Staff of life, tidings and shelter.

1. He who shall not be named at work has made me an excellent loaf of bread. In exchange I have to do a portrait of him.

2. The writer of one of my favourite blogs, Meggiecat, has been silent for a few weeks. I don't know her personally, but I do enjoy her generous sharing of arty links. When she suddenly stopped posting, I was worried, but not really knowing her, all I could do was wait. Yesterday, she posted explaining her absence. It was such sad news, but at least she is still out there and still hanging on. The comments box for that post was so full of love and support, which shows that good things that one does come back in spades.

3. Closing the door on a day of freakish cold that cuts right through my summer wardrobe.

Shh, jolly and potatoes.

1. Daena because she trusts me with secrets and feels indignant on my behalf.

2. Paul because his laugh is so generous and unashamed.

3. While drinking beer in the pub, I find an open packet of crisps has been put next to my hand.

Complete, swiftness and pursuit.

1. The smug feeling I get from doing all the work I promised myself I would do before going out.

2. Andy's blue and silver running shoes.

3. Alfie the very large kitten running across the lawn after a golf ball, overshooting and then pretending he doesn't know what he's supposed to be doing with it.

Lost, guessing and hot sugar.

1. When the tops of buildings disappear in the mist.

2. Guessing at the life stories of people in the street.

3. The smell of hot sugar on the pier.

Warm card, lost and convenience food.

I've been meaning to say -- thanks to everyone who commented on 3BT's birthday, specially those who don't normally pipe up. I specially liked Girlzoot's remark about the feeling that we are all connected (it's in here somewhere).

1. Warming my hands on a cup of mocha from Javabean as I walk down to John P's for my rainy day lift.

2. It's raining at lunchtime and everyone has gone to the pub except Oli and me. He fiddles with music while I work at another Julian Opie portrait (see earlier post). The conversation is a bit choppy because neither of us are really listening to each other, being in little worlds of our own.

3. Ready prepared vegetables on a busy night.

For all, normality and night at the movies.

1. Comic books for sale in a chain bookshop.

2. The osteopath saying that we all live in a particular place on the scale that goes from so laidback you are practically horizontal to wound up like a watch spring; and that being nearer the wound up end is not necessarily a bad thing. Also that finding massage painful doesn't actually mean there is anything wrong with me.

3. We got free tickets for Prime because Anna works at the cinema. All the staff were pleased to see her, and I caught her tidying the counter while we were buying icecream. The film filled the cinema with girly giggles, which made it all the more fun, and when the twist was revealled, someone up behind us properly gasped.

Wool, message and stretch.

1. I bought a few wintery clothes in the sales at the start of April. I put them away and imagined that I wouldn't see them again until autumn. But it's been so cold that I've had to dig out my new crochetted hat and wear it.

2. Getting a fiver with 'quit your job' written on it in my change.

3. My yoga teacher was showing off one of the star pupils -- a man who could get into the crab position -- body arched, hands and feet on the floor, arms and legs fully extended. As she explained how wonderful he was, he went redder and redder, though from shyness or exertion I couldn't tell.