Dedication is what you need...

...If you wanna be a party planner! Actually, what you really need is to rope in family and friends and to dish out pinnys to all.

Blessed with an army of supporters, we rallied early on Sunday morning and after a round of bacon sandwiches and hot tea we got busy in the kitchen.

Three platters of egg, tuna and cheese sandwiches were buttered, sliced and artfully arranged. Balloons were blown up, chairs and blankets arranged outside and we got baking. The chocolate birthday cake was the first to go in. I decided to bake the two sandwiches of the cake separately so the heat would be even to both. They came out a success (phew!) and next to go in was the cupcakes. A near disaster was averted when I realised I didn’t have enough icing sugar for the double batch of chocolate icing, and the butter icing for the cupcakes. My wonderful Brainy brother volunteered to go on an expedition to the nearest shop for icing sugar and washing up liquid and the baking continued.

We iced the cupcakes in green, pink and lemon flavoured butter icing and decorated with dolly mixtures (thank you Nigella!) The trifle was cooling in the fridge and the jugs of Pimms was ready to go. I iced the birthday cake, placed it on a glass cake stand and decorated it with a star picked out in cocoa and one blue candle.

My wonderful dad kept Darling boy entertained whilst we whizzed and whirred about the house and garden getting everything ready. Just in time, Darling boy disappeared off for a snooze and the troops broke for lunch, and boy did we need it.