I was firm about the 'no' and my friend was not pleased. She's told everyone I won't help her at all, which is not the case. I simply baulked at taking full responsibility, I'd do the work but a solicitor would have to submit the forms. I've explained that more than once. I wasn't well enough to take her to the dentist - apart from anything else, I didn't want to pass on my very nasty cold - but she had decided to cancel the appointment anyway. So I haven't seen her for several weeks, phoned a week ago to offer to see her last Friday and got the brush off. I suspect she thinks she's punishing me. Bless her heart (yes, that's sarcasm) I really have been very busy all this week and couldn't have gone over anyway, not that I'd said that, but said I'd come whenever she wanted. She hasn't phoned.
Honestly, I don't mind what I do and I don't begrudge any time spent with her, but some weeks it's taken up 4 half days, so several completely free weeks (even though I spent a good deal of two of them in bed) have made life easier. I'm not easy to fall out with, on the whole but, once I do finally stand firm, I don't give in.
Anyway, since last writing here, I've been quite unwell and still have a cough, have been to London twice and have had all the family over to lunch again, but not all at the same time. Young Gus had a tooth out last week, in preparation for having braces fitted so, at his mother's suggestion, I made a cheese soufflé for lunch on Saturday. He and his sister (she was at her Saturday job) are both inordinately fond of my cheese soufflé. Few people make them because chefs give the impression that they're difficult. They are actually very easy, but not all that suitable for a restaurant as the diners have to wait for the soufflé, not the other way round. The pre-cooked and reheated ones (which can be very good, but I've never made one myself) are far better for a professional kitchen. After that, I made Eton Mess, which Gus has adored since babyhood. There was some left over, which I sent home with them and Zerlina sent me an appreciative message later, since she had been given it in compensation for missing the soufflé. I tried, by the way, to write the final word of the last sentence without stopping to put in the accent, hoping for an autocorrect. It offered me shuffle.
It's only 9pm but I'm very tempted to retreat upstairs with a book. I didn't get much sleep last night. I'd just nodded off when I was woken by a crash from downstairs. The cat had demanded my sister come and let her out of the front door and, in the dark, Wink knocked something over. Of course, then I couldn't sleep again for several hours. I spoil that cat, but Wink spoils her rather more. I've suggested that, another time, she just pick her up and put her outside - she has a cat flap and would not be shut out. She does it because she gets away with it - it's adorable on both sides, but not when I have a wakeful night.
Blog party will be the 3rd Saturday in June. That will merit a post to itself, hopefully tomorrow, if I get around to it after a morning out, lunch in Norwich and then a visit to the hygienist. I used to take all this on the chin, now it tires me out! Old age has struck at the Zedery, darlings.
