Managed to complete the undercoat on my new sketch of Trophy Boy. I use neopastel for the undercoat and then will use Sennelier on the top. The main ball of the trophy is metallic and I have some lovely metalic oil pastels as part of the Sennelier set which should tackle that nicely. Looking at it now I can see that the shoulders are not level and in fact one is broader than the other so I will need to correct that. It looks nothing like my younger son even though everything seems to have been drawn properly, I'm not sure why this is. Normally I would stand back from the sketch and although it wouldn't be an exact likeness (I don't try and achieve that) there would certainly be something familiar about the sketch but not this time. Hopefully as I work on the oil pastel I will begin to get that feeling...mmm Snow again - hey! Is it welcome- not really, even the kids didn't get too excited about it this time. Most of it has now melted here in Cheshire but enough is left to get nice and icy ready for my walk to work tomorrow. I nearly made the fatal error of not covering the hole under the bath where the pipes sit, after pulling up the laminate from the bathroom floor ready for the central heating men tomorrow. The very nosy black and white cat (Tilly - previously painted) was caught half way down the hole and on her way to a lovely explore of the world under the floor boards. I battled with her for a few good minutes eventually dragging her clear whilst ramming a plank of wood over the hole, my son waving a torch around. She looked extremely put out and stalked off in disgust. She then attempted to climb up the boys chest of drawers - her appetite for exploration not satisfied. I am going to have to warn those workmen tomorrow because as soon as their backs are turned she'll be under those floorboards like a shot. In fact I can say that I am more worried about her disappearing than I am about the mess they are going to make - give me strength. The other thing I need strength for is dealing with my ex husband. He blasted into the house today declaring to the children that it wasn't his fault that they had to go out with him - he has to spend time with them. He has the tact and care of a volcano. After looking forward to having the day to myself I was left with putting up with kids all morning - and him, then left with 2 whilst he took my daughter to a netball tournament, then at 3 o'clock he took them all off but 2 of them were crying and my youngest phoned me on his mobile saying that his dad is being mean to him. So from having a day to myself I feel worn out, worried about the kids and not having been able to complete all my jobs today....big sigh! If the light wasn't fading I'd paint myself into oblivion.