The Mallard and the Squirrel

Today’s picture was taken through our daughter’s kitchen window using my very old iPhone. There were actually two Mallards, one male and one female and two European Grey Squirrels, but unfortunately I could not get them all in one picture; they kept diving into the plants.
 
The day has been a busy one. On Monday we went to Tesco so that Victoria could purchase some ingredients to make cupcakes for her partner’s birthday; today we made them. Well Victoria made them and I fetched and carried and weighed ingredients; I also washed up. It was an American recipe for twelve, so she scaled it up so that we could make twenty-four. However, later we discovered that the recipe was for twelve American muffins, so we actually got thirty-nine cup-cakes rather than twenty-four. We tested one to make sure they were cooked properly before I took her for her hydrotherapy. We had to cook them in two batches so the second lot went in when we came back from hydrotherapy; then we had lunch. Victoria then made caramel sauce from scratch and icing. The cakes are filled with caramel sauce and then vanilla buttercream on top as well as some caramel sauce drizzled over the icing and finished with fudge. Sickly sweet, but delicious.

Many thanks for all the comments, stars and hearts on yesterday’s blip; my seventh anniversary. I intend to reply and visit everyone, but it may take a day or two. Dougal and Florence also say thank you for their comments, it makes Dougal’s head swell when he is praised! Unfortunately he cannot go outside very much at the moment as the Magpies have not forgiven him and keep squawking and bombarding him; they also torment Florence, but to a lesser extent.