Christmas jumper day

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Today was Christmas Jumper day at work. One may don a festive jumper so long as they give money to charity! There were some notable differences in how people approached the day… xmas-jumper-day

We are notorious for losing keys, getting locked out of our house, getting locked IN the house (it’s true), and generally having poor key management. We haven’t had a crises for a while and thought we’d sussed it, but it seems we never learn.

Hmmm…it’s been a while since I’ve drawn a full series of panels!

Super Ben

Posted on 02/09/2015 by bighair63

After Mackerel Man’s debut the other week, his son was quick to request a drawing of himself as a super hero (minus the fishiness). I had a bit of free time on my hands sooo…

Fringe superheroes!

Posted on 14/08/2015 by bighair63

This is one of those ‘you had to be there’ moments, but I’ll tell you anyway. A colleague of mine managed to get a fishbone stuck under his fingernail, causing it to go septic. This sparked a rather raucous conversation about the fish equivalent of Spiderman. It started out as Sardine Man, with the ability to fit into tight spaces but I thought Mackerel Man had a better ring to it (and theme tune).

Horses for courses

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My father in law has an age old tradition that started many years ago when his brother forgot his birthday. As the story goes, the brother was reminded of his lapse in memory whilst they were out shopping and not wanting to lose face, grabbed the nearest card he could find and handed it over. The card happened to feature an ugly, googly-eyed horse and from there on, the horse card was sent (unopened and still in its plastic wrapping) back and forth between the brothers for 20+ years. Until, one sad day, it was lost. But not to worry, I was asked to quickly sketch a horse as a temporary stand in!

Friday will power!

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This happens to me most Friday’s. Today was no different. I just can’t resist an invitation to be sociable!!!

The Casual Smarts

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I’ve been doing some illustrations for a friend at work who has just started a new fashion blog called The Casual Smarts. We couldn’t be more fashionably different and when we meet to discuss her project, I can’t help but compare my scruffy jumper, rucksack and baggy jeans to her carefully constructed outfit with matching accessories. Terms which were once unknown to me like shift dress, clutch bag, close-toed wedges and designer names such as Antonio Barardi and Barbara Cassasola, now fill my inbox. A month ago, I could not have picked out a Louis Vuitton Pegase suitcase from a sea of inferior plastic wheeled cases and cabin bags! Today, I can tell you what a Gavriel backpack looks like from 100ft away! We spent some time discussing whether my cartoony style would bring the tone of her blog down but she asked me to press ahead, which I duly did. If they get used, I shall certainly share a few – but for a taster, here is her header image!

Pain, Pills and Bad Nursing

Posted on 14/09/2014 by bighair63

Nearly 5 weeks ago now, my other half did something to her back whilst getting ready for work. For as long as I can remember, her back has always been a problem but nothing has been quite as severe as this incident. I found one morning her stuck on all fours, sweating with the pain and on the verge of passing out. Knowing her pain threshold is pretty high, I was more than a little alarmed and frantically dialled for the paramedics whilst she groaned ‘no doctors! no doctors!’ before wretching with another spasm. Being a doctor herself, I know how stubborn she can be about receiving treatment so I duly ignored her pleas.

I was less than helpful in this challenging situation. The best I could do was dab her forehead and stuff pillows around her for support until the paramedic arrived, at which point I did what I do best, I made a cup of tea and started to clean and apologise profusely for the state of the house.

The paramedic left an hour later, then the doctor arrived with a look of concern on his face, prescribed a cocktail of drugs and signed her off for 4 weeks. She has yet to go back to work and I have been chastised for my impatience because, quite frankly, it is hideously dull when your other half is unable to do anything more than crawl from sofa to bed, to bathroom and back to bed. Having said all that, she is now on the mend and mobile enough to have short, easy walks. I no longer have to play full time nurse, taxi driver, chef, cleaner and waiter, and I shall never take our mobility for granted again! Hats off to those people who are full time carers. It’s hard work.

Dinosaurs, dragons and guinea pigs

Posted on 26/08/2014 by bighair63

Entertainment in the form of conversation with a two and four year old is hard to beat. I spent the weekend with my brother’s family and was immersed in a world of dragons, dinosaurs, strange children’s stories about moles with poo on their head, growing crystals, modelling chocolate, kings and princesses, train rides to Africa and much, much more.

It was my nephew’s fourth birthday and 95% of his presents were dinosaur based, right down his birthday cake and dinosaur tattoos. He told me that dinosaur means terrible lizard and that a t-rex and a pterodactyl merged to form a terrifying flying menace which flies around Edinburgh. To kill a T-rex, you must stab it in the stomach with a sword and run between its legs. I think the first bit is true at least.

My two year old niece on the other hand, is happy making pretend tea and moving beans from one pot to another whilst chattering away in pidgin English. When she is out and about, she is permanently attached to a toy buggy which she pushes everywhere with great determination regardless of whether it is occupied. She loves her guinea pig and insists on stuffing carrots in its mouth while it dangles desperately off her tiny knee. My world seems positively bleak now that I’m back at home.