I think my cat is a hippy

It has come to my attention of late that my cat - Mr Alfred Mao (not like Chairman it's just the sound he makes) - is a hippy.

While other cats are off hunting birds at this time of year my cat is hunting plastic bottle tops.

Lord knows why but he loves them

I often hear the catflap bang followed by the frantic mao's of a cat who has caught a bird and wants you to know how amazing he/she is.

However we are not presented with a feathered friend in the last throws of life, we are presented with a plastic top. Normally the blue rings you'll find attached to a bottle of milk, but most recently a purple top - lord knows where it came from.

We then have to praise Maofraido for his mighty hunting abilities before he bats it about like other cats play with a dying bird.

We wonder if he's had an altercation with a bigger stronger birdie?

But if he hasn't it begs the question, is my cat a hippy?

Or is he just a pussy?

Breaking the news

Today I went into the wonderful Jeans West on Queen Street to buy new jeans to replace my beloved Tsubi's. I ended up going for the 'buttlifter flare' - very nice, very kind on the butt.

While there they tried to get me to buy another pair of jeans "2 for $100". I said no, I have more jeans than I need, in fact I have too many clothes, two wardrobes, half a duchess and a floors full worth. They then suggested I peruse the two for $35 tops, which I did until I remembered that I have too many tops.

Back at the counter I then had to break the news that next year they will not see me as I will not be buying any clothing at all (barring the Aussie trip). They took the news well. In fact i suspect they could've cared less, though they did their best to appear interested. I love their staff, so well trained and so good at their jobs.

I'm so going to miss them next year.

The summer of salad and spuds

My dearly beloved told me the other night that he would happily eat salads five nights a week. Which is awesome because I'm getting into this whole nutritious faze where I want to actually eat 5+ a day.

Then the other morning I woke up with a craving for a hawaiian baked potato - basically a baked potato smothered in coleslaw, pineapple, ham and a little cheese and sour cream. So I made it and it was divine!

Then I got to thinking about how few dishes you use when you make a baked potato and a salad and how much happier my husband would be if he didn't have to wash loads of pans and utensils every day.

With all these thoughts and ideas swirling in my head it all became very obvious ...

This summer we are eating baked potatoes or salads, with the odd fancy meal thrown in.

So tonight I'm making nacho mix (beans, mince, herbs and spices) and we'll have nachos tonight, but tomorrow night i'll use the leftovers to make a mexican baked potato - YUM!!

A clothing disaster!!

I love my Tsubi jeans. Love love love!

They were bought for a bargain A$90 reduced from $300 and they have served me well.

Until now.

I noticed this week the zip was a bit gammy but thought nothing of it.

Then last night I discovered that the zip wasn't gammy it was BROKEN!!!! And I'd be unknowingly flashing my knickers to my workmates and my suburb for the last week.

But what guts me THE MOST is that there is no point in replacing the zip as holes are appearing in the inner thighs and on the bum.

Yes I'm still allowed to buy clothing for another three months BUT I was hoping my jeans would see me through the no-clothes-draught til the end of next year.

*sigh* now I have to go find a pair of boyfriend jeans that don't make me look like I've got an elephants arse.

Life without clothes shopping

I love clothes shopping.

I love buying clothing from Trade Me.

I love browsing through vintage stores, taking in that fusty old smell and imagining who would've worn the really ugly tartan skirt in an unflattering a-line style.

I love buying new cheap t-shirts from Glassons and Valley Girl.

I love it when the girls at Jeans West treat me like a doll and have me trying on lots of things I'd never wear in a million years.

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Yes I am bloody shallow but I'm ok with that.

However something changed the other day. Stuff.co.nz or maybe in was nzherald.co.nz had an article about saving money. And it turns out not buying clothing for a whole year is a good way of doing that.

It got me thinking about my two wardrobes stuffed with clothing (and shoes and handbags and scarves). It got me thinking about how my clothing has started to infiltrate my husbands drawers and how piles of clothing litter our bedroom and our spare room. Then it got me thinking that maybe I ought to give not shopping for a year a try. That thought scared the bejeesus out of me. But I do like a challenge.

SO, i do decree that as of January 1st I will not buy any clothing (shoes don't count, nor do handbags) for one whole year. The only TWO exceptions are one, if i go to the Gold Coast to see the family, cause apart from eating and seeing the family the only other thing to do over there is shop. And the second exception would be if I was to get pregnant, then i'd have to buy maternity jeans and billowy tops.

OH! Third exception, if someone buys me clothing as a present.

One year without new or used clothing entering my home. Thank God I've got two and a half months to prepare.

Who needs Hell?

Ever since our local Hell pizza outlet closed down I've had to make do with Dominos.

Don't get me wrong, Dominos is good ... but it's not exactly gourmet.

What's a girl to do?

Make her own gourmet pizzas!!

Admittedly it's not as quick as ordering pizza, especially as I make my own bases ... but the end product is so worth it.

Tonight I made the classic brie/cranberry/chicken pizza as well as a poor man's "Brimstone" - chicken, chilli sauce, sour cream, onion. Yum.

Best of all there was enough left over for lunch tomorrow : )

Baby On Board, Don't Beep.

One day while driving home from work my boyfriend and I pulled up behind a car.

A car that had a sticker on the back that read "don't beep, baby on board".

Now I understand that people might have to have a "baby on board" sticker so that if there's a car crash or the car unexpectedly bursts into flames then the firemen or policemen will then know to look for this precious bundle of joy.

However, I could not help but wonder, where did those parents get off expecting people not to beep just because their little angel was asleep.

Now I was prepared to just have that mini rant in my head and let it go, until my boyfriend pointed it out.

And in pointing it out he unleashed the fury.

Seriously, though, when you live in a huge city with what feels like a billion cars hurtling down motorways, speeding through urban streets and racing round roundabouts, how can you expect people not to beep?? What shall we do if we see another car about to crash into us? Shall we whisper ever so quietly "excuse me, but I fear you haven't used your side mirrors or looked over your shoulder before merging into my lane as it seems you're about to do a thousand dollars worth of damage to my car". Or perhaps we should hold up a sign saying "please don't break suddenly again for no reason as i'm scared that next time I will run into your cars bum and potentially have my legs crushed by my steering column".

On top of that, if they're so serious about their baby not waking up from it's peaceful little sleep, what the hell are they doing bringing it into the middle of the city!?!!?! Loonies rant on side corners, hormone ridden teens yell at each other saying things like "see you later" or "you love so n so" or "i'm going to f****n punch you if you don't shut up", people with too much cash and not enough brains rock round in souped up cars with the bass pumping so loud your own car vibrates in a nearly pleasurable way. ... my point being: a baby could sleep through all of that ruckus, but it could not sleep through one harmless little beep?

A harmless little beep that could be used to save that little baby from being whammed into by another car???

Fine then. Baby on board, don't beep. When i see that truck not seeing you while crossing into the next lane, I'll make extra sure i pay attention to your officious little sign and do exactly what it says.

I won't beep.