Let them eat cake, and other unhealthy stuff.

Today is my baby's 8th birthday. They MADE me get up really early so that the present opening ritual could be done before his big brother had to catch the bus to school. But at least I got to have a wee snooze after the excitement was over.

After school the four of us, plus one small child borrowed for the afternoon, piled into the car and headed for the ice cream parlour.

As we were going to get there just before tea time and we felt we had to stick to convention and have savoury before sweet, we made a detour via the chip shop. I don't think I've ever been at a chippie at 4.30 in the afternoon before. Of course we didn't want to spoil our appetites for the main event so we only had chips and a buttered roll.

Next stop Gerri's Ice Cream parlour, home of the Stenness Monster. This will be our last visit this year as Gerri shuts up shop at the end of September. We had various delights, all delicious. Seaurchin, as an apology for making you do a King Alfred the Great I got you a very tasty concoction of maple and walnut ice cream, with maple syrup, whipped cream and hazlenuts chips. I'm sure it will make it through the post intact.

Of course you can't have a birthday without a cake. Which was served up after Campbell had been to his Highland dancing class. The icing had a wee turn and was more of a sauce, but it still tasted damn good and Arrow has christened it a Chocolate Puddle Cake.

I'm sorry that this has all been about food but hey, he's 8!

We even had a foodie theme tune to the day. Campbell was delighted to get a CD with his favourite song of the moment on it, John Shuttleworth's 'I can't go back to savoury now'. It's brilliant and will cheer anyone up, even if you do end up wondering if you did have your dinner in the right order. Seaurchin, I dedicate this one to you...!