Defeated by pain I went to bed last night with little hope of sleeping and very worried as I had to do the preparations for my sons birthday tomorrow. Such was my desperation that I took a double dose of diclomax, a double dose of cocodamol and a sleeping pill!
Not for the first time I wrote a short note and left it at my bed side exonerating the boys from any blame in the event that the overdose should cause my demise. I slept for several hours and awoke feeling very odd indeed but in much less pain, took another dose of pain killers and went back to bed where I slept until morning.
Waking up fully took quite a time as I kept on dozing off but when at last I made it down stairs I knew that I would be able to make the promised chocolate fudge cake ,the oat crisp cookies and prepare the large gammon joint that is to be the centre piece of my sons birthday dinner.
Porridge and toast for breakfast seemed best as my son is still unable to speak,he had the porridge and Pa and I had the toast,the one caller we had did not stay long in the pest house for fear of infection and as soon as he had gone I started on the cake,the recipe for which I published on May 5th.
Happily it came out perfectly first time, and as it cooled I made a cooked chocolate fudge icing to sandwich and cover the cake after which I studded it with white chocolate drops,my sons favourite.
Oat crispie cookies were next, some of these will accompany Pa next week when he goes in to hospital,then with the gammon joint in soak I cleared the kitchen and cleared off the the garden centre.
Feeling virtuous on account of my efforts in the kitchen I treated myself to a beautiful specimen of Sambucus Nigra, black elder which has gorgeous sprays of pink flowers and dark purple leaves,this and a strip of lettuce plants completed my purchases and I headed home to prepare dinner. Macaroni cheese had been chosen as a meal which would not hurt my sons sore throat,incidentally he still cannot speak and oh boy is it quiet!
I made a basic white sauce with butter flour and milk then added 6 ounces of strong cheddar and a whole garlic roulade .When the sauce was made I added half a jar of sun dried tomatoes,salt and pepper. Laced the boiling water in which the macaroni was cooked with tomato oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes for extra flavour then put the cooked macaroni in to a large dish,spooned on the sauce and topped with a mixture of Cheshire cheese and Gruyère. Rich and comforting this proved to be a hit and the boys both ate second helpings as did I.
With the days work done I am writing as the sun is setting, the air is still and from every tree in the lane at least a dozen birds are calling to each other and in the sky the streak of peach coloured cloud is turning orange as the sun sinks lower. Soon the lane and the fields will be the haunt of bats ,owls and foxes,hedgehogs and badgers and for once I hope that I sleep right through this nightly pageant. Hey Ho, bath time.
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