Birthday celebrations sans moi?

My sms’es went unanswered and am feeling so left out. They are all out having fun by the poolside, with the chicken and lamb sizzling merrily on the grill, the children plunging into the water and splashing the adults sitting around and chatting.

And here I am facing my laptop, just imagining the fun and laughter, the teasing and the banter.

It is a collective birthday celebration. Today (14^th March) is Kak Cik’s. She had her present much earlier when she was blessed with a granddaughter, Nasya. So, Ton, Nasya is the present that all of us commissioned Dena to give to you.

Three days ago was my Nona’s birthday but I was busy all day at Stansted Airport, before that was brother in law, Wan’s birthday, his son Adam, and then Nasri. Also being celebrated is my birthday (soon), my brother Ajie and niece Oli.

So I can just imagine the look on Mak’s face – surrounded by all her children, daughter and son in-laws and grandchildren. She has her new set of teeth now and it shouldn’t be much of a problem for her to eat the grilled chicken. She’d want to walk around but a few steps would tire her out. She will refuse to be in the wheelchair although there are a lot of volunteers, reckless unlicensed ones, who are willing to push her around.

But she is happy, that I know. And out will come the stories of yesteryears.

She will probably tell about the birthday parties she had for us. She’d take out her collection of Pyrex – those with red roses – her pride and joy. It wasn’t everyday that we got to eat from those plates. She’d wash and keep them back in her glass cupboard, to be admired and dusted once in a while until the next special occasion.

Then, there’s her Tupperware collection too; those blue and green tumblers with matching containers for our sardine sandwiches and sardine rolls.

We’d have musical chairs and passing the parcel the way people now have Poco poco, I guess. But what simple harmless fun we had. Presents of a set of colour pencils and picture frames and autograph albums were much appreciated. No expensive ones.

I think the most expensive gift I got from Mak was the brown minibike when it was all the rave in the early seventies, and that was also for my birthday and for passing my exams. It was like receiving the key to a sports car!! I was flying in the air, and every morning I would meet up with Cik Na, also with a similar brand of minibike to cycle along Jalan Teluk Wan Jah to St Nicholas Convent. On the way back, a group of us minibikers would cycle back together and stop at Abu for noodles. Those were the days.

Anyway, have fun, everyone. Don’t mind me in cold and gloomy London. It is 11.33 am and you are all probably stuffing your face with the profiteroles that I ordered. And where is that promise to webcam? Don’t worry, I will find my own source of entertainment. I’ve watched several repeats of EastEnders as I have missed several episodes and later I have to attend an akad nikah. And I will have fun.

PS At last I got an sms from Dena: "Sedang tergolek sebab makan banyak sangat."

PPS, So, as usual, we skyped and after several interuptions and disruption, I felt as if we were all there - laughing and joking. There was Kak D, cari uban Pak Ajie, children running around and then things became quite hilarious when my husband took over the skype in a Tudung Ekin. The other side too responded with my bro in law Wan, in a Tudung Munawarah! If only I had captured it on screen! It became too much for the laptop - terus padam!

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UPDATED WITH PICTURES FROM OLI (Who didnt sleep a wink for fear she'd be thrown in the pool.

Ps Oli, it would take the entire clan to throw you in.

and......Why I'd rather celebrate from a safe (and drier) distance:

Everyone thrown in!

Mak happy watching from a safe distance as well!

Kak Teh skyped here as well:

And I was there too!