Malta Once More

We went because a mate has a massive flat there, huge and clean with a shark in the kitchen.



There was also an easel right next to the balcony where waits a blank canvas along with oils, acrylics, pencils, crayons, brushes etc, everything you might need. It was carnival time and many of our hours were spent wandering through party mode Valletta among floats and dancers, hence Lola.




Lola's better from far away. She is my first and possibly last acrylic painting. I have no gift for it, and am vaguely paralysed by that knowledge but it was fun. Important for me to get past doing things in order to be good at them. Chums have kept her to go up with other friends' artwork they hang on the walls, and will bring her home if/when they sell up.

Spring in Malta's pretty; the white stone walls peppered with swathes of yellow flowers, wild fennel, prickly pear, trees in blossom, warmth punctuated every two days with a more windswept air. But that big yellow stranger was always around, bringing me back to life. Everything that's caused me sorrow over the past couple of years melted away, shrank to nothing. I got up each morning to see the sun rise over the bay, feel my bones dry and my spirits lift, hear the birds, paint a bit, have breakfast, go out to see... see what? Temples and towns, the jewel bright water, art and boats, the ancient, the modern, my head was filled every day. So was my stomach. I am visibly chunkier now, a week of Maltese generosity going straight to my waistline. Honestly I may have to try that Ozempic everyone's talking about. I'm looking more, er, voluptuous, than may strictly suit my height. Some of this is Letrozole, but a lot of it is cake. Carry on like this and I'll resemble Malta's most famous lady, though she's so lovely that it's hard to see it as a bad thing. There's a serene charm to her, 5000 years and counting.



I wonder if 5000 years from now, someone will find our art and effigies and wonder at us. Were we happy? Were we beautiful? What did we care for? What did we do?

Here's one very sweet answer from Malta's wildlife rehabilitation centre:
https://www.facebook.com/debbie.gallagher.7923/videos/9290259691011179