A Piece of Cake

PS Cafe Carrot Cake - chockful of walnuts and raisins and a thick slab of cream cheese frosting - my brother's absolute favorite carrot cake that he swears by.

Being in the midst (or rather at the tail-end) of redecorating my home, I've hardly had time to cook even though I've finally got a PROPER oven at home to do baking and roasting. Goodbye 2-in-one microwave cum convection oven!

Now when I step into the kitchen, it is merely to reorganise all my herbs, spices, oils, vinegars, salts (I just found out I have 6 different kinds of salt), flours (5 kinds), sugars (4 types), pots, pans, baking tins, baking equipment (lets not even go there), spatulas, strainers... and the list goes on.

I look at the state that my house is in now and I'm frankly a little appalled at how I expect to have guests coming over tomorrow night. The tarp is still on the floor, bundled up, I've got wires running all over the place, boxes with trash by the door, more boxes with trash around the house, plastic bags of DIY stuff my father has yet to put up and a very dusty floor. 'Yikes' doesn't even express what I'm feeling now.

But, it has been great fun so far. Staying up till late painting the walls and cupboards with my dad, standing side by side my brother evaluating the position of our furniture and adjusting them all over again, squatting by my mother's side telling her which plates and bowls we should keep; basically just enjoying being a part of this home again.

Perhaps you don't understand, but ever since I left to study overseas, the home started changed bit by bit. Our living room would alter just a little each time I returned during the summer hols until it turned into something almost foreign and only just bearable. I would not know where everything was put (or rather everything was everywhere) and the only thing unchanged was my room, other than the occasional drawer or cupboard that would be packed with things I did not recognise.

The great thing about redecorating is that you're forced to reorganise everything and you know exactly where things are put. It has also made me a little more anal about seeing things lying around and I never thought this day would come. I used to be able to live in an organised mess, but now I can't wait to put things in their place.

It is great knowing that I will start the new year with a clean slate/home. In the meantime, Merry Christmas everyone! I hope this coming new year will be a piece of cake for all.