About a boy

...... if you can get away with calling a 40 year old man a boy, that is. Oh come on! It's been ages since I put any pictures of him up. Plus he loves it so (turns out he was fine with the 80's hair shots - it would only be current big hair pictures that he'd object to. Who can fathom the workings of the male mind?!)

Anyway, today my RGH has once again forsaken my ample charms in favour a group of sweaty, lycra-clad men with muscly legs ..... wait - why didn't I go again?? But I can't really complain (too much) because yesterday he was so busy that today he probably needs a break.

First of all he made this rather delicious flan ........




...... and then this rather luscious lasagne ........




...... and even a cheese-less one for himself .......




And all the while I was lying around eating grapes. Doh! Before my parents call to tell me off for my incredibly lazy behaviour, of course I wasn't just doing that! I was watching a DVD too. And knitting.

And then he did this ........






....... and this .......





....... and this .......





...... and then it started to get boring so I begged him to stop being so horribly busy and come in for a beer. But oh no. First he just had to do this .......





Until FINALLY, he did this ......

...... you don't think those two fingers are directed at me, do you?

So I guess he deserves a little R&R today. And if you call Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride a bit of R&R, then fair play to you. I call it too much like hard work.

And in knitting news, a small bout of Monkey Fatigue Syndrome occurred yesterday (the latest monkey-shaped creation I'm working on is proving a tad arduous), so I did this instead ......

..... it's from the free pattern by the very talented Julie, at Little Cotton Rabbits for a knitted cupcake (yes, I know I go on about her but when I grow up I want to knit like her!). But I wouldn't be me unless I deviated from the pattern slightly. It's meant to be one of these ......




I'm thinking of wearing it to Coffee #1 next time I go in the hope of getting a free muffin ..... heck, haven't I advertised them enough?

That's if RGH doesn't beat me to it .......

Cupcake for beefcake

And if I find out who it was that used 007 for door-propping purposes - there'll be trouble!

Monkeys in the Community

I was beginning to panic that I wouldn't get one this weekend. We went into town yesterday and I had to settle for bacon and eggs for breakfast (shucks!) but this morning we frequented our local one of these .....

And look who came too!

And that rather gorgeous man? He's not really my husband. He's my care-in-the-community helper. Aren't I lucky?

The eyes have it

Heavens to mergatroid I hate it when I'm wrong! Being the control freak that I am I like to think I'm always right. But I'll admit it just this once; I was wrong and they were right. There. I said it. Print this out and frame it because it won't be happening again anytime soon!

These eyes are the business!

They're so googly!

And expressive

And I love them!

I'm not sure how 007 feels about them though.

And what the heck. As it's Friday and the sun is shining and I don't have to rip out any more eyes, lets have a gratuitous muffin shot as well ......

Gratuitous Muffin Shot # 6

Until tomorrow, my friend.

Didn't we have a loverly time ......

...... the day we went to Chepstow. Make that 'cycled to Chepstow'. You know, Chepstow, Wales. From our home in Bristol (doh! So it's not actually that far but there are HILLS!!). RGH has humoured me so often that I thought yesterday ought to be payback time for him. His wish was my command; and his wish was to take me cycling. Gulp.

It was my own fault really. A few weeks ago, while in the early throes of my obsession with the lushousness that is a white choc chip and raspberry muffin from those fine purveyors of coffee (and muffins), Coffee #1, and, having already consumed one of these delightful treats one Saturday morning, I casually suggested to RGH that maybe we could cycle (I think I was still high on the white choc chips) to the Coffee #1 in Chepstow the following morning. (Greedily thinking that, ok, I'd have to put in the effort, but hey, another muffin!)

However, after coming down from the sugar rush I realised my mistake and thanked the good Rain Gods above when RGH bounded out of bed the next morning full of hope and excitement, only to slink back in moments later with the joyous news that it was raining. And he knows better than to even try to get a confirmed fair weather cyclist onto a wet saddle.

Anyway. No such luck yesterday. The day dawned and it was a beautiful sunny morning. And before I could say "Actually I don't really fancy a muffin today, thanks", we were off (plus that would have been such a complete and utter lie and he'd have seen right through it).

Obviously my camera came, as did 007 (well, come on, the RBD's had refused point blank and I have nurturing tendencies ...... and there I go again with the half-truths!)

Here he is on the way ...........

Here I am when we got there .......

...... it was 12 miles!! (Actually that could have been the moment RGH told me there were no raspberry and white choc chic muffins)

I had to settle for a double choc chip one.

It's a hard life.

Chepstow Castle ........

....... oh, and 007

Here he tries out a spot of rock climbing ........

And this is when he recreates that classic Tom Cruise pose at the start of MI2 where he's hanging off the cliff face. You know the one. Oh yes you do.

007 day-dreaming .......

....... of a better life with a different family. A family who would just leave him alone and let him live out his days in peace and quiet on a shelf, surrounded by other toys.


Oh, and this is the moment when 007 tried to make a break for it, hoping to find that better life.

Obviously we soon got him back in the saddle.

And if you squint at this picture, you can just make out two white shapes on the horizon. That's the Severn Bridge. It's miles away! We cycled over that and beyond. And then back up this very very big hill. Fun!

Actually, it wasn't all bad. Beer was involved.

So thanks for a lovely day, RGH ......

....... but next time please may I stay in bed??

Note : with apologies for the weird text above. I've tried to sort it out but don't actually have a clue what I'm doing. Knitting needles and yarn? Yep, I can handle that ..... computers and tecnology? I think not.

I *heart* stationery

I'm loving this card .......

But obviously I had to amend it slightly .........

Talking of which, it's been AGES since I had one of these ........

...... well, five days is a long time!

And from one alter ego with issues to another ........

Dear Harriett,

This one's for you, babe.

Lots of love,

Fiona
x x



Happy Wineday ....... I mean Friday!!

Gratuitous Muffin Shot # 5

No wait ...... is that a hair??




RBD1 came with us. She didn't finish her muffin. What's that all about?

Gratuitous Muffin Shot # 4

I'm saying nothing ......

........ apart from this ........ if I HAD to justify the decadence that is latte and muffin on a WEDNESDAY - not that I do, you understand, but if pressed I would say that it's a little celebration for me. For not being in the throes of labour like I was 13 years ago today.

Still, it was obviously worth it; if we hadn't gone through that life-changing event all those years ago, No.6 ....... I mean, RBD2 ....... wouldn't be here today!

Anyway, what else is a girl meant to do on a day like this? Housework?? I think not.




Ooh, and I'll quickly just say one other thing - the tale of the Monkeys in London will be continued tomorrow. For some reason I was distracted today.

Today we shall mostly be doing this .......

Actually, this is an old shot from a few years back when my RGH first tried his hand at water powered rockets. The man crouching on the floor in fear for his life is my RGB (Rather Groovy Brother-in-law) and the hunk just about to receive a two litre rocket-powered enema is obviously RGH, when he was trying to prove his cool uncle credentials.

Anyway, yesterday he spent most of the day in Rocketeering HQ (our kitchen) working on a new project. Some men of a certain age buy fast cars, some men date younger women, and some men - bless their little cotton socks - build three and a half feet tall water rockets!!

Yesterday we also managed to slip out for one of these .......

(oops, remembered my camera too late)

But unfortunately, NOT ONE SINGLE STITCH of monkey made of knit occurred yesterday. And there's only THREE DAYS LEFT!!!

So here instead is Random Monkey Shot #7

Snakes on a plane? How about Monkeys in a tube??

And be sure to tune in tomorrow, for the epic tale of how we disposed of No.'s 3 and 4. For ever. (By driving them down the M4 Motorway and bundling them out of the car. Oh of course we didn't do that! Although that thought did cross my mind.......)

Today I shall mostly be doing this ......

(what was that saying about not airing your dirty laundry in public?)

Yes, this is my laundry room ...... ok, cupboard. SOMEHOW the laundry has built up and built up and I can no longer wait for the laundry pixies to come in and help me out. So today is the day I dive in and get it sorted. Nice.

When I first broached the subject with my RGH of me taking a day off in the week, he understandably said that if I was having one, he wanted one too. Fair enough, but sadly the bank manager didn't see it quite that way.

So after convincing my RGH that ALL the laundry would be done, ALL the food shopping, along with ALL the cleaning and tidying and it would mean that I made him at least ONE home cooked meal a week, he suddenly thought it was a fantastic idea.

Bah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! The poor, sweet, innocent, naive, gullible gorgeous fool!

Still. I think the world is probably a better place for there being nearly six more knitted monkeys in it.

So. There shall be none of this going on at chez Monkee Maker today .....

And definitely none of this ....... (no, really, there won't be. Honest)

Incidentally, just in case anyone happened to look in hoping to see any actual knitted monkeys, here is a Random Monkey Shot to keep you going and normal service will be resumed shortly.

Random Monkey Shot #4

What the ...........?

Update :

Ta da!!

Right, no-one can ever change their clothing again - got that?

And it wasn't all bad. I had to run some errands and while I was out I happened upon this lovely combo :

Ok, so it's not muffin but it's still full of butter and sugar and choc chips. Yay!