Entries from April 2007
A day off is always a treat, but spending a Monday with someone you love when you are usually in different counties* is like diamond-plated gold dust! And how could things get any better??? Well, throw in a visit to some baby farmyard animals and you’re there! The part of Sheffield we’re in is very close to the Peak District so we headed over to Chatsworth House to visit its farm which is home to numerous special breeds. It was such good fun! The lambs were just adorable. These ones were orphan lambs (sob!) whose mums had either died or couldn’t care for them – how much would you like to smuggle one of these out?
There were chicks too, from all types of hens, keeping warm in their incubators (and we bought some eggs too for our supper).
Finally for children (of all ages) there were guinea pigs that could be stroked and combed. Here’s me with Badger!
And how could this perfect day get any better I hear you ask? Well check out these pink babies – 10p a pair from my local charity shop!
* In case you were interested, I work in Sheffield and he works in Leeds – not much chance of meeting for a sarnie when you’re 50 miles apart…
Categories: Life and Stuff
Now I’m in the final stages of my PhD, I am really beginning to feel the pressure – so much to do and not enough time in which to get it all done. The other week was particularly horrid, and the force of (yet another) 55+ hour week was really taking its toll. Luckily for me I have a lovely boyfriend who knows just how to cheer me up, and in this instance he bought me a little girl bear from Mumka to keep Poiko and Johny company. Girl Bear Cream and her little friend Carrot Bunny arrived from Poland the other day, and are now sat happily on our vintage radio with Poiko. They make such a happy pair, and they cheer me up every time I see them.
I thought I would also share a close up of Johny and Carrot Bunny, as the detail on such wee little things is wonderful.
As is always the case with such things, I couldn’t resist ordering something else from Mumka (her stuff really is great) so ordered this little bunny called Curly.
Finally, also in the parcel was the cutest little stitch marker that Mumka had made as a extra treat for me. I think he may be related to Croque Monsieur
All in all, a complete result – lovely toys and a very happy Fliss!
Categories: Consumer Gluttony!
I’ve just read an article in The Times about the best ways to FLY to see endangered species. The outrageous hypocrisy of this piece is really galling and I am sick of this ‘have your cake and eat it’, ‘money can buy’ sort of attitude. People need to realise that real and meaningful changes need to be made to save our planet. I realise that not everyone is ready to say ‘no’ to flying (although I have – why can’t people holiday in their own country?), but I firmly believe that if we all made some small and easy changes, the impact would be massive. So, here are my top ten easy steps (in no particular order) – if anyone has any more, I would love to hear them!
1. The motto ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ runs in that order for a reason
2. Get a milkman – locally produced milk and reusable bottles
3. Switch appliances off standby
4. Buy second hand from places like eBay
5. Make a shopping list (and stick to it) to save food waste
6. Do all your shopping in one go and make the most of your freezer
7. Refuse all carrier bags
8. Men – pee in the garden to save water and feed plants (but not women – our ph is all wrong)
9. Try to walk as much as possible – you may even be able to get rid of your expensive gym membership
10. Have a motivation for being eco-friendly. I think of the ice caps melting and the demise of polar bears to get me off my bum and turn that light off.
Categories: Environment and random rants!
My boyfriend Johnny has quite a hectic job as a civil servant doing things for the government, and often could do with a bit of help. So he was very pleased when Croque Monsieur (his ribbon confers a certain Gallic touch) jumped in his suit pocket this morning and drove all the way to work with him. However, it soon became clear that Croque Monsieur’s intentions were far from honourable, as he wreaked havoc in the office, causing mayhem at the heart of the British Government! Even Mr Blair himself was not exempt when he rang up my Johnny for a chat about policy-type stuff, as Croque Monsieur cut the phone dead just as Tony was about to tell Johnny just how and when he’d be quitting as Prime Minister, and what he really thinks of Gordon:
Such stress just added to poor Johnny’s hunger, so he decided to call an early lunch. Again, however, Croque Monsieur had other plans, forcing Johnny to eat a plate of chips for lunch and risk a carb-induced coma:
If you want to share your life with this Gallic, Brownite interloper, please check out Bittersweet’s blog for the pattern – thank you for sharing it with us!
Categories: Crochet
I’m quite a soft touch when it comes to toys (you could say I have never grown up), and the folorn sight I chanced upon yesterday really pulled the old heart strings. I was walking down my street when I saw something bright green that had been mangled up in the road. On closer inspection I saw it was a giant stuffed snake complete with multiple tyre marks where he had been caught up under the wheels of passing vehicles. I couldn’t just leave him there, so scooped him up under my arm and treated him to some tlc courtesy of the washing machine. A couple of hours later and he was on the line, looking very pleased with himself. So I present to you Hissing Sid, the latest member of the family:
Categories: Random finds
Surfing the net the other day, I came across a wicked crochet pattern, courtesy of Bittersweet, and immediately I set to hooking myself my very own hippo called Humphrey. Only problem is it turn out that my little fellow is as naughty as her one, although I have my suspicions that these fellows have a tendency to adopt the vices of their creators with gusto, as I experienced when Humphrey and I hit the town together.
It all started well enough. Humphrey and I engaged in some high-brow conversation about existentialism and opera. Then he decided that he wanted some premium strength lager…
The way he wolfed it down, you would think he’d had a lifetime of hard drinking and he immediately demanded another drink. Keen to sample the fares of the pub, he decided upon a nice Merlot…
Again, down in one. But before I had time to warn him of the dangers of mixing his drinks, the inevitable happened…
At this point I was spent and ready to go home. But it appears Humphrey had other ideas and I found him propping up the bar, gulping a swift gin and tonic…
After this it really was time to go home, as he was getting somewhat embarassing as he tried to wow the ladies with his stories of swamp living. In the interests of preventing a mammoth hangover, I thought it was best to line his stomach, so took him to the kebab shop to make his selection…
Yet the little blighter still continued to be raucous and after insulting me one too many times (he really didn’t need to tell all the kebab shop that I’m a bottle blonde), I walked out. Humphrey thus found himself alone in the kebab shop, dazed and confused and wondering how the bloody hell he got there…
Approach making these buggers with caution!!!
Categories: Crochet
Well, I thought I would kick off my blog, and the learning curve that it will be, by showing you all my first purchase from Etsy. Please say a warm hello to Poiko and his little friend Johny who have come all the way from Poland to be with me!
I bought these from Mumka’s Etsy shop – you really should check it out as her stuff is so lovely and beautifully hand-crafted. They’re even sweeter in the flesh (or should that be fur?) than in the photo! The parcel was so beautifully wrapped and even contained a little Polish treat for Poiko and I to share!
I love him so much and to keep him company, I have also bought a little girl bear from Mumka (check back to see a pic of her when she arrives).
I hope that when I grow up I can make such beautiful things too!
Categories: Consumer Gluttony!
