Helena's birthday party

I knew that the snow which settled last night would be gone by morning, so I wasn't too disappointed when I looked outside as I got up to make our tea. Because of the snow falling from mid-afternoon onwards, my sister Rosie had to turn back from her visit to have dinner with us at a local restaurant. Hopefully she will come back next weekend with her new friend and we can enjoy a good meal together. Instead, I went out to get a take-away thai-style meal which was enjoyable, although it did make me 'pine for the fjords' or rather to wish we were back eating good street food in Thailand, a land I loved being in thirty years ago.

I'd promised to contribute the cake for Helena's birthday tea party this afternoon. She selected the recipe she wanted, gave me a photocopy, arranged all the ingredients and tools and then proceeded to guide me through the making of the cake. It was to be a coffee and walnut sponge, a type of cake I'd never made before. All went well and it was good fun and arrived on the table a few minutes before the guests arrived. I think Helena enjoyed having her friends and some of their children. Kirsty, who sometimes comes to visit with her mum Eileen to enjoy craftwork together, had made her a beautiful hand-drawn card, which I particularly like.

I tried not to be intrusive by taking too many pictures and those I did were rather soft in the darkening light. I liked when Helena cut her cake after blowing out all the candles. I have to blip the first slice of our cake, as I thought it was fantastic. Light, tasty and more-ish. I will have to cook some more. Happy Birthday, my dear Helena.