Getting pretty pretty flowers - it means you've done something right :D I had a bit of a school presentation of my work last night, giving a lecture about being an illustrator... Even at the very start I could see some of the people's intellectual and educational (not to mention their imagination) development has been arrested around the age of twelve and they had no idea why the heck I was showing them books with illuminated manuscripts to explain the history of picture books, or why someone who doodles for a living has a right to stand while they sit... But then there is the other kind - the kind that can't stop asking questions. The kind that makes me want to be a teacher.

The little girl who acted as my commissioner, the author of the tale, explained about the statue of their fair city - how a pegassus supposedly once landed her, stomped a hoof and healing water came bubbling out - and that's how it started, the legend of this spa town and their famous hot springs.

Then we had a bit of a girl talk with her mum and the teacher who invited me and the girl (and a cushy pitch black lab called Night, their family dawgie), while The General read in the car. He picked this habit up from my dad and I'm starting to worry he won't be willing to shake it, ever.

Tonight I slept long and soundly for the first time in a long time. Two days ago I wrote to the editor about the Little Karlins travel book and she responded very early yesterday morning, so even though I tried to place the book in .pdf until I was frozen numb and starving, I still rushed to finish it the same day and then rad to the train station... So now there are so many things up in the air, that are out of my hands, that I have zero control and it feels so airy and calm...

Oh, and today is the first day of spring. not the official, equinoctial, but I just have to look out of the window and there it is :D No more showering in the freezer!!