I've just been telling Billybob about the strange occurrence last night, that I've still not managed to get my head around.

I think it was getting on for 4am in the morning when I heard a knocking at the bedroom door. Thought it a bit strange in my half woken state, but shouted, ‘whats up, come in’. Expected a child to appear but no. Then again, knock, knock, knock and again I shouted ‘Just come in!’. Nothing.

Scrabbled out of bed thinking the worst, child so ill, cannot open the door, expecting to see a limp child on the other side, but what did I see? Small black cat, namely Bubble, comes sauntering in and starts chatting like it’s the middle of the day. I must have sounded very odd because I couldn’t help but say out loud in a really confused way ‘Bubble, how on earth did you knock on the door, you have furry paws!’

Still no idea. Very bizarre.

So, July has been an odd month all round, the kitchen was finally finished last week, having taken almost 4 weeks to get installed and tiled. All that is left now is the wallpapering which Im very excited about because once that's done, its done. The idea I had for my splashback has worked and I think looks good, had a few traumas over the tiling choice (oh fancy that, got dragged to the tile shop and ordered to pick tiles in less than 10 minutes otherwise Beech would have exploded) but after a last minute change of mind about the positioning of the two types I went for, that too worked out and I think looks good. Had second thoughts as they are very blingy, and were meant to go on the main wall. Last minute change put them elsewhere and I think they lookjust about right where Ive put them instead.

See, blingy.

It meant I could start picking out things that will complement the new look, those little accessories that pull everything together, and surely the best bit of doing up a room?

I found this little beauty, which has been a great hit.

Tefal Toast ‘n’ egg. Yes, not only does it make toast, but at the same time its able to either poach an egg, boil 4 eggs, scramble and fry an egg and even warm beans or cooked bacon, perfect for the chicken owners household. Betsy loves it.

Last weekend I rekindled my love of Dunelm Mill, having not been for a while. What a mistaken, how could I have forgotten all the glorious things they sell!

Having been forced into having a dishwasher that I really really didn’t (and still don’t want) its become apparent that we need more crockery. Mainly because we don’t actually generate that much washing up (hence me not wanting one) so its been pointless switching it on to wash what little we use during the day. Im sure there are lots of people that love their dishwashers, maybe people that use lots of pots during the day so they mount up, or cook lovely big meals all the time etc. I, however, don’t see the point in putting it on for a 2 hour cycle to do 4 plates, maybe 2 pans, couple of glasses, the odd dish and some cutlery each night.

So now what happens? We try to make enough pots to justify switching it on. So a glass gets used, then put in there. Then, instead of using the same glass for a second drink, a clean one is brought out of the cupboard. That also goes in there once used. To me its defeated the object of having a new kitchen, that has lots more cupboard space, to then have to fill that extra space with more crockery. Madness. I still think its stupid that you more or less have to wash things off before they go in there anyway and added to that, its muggings here who has to empty the damn evil thing everytime. The one single plus point it has is that dirty pots can be hidden in it, meaning my lovely new sink is always clear from either stuff waiting to be washed, or stuff sitting on the drainer. Spose, I’ll give it that one plus point.

The point of my waffle is that it meant I could legitimately go out and buy loads of stuff without Beech whinging, because its down to him wanting the dishwasher (that surprise surprise, he’s still not learnt to use) that we need the extra pots. Oh my Dunelm Mill has lots of crockery.

Bought these wonderful teacups and saucers, I like the old fashioned afternoon tea style of them.

They are also perfect for filling with ice cream from my bargain ice cream maker – strawberry see?

Kids didn’t like the strawberry ones because oddly enough, it has strawberries in… Erm yes kids, did the name give it away, strawberry ice cream? Smart cookies aren’t they. Cept apparently, it doesn’t taste like strawberry flavour. What?? Ahh stuff it, I like it, surely that's what counts anyway.

What else. Oh, a new place for eggs…

A jazzy microwave…

And some flowers dotted here and there..

I think it may have become obvious what I've chosen as my accent colour?

I did drop a little bit of a clanger the other day though. I have in my possession a plate and bowl that I used when it was knee high to a grasshopper. I've kept them safe for oodles of years now, and put them well out of the way when things were being moved to and from the kitchen. Cept Poppy managed to get to them anyway, knocking the bowl onto the hard floor where it smashed into two pieces. Thankfully a clean break meant I could glue it without the break being two obvious, then popped it into the new wall cupboard above our newly installed butty station.

Then when I came to move it to its proper resting place, I discovered I've glued it to the damn shelf. It wont budge. Stuck fast to the shelf. Bugger.

Bethany broke up from school last Friday, managed to get through first year of high school with no great traumas. Phew. Ben still has this week to go though, but the end is in sight for primary school. He had his school leavers production last week, and despite his teacher writing all over his report how great his singing voice is and how she and the music teacher love to listen to him, he didn’t get a singing part, or even a decent part, he was a villager with just four words to say. His outfit didn’t help, it consisted of leggings lent to him by our childminder that I didn’t see until the night of the production, they were shiny skintight black lycra, which, coupled with my granddads black leather flat cap made him look like a little rent boy. Poor Ben. You could tell his heart wasn’t in his performance, specially when he started doing L for loser signs above his fellow actors heads as they spoke their lines. Bad Benji. He also had his leavers disco on Friday, he said he wasn’t going right up until 5 minutes before, but Betsy and I bullied him into it. Worked out all round in the end, for Ben because he had a really good time and me, I was staining the new banister and figured he’d be better off out of the house with no danger of him leaning on it.

The vegetables are coming on well, first crop of lettuces harvested and fed to the pigs and second lot well on its way. We have beans..

and some teeny carrots on the way...

Bless, baby carrots.

Hope the pigs damn well appreciate these.