Happy birthday Mem Besar

Today, 10th May, is the Mem Besar’s birthday. People call her Shila. Not the famed Sheila Majid, I’m afraid (sigh…).

Came back from the office with some drinks, a couple of birthday cake candles and the plastic knife (to cut the cake) to boot. Smiles all around.

The Mem got excited. My youngest daughter Nadiah was exhilarated. Sakinah, the eldest daughter lit up the candles. But where’s the cake?

Lo and behold! I produced two muffins out from the plastic bag. Laughter all around. But you could tell the sense of anti-climax. The candles were put on the muffins and we had dinner, solemnly eyeing the measly muffins in front of us.

After dinner (and solat), time to cut the ‘cakes’. But before that, I asked Nadiah to fetch the newspaper. I’d left it in the car (how forgetful of Abah, must be getting old).

Off she went. After a short while, she ran back into the house excitedly, announcing to me (in a hushed voice) “Abah, there’s a cake in the car!!”. “What?! Now, just how could that be? Anyway, why don’t you just bring it in, Nadiah. After all, it is Umi’s birthday. We can give it to her as a present ”.

So that’s how we got the cake in the photo above for Mem Besar’s birthday. The person who bought it must have got it for his mum. Notice the “51st birthday” message scribbled on the cake. But how nice of him to have put it in my car.

Thank you so much to the nice guy.

And happy birthday Shila, the Mem Besar. May you be in the best of health and iman.