Feck that for a game o' sodgers!

I wish I could...
But I can't.....
I have tried...
I have dithered about decorating windows with fake cobwebs and the like.
I have procrastinated drinking coffee and now I am even writing a post about it, big *sigh*.

I feel like Hamish in this photo...

 because of this...

I am hoping, rather than bemoaning this outrageous mound dear friends, you all agree that this is the size an ironing mountain should get to before being embarked upon.  Please say it is so, I'd hate to look like a failure in the housewifery department!   *takes tongue out of cheek*

Feckity feck feck feckity feck feck!!!

I better get these out then, my ironing companions, the 10th Doctor will ease my pain!

 Sort of.......no he won't, who am I kidding???  Yet more *sighs*!  I am proper huffing now by the way!

X

The 'pet me' punch!

 

And of course, I did.

X

Paws and a face - my bonny Beau-Beau.

He is though, he's the bonniest Beau-Beau in the land.  My fifteen year old 'baby' and bless him I could watch him nap all day.  Having cats makes me very content.  The house can only be so quiet before the increasingly loud snoring begins or I hear the jingle jangle of the 'you are forbidden to kill birds' bells on their collars.  It's the fur that blows my mind, they are covered in fur that is delightful to stroke and makes me want to get my face in for a rub.  Not a good idea as I end up with hair up my nose but I do it anyway.  I love that they look like they a smiling all the time - too cute.  Any cat owner out there knows the delights of felines and I am in heaven when a cat is sleeping near.  

So indulge me please......

My Hamish -  he's huge and needy and has the muckiest eyes in the land and trips me up when I am cooking meat but he's mine.

 I call this last pose his 'Bugs Bunny' look.  I love his pink pads......I could sigh and sigh.  I wonder if we humans look this content sleeping.........

X

I've been meaning to say......

Twenty 

seven 

effing

pounds 

and 

sixty 

effing

pence!!!!!!!!!

for a half a minute looksee with agreement -

  "Your cat has a sore eye."

Really, you don't say? 

"Here's some ointment." 

Thank you, I'll go empty my purse now, shall I?

Can you tell I feel a bit ripped off?

Aye, dentists and vets, dentists and vets!

X

Sports Day, Baking, Bunting and Beau-Beau...

Howdy folks, what a day!   

Up and down, up and down and up and down again to school for my Biscuits' Sports Day.  Of course the usual happened, school  gave us unconfirmed dates, didn't actually confirm with the parents but all the kiddies knew and most didn't bother to pass that info on......so I found out at 8.45am this morning that my presence would be required at 9.30am (it turned out for one and a half hours.. ahhh!!) and again at 1.30pm (only an hour..phew!).  Eldest Biscuit's was almost rained off and I was expected to capture their escapades on video for the Husband to see but of course talked over most of it and missed bits.  Oh well!  I did my best with the talent (or lack thereof) to record it for prosperity. 

It has been decidedly chilly here in my part of Scotland for most of the week, after what was a spectacular weekend, whether the sun has shone or not so I got around to making the bunting for the garden parasol just in case warmth was attached to the appearance of sunshine.  It was just after completion so I think I may have sewn some wishes into it without realizing, that or some Gypo magic.  It took the best part of a day to do and I took the skin off my pinky using the pinking shears which is why they are named that way I figure.  I'm pleased with the end result so I shall suffer my injuries (not quietly, never quietly!)...

The clematis in our garden is quite resplendent just now, Hubby is desperate to cut it back but he's been warned there will be no more cake or biscuits if he does.  He's not silly enough to risk it!  I love climbers!  Love how they seem alive, search and grab hold of anything in their surroundings.  I love to cover fences in them too, a wall of life!  The clematis in the photo also has a dual purpose, other than looking glorious, of keeping the living room cool, only letting in dappled sunshine.  I do love it so!

I had to bake something of course this week, have been promising myself Peanut Butter Fudge care of Sophie Dahl but got sidetracked by yet another yearning for lemons.  I was sensible and practical in making two so some could be frozen.  Not greed you understand!

I'm quite sure if I looked close enough at the citrus juicer I'd see myself akin to a mangled reflection in a fairground Hall of Mirrors.

And finally.....my poor baby Hamish AKA Beau-Beau has a sore eye and of course there is no photo of that but I felt I needed to hear a collective "aw!!" for him.  So whenever you are ready.........thanking you!

X

Why oh why...........

....am I having to drag myself upstairs on the mind-boggling quest of cleaning toothpaste off of mirrors, wall and tiles?  Not to mention dealing with a toilet used by three menfolk.  When all I want to do is grab my knitting/sewing/magazine and or book and join this gorgeous man cat.....

....out in the garden even if it is deceptively chilly out there.  Pants and poo I say!  

Pants and poo!

I admit though, I am doing a good job of putting it off...

X

Halt!! Hoot goes there?

Hello lovely ladies on this March Monday, I'd say bonny Monday but it's blowing a gale and pouring, really p.o.u.r.i.n.g with rain here in my part of Scotland.  Spring did seem to have sprung earlier this morning, the walk to school was delightfully sunny if a little chilly, still I'm indoors, it's relatively warm (off to hunt for slippers) and I'm filled with cappuccino.  I've been a wee bit crafty, as in partaking in some crafting as opposed to getting up to mischief you understand (well a little mischief!) making the above owl brooch for a lovely lady at my boys' school nursery where I pretend I have a career, as a Librarian on Wednesday mornings, my boys both went there and somehow I still help out, it is a lovely place to spend time and three/four year olds are adorable.  So the lady in question has a birthday next week so after spotting the owl a while ago here, I thought I'd whip one up.  He has funny googly eyes with beads as I couldn't cut such teeny circles, wishing I had mini brads (so ordered some from paper-and-string).

I made cushion covers yesterday while the men folk went on a boys day out to Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh and listening to a Doctor Who story CD....

Hamish feeling shy!

It's the two bigger patchwork ones and yet again something else done in the shades of milky coffee.  

I did get those cupcakes made eventually, vanilla with lime and coconut buttercream and the one I ate (not saying a word about others scoffing them!!) was delicious and most worthy of being photographed......

.....one of the photos I took reminded me of those dutch oil paintings of fruit so I had a play at Picnik.

Not quite as ornate as I wanted but still effective?

I also got some of my wool stash out.........

......in mind to making some of these.......

 .......from a pattern purchased from Ysolda, here.  

My 'like a little sister' friend is expecting a wee girl in June and won't these be perfect?  I'm also thinking of making a patchwork quilt for the cot inspired by these.......

.......from Cath Kidston's Sew book.  I have an inclination towards applique ducks as once, many moons ago, said friend played a duck amazingly well, spookily well in fact, named Quackers in a Panto.  It's lovely to think I can make pretty things in pink and buy pretty clothes, stripes and polka dots.  I get away with stripes (I do love stripes!)obviously with my Biscuits but not dots. 

Goodness what a long post, time for lunch me thinks!

X

I'm staring at the ironing pile thinking...........

I'm so ignoring you for a bit.

My mind is filled with ideas! Things I would like to make and do, future projects and necessary creative undertakings.  Words and phrases I can see embroidered prettily.  Felt Swiss Roll brooch designs swirling around just waiting to be grabbed.  And this, a
 thrifted blanket that's just not big enough.

 

For when I'm slouching on the couch (eventually!) of an evening searching the TV listings for my favourite distraction, whilst knitting and slurping tea.....

The lights are low and I'm settled in and then, quite suddenly, an interruption I cannot resist.

Cannae knit or slurp tea now but am forced to have a cuddle with my Beau Beau!
Ah well!!

X

A Christmas Tradition..........

I lurve Christmas! 

You will hear me say this so very often in this blog. There is no 'Ba Humbug' in this household; it's simply not permitted.  No matter how busy or stressed I get I will not stop loving Christmas, in particular the traditions.  Here are a few of ours.........

Only bought once a year along with the Radio Times in which I still circle, with a biro, all the programmes and films I am excited about.

Nigella -the bringer of such goodies.  I use other books and recipes but for Christmas baking Nigella is Queen.   I always make and bake....

 cookies for the tree -  my boys enjoy this tradition even now at eight and six when other baking endeavours have lost their appeal.  I figure the pestle and mortar bashing of the boiled sweeties is key to this.

Christmas Cupcakes - mine look more like puddings and I wish I had a real photo to show you. ( partly the reason I decided to start a blog - up till very recently I never took photos of anything and really wish I had of many, many things I have made) I always cut out sugarpaste holly leaves and frost them with edible lustre and roll little berry balls for the top.  It's such fun!! I could eat these all year round but force myself to only bake them once a year.  I do usually make at least 48, sometimes more.  My friends and family would hunt me down if there wasn't a batch for each of them and also these....

mini apple pies (mince pies- yuck!!!) and...

Rocky Road - I combine the 'Christmas' and 'Express' recipes.  Heaven!! and each year on the Eve when my friends come round.....

a ham - in particular Nigella's Ginger Glazed Ham which I will be making again this year as it was so good last Christmas Eve. If you want the know-how check out Nigella.com for books and recipes.  

I also bake Christmas tree shortbread with my boys for their teachers. I know they would be disappointed if I made something else (a delia recipe). It is an essential part of the festivities that my kitchen ends up with a layer of icing sugar over everything in it because I have been baking so much.

Another tradition that I HAVE to partake in every year is Harry Potter.  I read the first four books my eldest's first Christmas and since then the build up to the big day HAS to involve re-reading (now) all seven.  I hear sleigh bells, I smell cinnamon and log fires, I taste buttery pastry and turkey and stuffing sandwiches on white bread.  Each year I lose myself in the magic of Harry Potter and in turn Christmas and all it's glory.....fairy lights, carrots for the reindeer, tins of colourfully wrapped chocolates, bulging stockings, friends and family and my boys' faces when they see Santa has been and they have been good all year!

 

X 

p.s the Doctor went a bit mental.  The Ood, Wilfred, Donna, Lucy Saxon and THE MASTER in the Christmas trailer! OMG Christmas is gonna be sooooo cool!!!!! and I'm sure I'll cry!!!!

Meet the furry, four-legged family on Friday!!

There are three furry felines in our household.  Want to meet them?

'Thamas!  Thamas!  There's a mouse in the house!'

This is our youngest, Thomasina (oringinally Thomas as we thought she was a boy at first, I know you'd think we could tell the difference), she's the baby at two.  All three cats have their 'Show'/'Horse-racing' names you can see under the photos.  It's just a thing we do!

 

'Eva weava web of mischief!'

This is Evie or Miss Evie, she deserves the Miss because she is such a lady and she is ten.

Last is the man of the (cat) house......

'The 'Hay' with the 'Mish'

This is Hamish.  There's two pictures of him to try and show how HUGE he is but he's my first baby as he's thirteen now.  He is also affectionately known as 'beau-beau', I was very into Tennessee Williams (a cat on a hot tin roof, the glass menagerie, streetcar named desire) at the time and loved the whole Southern 'beau' thing and ladies drinking mint juleps.  My eldest is thrilled he came after Hamish as it meant the name was taken already.

Have a great weekend everybody and remember DOCTOR WHO!  Yippee!!!!

X

p.s I just realized my cats look dressed for Christmas with all those bells on, they are in fact to prevent bird murder and they work, I'm very pleased to say!

Friday Poorly Blues!

This is my world today, sadly drained of colour due to a stinking cold.  After walking my boys (very slowly) to school I fell on the sofa with my knitting without even tidying away the Lego Deathstar you can see that my boys were playing with first thing.  Lacking a real fire I have my truly wonderful DVD in the background and my eldest cat Hamish, who jumped into the frame just as I clicked.  In a few moments I will collect my boys, get home, jump in the shower and welcome my jammies and cosy socks to fall on the sofa once again.

Hope I feel better tomorrow!!!