Our little cat has been rather down in the dumps for the past day or two,we were beginning to worry as she is usually a very sparky little madam. Yesterday evening I decided to try a little cosseting, her favourite food, lots of tummy tickles,all manner of blandishments were tried. She did not show much real interest but at least by bedtime she had settled down and returned to her usual habit of sleeping on the bed all night. Thankfully by the morning she was here old self again, and after a very brief visit to the garden she returned to the kitchen for a hearty breakfast and spent the rest of the day disporting herself, always very prettily on the armchair, the sofa ,the windowsill and the bed,occasionally allowing herself to be stroked and generally made much of. I have no idea what the matter was but I am thankful that she is herself again, the thought of anything happening to her drives me dotty.
Most of my morning was spent baking tray upon tray of date and walnut cookies, we have people coming to visit on the first three days of next week that we know of and I suspect there will be more before the week is out. I therefore needs must keep the biscuit tins full, to but caught with no cookies in the house would be disastrous, I should never live it down. Quite a few of our guests are happy to put the kettle on themselves if I am baking or busy in some other way and the first thing they do is reach for the biscuit tin,. Happily I am now prepared for anything and the addition of a large ginger cake which I shall make tomorrow and some mince pies should keep the wolves at bay for a day or two. Tomorrow I am also baking a special birthday cake for a friend of ours who loves fruit cake but detests the orange and lemon peel so often used in such cakes, I shall substitute crystallised ginger which should be more acceptable, I hope.
The kitchen smells wonderful these day, all the spices extra baking makes it smell of Christmas and keeps it very warm and snug. I love such days as these, having all the lovely sticky ,sweet and spicy things to play with is a joy and I can not wait to begin the sausage rolls and pasties. One of our neighbours is having his family to stay for the holiday and I am baking an extra large lemon drizzle cake for him, to be delivered on the 21st of December.
The one thing I stress about is the chocolate log which I make every year for my son. He dislikes the usual sort of Christmas cake and so it has became a family tradition that the log is made for tea on Christmas day. Fat less Swiss roll is a tricky thing to make, there are so many things that can go wrong and I shall be jolly glad when it is reposing in the long cake tin, decorated and ready for the day.
Dinner tonight was spiced chicken with jacket wedge potatoes and an assortment of home made dips, very quick and liked by all.
I am having a fight to the death with a large piece of tinsel, I am trying to hang it in a graceful swag above the bed, so far it has fallen down at both ends and in the middle more times than I care to count. Notwithstanding these problems I am determined that is shall stay up, even if I have to nail it in place, if that is the cat does not shred it still further by her non to tender attentions.
Good night to all and keep warm.
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