Level 2 Chi Kung.

Freezing cold, so a good day for a baking marathon: a double-mixture of shortbread, half flavoured with cardamom and half with caraway seeds, all heart-shaped; a batch of Nigella’s chocolate cookies (yummy – though I left off the sprinkles as no one in my house likes them); a tray of Bette’s chocolate coconut slice (iced with melted chocolate instead of chocolate icing – very good indeed).

Nice three way Skype with Sarah Alderson , so that Sarah could watch the children opening the Christmas parcel she sent (we tend to drag present-opening out over the 12 days of Christmas – it extends the excitement and the children enjoy and appreciate the individual gifts much more than if they open them all in a ten minute frenzy on Christmas morning). The parcel contained a lovely surprise for me, in the form of a late birthday present: a photocopy of Mum’s hand-written book of recipes, so lots of things I want to make asap! Joined by our brother Graeme halfway through the call – lovely to talk to him and see him looking well.