Busy. Concentrate on this one. There's a present at the end.

For someone who does nothing, I'm pretty busy. Actually, because I do nothing, just having one thing to do would make me busy, but I have a lot of things to do.

Fittingly, this will be a busy blog.

It's gonna cover a few things. Right, so concentrate and stay with me.

First ... Happy Birthday Noodle. You're 14!! 

We love you. But we wish you'd stop vomiting on the floor.

Second, look what the sincerely lovely Catherine from pencils and pins sent me ...

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery ... she received a copy from her teacher when she was in Grade Five and it had a deep impact on her.

When I read her post on that, I suggested I thought every child should have at least one non-parental influence in their lives who, through a simple gesture or act, sends that child off on a positive trajectory which influences their growth into adulthood. I think Catherine agreed ...

And I've never read The Little Prince ... so she sent one of her copies to me. I'm reading it after my exams and then I'm giving it to Child 1 to read. My mother had it when we were little, but I just looked at the pictures.

And notice the accompanying fabric? What a beautiful touch! Thank you Catherine. Your parcel really made my day, because I was at the library all day surrounded by students who were young enough to be my children! And they weren't reading Dr Seuss!!

These are just photos of roses my Mother-In-Law gave me ... She grows them herself ... I just thought I needed to break up the text with some images ...

Third  ... here's Deb's Crispy Apple recipe. She said I could post it. Thank ye, Deb.

Apple Crisp

6 apples sliced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/3 cup butter

Sprinkle first-lot of brown sugar over apples in a greased baking dish. Mix flour, nutmeg, salt and brown sugar. Stir in rolled oats. Cut in butter (use a knife and cut cold butter into centimetre-sized bits) until everything is combined. Sprinkle over the sliced apples. Bake in mod. oven (180 degrees Celsius (350F)) for about 50 minutes until topping is lightly browned and apples are tender. Serve with whipped cream or ice-cream. Serves 4-5, or one mother who has fussy children.

Fourth, my Feedburner thing says there are 100 Readers. That's a Centenary for Make mine Mid-Century, so I'll give one of you a present! I will! I don't know what yet ... but it won't be crappy.

But crappy's relative ...  Something modern, with a Mid-Century slant, and cheap. How's that? You'll like it.

Anyway, leave a comment, say anything and I'll put you in the drawer (yes, 'drawer'. I wrote that because I think it's funny ... because you're too big to be put in a drawer!) and I'll get one of the littlies to draw a name next Wednesday the 4th November.

Proviso is, though, that if you're not a 'Follower', you'll need to 'follow' so then I know you're not just a 'ring-in' who's after something cheap for free. Quid pro quo.

Don't click the Feedburner thing. I don't know what that does exactly and I don't know who or what it's recording, just 'follow' the traditional Google Blog way - the one that says there's only 87 of you!

I remember when it used to be Three Readers.

See? I'm busy. Studying for exams, applying for jobs, holding up your drawers. It's all too much. I need a glass of wine tonight.