Happy Halloween

I haven't cooked anything Halloweeny, but I did carve my annual cat pumpkin. I hope everyone celebrating has a lovely evening!

My favourite: frying pan

Seen here awaiting washing up from breakfast omelettes

It's seen better days, and that sharp chunk broken from the handle makes it awkward to hold, but I love this frying pan. I've had it for 20+ years as far as I can remember and it's been washed so often the maker's name on the bottom is hardly legible any more. It makes the best fried eggs and omelettes in the world. They get beautifully golden and never stick. It's just perfect.

The search box isn't working

Just in case you were consoling yourself in my absence by reading some of my greatest hits of the last few years, unfortunately the search function isn't currently working. Blogger have suggested a few work-arounds but they aren't very good. So I'd suggest reading random posts from the archives, or googling if you are after something specific.

Blogger ennui

I've been cooking and eating some very nice things lately, but I can't be arsed to post about any of them. I shall return when the muse is back on deck.

Peony

Our garden is looking pretty shite at the moment. Lots of rain and not a lot of time, money or energy have really taken a toll.

The only things that are looking really good are the peonies. Stunning. They also prove that I have no future ahead of me as a sniper - I couldn't get a properly focused picture no matter what I did (falling short of actually getting out my tripod, that would have been an effort too far). Fortunately, I like this over-exposed, slightly-blurred, shaky-hand, bad-tattoo effect.

Technical difficulties

Please enjoy this picture from Urchin's kittenhood while we establish whether every photo we have ever taken is gone forever...

Taking a bit of a break!

Hi all,

Last week my computer died. It was very sad - we'd been together for 6 years and in fact was what I got instead of an engagement ring. Paul got most of my files backed up while the poor thing was in its death-throes, although he is still trying to retrieve the last 12 months of photos and the bookmarks from my browser.

So I am temporarily on Paul's laptop - which is very nice, but just doesn't feel like me. So I will be taking a bit of a break from blogging, until I get a new computer and get comfy again.

Take care!

Urchin and the Carpet

Haven't had any cat pictures for a while! She's 18 months old now and in the middle of a bit of a growth spurt. She's still very dainty but she is beginning to grow into those enormous paws.

This is one of Urchin's favourite games - the monster under the carpet. She is now onto her third one of those feather ticklers, because she is so vicious with it when she catches it, but we think it is a small price to pay for the entertainment of a cat.

Happy Halloween

Australia doesn't really do Halloween. You get some kids trick or treating, and the odd person who throws a party to provide an excuse for dressing up as a slutty pirate, but it isn't particularly widespread. In the UK it runs much deeper, but the celebration now is still more informed by American TV than by traditional practices.

But this week in my veg box there was a small, smooth, orange pumpkin. And I just knew that it had to become my first jack o' lantern.

As it happens, the hardest part was scraping out the seeds. No matter what I tried I could NOT get the fibres out. The carved-away flesh joined another pumpkin in becoming a pot of velvety soup.

Urchin and the hose

Haven't shown any Urchin pics for a while... this is Urchin playing with the hose. She loves the hose! She will sit at Paul's feet and scream until he goes outside and plays with the hose with her. Funny beast.

Birthday Treats

Last week it was my gorgeous little Urchin's first birthday. We have retained just enough sanity NOT to have a party for her, but we did get her a present and gave her a special birthday tea.

She adores sweet creamy things (takes after me, clearly). We don't let her have very much, because a cat who has drunk the milk at the bottom of the Rice Krispy bowl is a very strange animal, but we thought just a little taste would be nice for her.

As it happened, we had some clotted cream in the fridge from a not-very-successful scone making episode, so I made her a little clotted cream quenelle. She knows that treats come on white china saucers (normally she eats straight off the newspaper) so as soon as she saw it come out of the kitchen she bushed up her tail and ran ahead of me to her eating spot.

The cream was considered acceptable.

Her birthday present - a hammock that sits over the radiator - was also found to be quite comfortable. Just wait until we actually have the central heating on!

More Urchin

Sorry - couldn't resist. Here is another clip of my favourite cat - this time playing with her helicopter.

For Ms Crankypants

The very readable Cranky recently asked for more pictures of Urchin. Better than a photo, here is the little beast discovering the sprinkler.

For someone who claims to not like water (she runs in screaming when it starts to rain) she doesn't seem to mind playing with the hose!

New Camera

I have a new camera (to replace the one I lost in the pub/taxi a month or so ago). It is very small and extremely pink and I am still getting used to it. So I apologise for the quality of photographs for the next while.

This was cheese burgers with beetroot salad (it is unAustralian to have burgers without beetroot) edamame salad and crispy mushrooms. Assembly rather than cooking.

My favourite waste of time

This is Urchin. Two weeks ago she came to live with me. She was very sad and frightened for her first day or so, but she has adapted quite well to her new lifestyle I think... She likes fish more than meat and thinks that cheese is the best thing ever.

Audrey

I thought this deserved a post all of its own. One of Paul's pitcher plants has produced a flower. I didn't even know they did that! But she is beautiful. I think she looks like Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors.