Happy Birthday

Eleven of us shared the Sunday lunch table yesterday and the toast, over for another year as the bank balances slowly recover:

Happy Birthday Liz (Mrs T 5th), Jacob (nephew 13th) Rosie (sister-in-law 26th), Ann (mother-in-law 29th today), and Ben (son 31st) from the other six of us.

It was a happy time. And even though it was not my birthday, the news from Dingly Dell that the boys once again humiliated the gang in old gold made an excellent gift. Ben had to watch his beloved Forest lay down at Chelsea, a matter made worse by his cousins winning the 'predict-the-score' competition.

Then, because Ben's girlfriend Rachel was with us for the first time, we had to do the family photograph album thing. He took it well. Bless. Even the ones of him naked in the bath aged twenty two oops I mean two.

Had a second go at Nigel Slater's chicken in cider and garlic. It is the only safe use I've found for scrumpy. Thickened the sauce this time (Liz's idea) whch I think means that for the first time in our lives we have improved upon a Nigel Slater recipe. Well she has. Wouldn't want to take the credit.

Liz made a pear and chocolate cake topped with chocolate covered coffee beans which was awesome and showed that making me the cook in the house will always be a second-best thing. She professionally trained in hotel catering and institutional management (long time ago) before diverting to retail.

The stragglers are still here so I'd better go do breakfast.