As I come downstairs, showered and changed, increasingly noisy cats start to appear, responding to the aroma of the pork. Meanwhile, the cake is ready: it comes out of the oven and goes off to one side to sit for a little before being upended onto the baking rack and provoking the eternal question: is the bloody thing going to come out of the pan cleanly this time? The pan’s nonstick coating has become increasingly non-nonstick over the last few months: I think it’s reached its planned-obsolescence date.
The pork comes out of its pot and gets put to one side. The sauce, which looks so very ugly I can hardly believe it, has the stick-mixer taken to it and in a matter of seconds becomes a smooth and comely thing. I really love the stick mixer.
Peter’s carrots are done steaming: the hot orange zest on them smells wonderful. Mary now turns up to take the lamb away, followed by complaining cats. Feeding them cuts down on the noise a little….but only a little. Peter is now steaming green beans while frying up speck to crumble over them when they’re done. He gets his shower next. Meanwhile we wash dishes at a great rate.
Wow, we’re almost done. What a production…
