even though i am not back in hong kong yet (my flight leaves in 9 hours), let me tell you about grandad blake (who is in hong kong right now) and his 64th birthday party in hong kong a few days before i left.

his birthday fell over the chinese new year weekend. we had a very low key event planned – kids, mum, myself and our dear friend sandi heading over to the boat club for dinner. and then zoom, home again.

sandi arrived at 5.3o, as requested. our kids weren’t ready, we were about 5, no more than 10, minutes late. her comment? "i don’t know why people say come at a certain time if youre not ready."

mum handled this one like a champ. she just smiled and said, "and do you have children, sandi?" the answer to this being no.

we hailed two separate taxi’s and headed off to the boat club, the kids very excited. now you know i love frugal blake, don’t you? well, he left sandi in the back of the taxi with two kids and chose to sit in the front himself! who DOES that???

we arrived at the club, and…it was shut. for the next three days. for chinese new year.

the kids were puzzled. the club? closed? but..but…where were they going to eat their junk food? what about the cake that had perched precariously on mummy’s lap that they knew had chocolate frosting on it? carys hadn’t been able to sit on mummy’s lap because the cake was on it and she, according to sebastian, " did NOT want to get frosting all over her BOTTOM, right mummy? HER BOTTOM." carys’ lip began to tremble. the kids looked soberly at the CHOCOLATE CAKE which now, apparently, would never get eaten.

sandi and i tried to make reservations elsewhere that was child friendly, but it wasn’t looking good. dad said, "let’s go to mcdonalds." i said, "sandi has never been to mcdonalds" we double checked this piece of trivia with her and she agreed it was so and then said, "i would go wtih you, but i would never eat there."

we decided to head back home, dad again sitting solo in the front seat ("what do you mean it is inconsiderate, teresa? the person in front pays! she should have been thrilled!) and two kids sitting in the back of the taxi where he is, mum and me in the second taxi. jasper bursting into tears when the taxi i am in pulls away.

we get home, i order two pizza’s from pizza hut. blake does not like pizza. this does not matter, this is for the kids. then we order spinach salads for blake and tess, rueben sandwiches for mum and sandi, and sad decides he wants chili as well. and the kids are still antsy so we let them have birthday cake. we cut into the cake and never sing happy birthday to blake because he is checking his stocks online. i put on the aristocats, and the kids start watching.

(speaking of watching, i saw NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN the other day…if you have seen it, let’s talk).

so…that was frugal blake’s happy birthday party. our food was excellent, the adults sat around and talked and laughed and had a very, very nice time. it was a great evening. the kids loved the concept of eating dessert first and gallantly offered to have cake for their entire meal and pizza for breakfast. ‘

i did not take them up on that offer.

i cant write too much about the kids, makes my eyes react…but…HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAM, i love you and i am very proud of you. my next blog is about you.

xo