Happy Valentine’s Day!

And Happy Friday the 13th!  😀

Well, with Valentine’s coming up, I’ve just spotted this Valentine’s themed competition (hurry up if you want to enter – ends today!)… and you’re supposed to come up with an outfit for the gent in your life for Valentines.

Outfit and outfit… *giggles*  I’m not one for wanting to go out, so the perfect Valentine’s Outfit for my other half would have to be PJs, a robe and slippers… and the two of us curled up on the sofa watching a good film (or The Walking Dead… so happy it’s back!).

So here’s the ideal outfit for my other half, toothbrush included incase there would be any kissing… with it being Valentine’s and all.  😀

 

Valentine’s gifts for him with Debenhams by crapiblogabout featuring a l homme fragrance

 

I have actually made him a card this year, although it’s just an electronic version. He’s not home for the day (home on Sunday, and yes, we do intend to curl up on the sofa). Chances of me actually managing to send it off on Saturday? Hmmm… about 15% I think! But if I forget, atleast he can see it on Sunday. Some of the pics for the card came out absolutely hilarious, due to one of the dogs photobombing the pics… but some things are best left unseen, so won’t be posting those!

Happy Valentine’s day to all that celebrate it, and wishing everyone else a lovely Saturday 14th of February!

———————–

He managed to come home on Valentine’s (well… technically on Sunday morning), and we watched Wyrmwood:  Road of the Dead.  It was  fun!

Gingerbread house!

Yup, that’s this years gingerbread house done.  😀

I used the receipe over at BBC Good Food, but I used a little bit less ginger, and added cinnamon and allspice instead.

Now – I’m not that great with measurement, and generally just wing it, instead of measure… but I must have gone absolutely crazy with the bi-carb soda as mine rose like it was bread!

Nevermind, I wasn’t looking for perfection, I was looking for charm… and for it to smell awesome as it was baking.  😀

Looking good before going into the oven…

And looking GIANT coming out of the oven

Haribo Tangfastics did the job for the windows

Cooling off

As you can see, there’s not a straight wall in sight, as it rose a lot more than I expected.  I did however stick two roof parts in the oven first… which was good, as I had planned to do checkered windows, but that plan went out the… eh… window, when I realised it wasn’t gonna work with it rising as much as it was.  Instead I just used heart shaped cookie cutters for the windows.

And I wanted “glass” in the windows… quick google, and it tells me to use “hard candy”.  Grrrr.  No hard candy in the house, not even a forlorn lolly.  But I spot the Tangfastic (how can I not – we got a huge giant box of it), and figure “why not?”.  Sour sweeties washed and cut, and then placed into the window openings.  And back into the oven!  If you’re gonna give this a go, keep an eye on it, as it melts so quickly!  Stick it in the fridge works wonders to cool it afterwards, so it can be removed from the tray.

The house took me forever and a day… well, that’s a lie… more like forever and a week.  Not doing so good at the moment, and doing any little thing really knocks me out… so baked one day, stuck together a different day, yet another day for the roof, and finally a different day again for the decorating.

Used melted sugar to stick it together

And cereal for the roof

I used caramelised sugar to stick it together (as I don’t have the patience for any icing to set), and the cheapest wheat cereal I could find for the roof (hey – I don’t eat cereal, wasn’t gonna spend a bomb).  I just mixed icing sugar with lemon juice to stick the roof decorations on.

The “snow” was however made with whisked egg whites, icing sugar and lemon juice, and it was great fun to to use, as it was just the right consistency for it to drip a wee bit.

Marzipan decorations

Loads of “snow”

Roof also got a dusting of icing sugar

A tiny dot of icing for a door handle

I was looking for a rustic charm, not covered in sweeties and all colourful… and I think it worked out just perfect.  😀

Perfection is way over-rated, and with it’s wonky walls, cracks and gaps, I think it’s doing just fine…  and even better than that when it’s lit up:

Lit up

Windows came out great

(sorry… had to stick copyright onto it… otherwise I will just see people trying to pass it off as their own in Christmas competitions next year.  *sigh*  Shouldn’t be necessary, but it is, I see people use other peoples creations and claim them as their own all the time)

The Tangfastic windows came out ace!  With fun little bubbles, that makes them look even more cosy than they would have otherwise.

Sorry, I got no template… I just winged it from the fifth one down here (isn’t it adorable?).  I didn’t do too badly… only thing I had to trim was the porch fences, as I’d made them way too high.

As I’m not decorating this year (as the kitties would break everything), it’s been a lovely Christmassy edition to the kitchen (and it smells heavenly).  The leftover dough was made into cookies and eaten (they were very yum!).

No twinkle from the Christmas Tree this year…

Well… with 4 cats under a year old I figured there would be NO point in putting up the Christmas tree, as it would only be on the floor ALL the time.  😀

It’s bad enough with two adult cats (Pie knocked the tree over atleast once a day last year), and I could picture the havoc with the other 4 on top.

So no tree this year.  But I love the light from the Christmas tree.  I wouldn’t mind having a Christmas tree up all year.  🙂

Nor am I putting out any other Christmas decorations, as they would just end up broken… but I have put up the garlands (with lights), and used a wall as a substitute Christmas tree.  High up, in the hope little paws won’t be able to jump up, and away from the curtains (as they are being used a playground).

So, although no tree is up, there’s still a little bit of that Christmas twinkle on show.  😀

 

Otherwise this has been a dreadful week… 2 hospital appointments (luckily not both of them mine), and it really takes so much out of me getting dressed in anything else but PJs, and venturing outside.  I’ll be paying for it for a few more days.

It’s absolutely freezing, which is clearly affecting the arthritis on top of everything else… so it’s all fun and games.  😀

Here’s one of the bigger monkeys walking on the ice on the pond (don’t worry, it’s not completely frozen, just away from the pump):

Am loving my new coat!!!

New coat!!!  Yes, doesn’t take too much to make me excited.  🙂

But I’m absolutely loving it.  You know those faux fur fleece blankies – those incredibly soft ones?  Well – the coat is like that inside!

 

To be honest, I didn’t have a clue what it was gonna be like, as it was ordered online… and when all you got is a pic to go by, it’s always a wee bit of a worry until it arrives.

So, I was dead chuffed when it was absolutely lush.  And the good thing about it, not being from a high street store is that hopefully I won’t be wandering around with it on, and seeing tons of others wearing the same (one year I had a Next coat – I swear half the female population of the UK had the same blooming coat).

 

What’s even better… I won it.  🙂

Well, technically I won credit to the store, but as this is what I picked, it became my prize.

I also got a dress, and a jumper for my credit, so over the moon with my goodies.  🙂

 

Coat is from Sheinside.  Their clothes are CHEAP.  And I mean… really cheap.  Delivery is as expected (I often order from Asia… and generally it takes between 7-10 days.  Quickest I’ve had something arrive is 5 days… and longest is about 2 weeks)… but the “processing time” (what the heck is that supposed to mean?) took what felt like forever before it got sent off… but then again, if you’re not in a hurry, having to wait a couple of weeks before the clothes are shipped off shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

However, I think the clothes has been made for tiny little elven creatures like Kylie Minogue!  I got the coat in Large, but it’s more like a M (this was anticipated, which is why I got large)… and my dress and jumper is “one size” (one size for petite 12 year olds – hahahaha).  I really liked them, so thought I’d chance it, considering it wasn’t costing me anything.  🙂

The jumper fits, and will be used, but it is a size smaller than I would have prefered.  The dress however…  oh my goodness – my derriere is atleast 2 sizes too big for it.  Hahahahaha.

 

And if you fancy trying to win some vouchers yourself, there’s loads of contests over on Polyvore for credit at stores!  And even if you don’t fancy playing virtual dress-up in the hope to win something, it’s loads of fun making other sets too!  Think of it like a very tidy and attractive Pinterest… you pick the items you like, and add them together in a set:

 

Example sets by crapiblogabout on polyvore.com

Home sets, fashion sets, arts & crafts, beauty, art and impression, hair styles… basically anything you want.  🙂

Update on the breeding bugger of a cat, and various other stuff.

I’m allowed to call her a bugger.  I love her to bits, but there’s no denying she’s a complete and utter arse.  🙂

Yes, Pie’s finally done (one of her kids was also fixed a few weeks ago, waiting with D as she’s still fairly petite, and not even 3kg yet)!  *does the happy dance*

As you can see she still got the indentation where her fur was shaved.

Fun and games started as soon as I went to pick her up.  Pie is glaring at my with furious eyes in the carrier, whilst I’m chatting to the vet.  Vet tells me to keep her in for 10 days.  I said Pie would kill me if I kept her in for 10 days.  And I mean, she would actually figure out a way to murder me.

I sigh, and say “fine”, knowing it will never happen.

So, I ask when I can take her collar off.  Vet says to keep it on for 10 days!  Hahahahahahaha!  Oh my goodness, this vet is clearly on some heavy drugs, or has never had a cat.

I’ll tell you how long the collar lasted for – less than 2 minutes!  As soon as we were in the car, Pie managed to push the collar off.  Atleast her glaring look subduded a few nothches after that.

So, wanting to keep her in for the night, cat litter tray, food and water gets put in our bedroom, and the door shot.  Pie goes to sleep…

Until 2am.  Come 2am she’s launching herself at the door handle (she can open the downstairs doors… however the bedroom doors are old, and tricky, as you have to hold the handle down whilst pulling at the door).

I figure it will be less stressful for her, and cause less stress on her body to just open the door…

So, Pie flies though the catflap, and I end up sitting up, worrying about her…

 

I didn’t worry for too long – less than 20 minutes later she returns – with a live bird in her mouth!!!

 

Luring Pie into the bathroom, I then spend the next 30 minutes trying to catch the bird in a box.  When bird finally released, and I open the bathroom door, Pie is there proud as can be, with a look that said “This is what you get for locking me in the bedroom”.

 

*sigh*

 

Otherwise, it’s blooming freezing… not good for the arthritis, but Boo is loving the fact that the fireplace is in use again:

Been to hospital appointments, and the specialist I’m seeing is trying to get me onto a drugs trial.  Have also walked around like a fashion guru with the last accessory of the season – a heart monitor.  Atleast it was so tiny and light it could be clipped onto my bra.

 

Being the idiot that I am, and having gotten as plump as a piggy, I’ve decided to try the Insanity workout.  Of course there are days where I can barely move, so the time-scale isn’t really being followed.  However, on a good day, I decided to do the Fit Test… you’d think it wasn’t possibly to fail a fit test, but I managed – ZERO push-up jacks.  Hahahahahaha!

 

Signing off with the of my gorgeous girls lurking at the fish:

 

How the heck did they manage to do this?

Really… that is what met me in the bathroom this evening.

Unbelievable.

 

Pie and the 2 kittens were playing about in the hallway and bathroom after having been in snoozing with the mini-babies… and then I heard the crash.

I knew instantly it was the aloe vera plant… which was placed on the counter behind the toilet.  However – I did NOT expect it to be inside the toilet!  With the lid on!

Hahahahahaha!

I have to say, although I found it hilarious (and annoying, as there was dirt everywhere), I also found it creepy.  And the creepiness didn’t get any better when I opened the lid:

*shudders*  And you can just about spot the “pot” (it’s an ice bucket) the plant is in, perfectly placed in the toilet bowl!

It must have spooked them, and as one of them jumped off the counter, they must have whacked the lid down on top of the plant after it landed in the loo.

Bathroom dirt free again, but my aloe plant has seen better days… very bruised.  And the whole bathroom reeks of aloe.

 

And here’s an “awwwww” pic just for the heck of it!  😉

What’s cuter than a basket full of kittens?

Not much really…  😀

Although I think the pics below will melt the coldest of hearts!

Here’s the litte mini-babies (as I still call the other two the “babies”, although they’re closing in on Pie in size) – pics take today:

 

The above is the handsome Teddy (Theodore)!

 

And the above is the adorable princess Mara (Tamara)!

 

And above we got the gorgeous Timmy (Timothy)!

 

And last but not least, we got the adorable Tommy (Thomas)!

 

All four were named in Tia’s memory.  All four are absolutely massive!!!  And all of them are talkers, and will start talking as soon as they see you.  🙂

 

My two kittens love their little sister and brothers, and a fave is to groom them.  As the mini-kittens are getting more and more active (they can now climb the chair), they’re starting to play together more and more.  Can’t wait to see the six of them racing about.

 

And my two are now nearly adult size!  They’re a force of destruction, and the wall paper is being ripped, all furniture scratched, and all curtains are getting shredded (they also managed to tear down a curtain pole the other day!)…  and they’re the cuddliest little kitties ever!

They’re both squeeze in on the lap, not caring if a dog or two is there already.  Complete and utter purr-machines.

Never google images for broken toes!!!

4:30am and cannot sleep due to toe hurting like a real bastard each time it touches the duvet, the matress, or one of the dogs.

Managed to whack my poor toe onto a corner last night.  Yes, it was painful, but no more than the normal pain that arises when I manage to stub my toes onto something.

But it got bad going to bed, and took a peek at it now, and the bugger is all swollen and a delicious purple colour.

 

Having had broken toes in the past, and knowing there’s not much you can do for it, apart from taping it up, but I’d forgotten what they looked like, and figured I’d google “broken toe” and look at pics to see whether I was gonna be bothered to try and find some tape to use or not.

 

*pukes*  Never google “broken toe” and look at the pics!  Never!  It didn’t start too bad… but then it got ugly… oh so ugly.  Why can’t things be unseen?!  This is nearly as bad as when my curiosity forced me to see The Human Centipide (never see this film!!!).

 

*toodles off to try and find some tape for the bastard toe, whilst desperately trying to force images of disgusting toes out of her mind*

Her name was Tia…

And she left us living about 2 hours ago.  😦

 

I knew last night… at her 10pm feed, I realised she would leave.  And it made it even worse, as this afternoon, for the first time, I felt real hope.

This afternoon she did pushy paws!  She went on her mothers boob, and for a few minutes, she was in heaven right here.  I remember thinking afterwards, having seen her so happy, suckling from her mother like the others, purring, and pushing her tiny little paws up and down… that even if she was to leave soon, maybe it was all worth it just for those few minutes of bliss.

 

I hope it was worth it.  I truly do.  She had less than a week.  Less than a week, and a moment of bliss.

 

Pie’s been great.  When I realised she was fading last night, I simply started howling.  Sitting there with tiny little Tia in my hand, knowing that it suddenly wouldn’t matter how hard I try, she wasn’t gonna stay.  And my Monkey-Pie came and snuggled me, rubbing my tears away with her face.

 

And still I hoped.  Even though I knew Tia was now going with the flow, instead of fighting the tide.  I’m crying, but I already did my grieving in those hours between 10pm and 4am.

 

She had her last feed at 2am… both me and her knew it was the last supper, so kept it short, and instead, I laid down on the bed, with little Tia on top of my chest, snuggled up warm under my PJs, and cupping my hand around her.

Around 3am she started purring, and doing pushypaws against my fingertips.  Then we just laid there, me softly weeping, and her drifting further and further away.

 

The pic above was taken two days ago (the brown “cord” is just umbilical cord, that was still stuck on one of the babies).  You can see how incredibly tiny she was compared to the others.  Yes, the beautiful, but oh so tiny girl to the left in the image was born on the same day as the rest of them.

 

Sweet dreams, Tia.  I know it’s not much – but you were loved.  May you grow big and strong where you are now.

Her name is Tia…

And I’m not certain how long she will stay here for, but I hope and pray it will be for a long time.

So far, she’s beating the odds, and has blessed us with her presence for 4 days.  🙂

Each day is a little miracle, just like she is.

 

Yes, Pie’s had her babies, born 2 days early.  5 babies – 4 of them very healthy and happy indeed (or at the moment – very chubby, and behaving like barbarians while fighting over the boobies).

And then there is Tia.  Born smack bang in the middle of the litter.  About half the size of her siblings… and not breathing (I was however prepared, and had been reading up on how to help little kittens breathe).

I didn’t think she was going to make it to day 2… but she did.  And then day 3… and now on day 4.

She’s getting handfed every second hour, or I keep trying each hour if I’m not happy with the amount she’s had.   Emotionally and physically I’m completely drained, but each time she takes some formula from the bottle makes it worth it.  🙂

I was pulled in two directions, on whether to take her to the vets to be tube fed, or try bottle and formula… and in the end I opted for the bottle.  The tube is no guarantee she’ll make it, and if she’ not going to make it… then I’d rather she’s known the love from Pie, and the warmth of her siblings, than a surgery.

She’s so incredibly little.  And although she’s grown (she’s now nearly the size her siblings were when they were born), the other’s are growing so much faster, and now nearly look three times her size.

 

The bad is that she’s still so terribly small, and won’t drink from Pie.  The good news is that she’s feisty (she’s some wiggle worm, and will climb both over me when trying to feed her, and her mother and siblings), and doesn’t appear to be in any sort of distress (she doesn’t cry, apart from when I initially lift her from the rest of the gang).

 

If you pray, I’d appreciate a little prayer for the tiny little Tia… and if you don’t, then I’d appreciate some good vibes sent her way.  🙂