Tails’ Blography

Ok so thats a pretty cheesy title haha. But its feels like forever since I last blogged. A find myself thinking a few times in the week about something I’d like to blog about, but then realise there are a backlog of things I’d like to blog about, and so on and so forth…in the end I keep procrastinating.

But enough of my inadequacies, the latest news is that I’m done with my move. I’m out of our old flat, and I actually miss it. It was nice and cosy, and I adored the paint colour (since I painted it only four months before moving!). The new place has boring cream/yellow on the walls, but at least its a fresh coat. Our new place has an extra bedroom which we’re using as a computer room for our 2 computers. The lounge is about the same size as our last one, but seems more roomy due to the computers no longer being kept in there. The bedroom is slightly smaller which is fine because the bookshelf is now in the computer room as well, so less stuff in the bedroom. The kitchen is BIG which is great! There is so much more counter space to work with, and our clothes horse stands at the back of the kitchen nicely tucked out of the way. I’d show you photos, but I dont have any just yet. Still waiting for the remaining boxes to be sorted through/put away. The toilet is separate from the bathroom, but there is a lack of cupboard space for the small things like toothpaste, razor blades, etc. There’s a linen cupboard, but all those small things get lost inside. Oh and the flat comes with two parking bays!

On the whole I’m happy with our new place. Still trying to find brown bulldenim curtains for the bedroom that arent tab-topped. Sigh. Currently my winter blanket is the curtain. Sigh.

Other news is I’m finally done editing one of my two models’ photos from the beach shoot in Nov. You can see those in my recent pics to the right. I’m particularly happy with the results, and have had a good response from people online who’ve seen them. Best of all, Katharine is happy with them. Amongst those recent pics are photos I took of our 5.5m Christmas Light Tree which graces one of our shopping malls. I got some shots before security came and chased me away hehe.

My Christmas Tree is up (couldnt take it anymore and spent Sunday Nov 30th putting it up haha. I also hung lights in my window to spread some festive cheer. I’ll take photos of that soon as well and post them. So much to do, so little time.

My new babies have settled in nicely, and Ramoth, who was the smallest, has grown considerably. They’re all very happy looking good. Xeon’s looking a little thinner, but I’m trying to give her more fatty/protein-rich foods like scrambled egg etc. She’s currently sleeping and bruxing on my lap

I think thats about it…oh wait! I forgot to tell you about my garden! The new flat comes with a small garden that was pretty run down when we moved in, but I’ve since pruned it and watered it and bought new plants for it (petunias). I’m very proud of it, being that I’ve done it all myself and not just called in a gardener.

Speaking of gardening, looks like I’ve finally got into Bonsai keeping. Viia gave me a teeny tiny birch sapling which we’re going to grow into a bonsai (she’s got a few for herself) and I’m looking into getting myself an already-established bonsai to train. I’m having trouble deciding on which tree to get though. I’ve always wanted a bonsai apple tree, but with research have decided it might be a little complicated to grow. Other options I’m favouring are cherry, pomegranite, olive, fig, and the latest option is a Serissa foetida (Tree of a Thousand Stars) which looks easy enough to grow and has pretty flowers.

There’s a Bonsai Show on at Kirstenbosch Gardens next weekend which I’ll be going to. I’m also looking for a Christmas/English Holly bonsai for my sister. If anyone has bonsai experience, or a bonsai blog, please leave a comment for me

Havent blogged in a while, so here at work I sit, blogging, instead of working hehe. Ok ok I’m doing a data backup which runs on its own, so I’m free until its done.

Not much has been happening, I think the last I wrote was that the new babies arrived a week or so ago. Things have been going great with them thus far. They give me so many laughs its great! And they’re so teeny and squishy! Only 70 grams each!

Ramoth (husky) had a bit of breathing troubles, but after a short treatment of Doxy, she’s sounding fine again.

The problem was, however, Orlith. She just wasnt having any of the babies! I’ve never had problems introducing female rats to one another but Orlith is completely different! She foofs, huffs, pounces, sidles up, puffs up, and pulls fur out of the babies’ rumps. Its been rather scary with all the shrieking that happens all too frequently. Of course, they’re only together under supervision.

Though last night it was weird…Orlith was uber tolerant and didnt actually fight with the babies nor huff and puff. I see it as a show of good things to come. Though she did hang around underneath the hammock that the babies were sleeping in, looking like a boogie-monster haha!

I used my cookie cutters the other day The “G”, “M”, heart, star, and bone. Yes, you can easily guess what I made: dog biscuits!! They were actually rather good, but a little too dough-like for me. I keep feeling that the dogs’ stomachs arent going to handle the soft biscuits very well. So they only get them sparingly.

I’m also planning on redoing my tank. My betta and pleco are doing well, found a bubblenest of Littlebettabutta’s the other day and I was so proud! Its been ages since he made a bubblenest, which I put down to him being rather old, but he made one and I was so happy!

I’m redoing my tank because its overrun with horrible snails! I cant keep plants because the snails eat them all up (except the Elodea of course *rolls eyes*). So I’m going to move out the fish, bleach the tank, plants, new plants, filter, stones, and decorations. Then I’m going to put everything back together and keep fingers crossed. I shouldnt have any snails thereafter!!

Thats about it for now. Thanks for reading!

PS: New poll! Dont forget to vote!

I finally got around to making my Apple Pie that I’ve been talking about for ages! I must admit, I cheated and bought the dough to use for the pie, but then when I thawed it and rolled it out, there wasnt enough for both top and bottom crust So I decided to make it without a base…*gulp*

I mixed and matched a few recipes so I was very worried about how it would turn out. I also wasnt sure if I should put foil around the edges to prevent the edges of the crust from burning, but I decided not to in the end.

So, after preparing it, and baking it for an hour and 10 minutes, it was done!

I was like a kid on Christmas morning, running to peek into the oven-glass every 20 minutes or so and I even squealed with glee when I set it down on the table

I’ve yet to taste it (the bf is keen!) as I’m waiting for my mom and sister to come and taste it with us

In other news, my new babies arrive on Monday, and I finally worked up the courage to go officially get permission to keep my rats in my apartment block! When most people hear “rats” they think smelly, diseased, sewer creatures, which of course could not be farther from the truth, so I was very worried they’d say NO RATS ALLOWED! But, they didnt! She seemed a bit put off by the thought, but after assuring her that I dont breed, and my girls are kept in a cage, she said fine. So yay for us!! Now I can bring my rats from my car to my flat (and vise versa) without worry!

I’m not sure when I got this bee in my bonnet to try out new cooking dishes, but I’m enjoying (almost) every minute of it. A while ago I borrowed my mom’s Happy Days with the Naked Chef cooking book (no, this was after I was bitten by the cooking bug) and found a recipe for Hamilton’s Squash. I just had to try it (which is surprising in it’s own, being that I’m not a butternut lover at all and that my mother has made this before and I’ve never eaten it!)!

Basically, its a butternut squash, stuffed with basmati rice, mushrooms (which I omitted this time since bf -sadly- doesnt eat mushrooms), sundried tomatoes, and various spices such as rosemary, chilli (optional) and coriander seeds. It gets oiled, wrapped in foil, and cooked in the oven at 230° for about an hour and fifteen minutes. What results is greatly pleasing!

The most difficult part, in my opinion, is scoring and scooping out the inner part of the butternut (mainly the neck area). That takes some hectic wrist action! It’s a nice way to work up an appetite though hehe. Oh and the waiting is pretty tough too – especially if its your first time making it!

That being said, my first attempt proved successful enough (and bf liked it!!), but in hindsight, I think I’ll parboil the rice before hand, as I’m not fond of the al dente texture that results from this recipe. Other than that, it was great! Oh and I also think I’ll pick a slightly smaller squash next time, esp if I’m having it alongside anything else (like chicken). The bf also wont eat too much butternut, so I dont want to waste any if possible.

Preparing the squash

Straight out of the oven!

It really is great as a meal on its own, so dont be afraid to pick a big ol’ butternut and make it a main course! Perfect for vegetarians!!

I’m not sure I could see myself making this more than once a month though haha since it is quite tiresome to make. If I’m having a dinner party, however, bring it on!

PS: My new ratties arrive on Monday 27th!!

Ramoth looking down (Husky) and Wirenth looking above (Dumbo)!