Greetings!

More than 70 entries* have been trawled.. comments sifted... suggestions appraised and there have been more than a few giggles along the way. You are a funny bunch....As well as John's reason for visiting my website (going to the pictures), fellow artist, Robert wants to see more "red dots". And there was a lot of requests for bigger type...  Jane writes " Aargh I have to wrestle with my screen to make out the tiny writing..."

 Patricia sounded quite shocked really with my question about calendars and what she called my "forward planning".  We, she says reasonably,  are merely "hoping we can make it through 2011".   She also says that she wants to keep her Mary Duffy painting "secret" 

Mary told me about her special John Ffrench calendar  she bought and suggested I might consider something similar..."Each month is printed on very high quality paper, has two colours... It's a beautiful addition to the kitchen ...which is why I paid so much for it ($50). At the end of the year, you can take one of the months and get it framed".

Suggestions for competitions took a bizarre turn when more than one participant complained "But why give away a good painting?" And the run on the peculiar front continued with a suggestion that I consider "doing some research".  Ho Hum. As I say, you really are a very funny lot.

My research concluded with the difficult task of choosing the winner. You were not short of ideas, obviously.  "How about a competition to send in the best photograph of last year's Mary Duffy calendar in a most bizarre, hilarious or unlikely place... top of Mount Everest; being eaten by a cow; being read by a snowman; flying on top of a flag pole; recycled as a dress, hat, tent, kite or other useful object; sailing down the river folded into a paper boat etc. etc..."  But this wasn't the winning entry.  No, for that my winner  needed to consult an oracle... 

"Bereft of ideas, I consulted our friend Mrs John le Breton on this question (A crafty adaptation of Question Number 94 "How can I make my future successful?" into "How can Mary make her website successful?") And she said (Page 73)  

'Go your own way and pay no attention to criticism.' So there!"