The secret life of me...

I had a lovely childhood and a nice upbringing.
My parents were (and are) still together.
I had a really good education and lots of opportunities.
I am (and have always been) healthy.
I've never really had anyone close to me die - I still have a full set of grandparents and everything.
I have kitties and a partner whom I love.
I have a good job that I don't hate.
I have a place to live.

I might complain quite a lot, but I'm a very lucky girl.
And I know that

.... has consisted of:

- Slightly long and frustrating day at work
- Chicken kievs
- Lovely lovely Masterchef
- Some fluffy kittehs

and that's pretty much it...

Now contemplating some washing up, washing and a lovely bath before falling into bed.

How can it be 11 o clock already?

...is Tuesday.
Universally acknowledged to be my least favourite day of the week.

Is not going too badly so far though, so I have fairly high hopes...

is everyone else having nice day?

I'm proposing a small Blog-Cake-Sale...

It's in aid of a Good Blog Cause which some of you probably know the details of and some of you possibly don't. It's not my cause, so I'm not going to give away any details - you're just going to have to believe it when I tell you that it is both deserving and worthwhile.

I'm not exactly sure what the best way to go about this is, but for now, I'm offering to make you any cakes/cookies/tasty bakings that you want, in return for moderate donations. If you're fairly local, I'll bring them to you and if you're further away, I'll package them up and get them next-day-delivered.

I've done lots of birthday, celebration, sculpture and wedding (ooh - and Christmas) cakes in the past as well as every day cakes, breads, pies and cupcakes in the past and am happy to give almost anything a try if you have ideas (though, the more ornate, the harder to transport, generally).

If anyone's interested (or has a better idea for how to do this), just give me a shout - I'm taking orders now \

EDIT: I've just taken a tin of Tollhouse Cookies out of the oven, and I think you should know that they both look and smell Super-Awesome

Also - I'm aware that my friend list is less than extensive, so if you can repost or link to this, it would be really great - get the word out?

Love you all

Has anyone been to Saarbrucken?

Is it nice?

If I lived there, would there be any work for me to do?

I was observing my ticker /\/\/\/\/\/\ the other day and realising that, before we know it, Christmas will once more be upon us...

Of course, I have LBF's birthday to deal with first (in a bit less than a month) but I've decided on (and purchased most of) his present already and he's organising (hopefully) his own festivities.

So I made myself a small to moderate list of important personages and their corresponding presents and am all ready to start buying/making things

For the extended family/friends/hangers on (about 30 people in all I think), I want to make a variety of tasty and interesting preserves in a variety of glamorous and exciting jars/bottles... This seemed like a totally fantastic idea when I first thought of it, but now I realise that there are a fairly limited number of weekends between now and the event itself in which to create such delicacies....
Wil this in mind, I spent last night frantically making plum jam (which has turned out surprisingly well, I think) and have plans for strawberry jam and lemon/whisky marmalade next week. And perhaps apple and herb jellies.
I may (as is often the case with Christmas) be biting off rather more than I can chew... I guess only time will tell

The only person that I'm a bit stuck for in all this is my mum... I don't know why - she likes everything, so should be a really easy person to buy for. Weirdly, it was the same last year - I ended up getting her lots of tasty jars of things, which were very nice, but somehow, not that personal...
Any ideas, anyone?
I want to steer clear of short term edibles if poss, as there are always so many things to eat at CHristmas, that they'd likely just get lost in the chocolate mountain and am looking for something a wee bit more personal than Lush things or other smellies.., It doesn't have to be a bought thing - I'm more than happy to make things instead/as well, but I'm totally stuck for ideas at the moment....

Hope everyone else is having a good week...

Sorry Nick - you can come back now

Greetings, fellow bloggers and blogettes, from the World of Jennie....

Hope everyone has had a nice Monday and that things are all good in Blogland.

I had a nice weekend (thanks to everyone who made it so - including all the lovely blog people that I met on Saturday - I hope that you still want to be friends with me after discovering the terrible reality.....) with lovely zooness and drinkies on Saturday followed swiftly by farmers' marketry and wine buyage on Sunday.
All those that are deeply concerned about the wellbeing of my bank balance (as I know you all must be), please rest assured that, although I spent quite a lot of money on tasty vegetables and things, I was fairly restrained compared to, well, sometimes
AND LBF bought the wines There are Lots, and not a small number are magnums (or possibly magna). We are well cushioned with wines now...

I'm just about to enter into a new phase if contract at work... Things being what they are, we're none of us likely to see much in the way of pay rises in the near future (despite doing jobs that probably warrant them), but we are getting some exciting new benefits as part of the new package. Most of them are boring (though please don't think I'm not grateful - I really am) things like pensions and medical insurance and stuffs, but some of them are also good bits, like extra days of holiday and (drum-roll) potentially a lovely Car....
Now, I know that these company rental schemes are in no way a cheap way of obtaining wheels, but I can't help myself looking at the website, and now I've done it so many times that I'm really sold on the idea
Am thinking nice shiny Mini.... What do you think? Am I foolish?

OK - am v tired now, as have had long day and also seriously overdosed on butternut squash, so I think I might head bath and bedwards (after a small chocolate perhaps)...

Hope you are all Happy Bunnies.

I am I am I am....
And I know this

Couple of small things to say, before I go off for some well-deserved self-flagellation.

1. London blogmeet-folk - place your cake orders now! What flavours do you want? Don't promise to oblige, but you never know

2. I need you all to help keep me on the straight and narrow over the next few months - so am making:

New Jennie's Resolution:

No more money spendings, other than on:
- Food
- Toiletries
- Essential replacement items
- Christmas/birthday/small nephew presents
- Things that can't be avoided like car expenses etc

I really need this to last until Christmas in order that I remain broadly undestitute!

Will also aim to fill time previously spent spending (gah) with many witty and interesting bloggings

Cheers everyone!