After scrapping the original portrait I have completed a second sketch on pastel paper. The eyes are not quite right but I will work on that with pastel. I seem to have cracked mouths by focusing on the shade rather than the outline that seemed to help. It's really hard drawing a smiling mouth. I have got 2 books of portrait sketching and none of them have smiling mouths so I guess its tricky. Nearly a week since I last wrote and 2 days until I have no car. Went to see an old toyota corolla today. It was about 10 yrs old but had only done 30k miles. I did like it but its green - don't want a green car. The garage that had the car had a chap washing the cars for sale. From each car was a stream of water running across the pavement into the road. Due to the cold weather the water had iced over and made the car park really slippy. I told the man who was washing but he wasn't interested. So focused and intent on his own measures that he wouldn't appreciate what he was doing. Needless to say my son slipped over as he opened the car door and luckily didn't injure himself. Got a firm coming on Monday to put in a new boiler and radiators, I had to pull up some of the laminate in the bathroom. I was so worried that I wasn't going to be able to do it that I have had to do it today instead of Sunday. As it happened once I got the bath panel off it was quite easy. Not sure how they get the pipes under the floorboards - do they cut the floorboards? I can't see any other way. My daughter has just flounced to her room under protests that I don't understand her and never listen. I am finding this happening more and more with both her and my elder son. It seems that they make a statement about whatever, but it never seems to be enough information for me. I'm not sure what they are trying to say or I need more information - so I ask them to explain further or tell me more and then they get really defensive and irritable - not quite sure how best to handle this.