Final Summer Exhibition Drawing and Goodbye, Lovely Louis

Apologies for the late update. This picture went off last week to the carrier to be delivered to the Royal Academy, and here is the finished drawing.

The delay has been due to a couple of factors: I went away for the weekend and have a had a rubbish week, finding out just over a week ago on Monday my beautiful cat Louis, only 11, had cancer, and coming back this last Monday (2 days ago) after my weekend away to a dying Louis. Unfortunately I couldn't cancel and the vet had also said he'd be very surprised if Louis went downhill that quickly. Just days ago if I looked out of this home office window I'd have seen my beautiful gentle brave Louis lounging over next door's outhouse roof, lounging the sun with his paws hanging either side of the roof's apex, looking happy, if slightly unsteady at times, and surveying his territory like the inquisitive, active little soul he was.

When I left for my weekend I never expected not to be able to enjoy a week, maybe even a few months, pampering and spoiling him for a little longer, making sure his final days/weeks were the best they could be. But it was not to be. Overnight on Sunday he got suddenly very ill, and he was in a state by Monday morning. My partner let me know and I rushed back as soon as I could, but he was dying, we took him to the vet to end his suffering, and he'd have not made it to the end of the day. I so miss him and feel this world can be so unfair and so cruel.

RIP Louis you were loved so much and brought such love to us, your unconditional, trusting, blind love. I wish you were still here.