Beyond behind

Sorry for the absence of posts for the past few days - I've been busy busy, Lucius has been ill, and I've been sorting out a new computer for my 86-year-old father. This last work is not yet complete, and may well affect future posts. Yesterday, I went with Lettice to Birmingham University for an open day at the School of Sport and Exercise Science (FAB new building), where they've offered her a place to study next year, so that she could see if she likes it. She does, but not as much as Edinburgh and Leeds.

The fruit for the cake is still soaking ... it's fine, no need to listen to organised cookery writers who tell you to soak the fruit for 24 hours. Weigh it and forget it until you find time again, that works for me. It means you can do the cake in any little moment of time. I am hoping that moment will come this evening, when I'm on my own in the house.

That's if I can tear myself away from the tidying that needs doing (very easily, actually!), because the house is in chaos, and we have 50 people coming for lunch on Sunday (luckily I'm not cooking - but I need to get rid of the fruit cake ingredients littering the worktops, not to mention the piles of newspapers and folded laundry which seem to have come to rest in the kitchen). The lunch is to celebrate the life of Lucius's very dear aunt, who died in South Africa a few weeks ago. We thought there'd be around 25 people coming ... but everyone said yes please, which shows you how much we all loved her.

But first, I'm off to spend the day watching Lettice play hockey, representing Oxfordshire in the South of England schools tournament, and hoping to earn a place for the second year running in the national finals of the schools under-18 competition. Keep your fingers crossed: for success - and for a sunny day!