Birthday Celebration in Cardiff

So, I'm late again. You must have got used to my cerita basi by now. This time, it's about our long Christmas holiday cum endless dinner parties. You will never guess how long Babah and his good friends planned for this mini vacation. They were all very excited and looking forward to our gathering, initially planned from 22 - 26 Dec. However, due to unforeseen circumstances we had to delay our trip until Sunday, 24 December 2006.

Around lunchtime that day, we were welcomed by our gracious hosts Rosli & Hila (again!). Auntie De and family were there too. They arrived the day before as scheduled. Ever since we arrived that day, we have been invited to numerous makan-makan invitations by new and old friends in Cardiff.

Makan-makan Agenda:

24 Dec 06
Lunch at Kak Amy's new house
Dinner at Sabrina Moroccan style house

25 Dec 06
English Breakfast at Li n La's Bed&Breakfast
Late lunch and dinner party Rosli & Hila's mansion

26 Dec 06
Malay breakfast at Rosti's kitchen
Tea at S'bucks
Dinner at K.Sawiah exquisite and pristine home

25 December 2006 : The dinner party
The Food

We all woke up relatively early that day. It was somehow a special day although we do not celebrate Christmas - it was in fact my birthday. Like it or not, we will somehow celebrate the day every year.

(I am so tempted to write every single thing that has happened on that day, but I guess I just have to cut the story short!)


Hila bought a huge turkey from the local Halal butcher earlier on. She has invited some close friends over for dinner. Both Hila and Inah (her helper) started to prepare for the dinner party since early morning, and started roasting at 11am.

The preparation looked quite simple but the roasting took a good 5-6 hours! In between, Hila made roast veg to go with the roast turkey. She even made her own chicken stock to make the gravy for the turkey. Side dishes were very yummy fried mee, delicious fried rice and fresh salads in olive oil with feta cheese.

While they were cooking, the children were happily playing with balloons in the spare room. The dads were hanging up balloons too. I started to have a suspicion that it was not going to be a "normal" dinner party. It could be a birthday party for me (hem*hem* perasan) but nobody was saying anything about birthdays and there was no cake either. So it couldn't be right.

On another thought, it could be for Safiya. May be Hila has planned to give a surprise birthday party for Safiya who has just turned 1 on 20 Dec 06. So I didn't say anything.

Anakanda-anakanda

The guests started to arrive after maghrib. That night was the first time I let my children play freely without very much supervision by me.

Sarah was quite OK mingling with them all. Her voice was the loudest of them all. She laughed and screeched excitedly all the time, you can hear her from a mile away.


While Amar, as usual played in the same room, but minding his own business most of the times. Towards the end of the night, he watched a dvd from Babah's laptop.

Putera Li and Hila

Putera Uncle and Auntie De

Puteri Uncle and Auntie De

Putera Ihsan and Sabrina

Putera I Aze and Aida

Putera II Aze and Aida

Puteri I Hamzah and K.Amy

Puteri II Hamzah and K.Amy

Mamas & Papas

Mama Danial

Aboh Danial

Mama Emyr and Safiya

Babah Emyr and Safiya

Mama Erfan (Erfan's Walid was away)

Mama Daniel and Adam

Papa Daniel and Adam

Abah Iman and Insyirah

The Turkey Party

We were all gathered in the living room (on the 1st floor of the mansion) catching up with each other, when suddenly Li rushed to the door with his camera and said, "kejap Muh, kejap". He was busy taking some photos there, and our little miss busybody Sarah went to have a peep outside the door and told everyone, "Look cake, cake". (Maka pecah lah tembelang!)

A minute later, Babah came in with two cakes: The cake with pretty butterflies for little Safiya and chocolate cake for me! So it was not a mere dinner party after all.

Then it was time for the glorious food. Everyone seemed to enjoy the luxurious spread of food. We ate and ate and finished everything in no time at all.

Happy Babah - the co-party planner

Adlan

Adlan and wife, Joanna


Inah and Sh.Aida


Beware!

Party popper's about.

Sembang-sembang
K.Amy, Sh.Aida and K.Sawiah

NOT the three stooges

All smiles

We ended the night smiling, satisfied with the lovely food and most of all, in the company of great friends.

Except for Amar, he was extremely tired.

After hours of cooking in the kitchen and entertaining her home-stay lodgers and invited guests that night, Hila must be drained too.

Special dedication

Anyway, happy birthday again to Princess Safiya. We hope that you will have a wonderful toddler years. Also, wishing you the very best in life and continue growing up cheerfully. Oh yes, do stay cute too!

Rosli and Hila

This is a little bit late, but thank you ever so much for having us at your place for THREE days! May Allah bless your family always and may Allah grant you abundance in rizq.

Not to forget to all our friends in Wales who have invited us for lunch and dinner, plus the birthday gifts (I am not worthy for all those, seriously!) we can never repay your kindness. We are forever grateful to all of you.

Babah

Thank you for planning yet another great "surprise" party for me (and Safiya). Haha no wonder you did all the loading to the car. And no wonder Sarah said "Ada cake" but then you counter said it was "pancake, and not cake!" You've been hiding the cake in the car!

Thanks for all your thoughts of preparing the most elaborate and fanciful cake for me too, with sprinkle of icing sugar as snow, chocolate logs as trees and runny jam as the river of love. I still accept the simple, ready made and no frills chocolate cake. It's your beautiful ideas that count!

Thank you again, I've had a great time during my birthday. I pray Allah will keep us all under his blessing and hoping for happiness forever and ever.

To everyone else, thank you for all your wishes too. And sorry too that this entry is already the shorter version(!) of what actually happened during our short visit in Wales recently. We'll see again next time with my entry on Hari Raya AidilAdha, insyaallah.

p/s: please feel free to click on the photo for larger image.