You make my Blog cool

Hello Lovely People! It's Thursday............ How? thank you for all of your gorgeous comments about the kitties, they are back on form and back to laser-pen fun.  Remember laser pens have to be used responsibly, do not point them at planes, helicopters or your husbands legs/lower area because you think it's really, really funny.  Apparently it's not.
But, hey! you  make my Blog cool.

Monday marked the 5th anniversary of Dave's Dad's passing

He's on the left,

he really was that cool,

he loved, was loved and will always be missed

He is making my Blog cool.

Crumble,

Jaffy,

in her ring of comfort

.................................that doesn't sound at all right, does it?

Cookie knows how to light herself,

'Darling, always light me from below' 

That's how I always walk,

yep, that's me on the left

de-bobbling and gluing 

I'm going to have to boil wash this baby and re-dye it,

I'm not sure if I can re-dye it another colour though.

Some chazzed goodness

This is the 

'I can't take a decent photo; so here, look at my £2 chazzed chocolate fondue set'

chocolate fondue......................

*looks up into the distance*

mmmmmmmmmmmm

Me, with my actual real hair for once

and a stroppy face

This is what I wear when I make lemon drizzle cake,

no lipstick however,

I'm about to go face first into cake mixture,

I pimonkey-ed it and gave myself a terrible facial rash,

This is the first brand new coat I have bought in years

£15 in the sale, weird fitting thing, look at the arms!

Eldest was going to throw these shoes out

GASP

are you kidding me?

I also discovered last week I have a phobia,

Trypophobia - a fear of holes

Lovely,

I thought I just had an over-reacting aversion to holes,

Missy gave me the name

it's not all holes

just the creepy, horrible, vile skin crawling type

I then decided to cure myself by de-sensitizing myself,

which is possibly the worst idea I have ever had in my entire life.

So, if I have given anyone the creeps,

accept my apologies

This should help

Cute Kittens

Adorable Puppies

Also I'd like to mention Carol S,

 thank you for your +1's on Google!

*bows*

you make my Blog cool too.

You know I need help when I'm still using the word 'Cool'

see you soon!

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A study in Hair

Hello All! I hope you are all well and having a fabulous week so far!

The kittens operations went well *breathes huge sigh of relief* However we did have 'Cone' issues. the kittens were discharged on Friday with those ruddy awful plastic neck cones and we were given strict instructions to leave them on for 14 days.
Within 10 minutes of arriving home Jaffa had released herself from hers and poor Crumble was unable to function with hers on.   Half an hour of chasing Jaffa stressed her out completely.  The vets were phoned and I was informed I had to put the cone back on her..... ahem, how? so I made a decision, leave the cone off and watch her like a hawk.  The next day, after finding Crumble face down on the bathroom floor,  I took hers off too.
The difference in Crumble was immediate.  She was happy.
I know this may be controversial to remove the cones.  But, so far so good.
Although Jaffa has removed one stitch (the wound is still healthy and intact)

I decided to create Herb Ritts inspired Photographs 

(apologies to Mr Ritts)

I was undecided over whether to publish them,

it all felt rather indulgent,

but then I thought

Sod it!

I like them!

 Disney-esque,

I'm eating a poisoned paper weight

don't do it!

it makes you terribly queasy 

Today 

and the most hideously awkward to photograph outfit I have ever worn,

I'm linking in with Sacramento - Share in Style, Free

and

Anne - 52 Pick me up, Dots,

I'll be round shortly,

I'm off on 'kitty wound watch' again

See you Soon!!

and a Big Thank You for all of your wonderful comments!

you guys!!!

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I'm older than Shirley Valentine, what the what now!

Hello all! How are you? I hope you are having a brilliant week so far.

Last week I discovered I'm older than Shirley Valentine.  It was quite the shocker.  But then, these things happen, I am not Dorian Gray and I don't have an ageing portrait of myself in the attic. Instead, I seem to be ageing spectacularly all over my neck.

I first saw Shirley Valentine, the play at The Everyman in Liverpool over 20 years ago, I have seen the film a million times, I just love her! I find her inspiring.  Shirley also reminds me of my Mum, with her wit, her perm and her ultimate determination to live her life.  Like Shirley, my Mum loves to travel and goes away with 'the girls' at least once a year.  It is a sight-seeing, relaxing, party extravaganza.  This year they are off to Benidorm.
 My Mum no longer has a perm though, but then, neither would Shirley.

Like Shirley, I talk to the wall.

Don't I wall?

Inspiration truly has many faces,

 I have a love of Drag 

I love the transformation,

the creation,

'When you become the image of your own imagination, it's the most powerful thing you could ever do' RuPaul

Courtney Act,

Sod sanitary products, these are the only wings I'm interested in

For those days when I can't be bothered,

and ladies, there are plenty of those,

I think of these gals

I can transform how I feel,

Eyebrows, lips and some hair and I always feel more me

I Love Latrice Royale

If I'm just going to the shop for some necessities,

it's important to me to maintain my standards

Secure the fakery down with every clip you can find,

very necessary,

it's a gusty day today,

this is pre-shopping hair

Miss Jinxx Monsoon

apres shopping hair,

thankfully it stayed on.

Eldest has naturally curly hair,

She grew beautiful coiled springs of golden hair at 18 months old,

of course she hated it as she grew older,

I suppose our relationship with our hair is a complicated one, like everything else we have to find our own peace with it.

my poor babies are having their 'special operation' tomorrow,

absolutely necessary, they are desperate now to venture outside

they are growing up so fast

*sniffle*

(my hormones are driving me crazy, it takes one emotionally loaded TV advert and I'm face first weeping in tissues, baby mere-cats, kidnapped robots, anything sets me off)

before you go,

shall we have a cup of tea and a cherry and almond scone/rock cake/what on earth have I made?

lovely!

Now, I leave you with a little Shirley 

and I'll see you soon you Lovely lot!

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Presenting the King and Queen of Washington State

Hello Lovelies!
remember I promised you serious fabulousness on my last post!

Now Dave, the husband formally known as Mr F, which meant Mr Foxy, because that was his name on my mobile phone for a long time.  One time I asked a male colleague to update a new SIM on my phone, he clocked 2 names - Mr Foxy (old number) and Dave (new number).  He looked at me, gave me the side eye and waited for me to explain myself.  Of course I didn't.  I smiled back enigmatically and said nothing.

Back-story to the Dave/Mr F explanation over.  Dave was in Seattle on a business trip.  I once had a 3 day stay in Manchester for training in a sales job.  I'm not kidding when I say part of the job was to dance in a Supermarket entrance.  If you ever have a minute, Youtube Phoenix Nights, 'Come and buy your black bin bags, they're on offer till December', you'll get the gist.

The Fisherman's Terminal in Ballard, Seattle

Now, Seattle you say!

Natalia and Justin

Gorgeous Natalia's blog is 'In the Writer's Closet' (click Natalia for the link)

I'm sure you all know Natalia! 

but, please if you haven't visited Natalia I recommend you do.  Immediately!

Natalia emailed me when she read my blog and discovered Dave was in Seattle.  

I was thrilled to receive her email. I know Natalia is a busy woman and was delighted when she suggested a meet up with Dave accompanied by Justin, her husband.

I contacted Dave, who was overwhelmed by their generosity.  Of course he wanted to meet them!

Now, I'm going to pass you over to Dave!

I'd been in Seattle for a whole week and I'd seen most of the sights I wanted to see - the Space Needle, the EMP Museum, Safeco Field - but what I hadn't managed to do was enjoy a really great meal with a local flavour with some really great company.  And that's where Natalia and Justin came in!!  I spent hours with this pair of intelligent, witty and fascinating people and can honestly say that it felt like minutes.  I'll admit that I was nervous whilst travelling on the bus - what happens if we had nothing to talk about? - but from the instant I met them, I felt completely at home, like a little piece of Liverpool transferred to the Pacific North West.  It's rare to feel so completely at home with people you've never met before, especially when you are 5,000 miles away from home, but that's Natalia & Justin for you!  They even gave me lift back to the city!  Thank you to you both!

I've never been a fan of seafood but I was directed to Boston Chowder (even though I then ordered the Manhattan one by mistake) - I've never had Chowder but I'll tell you this - I'll be having it again! Absolutely delicious - I could have had 3 bowls of it (but that would have been gluttonous).  After that, I had a Bay Shrimp and Crab Omelette that had to be seen to be believed.  A glass of coke and some water helped to wash it all down.  The restaurant was excellent and I had a thoroughly excellent time.  Shall we do it again next Sunday?

Thanks Dave!

Dave cited his time with Natalia and Justin as the highlight of his trip, he was truly smitten with this wonderful couple.

Now back to me!

The King and Queen of Washington State

The Restaurant was located in here,

it's called Chinook's

(don't you love how I'm saying this like I was there!)

Beautiful Natalia 

I love this photo of Justin

Outfit awesomeness modelled by Beautiful Natalia

And after all of that loveliness

there was more!

Natalia sent me this!!!!

A beautiful note and an incredible intricately crafted Birch Box heart shaped box containing earrings made by Russian artisans, 

'a very old art, common in Central Russia (Siberia)....Jasper is on the box'

I may have fainted

Thank you so much Natalia!

Do I have to share the earrings with my daughters!!!

the detail is breathtaking 

I hope my pics do them some justice

Thank you again to Natalia and Justin for taking care of my hairy husband and for my beautiful gifts!

You are beyond awesome!

You know if you are ever in Liverpool you have a place to stay.

The Global Blogging Sisterhood is a wonderful thing isn't it?

It truly warms my heart to be part of our incredible community.

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Posting while cooking should be banned

Hello Lovelies! I hope you are having a wonderful start to the week!

My younger children are off, it's half term! I seem to have agreed to a sleepover despite having no recollection of the conversation.  Kids are very clever.  They will ask questions/make requests/bother me when I am doing important things like trying to think or when I am immersed in domestic nonsense. It's all typical kid stuff.  I remember some of my tactics when I was a child, I was an absolute horror!

Awww! My Mum created a romantic date for us Gals!

Fixing drawers on a Saturday night,
I know how to party, ha!

what I wore 

wearing clothes

and hats

Off to visit the Eldest at University for coffee,

curly hair clearly makes me ridiculously happy

'Fame' the movie seemed to have completely impacted my opinion of Uni canteen life,

which is daft,

this isn't a performing arts Uni,

or the 80's,

nonetheless I was desperate to see someone in spandex, it didn't happen

the students oozed elegant insouciance 

Joining in with Sacramento - Share-in-Style; Japanese Inspiration

Bag of goodies for the sleepover

so much sugar

bad, bad idea

Now I have to go, Littlest's friend is round in 40 minutes,

the house is a disaster!!

and I've written this post whilst cooking,

the kitchen is a fright, I use every utensil/pan/surface area

I got skills!

(am excited about my next post, just to let you know, it involves serious fabulousness, I'm not saying anymore!)

SEE YOU SOON!!!

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