Birthday Parties

Hello All
This weekend was a sandwich of mixed emotions. The first weekend of Strictly Come Dancing which is always a happy occassion in our house glitter, sequins, spray tan, copious quantities of make up and lots of people attempting to dance, some well, some dubiously. One does enjoy being an armchair critic with a bowl of crisps and a glass of wine.

The other happy event for the weekend was Number 3's birthday. This is her first birthday cake of the week, a chocolate brownie cake with lemon icing and smarties consumed en famille. We had a good rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to you , squashed bananas and stew etc... for party number one between the 3 of us. The cake was yummy and with my over enthusiastic candles I nearly managed to set my daughters hair alight!

The main birthday party was on the sunday when I was little more adventurous with baking and made a new apple cake recipe from a friends timeline on facebook which was gooey and delicious, the family favourite lemon drizzle cake and chocolate chip fairy cakes. Here is a pic of the remnants. It is such a pity that smarties now lack the extra chemicals in the colouring which used to make them extra bright.  Oh well I suppose they are looking after our health.... or something.

It was a nice change from sausage and meatball construction. Good for the soul probably not so great for the waistline.
The miserable sandwich filling to the happy bread was, as some of you already know, another attack on our sheep by dogs. Though on this occassion some quick thinking by the neighbours and the fact that both Gavin and Patrick were immediately available meant that the dog was seen and the owners found. Sadly they were also neighbours to the fields we use regularly for our sheep so after some rather unpleasant and frankly unecessary behaviour from the young man he finally admitted that his dog was at fault. Bit difficult to deny it when presented with a dead sheep and 4 witnesses. Another 3 have been injured but the insurance companies should pay out this time for our losses, thank goodness.
So yet another week with hours taken up with visits to the gendarmerie, the vet and the Mairie, moving of sheep treatment of sheep and on the phone. Hence another week where there do not seem to be enough hours in the day. 
Oh well buck up Helen.
See you all soon.