Smoky Birthday

My last choice was batik sarong again for the 80th birthday of my grand-auntie. I wore nice transparent sleeveless top to balance the ‘seriousness’ of the batik. I dug my gift-stock and found nice designer’s shawl. Wrapped and went.

It was a nice family get together. It was merry. Big family with eight children and many grand-children. Her husband, my grand-uncle from Papa side, passed away long time ago. He was a well known painter artist. He was famous for war theme in most of his works.

I met my other grand-auntie KAR among the guests. It was fun to see her. She asked me to help her setting up a ten-day painting workshop in Bali sometime next year. Ya ya.. sure. She also wanted me to show how to tie the sarong. He he.. No more unwrap please..

The birthday girl wore Javanese outfit with hair-piece. She looked lovely and fresh although part of her memory ‘is confused’. When the MC asked her how old is she today, she said zeventig. She was sure that she was seventy even after two more same questions. Fine. She got applause for the discount she made. They sang the birthday song in Dutch, the language she speaks every day. Fun.

Later I heard the MC asked some four questions to every 'grandma' present. It was just hilarious to hear the question, the answer, and the MC's nice comment. The MC is my auntie. She teaches in Garuda and MC is also her profession. A happy person that can make a party alive. She closed the Q-A session with Okay, this is a memory game. Clever.

I walked around the room greeting every body. I felt funny because many of my relatives know who I am while I had hard time to remember in which ‘branch’ they are in our family tree. My trick then.. I put my yes-I-know-you face while saying Hi, how are you! and I was safe :-)

They didn’t let me go till the very end of the party. Papa’s family is special. 95% of them are heavy smokers, including the spouses. Sitting among them, I was half breathing. They jokingly pushed me to start smoking to confirm 'my membership’. So fun.

Got home, I went straight to shower. I could not stand the smell. Even I could smell the thick tobacco on my handbag. Yew. Selamat ulang tahun, Bude Ooq!