I'm back!

Hello!

I haven't been anywhere ... just too lethargic to think about blogging, or to do anything worth blogging about! I have just felt sooooooo tired the last few months and haven't done an awful lot except sleep (staying in bed until the afternoon at weekends - and for those who know me, will know how unusual this is!) or sit in front of the tv (watching Glee, Desperate Housewives and the Vampire Diaries ... and far too many soaps ... I even cried when Bradley died in Eastenders ... GET A GRIP MRS PLUM!!)

Don't worry - I have been keeping up with all your wonderful and interesting blogs ... and leaving the odd comment here and there ... and I am glad to say that for the first time in a long while - I feel like me again .... Victoria Plum has returned!!

So, with the return of the sunshine this lovely March weekend, me and Mr Plum have been getting up bright and early ... have taken delivery of a tumble drier (not particularly environmentally friendly, I know ... but I now have three weeks of dirty washing cleaned and dry ... and our little flat doesn't smell of a dirty laundry for once!

We headed out to have another look at prams ... we have narrowed it down to two favourites and will make our final decision when we head to the Baby Show in May.

Last night I even baked!!! I have not done a bit of baking since before Christmas and the constant nausea started ... I have a batch of cupcakes in the kitchen ready to ice ... more of that later!

We let the kitties out into the garden for the first time yesterday ... Pansy was the braver of the two and has been out and exploring ... poor little Twister - he has found the whole experience extremely traumatic and I'm not really sure what to do about it. He is very nervous and clinging to me all the time ... hopefully he will get a bit braver.

The picture at the top of the post is of my lovely tidy greenhouse! I haven't put any seeds in yet - and will leave that until next weekend. I spent this morning tidying what I should have tidied last October ... but never got around to it ... and then it got too cold/wet/snowy ... and I had no desire to be out there!

So here I am ... on a lovely sunny Sunday, enjoying catching up with things which have been ignored for so long!

Rightyho ... I'm off to put the kettle on and get my seed potatoes ready to chit!

A week off work ... and what shall I do?

Good afternoon!!

I am enjoying a lovely week off work ... and having worked eight days in a row last week - I think I deserve it!

Mr Plum is at work, unfortunately as he has a lower leave allowance than me ... so here I am, home alone (well - with two crazy kittens!) and a list of projects as long as my arm to do!! :) Where to begin ....

I realise that I promised you a giveaway back in August ... I didn't get very many comments on my blog, which was a little disappointing - but nevermind! Today I have finally got around to picking a winner!!! With a little help from Miss Pansy Plum .... more of that later!

So - what will I be getting up to this week? This morning we had our boiler serviced and had hoped to get our gas fire finally fitted - but that is going to prove to be more difficult and expensive that we first thought ... great.

I have just baked my first sponge cake for a cake competition at work ... and have enjoyed a lovely poached egg with mushrooms on toast for my lunch. I will probably pop out for a quick swim in an hour or so ....

Tonight me and Mr Plum are off to a special gig by Ian Brown - Mr Plum won the tickets and is very excited!! I last saw Ian Brown at Reading 1997 when he was still with the Stone Roses ... he actually stropped off stage in true rock star style mid set! I hope he doesn't do the same tonight!

I am planning to do a fair bit of tidying and sorting, a huge amount of knitting ... something cultural in town and just generally relaxing!

Okay ... on to the giveaway!!!!!

My five commenters ....

Here they are lined up on the sofa .... I wonder if there is a willing kitten who will help me pick the winner???

Of course there is!! Thank you Pansy ... and the winner is ...

GREEDY NAN!!!!!

Well done and thanks for reading my blog!

Autumn days ....

It's been a while since I last blogged ... not sure where the time has gone! I think it might have something to do with my (rather late) discovery of the Twilight Saga ... I have now read the three books which are out in paperback (and will see if I can restrain myself for a while longer and wait for Breaking Dawn to be released in paperback!). I even bought the DVD last week! For some reason these books and film had passed me by, but I picked up a copy of Twilight while walking in Guildford and am hooked! I am looking forward to the release of the second film in November!

This posting will be a bit of a catch up post! Here goes ....

I finally got to see the latest Harry Potter film! I know that it has had mixed reviews, but I thought it was fab!

Last night we had a new arrival! Yes ... finally, welcome to Plum Cottage Pansy and Twister - our lovely little kittens!!

Pretty little Pansy playing with my apron!

Gorgeous Twister!

We had a trip up North to visit the inlaws ... and watch the start of the round the world clipper race, a fly past by the red arrows ... of course a visit to Betty's in York! My favourite place ... we stocked up on tea loaf, parkin and a fat rascal!! YUM!

Mr Plum took some fab pics ...

I have also been busy harvesting my vegetables .... golden sunrise tomatoes and scrummy red peppers ...

More tomatoes and a green pepper ...

As promised ... here is the picture of my yummy coffee cake!! Mmmmm mmmm tasty!! You can never have enough buttercream!!

I haven't forgotten my giveaway! Sorry for being so behind with things. I will draw a name out of a cake tin tomorrow!

Our Kittens!!!

Here is a video of our little kittens .... we will be picking them up in a couple of weeks! They are so cute ... Mr Plum is in love with them!!!