape my comfort zone and meet with them again.
So, whats your comfort zone? And do you ever leave it? Sometimes, like today, its well worth it, ignoring the curtains.............
