It's the fort that counts.

For those of you who read Friday's post, you will know that today was Freddie's Birthday party. We had the most superb day, lots of games and jolly japes and barely a tantrum in sight! All the little pirates, knights and princesses left in one piece, a sure sign that all went well.

The cake was an engineering masterpiece and inspired as much ooohing and aaahing as anything that Jane Asher could produce. We used our fall back sponge recipe (as given in Friday's post), the chocolate edition, smothered with chocolate butter cream and fortified with chocolate fingers and Matchmakers. Freddie didn't know where to start. Congratulations Mrs. P, yet another triumph!!

Miracle of miracles - I got the food quantities right! Just enough for happy children. The parents managed to get a small plateful as well, so the tradition of eating curled sandwiches for the next couple of days is mercifully skipped this year!

Rather surprisingly the house didn't look like a bomb had gone, just a mild skirmish! But I suppose that is the price you pay for having a party at home, and let me tell you, it is a price well worth paying! 30 minutes of clearing up and washing up while the children played with new toys, a battlement or two of cake washed down by a nice hot cuppa and all is well with the world!

Freddie and Fenella are now, at last, asleep! We are now sitting down, very strong G and T in hand, choosing what to watch on the box before giving in to fatigue and chocolate overload, Top Gear or the Antiques Roadshow? Maybe I will just watch the inside of my eye lids instead!

I hope you all have a good week.