Poor Bob woke up feeling a bit crook. Cough, aches…fluey. He decided to have the morning in bed, so I headed off to art on my own. The sky is clear today and the sun is out. Still a stiff wind, maybe force 6 but very pleasant on the open decks. Not quite warm enough for swimming (in my opinion) just yet although there were people in the glass covered pool.
We started a mountain scene in art – from a photograph of Mount Teide. She demonstrated some techniques at the beginning and then we got on with it. We are using mixed media, so she lent us some oil pastels which are like crayons and they “repel” the water colour paint when it goes on over them. This adds a texture to the painting. We are also using masking fluid for parts of it. I used our new masking fluid pen, rather than a brush as we’d used before. It’s a rubbery fluid that shields the paper from paint and that you can then rub off. Good for white areas, or for areas that need delicate work surrounded by washes. Got about half way through before we had to stop. She’d taken an hour of gabbing and demo’ing at the beginning. Anyway, quite pleased with it so far.
Called back in on Bob and he’d got himself some Lemsips from the shop. I’d brought some cold and flu meds from home but he’d taken them last night and this morning so we needed more. Left him sleeping again and went off and got some sushi lunch. Then sat out in a steamer chair on the promenade deck for an hour or so reading. It was really pleasant. Pretty confidant that tomorrow I’ll be able to peg out by the pool for some of the day at least.
Had tea in one of the lounges and read some more and then took Bob a tray of soup and a sandwich. He isn’t too bad so hopefully he will throw it off quickly. We have 8 days before Namibia so I guess this is as good a time as any if we have to have any illness. Being in an inside cabin, it is quite likely I’m going to get whatever he’s got, too. Fingers crossed I don’t but…..
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading and then went to an hour’s lecture on the life and times of Christopher Marlowe from the theatre historian. He’s a really excellent speaker and it was a very interesting and energising talk. Afterwards I picked up a couple of warm scones, jam and cream and took them back for Bob, hoping to perk him up. He was still not well.
Tonight was a formal night but Bob was clearly not up to that. He felt he was up to going up the one deck to the buffet restaurant so we had dinner up there. I must say that it would be no hardship at all to eat there more often: it was top notch. I started with some delicious raw jumbo prawns. They were amazingly succulent. Then I had a piece of slow roasted belly pork. Super crisp crackling top and melt in the mouth pork underneath it. I followed this with a tender rib eye steak and ended up with a small portion of stilton. Nearly pure protein throughout. Bob had a bowl of vegetable soup, a good bowl of salad, some king prawns and a bowl of ice cream.
We turned in after that, last dose of Lemsip for Bob and an early night. Hoping for a better day tomorrow for him.