This was me and one of the cats I am looking after while I house-sit. Sandy and I were trying our best to warm each other an hour ago and basically failing miserably, unfortunately. Today has been very chilly in New Zealand, all over. While Auckland (my city) does receive its fair share of cold, wet, icky winter days, it does not snow here.

Or does it??

Maybe just for today, and only a teeny bit, of which I didn’t get to see (damnit). There were some flurries in the downtown area early in the afternoon, but I don’t think campus got any, which is only a few blocks away (I was in lecture). To the south of the city however, there was a bit more. You can see some photos of it here.

What I really want to do though, is share an awesome recipe with you all. On the weekend it was my sister’s birthday so I decided to try making salted caramel cupcakes. I’d never tried the flavour before but after having read about it on the web and heard about it on TV I just had to. Salt and sweet? Together? Count me in.

After Googling I found a recipe for Triple Salted Caramel cupcakes on Sprinkle Bakes and got to work Sunday morning. Naturally I completely forgot to take photos of the finished batch, but they looked much like ones on the website except without the candied caramel chips (I drizzled the rest of the caramel filling over the icing.

They were a total hit! Honestly, my god, I think that might be my new favourite cupcake flavour, actually. I definitely love the mix of sweet caramel with the hint of salt through it, and they’re so pretty! Next time I might not pipe so much icing onto each cupcake as it was maybe a bit much…okay, who am I kidding, no such thing!

Love and hugs, S.

I have finally started and uploaded my 101 in 1001 days list. It’s not complete yet but I wanted to get it public and up and all that. I’m quite excited about it, actually! I think it’ll be a good motivation to accomplish my goals. I like to finish what I start and I like a good “race”, so, here’s hoping I do, indeed, do 101 things in 1001 days.

Anyway, aside from that I have been fairly hermit-like as of late, except today I went out looking for job vacancies (there isn’t much but still worth handing in my CV to places) and hung out with my mum and one of my sisters, plus her two kids. The weather has been very warm lately and therefore no one wants to do anything! Including me.

My sinus issue may be some sort of chesty cold because I developed a cough in the night and have felt tight, etc. in that area. I just hope it goes away soon and I wont need to pay a visit to a doctor or anything.

My project this afternoon was to put together the wardrobe I got for my room. Thankfully I had Mum helping me and we put it together with not much fuss and far less swearing (i.e. none) than when any of the men I know put things together. But, really, once you have assembled a babies cot you can assemble any sort of kit-set furniture, I swear!

Lastly, our house-barn has been without most power and all water this afternoon. Extremely inconvenient, but at least we can fill up containers at my sister’s place. My grandparent’s have come out to have a look but they can’t fix it so I believe someone is coming out to do so.

Apologies for my paragraphs being like mini-blogs; I seem incapable of writing about one thing most of the time so it all gets shoved in one post.

It was the best meal I’ve had out in a very long time, with wonderful service from the staff. I don’t like being a nuisance to people because of my personal ethical, and thus dietary, choices* and sometimes it can still be a bit daunting to go and say “Ok, I don’t eat this, this, this, this or this, or anything container those things. But make me something divine, ‘k?” Some restaurants are not at all accommodating and don’t even want to try. I’ve even been somewhere where I felt like I was being grilled about these choices, which was rude and totally uncalled for. Serve me my food, shut the hell up and go away!

In other news, yesterday I finally managed to create a new design for Bubblegum Fangirl and get that up and running. I spent the first half of today trying to finish The Bridge To Holy Cross by Paullina Simons as it’s due back at the library, but my eyes are having trouble seeing clearly, so I’m on a “break”. Because reading on the computer is oh so much easier and better for my sight, obviously…

It’s raining and seems so dreary, but it’s nice to look out my window and see the cars go by, the rain fall through the leaves and hear the distant rumbling of thunder. A hot chocolate may me necessary soon.

Now I’m about to attempt upgrading WordPress, so I hope that goes well…

*Even though I shouldn’t feel that way. It’s none of their business a part of whether or not they are able to serve me anything I consider edible. If not, I take my money elsewhere.