Real Life – Episode One

I thought I would do something a little different today. You may find it interesting, you may not, but here goes . . .

A little snippet of everyday, real, life.

This is what my kitchen looks like when I am making / baking. It doesn’t look too bad in this photo. It can be worse. Although what you can’t see from here are the small mounds of flour from where I get a bit slap-dash when measuring it out and the scattering of sugar where I clanged the spoon off the bowl and sent it all over the place (which kind of made me want to cry a little bit because a) it was coconut sugar, which can be difficult to find and b) because it was coconut sugar the bag was small, and relatively expensive. I don’t want to waste it. Decorating the work-top in it is considered a waste). And there’s usually a cat sniffing the stuff on the floor. Right before they try to get into the cupboard. And sit there, looking all cute. Until you try to shoo them out and then they give you ‘the look‘. You know ‘the look’, it’s the one that says “come any closer and touch me again and I’ll lacerate your hand into a million tiny threads of flesh”. If the dog was around he would have half of those containers open and sampled all the contents. Whether it is chocolate or not. Fortunately he isn’t generally around when I am baking. Especially after sprinkle-gate. I still feel guilty.

This is what happened on Sunday when the sun came out:

It is what happens whenever the sun comes out – spread out on the blanket on the sofa. The blanket is there to try and protect the sofa a bit. The sofa has been around longer than the animals. Had I known then that two cats and a dog were going to rule the roost I would not have bought a cream sofa. Totally impractical. Those of you with children probably think the same thing. The cats aren’t too bad, but the dog . . . gah! He thinks he’s a horse. Honest.

I tried to get a photo of kitty number 2, but she moved at the wrong moment and no amount of editing can remove the blurry-ness. I’ve tried. She looked funny, intently watching the Winter Olympic two-man bobsleigh. Not joking. You should see her when Formula 1 is on. She follows the cars until they disappear off the screen.

And finally . . .

A while ago Kate over at Tall Tales from Chiconia very kindly gave me the Versatile Blogger Award. And I haven’t done anything with it. How rude of me. So, here goes. The rules are that I have to tell you 7 interesting things about myself. Okay . . . right then . . . 7? Really? . . . Are you sure? . . . Can we negotiate? . . . How about 5? . . . No? . . . Okay then. . . What can I say . . . ?

1. I got a new phone the other day. I love it. Even though my old one was only 2 years old, this one makes it look ’80’s-historic. That’s not interesting is it?
2. I’m addicted to my waffle maker. Oh, you knew that already. Let’s try again.
3. Even though I am in my 30’s I’m still waiting to grow out of my pink phase. I’m trying to make the pinks more grown-up and sophisticated, but at the end of the day it’s still pink, whether I try and put the vintage label on it or not. And glitter. If it sparkles and is pink . . . sold. Inside I am still a 5-year-old. Really this blog should be called the Pink Sparkly Glittery Rose Bakery.
4. I have a serious book habit, made worse by the fact that I can’t seem to get rid of any. Even to the charity shop. Books are living things, they will know if I have discarded them. Even if I disliked them and thought they were utter rubbish.
5. I love stationary, especially pretty paper. Why don’t people write to each other any more? If it weren’t for all the diseases and general lack of modern medicine, I would like to live in the past, specifically around Dickens time, when people did write to each other and sealed letters with wax. Oh to be able to put a wax seal on the back of my letters . . .
6. I love the snow. I love how white and crisp and pure it is. I love that every single snowflake is different. I love how it makes everything quiet. I want to live in a snow-globe. Please could someone build me a life-size snow-globe? Sadly I don’t think I will see any snow this winter. Too much bloody rain. Oh, and I also love misty foggy mornings and nights. Especially those winter foggy nights when there is a glow around the street lights that you think should be lit with gas, and the streets should be cobbled, and resting in a door-way is a tall man with a top hat, walking stick and cape.
7. I have an inner Basil, as in Basil Fawlty. Generally, I am an optimistic person, but sometimes I have to work really hard to keep Basil quiet. He likes to pop up at inopportune moments. Considering I have to deal with people at work, this is unfortunate. Although it is usually their stupidity that causes Basil to get excited in the first place. So, really, they brought it all on themselves.

Phew! I managed it!

Right, I’m off to make another mess of the kitchen . . .