Sunday Night Supper

I've seen Pip at Meet Me at Mikes sharing her Sunday night supper for a while now. I think there are quite a few others joining in these days too. I'm not going to be a regular but thought I'd show off my efforts from last night. This is one of my favourite winter dishes. It's so delicious and warming. I've had the recipe pasted into my recipe scrapbook for about 10 years and can't remember where it originally came from. It's easy to make and if you're a small family like ours then you get left overs for lunch for a couple of days.

Macaroni Cheese (Serves 4-6)

• 1 packet macaroni or other pasta
• 1 onion diced
• 4 rashers bacon diced (optional)
• ½ capsicum diced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tbs flour
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp paprika
• Salt, pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ cups grated cheese
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Extra grated cheese

Directions

• Cook pasta for 12-15 minutes or until al dente, drain.
• Lightly fry bacon, onion and capsicum. Set aside
• Melt butter in saucepan, remove from heat, stir in flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard and paprika.
• Return to heat and cook for 1 minute.
• Add milk gradually, stirring until sauce boils and thickens, remove from heat.
• Add grated cheese and tomato soup, mix well.
• Return to heat and gently heat sauce, do not boil.
• Add Worcestershire sauce, fried mixture and pasta to macaroni sauce and and mix thoroughly.
• Place into baking dish and sprinkle with extra cheese.
• Bake in a moderate oven (180.c) for 25 – 30 minutes.

Enjoy

This is...My Best Op Shop Find

The theme for This Is... this week is courtesy of Lino Forest. As always it's a goodie. I have only recently become a keen op shopper so I'm sure that I haven't found my best find yet. However, here is my most recent - found yesterday. $3 for the pair.

They go well with these. I paid $2 each for these a couple of months ago.

Finally, I picked up these for $4 each. I think they are pretty special. They are sets of typed and bound midwifery lecture notes from the 50's.



I'm probably not going to be playing along with This Is... on a regular basis anymore. Sundays seem to often pass me by so I thought it best to retire. Thanks Three Buttons for all the fun.

No Blogging Before Bedtime

Now that I am settling in to my new job I'm working on re-establishing some normal routines for the first time in almost a year. So the list of things to work on includes:

• a whole lot of stuff to do with eating better
• getting some regular exercise (I still haven't loaded the Ipod yet)
• getting back to a good sleeping routine.

The last item on my list means no late night blogging during the week. It's kind of the same as eating late night sugar for me. I get all excited and wound up and I can't get off to sleep. I've also noticed that I seem to have strange dreams when I spend hours on the computer in the evenings. So, no blogging after 8.30pm on school nights is the new self-imposed guideline.

Except weekends! All bets are off on weekends. That's what moderation is all about isn't it? So Willow and I blogged our little hearts out last night. I hope it's not giving her strange dreams and trouble getting off to sleep. She was the one insisting on sitting on my lap.

Love Fridays

Don't you just love Fridays? The whole weekend stretched out in front of you. Time to catch up on favourite activities, take your time getting going in the morning, eat slow cooked foods, go shopping, do some reading and indulge in other nice delights. I love how weekends happen at a totally different pace to work days. Fridays are the beginning. Love Fridays.

Make New Friends But Keep The Old

I recently joined in Rachael Rabbit's Cupcakes and Tea Swap. On the weekend I received all my swap details which was very exciting because now I have some new blog buddies. I am making my gift for Molly Cupcakes and I am going to get my swap from The World of Twiggypeasticks. So, 1 Cupcakes and Tea Swap to be made and 3 new blog friends. Isn't life grand?

I haven't been blogging all that much lately. I'm feeling quite worn out. Not sure if it's getting into the swing of my new job or the cooler weather, but all I want to do is curl up on the couch with my balls of wool in the evening. So that's exactly what I've been doing. Sometimes it's so hard to remember to give myself permission to relax. There are always so many things that I want to do and I get into this crazy headspace about not being able to do everything. I am learning though. Slowly, ever so slowly.

On My Desk - Wednesday

The desk has been ignored this week in favour of the couch and evenings in bed. I'm making a blanket for BigCat to keep his bed warm in winter. He gets quite jealous sometimes when I do lots of craft instead of giving him lots of cuddles. So, I'm hoping that if I make him something he might feel somewhat consoled. Unlikely, but it keeps my conscience clear.

Yesterday I arrived home to find some lovely mail waiting for me. A package all the way from Japan. I fell in love with some fabric that I saw over at Kimono Reincarnate and the lovely Melanie sent me a piece. I have to get sewing now as I have so many lovely fabrics that I have received lately.

Thanks Melanie for your kind gift. It was wrapped beautifully too but the camera didn't want to play nice this morning. Anyway, pop over and visit Melanie's new Etsy shop or her blog. She is such a clever, creative woman. You'll have a lovely time.

It Beats Me

I don't know why I can't get my head around sewing, but I can't. I am completely intimidated by the process. I was meant to be having an art date with a friend today. When he had to cancel I thought I would have a go at a "simple" tote bag. That's right "simple". Anyway, the photo below is as far as I got.

I can't even work out how to cut out a straight 33" x 14" panel. Luckily for me, Reenie-Su offered to give me some sewing lessons. I'm off to e-mail her and say yes please.

Toys On The Move

You absolutely must go over and check out The Toy Society. It's the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. Craft the World and make it a happier place.

Just Leave Me To Knit Today

Barry Crocker ON MY DESK

I picked Barry up at the Op Shop recently for 50c. I love the idea of using old record covers in some way but can't quite get to a tangible idea just yet. I've thought stationary compendiums, gift boxes and of course there's always collage. However Barry's head's so damn big I don't know what to do with him. The other problem is I buy these things thinking I'll do some kind of craft and then they sit around and I fall in love with how kitsch or twee they are, and then I just want to keep them. Any ideas anyone? What would you do if you had Barry On Your Desk?

Return To Sender

Last week I sent this box of to Curly Pops full of wool. Today it arrived back at my house. Are we cursing Australia Post? Not at all. It's not a mistake.

It has returned to me full of lovely fabric to add to my very small collection. It's not so small anymore. Curly Pops is so generous. There is so much fabric here. And look at all the different colours and designs.

This one just above is my favourite

There's even some vintage sheet with a lovely note telling me it's washed because I told Cam that I get a bit weirded out thinking about people having slept in the sheets before.

There are also some little extras to add extra delight. I love the card that the vintage trim is on so much. I want to use it for something extra special. Thanks so much Curly Pops.

Now, I need to put aside some time to really give sewing a go. What's a good way to start peeps? I have sewed before but never really passionately. I would say that I am very much a beginner. I love bags and have a pattern that Reenie-Su kindly sent me for a tote. I also have a softies book so I could try and make a softie, may even a Softie for Mirabel which Meet Me at Mikes organises every year. Opinions please?

Cupcakes and Tea - Yes Please

If you want to join a fun swap go over to Rachael Rabbit and join her Cupcakes and Tea swap. I have. It sounded too lovely to miss.

It's True Love

I bought the "Woman's Day Complete Book of Handicrafts" (1973) a while back. It was only over the weekend that I really sat down and had a good look though. It's the most fabulous book. It covers everything - knitting, sewing, macrame, collage, hatmaking, toymaking, tatting, the list goes on. I wonder if the naughties will be remembered like the 70's for amazing craft. Will women in 30 or 40 years time be out trauling for "vintage" craft books from 2008?

When I came to this page my heart sang. I have to make it. I don't know when. I don't even know if I'm capable but I have to give it a go. This is true love. I think this it's the most beautiful knitted garment I've ever seen. Someday, sometime I'm going to go somewhere absolutely fabulous and I'll be wearing this garment - handmade by me.

This is... The Space In Which I Create

Thanks to Quilting Mick for picking another great theme for This Is... Last year I when I was feeling completely unsure of where I was headed I started reading a book called "I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was" by Barbara Sher. This lead me to another of her books called "Refuse To Choose", for those of us who want to do it all. I found her books extremely helpful in getting some of the answers I needed, making some decisions and moving forward. In fact, I found her books life changing, but am just embarassed to admit that a self-help book helped me quite so much. Anyway, all of that is beside the point.

One of the exercises in "Refuse To Choose" was to draw a floor plan of your house and note down where in the house you had creative projects happening. Mine looked like this.

No wonder my partner sometimes felt like our old house was being overtaken by my projects. Now that we have moved to a much bigger house and I have the craft room it's not nearly as spread out. I love my craft room. It's a sanctuary and an expression of my soul. It's also a place where I can make as much mess as I want without inconveniencing anyone which is fantastic.

However, there's still creative bits of me around the rest of the house. At the moment I spend a lot of time in the lounge in the evenings with my knitting or crochet.

I have this lovely craft basket that my Mum gave me full of all the bits and pieces I need.

You can check out other places where people create if you visit Three Buttons.

This is... My Favourite Travel Memory

I missed the weekly This Is... last Sunday but it was such a great one that I didn't want miss it all together. However, when I started thinking about which travel memory to share I was completely stumped as to how to choose. I decided to let it sit until it came to me. This afternoon while I relaxed in the bath it came to me. I was so excited I had to jump straight out of the bath and get this post organised.

I love to travel and have been very fortunate throughout my life to travel quite extensively. I have spent time in every state and territory in Australia, and not just the major cities. I had a job for 2 years where I managed a National Indigenous funding program for a philanthropic trust and got to spend time in many remote parts of Australia. My favourite places that I visited a number of times were Yuendumu and Fitzroy Crossing. However, I also visited Groote Eylandt, Tennant Creek, Warakurna, Geraldton, Katherine, Uluru, Broken Hill, Toomelah, Broome, Albany and many more. Some places that people have never heard of and a quite a few that most people will never visit. It was such a privilege to go to these places. Add to this list a reasonable amount of time spent in all the capital and other major cities. Lastly, add most of Victoria to the list.

Now, let's head OS. I lived in the USA for about 2 1/2 years split between 2 trips. The first trip I lived in Colorado and Missouri, and the second Michigan and Florida. I managed to visit about 25 US states during those trips as well as driving across part of Canada (a shortcut from Michigan to upstate New York). I love the USA. Some of the major events in my life took place there - my 18th birthday, learning to drive a car, my first love and the most significant of all - my current relationship started there.

I've spent a little bit of time in Europe and can't wait to do more, fell in love with New Zealand on a 2 week trip a couple of years back and I've been to Bali too (I hope some of you Aussies picked up the little tease there). I've spent a mad afternoon in Tijuana buying all kinds of Mexican treasures and trinkets fueled by Tequila. 4 days in Dubai in 2003 wasn't nearly enough time to explore all it has to offer. Next year we are planning to do Thailand and are currently dreaming of an extended trip in a couple of years to France, Spain, Morocco and Italy.

Oh, and I musn't forget Cairns and The Great Barrier Reef last year. If you haven't been snorkling on the Great Barrier Reef you must, must, must put it on the list of things to do and see before you die. It is one of the most truly stunning experiences of my life.

How do you select your favourite travel memory from so many diverse and incredible journeys? You go back to the beginning.

This is me at Disneyland California on my 7th birthday. My Mum won a holiday and we went to the West Coast of America. I remember pretty much every bit of it too. Being terrified as we flew in the smallest plane on earth over the vastness of the Grand Canyon, toasting marshmallows over an open fire in the Redwood Forests in Fresno, Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran, getting static shocks from everything I touched in Las Vegas, and of course Disneyland. That trip began a love affair with experiencing new places and cultures that I couldn't possibly have understood at the time. It has stayed with me and grown stronger as I've grown up.

I am so grateful to my Mum for sharing her passion and fostering that love of travel in me. I'm thankful to the universe for giving me a partner who loves to travel just as much as I do.

Thanks Hila for such a great theme and a trip down memory lane, and to Three Buttons for This Is...

Some Friday Night Lovin'

I don't think I have ever shared this wonderful gift that my partner and I were given for Christmas last year. My Mum made it and completely surprised us. We had no idea that she was even making us something. This is a pretty major achievement for my Mum. She's not very good at keeping surprises a secret. She gets too excited and ends up either telling you she has a surprise or going the whole hog and telling you what it is. I've inherited it too. I'm hopeless at keeping my surprises a secret.

Anyway, it was a complete surprise and a beautiful, warm, thoughtful gift that just yells "I Love You" every time you look at it. My partner and I often affectionately say it looks like someone vomited a blanket. We spend lots of time discussing which of the panels are our individual favourites, which are the nicest to touch and which are the most comfy for the cats.

The left over wool that my Mum gave me when she was finished has now been passed on to Curlypops to give her some supplies for her new foray into knitting. I was so pleased to be able to pass it on to someone who will get a lot of use out of it. It comes with lots of great energy and love attached to it too. I'm sure Curlypops will knit some great things with it.

Speaking of great energy and love, thanks to all the lovely friends who left me such kind words about my pimple. I think its well and truly on the mend now. I just needed to stop putting concealer on it and get the horrid thing out in the open to heal.

I have a very relaxing weekend ahead of me. No plans. Don't you love Friday nights with the whole weekend stretched out before you. What's everyone else up to for the weekend?

The Emotional Pimple

Emotional pimples develop as a stress response to a particular incident or event, known as a trigger. Often the sufferer will have no idea of its existence. What characterises the emotional pimple is this insidious manner in which it grows, invisible to the naked eye. It is not until it bursts that one realises that it was steadily developing for some time, a big, nasty, toxic, pus bucket festering away inside you. To the external eye the release will look something like a burst water main of human emotion. To the sufferer it feels like being hit repeatedly with the emotional equivalent of a wooden object.

Early warning signs can be detected with close observation. If an initial stress response does occur one should be on the look out for the following symptoms: over analyzing the trigger situation, general malaise, tiredness, frustration, lack of enthusiasm, worrying, sleeplessness, lack of creativity, decreased self-confidence, uncertainty, loss of perspective and sadness.

Because of the hidden nature of the emotional pimple they are generally untreatable. If you are in close contact with someone with an emotional pimple you will need to tread carefully. Due to the high level of toxicity they are likely to be highly emotional, irrational and generally difficult to live with. Care for them as much as you can but take care to not become infected yourself.

Recovery times vary depending on the severity of the trigger, resilience of the sufferer and environmental factors. Sufferers must also be aware of possible recurrences. Initial release may not mean the pimple has completely cleared up and secondary build ups and explosions may occur.

An early patient trial using knitting has shown positive therapeutic results. Researchers are very interested in hearing from anyone with other successful treatment strategies.

*My emotional pimple began life at my birthday dinner when someone I thought was a good friend was a complete (insert your own expletive) towards me. I am hoping that after a secondary cleanse last night that it may finally begin to heal and that I might get back to feeling like my normal happy self. In the meantime, apologies if things seem a little heavy around here.

Where Have My Manners Got To?

Have you seen Meet Me at Mikes great post on how to have nice blog manners. Pip has some great thoughts on being a lovely blogger, and she definitely fits the bill.

It got me thinking about some of the places that I love to visit on a regular basis. Curlypops always has something interesting happening on her blog and she's always around commenting up a storm. Two Cold Feet warms my heart with her candour and she was my first bloggy friend too. Project Incomplete makes me laugh pretty much every time. The Sum of Mum often makes me cry with her heartfelt posts.

Honi Design was a new discovery I made yesterday. She's just back from a blogging break. I also found Craft City Melbourne which is a rocking place for crafty chicks.

My favourite post I've come across lately has to be right here at flossy-p. It doesn't get cuter than that.

So, that's just a tasting plate of people and places I love to visit. There's plenty of others but I was trying to keep it to a few. It's almost impossible not to list dozens and dozens.

On My Desk - Wednesday

I thought I would be organised today and post this morning. I cleaned up my studio on the weekend so I am proud to show off some very tidy desks. Not much happening on them either at the minute. A couple of collages using the paint cards that I have fallen in love with lately. There is also the beginning musings for one of my Pay It Forward goodies in there but I'm not giving anything away.

I am going back to my old work today. I agreed to work one day a week for a couple of months while they are recruiting a new person for my role. I dread to think what I will find on my desk there after 3 weeks away.

One Step At A Time

That's how the days go just at the moment. My new job is taking a lot of my mental energy so there isn't much left for blogging or other creativity. Thank goodness for knitting which I don't have to think about and keeps me grounded. I am looking forward to having more energy though and to be back to blogging and crafting lots.

I even managed to miss This Is... this week. Not just posting, I even forgot to check what the theme for the week was. It was a great theme too thanks to Hila of Your Cover's Blown. The theme? This Is...My favourite travel memory. I'm pondering it now and I'm going to post it at some later stage. It's too good a theme to miss.

Hopefully I'll have more to share soon.

Laugh Out Loud

I needed a good laugh yesterday and this was just the thing to do it.

Not Long Now

Today's the day! Sex and The City, Me and Gold Class! Yep, I can't wait. Hope you're all having a great day.

The Pictures Can Tell The Story Today

So Far So Good

I started my new job at The Abbotsford Convent. It was a fine first day. So my new role is Tenant Liaison Coordinator. I am the go-to-girl for all the tenants who are on site. What an amazingly diverse group of people I am going to get to know and work with. Artists, musicians, cultural organisations, natural therapists and health professionals, painters, poets, bakers, foodies of all kinds, the list goes on. It feels like such an amazing opportunity this job. I hope that I find my way with it and enjoy it. I hope that it's mostly pleasant and generally manageable. Challenging and busy but perhaps not too stressful. I will keep you posted.

The beauty of the place is truly extraordinary. I can't wait to get to know the physical and sensory delights that it has to offer. Alongside that beauty sits a history. I imagine that for many of the young women who lived and laboured at the convent there must have been great suffering, backbreaking work and emotional hardship and abuse. I will be interested to learn this history too.

On My Desk - Wednesday

Nothing much exciting happening on any of the desks this week so I thought I would do some other show and tell.


This was my going away gift when I left work the other week. How stunning are they? Apparently found in an oppie in Leongatha. Never used.

This is my darling friend Barry's response to the name BigCat and his birthday gift to me. She has a home in the craft room now.

And here's a little retail therapy I managed yesterday when I went out for the first time in a week. I stopped in at Clara Fox, chatted to Dianne for a while and picked up these little treasures. I've been looking for a Glowmesh number for a while and this one is a cutie. The little embroidery bag just grabbed me and at $15 I grabbed it right back.

My partner laughed when I said I was going to take one of them to Sex and The City with me on Sunday. She didn't think the Village Cinemas in Sunshine were a cause for an evening bag even if we are going Gold Class. I don't know. Isn't the whole essence of Sex and The City that fashion is a state of mind, not defined by the mundane such as time and place? Can't you feel fabulous anywhere with vintage and Glowmesh? What do you think?

Anyway, it's official. Remember those butterflies you got the night before you started school? Yep, I've got the new job nerves. Hopefully, I'll be back tomorrow to give you the first day lowdown.

Decision Time

It's the last day of my holidays, it's noon and I'm in my pajamas. It's time to decide. What do I want to get out of the last afternoon of holidays before I am back at work tomorrow and getting my head around a new job, new place, new people?

It's silly. I'm getting panicked. I want to do this, I want time for that. Why does the end of the holidays always feel like the end of existence? It will be the weekend in 2 days time and a long one at that. And after that even, there will be others.

I want to take a bath. I want to catch up with all my favourite blogs and visit new people who've left me messages,which of course will lead to the discovery of new places I want to explore. I want to go op shopping and out for a sweet treat. There was a great jacket I wanted to check out at the vintage clothes shop up the road. Then in the craft room I have a shelf waiting to be housed and some reorganising to go along with it. There are collages in progress that would love to be worked on and a few ideas for some new work that I'd love to start on too. Hmmm, what else. Oh, there's a little bit of tidy up to do around the house and the online shopping I promised myself last week. Presents for my nephews' birthdays on Saturday aren't started and should probably be a priority. It would be great to take my art swap pictures to the framer.

Phew! BREATHE! Nope, no way I can fit all that into one afternoon. Time to stop, relax and see where the afternoon takes me.

Happy Mail Bonanza

Last week I entered my name in a little giveaway over at Georgie Love and lucky, lucky me I won. It turns out it wasn't a little giveaway at all. My package arrived yesterday afternoon and I think I must be one of the luckiest girls around town just at the minute. Look at all these goodies.

Some Georgie Love goodness for starters

Great cards. Will have to save these babies for some special peeps or maybe a note to self.

A Betty Jo Design. One of my very fav crafty ladies. I recently won one of her brooches too. See what I mean about being lucky.

This tea cosy. Isn't it beautiful. My partner was very dissapointed that it wasn't a beanie. We tried it on just in case, which was quite comical.

Brooches, brooches and buttons. I have plans for that fox.

And more brooches. This one might be the starting point for the outfit for my first day at the new job tomorrow. It's so sweet.

And some lovely paper goodies. Stickers and cards.

Georgie Love, when you do a giveaway you sure do it with largess. Thank you for such a lovely surprise package and for your awesome generosity. It was just what I needed after a week of being ill.

I'm going to share some of this loveliness around sometime, somehow. It's more than enough to share.

1 Rabbit, 3 Dogs, 9 Birds, Numerous Fish and a Love of Cats...This Is...My Pets

Two Peas In A Pod gave us all the opportunity to wax lyrical when she chose This Is My Pet as the theme for this week's meme hosted by Three Buttons. So I'm late but I'm not missing out. Anyone who reads this blog, in fact anyone who knows me, knows I won't pass up an opportunity to talk about one of my greatest loves.

I have been fortunate to always have animals in my life. Some animal friends have stayed with me for many years and some have been shorter visits for various reasons. I can't remember much about the rabbit (including its name shamefully) but I remember having one briefly as a child and that I didn't like it.

I had around 8 or 9 birds across a couple of years, mostly finches, a canary or two and a lovebird. Every bird I had either escaped and flew away (yay freedom) or died mysteriously in its sleep. After many years we finally realised that we had a minor gas leak from our hot water service in the laundry and that this had most likely killed the birds but thankfully not us. It was all a bit 'Canary In A Coalmine' really.

I'm just not cut out for being a dog owner which I am old enough and wise enough to know these days, but certainly wasn't in my youth. We had a couple of dogs as I was growing up. There was a poodle that cried and whined constantly and went back to its owners a couple of days after we got it. I was only 5 or 6 and I didn't like the dog at all. Then we had Pip, for many years. She was a rescued farm dog who had been abused. She spent her days rounding up invisible sheep, attacking anyone male who came near her and eventually due to deafness, anyone at all who took her by surprise. We eventually had to find her a new home where she had a bit more space to run free and crazy, and luckily found a farm through friends where she retired.

My final attempt at a being a dog owner was a puppy I named Zephyr who I rescued from the RSPCA. He was a tiny sweet thing with the biggest paws I had ever seen. Zephyr started growing into those paws in no time at all and I was completely overwhelmed. After a few months of trying my best I had to admit defeat and return him to the RSPCA in the hope they would find him a better home. 17 years later and I still feel terrible about it. I hope he did find a better home. I really believe in the saying 'A Pet is for Life, Not Just for Christmas'. Anyway, I was young and stupid and knew no better. Until my early 30's I still wanted to have a dog. I've finally accepted that as much as I love them I'm just not disciplined enough to be a dog owner. Now I just enjoy everyone else's dogs to the point of being annoying. I always want to pat and chat to people's dogs in the street and often talk to dogs outside post offices and such. I've been bitter a couple of times when I've been overly friendly with strange dogs too.

Moving on to fish. I've had goldfish at various stages of my life and find them so soothing and relaxing to have around. I would love to have a tropical tank next but haven't had the time and energy since our last goldfish Stevie died about a year ago. We had Stevie for over 3 years (a good long time for a goldfish) and were a little sad when he died. So no more fish yet, but someday.

And now for my cats. Oh how I love cats. I am the 'crazy cat lady' in my soul. I think that I am somehow linked to all the cats of this world. However, the ones who have been a significant part of my life total 6. My Gran had 2 cats during my life. Tatsie was a big ginger tomcat who I tried to spend a lot of my time playing dress ups and dollies with when I was little. My Gran also had Sylvester who came to live with us when my Gran passed away. I had 2 childhood friends, Tammy - who I had from the time I was a little girl till my teens - and Johnnie who I brought home on the train in my handbag when I was about 15 and who stayed with my Mum when I moved up and out into the world.

Now we have Holden and Willow. Holden is 10 and I've had him since he was 6 weeks old. He is my friend and my companion and my guardian angel. I don't have enough words to describe how much I love him. He is loyal, funny, feral (especially at the vet), cuddly, wild, loving, naughty, a snuggler and a fighter. He is a brute, will eat anything including trying to get the milk out of your glass while you are still trying to drink, is bossy and sleeps around 20 hours per day easily.

And then there is Willow. She is 4 and was my partner's choice when I won the battle to get another cat. So technically she is my partner's cat but I still think of her as mine too. She is a princess, adorable, aloof, picky with her affections, cuddly, warm, funny and demanding. She likes 45 minute cuddles when you are trying to get ready to go to work. She spends most of her time alone in the backyard and particularly seems to like windy days that blow her hair around make her feel especially pretty. She captivates me in a way that only such an aloof and fascinating creature can.

So there you have it my friends...a little piece of my soul.

Enough Already

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be well after 5 days in bed feeling horribly sick, sorry for myself and in pain. I hope that will be the last of sickness for me for quite some time now. Thank goodness it's over. Thanks to my partner for the music therapy to get through the worst of it.


I even had to postpone starting at my new job because I just wasn't well enough. I was due to start yesterday but will now start on Thursday. So I get a couple of days of my holidays back which is nice. Time to play catch up with myself and the world.