Happy Happy Scrapper!

Good afternoon my blogging buddies!

We had a great time on Tuesday evening for Mum's birthday - after a bubbly toast at my house we whisked her off for a surprise Chinese meal, and here she is with her surprise cake!! Perhaps I should add, she's not wearing sparkly Micky Mouse ears (not that there's owt wrong with that, if that's what you like to do in the privacy of yer own pad), that'd be the helium balloons behind her head! Classic photography blooper that! The waiters dimmed the lights as they brought it out accompanied by "Happy Birthday" - which the fellow restaurant goers joined in with, and Cliff Richards jolly "Congratulations". I think Mum was mortified put certainly put a brave face on it!! She swore blind that she'd inflict us with much pain and misery if we so much as sent her a card with "50" on it, so Katrina came up with the nifty idea of the "1956" candles - hehehe! She loved the 8x8 album I made for her - I think at the last count there were over 20 pages in there. There's still lots for her to explore - secret journaling, and even some blank places where she can add her own thoughts.

Now that the album project is over, and as it took six months to complete, there's a bit of a void in my crafting life now!! But, I'm sure I can come up with plenty to fill my time! I totally admire the current Freestyling trend (check out the Autumn leaves blog here) and hope to I've it a go. It will totally take me out of my comfort zone mind; I'm naturally drawn to creating simple and graphic LO's and have really pushed myself into the more busy, grungy, inked and distressed style that I'm currently using more and more. But Freestyling, in the words of Little Britain's Vicky Pollard, "is Summit else!" So, although I haven't got any new scrapping projects to show off from the past few days, I have been whiling the hours away at work practicing my doodling in preparation for a freestyling masterpiece!! I've finally come up with a style that I'm personally happy with, and doesn't look as if a herd of drunken spiders have done the conga over my page. Here's a little pic of some of my studies - they're a bit stretch and skewed I'm afraid to fit 'em in but I'm sure you'll get the idea!

And, after the disappointment of my BOB lo's in Scrapbook Inspirations, I've had a confidence boost today!! I received an email from CJ requesting one of my LO's for the Great Outdoors gallery call, which will be featured in issue 19!! I'm thrilled to bits, and thankfully Lee was home this afternoon as otherwise I would have dashed to the PO, pizza box in hand, in my jimjam johnies!!! I'm a right blonde at times!!! Thankfully I caught him in a fabbo mood and he suggested I get showered and dressed whilst he took it down the post office for me - bless 'im!

And I guess I owe a big thank you to blogger today - THREE images in one post?! - what have I done to deserve that?! Summit must be up!! :D

BEWARE: Major rant about to be unleashed!!!

I don't belive it! I don't belieeeeeve it! And I don't give a monkey's bottom that I risk sounding like champion OAP whinger Victor Meldrew either - in fact - you can call me Vic from now on in his honour.

Was not going to post today as I'm at work, and was going to wait until tomorrow and upload some lavvehly pics of my mum on her birthday night out.

But instead, you lucky 'ole things - I get to tell you that I got my copy of CRAPbook Inspirations today, the one with my competition LO's in.

As you probably know, from the very start the whole thing's been nothing short of a fiasco.
Firstly they lost my email address, so only managed to notify me I'd won a couple of days before the work was due to go on show in Olympia, London. Thankfully, cos at least one side of this ordeal is on the ball, they got there pronto and were included in the display. This was back in February you understand.

Then, each of the "BOB"s were disappointed on finding out that although the rules stated winning work would be featured in a book, or at the very least a magazine supplement, they were not only just going to be printed in the standard magazine, but also spread out separately over three months (and guess who had to wait the longest - the newbies!).

And of course, there was the issue of the prizes. It was only a couple of weeks ago we heard a whimper from any of the three sponsors. The first ones to arrive, from Personal Impression were nothing short of tragic, and when the Ellison vouchers to spend on the net arrived there were problems redeeming them and everyone being charged postage (one winner can't even claim her prize now as she no longer lives in the UK, and as they won't ship outside they've basically told her tough luck). And we 'aint even heard a peep from the third sponsor, Design Objectives, who were supposedly going to be the first lot of prizes we'd receive.

So, the one thing I was left excitedly looking forward to was, after waiting since February, finally seeing my hard-work and much loved projects in print, albeit I was very nervous of seeing them in a mag - I felt my style and ability had evolved a bit since doing them - not that I fink I'm amazing or anything *lol* - it's only natural for your style to develop and change with the more work you do, innit?! They were my first pages ever, bar one naff one and one really terrible one I keep meaning to re-do. In fact, I actually had to quickly make a fifth layout, the "Angel" one of my mum, so that I'd actually have five entries to submit, as required by the rules.

However, "disappointed" doesn't come near to how I feel about what I saw today.

First of all, I realised that the hidden journalling tags on the layout of Lee, which also formed the title, must have fallen out prior to being photographed and are just strewn across the page. I would have thought the professional photographer would have had the sense to tuck them back in place first, or that this would have least been picked up in the editing process. It's not rocket science after all.

Now, the photo on the "Together on Shell Island" one opened out to reveal a pocket containing other pics of our trip there - but if you look at the DLO of PortMeirion - the photos which should have been in the hidden pocket on the Shell Island LO are just stuffed in the journalling pocket on there, and covering half my LO.

I sent each of them bagged up and wrapped separately, so how did they come to be all mixed up - and then why not bother to take two seconds to sort them out before photographing them?

I'm really, really angry. But then it's just another cock-up in this hysterical series of events that is supposed to be a prestigious competition recognising scrappers as "the best of British".

After raving on to anyone who'd sit still to listen (or read!) long enough, I feel as if I've been a fool, and that my work looks ridiculous- people will think that the disastrous and hideous misplacement of items was part of my intended "design" - if it could be called such.

So I've sent them a little email expressing my distain, in my usual pleasant and breezy manner, of course.

So anyway, I have updated my slide show above with my copies of the winning layouts, so they can be viewed properly (although some are a little paler than in real life). Also added a couple of other new pages for good measure (now that Mum's received her album and I don't have to hide any of the work from her!) - Sisters and Best Friends and Little Angel or Little Devil? Lol - if anyone can give me any tips on coming up with shorter titles I'd be very grateful!

Well, rant over - thanks my blogeroonies - I knew I could pour my heart out to you!!! Promise to be back with lighter and brighter things real soon!

Today's the Day!!!

Now - you gotta sing that all Rod Stewart syle-ee, like Tonight's the Night...ok?!!!

Well, yes, today's the day, after mooooonths of waiting, that Scrapbook Inspirations, complete with my BOB layouts, goes on sale to the general pub-leek. Yey me!!! I haven't seen it yet, but by all accounts I'm the poor unfortunate soul who get's the half page spread under Joanna-Campbell-Slans mug. After all this waiting to see my LO's in print (especially after originally being advised they were going into a book or at the very least a supplement to the magazine, but then in fact finding all the winners work spread across three editions) I'm a wee bit gutted. I guess someone had to get that page but still! Oooh, 'ark at me - I'm an ungrateful little toad aren't I?! Guess I should just be thankful I'm in there at all!

So make sure you rush out and buy a copy and point me out to all your family and friends (not that they'll be interested of course - but at least I'll get a good giggle at the thought of you pushing a copy in your Aunty Maud's startled mush as she has her morning bed bath). I may have to slip a little notice above the stand in Borders saying "that's me that is", unless security cart me out before I get the chance! I was chuffed when they published my ATC's as letter of the month a while back, but this is a tad better!

Really sorry to hear the news today that one of my favourite Scrap stores, Cotswold Keepsakes, is closing down. Gutted actually. I'd shopped online with CK several times, and just last month made a trip up for the afternoon - Lee and I were made to feel incredibly welcome and at home by Joy, who had plenty of time to chat and make us coffee, and I truly believed it would be the first trip of many. They were greatly admired and well-established, and yet another in a growing list of stash shops to recently cease trading.

But on a happier note it's a very special day today!!:

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY MUM!!!!!Love you so much - have a fab day!!

I know she's gonna kill me for that, but I can live with her wrath for a couple of years - I've done ok so far!!

Things that go BUMP in the night....

Not much going on in Scrapdom over the last few days my blogeroonies - mainly because a great deal of catch up sleep took place yesterday following my shifts!

It is, however, a Most Haunted Live weekend, so the house is full of snacks and I've got the match-sticks ready to keep my peepers open past midnight. For those of you not familiar with the extravaganza - it'd three-night live broadcast and exploration of supposedly haunted locations - and the importance of blogging this you may ask?! This time it's coming from my very doorstep - in Llanelli. Word on the street in my mum's small village of Pontarddulais is that they were going to be there tonight, however I've checked the official site and it's either going to be Llanelli House, or Kidwelly castle. I always knew the locals of "Bont" as it's affectionately known, were an excitable and imaginative lot (after all, it's were I get it from!!).

I've followed the programme for a while - it's a series on UKLiving, and about four times a year they do one of these live thingy-majiggies. At times it can be dull, with not a lot going on, and at best they catch on camera a series of strange bumps or mysterious breaths, but in between, I personally find oodles of entertainment in the endless bogey-cam shots, where one of the poor presenters (usually poor old ex-Blue Peter presenter, Yvette Fielding) inadvertently get the night-cam pointing up their nostrils, or when the medium becomes "possessed" -(or acts badly for want of a better word)!!! The current medium though, David Wells, is a lot more believable than Derek Accorah, who left a couple of moths ago, and he's also usually spookily bang on the nose with the information he "channels" from the other world. It's quite a serious affair - they carry out proper scientific experiments and take base line recordings to draw comparisons with, and they have a resident scientist/skeptic on board to draw conclusions from these, and a historian to back up the facts or look into the information provided by the medium. It makes great viewing if you have the slightest interest in the paranormal.

I used to be more of a "believer" when I first started watching, however I think the show's actually made me more of an open-minded skeptic - despite having had several strange experiences myself.

We were lucky to get tickets to one of their live shows a couple of years ago in North Wales- and for those of you who've known me that long - you'll recall the disasters and hilarity along the way, but it got us a mention on the show the next night!! I'll have to blog it when I've got a bit more time - but for now I must dash - or I'll miss the beginning of the ghost hunt!

Take care, and don't have nightmares my blogging buds!!

Evening all!

Or should that be morning?! Whatever it is anyway, I am bloomin tired, bored and at work!!!

Have had some news today regarding my Best of British prizes - got a small "token" from one of the sponsors as an apology for the first round of "prizes" they sent out (the less said about that the better - let's just say I never want to see a piece of K&Co Hydrangea paper ever again!!); todays offering was a cute little mini album complete with matching papers and embellishments, and a pack of Ready To Go Acetate Sentiments - so at least they are funkier and a bit more up my street (and clean, undamaged, and still in their original packaging *teehee*). Also had confirmation from Ellison that we each have £92 to spend online with them. The obvious choice would be the Big Shot, but seeing as I haven't had my sizzix for long I've decided to get a set of alphabars for it ('cos like, when would I ever be able to afford an alphabet set normally?!), and a couple of the new designer dies to take it up to the voucher value.

Also got a fab little suprise through the post from my lubberly buddy gal Karen (aka the mad woman in the hills!) - two gorgeous little packets of Miffy page markers, even the little boxes they came in were gorge! I love Miffy I do, she's such a cute likkle bwunny wabbit! Karen suggested I could alter them to use on my pages - they are sooo gorgeous as they are - but can't wait to see what I can come up with with them, and am setting myself a challenge to use them on my next page.

Spoke to mum earlier this evening, and, even though I didn't bring the subject up, was given strict orders not to giver her anything with "50" on for the big day next week!!! AS if I would be that cruel to an OAP! Speaking of getting old, feeling it myself today too, as I received a request to provide a reference for one of my bestie buddies and colleagues, Alison. I'm really touched that she'd think that highly of me, after all, Ali's a "proper" 33 year old grown up, with a husband, and seven year old daughter and a beautiful big detached house up in the Swansea Valley, and she's chosen me to do her the justice of a reference. I feel all responsible and grown up now too - for once!!!!! Not that it will be a hard job - she's bloomin amazin' that girl is - one of the most energetic, enthusiastic, focused and dedicated people I've ever had the joy of working with, especially in our field which at the very best of times is demanding and challenging.

Fing I hate about updating my blog in work is that 1. I can't run the spell checker cos the pop-up blocker blocks it (last time I fiddled with the settings on the work pc to try and stop it from throwing me out of UKScrappers, the whole thing broke!), and 2. I can't add any interesting pictures, to amuse and entertain ya, and it's all lookin' a bit plain-jane to me. Speaking of which, can anyone see my slide show which is supposed to be at the top of the page?! I can see it at home, but not at work - so don't know if it's cos this is a duff ole PC or if only I, with the mystical powers of my magical home computer, am able to view it. Answers on a postcard please!!!

Night night my blogging buddies xxxx

There's a (man)rat in my kitchen (called Lee), what am I gonna do?!

See what I done there?! Took an old song and ad-libbed it a bit to suit me post. Geddit now?!!?!!

It's been a funny old day- and beware - this tale is not for the faint of heart!!

I woke after being rudely awakened by the most excruciating calf cramp that seemed to last for half an hour - I was screaming loudly the whole time (the bedroom window was opened so gawd knows what the neighbours must have thought). When it eventually passed the best course of action seemed to be to go down stairs and make myself a much needed dose of caffeine to aid my recovery.

And on arrival to my lovely kitchen, I had a closer inspection of the "cleaning" Lee carried out yesterday - and quickly realised why he was so eager to gt me straight out of the house and down to ye olde local.

He'd actually tidied, rather than cleaned, if it could even be called tidied. The dishes stacked on the draining board didn't even appear to have seen so much as a trickle of water, let alone some fairy liquid and a dish cloth. So I heaved the whole lot into the dishwasher, only to see that the cooker top was absolutely caked in thick grease, as was the work surface, and the cooker hood, and the splash back, and the utensil jar.....I think you get the picture. Even Morrison's good ole "Trust", which I usually find fab for all my household grime-busting needs, couldn't shift this lot. Where are Kim and Aggie, the grease-grappling queens, when you need them? That said, I bet even they would have run screaming from the battlefield that was my kitchen this morning. I eventually found a mangled old scourer at the back of the cupboard, and after about an hours scrubbing, and some good, old fashioned, hot soapy water, the place looked half decent again.

By then, the dishwasher had finished, and, being the general ham-fisted clutz that I am, I broke a mug unloading it. I went to grab some carrier bags to wrap it in (see, I'm considerate me, wouldn't want the nice bin men cutting themselves now would we?) from the right posh storage-come-dispenser thing we have in the pantry. The pantry's had a strange smell for a while that we've been unable to get to the bottom of, nothing too bad, but a bit like somebody had left a pack of Quavers or cheesy Wotsits open in there, we couldn't find a source so put it down to insufficient ventilation.

Now, the carrier bag dispenser. Rather than them popping out one at a time like they are supposed to, the bags were all tangled in with each other, and I had to pull half of them out to free one up - when suddenly I realised something wet was running down my arm - and I looked down at the bags to see them covered in this browny-yellow stinky juice. My immediate reaction, by the stink alone, was that it was cat weewee. Yeeeeeeeuuuuuch!!!! But the realisation dawned that not even my clever likkle purdy cats could open the pantry door, remove half the carrier bags, take a quick whizz and then put the carriers back on top, closing the door after them.

When we put our grocery shopping away I usually grab one of the carrier bags to put rubbish in as I go along; the over-ripe fruit from the fruit bowl, the bag of left over peas from the freezer, the stub of cheese nobody's going to eat........the sort of stuff that can decompose, rot, turn brown and yellow and stink like cats pee as it merrily rolls down your arms and all over you.

It would seem that Lee had at some point mistakenly grabbed such a bag with the fresh carriers, and pushed it into the storage/dispenser thingymajiggy.

And, working upon when we first noticed the iffy pong in the pantry, that would have been some time ago.

February we think.

Delightful.

So, the moral of the story is, never let a man in the kitchen. Don't let them cook - they'll get grease everywhere and won't clean it up before it solidifies into a permanent mass all over everything. Don't let them clean - they'll just stack the dishes up on the drainer until you come along to sort them out. And never, ever, let them help put the groceries away.

And when I finally got around to that much needed coffee - the milk was off.

I was actually glad to come to work this evening!

Sweet dreams, my bloggerlicious buddies xxxx

Double the fun!!!

Yep, it's true my likkle blogeroonies, you actually get double the blogging fun today with two entries - mainly because the one below this, although dated today, was actually yesterday's post which naughty Blogger wouldn't publish!!! Tut tut!

Had a totally scrapilicious day today hanging out with Gem and our crafty bits - it turned into quite a productive afternoon (ahem, in between the jaffacakes and cupcakes that is), with Gem whizzing through nearly three layouts, and myself almost completing two, bar the titles which I still haven't decided upon. Once they are complete I will add them to my slide show for you to have a nose at. Gem's got a really lovely distinct graphic style which I totally loved and feel really inspired by, and managed to pinch one of her fab ideas combining a circle punch and paper weaving for one of my pages. It was right lush it was!!!!
In fact, my afternoon was so successful, and seeing that my usual Tuesday evening TV slobathon has been rudely interrupted by that silly little world cup thing, I might make a start on the UKS "important Male" challenge that I thought I'd have to give a miss due to impending projects.
Came home and found Lee'd finished work early, and the little smacker had only gone and cleaned the cess-pit of a kitchen! What a doll!! And no sooner had I stepped through the door than he suggested we nipped to the local for supper and a swift drink before the footie, to save either of us cooking. Had a lovely mixed grill with the most perfect chiperoonies - all crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Mmmmm!
Ah bliss! So, all in all feeling quite smug this evening!
Hope you've all had as equally good a day my lovelies!

Oh Baby!!!

I'm very proud to introduce the newest addition-to-be to our family!!! What a sweet little darling- look at the little hands and feet and nose and mouth!! Soooo....the answer we've all been waiting for - is it an Arthur, or a Martha?! We don't know!!! Despite the sonographers' best efforts, this little one's legs remained tightly clamped and Katrina and Andrew had to come away thrilled to bits that everything is going well and their baby is the picture of health, but disappointed that they will not know the sex of their first born until they hold it in their arms at the end of October! I'm gutted too; I was looking forward to either a pink or a blue shopping spree later this week! But at least we all know everything is going well.


Made my Grandpa's card today - which is just about all I did despite having major scrapping plans for the day - how tres moi!! Used some Basic Grey paper, a papermania letter charm, a dymo labeler, some rikrak and leather thong, and stamped and embossed the Chinese symbols in black and copper powder, and topped them with some glossy accents to give them an enameled-beaten-metal look. I'm pleased with the result - it was a tall order as grandpa still has the card I made him for this 80th last year on the mantelpiece as he was so proud of it! Hope he likes this one enough to take the old one down, bless his cotton-nylon mix socks. Just got to get round to either posting it or taking it down there now. He might just be lucky and get it in time for his birthday next year!

Got a bit of a dodgy throat feeling this evening - I've tried to convince Lee it's because he's not attentive enough to my caffeine needs, but he's not getting the hint. Hope it's not going to turn into a full-on throat infection - it would just be terrible if I had to take some sick leave *grin*. I think it's more than likely my body's way of letting me know it needs an early night - and I'm not going to disagree this evening; I'm desperate for the beauty sleep!

Speaking of which, I had this bizarre dream last night that I'd cut the internet leads to the office PC at work by accident, but thinking it would lead to them discovering I use the internet during my shifts at night, I tried to cover it up by staging a scene where it looked as if these sharp lengths of metal had fallen over and seared through them as they fell. Now, I'm dazed and confused at the best of times, and when I awoke this morning, I had this really worried feeling and wasn't sure if it had really happened or not. I think the bit that convinced me it was true was the long metal lengths - I don't know what they are but they really have been lying on the office floor for the last week!

I'd been awake about five minutes, worrying about the whole scenario, when the phone rang. I didn't get to it in time, so dialed 1471, only to hear a number I didn't recognise, but starting with the digits 79, which usually are for Morriston (where I work). Now of course I know my work number for our office, but it's a cable line and so doesn't follow the BT area number pattern (it starts with 31), but the managers' office line in the basement is a BT line and so starts with 79 - I completely panicked and thought that they were phoning because I'd sabotaged the office equipment. It wasn't until I'd had a shower and a strong coffee I realsied it was just a bloomin' dream! I dunno.......I'll be living at the hostel myself before very long at this rate....!

Sweet dreams, my blogeroonies xxx

Lazy Sunday

Aha! Sweet success - I've managed to upload a photo! Despite trying for hours yesterday and following the "Blogger" "instructions to the T, my pictures just were not appearing, but here we go!! this will be the start of many beautiful things I am sure!!!
So, good evening my bloggeroonies!! Here's a pic to reassure you that Millie is feelin' fine (maybe that should be feline fine?!!) - she managed to precariously perch herself on the radiator for a quick cat nap!! Her paw is still swollen to gigantic proportions, and feels a little hot to me, but she has a check up tomorrow so it will be fully examined then.

Thank 'eavens for this cool day today, actually managed to get some glorious sleep following my three night shifts - it's been near on impossible to get any sleep during the day in the recent sticky heat. Was actually feeling quite smug, as I woke up, pretty dazed and confused, not knowing what day or time it was - but feeling very well-rested. Lee advised me it was 6pm. I was quite pleased thinking I'd had nine delicious hours of much needed beauty sleep, so got up, washed and changed, wandered downstairs to make myself a coffee - and realised it was only 3 o'clock. What a rotten scoundrel!

Got lots of arty-farty stuff planned for this week- need to make a birthday card for my Grandpa (well, seeing his birthday was yesterday!!), and want to do the weekly challenge set on UKScrappers as it's based on "Important Males" this week, and have a fab pic I love of Lee that I snapped in February and have been dying to scrap ever since. Hopefully I'll earn the full points for both my team, the Doodlin' daisies, and for our Green Buttons House. Also got a few other pages on the go, and hope to get some done on Tuesday (providing I have time between chatting and biscuit-munching) as I'm spending some time with my new scrapping buddy, Gemma, that I met at the Swansea Crop last month. She's got an eight week old darling of a little girl -so if I'm lucky I'll get time for some cuddles too!!

'Tis the "big day" tomorrow - and we'll finally be able to see what little bump looks like from the scan picture and if it's a he or a she!!! Out of the eight people closest to my sister, it's five people to three that she's having a girl- only a few hours to go until we get the answer!!! I have this feeling it's going to be a girl you know, and we spent about an hour discussing girly names at my mums' this evening!!!

Well , I'm over and out for now - but at least I've been a good blogger and added a little something I'm sure you'd agree!!
Take care my buddies xxx

Taken the plunge!

After spending what seems like months eyeing up these blogg-thingys, I've decided to take the plunge and start my own!

I've deliberated over it for one main reason - who the heck would wanna read my random ramblings?! Ok - I guess my mad mate Karen for one - she's like the other half of my melting, slightly sticky, mad-cap two-finger Kitkat of sanity, and she usually enjoys my incessant ramblings and uncanny sense of humour. I think it's all that glorious Cotswold fresh air that does it to her, bless her! And me mum, gawd bless her too - fast approaching the big five-oh with certain trepidation despite our best reassurances, may take the occassional peep to see what's going on in her eldest daughters' wacky world!

How will I make it interesting and encourage people to keep popping back, I thought?! Well, it will be fab if in the first instance they aren't put off by my ever-dodgy typing and bizzare ramblings - but to liven things up a bit I may just have to browse through other blogs, and quote and such-like sites, and pinch and rip-off all the most witty and inspirational snippets, post them on here and pass them off as my own - giving the illusion that I'm a girl of substance, intellect and humour. Hohum!

But the real reason I decided to take the plunge is, as an extension to my love of Scrapbooking, I thought it would be a fantastic way to record my thoughts, musings and day-to-day events to look back upon and perhaps inspire future pages for my scrapbook albums. Hmmmm ......... it doesn't sound so exciting now I've read that back!!

Also thought it would be a good way to whittle away time on my twelve hour night shifts!!! (Eeek - hope me bosses don't stumble across this! [As if they know who I am, anyway!])

Well, it's been a busy old week with one thing or another. The main one thing of course, has been Millie (one of our cats) having broke her leg. And in typical Grant-Wright family tradition, she managed to sustain a complex fracture (her leg was broken in two places), resulting in an open operation and five nights stay full board curtosey of the local veterinary practice. Complications arose when she suffered a fit whilst coming around from the GA, and then her paw swelled up to three times it's usual size resulting in a need for a course of anti-inflammatory injections.

Well, the poor moggy is finally home today, and looks nothing short of a character from the Bride of Frankenstein. She has shaved patches on all her legs (and why is that I'd like to know?), but the fractured leg is shaved right to the shoulder - leaving her look like she's wearing the latest off-the-shoulder designer couture. Then there's the scaffolding and metal bolts protruding from inside her leg, keeping the bone in one piece and straight until it heals - it's pretty horrific if I'm truthful and I'm really nervous about knocking it and ripping her little leg off. It looks like something you'd stumble across in a museum of torture equipment. However, on true form, Millie was clawing to get out of the cage no sooner than we were through the front door, and despite the vets' advice to keep her calm, quiet and on one level (none of which can be associated with this kitty) - she was soon leaping around the lounge on top of the tv, the sofa and trying to get out of the window - everywhere but the sumptuous special bed I had lovingly prepared for her return!

After some food, and making a fine mess of the litter tray we'd had to get especially, she cuddled in for a nap, purring loudly and seemingly glad to be back home.

The other big thing we're looking forward to this week, and I mean HUUUUGE 'cos she's growing bigger by the day, is of course Trina's 20 week scan on Monday - and we'll finally know whether to start trawling the pink or blue aisles in Mothercare! Eeeek - I better start acting responsibly, seeing that by the end of October I'm going to have a niece or nephew to help guide through the minefield of life! Only joking of course - I absolutely can't wait, and Katrina really is the picture of health at the moment (despite her moaning and emotional outbursts!!). She looks so beautiful, and although I've already devoted one scrapbook page to her being "In Bloom" (A UKS cybercrop class by the very talented and BOB winner Karen Leahy, aka Scrapdolly) very early on in her pregnancy, as time draws nearer and she grows bigger and more beautiful I can feel the necessity of another one to record this special time!!

Well I think that's enough of an insight into the weird going-ons in my little life for now - I hope you are not too disturbed to not visit again in the near future.

Take care my friends xx