See I can make a cake from Scratch......but I wouldn't eat it......

Last Saturday Dave celebrated his 60th birthday Rachel, James and Becky came out with us for a meal at The Cricketers, Clavering, Essex, the meal was lovely, I'd ordered a  birthday cake which was brought out with candles and the waiters and waitresses singing "Happy Birthday", much to Dave's embarrassment, he doesn't like a fuss, I think secretly he enjoyed it.  I'd booked us  rooms for the night so the wine flowed, the following morning breakfast was served by Jamie Oliver's Dad!!! Rachel had a potato cake with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, one of Jamie's recipes while the rest of us tucked into a full English Breakfast. I know it wasn't my birthday but I had to treat myself to a cookery book, a few weeks ago I sorted out my cookery books and got rid of the ones I never use, time to start collecting again!

Betsy got to spend the night back with her Mum and Grandma, she came home exhausted. While she was there she had a trim, she looked smart...... well for 5 minutes anyway.

This week has been no end of lunches the Material Girls on Tuesday and then ERTF had a meeting with yet another lunch! Thursday evening the trainer  Joan that Betsy and I go to every week came to visit us at home. When out for a walk Betsy pulls on her lead and barks at people other dogs and isn't that brilliant with cars buses etc. Joan came in the evening so Dave could come along too.  We spent a bit of time at home talking about Betsy's behaviour indoors which is quite good. Then we went for a walk, lots of stopping and starting again and Joan showed us how to correct her when she's pulling.  I have to say that we have been out walking since and she's so much better. Joan gave me a recipe for a 'Liver Cake' Betsy loves it, I made it today and she's really enjoyed it.  It's just liver, eggs and flour with a dash of garlic powder, put into a dish baked in the oven on a low heat. It can be frozen, Joan uses it as a treat. I think this time I over did the garlic but at least it will keep away the vampires when we're out walking in the dark. Looks yummy doesn't it?

Not a Cake I'd Eat!

Tonight we are putting up the Christmas decorations, no tree this year, there will only be the two of us and maybe Dave's Dad, he's still not sure what he's doing...... Tomorrow James, Becky and Rachel are coming for lunch, we'll be giving Rachel her Christmas and Birthday presents then it will be up very early on Monday. I'll be driving Rachel to Heathrow and she'll be off to Sydney. Apparently the weather isn't so good there at the moment lots of rain? At least it wont be as cold there, as it is here we had a bit of snow today but it's not settled.