The enterprising cake idea

I woke up this morning, which was a relief, because it meant I hadn't died in the night from complications after banging my head in a spectacular fashion yesterday. I zipped into town first thing and got my mum's birthday present. This followed our annual pre-birthday conversation.
'What would you like for your birthday, Mum?'
'Oh, don't bother with me, love. Save your money. A nice card will do.'
'But I'm going to get you a present anyway so you might as well tell me if there is anything you'd like.'
'Oh, I don't know. I'll have a think and let you know.'

Which she never does leaving me to wing it and run the risk of buying her something totally inappropriate. But, having known her for 43 years I'm usually okay provided I steer clear of anything digital, electronic or technical. So socks and jam, basically. I popped into Sainsbugs on the way home and bought packets of sweets with which to decorate her birthday cake. I'm going to do a lot of baking today. The hens laid 25 eggs last week equalling their best ever record. In various bowls around the kitchen I have a glut of 33 eggs (although Auntie Pollie put in an order last night for some - phew!) And, in the paper today, there was an informative item regarding some research that had shown an egg for breakfast can lower blood pressure and as Andy already pops pills for this condition, he can now pop an egg every day too!

So serious baking will be occuring chez moi this afternoon - which brings me to my embryonic plan to start baking and selling cakes to earn a few pounds here and there. I've run the thought by a few people who all think it's a good idea as I've been known to make some pretty lush cakes in my time. And several people have offered ideas about what I should call my tiny cake company. These include 'The Cake Lady', 'A Tart with Heart' (thanks for that - you know who you are!), 'The Bun Fight', 'Rosie May's' (after my Gran) and 'Ginger Nuts' (due to the red hair in my family and my liking for ginger. And nuts).

Andy offered 'Marie Antoinette's' . 'You know, ' he said, 'let them eat cake.' I wasn't wholly convinced. She was guillotined after all, when the French went mad with their Revolution. I'm not sure it bodes well for the capitalist aspect of the business.

I had already thought I'd call the enterprise 'Cake, and Eat It' because I want to have a healthy eating slant to it. An ethos that says 'You can eat one of my cakes without feeling guilty about your health because I use good, natural ingredients, no additives or preservatives,' etc, etc. Cakes with fruit and oats, wholemeal flour and unrefined sugar. Proper butter. Nuts and seeds. Lovely spices. And stuff like that. So after I've made Mum's birthday cake and a cake for Andy's lunchbox for the rest of this week I'm going to sit down and do a bit of planning for 'Cake, and Eat It,' just to see what I come up with. I don't want it to take over my life because I am, after all, a writer and I am bashing away at Novel Number Three in order to try my luck in the adult fiction market.

But the cake idea is a thought that is bubbling around rather pleasantly in my thoughts. A bit like spring is bubbling around outside with lighter mornings and longer evenings, warmer air and green shoots popping up here and there. Neither are ready to burst forth quite yet. But there's definitely something there that will be worth waiting for.