Unencumbered.

Can you believe that tomorrow for the first time EVER I am going to have all of my children at school/creche? Me neither. At this precise moment it seems like a distant dream yet as of 8.30am tomorrow morning it is going to be my reality for one day a week. It will no doubt be hairy getting them all dressed, fed, out the door and to their respective institutions - just thinking about it makes me break into a cold panic. It will be worth it.

Look at my baby when she was one day old:

It seems like only yesterday. Sigh. And now she is one:

How to spend the day?

R

School.

Back again. All I can say is phew now that three of my children are happily ensconced back at school. Mimi on Monday:

And both boys today:

Don't be fooled into thinking that there has been any relief for me. As if. The last two days have been entirely dedicated  to getting Camelia all set for her one day a week at creche. To set foot through the front door she needs a number from the Family Assistance Office. On Friday I discovered that being born overseas meant that she didn't have one. Oh the sordid mess of paperwork, gruelling online forms and visits to the Family Assistance Office that I have had to endure. Fingers crossed the promised number is in the mail.

Look how amazing 50 lit birthday candles look:

We contributed the stack of birthday brownie to Kim's brother's birthday party although it's hard to see below the flames. Birthday brownie is easier to make than a cake and memorably good. I swear by Nigella's recipe from How to be a Domestic Goddess:

*Put 375g unsalted butter and 375g dark chocolate (for best results use Callebaut dark or anything 75% cocoa solids) in a pyrex bowl and nuke in microwave for 2 minutes or until melted. Mix. Leave momentarily to cool.

*Beat together 6 eggs, teaspoon vanilla extract and 500g caster sugar. Add chocolate mixture and 225g plain flour, pinch salt and 300g chopped walnuts.

*Pour into lined rectangular baking tin and bake for about 25 minutes in 180 degree oven.You don't want them to be neither too googey nor too dry. Leave to cool and then cut into pieces.

As school is back, here's a handy hint - I usually make this for my children to take to school on their birthdays and because of the draconian nut policies at school I replace the walnuts with 300g chopped dark, milk or white chocolate. The best thing about making this instead of a cake is that you can keep some at home. OK, I've finished channelling Marjorie Bligh for tonight.

R

Manic.

Things have been manic in my house and unfortunately I've had the mood to match. Yet, I'm happy to report that this week I have been to Bikram Yoga every day and have finally managed to accomplished all of that tedious back to school palaver. Books...tick. Shoes...tick. Uniforms...tick. Haircuts...tick.

I have also done the hard yards in the boys bedroom going through ALL of their drawers and ALL of their toys - a job not for the feint hearted. In my quest I went here, not once, but twice today:

These boxes inspired  Felix to sort through ALL of his Lego - cheap at any price.

The result of all of this over the top domestic drudgery is that today I feel euphoric and haven't shouted at my children once...except for maybe when Tobes overfilled the handbasin which seriously fessed up the floor. Isn't it truly peverse that tidying up can be so therapeutic?

So tonight I am cooking a French dinner for six. My organisation is such that I have made the gougeres - to have with drinks:

A panicked call to my friend Mary, the ultimate pastry chef, assured my that they can be quickly reheated just before serving.

The Caramelised Onion Tart entree:

And Rabbit with Agen Prunes for main which I am going to dish up with potatoes that I have just been out and picked from the garden - lucky my children don't have a pet rabbit:

For dessert I have made individual chocolate pots which will go on a plate with a chocolate biscuit, fresh raspberries and double cream. You will just have to imagine this dessert spectacular in your mind's eye and hopefully I'll remember to take a photo if I don't get too tiddly and caught up in chat.

The chocolate biscuits are from Nigella's How to Be a Domestic Goddess. Seeing school starts this week I've made the dough which you can then leave in the fridge and bake in the mornings while you are feeding your children breakfast before you have to throw them and their lunchboxes into the car and race them to school. If you are looking for an easy packed lunch addition all you need to do is cream 250g soft butter with 125g caster sugar, mix in 300g self raising flour and 30g dutch press cocoa powder. Roll into walnut sized balls and then bake at 150 degrees for around 12 minutes....et voila recess snack sorted.

Last night I went out to dinner here:

I wouldn't rush back - we were the only people in the entire restaurant and I understand why. The occasion was celebrate Kim's big brother's milestone birthday. He's not letting age get him down - he was sporting a mohawk.

I wore my new jacket that I bought at the net-a-porter sale:

What am I going to wear tonight? I'd better just peel the potatoes before I commit.

R