Em had a sleepover last night. For the first time ever, she was restless all night and I was pretty sore too. But one way and another we got through the night. I was up at about 5 am and, because Em usually wants pancakes for her breakfast, I made a batch (a good excuse to trial the new induction hob with my existing pans). I also made wholemeal bread since I ran out several days ago. Then I put my brined brisket into a big pan and brought it to boil on the new hob (took much longer than I anticipated, but it was a big pot of water) and I transferred it to the oven to cook for 4 hours. I didn't know what would happen with the induction hob if I tried to keep a pot going for 4 hours on it. Then Em got up and didn't want pancakes, so she had crispy fried streaky bacon. I am now left with a pile of pancakes which nobody wants. Freezer, I guess, and make something with them for Em another time.
Since this is the day when I enter my 78th year, Em wanted to make a birthday cake for me. So I got that organised but by the time I was ready, she had moved on to a craft project, so I ended up making it myself and giving it to her Dad when he came to collect her.
I didn't have any of the cake, but I must admit that I did have one of the pancakes around 5 am - just to check that I had the mixture right and that the new hob had behaved.
Then I had a slice of wholemeal bread with some bacon, since I was already frying it for Em.
And that's it today. Not even many cups of tea, so I'll have to try to rectify the fluids situation this evening.
Alistair arrived with a birthday present for me. Em says it's from her Mum and herself (because her Dad knows better). I just opened it and it is a knitting loom. I want to start making my own socks since I can't get any reasonably priced ones that will go around my swelling legs. But it looks very complicated. I'll have to get Neil to help me with it.