Birthday cake

It is a bit weird to have a birthday when everyone is remembering the war dead, especially this year, 100 years on.

All the grandchildren FaceTimed me today. Nathaniel told me about his fun at the clip and climb for his friend’s birthday. Ella had been at a friend’s Strictly Come Dancing party where she’d learned salsa and cha cha cha. But she was keener to show me the mascot she got at rugby for good passing, which she demonstrated.

Thomas and James were in the car going for lunch at the beach. Thomas didn’t get much chance to tell me anything as James was so full of chat. Then he said they’d have to go as his tummy was rumbling for his lunch.

Mr C learned how to set the table, warm the plates etc as he had to help,prepare for friends coming to help me celebrate my birthday, (which he’d forgotten). We all had a good evening despite me omitting the apple from curried parsnip and apple soup. The wintry casserole was all eaten up, and the blip is the star of the show - a Nigella Italian Cake made from layers of panettone soaked in Grand Marnier, with a mixture of Marscapone, Marsala, cream and eggs between the layers. The top was the mixture with choc chips, pistachios and pomegranate seeds.