WCB # 76 - The more the merrier

The more, the merrier! This time around it's the gang of 3,5 in a basket that'll light up my part of the WCB this time around. The litter consisted of five kittens, three girls and two boys, but only three were able to fit in the ever-loved-kitten-basket. Cream coloured british shorthair, my favourite colour! And of course my favourite breed...:)

From left to right then, half a kitten is brother Egbert Ebberston, the girl with the sort of conehead-apperance is my darling Eulalia Eilean Donan, in the middle/front is Ermyntrude Eyam and to the right is Eggletina Embo.

The picture is actually eight years old, but I often use it when I want something mood-lifting to look at. The kitten I kept from that litter Eulalia is the granddaughter of Aurora from last weekend's WCB, and she really is one of the cutest cats and brits I've ever seen with a dollface expression and cobby body, cuddly-cutie and all mine!

The round-up of WCB # 76 you'll find here at Catsynth.com

The Workman always rings twice

Isn't it both typical and annoying that you can never ever set a more specific date and time with a workman...? MY time is obviously not as valuable as THEIR, since one has to put a whole day on hold just to be home when they decide to call with whatever they call with.

Can you think of any other occupational group that says, well sometimes between 8 and 16, we can't be more specific...? I can't.

I can deal with, between 12-16, even better with 14-16. But what the f**k, 8 hours of a non-specific-time?? Such a total nuisance!!

I wonder how a workman keeps his appointments with a doctor, dentist or a lawyer for example. Sometimes between 8-16, can't be more specific.

So today I just sit here and basically wait for the delivery of that heat pump I'm not really sure I want or need - but Mats is a sucker for "new" technical solutions that perhaps, maybe, will save some money in the long run... The delivery is today and the installation in about for weeks.

Yes, and that's a whole other story, the installation of things. One has to act like an (unpaid) workman-assistant, keep a close eye on the cats and a close one on open doors - because obviously workmen have never ever heard of closing doors or being careful when arriving at homes with pets.

And then, of course, it's just a matter of time before the magic words are uttered... Oh, here you have a lot of cats! And then they have probably just seen two of them...

Yes, A LOT of cats, yes workman, I see you know what you're talking about here... A lot of cats it is indeed, more than one to be more specific.

I was talking to a friend about what a nuisance workmen can be and how much I'm looking forward to them invading my home - not - when it's heatpump-installation-time. She tried to comfort me and said it'll most certainly be a good-looking 25-year-old with a pinch-friendly bottom who adores cats. When the installation-work gets him all warm and sweaty he'll take off his shirt, show his breathtakingly... interesting-looking upper torso and ask for a cup of tea (preferably Yorkshire Gold) with lots of milk...

Ah, I'll try and keep that image in mind when I open the door for the 50-year-old-overweight-baldish-man-with-a-beer-gut-smelling-of-old-sweat and his tiny assistant by the name of Smeagol. Preccccciousssss.

Tip of(f) the day

Enjoy a smoothie made of your favourite berries & fruits plus vanilla yoghurt. Perhaps a hint of cinnamon or cardemom?

Mix in a blender and add a topping of some sunflower and psyllium seeds, or some nuts. Will do good from inside out! Promise!

Weekend cat blogging # 75

This time around I'll let my oldest british shorthair, the apple of my eye, my sweetheart Aurora be the poster girl for this weekend's cat blogging. 13 years old, bluecream/bluetortie she's a little darling and from my very first litter of brits.

In her youth one of Sweden's most successful british shorthairs at catshows, now she's just enjoying a quiet pensioner's life at home.

And yes, she does enjoy snuggling up in my knee, especially when I knit something soft...

The host of this weekend's catblogging is Skeezix, and all the participants you'll find at Skeezix's scratchingpost.

And these are the upcoming hosts for WCB:
Nov 18 - Catsynth
Nov 25 - Hot(m)Bc
Dec 2 – The Hidden Paw
Dec 9 – Belly timber
December 16 - Kitchen Mage
December 23 - chefsarahjane
December 30 - Champaign Taste

Outfit Nov 10th

Perhaps the outfit-demon has gotten me in its grip, since I thinks it's kind of fun to look at others outfits-of-the-day and take pictures of my own. No award-winning pictures though, probably not any pictures the least bit worthy to be a part of the big Photographic-fair (Fotomässan 2006) which takes place this weekend at Nacka Strand, Stockholm.

But somehow a documentation of a day in November in the life, yes in the world according to Pia. A silly, little documentation, but a documentation nonetheless.

So, what to wear a really chilly, windy, but oh so sunny day in the middle of November in Stockholm, Sweden, Scandinavia? Well, longjohns would have been appropriate, but wasn't up for it. Felt like staying at home, in the closet. So from inside out, top to bottom it was like this:

- Kaki linen, Indiska
- Brown jersey shirt, longsleeved, Odd Molly
- Mustard-yellow wool vest, Gudrun Sjödén
- Jeans, Levi's
- Kaki anorak, origin unknown
- Multi-coloured wool scarf, Pia K Stockholm
- Cognac-coloured boots, origin unknown
- Handbag, Mulberry Roxanne a k a Blända
- Chinablue mittens, Odd Molly

So, what did you wear today?

Rosa, Viktor & Rolf

Right now I'm contemplating if I should have been a real nerd and queued for the launch of Viktor & Rolf's fashion-collaboration with H&M this morning.

There was a cute blouse there I really wanted... On the other hand I have too much selfesteem as to degrade myself to doing that... That's why I totally refuse standing in line for anything, normally.

If not completely necessary like the check in for a flight or something like that. You'll never ever see me queuing for concert-tickets, outside nightclubs or events. No way. My time is worth far too much. Time is money.

And no it doesn't matter if it's something more exclusive than H&M-clothes. A slight perhaps and maybe and exception to the rule, if it would be a supersale at Mulberry. Maybe.

Having said Mulberry once, I have to say it twice. Since my pink baby is back home with me and her family now. Rosa, my Rosa. Mended and safe again. She's a bit cold and stiff, I haven't been able to get anything from her about the experience of travelling far and being away from the family for over a month. Poor thing. She spent the night with her family beside my bed. I hope she'll be able to talk real soon. It's better to let it all out than to keep that kind of chocking experience inside.

And from expensive to cheap, I must admit that I actually bought something at H&M yesterday. Again. The fourth item this week. Hope that's not a sign of a downrolling spiral...? Anyway, it was a cute, knitted skirt in mohair & wool (plus some nasty synthetic material I don't want to think about...). Golden beige/brown, cableknitted. I just love it. Only in size 34-38 though, but it's really a stretchy material and I'm happy to admit it fitted quite nicely!

I would have preferred the skirt to be a bit longer, but it'll be neat with jeans or other trousers too. Now I really think it's time for the cold winter weather. It's just to mild for all my favourite shalws, mittens, hats and caps! Weathergods, snow and a bit of storm again, please!

The picture? Yes it's a jewellery of mine, Pia K Stockholm. I found some forgotten pics I had taken this Summer of the jewellery, quite a few of them was really good I think. And green almost always makes one happy, calm and content. The green Venetian glassbeads are accompanied by the semiprecious stone Hematite, which is said to help decrease negativity and balance the body/mind/spirit.

Just what one might need while contemplating the missed opportunity of that Viktor & Rolf designed chiffonblouse...

Too much of a perfect day just isn't good for you...

I was just browsing through all my pictures in order to find good enough ones for a brochure. Apparently I didn't have all that in the order I thought I had... But I did find som unexpected pics there, some really nice ones too. I found the perfect pic for next weekend WCB for example...

Anyway, I did say I would share the niceties I bought last Saturday - so here goes:

At the handicraft-fair:
- some lovely wool yarn in heather colours, for a long time planned crocheted shawl
- some new, interesting linen yarn with a hint of cotton (for the right shape when worn) in kakigreen
- some nice brass/silver details for jewellerymaking

- A big bag of cat food, Royal Canin-style - who said all shopping worth mention is the more superficial, but oh so essential, stuff?

- A couple of really comfy jersey plush indorrish kind of slacks, one grey one pink. They had them in brown and turquoise too, maybe I'll return for more... At a store I don't visit very often, its name beginning with a H and ending with a M. But sometimes you just can't beat their prices for the simpler things in life...

- A nice pair of pale beige coloured - I wonder how that solour will survive a long, hard, Nordic winter... - boots, Vagabond. One of my favourite shoe-brands. And a Swedish one too!

A very nice day shoppingwise!

Lunchwise it was utterly bad though. There's a Danish food-chain called Jensens Böfhus (ie Jensen's steakhouse) which has also opened restaurants in Sweden since a couple of years or so. Since I'm a veggie-girl (who sometimes cheats by eating fish...) I've never visit any of their establishments. But when it was pretty close to the parked car and Mats was eager to go for the meat (yuk) I gave in for once.

And once and never again it'll be. The grilled salmon I ordered was served with microwave pasta, both overcooked and dry and with a strange yellow colour, practically uneatable. Half a grilled tomatoe, only grilled on the upper side, raw inside. Two very small pieces of salmon, nicely grilled but nothing that will satisfy a normal apetite. And a cup of sauce of your own choice. For that kind of food I think the price of 109 SEK is quite hefty! Do I have to mention I'll never, ever, ever visit that place again...?

I suppose one shouldn't expect to have a good lunch too when having made all those nice findings shoppingwise. Too much of a perfect day just isn't good for you...

PS Siri helps me sort out the buys in the picture. Very helpful indeed! DS

A sea of tulips

Just an inspirational picture to get you through a gloomy Autumn day!

Weekend cat blogging # 74

But it'll be my first one, WCB that is! I've always found it a really nice weekendly thing, but I have thought it was just for distinguished food-bloggers, which I'm not. Not really. Just a very random one. An extremly random one.

Anyway, who'll be my first cat out amongst the hairy, much loved bunch then... Why not start with the youngest one, little, chubby blacktortiespotted british shorthair Siri (from my own breeding) 7 months old.

Little, pretty, cuddly one!!

This weekend's catblogging is hosted by Lali et Cie! at the French Riviera. All the participants you'll find here.

The outfit of November 4th 2006

I thought it could be nice to keep a diary of one day in the life of Pia, regarding beautyproducts and outfit. I don't think I have the energy to keep that up every day, but now and then. So before I tell you about my good Saturday I'll tell you what products I used - from shower products to makeup (and it wasn't a day for a lot of that) - and what clothes I wore.

In the shower:

• Facial scrub, Nuxe (nice!)
• Moroccan sugar scrub, Tesco (I finished the can, and it wasn't a very good product...)
• Cinnamon-orange soap, l'Occitane (supernice!)
• Blue Malva Shampoo, Aveda (so-so)
• Conditioner WhyKnot, Aussie (great! Love their cute names on every product)

Post-shower:

• peanutoil, Apoteket (good to prevent dryness allover)
• deo, Nivea (you never go wrong with Nivea)
• couperose serum, Babor
• glycare lotion, MD Formulations
• night-cream, Babor (my superdry winterskin needs that both day and night)
• blusher, Stila
• lip balm, Kiss me red Philosophy
• hairmousse volume, Taft Schwarzkopf (not a good product)
• edP Fragile, JP Gaultier

And it's sort of fun to see what people wear in a pic or two, so above you can see yesterday's outfit. I really need to get som new, tighter fitted jeans... But these are so comfy baggy, well-worn and supernice to wear...

Anyway, from top to bottom, inside and out:

• kaki vest, Gina Tricot
• darkgrey shirt, Odd Molly (a new favourite model!)
• short puffsleeve, petrolblue chequered blouse, Vila
• jeans, Levi's
• brown suede boots, Jackpot
• earrings, Heather Wynn
• necklace, Pia K Stockholm
• rings, Yvone Christa
• pink/beige woolen cap, Charlotte (my alltime winter favourite!)
• brown oversized velvetjacket, Marc'o Polo
• olivegreen handbag, Mulberry Tooled Bayswater

And with that outfit I went to the handicraft fair and out on the town for some shopping yesterday. A day with snowy rain and slippery roads and streets. Today the rain has melted almost all the snow away - it's difficult both for body and mind to come to terms with these quick changes in weather... Not to mention the difficulties in planning for and chosing the right outfit!