What a mixed bag of weather.  Monday was absolutely fabulous our little Plein Air Painting group met at Brook.  The views were spectacular, and after painting we went to the Isle of Wight Pearl for coffee and then mooched about looking at expensive pearls!

I was quite happy with this picture, but I have decided that once this sketchbook is completed, I will try and avoid a sketchbook with spiral binding.  Although I think I may have another one in my stash!

Perry and I actually went to a garden centre when the boys were getting groomed.  Have cleared one area of the garden which was a mess and put a few plants in.  This motivated us to start on another part of the garden which is a mess, and we have made quite a bit of progress.

Painted the shower room, but had to touch up places this morning!

Started to get things ready for oil painting and a watercolour session, but all of a sudden motivation dropped out.  Not good.

Tomorrow's painting is likely to be damp, but will try anyway.  Swimming is ok.

 Shouldn't moan about the weather, but it really hasn't been too special.  For our Monday plein air session which was at Newchurch to paint the snowdrops, it started to drizzle and then rain.  Which really scuppered watercolour painting.  Abandoned to the pub where Mike very kindly produced some cakes.

I finished another oil  pastel - not too special, but at least I am continuing with OPs. Did a gouache with an online course

Interesting approach.

Swimming is progressing and I have decided to finish the lessons and just keep pushing on myself.

Just thought I would include a picture of Henry and Muffin when we were in Lincolnshire.

Both had to be on the same pillow!

 Rather a difficult week.  We went to |Lincolnshire to help with sorting Ann's house out. The weather was really very cold, but the cottage we stayed in was fabulous.  Like living in a designer's choice place - except the heating went wrong one day. The village we were in was rather nice as well, Partney, and we were also very luck with the weather in that although very cold, it didn't rain and we had sunshine.

We felt sorting her house out was a bit depressing and we have come away thinking that we really must sort out all the rubbish we have accumulated here and get things into some sort of order.  I started on that yesterday, but we do have quite a way to go.

On the good side it was nice to meet up again with Lynn, Dave and Sebastian - although perhaps the circumstances weren't the best for chatting!  The boys (i.e. Henry and Muffin) had a great time, dashing about full speed as much as they possibly could.

I only managed a couple of teeny weeny sketches, and they were a bit rubbishy.

Five hours mainland driving does not make for a very happy bunch of people.  It has taken us about 36 hours to get over that and the overall feeling of the whole week.