New arrivals

I don't think I've told my lovely readers (for you are all lovely, small and select group that you are) about the new residents at our house.  Here is one:

That's Billy.  His mate, Cuddles (not pictured) is bigger and a kind of rumply tortoiseshell.  I am very fond of him because he looks just like the guinea pig that used to be on Playschool on Wednesday when I was little.  Jack, of Jack and Jill.  We got them a couple of months ago from a shelter and they have been great.  Really tame and pretty and fun to watch.  As they are from a shelter they have been both desexed and microchipped, which is somehow comical.  DH says surely if you lose a guinea pig you just - in the nicest possible way - move on, so the microchipping seems a bit over the top.

Here's my other new baby.  Isn't she beautiful?  Her name's Cora, in case you were wondering.

And also in case you were wondering, no I am not usually the kind of person who names her appliances.  But the KitchenAid is so much more than an appliance!  She's a friend, really.  A friend that makes my kitchen look crap, and causes me to mutter with even more discontent than usual as I try to find things in my hopelessly overstuffed cupboards.  (A pantry!  A pantry!  My kingdom for a pantry!)

I chose Almond Cream over the flashier, more obvious colours.  Although I am almost swayed by that aquamarine one on your blog, Melissa.  I can't tell you how disgusted Abi was with my muted choice though.  She sat there looking at the brochure, swooning over the metallic purple and pastel pink and was totally underwhelmed when I pointed out my favourite.  

I looooooove Cora.  I use her at least four times a week and only have one attachment so far - the grater/slicer one.  I don't have a food processor/blender anymore as it broke, but with Cora and her unnamed friend the cream bamix lurking behind her there, I don't need it.  

I decided Cora needed some new friends, so as our old four-slice toaster was only half-working, and as our ancient blue plastic kettle was, well, really ugly, I got these:

Couldn't get cream, sadly.  But maybe that would have been too matchy, anyway.

Here is something else that happened in our house last week.  We went from this:

to this:

Can you see the little bob?  Abi has been agitating for months to get her hair cut and we finally succumbed.  And she looks adorable.  It really suits her and is so much easier.  I am a bit shamefaced that we held out for so long.  It's her hair after all.

Well, tv time is over, so off I go.  To make salad.  Not in Cora, sadly.

Get ready for this

Okay, here we go. I am going to post SOMETHING here every day this month. Every single day. Even if it is just a picture of some kittens (thanks Antonia over at Whoopee).

I cannot be bothered writing down everything that's happened over the last six months and that's what's been stopping me writing anything at all. So bits and pieces will rise to the top as I go I'm sure.

So today was a work day with lots of little children attempting to use eye droppers to create beautiful autumn leaves on absorbent paper which I am going to stick onto the wall onto a brown paper tree I'll be cutting out this weekend. This weekend I will also be making a batch of vegan cupcakes for Abi's friend's fourth birthday party, a vegan chocolate cake for my darling VeganSister and an orange cake for my dad. May is Birthday Month around here. My brother offered to make the orange cake, but as soon as the words 'almond meal' passed his lips, I knew it was not a goer. My dad loves the most boring orange cake in the world - it is basically a butter cake with orange juice and a bit of zest in it. It's just like the one his grandmother used to make, so he says, and he believes only I can make it. I think he is mistaken about that, as it is Not Complicated, but I love him and it is his birthday after all.

Okay. Am going now. Tired baby crying in front of Play School while neglectful mother types.