The first thing we did when Al and I got off the plane at Heathrow on September 15th was take the tube to Kings Cross and then the train north to St Neots. Our hand luggage was 17 jugbirds.

I had bought a cardboard box just slightly smaller than the maximum size allowed for hand luggage and packed 12 jugbirds in paper and ‘small’ bubble wrap. Another 5 fitted into a flight bag. Because we weren’t checking these items I didn’t need to add the extra cardboard that would have been necessary if they were being mailed or shipped.

On the Tuesday Bill and Lottie drove Al and me in to Cambridge, a half hour drive from their house. On the way we looked for a public art piece which is installed in a residential area on the outskirts of Cambridge, made by my artist nephew.

I had an appointment to take my work in to Primavera Gallery/Shop on King’s Parade at 10.30am. Manager Jeremy Waller couldn’t have been nicer about my work. We talked again about the process and the difference between the earthenware pieces and the new-to-them salty birds. The gallery has now bought my new work and the remaining three from last year so that makes record-keeping easier.

Jeremy is seen in my photo rushing off on his bike for a lunchtime appointment!

I was told to pop by later and see how they were displayed, and I did. All were out in several spots on the main and lower floors of the gallery, and I couldn’t be happier!

It is delightful to have my work seen to be appropriate for an English city where discerning buyers are in all the time. Kings College Chapel can be seen from the upstairs galleries of Primavera.

Now I shall wait for occasional reports from brother Bill when he goes in to Cambridge to his U3A courses.

As I left to meet Al in the Fitzwilliam Museum I passed Bill’s Corpus Christi College.

Primavera’s latest customer email says, in part: ‘ we have purchased new wax resist pottery by David Melville from £10, new sparkly glassware by Tim Casey from £30, wonderful new ties by Atkinsons at £50 each, precise ceramic bird jugs by Gillian McMillan from £80 and lovely landscape paintings by Peter White from £450.

http://www.primaverauk.com/artists/ceramics/gillian-mcmillan