Lilly turns 9

Yesterday was Lillith's 9th birthday. So after far too much chocolate was eaten in the form of bunnies and eggs, Lilly unwrapped her presents. She received a porcelain doll dressed in traditional farm clothing, a knitted cardigan for winter, a pair of goggles for swimming and two little mice.

The mice have been named Bubble and Squeak. They live in a cage fitted out with toys, and are kept on the teddy chest at the end of Matilda's bed.

We celebrated with a meal of roast lamb and crispy roasted potatoes, served with lashings of rich gravy. The meal was finished with a fresh banana cake topped with passionfruit frosting. (Our neighbour peeked through the hedge that morning holding out a bag of passionfruit that he had just picked from his vine.)

We continued to eat chocolate for the rest of the day, cutting the sweetness with cups of hot tea. Lilly and the other girls spent much time organising obstacle courses and tea parties for the mice, giving them lots of little tidbits to nibble on.