While I was sleeping...

It has only been a couple of weeks or so since I last wrote a blog post, but I have really missed it during that time. Over the past fortnight I have had a virus - not surprising really considering I am truly a virus-magnet! Every day I hoped to get some brainpower back, in order to write a simple post, but each day as it got dark and I hadn't managed this, I was frustrated. Now I feel a bit rusty, which is crazy really! Still, I am back for now, and thought I'd share with you some things which have caught my eyes, ears and imagination during the time I've been away from blog-land (in between all that extra sleep).

Firstly, that performance by Leona Lewis on the X Factor a few weeks ago, of the Snow Patrol song, "Run" - it blew me away. We have been fans of Leona since day one in our house and just when you think she's peaked and surely can't pull off a performance more incredible than her last, she does.



I know people have raved about her version of this song since she performed it in the Radio 1 Live Lounge last year, but I hadn't heard it in full until I saw her on X Factor last month. As daft as it may seem, that performance gave me shivers down my spine. I think what we love most about Leona is that she still seems so down to earth, despite achieving such far-reaching success already. I guess we will just have to wait and see but I honestly hope that stardom never goes to her head and changes that humility she always showed when she competed on X Factor.

Secondly, I am loving Strictly Come Dancing more each week, as the competition heads towards the end. In other seasons before now, there have always been one or two clear front-runners, giving an indication of who you could expect to win. This year, this hasn't been the case for a long time. The standard is fantastic, and any of the remaining four dancers could run away with that glitterball trophy.

I, personally, am a Tom Chambers fan and have been from the start. I'm a Holby City geek and have always enjoyed watching his character and storylines, but he was relatively unknown to the public aside from that role, before he joined Strictly. It seems to have launched him into "household name" status which is fantastic and what I really like about his approach to Strictly is that, although he takes the dancing seriously (seriously enough to postpone his honeymoon, eek) he has never taken himself too seriously - something which other contestants have done, in my opinion. So, in the Miti Household, it's TOM TO WIN!

The third and final thing that has been keeping me entertained through a low few weeks (aside from wonderful friends keeping me smiling, which goes without saying) is Arthur! Our little piggy, Arthur. What can be said about Arthur which does him justice but doesn't make me sound like a mad lady who thinks her guinea pig is actually a bit human?! Perhaps the best way to do this is to state, for the record, that I am aware he is a rodent, and that you should read the following words safe in that assurance!

From Piggy

Arthur has been such a godsend while I've been ill and those fab friends of mine who thought of getting him for me, on my birthday 9 months ago, were truly inspired. Due to the fact he has lived indoors with us, and had me around pretty much 24 hours a day, this little piggy has become the tamest small animal I've ever known - and we had a few of them while growing up! He falls asleep on Vianney and I's laps on a nightly basis, making sure he is as comfortable as possible, headbutting our hands out the way if we dare to obstruct his comfort. He hops and skips around his cage whenever the impulse takes him, expressing his joy at life in little bursts of excess energy. If we even think about going into the kitchen at certain times of the day (first thing in the morning and tea-time at night, for which he seems to have some innate inner clock) without bringing him some scrap vegetable, he makes sure we know about it, squeaking at a very high pitch, and a very loud volume. His personality is undeniable and he can put a smile on any sour face - even mine last week with a horrible, exhausting virus. So thank you God for Guinea Pigs and for friends who thought to bring him into my life.

That's all for today. It feels good to be back! :)