The Bunny Maker Gets Juicy ....

With Scurvy threatening we've gone juice-mad here at The Warren.  Anything that once languished on a branch or plunged it's roots into the ground, is now grated and pressed to glorious liquid goodness.  5-a-day?  Nah, we're on 11.

A cucumber hovers on the edge of a purposeful death, following the spinach, ginger and beetroot into a centrifugal whirlwind.

Thanks to Abel & Cole my kitchen is transformed in a greengrocers.  For those of you under 25, that was a shop, back in the old days, that only sold fruit and vegetables. Imagine.

I plunge and push, grin and whirr until I have ended up with twelve of these jewelled beauties...

Apple, spinach, ginger, beetroot and cucumber.  Carrot, apple, courgette and cabbage.  Pear, apple, ginger, beetroot and lemon.  On and on it goes until I filled 12 bottles in all.
I give some of the discarded fruit pulp to the chickens and the rest goes down the sink disposal chomper thing.  (More whirring and grinding and a nasty compulsion to put my hand down it to see just what would actually happen).

This is inadvisable and I suggest that, if you have a sink disposal chomper thing, you DO NOT DO THIS as you will get 'A Blockage'.  I got A Big Blockage.  Followed by A Small Flood and A Non-drained Dishwasher.  In fact The Warren was totally blocked up with fruit pulp, dirty dishwater water, a half-drained sink and, on removing the pipe under the sink, pulpy water flooding everywhere.

Meanwhile, in another part of the house, something else was being shredded and pulped.

Small, black, Spaniel; friendlier than a paper shredder; a lot more mess.

Tomorrow all the juicing starts again because I ordered a whole supermarket veg section and 12 bottles isn't the half of it.  Next week more will arrive.  Eeek

The Bunny Maker opens something new ... Wohooooo

The Warren Annex is open.  It took a long time but, at last we can all say 'Ta daaaaaaaaaaa!'  This Autumn also sees us going into part partnership AKA 'an interesting arrangement' with next door neighbour, Linda.  Linda runs Digby's Dog Holidays and lives bang smack next door.  We get on like a house on fire with her telling me my house is a mess and me, getting my own back, by trampling dirt over her tidy floors.  We get through a lot of wine.
When I am away (and, yes, I do have to do that as I have the three bun sons) she looks after the whole shebang and keeps things ship-shape.  Just a single stare from Linda and everything tidies itself up.  Here she is opening The Annex...

The Annex is insulated and can be heated in winter meaning we no longer have to turn away house bunnies and indoor piggies in the colder months.

In the picture is one house.  Each level is 8' x 3' x 3' and joined by a ramp through an 'ole in the top floor. That's a total of 48 square foot of bun moving space as well as enough height for upward stretching.  We can close up the trap door and use each level for Guinea Pigs too.  Obviously we can add hiding places, tunnels and other levels depending on who is staying.  We've only got two of these so, if you would like to board your buns here from the end of October onwards please, please book early!

There now, what a sensible post that was.  A bit better than the Giant Metal Chicken one.

The Bunny Maker mourns a little (or moans) ...

That last post was all hot air as far as I can see!  Getting back into blogging?  Jeeesh!  I wrote that back in January and it's now September.  Lame.
This is another 'back to blogging' post so we'll see how it all pans out then shall we?

Updates.  Yes, lets do those first.  Erm.  Where to start.  I nearly spent £300 on a giant metal chicken.  This is the most interesting update I have.  It think that is significant in the 'nearly' aspect.  If I hadn't have had to rely on a friend (you know who you are) to ferry the thing home then it would have been mine.  Said friend gave me a stern look and said "I am happy to ferry the chicken home but I just want you to know that I do not approve for your decision to spend £300 on a giant metal chicken."

Because of that I do not now own a giant metal chicken.

Why wouldn't anyone want one?  I mean, come on ..... What better use is there for £300?

On a chickeny subject, I have six new ones without daft names like the last crew.  Except for Daisy the Frizzle who came with her name already.  None of them are red or giant or metal but they do lay many, many eggs which, I guess, is more useful that standing around being giant and metal and probably being walked into because it is too giant and metal.

Sigh.

I didn't realise quite how much I am mourning the loss of a giant, metal chicken.  I shall sleep.  And come back.  Tomorrow.

Pukuuuuuurk!

Bunny Maker? Where are you?

I'm here! Honestly I am.  It's just that it's been .. er .. kinda hectic here.  Well, not here exactly, but inside my head hectic it has been - exactly.  Yup.  Sometimes my brain gets so full that nothing happens and nothing gets done and I sit in the middle of lots of confusion drinking wine and wondering why I'm feeling so anxious. So, the upshot is that I had a little time out.  No sewing of sock buns, no blogging, tweeting or anything really, just a whole lot of Castleville on Facebook and being a good (debatable)parent to the boys. 
There have been changes at The Warren too.  The most significant and materialistic change is that I, finally, have one room of our house 100% how I want it.  One room of any house we have ever lived in really.  Up until now we have lived with half our taste/stuff mixed with the previous owners taste.  Bleughh.

I GOT A NEW KITCHEN!!!!

I don't any superdooper pics of it yet but this is a little taster of it's gloriousness.

 (Thank you Grandpa Bunnymaker xxx)

Many other things have happened too. My beautiful Nosy is now a much loved house bunny, in a quite, calm, adult home, with free run of the place.  Spike is all loved up with a lady bunny and starting his new life in his new home.  I am so pleased that they are finally able to have what they both needed.  I will write a post another day about them and my (apparently controversial) decision to rehome them both.

Now at The Warren are Liffy and Bumble (Mini Lop) and little Yeti Bun.  Liffy and Bumble were both rescue buns who I bonded together. I got Bumble before Christmas and chose him just for Liffy.  Both are what is called 'Black Otter' in colouring which makes their pairing doubly cute. 

 Bumble

Liffy grooming Bumble

Yeti is my house bunny who has been confined (much to her disgust) to my workroom!  She has eaten the entire house and chewed through 3 MacBook power cables at £60 a pop!!  Mr Bunny Maker only knows about two of them.  (Another post coming about house bunnies and chewing in the pipeline too).  She is waiting (not that she knows it) to be bonded into a trio with Liffy and Bumble, to live outside. 

New arrivals also include The Chickens. Purkuuuuuuuurk!

 

From the left: Patrick, Gherkin, Blancmange and Plankton.  NEVER let boys name chickens.  They took b*&@?y ages to start laying but we are now getting a definite three a day with a 'double-yoker' about twice a week from Patrick.  I think her name might be the root of the irregularity.  They did have free range of the garden but, after covering the patio in the most diabolical poo on the planet, now have a lovely enclosure (built by Mr Bunny Maker) to be confined to.

The Warren Bunny Boarding was chock-a-block over Christmas.  On the day itself we had 16 bunnies and two guinea pigs here. Everyone has gone home now and I am looking forward to wielding the pressure washer and giving everything a pre-spring clean out.

I have much much more to tell you all about but long blog posts are tedious to read.  I am now in blogging mode so expect normal service to resume!  See you all soon ....

The Bunny Maker is in the building!

*Streeeetch ... yaaawn*  What? what?  Waddya want? I was having a lovely sleeeep .... mumble mumble ....

Oh!  Hello .. it's you!  I know, I know, the blog has been dormant.  So, what's been happening?  Well, Widget has been having a long holiday - in fact he has been Inter-railing.  Is that something people still do or am I just showing my ages?  He sold enough of his home grown veg to buy a ticket and he's been off visiting different bunnies all over Europe.  He is back now, with some dodgy souveniers and in dire need of a wash!

And The Bunny Maker ... me, that is - Ahhhhhh, you see, I've been looking after lots and lots and lots of bunnies. The Warren Bunny Boarding is in full swing and we are filled up with soft ears and twitchy noses.

I also have a new bunny to look after .. Yeti Bun.  She is very weeny! This is her at when I got her.  She is now a bit bigger and looks just as adorable.  She's going to be my house bun.

I also have exciting news of a new offer to raise money for the Rabbit Welfare Association - in conjunction with Alison Fennel of East Witching.  Watch this space!

In which The Bunny Maker makes a Squid

I did.  Make a squid.  Thus, The Bunny Maker presents .....

"Sqwuideh"

He's almost 30cm tall, crocheted in cotton yarn, his legs containing those fuzzy pipe cleaner things .

I am very, very proud of him and he took all half term to crochet.  Next?  A lobster .... but of course!

Hippo Birdie To Me ....

Hippo birdie to me

Hippo birdie to me

Someone hacked my paypal

and stole my money

*sigh*

Yes, 'tis true.  And I hab a stinkin' colb.  It is also 4am and my throat is so dry that I have had to get up.  Are you feeling sorry for me?  I've sorted it out but it put me overdrawn in my bank account which has incurred charges, so I have the faff of getting it repaid.  Boooo. Don't like faff. 

I would just like to say a big hello to my brother's hairdresser who reads this blog *waves* who, as my brother says, seems to know more about me that he does.  Well, dear bro, if you perhaps read my blog *ahem*!  (My brother also makes inappropriate jokes about bunnies so he is in disgrace to begin with).

Since I announced I would be taking a little time out some people have exclaimed "No more bunnies? You're stopping making them????!! wahhhhhh!".  Not true, bunny lovers, I am still here, and I have opened my shops back up again.  I have sorted out a hooooooge pile of rubbish off my desk and have actually got the kids to school in the right order.  Now I feel I can cope a little better and the house isn't such a tip.  Please, there are bunnies needing homes, and they - need - YOU  (points in a poster type gesture).

I have given up two part-time jobs which were taking me out of the house too - phew! I needed the money but The Warren Bunny Boarding is taking off in a wonderful way and I even have a fully booked week in July.  We also need a new boiler (bye bye 2k) and the house stinks of oil - booooo.  This means we can no longer re-vamp our kitchen.  *sniff*.

All is not lost - I have successfully crocheted a squid!  I wanted to learn and I have.  He is a fabulous squid and I will post pictures today (ish).  How can a foot high crocheted squid not fail to make life seem better?

What did I get for my birthday?  Pukuuuuurk!  Chickens!  Well, a chicken house for chickens.  The house arrives this weekend and the chickens after the summer.  Three Pekins and two Frizzles.  Our garden is a disgrace anyway so they can't make it much worse!  We have no lawn at all - just bare, baked earth - chicken scratching heaven.  So, Mr Bunny Maker now has to deal with .... two bunnies, innumerable guest bunnies, Scooter the hamster, two bored fish and five chickens.  Serves him right for not letting us get a dog.
Now, what else can I sneak in?

In which The Bunny Maker wonders just when enough is enough...

Have you even suddenly reached the conclusion that you have had enough? I'm sure you have.  But, when is that thought at it's limit?  When you can no longer reverse from it and take another run up?  It seems that, here at The Warren, enough is finally enough.

I was brought up to believe that I could do anything if I put my mind, or hand to it and, pretty much, I can. I am very capable, or I thought I was. In turning this capable hand to making things I can whip up an idea in minutes, I can launch a website and raise over £600 within weeks for charity- I can start an online business from nothing - no knowledge, nothing.  I know how to market my product and myself on the internet and I know how to sell from the kitchen table, as the saying goes.

What I can't do is remember to do things.  Last year I filled in my tax form online but forgot to complete the final step.  Hence I was fined £100.  Luckily, as I was not due to pay tax, the fine was not applicable.

Last weekend I booked tickets and turned up for an event that was not scheduled until the end of this month.

For my son's last birthday I booked the cinema for 7 seats for the friday and turned up on the saturday.  Luckily they had seats but I still had to pay again.

I forgot to pay for our boiler service and very nearly got a black mark on our credit record.  All it took was one phone call.

I booked a holiday via email last year, didn't pay the deposit, as we decided not to go to the destination, assuming this would somehow negate the booking and then not remembering to contact them to let them know.  Now they are asking us to pay for that holiday.  We have just paid to go somewhere else. 

There are hundreds of instances of my memory failing such as the above but it is the last example which has made me take stock.  Enough is enough.  My head is in fifty different places at once and brain is in none of them.  What I worry about though is my idle mind.  My idle mind gets into trouble and needs to be pinned to something or disaster ensues. 

I've put all my shops into holiday mode, I've cleared out half of my things from my beautiful workroom, and moved the boys (and the Playstation) back in.  Soon I will only have the house, the shopping and being a parent to worry about.  This is the thing I should be turning my mind to, and focusing on right now.

For now ... my lovely blog followers (and I don't realise how many I do have until I actually meet people who say "You're The Bunny Maker,I follow your blog!") I am in 'screensaver mode' - kinda here, but kinda not.  That is why all my shops announce a holiday (oh ha ha, a holiday? have two!) and the only thing on my facebook page are my Cityville updates!

The Bunny Maker would like to announce that, finallly, enough is enough.

In which The Bunny Maker succeeds at something - finally.

At the start of this year I announced to anyone who was listening (so that's just me and the bunnies) that I was going to teach myself to crochet.  I can knit.  I hate knitting.  I hate it because I can't do it properly.  I hated to crochet too, the one time I had tried and got all tangled and confuzzled.  So, 2011 was going to be the year I got on and did it because, quite honestly, I can just about most other things with my hands.  The first things I did were a little doggie and some Ninjas, just to warm up.  Then, finally, what I wanted to do all along ..... bunnies!!!!

 

He is purple with green inner ears, with lots of soft fuzz, plus a removable hat (because it might get hot).

Of course he now belongs to BunSon No.1 who has named him, with great originality, 'Bwunny'.

Anyone who knows anything about crochet would take one look and gasp at the terrible stitching and the fact that neither arms nor legs are the same size as each other.  But, for my third crochet attempt - i'm pretty happy.

We've just come back from a stonking week on the Isle of Wight.  The boys swam, caught crabs and built yet more stone piles.

It felt like summer and noone wanted to leave but we had to because the gorgeous Henry was arriving. 

He is a lovely, Mini Rex boy with THE softest coat in the entire world.  Nosy and Spike might be soft and fluffy but Henry feels like satin.

 

I bought them a new house, just in case they overheard me cooing over Henry's coat and felt sad.  Oh the excuses I can come up with!

In which The Warren gets bigger ..

We have an addition to The Warren.  The Bunny Maker went to the pet shop and tried very hard not to give a home to any unwanted bunnies there.  It was hard.  Very hard, especially as there was a beautiful 14 month old girl.  Her owner had to pay out £200 in dental bills because she fed her the wrong food and all the teeth had grown too long and painful.  She stormed back to the pet store and dumped the bunny back on them!  It makes me veerrrry angry - but, I won't go into that.  Today is for celebration!

Welcome to Scooter!

He's a 5 month old male Chinese Dwarf Hamster.  He was up for re-homing as no-one had bought him or seemed to want him.  I have no idea why because he is adorable, gentle and sweet. He has no inclination to nip or bite and, as seen in the picture, likes to sleep under his wheel (which I removed to take the pic).  He's not what I went in for but he's what I came out with!!

Wake up Scooter!

Mr Bunny Maker is NOT amused.  He muttered about 'animals ALL over the place' but was told to stop being so horrible by all three Bun Sons, and it was pointed out to him that Scooter's house is about the size of our bread machine and he, himself, is no larger than a plum.  In the face of the truth of such minimal impact, Mr Bunny Maker, not having a leg to stand on, humphed off with resignation, muttering about light snacks and toilet flushing. This elicited Bun Son squarkings of high volume and The Bunny Maker left them to it.