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If you’re happy and you know it

Today so far I have nagged, bribed, cajoled and shouted to get the children out of the house in time for swimming (we have to leave at 8.50, which is a killer. Goodness knows how we will cope when M starts school next year), only to sit in traffic for half an hour to reach the end of the road; the two alternative routes I tried were no better. To the veg shop instead – might as well, since we are out and would have to go this afternoon – to find it doesn’t open until 10. I’ve promised soft play this afternoon in compensation; would it be really bad to not mention it and hope she forgets? I don’t really have the energy, and have rung round friends to no avail. If we go, we go alone.

Yesterday was not good either: the day started at 5 a-bloody-m with M complaining of a tummyache. Which received very little sympathy, it must be said (Bad Mummy) so she was sick to make her point. I packed her off to preschool anyway (Bad Mummy) because she scoffed two weetabix – how bad could she be feeling? – and she was fine. T was in bed asleep by 6 last night (having only managed a 20-minute nap during the day – and again today, Bad Baby!) and M not much past 7; I lolled about like a wrung-out rag until ooh 9.45 then gave up too. This week’s manuscripts are not getting the attention they deserve.

Dear readers, I need your advice. We have People coming for dinner on Saturday. I don’t know them well: he was Cameron’s first boss at Shell (and the terrifying head of the group I was in as a student there – fortunately he is no longer terrifying but really very nice) and she is his wife, who I have never met. What do I feed them? Also there is the getting-the-children-to-bed factor, which means it can’t be anything that requires much faffing, unless the faffing can be done 3 hours in advance. I’m thinking a chicken (in fact I have just bought a chicken so that is fairly set) which I can roast or pot-roast depending on the phase of the moon and the direction of the wind on Saturday. With rice and something spicey-and-squashy and something red-cabbagey, I think. But what to have for pud? The last few people (and People) to come have had Delia’s croquembouche: it looks most impressive and is really delicious, with very little effort. But it’s a bit summery and I’m a bit tired of doing it. Nigella’s bread-and-butter pud made with pain au chocolat? A pavlova? Something else? Whaddya think?

5 Responses to “If you’re happy and you know it”

  1. Rachel
    November 29th, 2007 15:56
    1

    I think they should get Maggie’s crumble. Most delicious.

  2. Philippa
    November 30th, 2007 02:36
    2

    Lisa – have you got an ice cream machine or access to one? Nigella’s white chocolate ice cream with hot blackberry sauce is brilliant and only the sauce (which is v easy) needs to be done on the night. It’s in the Feast book I think.

  3. Lisa
    November 30th, 2007 17:29
    3

    That sounds great – but is not in Feast. Forever Summer, maybe, as I don’t have that one? I don’t have an icecream maker (though would like the excuse to buy one!) – but I have a tub of waitrose white choc icecream in the freezer; wonder if that would do?

  4. Mia
    December 1st, 2007 04:42
    4

    EVERYONE loves banoffi pie and it’s soooooo easy to make. I just do a digestive & butter base which gets put in the fridge to cool, slice some bananas and place on top, spread Merchart Gourmet’s Dulce de Leche over it and whipped cream on top. Crumble a flake to top it off if you’re feeling adventurous. So far I’ve had nothing but compliments about it and when I made it last week for the guys here in Banff I was told it was ‘restaurant quality’…

  5. Rachel
    December 3rd, 2007 09:19
    5

    so what did you do??

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