Some Friendships are Just Meant to Be

Do you think friendship is something you have to work at, just like a relationship? That was exactly what I thought, but after witnessing my children’s friendships blossoming, I have also started thinking that some friendships were simply meant to be.

We all have friends we are incredibly close to because we see them every day, or failing that, chat on the phone. I am not talking about those friendships. I am talking about those friends you see once in a while but every time you see them, it is as if you had parted hours before, not years. I have that sort of friendship with my friend Adeline, who lives in Nantes.

Last year, Beanie had the most wonderful time at preschool, and every single day, she would come home talking about these two girls, K and A. They seemed pretty close. They played, they laughed, they talked and they had arguments. They were always together and made the cutest trio. I really got on with the girls’ mums and one of the nans as well. Then came school application time.

Beanie was going to stay put, but both K and A were going to a new school. Beanie was devastated. She really was. My confident little girl was not so confident at the start of Reception. She had a nice group of friends, but somehow, it has never quite been the same as her friendship with K and A.

You would think with the girls being in a different school, they would not see each other again. That was my assumption, but we have kept in touch. The girls have been to one another’s birthday parties, I met A’s nan in town one day, and I have been seeing K’s mum at playgroup with her younger toddler.

We had a playdate at home on Friday. We have lots of playdates at home, but for the first time, it was all about Beanie and her friends. As soon as the girls arrived, you could tell how tight-knit our little trio still was. There was no awkwardness, no cuddling up to mummies. As soon as they arrived, the girls felt at home and started playing. It was the same with the mums. They seemed comfortable at home and it just felt like a ‘tea and a chat’ date with friends.

K’s mum Mili brought some cupcakes she had made. They were egg-free and oh my goodness, they were scrumptious! She has her own cake business and as I was looking at photos of her cakes and cake pops, I was drooling! This lady has skills! She has a website and a Facebook page for ‘Cocoa and Crumbs’ and even organises cake parties! That is definitely my kind of party! I have just spent over an hour on her website looking at all the cake and cake pop designs, wondering how on earth she does that!

I asked Mili if she could tell her a bit about how she started, so over to you my lovely:

“It’s always been a passion of mine since I was a little girl and I loved baking at home with my mum and aunt. Over the years I experimented at home with different recipes, techniques and collected all sorts of tools but it wasn’t until about 5 years ago when I was made redundant that I decided to take it a little more seriously.

I started off baking for family and friends’ birthdays and events and started my Facebook page ‘Cocoa and Crumbs’ and eventually the website. It brings out the creative side in me and I love doing it. It works well with being a mum too, as I can do it from home and take care of the little ones.”

You have certainly taken this seriously, Mili! Looking at the range of flavours you offer for your cakes (Oreo, Galaxy chocolate, red velvet, ‘Bananatella’ – banana and Nutella, lemon curd cupcakes – yes please!), I would say you are taking cakes to another level!

Check out the pretty eggless cupcakes Mili brought to our play date and did not want me to photograph because she thought they were not pretty enough.

Clearly, Mili has no idea about my cake-decorating attempts… Check my awful Cookie Monster cake, sweetie cake and hedgehog if you fancy a laugh at my expense!