OK. New Year – take II – didn’t go quite as planned. A stifling 41C day on Saturday, followed by a five-hour blackout that night and a string of competing demands and expectations caused me to pull the pin on the barbecue pretty early in the weekend.

Thanks for the tasty salad recipes. I did try one out last night – delicious – and will have a crack at the others over the coming week. At least I’ll be able to whittle my menu down for when the barbecue does actually happen. I’m hoping the weekend’s tears of frustration, tiredness and clashing expectations – from at least three members of the household and all for different reasons – isn’t a sign of the year to come. Ah well, that’s life isn’t it? Onwards and upwards, adding a little prayer for at least one broken teen soul. (God, would you be a teenager again? Not me. Not for quids?)

The pic? That’s the cheery Chinese-inspired bling I was going to wear yesterday's barbecue. The earrings were a Chrissie pressie from step-child No.1 and her beau.