Cakerday

Such a busy day! Steve went off to the market at 9, and by 10 I was ready for S to come and help me decorate the tree. No sign of him. The sun had come out for everyone first time in days, and I noticed that the dining room sliding doors were filthy! So I cleaned them, mainly with water and e-cloths. Thank goodness the days of Windolene and balls of screwed- up newspaper are over!

Carried on, decorated the tree, put up various strings of lights and bunting. Indie the cat came and hooked a toy out of the box. It was made of pipe cleaners. She hunted it, and dragged it all over the house for several hours, looking incredibly sheepish whenever I looked at her. Eventually she abandoned it and I threw it away. 

I was watching a TV channel of 80s music and videos while I worked. At one point I was watching a video from 1986, and wondered if I'd like to go back to Christmas 1986. Fortunately my hyperactive memory reminded me that in 1986, I had acute bronchitis and was travelling back  to UK from. Thessaloniki airport in the snow. Live through that again? No thanks,  never, not even on Swissair. 

S.eventually turned up after 1pm. I'd warned him that he'd have to make the Christmas cake with me. All went well, apart from when he threw the butter into the soaked fruit. We did use a hand held mixer. Then he had to zoom off to go to Swindon, and I put the cake mixture in the tin, and set it to bake. 

Washed up, cleaned a couple of upstairs windows. Wrote some cards. Steve came home just as the cake was ready to come out, and it turned out perfect! Tomorrow I may marzipan it. 

All this had made me quite tired and achey (normally I use my brain, while my body sits behind a desk) so I had a bath and almost fell asleep in it! V came around, on my invitation, and we had a catch up. Sort-of  watched the Downton Abbey film, and then she left, and I sorted out supper. 

Now we're watching a programme about the late, great Maggie Smith, while we sit in the newly decorated living room, lights aglow.