Brrm Brrrm

I've had my Mum and Step-Dad Tim staying with me for a week, it's so strange going from a house of two with Mifford & I to a house of five, including their dog Louis.

I had to remember to close the bathroom door!
Am I alone in this, but I just never bother as I'm living alone, am I weird?

Well, I know I am, but still...

The really cool thing was that I got to try out lots of different recipes. As a single girl, I don't really bother to cook much for myself, so many recipes make family sized portions and you can't really get a quarter of an egg, you know?
So, I've updated my Food Blog with the lovely things I made, like Lemon & Asparagus Risotto, Blueberry Bagels, Pavlova Roulade with Rose Water Mascarpone, Pak Choi with Cashews, and more...
I think I'll be back to the old cup a soup and pasta from now on.

I also finally managed to find a new car. It was so much harder than I ever anticipated it would be.

Tim & I went browsing for cars last Monday. All day we drove around and I spent many a minute berating this vehicle:

It's not a pretty thing is it? It's an ugly car said I. I'd never have one of those said I.
We arrived at about the last garage of the day and one sat in the forecourt. Once again I reiterated how ugly it was, but joined Tim in his peering in through the window.
"It has three seats in the front!" I squealed.
"Yes" says Tim.
"But that means there's room for me, my handbag AND a passenger upfront! I think I want one! How much is it?"
Tim looks at me and I realise I have done nothing but whine about this car for most of the day.
I have been swayed by the fact it has a seat for my handbag. It's not even that big of a handbag.
But not only that, it's huge, it's basically a van with seating.
Then I discover that the back of the middle front seat folds flat and provides you with a tray and drinks holders. I am smitten. Gone are my loathings for its ugly exterior.
It has a tray! And room for a handbag!

I didn't buy one. It was bloody expensive on the old insurance. Damn shame.
Anyway, I collect Jeff tomorrow, that's the name of my new car.
I'm not sure why I called her Jeff, it just suits her. Even though she's a she and Jeff's clearly the name of a he.
I am suffering with a combination of excitement and sadness.
I am excited to share some adventures with Jeff and to experiment exactly how much stuff I can fit into her spacious interior, but I am sad that the Beastie and I will have to part ways. Tomorrow is the last day I will be able to drive her and I am going to miss her terribly. I enjoyed driving out of town earlier today, in the outside lane, zooming up the hill, engine revving, aware this might be the last time I'm able to win a race up that hill. Dropping from a 2 litre engine to a 1.4 is going to sting a little. I am telling myself that Jeff is lighter than Beastie and will be able to attain a similar level of speed.
Harriet sent me a text to say she'd seen a Jeff-a-like on the motorway, going very fast. She also seems to be excited by the spacious, van-like interior. We are going to be dangerous.

Speaking of Harriet, I went with her today to an ultrasound scan. I totally saw that little, very little, baby of hers put up a hand for a high five. It's true, there's even a photograph.

The garden is full of seedlings. I am beyond excited. Well, with the exception of the Ambassador Pea which is either really lazy or completely useless. Everything else is pushing its way through the soil in an effort to please me.
Also while Mum & Tim were here, my garden got a bit of a facelift, the lawn was edged and, once the lawn becomes lawn, rather than a home for all weeds, it'll be complete.

Oh! My finger didn't drop off! I attack it with a blender and still it remains strong! It also remains bloody sore, but heck, shove a blade through any part of you and it's likely to smart for a while. I think the fact that I sliced right through the nail and nail bed is what's most sore, it's like having a horrible bruise right under my nail. Nice.

That's all folks.... I won't leave it so long next time... honest!