Iris

Yes get me - 3 blogs in a day! Evidence that I have had a satisfying lazy weekend. Here's the sunflower garden update.


There are 4 Russian Giants, although 2 are a little bit poorly; one of which being the tallest plant of the garden. There are also 4 Velvet Queens; they're more healthy. One only appeared this week. They are taking quite a while to grow, but I hope that is because they are carefully growing strong stems that will win against battles against the elements.






The potential winner, if it survives this bout of poorlyness.








Does anyone else have one that looks like this?! Should I give up on it now?




By the way title refers to Greenclaws' annoying friend, if anyone cares/remembers. She had an unattractive urchin haircut with a clip to secure her side parting. I felt that, due to the ill-health of the 'flowers, I could hardly consider myself to be a pro in these matters.

Moon. xxx

PS Do you think that Cillit Bang destroys eardrums as it does dirt and grime? Barry Scott doesn't half shout.

bullseye

First of all, why is that so-called? I hope that early forms of the game did not involve jousting a bovine face.

Today on Bullseye a very happy couple wisely chose not to gamble their secured prizes (much to the disappointment of the audience) of £380, a knitting machine, an electronic typewriter and six glasses with sparkling wine (note NOT champagne) for a hot air balloon ride. (I know these rides are quite expensive, but I doubt that the star prize would have cost £380 back then.) That meant that they could give another pair of contestants the chance to gamble. Sadly they lost their £280 and the balloon ride. It's a cruel world. I very much enjoyed the program.

Moon. xxx

visitors

Yesterday was ruined by ill-health. Damn Akmals and their public toilet esque curries. (Sickness was nothing at all to do with the excessive amounts of wine that accompanied it.) I felt guilty for having wasted a whole day, so wanted to ensure that my Sunday was spent wisely.


Fortunately today has been a blissfully relaxing day. And why? Because I have a new friend. Meet Steve (AKA Ginger).





We sat outside for a while, then he just walzed on it like he owned the place* and made himself right at home.






Steve decided that it was better monitoring the progress of the sunflower garden from the warm afar. Luckily, he and Bagpuss got along well.



Steve is the happiest cat I have ever met. He actually smiles. Ah! He also quite enjoyed Tom Mcrae and Bic Runga. Dave is still #1 of course. He is too cool for happiness, and prefers aloof behaviours interspersed with occasional reminders of the fact that he has claws. That's my boy! I still want a dog, though.



Moon. xxx

* That ashtray (I don't own saucers) of milk just happened to be on the floor and had nothing to do with aforementioned walzing.

I've just found a new room!

What with all this crocheting, gardening and general domesticity, I thought I'd reveal how I've been enjoying the thought of re-decorating my flat. Ah yes, things don't get much more exciting than this on Stroppy Blog.

I recently decided to stay in my current flat for the next year or so. It was a big decision; I was really looking forward to change, preferably involving leaving Leeds in pursuit of an adventurous new city. But the job offer, coupled with the potential money-saving properties of staying put, overruled. So now my creative streak is going haywire with exciting plans to have an aubergine themed flat, complete with stencilled moon shapes here and there.

This evening I decided to heave out all the furniture that I'd hidden away behind my cellar door. A little exploration later, I have found a new funky room in my house. With an armchair and everything! I'm not yet sure what to use it for; it needs a bit of a clear out, and I daresay that that will involve aubergine paint (well, plum at least). What does one use a hidden cellar for? Apart from fake money production? Maybe I could make wine. Suggestions welcomed!

I am content with this new domesticated side of myself. I never thought that it would really kick in. Aside from the creative free reign (which is normally pretty stunted), I am revelling in its therapeutic properties. An escape from work was much needed, and aubergine paint has highlighted that fact. So bugger academia. I'm off to make wine.

Moon. xxx

Sugar and spice and all things sunflowers

Frankien has touched upon the issue, but I wanted to expand on it. The Apprentice is the best thing on TV. Actually pretty much the best thing around full stop.

I'm not sure what makes it so good. Perhaps it's the fact that it's reality TV without the phone ins. Perhaps it's because the characters are eccentric yet believable - something that Big Brother needs to work on*. Perhaps it's the simple fact that Sir Alan Sugar is a fine legend. Whatever it is, it makes me look forward to 9pm on Wednesdays immensely. I predict that the candidates will go in this order or they should do, at least)

Ghazal (dirty mouth. Spends too much time draping around corners with hair in her eyes)
Jadine (gobby. Fond of an arse-enhancing dress)
Simon (entertaining but lacking charisma, in my opinion. Think he will soon be in a situation where he's out of his depth)
Tre (hilarious, no doubt. But I just don't think he's quite up to the job, despite his honesty)
Naomi (capable but Sir Alan can't make the same mistake as last year by hiring the pretty one. She's not bolshy enough)
Lohit (lovely, I know, but again not strong enough. Handles people very well and is likable, but probably not firm enough to get the cash rolling in)
leaving a final battle between Katy and Christina, which should be brilliantly bitchy telly. Katy is so manipulative the audience increasingly hate her, but I think she will stay in for the ratings, even though Sugar knows that she has a tendency to tell tales.

To sunflowers.

Admittedly I was lacking in confidence in the beginning. but now look what's happened.



This was a couple of weeks in. There was hope! You can see (if you look carefully) little sunflowers beginning to rise. How exciting! I felt like a proud parent; just like when Dave politely asks for prawns or gives me a hug. It was an emotional day.





I started to feel better about things, but wondered whether I should line the top of the rockery (picture right) with a few more sunflowers, too. For fear of getting cocky, I resisted. They would also clearly grow so huge they would block the light out of my lounge.

So this is the current situation.

There are 8 sunflowers altogether, but there may be trouble ahead. Poorly flower on the left was well this morning, but something (a blackbird, I fear) has taken a chunk out of its right leaf. What a bastard. I also have a strange sickly plant, which isn't visible below. It was black for a while, but has grown leaves nonetheless. Now it's lime green. Interesting. Maybe it's going to be the winner.




Sunflowers rock.

Moon. xxx

*Despite the slag off, it should soon be returning to our E4 screens. Sponsored by the racist-approving Virgin Media, I think. Woo!

sunflower power

or not. Not yet, at least.



What's that in your garden, Moon? Looks like a pet grave.





No, not a pet grave. It's a special place where sunflower seeds are busy almost germinating.




Look how good it looks! So good, in fact, I won't mind if the sunflowers don't appear. They'd probably take a bit of looking after, anyway.

The entire Horton family are involved in the sunflower competition. Evidently, it's currently a battle between Banbury and Glentham Town, The Shire. Leeds is yet to get competitive. Mum and Dad have apparently been removing lumps from their own pots and throwing them into each other's. Seeing as no anti-sabotage rules were ever stated, I think that anything goes.

Moon. xxx