The Big Day has arrived! Today is Thursday, September 22nd! It's almost seven in the morning, I am at Matthias's, everyone but Michi and myself is sleeping. I'm going to a birthday party!!!
The party has been great. I am not particularly one for noisy fireworks, but Gandalf's displays are really something. Bilbo has just vanished and I am sitting next to "One hundred and forty-four flabbergasted hobbits", but Frodo is in a different mood; he's just realised how much he's going to miss Bilbo.
Bilbo has left and Frodo has not had time to say good-bye. Much better that way, according to Gandalf. Bilbo preferred to slip off quietly. Now... the Ring. Gandalf mistrusts it. The best piece of advice: "I should not make use of it, if I were you. But keep it secret, and keep it safe." He's gone to bed and the morning of the 23rd has dawned. Still, I have to keep on reading, as I said in my first post, and cover 17 years in one day. But I'm going to make myself a nice cup of coffee, hoping not to wake Mani and Portos up (wishful thinking, I know...).
Of course it was wishful thinking. Portos was greeting me through the window as soon as I entered the kitchen. He doesn't like the measuring light of the camera, and even less the flash, though, so he left after the first photograph, came back, and left again after the second.
This reminds me of three years ago, when I was preparing new material for my new classes very early in the morning. I used to wake up at 5.30, went down for a coffee and Portos was already at the window. Princesse used to do the same, but not so early; when she did, it was because Portos had woken her up. I miss her!
My birthday cake is on the kitchen table and, since the party has already ended, I think I can now safely post the picture which I took when I finished it yesterday. I also think I am allowed to have a bit for breakfast, but not alone. Birthday cakes are to be shared, so I'll wait till Matthias is up.
It's a vegan version of the traditional Yogurt Cake recipe, using a soya yogurt and substituting the eggs for ripe bananas. You can find the recipe on my blog on "Vegaterranean cuisine" http://vegaterraneancorner.blogspot.com.es/2016/09/bilbo-bagginss-birthday-cake.html
Since today is the first day of autumn, I decided to add some seasonal decoration.
Now Gandalf has left, the first chapter is over and I think it's time to wake Matthias up and have a bit of cake.
