Author: Victoria Hemminghaus Photographs

My friend Julie was over from the USA for a short visit. I came up to London to see her and two of her sons. I gave them a tour of London including the Royal Academy, Soho, Covent Garden and Buckingham Palace. It was a fun day with a walk in Greenwich Park in the morning.*****

After a full day shift at the hospital, spending the evening preparing for the seminar me and my colleague are hosting and facilitating Friday this coming week.
The seminar is for patient coordinators who work with patients afflicted by valvular heart disease.

Had lunch with my parents in a pub near theirs. Afterwards drove through Henley reminiscing of my childhood days. Went to surprise my old friend Kirsty at her open studios. Saw her work installed in the centre of Maidenhead and chatted to her and her studio mates. Was a fun catch up. Otto isn’t allowed in my parents’ house and it was going to be below freezing in the night so decided to drive to Greenwich, London where we acould both get tucked up cosily inside.*****

Another morning getting up early to go to work. As the seasons change, so does the light and it is changing day by day at the moment.  Hadn’t seen this peculiar light in our guestroom (;) before.

Hot yoga in the morning, a walk and lunch date in Chudleigh….then drove to stay with my friend Dave in Bristol. We had a lovely walk through St Werburgh’s and a pint in the Farm.*****

Really too tired to go anywhere after work, but had plans to visit this cute face and my friend Maria in Greve, a half hour train ride, outside Copenhagen.
So Big Achievement. I went and really happy I did. We talked, had lovely dinner and watched a good movie.

Musical night at Devonport Highschool for Boys. Such a beautiful corridor that runs along the front of the building overlooking Victoria Park.*****

So Thursday came and went without me taking a picture.
Went to work early in the morning, had a busy 8 hour shift and then afterwards 5 hours working on planning a seminar, me and my colleague have been commissioned to conduct next week.
So this is the evening sky with a Big Moon the night before.

2nd training session with the Plymouth Harriers…warm up, walk, run, stretch down.*****

Going to the Dojo in the morning on my day off, a really great and sweaty session; practising Jo Dori so a lot of getting up from the floor.
Afterwards cosy chat and coffee.

Back in the studio and a satisfying start to my next oil painting*****

Taking a little scenic detour home from work.

Back in the studio. Made great progress on a painting I’ve been working with for a while. It hung in my bedroom for over a year while I enjoyed/ studied it. Trouble with oil is that you go and work in Saudi for a while and it dries again so you lose the ability to blend the paints which is the quality of oils I most enjoy.*****

Working till late with one of my favourite colleagues, after my dayshift, preparing for a seminar for Nordic TAVI nurse coordinators.

With no plans, it having bugged me for a while, with spring having sprung and a new hoover in the house… I tidied and hoovered. Even sorted out my outhouse so it was functioning again. I then went to meet a friend for a couple of beers…seeing this on the way home reminding me of my days in Val d’Isère and my good friend Polly who used to have a gold one in her front window. *****

Still having the energy to go for a little walk around my neighbourhood after a busy day at work.
This is a courtyard in Carlsberg byen, very close to my apartment. It looks like a lot of effort is being put into this garden with lots of interesting water features as well, so can’t wait to see the final result at some point.

I went to do some of the 5k park run, walking, running as part of my running training …ended up doing the whole 5k in about 45 minutes….Then walked Otto round and saw this girl making a dance video in the sunshine. Had a lazy afternoon at home ****

Getting through the dark months and finally enjoying the bike ride to work in daylight.

Went to Bere Alston to pick up a hoover and went for a lovely walk with Otto beforehand up above the river. It was misty and warm and I’d brought far too many clothes. Driving out I saw this beautiful barn so pulled over and walked back to take a photograph. *****

Taking the stairs to my office on the the 15th floor and lovely blue sky outside.

I made chocolate brownies; after baking them and after too much excitement … I managed to cut myself on Otto’s dog food tin as I tried to hurry to get to my friend’s for dinner….the colour of blood is so beautiful though…*****

Enjoying the morning light finally spilling into my apartment when getting up early in the morning.

I decided to buy some running shoes and join the Plymouth Harriers beginners group to learn how to run 5k. Tonight was our first run. This was afterwards 🏃🏼*****

My day off, so being lazy, but still went to Aikido and practised some really cool Jo Dori techniques.
Afterwards chilling and drinking coffee, went for a walk and bought a book (We Do Not Part by Han Kang) and boxing gloves for exercising and letting out energy, not for fighting.

I do feel an achievement every time  I go into my fridge and make something delicious from whatever I have in there. I love good food so much! *****

Work, aikido, Home cooking a nice game ragout/bolognese and enjoying this orchid gifted to me over 10 years ago and still alive.

Finished my 1000 piece puzzle 💪🏼🫣🥰🧩*****

Taking my dry clothes down from the drying ceiling (tørreloft).

An 8 mile ramble across Dartmoor. Glorious spring weather. Tired Victoria and tired Otto had a lovely pint in a pub garden at the end with fellow friendly ramblers *****

Biggest collection of frogs, I have ever seen. Roslev, Jylland, Denmark.

Hot yoga to start with, a walk for Otto, then the train to Exeter on a gorgeous sunny day. Met up with friends I’d met at a festival and we had such a fun day catching up, wandering round Exeter and me buying….drum roll….my very first (ever) pair of running shoes…..****

First official day of spring. Helping Gunhild, Peter’s mother, putting up a new lightbulb in the ceiling spotlights.

Could very easily have stayed home to be cosy. But had a word with myself and met my friend for an opening at Karst Gallery where I used to install exhibitions. So pleased I did as we had delicious Ethiopian food, I chatted with a few friends I hadn’t seen for ages and saw an incredible exhibition, Jalsaghar by Debjani Banerjee. So vibrant and inspiring. Multi medium, uplifting and original. I loved it and chatted with the artist who was equally lovely.*****

Making it over the Great Belt Bridge (Storebæltsbroen) in extremely foggy weather. Couldn’t even see the brightly lit and normally very visible pylons when driving right past them.

Getting ready for a date and taking a photo for my friend Jessie. I hadn’t noticed Otto until now. Achievement, a really fun date.*****

Ulla makes unique seasonal Ikebana’s for the Dojo every week.
This one made me think of you Victoria; Beautiful and Wild thistle.

I love the rooftops of Plymouth. The views from Central Park change so much depending on the light. Today they looked like a Lowrie painting. I think it’s an achievement (for my own self) to see such beauty in simply…my surroundings. Then back to the jigsaw until I dragged myself away..*****

Making dinner

Erm….yea….more jigsawing all day. Yoga every day….walking Otto every day…..and a whole lot of this….*****

Going to aikido after a long working day. Great training and a great turn up, so a full Dojo including a new member.