You arrive at your art class hoping you’ve remembered to pack everything.  You’ve already driven through heavy traffic, negotiated with the bank/plumber/next door neighbour and cleared up after a hurried breakfast.  The lawn needs mowing and maybe it’ll rain on your washing but for now, you’ve got a clear two hours ahead of you…  so you can relax and enjoy your painting.  Can’t you?

Within the hour, things aren’t going too well and you’re finding it hard to concentrate because your mind keeps flitting to the shopping you’ve got to do.

When you leave, your painting looks like a dry fog done in dishcloth colours.  Never mind, you lie to yourself, you’ll have another go at it during the week.

 
It’s the first day of your painting holiday.  You rise, throw back the shutters on a tranquil morning full of birdsong.  Try as hard as you might, you can’t hear any traffic noise.  While you were sleeping, someone laid the breakfast table.

After a second coffee, you join your tutor and the other guests in the studio.  The conversation turns to the theme of the day and after a little while, you’re free to take a stroll outside and choose your subject.  You settle down under the shade of a tree and paint…

A bell rings.  Lunch is ready and everyone gathers at the table in the courtyard.  You’re beginning to discover that you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals.  Their enthusiasm and encouragement is starting to rub off.

Now you have a choice: either to return to your room to sleep off the lunchtime rosé or take a nap by the pool.  Work will resume at 4pm once the midday heat has subsided.

It’s 6.30pm.  You seem to have learned so much in one day.  Your painting isn’t finished but it looks pretty good.  And you’ve still got the rest of the week.  There’s enough time for a shower and a pastis before the bell rings.  I wonder what’s for supper?