Another Milestone (and welcome to new follower)

I have never, in all my extensive and drawn out puff, had a toothache such as that I endured over the last week - even nudging the thing with my tongue set off waves of agony and caused me to wonder if life were really, on the whole, taken by and large, worth all the bother......

Fortunately, the dentist's antibiotics, the chemist's Oil of Cloves, the Internet's suggestion of a salt and bicarb poultice, and the fact that all together caused the foul thing to burst (I shall spare you the details, the rich multiplicity of colours thus produced, wishing that someone might have spared me too) and eased the ghastly agonies sufficiently to enable me to enjoy lunch with my mother, brother and sister-in-law on Saturday at the New Inn, at Shalfleet, Isle of Wight (wonderful fish!) and also lunch today at the Buddle Inn, just down the road, for some of the best roast beef, Yorkshire pud and roast potatoes, courtesy of my friend Mr Skidmore, I've had for a long time.  And today was my birthday.  Yes, no more pretence that we are a mere 39, which seemed to be fooling just about no one; we have entered our 63rd year: and if it could be held free of the gastric haemorrhage, chest infections and tooth abscess we've had this year, I shall be grateful.  I realize that Fate has had a high old time this year, working out what to inflict on me next, but - take a break, eh?  Don't work yourself into an early grave.....  Turn the attention somewhere else......

Interest has been expressed by several people in my e-book; one has worked out how to pay for it and done so; others require the dvd version and will be provided with the same the moment they give me a) their money, b) their addresses.  Hint.  I am not being bowled over in the rush, but that's rather the way I anticipated it - a steady and gentle stream will suit me much better.

Did I say, it's awfully GOOD.....?

Welcome to my new follower, who brings the total number of regular readers up to 11.  Also a slow and steady build-up....

Back to painting as soon as possible - I haven't had the time for a month while I wrote the book, or the inclination since one infection followed another ....  but I hope the last of these emergencies and disasters has, for the time being at least, passed by.  I'm not sure quite how many more I could take.....  But we seem to trundle on, like an old tank.....

Complete, finished, available! Just a pity about me teeth....

My e-book, Oil Painting for the Total Beginner, all 11 Chapters, 21,000 words, illustrations, notes - including suggested colour mixes - and Glossary of art terms is finished, done, ready.

It's in PDF form only at present: I can put it on a CD or DVD for you, at £10 including postage and packing; or send you a download, at £8: just email me at either 

robertjones@ratville.freeserve.co.uk

Or

jones-ratville@hotmail.co.uk


Tell me what form you'd like the book in, and I will reply to you telling you how it can be paid for (preferably via Paypal, on my website - www.isleofwightlandscapes.net, but I also take cheques, postal orders, and dubious services in kind......).  Incidentally, I can also print it - but at 54 A4 pages, I'd have to have a think about costs: I might be able to do it for £10, but would have to add p & p on top.

My warm glow of accomplishment at having finished the thing was slightly tempered when I woke up yesterday with raging toothache; just nicely in time for my birthday, too......  However, I've been able to get an emergency appointment via the NHS Dental Helpline, at 2.30 this very afternoon.  How I look forward to it...........

I have something of a dental phobia, but there are things - like crashing pain every time you so much as hit the tooth with your tongue - that rather get you over that.

For those similarly banjaxed, and seeking temporary pain relief while awaiting the dentist and his sturdy pliers, Oil of Cloves, on a wad of cotton wool, applied to the tooth, actually DOES help.  Just enough to enable one to write and think without whimpering for Mummy......

Finished bar the shouting!!

My E-book, provisionally titled Oil Painting for Total Beginners, is written and illustrated; 20,000 words, give or take, glossary, Notes including sample colour mixes.  It will be available on PDF download (zip file), or on CD (again, PDF - no animation!) as preferred.

I would prefer payment via Paypal, from my website - haven't settled on the price yet, have to work out costs of making the download available as opposed to the CD, but £10 for the download would be about right.

Well, I think it would be about right .... I'm open to outraged suggestions to the contrary....

Anyone interested at this stage might like to email me - this would put you at the head of the ENORMOUS list of persons just waiting to get their hooks into my masterly work.

The download will be ready by the end of this week (November 16th); the CD will have to wait a few days - if it's actually wanted in that form at all - while I actually get some recordable CDs (or DVDs).  

I can also do a printed copy - I'd rather not, to be honest, because it's going to take me a while to churn out some 50 pages on my old printers: I'll only do this by special order: have to give consideration to the binding, otherwise it's going to be a rather shoddier product than the download.  And we don't want shoddy.

Details on request - sample pages available if desired.

Well come on then, what are you waiting for?