Joy!

Have you ever wanted something that you just couldn''t afford? Something so ridiculously expensive that you can't ever imagine being able to justify buying it, yet something that makes your heart ache with longing every time you see it?

I have had a longing like this for several years. The object of my affection? A Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixer. At almost £400, it's a serious investment, but oh my god, how I've wanted one!

The thing is, some people would think nothing of spending £400 on a handbag, or a necklace, or an outfit. I have no interest in expensive clothes or jewellery, but my passion is cooking and there are some things that are worth investing in.

They are solid machines, all metal with no cheap plasticky bits. They are built to last, like, forever. I've seen photos of mixers from the 1930s that still work for goodness sake! They are proper workhorses, not a faddy gimmick that will be used twice and then banished to the back of a cupboard, No, these machines are designed to be used and used and used.

I'm serious about my cooking and it's something that is top of my ultimate "someday" list. Well, this year, my dream has come true!

My husband saves money all year so that we get a lump sum in December, and usually are able to afford all our Christmas shopping, plus an investment for the home.

Last year, we got a PS3. this year, I got my Kitchenaid!

This morning, I skipped into John Lewis like a child entering Disneyworld, and immediately made a beeline for the kitchenware department. There they all were, lined up proudly and looking oh so beautiful. I had originally wanted one in Candy Apple Red, but as soon as I saw the Cranberry one, I felt a rush of joy and couldn't stop smiling. It had to be Cranberry!

I was offered the Collect at Door service, where it would be taken to a door for me to drive up to, but I couldn't let it go, I just had to take it away there and then! I carried that machine to the car as if it were made of solid gold (and it felt like it was made of solid lead!).

Here she is in all her glory on the counter, along with the banana bread I made to ensure she was working...

Isn't she stunning? You just have to smile when you walk into the kitchen and see this beautiful lady! Of course, I had to give my machine a name. After all, this will be my partner in the kitchen for hopefully the rest of my life! Well, what other name could I give her than Joy? The very feeling I get whenever I realise that this beautiful thing is mine! The feeling I get every time I cook and bake, and every time someone tells me how much they've enjoyed something I've made. We all need a little joy in our lives, right?

For me it's cooking, for others it might be clothes or holidays. It's whatever makes you happy, and I have certainly found my Joy.