A Sunday morning in Girona!

Wow, I cannot remember for a long time having so many things stacked up against me. I have lost my two social groups - admittedly, the Meetup group through my own choice... however, it was more or less inevitable from October, there was tension with one member, the same as below, and anyway apart from that I felt that the good times had passed - 3 years, over 200 meetups! But Girona Grapevine, which I have taken care of for about four years and also at a time previously, and which has been in existence in Girona for about 17 years, is no more. A member of the group, and also a member of the Meetup group where I was Organiser (and where she gained many friends) created a competing meetup with her own group at the same time in an alternative location. But I was for ever trying to persuade Girona Grapevine to find a better place. So why did they not say to me that they have found somewhere better? (I was online all the time I was away). And I would have been delighted. But when the members went, they effectively joined the other group. Es lo que hay.
My Meetup group.... I gave them 3 years but they would not give me one week to sort out a problem with our regular venue - I was on the point of coming back from Colombia. It is odd really, I fell out with both groups for a very similar reason. In both cases, I was the Organiser which involves a great deal of time in the background, but that seemed to have counted for very little. I feel hurt by this experience but it will soon pass. Adelante.
Change of subject! I have floaters in my left eye which blur my sight as they float across my view. Floaters happen as one gets older, solid jelly which floats around the aqueous solution inside the eyeball. Normally after a time, the brain gets used to it but, after 6 months, this still affects the focus of my eye which is very annoying. But if that is the greatest of my health problems, I am lucky.
I have fallen out with one European friend. So I am very sad. But I have re-made contact with a good friend here in Girona.
So I am rather depressed. But I go to Kiev, Ukraine in April. My head is foggy, I cannot paint and I am drinking too much in an attempt to dull the pain. Except that it does not do that. I have a pain inside which I don't understand, it has been with me for many years. Don't worry, when I say that I am drinking too much, I am talking about wine, not a bottle of whiskey in a day!
I am sure things will get better. They usually do!
Update, Sunday morning...... The sadness over my social groups is wearing off and I think I will go and see my friends at church in Barcelona today. It is 6.45am so I have time for some breakfast before catching a bus to Girona at 8am. Then I take the fast AVE train to Barcelona. Haha, I am still at home and it is 9.30am. I went back to bed and this morning I will praise God on my bike! Ahh, that option didn't work out either! As soon as I walked out of the front entrance of the flats, I nearly got knocked over by the wind. Now I am full of negative thoughts, the floaters in my left eye affect my desire to do any painting and the possible loss of my cathedral paintings also creates a negative feeling.

The following images are from a logo that Alexander, Nini's husband, drew for his cake making which he does from home. The first is a photo which they use on their Facebook page but I promised that I would design an artwork in Adobe Illustrator when I got back here. That is the second image as you can probably guess. Now I know the customer is always right but I was a bit taken aback when Nini wrote that they are the same. And they prefer the photo. It is not even complete, they have clipped the image. Or maybe it is a pride thing - Nini has lots of the not-so-good type of pride! I did offer to make any changes they want because each element of the graphic is on a separate layer which can be switched on or off... or modifed. The lines were hand-drawn on the screen and are made up of anchor points and handles so that they can be pushed around easily. Or Illustrator can import scanned artwork for when I draw it on paper, which I prefer. Doing it on-screen was quicker so it is just as well I used that method!
I am not upset, nothing like that. I had fun doing it, it only took me a couple of hours. But it is interesting to see the difference in their view compared to here. I am sure that if I had done it for a friend here they would say that the graphic is much better.... but maybe ask for changes. That is allowed! But I can see what Nini is thinking, maybe the graphic design is too strong, she wanted something "homely" and slightly amateurish. She said the colours were too strong but 2 minutes in Photoshop and they could have had pastel colours to match the title (pastel in Spanish is "cake").... But, all the same, that is another thing that is making me sad. I would have loved to have done something for them which didn't involve money.
 

On my Wacom Tablet, it is easy! I draw with a stylus directly on the screen.
Most of the time, I don't use a keyboard, the controller is behind the mouse pad on charge.

 

I now have my ears pieced with two rings as "keepers" which have to stay in for four months. At the moment, I look a little like Jack Sparrow. I have had my hair coloured back to what I had originally last year - it got bleached in the Colombian sun! And I now have red finger-nails!