AND WHAT HAPPENS...

... if he fails his medical, eh?

GOD - THIS IS PURGATORY!

I knew today would be somewhat fraught, but had no idea it would all hinge around Andy Carroll.

Am starting to feel ill.

HOWEVER...

... as much as I KNOW NUFC will be doing no business of any real significance today, sadly I still have SSN on AND Ed's blog on the laptop AND Newcastle United Mad on the PC, and am madly pressing refresh every minute or so!!

Why do I do it?

SO, IS IT WORTH...

... sitting glued to Sky Sports News, hoping to hear exciting news about newcastle's transfer dealings on this, the last day of the window?


Probably not!

GOT UP THIS MORNING...

... at 7.30 - bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, without any hint of over-indulgence from last night.

This is just as well, as we're off out again, for lunch this time, with Helen, Bill, Hannah, Jake, James and Claire. We're all meeting up at the Ridley and hope to have a productive discussion about holidaying in Burgundy in August.

I have to say that last night was lovely. It was great to sit down with Claire's Mum and Dad and to have a good natter over some excellent food. (The calves liver was superb and certainly sets down a marker for all the other restaurants that attempt to cook this delicacy, but usually end up producing something resembling the sole of a shoe.)

I did think the combination of champagne, red wine and Baileys just might have been a bit too much and that I would live to regret it, but it would appear that I have a stronger constitution than I imagined. Maybe I'll turn into a less wimpy drinker yet!

URRRRGH

Can you be hungover before you've even gone to bed?

HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE...

... to get on the blog today.

Charles' Mum and brother are still here. We've had a pretty relaxed morning - they took the dogs to Alnmouth for a run on the beach - and a long lunch to which James and Claire came.

Just getting tidied up now and then need to think about getting ready for our meal with Claire's Mum and dad this evening.

Too much food!!

TWO YEARS!!!

That's how long I can expect to wait for my left eye to clear up!

Well, that made me feel wonderful this morning, especially as it was delivered by Mr Arrogant 'I've done this job for ten years and I know what I'm talking about' Registrar, and there wasn't even a distant glimpse of the Great Figueredo.

It all began badly, when I went into triage for my initial sight test - and couldn't read ANY of the chart - even with the aid of my glasses and a pin-hole.

Mr 'I'm the Big I Am'then had a go at the nurse who'd tested me and demanded a repeat - which he delivered himself, with her looking on and, lo and behold (and largely because he was using a smaller pin-hole) I managed to read the top two lines (of a different chart, because I said I'd had a sneaky look with my good eye and could remember down to line 4!)

The poor nurse was mortified and convinced she'd done something wrong, which gave him the opportunity to say, in his patronising, smirky tone,'No you haven't done anything wrong - but I PUSH them' ('them' - being the likes of me.)

The implication of course, was that if I had been pushed in the first place, I probably could have read the bloody chart. And I resent this because it just WAS NOT HAPPENING.

In fact, the nurse and I had a discussion about the last test, the one when everything came into focus as I just managed to peer through a part of the cornea that isn't scarred and deliberately took our time today in the hope that I might have a moment of clarity.

SO MR BIGSHOT - THE ONLY REASON I MANAGED TO READ YOUR BLOODY CHART IS BECAUSE YOU USED A DIFFERENT SIZED PINHOLE.

After that, we had the proper eye exam, during which it transpired that the infection is clear, but there is a lot of swelling, for which I am now taking super-strength steroids. I DID confess to stopping the ointment after only a week - and he DID agree that this was the right thing to do. (I came over all faint at this point!)

So, back again in three weeks, anti-cold sore drugs for ever and steroids for two years. Brilliant! (Which is more than can be said for my vision.)

9.30am...

... Chocolate brownie, Victoria sponge, Bakewells and fruit scones all made. tesco delivery arrived and stashed.

Cupcakes for Premier Kitchens should be collected by Christina within the next half hour.

Doing okay this morning.

LOOKS AS IF...

... we may be in for a busy weekend.

Although we still don't know for certain, the chances are that Charles's brother is going to bring his Mum over from Preston, either on friday evening through to saturday afternoon, or just for the day on saturday.

Charles and I are joining James and Claire and her Mum and Dad for dinner at Louis in Jesmond on Saturday evening. I'm really looking forward to that. We haven't been there for ages, but I vividly recall eating the best lamb's liver ever during our last visit. (Have just checked the menu - and it's still there. Good!!)

I've got a follow up appointment at the RVI on Friday morning. This will be interesting as the eye actually feels fine just now, BUT (I'm only confessing this to you) although I have taken the valaciclovir tablets religiously, I have NOT persevered with the Zovirax gungy cream stuff, because it actually seems to make things worse. I seem to recall that this happened during the summer's outbreak and I stopped using it then as well. It causes far more irritation and discomfort and a huge degree of blurring, far in excess of that described in the side-effects, almost as if it sticks to the scars and just won't shift.

Anyway, I'm not going to confess to this until after I've had my eye test. If all is well, I shall confess. If it isn't - I'll...

...probably confess!!

This may sound a little cavalier, but I HAVE tried to contact someone, ANYONE, in Opthalmology to discuss my problem with the Zovirax on so many occasions I've lost count. The last time I actually got put through to someone I ended up talking to a secretary who told me she hadn't got a clue about corneas and maybe I should go to my GP! Well, of course you haven't got a clue about corneas, you're a secretary, not an opthalmologist, so why don't you put me onto...

Oh right, they've gone home. Well it IS 4.30.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes on Friday!!

I'm also hoping to get a hair appointment on Friday, but I may have left it a bit late for that.

(Can't concentrate now. Flippin' Jamie Rednapp's rabbiting on and on and on...

and on...

and on

drone drone drone

Can't stand him.)

CUPCAKES TODAY

Haven't had a full day of cupcake making for a few weeks, so will be a bit of a change.

Going back to "Silent Witness" - but without the spoiler James,don't worry! - I have to say this is the best series ever. Thoroughly enjoying it and no danger of falling asleep halfway through.

ATTENTION DANNYMATT!!!

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT, WRITE ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT 'SILENT WITNESS' PART TWO AS JAMES HASN'T WATCHED IT YET AND WON'T BE DOING UNTIL TOMORROW EVENING - AND HE READS THIS BLOG (WHEN HE'S AT WORK).

BEEN WORKING ON...

... a bit of a secret project today. Obviously, can't say too much about it - as it's a secret, but it's involved lots of fiddling and faffing. This is something I'm pretty good at, although I'm not yet convinced by the end result!

SILENT WITNESS

Did anyone else watch?

I couldn't believe that harry could meet such a gruesome end and kept thinking that it would turn out to be a bad dream or something.

Then I remembered it was 'Silent Witness' - and they don't do bad dreams!

FOUR DOZEN CUPCAKES...

... ordered for Thursday.

That's more like it!

BIT CHILLY THIS MORNING!

I've just got back from taking the girls down the lane and have had tears streaming down my face thanks to the bitter wind. Couldn't see where I was going at one point!!

Looks like being a quiet week on the cake front, although I've got new posters printed and have updated the website, so maybe orders will start to come in again.

In the meantime I'm stockpiling sugarpaste roses and hearts ready for Valentine's Day.

HAVE RECOVERED...

... from the lunchtime cheese souffle now. In fact, I discovered I had enough room for my vanilla sugar pretzel (slightly warmed).

I hold James and Claire fully responsible for introducing me (US) to this latest fattening food fad, but have to admit that they are to die for.

Mind you, other than that sugary treat, I haven't eaten anything else this evening - but then it probably contained more than my daily recommended calorie intake all by itself.

CAFE 21'S TWICE-BAKED CHEESE AND SPINACH SOUFFLE...

... is possibly the best starter ever. (So good indeed that I DID manage to persuade the chef to give me the recipe some time ago)

However, it is also extremely filling and I should remember this the next time we go. Either I order the souffle and a dessert, or I reluctantly have to forgo this delectable dish leaving myself with a fighting chance of finishing a main course.

I had to do some strategic placing of the napkin in an attempt to disguise the fact that my plate was still pretty much full by the time I'd admitted defeat today.

SUNDAY MORNING...

... and Charles is busy updating the Cakes A-Go-Go website with new pics before we set off for town again.

He is in dire need of a haircut and thought he could combine this with going for lunch at Cafe 21.

(He also, and perhaps more tellingly, noticed when he put the carpark ticket on the car yesterday, that we had actually paid enough to enable us to park FREE OF CHARGE today as well. I DID point out tht it only costs £1 on a Sunday, but, never one to miss bargain, that didn't quite cut it with Charles. I know what you're thinking - 'But you're going to pay a lot more than that in fuel just getting to town from Fram,' Well - hey ho - go reckon!!)

OH no - he's just lost all the text we've just put in! Keep out of the way Sue, this may not be pleasant!

VERY PLEASED...

... that my match prediction was wrong.

But disappointed that we let it slip at the end.

Still, I guess most of us would have been happy with a draw before kick-off.

I have to ask though - can anyone imagine what actually goes through Shola's head when he's on the pitch? 'Should I bother going for this? Nah, leave it for someone else to mop up.' He has flashes of (I was going to say 'brilliance' but that might be overdoing it a bit) good pay, but so often just seems to go missing. I really can't work him out at all.

Loving Joey Barton's attitude at the moment.

ANNOYINGLY...

... as part of cleaning up the PC, all our web addresses have been wiped, so am now having to go through everything again getting them reinstated!

SATURDAY MORNING LIE IN...

... doesn't happen in this house!

Thanks to the Mouse man next door, who decided to get up at 6.30, revving up his beast of an Animal truck and waking our girls. Thank you so much Craig.

However, it does mean that by 9am, the house had been blitzed, dogs walked and Charles has actually been able to sort out the PC, despite having a little paddy last night during which he deemed it knackered.

Should be a quiet morning and then we're off to see James and Claire (will make sure I'm wearing sunglasses to protect my eyes from the glare of the solitaire!) before heading to SJP for this afternoon's match.

Predictions for the match? Sadly, I'm going to have to go with 1 - 3.

SPOKE FAR TOO SOON!

The PC, which you will recall was de-bugged the other day, has once again fallen foul of a particularly virulent virus that has set in again and will not budge now.

We've done a clean up again, but can't get any internet access at all. What a pain this is.

BUSY MORNING...

... trying out ideas for wedding cupcakes - purely coincidental in view of yesterday's news from James and Claire I assure you. It was part of my plan already. I've spent the morning assembling sweet peas and roses and have even managed to make the tendrils out of sugarpate by wrapping thin lengths around cocktail sticks! Just waiting for them to dry and hoping they won't be too fragile.

Off out with the girls now as it's such a lovely afternoon.

AND THE BRILLIANT NEWS IS...

... THAT JAMES PROPOSED TO CLAIRE THIS EVENING...

...AND SHE SAID , "YES".

(Just as well really, since they chose the ring together a fortnight ago!!!)

We are absolutely thrilled to bits for them both.

PC is...

...now de-bugged!!

Hooray!

DIDN'T GET TO MORPETH...

... there was no way a lens was going in my eye. Thank God for Tesco home delivery, I say.

Well, the wedding cakes have gone. Julia loved them, thank goodness and wants to place an order for a ruby wedding cake in the spring. This is all well and good, but I need orders NOW!

I've spent the afternoon making sweet peas. After a few abortive attempts, I've now got something pretty close to the real thing. Bit of a faff, but very pretty.

Charles got home pretty early today, although he may well think twice before doing this again as he's had a lengthy list of chores to do since he walked through the door. Shame really.

One thing that he has done and which I have to say I am not convinced about, is to convert my Baby Gaggia from a pod system to a filter one. The thinking behind this was that, as the pods are becoming increasingly difficult to track down (especially as Fenwicks have revealed my secret supply to the general public and have sold ALL their stock without consulting me - I wouldn't have let them do it anyway, they were supposed to be for me) it would be easier to use ordinary ground coffee. Converting the machine was a relatively simple process (once he'd realised that if you tip it up when it's full of water, you'll get wet) BUT, and it's a BIG BUT, the quality of the end product is nothing like as good as it was before and by the time I'd added frothy milk it was just like drinking... well frothy milk really. So now I need to find the strongest, richest coffee beans (to grind at home in the new grinder) to see if that will make a difference.

ANOTHER DAY...

... of waiting around.

Julia is coming SOMETIME this morning for her wedding cakes.

The postman SHOULD be delivering an order of wires and tapes, so that I can start making cake toppers to have in stock for future orders. (I'm going to have a go at sweet peas - just for the fun of it, you understand)

At some point, left eye permitting, I need to go into Morpeth for some shopping, but if I can't get my lens in, Charles will have to do it on his way home.

Can't settle to anything in the meantime!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

... DEAR CATHY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Hope she has a fab day today!

FED UP OF...

... waiting for Newcastle to do something in this transfer window.

Even the local news this evening is leading on flaming Darren Bent!

The sad thing is though, that even though nothing is going to happen, I'm still watching News Now like a hawk and have repetitive strain injury from refreshing the Newcastle Mad site!!

BUT THEN AGAIN...

... sometimes things just work out right!

He's just rung to say he'll be later than he thought, and would Chinese do?

Peking Duck? Yes please!

CAN'T BE BOTHERED...

... to think about what we should have for dinner this evening.

Kind of hoping that Charles rings up and suggests stopping off for a takeaway on his way home, but that never happens when I want it to!

SQUABBLY GIRLS!

I'm having a little chuckle at Lily and Rose this morning.

They are SO predictable. Each morning after breakfast, they go to the shelves in their room (Used to be a wine rack till the pups arrived) and reach down the full range of tugs - of which there are many believe me.

Once they've surrounded themselves with said tugs, they then invariably decide on just the ONE to play with, and this is where the fun begins.

They then start a squabbly conversation between themselves, presumably about who should have sole rights to the tug in question. One of them starts the whinging, while the other is having a good chew, then when a response is needed the roles are reversed as clearly it's impossible to whinge and chew simultaneously, so during the course of half an hour or so, they've pretty much shared the spoils between themselves quite equitably!

HAVE JUST REALISED...

... that as the PC is still out of action, I can't reply to comments as this flaming laptop just knocks me off every time I try.

Unfortunately, I'd written lengthy response to Dannymatt before this occurred to me,

basically, it went along the lines of...

Ha ha, chortle, chortle!!

Glad you liked it and just hope that Cathy does too. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed making it.

I'd be delighted to be 'friends' with Babycakes - if she wants me, and think the potential new line in cakes is an excellent idea. "I've done my homework without being nagged" and "Congratulations! You managed to put your plate IN the dishwasher today!" Yep - there's certainly potential there.

Hope Cathy has a fab day on Thursday.

BEEN A LONG DAY...

... today. Probably because I haven't had anything of much significance to do. Haven't had a day like this for a long time.

Had a good walk with the girls (once they'd stopped trying to have a yappy go at a huge German Shepherd) this afternoon, and they're now collapsed in a dozy heap, snoring gently.

I've been reduced to scouring the blogs for any mention of transfer activity at NUFC! Nothing doing - not a sausage...

JUST HOPING...

... that Cathy's birthday cake has survived the journey to Blyth! It seems quite strange to have a house devoid of cakes - hopefully it won't be that way for long though.

I've spent the morning designing a new poster advertising celebration cakes, so will be circulating that around the local area shortly. Giving Valentine's Day cakes a plug too.

It's a gorgeous morning - very cold but sunny. I've just realised though, that I'm stuck around the house as I should have some deliveries coming and also as I've got an eye full of Zovirax I won't be driving anywhere for a while. Bit of a pain really.

HAVEN'T GOT...

... any orders this week!

I am indeed bereft.

Charles has asked me to do a box of baby boy cupcakes tomorrow - but apart from that NADA!

I may make a batch of Valentines Day cupcakes. Too early I know, but I could be getting a bit of publicity, so will take lots of photos and then send them to Croftway for sampling. (The cakes, not the photos.)

GOSH - IS THAT THE TIME ALREADY?

Can't believe it - I only feel as if I've been up a couple of hours! Mind you, it's been one of those busy days, so clearly I've just lost track of time while I've been faffing about.

Most of the faffing has in fact been over Cathy's cake! I wanted to try to get the right blend of cool and sophisticated (which she is) and young and funky (which she is). Hopefully I'm on the right lines!

James and Claire came round for a cuppa and a Bakewell tart or two this afternoon. Bakewells appear to be the current favourite, I've noticed. They also brought more stuff to be stored in our loft. This is absolutely fine. I have no problem with it, but it has to be said that our once immaculately tidy loft is now something of a haphazard jumble! (Why is it always ME who gets sent up the ladder? It's a bit like sending children to clean the chimneys!)

Right, I'm off to finish off our evening meal. Back later.

(Oh, just before I go... How lucky were Sunderland today? And where did five minutes added time come from?)

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO...

... please, please, please go and see 'The King's Speech'.

It is the most brilliantly sensitive, atmospheric and heartwarming film I think I have ever seen

We've just arrived home from sing it - and I would go straight back again this evening to see it again.

Fabulous.

THE GREAT FIGUEREDO!!

Did I see him today?

Well....yes, but not without having to make a considerable fuss first.

The appointment was for midday and we were actually seen at 1.30, but received no apology from the rather up himself registrar who had been appointed to deal with me in place of the great man.

Minutes into my consultation, there was a knock at the door and another registrar them proceeded to ask MY guy for advice about one of HER patients. This went on for ten minutes, with Charles and I twiddling our thumbs and quietly fuming.

Once I DID have my eye examined, it transpired that I do actually have active infection at the moment, although I had been unaware of this because the cornea is now so desensitised due to the scarring that I will feel less pain. This was a bit of a blow, as I thought it had all cleared up.

We then proceeded to ask laddo the questions we had no intention of leaving without receiving answers to. We wanted to know, basically, what, if anything, can be done to restore any vision to that eye.

I can honestly say, that I have never had such a snotty response. When we asked how long it could take for the infection to clear up, the response was - "How longs a piece of string?" And when I questioned the proposal to change the prescription of my specs - BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE NO VISION AND see everything though a cottonwool effect - I was informed "I've been doing this job for ten years so I know what I'm talking about!!"

At this point I felt it necessary to point out that I had in fact been attached to my eye for half a century and I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT and that I wasn't prepared to leave without being seen by the top man in his field (Mr Figueredo, not Sam Allardyce!)

Laddo replied quite petulantly, "Do you want me to go and get him then?"

"Er, yes please, but if it's not too much trouble. He's been my consultant for the last seven years, and has only deigned to spend thirty seconds in my company up to now, so, yes, going to get him would be a good move."

So, to cut a long story short(ish) - the great man DID come - and he DID listen to me and he DID examine me and he DID talk to me, explaining the possible courses of action and he DID prescribe new meds and dosages. (As opposed to continuing with the same prescription, which is what Mr 'I've been doing this job for ten years, so I know what I'm talking about' Reistrar.)

AND - I've to go back in a fortnight - to see the Great Man himself AND I managed to get a 9am appoinment, so I shouldn't have to wait for an hour and a half before I'm seen.

I'M OFF TO...

... the RVI this morning, for a consultation about my eye problem, supposedly with the Great Mr Figueredo, but almost certainly with a minion.

While in town, I'm going to see if I can find a folding kitchen barstool as I currently do al my cake work standing up and at the end of a day find I'm getting a bit of back pain, so I reckon sitting down will be a big help.

Now then, other than Cathy's cake, I have no more orders for next week and am actually feeling bereft! Does nobody want a cake?

WHY, WHY, WHY...

... was there a bird blethering on at about 4.00 this morning, disturbing the girls and causing much consternation between them?

I thought birds only got up when it was dawn! And let me tell you, there's not even a hint of daylight at that time in the middle of winter.

Charles has a theory that it was a bird in distress - either a curlew or a blackbird. How does he know this? I wouldn't have a clue. One bird sounds pretty much like another to me at that time - ANNOYING!

TWIDDLING MY THUMBS...

... and waiting for the courier to bring the cakeboards I need for today. This is absolutely NOT due to any tardiness or disorganisation on my part, I must say. The boards were ordered the day I knew I would be needing them, but I've had to do a bit of chasing around to ensure they get here on time.



Three hours later...

Delivery arrived just as I typed my last sentence.

Cake is now complete, despite having to work one-handed for forty minutes while I listened to my Mum on the phone! (You'll read a lot into the fact I said 'listened!)

Right, I'm going to download some cake photos now. Who knows - they may find their way to the blog (and the website) before too long.

STILL HAVE NO ...

... PC! Charles's technician didn't turn up at school today, so we'll have to wait a bit. Boo!

Have to take turns with the laptop for now.

Have a real sense of achievement today. Kind of buzzing really. It's a good feeling.

HAVE MAJOR PROBLEM...

... with the PC. It appears to have become infected (infested) with a major bug and the threat of all sorts of trojan things.

Charles took the news well considering it happened while I was using it, but it does mean it's out of commission for a while. In the meanwhile, I'm terrified that all my passwords and other info is being tapped into.

Charles is going to ask his technician at school for advice.

However, that apart, it's not been a bad day. Two navy blue wedding cakes are now done - they were by 10.30 actually - to be honest, I couldn't wait to get them out of the way! The allotment cake is finished and I'm just waiting for a very large cake board to arrive tomorrow so that I can complete the Golden Wedding one.

Now I'm going to make cupcakes for Lucy's birthday!

OKAY...

... all the prep is now complete for three cakes and also for a batch of birthday cupcakes for the weekend.

I'm expecting Julia - she of the navy blue wedding cakes - to turn up shortly, hopefully with the cakes and a sample of the exact shade of blue she requires. I've tried mixing a variety of different blues this afternoon just to see if there's anything she likes, but it's really difficult without something to match it to. I now have blue-grey palms, which is actually an improvement on the blood red I had yesterday. I think the postman was quite taken aback when he gave me the pen to sign for a delivery. He probably thought I'd committed murder or something.

A DAY ON THE ALLOTMENT!!

Fortunately, from the warmth of my kitchen!

Fencing panels, shrubs, climbing plants and wildlife today - although God knows what my rabbits'll end up looking like!

OUR LITTLE GIRLS...

... are so patient these days! They've spent all day watching me through their gate, without making any fuss or requiring any attnetion. needless to say I still feel guilty every time I turn round and catch sight of their huge eyes watching every move I make!

I'm well on the way with the allotment cake now. The raised bed is made,along with carrots, caulis, cabbages and a sack of spuds. They probably don't all grow at the same time - but in THIS allotment they do! I think I'm going to put a fence around the edge of the cake and have flowers (clematis) growing over the panels. I could do some rabbits looking through gaps in the panels as well! Oh yes, I've made lots of little flower pots to be filled with blooms as well. Can you tell I've been having fun!

TWO DOWN...

... ONE MORE TO GO.

I am of course, referring to the decorations I'm busy making for the cake orders this week. I've pretty much completed the bits for cathy's cake and have made masses of traditional roses and foliage for the Golden Wedding cake I'm doing for friday.

Now I need to start on the allotment cake - but I'm stopping for a cuppa first before I start on all those tiny carrots and lettuces (and a rabbit or two maybe?)

OKAY - HANDS UP...

... I'm more than a little tardy today, my excuse being that Helen and Bill have been here until this evening and, despite that, I've spent most of my time baking very large cakes ready for next weeks cake-a-thon!

The thing about having H and B here, is that they are so much part of the family we never need to entertain them and everyone does there own thing - which makes everything so easy. Mind you, I couldn't have written the blog, even if I'd had the time, because Helen and Charles have spent the day (apart from when we popped out for lunch at the Granby) scouring the internet for gites. We already have the option of using one we stayed in three years ago, but are still checking out other possibilities. What we really need is for our children and their partners to let us know if they will be able to join us for a week or so. Once we know that, we'll be able to make a more informed decision.

Anyway, that's by-the-by really and the more pressing issue is that of sorting these four cakes (five actually, as there are two wedding cakes) and getting some sort of routine going. I think tomorrow, will be spent doing all the sugarpaste for the Cathy's Vogue cake, the allotment cake and the traditional anniversary cake. I've already played around with dresses for Cathy's cake and just know I'm going to have the most fun with this one!!!

UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE BLOG...

... I have spent many a happy hour today, indulging my OCD and in my absolute element, as my work/storage/craft boxes (all six of them) arrived today and I have been bringing a touch of order and logic to all my materials and equipment. It has been bliss!! I now feel that I know exactly what stocks I've got and where I can locate everything. (Christmas has been stored away for a while!!)

However, before that we (Helen, Bill, Charles and I) went into town for breakfast, met James, Claire and her sister Lucy and HER boyfriend, Ben. Spent far too much money in Lakeland, bought three new caps and two polo neck jumpers to wear under tunics and had a quick stop off in Morpeth to buy cake ingredients on the way home.

Now we're watching the NUFC match and later we're having a takeaway. (Could be Indian, could be Chinese - we can't make a decision yet!)

JUST WAITING...

... for Helen and Bill to arrive, following a disappointing result for the Falcons.

No doubt they'll be in need of a drink - or two!

The girls are staying up late because if they go to bed, they'll only wake up when their favourite aunt and uncle get here anyway. With luck, we might all get a lie-in tomorrow.

I now know a bit more about the wedding cakes I've to do for a fortnight tomorrow. Navy blue, they're going to be! With a little bit of gold decoration. Very unusual.

CAKE ORDERS FLOODING IN!!!

Typical - I have the most debilitating migraine this morning - with not one but TWO auras!! - and have to try to take details for three cake orders - a Golden Wedding, 60th gardening/vegetable patch/allotment cake AND, scariest of all, a wedding cake - all for delivery within a fortnight!! (Not forgetting Cathy's Vogue cake for 20th January - but have had plenty of notice about that one!)

Still need to know more about the wedding cake and am waiting for a call back, but, suffice to say, I've been shocked out of my migraine pretty damn quick!!

FREEZING!

God - How cold is it this morning? It's bitter again.

Helen and Bill had better wrap up in a few layers (Get the Damart vest on quick smart) for the Falcons game tonight. Hope it's still on and they don't cancel at the last minute, like they did after Christmas, leaving Bill, who had driven up from Yorkshire, bereft at Kingston Park, wondering where everyone was!

MUST BUY...

... a sugar thermometer. I've been getting by just by guessing, but think I need to be a bit more precise, especially when making frosting with dark brown sugar and milk (!) which is what I've tried my hand at this morning. It's supposed to make a lovely, caramelly frosting (with the addition of some butter and fresh cream) to a toffee cake that's in the oven now - but if it works it'll be pure chance!!

I've got two sleepyheads this morning. The girls are even too tired to be my little helpers today. That's what happens when you go to bed and then have to get up to spend an hour snuggling up with your dad when he gets home late!

Right - cakes should be done. Be back later.

STILL WATCHING...

... the goals from last night! Great result - and up to eighth in the table. Well done Toon - just keep it up now.

Shame about Liverpool and Chelsea though!!!!

WELL,WHO'D'VE THOUGHT IT?

Leon Best hat-trick!

5 - 0 at home to Wet Spam.

Great result.

And, yet again, I WASN'T THERE!

WELL, IT MAY BE COLD...

... but it's been a really lovely day today.

The girls and I went for a long walk, then I spent a couple of hours in the garden, tidying up and cutting back a load of dead stuff (that Charles missed the other day!)

It's amazing to see bulbs poking through already - another few weeks and it may begin to feel like Spring!!

BETTER NIGHT...

... last night, although the girls DID wake a couple of times, had a quick bark, and then settled themselves without any intervention from us.

I can't get over how tired I'm feeling at the moment. Thank goodness I'm not going out to work these days! It's probably the result of flu, all the Christmas cake orders and preparation, combined with a hint of SAD. Talking of which (the SAD) my Mum suffers really badly during the winter months, so one of her presents from me was a lamp that's supposed to alleviate the symptoms and kid the brain into thinking it's not really winter at all. Hmmmm! It'll be interesting to see if it works!

The girls and I have got a long day today, as Charles won't be home till after this evening's match, so probably after they've gone to bed. I'm not sure what the plan for today is - basically I haven't really got one!

MUST get some cake orders in! I contacted Sanderson Arcade yesterday to ask about the availability of their barrows, but haven't had a response yet. Might need to think about fliers and posters - there you go - that's something I could be doing today.

MADE SOME...

... amazing cupcakes today.

Bit of a change from the usual. These contained apples, pecans and maple syrup, topped with maple syrup flavoured frosting and spun sugar swirls.

Not nearly as sweet and sickly as they sound, they have a lovely crunchy texture and are really moist thanks to the apples.

Will definitely be making these again.

BACK TO NORMAL!

Well, almost.

I have to say, wehad the worst night in months with our two little cherubs. They went to bed as usual at around 9pm - and then started barking at 11.00 for no apparent reason.Kept this up for a while, despite my instructions to go back to sleep. I let them out for a wee and you would have thoughtit was morning - they were ready to play, had no intention of settling down and seemed really agitated about something.

I eventually got them back to bed and settled, only for the whole process to start up again at 1am. Haven't got a clue what was up. Charles reckons it was the strong winds unsettling them, but I don't know.

One thing I can guarantee however. They'll be catching up on their beauty sleep during the day.

And this is something I should also try to do, I think. Ever since my littlebout of flu, I've noticed, disturbingly, that I look about ten years older and have, in fact, turned into my mother. I look in the mirror - and there she is looking straight back at me. "Get away, it's MY mirror, not yours."

What I need is a bit more flesh on my face to disguise the sunken cheeks. What a pity you can't just target a specific area to fatten up!

AFTERNOON NAP!

That's what the four of us (Me, Charles and the two dogs) have been doing for the past couple of hours, draped over the sittingroom, blissfully dozing the afternoon away.

The only problem with that is, you actually wake up feeling worse than before you succumbed to the tiredness in the first place. Well, I do anyway.

James and Claire popped in earlier, before going to heighley gate to buy a tank and some tropical fish. They've decided on some tiny little black and white things - stripy for James and spotty for Claire. James's are all going to be named after Toon legends!! I wonder how he'll know the difference, or if he'll leave it a while, get to know them and then name them to suit their personalities. This could be especially important in Tino's case!

GARDENING!!

That's what Charles is doing (somewhat reluctantly, it has to be said) at the moment. Well, it's more of a rescue operation really, as he tries to replant the Kilmarnock Willow that has become uprooted thanks to the weight if snow and ice that was lodged in it's branches.

He's also going round all the beds, getting rid of dead stuff and having a bit of a tidy up. Hooray!!

We're off to the tip in Morpeth later this morning. It's incredible how much extra rubbish you amass over Christmas, isn't it? And I know our binmen will not take anything that exceeds our bin, so we need to do it ourselves.

Talked to Helen yesterday. She and Bill will be back on Friday (for the rugby match), and to stay for the weekend. Honestly, the sooner they are able to make the move up here for good, the better. Don't know why I bothered to change the bed after they left on Saturday!!!! Seriously, I'm looking forward to it, as it will just be the four of us and we've agreed to have a weekend of takeaways and eating out! Sounds good to me.

TO SATISFY...

... my need for tidyness and organisation, I have just ordered some fab storage boxes - with littl compartments - so that I can get all of my sugarcraft bits and pieces sorted out into some sort of logical system, instead of having to rummage through dozens of containers and boxes as I have to do at present.

Sadly, I'm pretty excited about this and can't wait to have a good sort out!!

My little girls are having a bit of a naughty treat today (don't tell Charles) and are snuggled up on the little bed together, fast asleep. (Rose is dreaming and keeps making little whimpery noises!) We'v never let them on the beds before - and I probably shouldn't have done so now - but they look so cosy I haven't the heart to move them.

CHARLES HAS GONE...

... (don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds in the title!) to Preston for the day, to see his Mum and brother and family.

Up at the crack of sparrows and away by 8am, leaving the girls and me to wonder what we're going to do with our day.

It's kind of weird, not having a plan for the day - or even for the next few days. I'm not used to having time on my hands.

I'll need to start thinking about Cakes A-Go-Go again and must draw up a plan for getting better established, as before Christmas everything was pretty haphazard and random. Maybe I'll start by researching wedding fairs, as that's a market I's really like to get into.

Have just realised we've got a game today. Does anyone else have a sinking feeling about our team - or is it just me? I just have a horrible feeling that we're going to drop like a stone now. Hope I'm wrong.

VERY QUIET NOW!!

Everyones gone home. The tree has been dismantled, decorations stored away and calm has been restored.

We've had a lovely day - lots of laughter and far too much food, but very enjoyable. (I'm really looking forward to simple meals again. In fact cheese on toast sounds absolutely sublime right now!)

Watching the Morecambe and Wise story now - oh how I loved those two!!