not-so-discreet surprise

not-so-discreet surprise
sat-30th sept '06

Is this getting to be a routine? The 2nd year this happens, albeit with different people. Everytime that day comes near, my suspicion shall run deep. Gotta' keep that in check.

I love suspense but I hate surprises. Pleasant or not.

Last year it had been my maternal side.

This year, it's my dad's side. A whole brood of them. And I had no inkling of it!

Earlier that week, my mum had warned me not to go out that Saturday, saying that she 'gonna cook' and need help.

I woke up that Saturday morning to see that my mum planned to cook a feast. 8 seabass, 7kg of crabs, 5kg of chicken and 2kg of prawns. Seafood fest? And my poor dad hard at work cutting onions, garlic etc. So THIS is what she meant by 'cooking'.

Late in the afternoon, she asked my dad and I to get some PAPER PLATES. I tot that she had meant to send that excess food to the neighbours. Apparently, whoever the food is for, is actually COMING OVER. Okayyyy.....

Then 2 of my cousins came. The next 2 batches of cousins who came really drew my suspicion. Why? Cos' I only see them at my home during Hari Raya. Yes, a once-a-year affair. So why are they here? And 5 mins before break-fast, came the brood. All the 11 kids and my 3 cousins.

And you know what the cute thing is?

Saw one of my cousins carrying a big, white box (obviously with a cake) and she was trying to be as 'discreet' as possible, hiding behind a wall. Ah, I see. A surprise, eh?

Another one of my cousins came and and went straight to my mum. Next thing I knew, my mum called me into the kitchen. When I turned back, my kitchen sliding door was closed. Wah, can't you all be LESS OBVIOUS? Tsk.




(L) 1/2 the brood. More in the kitchen.

(R) Just some of the dishes.

(L) Chilli (flower) crab

(R) Sweet & Sour seabass

Seeing there's so many food, it took sometime before evryone was done eating. The kids were getting restless. I went to wash the dishes. The kitchen sliding door closed again. OH WELL....

Talk about being discreet....

Then I was called out. And almost crashed into someone holding THIS.

Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake from Royal.

Danial & Ulfa are my nephew & niece, seen here.

That's us September babies cutting the cake.

So there was my 'not-so-discreet' surprise. But I'm touched nevertheless. Thank you all of you who came that day and (almost) brought the house down with the birthday song, which sounded more like a scream-fest.