Good evening at the 27th off November, 2023.

Good evening everyone, 

Cold, rainy winds are blowing around the home. It's depressing and dark outside for the biggest part off the day. 

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During this crisis, I decided 'Let's play a game, a vintage game.' with myself. I decided to keep it cheap and vintage these days, but utmost taken care off as far as I'm capable these days. It's not spic and span, far from, but it's a little more groomed in my home. I didn't decide to dress like a vintage home maker, (House wife is not the term. I'm nobody's wife, but I still feel very homey and comfortable in my own small home.) But to kill some time with myself and the -otherwise stressing- crisis, I decided to keep myself buisy with things. 

Today I decided to bake two plain cakes for de Boed's afternoon coffee moment tomorrow after grocery shopping, but I decided to put my heart in it and do it well, and clean the kitchen as good as possible afterwards. I borrowed a bowl from de Boed again for this, which required quite a lot off batter, and I worked with a baking mold I got from a fellow client, and a mixer I got from my mom. The eggs where quite expensive, but I had purchased a small box only with just the amount for these cakes. Instead off cream butter, which would have been completely a home maker's pride, I baked with cheap margarine. It's not authentic, it's not above all, but these times require solutions and ways I otherwise would not use. (Due to money.) 

Fellow clients seem to donate items for cupcakes / muffins a lot. A baking tin and cupcake papers. I should make use off it, but it's for 'once.' 'Who knows, once, maybe after this crisis.' They seem to understand, but I feel almost guilty not using their items. They're requesting muffins / cupcakes so it seems, but I can't help them to that soon. It's for 'Once, after this crisis is over. I'm sorry, though.' Still they are so nice to donate. I'm still glad they understand. 

Still, it's allright to have baked these and have this with our Bingo-afternoon coffee. Tuesday is bingo afternoon at de Boed, a small community centre in Zaandijk. I hope people have nothing to complain over, and finish these entirely. A bigger reward than their enjoyment simply isn't for me. 

Better than this small home maker's joy there won't be tomorrow for them. 60's home maker's pride. And it's from a box. In a land before time, I would not let myself get away with it this way, but the box had to be finished, it's rainy weather all week, times are depressing, but now there's at least cake for me and my fellow clients during bingo time. And cheap and vintage are in fashion these times. Last week, the women at de Boed felt like fancy vintage ladies with their raisin cake, and it had one request for a birthday the upcoming month. I even seem to do business with it. (Which means I'm good. The trick with these raisin cakes is to stuff them well.) Vintage style does something to them. Maybe because they are all from an elder generation with their youth during the days I roleplay. In this area, 60's, 70's and 80's vintage never goes out off style. I dwell in it, I love it. It's the style from the common people that does it best here. Zaanstad is build with the hands off factory workers. 

Maybe I should not over-act on plain cakes. Who knows what kind off fool I think myself later on, after the crisis is over. It's just plain cake, after all. I could see it that way, I could roleplay as a 60's home maker and make it my pride to have these for my fellow clients tomorrow. And see it in a more mild light. It's just a little imagnation to solve the problem off it being old fashioned and cheap. And I think my fellow clients still will love it tomorrow with their afternoon coffee. 

We're all gritting our teeth this entire Sinterklaas period. I hope people won't go too harsh on our cakes. (Like, being jealouse or not even granting us these.) I think we deserve them. 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading.