BOHEMIANS: MEET MICKEY

He was short of his age, 

with rather bow legs and sharp, ugly eyes.

Hit hat was stuck on top of his head so lightly, 

that it threatened to fall off every moment.

He wore a man's coat, which nearly reached his heels.

He had turned the cuffs back,

half-way up his arm, 

to get his hands out of the sleeves, 

Apparently, with the ultimated view of 

Thrusting them into his corduroy trousers, 

which is where he kept them.

He was, altogether,

as roystering and swaggering a young gentleman

as ever stood four feet six.

                                            C. Dickens, Oliver Twist

THIS IS MICKEY, OUR BOYFRIEND.

(JUST KIDDING MOTHER! WE CAN HEAR YOUR HEART STOPPING FROM HERE).

IN TRUTH HE'S A PAL, AN ORIGINAL,

ONE OF THE LOVELY ONES FROM AROUND THE ROAD.

AND HE DOESN'T BITE.

(TRUST US, SWEET MICKEY HASN'T ENOUGH TEETH TO DRAW BLOOD)

AT ANY RATE, 

YESTERDAY WE WENT ROUND TO HIS CAVE FOR A CUP OF TEA AND TO PICK UP SOME MENDING AND WE COULDN'T RESIST SNAPPING A COUPLE OF IMAGES.

IN OUR MIND, HE IS THE ARTFUL DODGER, BUT TWICE AS NICE AND MUCH, MUCH COOLER.

SEE MY CAT? MICKEY SAYS,

HE'S VERY LOW MAINTENANCE:

SHOWING OFF HIS NEWEST ACQUISITION, A CARNIVAL SIGN FROM THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. HE WAS PRETTY JAZZED ABOUT IT, THE IMAGE BLURRY FROM HIS WILD GESTICULATIONS.
THIS WAS HIS PROJECT FOR TODAY, HE TOLD US, GETTING THE LIGHTS TO WORK AGAIN,

RIGHT AFTER HE FINISHED A BATCH OF BORSCHT, THAT IS. 

PRIORITIES, PEOPLE. 

THE TROUSERS IN NEED OF SOME BOHEMIAN HANDS, 

PATCHED WITH JAPANESE INDIGO

THIS PATTERN IS CALLED

'FALLING SNOW'

AND BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE TO EXCHANGE MONEY BETWEEN FRIENDS FOR SERVICES RENDERED,

MICKEY OFFERS US THE MOST DELICATE AND PALE TURQUOISE JAPANESE QUILT, TO MAKE INTO A JACKET, SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO CUT INTO IT:

THAT MAN HAS GOT OUR NUMBER, AND WE MUCH PREFER TO HAVE SOMETHING CHOSEN FOR US, INSTEAD OF CHOOSING FOR OURSELVES.

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL SCRAP FOR THE TEXTILE ARCHIVE, TO JOIN THE REST OF OUR RETIREMENT PLAN.

(OUR CAPITAL IS TIED UP IN FABRICS, JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT)

ABSITIVELY POSOLUTELY!

PEACHES AND CREAM

IT IS FASHION WEEK IN LONDRES, AND BECAUSE WE ARE NEVER REALLY FOLLOWING THE TRENDS, WE REJECT THE STARVATION DIET OF THE FASHION HIGH SEASON AND INSTEAD RETREAT TO THE KITCHEN TO BAKE.

AND THEN WE CALL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WE CAN FIND AND INVITE THEM FOR A LITTLE DINNER AND DRESS UP.

ENTER, THE LOVELY NORWEGIANS, ALL SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, PEACHES AND CREAM (TO COMPLIMENT OUR TARTE, BIEN SUR) AND THE DIVINE VICTORIA, FRESH IN FROM NEW YORK, BELOW:

CHARLOTTE THE MERMAID IN THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA FLEETWOOD DRESS, KILLING IT.

THAT HAIR!

OH LA LA.

AND THEN WE ALL HAVE TO TRY ON WHAT EACHOTHER IS WEARING. 

SO ANOTHER BLONDE BEAUTY GIVES THE GREEN CHIFFON A GO: LA PETITE JULIA

THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA POPPY GO LUCKY DRESS

SO MUCH BEAUTY

SWEET DARLINGS IN BATIK AND SEAWEEDS RESPECTIVELY. NORWAY IS BREEDING THEM WELL, AND WE ARE OH SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DRESS THE BUNNIES IN OUR KIT.

ON THE OFF CHANCE YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE APRICOT HARVEST
(LIKE MOST THINGS WORTHWHILE, THIS CAKE IS 
BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND DELICIOUS):

Apricot Slice
(adapted from Monsieur Bill Granger)

1 and 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 1/2 ounces softened butter
14 apricots, pitted and halved

Oven at 315 Degrees F
Sift together dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
Combine eggs, vanilla and butter and pour into well.
Beat until smooth.
Into a heavily buttered baking dish or tin, pour the mixture.
Press apricot halves, cut side up, into the mixture in rows.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Take our of the oven, sprinkle with sugar and bake for another 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when pressed in centre of tarte.
Cut in slices and let cool on a wire rack.