An Eggy Birthday

There`s two reasons why I`ve started this post with this photo. a) To give you all a preview of the extra hair I`m sporting on my face these days, and

b) To show off my new birthday sweater which Rosa has lovingly sent all the way from India (...and which I`m really kicked about :-)).

Coming back to my birthday, Thank you very much all of you, whose wishes have been pouring in all throughout the day by mail and phone. I realize that over the past few months, my email reply-rate has been nothing short of pathetic, and I apologize for it, but I am trying to go over my recieved mails and try and catch up with the mailing (hopefully!).

So, the question on everybody`s lips at the moment is : How does it feel to be having your last bachelor birthday? I`m not sure how to reply to that, I never thought of it that way until I was asked that question.


Anyhow, although I did`nt really plan any great celebration to mark the completion of my 28th year on earth, my friends had other plans. My friend, Lizeth, who is from Columbia, invited a few of us over for dinner to her place. We spent the evening enjoying a lovely Lasagne prepared by Duncan (Lizeths husband), chatting away, sipping glasses of wine that seemed to miraculously refil itself, and eating strange lolipops that either had chilli powder or worms in it!




Now, it seems it is custom in Columbia to smash eggs on the birthday boy`s head . Moreover I had heard that just a few days back Lizeth had been involved in an egg smashing incident with another colleague, who was unfortunate enough to have her birthday around Lizeth! However the fact that we were having dinner in her newly carpeted house gave me a measure of safety. Yet Lizeth being who she is is as predictable as the British weather. Thus I was a bit wary of my fate...and not without reason!


When the clock struck 12, out came the devil in her and she promptly smashed an egg on my head! I must say I had no clue when it came and for a few seconds thereafter, untill i felt a sticky wetness touching my skull and yellow ooze flowing down my forehead! An involuntary gesture of reaching out to feel the wetness on my head confirmed what it was, and I promptly headed for the kitchen.

While everyone thought I headed to the kitchen to wash the egg off, my intentions were a bit more sinister than self preservation. I was hunting for more eggs, which I did find! and so the inevitable reaction was revenge and I smashed one smack on her head when she least expected an assault!...and not satisfied with that, enlightened everyone else about the arsenal of eggs waiting to be deployed! Chaos followed as people either fled for safety or reached across to get revenge. The result being that we ended up as a mass of eggy people dripping yolk all over her carpet and kitchen!

Of course, I made the classic mistake of washing my hair with hot water and ended up with hard boiled/scrambled egg in my hair, but honestly it was an enjoyable experience. I look forward to bombarding Lizeth on her birthday..and meanwhile i think the tone has been set for all future birthday parties..oh you poor souls whose b`days are coming up!

I spent saturday evening sipping cocktails with a few friends. My 28th B`day has come and gone but I dont feel any older for it. I guess its only at 30 that it hits you hard, and I ve another couple of years before that and as for my last bachelor birthday, I guess I`m more eager to celebrate my 1st married birthday than fret over my last bachelor bday!

P.S.
oh yes that beard is staying for a while but I guess it will eventually come off!