For the love of chocolate!

I'm a glass half full kinda girl.

Always have been.

Most situations are new doors opening.

Its just how I am.

Sometimes its not so easy.

Like last week when I dropped a tub of hot chocolate.

The lid fell off and the entire contents fell on the kitchen floor.

All that chocolate wasted.

Not good.

Sad face.

I hoovered up the mess and had a cup of tea.

Never mind.

However...

When I got home today ...

the house smelled of chocolate!!!

Papa Owl was busy hoovering

(with Little Owl's help)

And the more he hoovered,

the more chocolate loveliness was spread.

Today was a good day!

A feather in my cap!

These are our Bonfire Hats.  Papa Owl wears the bowler hat and the top hat is mine, I love it!  The tricorn belongs to Grandma Owl and it really suits her.  However, she doesn't love it, she felt it was dull and needed jazzing up. 

 My cue to go shopping!  I looked for red, yellow and blue ribbon for our society colours, but also anything else in those colours to help jazz up the tricorn.  I couldn't help but jazz up my hat too when I found these feathers!  I love my hat even more now!

But the tricorn.... I'm rather proud of what I have done there...

I hope Grandma Owl likes it!

How do you eat yours?

Papa Owl treated Little Owl and I to a Sunday roast last night.  Its not something we do often but its a lovely treat when we do.  We even lit a fire so Little Owl and I could snuggle on the sofa while Papa Owl was busy cooking.

A perfect Sunday.

But Little Owl didn't seem so keen on her roast.

Don't want it!

She kept asking for something from the fridge.

We told her she would have to wait for us to finish dinner before she could have desert.

Little Owl still wanted something from the fridge.

Again we told her to wait.

But still Little Owl wanted something from the fridge.

Not quite the relaxing meal we had hoped for.

Eventually Papa Owl and I finished our plates.

We opened the fridge door to see what it was that Little Owl wanted.

Cheese?

No.

Milk?

No.

Cream?

No.

Other cheese?

No.

Yogurt?

No.

Ham?

No.

Eventually.....



At last - they understood!



I just want some mayo on my roast...

That's better! 

 Sprouts and mayo...

 the way it should be!

Little Owl finished her entire plate!

Battle Bonfire

There's something about Battle Bonfire, the age of the town, the buildings, the history all around, its one of my favourite processions.

There has been a bonfire on the abbey green since 1646 and it feels great to be a part of a tradition that has been going for so long!

Bonfire on the Abbey Green

We arrived in Battle plenty early enough to have time to visit a local cafe.  Little Owl charmed everyone as usual!

I tried to take some pictures of the procession, but you see, my little camera struggles to take pictures of flickering lights in the darkness at the best of times.  During the procession, I'm not actually able to stop walking for fear of someone with a flaming torch walking into me and Little Owl, so sorry for the poor quality, but hopefully they give you some idea of the procession and fireworks that followed.

Hastings Bonfire Society

The Abbey Green

Robertsbridge Bonfire Society

Battle Bonfire has always drawn large crowds, due partly to its timing of being the nearest Saturday to 5th November.  Whilst there has always been a bonfire outside the Abbey, the popularity of Battle Bonfire has meant over the years it has tried various locations for its main bonfire and fireworks.  However, last year it returned to the Abbey Green.  There is something special about that.

The effigy

Fire

Fireworks

Well done to Battel Bonfire Boyes - another great event!

If after reading my bonfire posts, you are wondering what all the fuss over Bonfire is, have a read of this article from the Independent on Sunday.  It's a wonderfully written article which captures the spirit of Bonfire without actually visiting one beautifully.

 

Knitting Fridays

I couldn't leave it any longer... it was time for me to knit my first tension square!  The original needle size of 4.5mm was obviously far too big, so I opted for 4mm as this is a pretty standard size.  I cast on 22 stitches as instructed and started knitting... but I got board... I was meant to knit 30 rows in order to try and achieve a 10cm x 10cm square.  I got to 10 rows, measured, tripled and realised that this square was still going to be too big, not much but nearer 11 to 12cm.  So I tried again.  This time with 3.75cm needles and I like the results, the stitches were neater, tighter, looked more professional.  It was slightly under 10cm but not by much.  I liked what I saw.

The smaller needles are going to make the jumper look brilliant.  But that does mean its going to take longer to knit.  Bit worried about that as I had estimated on the original jumper that it would be finished by Christmas.  Now I'm not so sure.  The pattern is in European sizes and I have opted for size 92 and Little Owl is still wearing most of her clothes that are sized 86 and only just growing into those that are 92.  However, it does mean the race is on!

The bottom of the jumper has a frill which means you have to knit an awful lot of stiches - 192 in fact!  It has taken me about 25 minutes to knit each row and there were 10 rows before it reduced to 78 stitches.

Having completed the frill, I could compare the two sets of knitting properly.  I struggled to get the focus right on the camera but hopefully you can see that the bottom set of knitting is might tighter.  This is the last photo I could take like this as it was finally time to unravel my original knitting as I needed the orange wool.  It felt ok doing it now I had started the new jumper, but I hadn't been able to bring myself to do it before!

The joys of cats!

This is a house of cats, we have 3 of them and I've been thinking its about time I introduced them to you all.  But before I do that, I have been reflecting on how our cats prepared us for the joys of parenthood!

• Commitment. You can leave them at home alone for a bit but gone are the days of disappearing for a weekend without a moments notice.
• They eat and shit. Both of these need attention.
• They shit in the wrong places. I even tried to toilet train them but they were not impressed. However, one of them pees in the plug hole in the bathroom sink - he has a good aim, it could be worse.
• They eat their food too quickly and are sick.
• The prefer snacks to proper food
• Sleepless nights - they wake you if they need you - sometimes they need food, sometimes they need the toilet, other times they just want to share their love.  You have to figure out which.
• Sometimes they just want a cuddle and will follow you around crying, tripping you up and generally being a nuisance until you pick them up.  Slings can help with this if for example you need to cook dinner.
• Other times they don't want a cuddle even if you do.
• Privacy is lost, if they want love they want it there and then, no matter you are doing - even on the loo.
• They can take up all of the bed, just one of them but when all 3 are there...
• Teething... No sleepless nights but they chewed lots of things! I still have teeth marks on the end of my glasses.
• They break things, they don't mean to but they can be a little clumsy.
• They like to press buttons on the laptop.
• They leave toys around the house for you to step on in the dark, they also bring home presents (but luckily Little Owl hasn't done this yet)
• They fall out with their siblings.
• They get jealous.         

• They sulk if you go away.
• They worry you when they go out alone.

But we love them and wouldn't be without them!

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Slugs and spiders

You know its going to be one of those days when you spy the rear
end of a slug as it disappears into your dishwasher.

Next it was the turn of the washing machine.

It was overloaded and all the rubber round the door disintegrated
and was mixed up with the 'clean' washing.

Redo all washing, this time in two loads.

I can smell cat shit.

Walk around the house sniffing.

Suspect Bonnie as the other two are asleep.

Find crap in bathroom sink.

Deal with shit.

Time to swap over washing.

First load still covered in rubber.

Shake the worst off.

SPIDER CRAWLS BETWEEN MY LEGS!!!

Am barefoot.

Freeze to spot.

I want to run.

Leave all the washing.

Shut the door and forget about it.

Can't.

Papa Owl is away for the week.

I need to sort this.

Myself.

Breath.

Don't move my feet.

Perhaps if I keep my legs still the spider won't see me?

Don't take my eyes off of the spider.

Continue swapping washing.

Clyde Cat pushes the door open!

Push him back.

Shut the door.

SQUEAL!!!

Shit - hurt the cat.

Don't take eyes off of spider.

 Pour in conditioner.

Shit - its in all three trays!

Job done, sort of.

Back in house to apologise to cat.

Clyde not talking to me.

Now to tackle dishwasher, let's hope I don't find that slug!

I'm OK, empty it fine.

Start to load and I hear a noise.

A sort of rustling.

Slugs can't rustle CAN THEY?!!!

I hear it again.

 I lift my feet off the floor, am about to cry when...

I realise I have shut Clyde cat in cupboard.

Papa Owl is away until Friday

this is only the first day.

Will I make it through the week?

The wind is picking up.

the storm is coming!

 Bring it on St Jude

show me what you are made of!!!

Little Owl @ 18 months

Wow. 18 months just seems so grown up!  Can't believe we are here - it feels like such a big milestone!

Teeth

Two more gives us a nice even 12, four top and bottom and 4 molars too!

Signs

Since Little Owl received her 25 signs certificate, I have been a bit lazy on counting them.  However, a quick count up puts us at 38 so maybe we will make it to the 50 sign certificate after all!  New signs this month are fruit, love (when I say it to her, waiting for Little Owl to say it spontaneously to me!), clean hands, again, biscuit, drink (finally), pig, sheep, sorry (does she understand this - I don't know but if I say "say sorry", Little Owl will sign it to which I praise her and then we move on) and of course firework!

     

What's new?

Little Owl has started to sit on a normal chair instead of her highchair if we're just having a snack, especially if Papa Owl isn't around as we only have two chairs!  Strangely, she hasn't figured out that she can get off of a chair by herself yet which is quite handy but will be useful when we go to India as we won't be taking a highchair. 

Meanwhile Little Owl is walking further and further.  She loves to explore and I need to start planning more walking trips into our week but perhaps not this week... weather doesn't look so good!

Little Owl is really trying to speak at the moment.  The words aren't there yet but the intonation and sentences certainly are, just waiting to understand her!  Its like you can see the next big change but its just out of reach. 

Knitting Fridays

My needles are empty.

This is sad.

As you know in last week's Knitting Friday, I had starting knitting a jumper for Little Owl which I had been excited about for a long time.  But the reality of the jumper wasn't matching up to the image on the pattern.  I plodded onwards but the jumper was beginning to look a bit on the large side.  I measured the length and while I was still going on the pattern of the main body, I should have started decreasing for the arms. 

My knitting was too loose.

For the first time ever, I am going to need to knit a tension square.

I'm not even sure if this is what it is called.

The idea hasn't appealed.

And neither has the thought of taking a weeks worth of knitting off of the needles.

I am a slow knitter.

I might have to knit several squares to get the tension right.

And so I haven't started.

I haven't however been totally off of the needles.

Last night my Rangers took part in The Big Knit.

Most of them had never knitted before.

Two hours is the perfect time for even a beginner to knit a very small hat.

So here is our collection.

Now back to that square...

Hastings Bonfire

Saturday was a big day for the Laughing Owl household.  The Sussex Bonfire season defines autumn for us and this week it was the time for Hastings to do their thing.  With so many bonfires in Sussex, Hastings Bonfire Night is held on the last Saturday of Hastings Week celebrating the Battle of Hastings when Harold's Saxon army was defeated by William the Conqueror and the Norman invaders in 1066.

I even received a bonfire present this year - my very own hip flask for our home made Cherry Brandy!  This is one of a set within our extended family, there are two tankards which are engraved with "Remember Remember" "Gunpowder Treason and Plot" and another hipflask "I see no reason" which is a particular favourite!

Little Owl wasn't so sure about Guy "with his dark lantern" but she didn't seem to mind the bangs of the fireworks or drums in the procession - she even slept for a while!

I didn't get the chance to take any photos once the procession began, with Little Owl in a sling and a charity collection bucket in the other the camera stayed in my bag until the end.

So this is us, the Laughing Owls, happy and tired at the end of a fantastic night - well done everyone in Hastings Borough Bonfire Society for another great event!


There is a fantastic YouTube film called "Hastings on Fire" which shows you some of the characters of the evening.