Afternoon delight

Well, lunchtime actually. There's a fantastic book called The Artists Way by Julia Cameron that I was first introduced to back in spring/summer 1998 when I was feeling totally stuck in a new town, job that I hated and didn't know what to do. Someone who I didn't know very well, and who was equally unhappy as me (although I wasn't aware of her unhappiness) told me that she was working through this 12 week course and told me about this book. I am so glad she did, and I've been referring to it now and again ever since.

Sooooo - feeling a bit stuck with my photography I thought I'd see what Julia had to say and just opened the book randomly. The advice was to keep at it, but to make small changes to your practice or daily routine: take a different route to work; do something to be kind to yourself at lunchtime; explore your neighbourhood etc etc etc

And today I took myself inside a building I have wondered about for years. The old roller skating rink in the centre of Norwich, next to the police station. It's now a shop 'Country and Eastern' which is absolutely breathtaking. There are statues of Buddha, Ganesh and who knows who else all over the place; piles of lovely carpets, fabrics, painted wooden boxes, beautiful ceramic knobs, tiles - I gasped so loudly when I went in that the lady behind the counter asked if I was okay .....

It really is a treasure trove - some of the most beautiful things, to me, only cost a couple of quid so I'm definitely going back to treat myself to something lovely to put on my desk at work.

This is a pic of one of several parasols. And as I was walking back to work I had a few thoughts about what I do, why I do it, and am sure my footsteps seemed a little lighter.