3BT 20/02/13 Lie in, Insults and Catch Up

• I slept until 11 this morning, and I finally feel like I've caught up on my sleep.
• While I am feeding Shaun his supper, he suddenly leans over to his brother and yells "Adam, banana head!"
• I visited Amy for dinner, it was nice to have a proper catch up, because last time I saw her, I was quite fluey and not feeling very sociable.

3BT 19/02/13 Spring, Nap and Lost

• I'm not convinced the weather is getting any warmer, but there are signs of spring appearing, so maybe it will be safe to venture outside without all my warm clothes soon.
• We have both been working very very long days recently, so after lunch we snuggle down for a nap.
• We finally watched the last few episodes of lost tonight. After 6 series I've got quite attached to the characters and it's a bit sad knowing I won't see them again, but every episode had such a cliff hanger ending, I'm quite glad I won't have to deal with the suspense if wondering what is going to happen next.

3BT 18/02/13 Finished, Checking and Day Off

• It feels good to finally finishing a picture I started about 3 years ago. It has been sitting in a folder, half done for all that time.
• Nick comes up to my studio to check on me every so often throughout the day. I don't need anything, but it's nice to remember there are other people here.
• I have set a deadline for myself to get a load of work done, and by the end of the day I have got 2 days ahead of myself, I might even let myself have a day off soon!!

Mini Pirates

I have finally finished my first "Mini Pirates" picture. I don't know why I did this one first, as it is almost the last one in the story, but it seemed like a fun one to get started on.
It is in a mixture of watercolours, markers and coloured pencils.

3BT 17/02/13 Productive, Organised and Narrator

• I had planned to carry on an oil painting this weekend, but at the last bit I did still isn't dry, I managed to finish another picture instead, and get started on another one.
• I also had time to draw out next years Christmas card, how organised am I today?!
• Starting a new audiobook and finding that it has the same narrator as one I have just finished, who I thought was particularly good.

3BT 16/02/13 Done, Experiment and Stopping

• Ticking off boring jobs from my to do list, so I can get on with painting mini pirates!
• An experimental bit on the the picture I have been working on all week works as I had hoped... Which is lucky!
• Stopping work at midnight, because I really think I've worked quite hard today and deserve a break now!

3BT 15/02/13 Off, Potatoes and Sharing

•To be told I can have Monday and Tuesday off work next week is very welcome, as I have lots to do.
•Whilst digging around in the freezer I find a box of roast potatoes left over from Christmas. I LOVE roast potatoes!!
•Nick turns the last bit of batter into a pancake for us to share.

3BT 14/02/13 Better, Christmas and Warm

•I still feel a bit fluey, but at least today I feel like my brain can handle drawing.
•On my way home from work, an idea for this years Christmas card suddenly pops into my head.
•Curling up on the sofa together under a blanket.

3BT 13/02/13 Eels, Inspiration and Cake

•Watching the garden eels in the aquarium at Kew.
•Finding inspiration for future illustrations in the tropical houses.
•Coming home to be presented with a chocolate cake by Nick, who thinks we need a treat.

3BT 12/02/13 Supplies, Colour and Pancakes

•The box of art supplies I ordered yesterday arrives nice and early, so I can get started on my work straight away.
•Finally adding some colour to a picture I have been working on for quite a long time.
•Delicious, thin, buttery pancakes filled with lemon juice, zest and sugar.

3BT 11/02/13 Goodbye, Quick and Goodnight

• Telling the family I work for that I might have to leave is not as traumatic as I thought it was going to be, but I'm sure when the time comes, there will be tears.
• After lunch I order some art supplies I really need tomorrow and by the time I get home in the evening I have an email saying they have been dispatches and will indeed be with me tomorrow.
• Nick is outside in his studio when I go to bed so I text him to say good night. Two minutes later he appears to tuck me in, then goes back out to finish his work.

3BT 10/02/13 Eager, The best boyfriend ever and Oils

• 10 minutes before hobbycraft opens, there is already a queue outside, even though its pouring with rain.
• Nick says "as you're so busy painting, do you want me to go to tescos?" And hours later when I come downstairs to hunt for some supper, I find that it is already in the oven.
• The smell of oil paint, I have been carrying it around on my clothes, it makes me feel very "arty".

3BT 09/02/13 Inspired, Dragon and Reassured

•I feel so inspired by the exhibition, all I want to do is draw lovely pictures.
•We managed to accidentally organise our trip to London on Chinese New Year, so we saw a dragon wandering through the streets.
•Talking about my plans for the next couple of years and thinking "I can do this!"

3BT 08/02/13 Love, Reward and Cosy

•On a horrifically sad day there is so much love, bravery and positivity from memories to the future.
•Hot chocolate after our scary-but-not-as-bad-as-last-time cycle ride.
•Wallace and Gromit and a log fire.

3BT 07/02/13 Agreeing, Scenic route and Shared

•Spending nearly an hour searching through rolls and rolls of fabric, until we find the perfect one for our curtains. After the difficulty we had agreeing on a colour to paint the bedroom, it was surprisingly easy.
•Nick wasn't paying attention to the sat nav, so we took a slightly round about route home, but we go through woods, fields and nice little villages instead of the boring motorway.
•Discussing possible plans for the future instead of just having them bouncing around my head, I'm not very coherent and there's still a big jumble in my head, but it's nice to have said it all out loud.

3BT 06/02/13 Four years, Progress and Curious hamster

•Me and Nick celebrated being together for four years today :D
•I feel like I've made good progress today, the picture I have been working on is ready for inking tomorrow.
•When it starts to get late up in my studio Fizzgig wakes up and watches me as I work, sticking his nose through the bars of his cage and following me as I move around the room.

3BT 05/02/13 Perfect, Underwater and Maybe

•After searching for months, the bar stools I bought from ebay yesterday look perfect with our kitchen.
•Swimming with goggles on, I can pretend to be a mermaid.
•At work, when I ask Shaun if he fancies a new girl at school, he proudly uses his new favourite word "maybe!"

3BT 04/02/12 Reunited, Won and Risotto

•Today I finally got back to working on my mini pirates. I haven't drawn them for a while and it feels like catching up with an old friend.
•There is a bidding war on eBay, so I wait until the very last second to place my bid.
•As I leave for work Nick asks what I might like for supper, I can't decide, but when I get home there is a delicious mushroomy, beany risotto waiting for me.

3BT 03/02/13 Waiting, Finished and Empathy

•The nice thing about oil paints is that they take a long time to dry, so I have a chance to do some other jobs that need doing while I'm waiting.
•I have finally finished decorating our bedroom, it's been on my list of things to do since about October, so it's nice to finally have it done.
•I watched the Sahara episode of Africa tonight, and felt so sorry for the dung beetle struggling up the sand dunes... It's hard work, even when you're human sized.

3BT 02/02/13 Progress, Yummy and Africa

• I feel like I've made good progress on the painting I'm doing.
• A really yummy sandwich with grilled tomatoes and halloumi on fresh, home made bread.
• Another episode of Africa, this one made me laugh out loud with the frogs kicking each other, they look like they have no control over their back legs, and young skimmers practising catching fish.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013v9n2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013vc39

3BT 01/02/13 Painting, Warm toes and Pudding

• Finally getting back to working on a painting I started a few years ago, it feels like catching up with a long lost friend.
• At work, I point the hair dryer at Shaun's feet, which are always freezing. He laughs and says "more warm toes".
• Stewed apples and plums with cinnamon and vanilla sugar, left over from Christmas.

3BT 31/01/13 Catch up, Face and Cheese

• While I eat my lunch I watch the second episode of David Attenborough's Africa, which we kept missing when it was on, I loved the little elephant chasing the birds like a cat!
• Coming home from work and finding Nick finally giving his beard a good trim, I had almost forgotten what his face looked like underneath it.
• Juicy, crispy grilled halloumi for supper.

3BT 30/01/13 Looked after, Done and Busy

I found it really difficult to find beautiful things today as one of my best friends phoned with some very very sad news.

• When I talk to Nick on the phone about the news my friend has just given me, he asks if I will be ok on my own, while he is out celebrating a friends birthday. 
• Ticking off all the tasks on my to do list, with some time left over to relax.
•  I enjoy having Wednesdays off work, as I can get so much done.