Ooops!

I did a very silly thing this morning. Forgot to check the wipers were off before starting the car. With 2 inches of snow and ice on the windscreen it did not sound good!!! I switched them off immediately and cleared the car but when I tried to use them the wiper blade pinged off! With the help of a kindly neighbour we were able to reattach it but it didn't look right... I know I shouldn't have tested them, I know, I know, I know... BUT I DID! The result was distressing but impressive - I never knew wiper blades could splinter so effectively and the bits of twisted wire... well there're art aren't they. Anyway it put paid to a lovely quiet, child free morning. Dominic had by now missed the bus and I couldn't drive him legally with the car as it was. I didn't even have the taxi fare. He could have walked ,I suppose, but 10+ miles, on a busy main road, with no footpath and lots of ice. He might arrive by lunchtime, if he arrived at all! Naaaah!

I managed to get the other 2 children to school and playgroup and headed to the garage. Colin looked at the mess - 6th person to do it to a Picasso he'd seen this week. Unfortunately I had bent the wiper arms not just the blades! He tried to bend them back but they needed replacing. After a few phonecalls the best delivery option was "we're expecting a delivery on 24th February, they might be in then!" OK so should I remain housebound for 2 weeks while we wait? Noooooooooo! Fortunately he was able to remove one of the wiper arms and replace the blade so it works over the driver's side. I then spent the afternoon trawling the internet and have found a few second hand options, but nothing new.

So I didn't get much drawing done - and I so wanted to do a pastel portrait ... Sob!