Saturday 25 June 2011

Cakes, crochet, laughter and big fat fibs

Remember me?!   I've been a rubbish blogger lately, I know.  Something that I have been worried about for a while has recently come to a head.  Now that the issue has been resolved and that particularly worrying time has passed, I find that I am exhausted.  Crazily bone tired.  My mind is finally relaxing, I suppose, and catching up on itself.

I've also decided that I'm going to crack on and do stuff.  Make things happen rather than just thinking about doing them and worrying about finding the time.  So I've been busy - really busy - and having a thoroughly lovely time.  I finally got round to making the salted caramel cupcakes in the July issue of Country Living:

They are a bit too sweet for me but the husband and J quite like them.  (I didn't let the caramel bubble for long enough, that's why they are quite pale.)

I've also been working on the scarf that I've taken from Emily's blog 'Unravelled'.  I loved the scarf that Emily made and fancied having a go myself.  I'm an absolute beginner at crochet and thought it would be a simple project for me to 'cut my teeth on'.  It really is!  Thank you, Emily, for uploading the pattern.  Here's a sneaky peek at my progress so far...

This is my favourite crochet project to date.  I love the yarn.  It's soft and warm, I love the muted colours and I ♥♥ love love love ♥♥ crocheting something as a whole, that drapes into my lap as it grows.  And this yarn drapes beautifully.  I have adapted the pattern slightly so there's more of the browny/grey colour  than pink (simply because I have three balls of it and only two balls of the pink).  I have also made the stripes marginally bigger because I enjoy not having to join a new colour in quite so often.  This is just mindless crochet with instant gratification for me and I am in ♥♥♥ crochet heaven! ♥♥♥  Ha! Emily, I'll be round at yours in a few days begging assistance with the edging if that's ok...! ;0)

On Monday I took the afternoon off to take my Mum to the hospital.  It was just a consultation but she looks after my niece on Mondays and needed a hand.  I had the best time.  My niece is now two and a half years old and changing all the time.  She is such a chatterbox and says the funniest things - she makes me roar with laughter.  I love this age; I love her.
So that's my week in a nutshell.  Oh, the Calor gas man arrived to replace the empty bottle for the oven [which stopped working pre-party].  Turns out that we hadn't run out of gas, the tap had just been turned right down.  Grrr.  Felt such an idiot - it didn't help that he turned up super early in the morning so I had mad lady hair, panda eyes and was wearing crocs and socks with my pyjamas: glam. Not.

We also had some furniture delivered. Lush furniture.  But it was one of those squirmily (word?!) embarrassing situations.  I'll tell you about it... A while ago we had a slight drama with the furniture company because I was returning a set of tables and when the man came to collect them he told me I hadn't packaged them up properly.  I didn't know I had to but I didn't want him to go away without my tables.  So I put on a cockney accent (I have no idea why) and pretended to be the cleaner (I don't have a cleaner).  Basically I said 'I dunno mate, I'm just the cleaner... the owners have gone away on holiday, you can't leave me here with her tables, she'll go mad..' blah blah blagging blah...

I could tell at the time he didn't believe me even though I was wearing rubber gloves (I, on the other hand, felt like a genius for creating such a plausible story at short notice - ha!).  Anyway, thankfully they took the tables and all was well.   Until the same man arrived with my delivery this week.  The very first thing he asked was whether I was the owner, to which I replied yes.  Then it dawned on me.... this was the man I'd lied to... [eek].  He laughingly told me that I'd told him 'porky pies' last time he saw me and asked if I'd got a cleaner...

Me: 'Yes!' [no]
Him: 'Oh, perhaps you weren't lying then.  Is she blonde?'
Me: 'Yes' [kill me now]
Him: 'Oh, I think you were on holiday when we picked your tables up...'
Me: 'Oh yes we were, she told me there was a problem with the tables.  Thanks for taking them.' [??]
Him: 'No problem, she looks a lot like you, your cleaner....'
Me: 'Well yes I suppose she does.  But she's a lot younger than me...' [what? I'm just elaborating for no reason now...]
Him:  'Well, er, yes, I wasn't going to say that...'... Cheeky devil!

I am never ever lying about anything like that again.  I laughed out loud, all by myself afterwards.  What a complete wally.  Why didn't I just giggle and tell him I was fibbing the first time, he wouldn't care?!

Nicki 

x

PS The dove has left our chimney and been replaced by a swarm of honey bees:  joy.  
We have had three fires blazing today to try and coax them out:  no joy.  
Pest control man is coming on Tuesday: boo.

14 comments:

  1. Oh Nicki, that's so funny! You pretending to be your own cleaner is like something out of a sitcom!!!

    Loving the colours in your scarf. I'm like you, I prefer the slight monotony of bigger projects than the little fiddly bits (plus less ends to sew in helps!)

    Nothing more draining than worry - hope you can have a lovely chilled out Sunday.

    Hx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my Christ (to quote Pamela from Gavin & Stacey) this is the funniest post I've read in ages.
    You are a nutter! That is brilliant re the delivery man. Totally love it and laughed out loud.
    Glad your worrying time is over. Wish I could bake like that. I blame the oven but everything sinks or explodes.
    Hmmmmmm.
    Really missed your blog updates so good to have ya back!
    Gem x x x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those cupcakes look gorgeous!! I might just have to make some of those tomorrow!!

    Your crochet looks fab, very neat indeed for someone new to it.

    Love the tables story, hilarious!!

    S x

    PS Is the pest man charging you? If you contact your local beekeepers association they may have someone setting up a new hive interested in removing them - we def shouldn't be killing bees as they are in such decline....

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just did the nose trick with my glass of Becks reading this!!! You is crazy as a box of frogs, girl!! Can just imagine it! xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Haahaha... I can't beleive you came up with the idea to say you were the cleaner right then and there. I can neve come up with quick things like that.. although, the delivery man probably thought you were a little bit of a nutter! haha

    Love love love the scarf.. brilliant choice of colours. :-)

    I can't wait to see you new furniture..! If you were planning on showing it off.. obviously..

    Ashley xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. I should know better than to read your blog whilst drinking a cuppa......right then all clean now.
    Glad your worry is over, I hate it when I have a nagging in my soul..... Do we get pictures of said furniture??? Your niece reminds me of my granddaughter, they are funny arn't they, my granddaughter cracks me up all the time, I am constantly giggling when she is here. Such bright little beings.
    I am going to have to practice with my piping bag to make my cupcakes look more delish like yours.
    x Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a genius story , made me laugh. Those cupcakes look yummy and very professional , mine always look as though a child has made them !

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh my word! Hilarious! Cockney? Genius!!! I wish I were a fly on the wall both times.

    I'm with SarahB you mustn't kill the honey bees. My father in law is a bee keeper and he goes out on any day to rescue bees and take them home where they make lovely honey. If you like I can see if he knows anyone around your area...actually I'll ask him anyway. They are in a chimney right? Maybe that complicates things but I'll ask. Back in a mo......you may not need to wait till Monday.....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ha! I love your delivery man story. It's an absolute cracker!
    Show us your furniture, go on go on go.
    The cakes are so perfect and beautiful. They look amazing.
    I am happy your worry is over. Hope all is good sweetie.
    I did a swap with April from April May Sunshine blog. She is a lovely girl.
    Your niece looks like great fun. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. I actually put on a cockney accent while reading that paragraph, hilarious!! genius for thinking on the spot, well done you.

    The cupcakes look yummy and my little lad is looking over my shoulder and has asked if I can make them (recipe please...)

    Couldn't agree with you more about crochet, I'm just starting and can't wait for the children to go to bed so I can get back to it, my first project is a Granny Blanket for my new front room, your scarf looks fab, what yarn did you use??

    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh those cakes look so delicious!
    Porky pies always come back to bite you on the bum don't they!
    Your scarf is looking fabulous!
    Have a great week!
    Rachel x

    ReplyDelete
  12. tee hee - I put on the accent to read it too! love it. I always pretend I'm the cleaner when anyone i don't want to talk to knocks on my door. (not people I know you understand - I'm not THAT crazy)
    We still have a dead pidgeon behind our fire. I'm waiting for the smell but nothing yet. maybe it's masked by l'eau de sweaty kid?
    fee x
    (hope your worries have gone)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh my goodness I haven't laughed so much for ages. You poor thing, how awful! On the bright side your cupcakes look absolutely fab!

    ReplyDelete