Chocolate cakes for Shawni

I am noticing my comment about Fred getting really worn down by the settling in problems in France.

This must have been a very challenging time for him, he has absolutely no tolerance for admin of any kind and never has had.

I am also enjoying reading about my attempts at housework, baking, cooking, sewing, knitting and reading between the lines, this is not a natural space for me to be in and the results were certainly nowhere near perfect.

Chocolate cake with coffee butter icing! And a recipe from Aunty Daph, who was a good friend of Mom's.

So Shawni is turning two, I am pleased to have found a fun candle in the shape of an "S" and I am baking. Rather wryly I drop Mom a line in the letter that the cake  'true to form doesn't look anything like it should, bit 'dood-gooi', tastes OK though.' 

Even though it flopped, I served the cake with tea for Sally.

Twenty-eight years later, I am still doing a chocolate cake for Shawni, this time ordered in, decadent and absolutely delicious and beautiful to look at, we had death by chocolate for days afterwards.

Shawni waving to Nan and Grumps with her pushchair and Dollie that turned out to be a boy. I was pragmatic and happily cross dressed the doll.