It's all about cake

So this is what my life has come to. I spent a ridiculous amount of time last Saturday making a birthday cake for Jordan's 12th b'day party. She and her friends are oddly obsessed with penguins, hence the fondant icing beasties we made for the cake. Believe me, you haven't known stress until you've tried to assemble the body, head, tummy, feet, eyes, beak and wings of a miniature icing penguin - x3 - then attach an icing scarf, a cocktail stick fishing rod and a little jelly fish - all whilst simultaneously cooking a family meal. I can also say that it's quite difficult trying to get black food colouring off your hands afterwards. No wonder Jane Asher always looks a bit spaced out. She's probably maxed out on Prozac, just to get herself through the horror of personally assembling all those cakes.

It was somewhat ironic therefore that, in my new capacity as Acting Senior Sister, the task that involved the most initiative, decision-making, power and money this week was - ordering a cake for someone who's leaving. And no, I didn't offer to make it.