Another Road Trip to Narrogin

Yesterday was a chance to catch our breaths. We spent most of the day at home. The morning passed very pleasantly catching up online. We had a decadently late breakfast and resolved to clean the house, Michael tackled the vacuuming - floors, walls, ceilings, behind the furniture - sucking up whole colonies of spiders with gay abandon. I launched into washing dishes, dusting, polishing and wiping benches, the window blind and the table.

Michael was feeling very tired. He retired to bed for an early afternoon snooze. He was asleep in no time. I pottered around and washed the floors. I gently woke Michael after an hour. Whilst he returned to being somewhat compos mentis, I had a long, satisfying and much-needed shower. We had places to go and people to see...

Our goal was Narrogin and Ebenezer House. One of the paintings I'd brought home from Christine Davis' collection had suffered a frame malfunction en route to Beverley. The painting needed major surgery to its frame. Hence, we set out for Narrogin.

The drive was uneventful. The afternoon was hot and lazy, so we enjoyed the coolness of the car's air-conditioning for the hundred kilometre trip.

We arrived at Christine's home as her young adult homing pigeons descended on her fridge, devouring most of its contents for afternoon tea. Phoebe, in Year 12, wanting to study paediatric nursing and very, very sporty, was creating a concoction in the blender. Linden, who is about to complete his plumbing apprenticeship, had most of his tall body investigating the fridge's interior delights. Juliette, the French exchange student, was tucking into a heated snack on toast at the dining table.

Mark, her husband, another full-time teacher, wandered into the mayhem. He would have to be one of the most laid back people I have ever met. A dry and witty sense of humour was yet another of his attributes. He left for Somewhere Else. Possibly Phoebe went with him. It was quite difficult to tell.

Amidst all this hectic activity, Christine was cheerful and unruffled. She made us tea and coffee and filled in more details of her very busy life. We enjoyed every second of her company. She had us in stitches.

Eventually, we needed to get down to business. The injured painting was retrieved from Goldie (in pieces) and deposited into Christine's studio. I asked if I could have another painting for the Gallery in its place. Christine gave me full rein.

I narrowed my choices down to three. We settled on a beautiful pastel that Christine had created way back in 1990. I was stoked. And then Christine gave me a painting to keep...

Now I was speechless. This was a piece with which I had fallen in love on the previous visit. Unbeknown to me, Christine and Mark had decided to give me this particular painting. I could not believe my good fortune. I hugged Christine and thanked her from the bottom of my heart. Wow.

"An Evening Walk" is now in our bedroom. Next to Michael's stunning "Discarded Dreams". They complement each other in the rich red glow of the wall. I feel its beauty.

"Pastel Bunch" will make its home in the East End Gallery tomorrow. I am adding another pastel I have owned for twenty years. Diana Selentin's "Wildflower Tapestry" is from another time and another place in my life. Artworks are like books. They need to be shared with the universe.

And as for Christine Davis and her hilarious, eclectic and energetic family, you are all stars!

"Wildflower Tapestry" and "Pastel Bunch"

"An Evening Walk"

and "Discarded Dreams".