Islay sits for a portrait

Wanders about for it is nearer the mark, followed by a lady with a sketchbook.
I met her in the morning, when she took one look at Islay, stretched out on her side and half asleep, and said: "That dog reminds me of a watercolour of one of the Bronte's dogs." *
Later, she returned. "I've got an odd request," she said. "Can I sketch your dog?"
I was delighted to agree. Islay got a bit bored after a bit and wandered off, but the lady did get some good likenesses.
She was staying at Rest for the Tired with a friend, a writer that I happened to meet outside the previous evening. She had come out for a cigarette, and Islay had made a bee line for some chips that had been dropped on the pavement nearby. While Islay completed Hoovering up operations, I chatted, and discovered that I was talking to Liz Whitaker, who writes childrens' fantasy. She's also involved in Cardigan Castle, so was quite interested when I mentioned the re-enactment group I belong to - when they want a show put on next year, she said she'd put Drudion's name forward.
Meanwhile, a lady with an Afghan hound came into the shop, looking for me. This was someone I'd got in contact with through Freecycle, and she was delivering a carrier bag full of Afghan fur for me to spin. It is gorgeous, so soft, and a lovely caramel colour, and it was nice to meet one of the donors of the fur, too, an extremely beautiful dog.

The second Timbuktu newsletter arrived on Friday lunchtime, beautifully designed by Anna, and I went round to Pemberton Minor to pick up a sheaf of them and distribute them around town. The Malian delegation are in London at the moment, visiting the House of Commons, and going on the London Eye, and other fun things. I saw Ann Brichto just before she set off to meet them, and she was bouncing. "We're going to be interviewed on Radio 5 Live!" she said, "and the World Service!"

*(The 'e' of Bronte should have an umlaut over it - two dots - but I'm not clever enough to do that).