CAKE-MAKING..!!!..Why do I let myself be dragged into stuff!! My dearest friend is having a "surprise" birthday party.....except she decided to have it, and , as far as I can make out, has laid down several guidelines for everyone involved! One of these, she informed me, is that I was to make her cake. She didn't want to know how I was going to decorate it, but, if it didn't have animals on it, she would NOT be happy!!! So here I am, 'roped' in again...Ho Hum! Measuring, beating,and clouds of flour later, and it's ready for the tin...which I have forgotten to line!! Quickly do that,(which isn't quick at all, and is a real pain!), and it's ready for the oven...which I have forgotten to pre-heat. It'll be fine!!! Then I survey the kitchen. It seems to be totally shrouded in a fine coating of sugar, flour and cocoa powder ( "...has to be chocolate..."). Clean up (half-heartedly), and set about making the decorations. A dog and three cats, which are supposed to bear a passing resemblance to hers...but don't really, on account of the fact that the icing keeps drooping and splaying out due to the heat, Not only that, but the cats seem to be getting bigger as I mould them, and are falling over in a sort of drunken manner. Finally get them right(ish), only to discover that I have to re-make the dog, as it is now way too small!! Then I paint them...(acrylic for the eyes, as I have run out of yellow food colouring...hope it's not poisonous!!!). At last, after battling, and muttering like one deranged, for eleven hours, I assemble it...and I think it looks ok (Dinner very late tonight!!!).