Thank you

Today the wind is rattling at the door. It is cold, dark gray and the night is holding on to time forbidding the daylight entry to the world. Stormy outside and I have to drive to Bath to deliver the last of the artwork and talk about the book.
Yesterday I had an email from Bob, who has ordered the book from his local bookshop in America. It seems the publication date is September in the USA. This is very quick as usually it takes a year from finishing a book to publication as the publishers try to bring in as many co-editions as they can get as well as interesting book clubs and the like.
This is not the end of the blog, just because I have finished painting. Now the art goes out of my hands and on to its own journey, and I will try and follow it as the book is designed and printed and then hopefully makes its way into shops and finds a harbour in the hearts and mind of children.
But before it does that I would like to thank all the readers of the blog for your help and support over the months. As you know it has not been easy at times. I am so pleased that I did not let this book slip through my fingers, so glad to have had that four in the morning memory of making paper boats as a child that was the key to unlocking the images. Your enthusiasm and encouragement has kept me painting and kept me posting. And I would like to say thanks to all my family as well, to the kids who let me paint all through Christmas, to Robin, who drives to visit me and then cooks me lovely meals while I shut myself away in my studio painting, and to my friends who continue to invite me to supper even though much of the time I say I am too busy and who understand when I don't pick up the phone or answer the door because I am painting. And last but not least, to the cats and dogs for just being.