We feel really safe now..

..with our 2 resident spiderkids.

High level security doesn't come cheap though. My mother has to play with them a minimum of 3-4 hours a day in exchange for the family's safety. In the evenings, Papa needs to carry one or both of them down to the park. Not a bad deal in this dangerous world, I say!

Of birthday cakes..

I had mentioned Pari's birthday cake in a recent post. Most people who saw the cake were impressed with my idea of a piano cake as well the craft of the designer. My sister, however, wasn't. She felt that by ordering the cake, I am not putting any effort and insisted that I bake one for Pari. It is understandable. Sis bakes lovely cakes and dresses them so well that they can easily pass as store bought designer cakes. I have none of her talent, and zilch willingness to make extra work for myself. We ended up ordering a cake from a professional bakery but this incident reminded of some of the innovative cakes my parents had baked for my birthday. My mother is the kitchen goddess and baking queen. I think except for the first, second and a few later ones, she always baked cakes for my birthdays and continues to do so to this day. One cake that I specifically remember was the guitar cake for my 9th birthday. I was taking guitar classes at the time and my dad thought it was a cool idea to make a cake that reflected my current hobby. I have no clue how they did it. I may have been at school or my usual absent-minded self. I would imagine that Mom would have baked multiple cakes which Papa would have cut into shapes and decorated with chocolate and frosting. I just know that it was there on the table in the living room when I came to cut the cake, and I got super excited to see it. Fortunately, I still have a picture to show Pari.

No means..

..'No'. Not when it comes to my mother though. Sample this:

At the dinner table
Mom: 'Shall I get you a second helping?'
Me: 'No'
Mom: 'Alright.' <Proceeds to add more food to my plate>
Me: 'No Mom, I am full.'
Mom: 'Alright, just finish this. I won't give you anymore.'
<What just happened? I obviously finish off the second helping.>

Me sitting content on the couch
Mom: 'The cushions need to be washed.'
Me: 'No. I had them washed a couple of weeks ago.'
Mom: 'Alright.' <Proceeds to pull out the cushions from under me and around me, ripping off the covers and placing the bare cushions back on the couch. The covers obviously go into the wash.>

Me leaving for work
Mom: 'Shall I pack a snack for the evening?'
Me: 'No. I will be back by 6.'
Mom: 'Alright.'
<On the way to work, the lunch bag feels heavier than usual. I check it to find 2 additional boxes of snacks. Gah!>

I can go on and on here.

Please Mumma, 'No' really means 'No'!