Food for Thought Heading into 2012

2011 : A Year in Review via Outfits

Good Afternoon my dears,
As 2011 winds to a close I can't help but feel a little mushy over the happenings of this year, it's been one of the biggest and most life changing I've ever been through! When I think back on everything I've done this year my mind boggles, there were definitely times when I didn't think I could keep going, when I was bogged down by University work or the months I got stuck in an emotional black hole and didn't feel like I would ever be able to get out again, but here I am, alive and happy and well. 
This year saw me completing my University degree and graduating (trying to keep that mortar board on my head was an exercise in futility), attending my first interview ever (so nerve wrecking, but I got out alive and I smelt awesome for weeks), finding my first job ever and starting to treat patients, going to the cinema more than I think I've ever been with some of my best friends, reading lots of new books, surprise new additions to the family in the shape of tiny rats, meeting some amazing online friends for the first time ever in person, making brand new friends, finally getting dreadlocks after wanting them for years, learning all the time, reaching my 2 year anniversary with the best boyfriend I could ever wish for, painting and crochet frenzies.
2011 hasn't been easy, huge things have happened, challenging things, some painful things, but I've come out of it stronger than I went in. There are two things I've learnt this year, the first being that the things you want the most are very rarely the easiest to get and you will be tested (and it feels amazing when you triumph), the second being that when you feel as though you can't keep going amazing people will be there to take care of you and love you, and you will know it. To everyone who has been with me this year, you have done more for me than you may even know, you held me when I needed holding and cheered me on when I needed cheering and then you celebrated with me. Thank you.


I wanted to do some sort of recap of the year but I wasn't sure what to go for, I tried to compile posts but it seemed like there were too many so I went for something a little easier, a year recap through my outfits. It was fun to do this and each of the pictures reminds me of the day it was taken which turned out to be a great way of documenting my memories.


To everyone who reads my blog, thank you for being here with me. Here's to a wonderful 2012 with many new adventures and an infinite amount of magic. May all your wishes come true.

Adventure Time

Good evening my dears,
I come bearing more rattie joy and playfulness for you tonight, Sev is definitely in his element playing with his big brothers and seems to have well and truly established himself as 2nd in Command. Dumbles is slowly getting to grips with having him around and finally seems to have learnt that it doesn't take much to get him to leave you alone, as long as you can pin him down. Admittedly Sev seems to be pinning Dumbles most of the time, which logically should be impossible due to a pretty massive size difference, but that doesn't deter the mini monster in the slighest.

Sev and Ganny in particular are like two peas in a pod, Sev has learnt that if he chases Ganny and jumps on him Ganny will pin him down and groom him which is exactly what he wants. He's obsessed with trying to get Ganny and Dumbles into a big rat pile so that he can get in between them, he's very cuddly and affectionate with them.

Ganny on his part has become Mamma Rat, though he's practicing his best Old Man Face in the bottom left picture here...

Ganny can be surprisingly vain, he starts posing whenever he sees the camera. I guess being gorgeous helps with that. 

Dumbles in the tube that Steven bought for them when he bought Sev, technically it's supposed to be for Ganny as well but Dumbles has totally claimed it for himself. 

and a picture of my face, mostly to try and document my dreads. They're almost 4 months old now, you can see how much my roots are growing! I'm happy that it's growing so quick because I'm heading into awkward none-dyed territory now, the quicker my roots grow the quicker it will look more normal. Also I'm so excited for them to get longer, I dream of super long lovely dreads.

Merry Christmas ♥

Good Morning my sweetlings,
I hope you all had a lovely day yesterday, I definitely did! My parents came down for Christmas day, Steven cooked dinner and we all watched Fraggle Rock and Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

My parents opening their presents. I bought Season 1 of Fraggle Rock and a book on Cooking for your Dog for my mum, and 2 sets of braces with spiderwebs and skulls on them for my dad (since his official present didn't arrive yet)

Dog madness was happening for most of the day, she was pretty determined to run about everywhere.

Steven opening one of his presents which my parents and I got for him, a figurine of Optimus Prime. He had a very Transformers Christmas since I also got him a T-shirt that says 'Stay Calm and Call Optimus Prime' on it. Boy loves his Optimus!

Opening my presents from Steven, he got me some Fuzzy Felts with Dinosaurs, Ghosts and Beatrix Potter characters on them...

He also got me a Totoro! I pretty much died of excitement when I unwrapped him, I've been wanting a Totoro in my life for quite a long time.

Snuggly, snuggly Totoro! I love that he is the smiley one. Steven also got me a huge granite Mortar and Pestle for my herbs and a beautiful statue of Ganesha for my altar.

My dad's exact words at this point were 'you're not getting incriminating evidence of me are you?', yes dad I am. Always.

Steven cutting up the hugest cabbage in the world, he had to resort to using a mallet on it in the end.

Relaxing in the evening, I wasn't feeling very well so it was really nice to just snuggle up with one of the books my parents got for me (Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti, amazing!). They also got me a book on the philosophy of Alice in Wonderland and a book on the connection between tea and Taoism (Cha Dao), some beautiful wrap skirts, a tank top, some lovely knitted dresses, a new headband and a candle that changes colour(!)

It was quite impossible to keep a serious face yesterday, as you can see.

My dad's expression here was pretty much the reaction to watching Fraggle Rock. Did we watch it anyway? Totally. 

Severus was out in full force yesterday, we bought him downstairs to see my mum and he ended up coming out later in the evening as well. I was pretty much falling asleep by this point so he curled up on my shoulder to clean himself. 

Snape, Snape, Severus Snape... Dumbledore! Annnnd Gandalf!

Good Morning my dears (how rarely I get to say that!)
Over the past few days we've been introducing baby rat Sev to the significantly more giant and brick like structures that go by the name of Ganny and Dumbles. So far so good! Everyone is getting along swimmingly, although Dumbles doesn't seem to care much either way (he is a little self centred though, just between me and you...) and mostly just looks completely bemused by the existance of this tiny little creature that keeps trying to wrestle with him.
Ganny on the other hand has gone into Mother Rat Hyper Mode, obsessed does not cover his feelings. He and Sev get along like a house on fire, Sev chases him, tries to wrestle with him (the idea of this is just ridiculous, but very cute) and Ganny spends nearly the entire time out of the cage cleaning him from head to toe (literally, last night he was giving a very thorough cleaning to paws and ears). It's so sweet seeing them together, and I remembered to take my camera upstairs this time so I got pictures to share.

Forever and always my blanket rat you'll be. Oh Dumbles, purveyor of crochet, wriggler of wool. For some reason he has always been really into my blankets, which I can't say is a problem!

Time to investigate dad methinks!

A bag! There are few things, if any, in this world that Ganny and Dumbles love more than a paper bag. Dumbles looks like he is giggling in this picture, which he probably was. 

The cleaning begins! Sev seems very happy to be cleaned, if Ganny stops he just chases after him and sits down in front of him, waiting for him to start again.

Now we clean the sides... This picture is a pretty good representation of just how small Sev is next to Ganny. Ganny is a huge rat though, to be fair. 

Onto the ears... 

Now the face... I love this picture, it looks like Ganny is kissing him.

Foot-five mum! Foot five!

This picture kills me every time I look at it. Ganny's face is just excellent. A baby mum? Where?!

 Oh there! Come, let me clean your tiny, tiny feet. 


And on a completely different note, here is an ointment I made for my mum over the solstice to help mend her broken knee.

 Lots of herbs! 

After marinating for 3 days, I'm really happy I got to marinate it over the Solstice night.

Strained and ready to heal some broken bones and swelling!


Last but not least, I hope you all had a lovely Yule and have a wonderful Christmas ♥