We met for breakfast

Today, just for something different, instead of meeting for coffee, we – that is the writers Fenja Hill and Hamish MacNeil, met for breakfast. Actually we did also have coffee, but we sat by the window and perused the menu trying to decide which of the breakfast items on offer we should choose. There was a fine array on offer, all the usual – eggs in different forms, bacon, sausage, hash browns, waffles, fried bread, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding – and I’m sure there were more. It was the sort of place where I’m sure we could have chosen anything from elsewhere on the list and it would have been available, but we were meeting for breakfast, so breakfast we had.

As usual, much as we enjoyed the breakfast, it was to catch up with each other – even though we had been together at the pub quiz last night. Although I like tomatoes, I’m not that keen on them for breakfast as they make things soggy, and although I  used to love mushrooms for some reason I don’t like them at all now. Everything arrived piping hot and almost sizzling on the plate and we tucked in with great relish, as we talked about Scandi TV shows, books, writing, the forthcoming writers’ workshop we were having next week in the writing group, and teh usual stuff and gossip we didn’t talk about last night.

Breakfast finished we sauntered into town where the outdoor market – a relatively new event in Weston was on, and although we were tempted by various stalls, including doughnuts, we resisted and then sauntered on.  The others were going to see an exhibition of artwork which had illustrated Terry Pratchett’s books and I was heading home so we bade each other farewell and i headed to the ticket machine to pay for my parking.

However… when I got to the car I couldn’t find my ticket, and having searched every pocket and my wallet I headed back to the car to see if I had left it there. As soon as I realised it wasn’t there, I realised it was in Fenja’s pocket – I had given her a lift and had handed her the ticket as I went through the carpark barrier. I set off for the museum to retrieve it and to have a look at the exhibition myself.

https://westonmuseum.org/event/designing-terry-pratchetts-discworld-30-years-of-paul-kidbys-illustrations/2025-06-05/

This summer, join us at Weston Museum for a magical exhibition celebrating the imaginative world of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld through the illustrations of Paul Kidby. Opening on 24th May 2025, this family-friendly exhibition offers a stunning selection of Paul’s work, providing visitors a rare opportunity to see how the colourful, and often humorous, inhabitants of Discworld ® are brought to life, from early sketches to the final masterpieces. he exhibition celebrates the decades-long collaboration between Paul and renowned author Sir Terry Pratchett, showcasing artwork from Kidby’s 30-year career as Discworld character designer and illustrator.
Sir Terry Pratchett’s award-winning Discworld ® series is set on a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants that are stood on the back of a giant turtle where wizards, witches, and magical creatures abound. The first book, The Colour of Magic was published in in 1983, and the series continued until the posthumous publication of the forty-first novel, The Shepherd’s Crown after Pratchett’s untimely death in 2015.
The exhibition will highlight Paul Kidby’s creative process, showcasing sketches, prints, paintings, and sculpture. Visitors to the exhibition will see original artwork from across the Discworld ® canon, including The Colour of Magic, The Shepherd’s Crown, and The Art of Discworld.

I confess I have only read one of Terry Pratchett’s books, but I found the exhibition utterly fascinating, and a real insight into the work of an illustrator. If you are in the area I do recommend you visit!