Tom's Birthday Celebrations

Well, despite Murphy's Law (ie - anything that can do wrong... will) Tom had a great birthday surrounded by great friends, fantastic food, stimulating conversation and well placed surprises.



The day started off with presents and strawberry ice cream for breakfast (for the kids - we also got the parents of the year award yesterday). While Tom's gifts were all hand picked and tried on by him during our shopping experience on Sunday, I thought it would be nice to wrap them and that the kids would get a kick out of watching him open them at breakfast. Little did I know they would steal my thunder and take all the credit!! They all "claimed" gifts that were from them that they had "bought" for him. Interesting that they didnt know what was in any of the gifts and were not along on our shopping excursion. Kay even went so far as to exclaim "Raj, come see what I bought Daddy for his birthday, a new pair of pants!". I guess I am chopped liver.



Our friends Petra and Gerald extended the morning celebrations by bringing over 1 warm Corona, a chicken bologna roll and the (used) Police CD (Ever stop you take). What can I say, they are German? !



He got many calls, emails, text messages through out the day wishing him "Many Happy Returns of the Day" and "Hearty Congratulations".



The pinnacle of the day was meant to be a surprise party for him with our closest friends. However, as you know, Tom is hard to surprise. For weeks, I have been asking him what he wants to do, where does he want to go, etc for this birthday. He response? Let's have a party! My response, How about a nice quiet date night, the 2 of us havent doen this is months.... (then my plan was that all our friends WOULD be at the chosen restarant). His response? No, I'd really like to get our friends together (nice). So, he starts calling his friends and asking them what they are doing on his birthday... luckily I had headed them all off at the past and they all said they were busy. Disaster averted.



We finally got the plans set - A surprise dinner at Petra's with Haleem (Muslim delicacy during Ramadan), veg briyani, beg kabobs, cake, wine, beer, hot chips, dip, etc... What could possibily go wrong here? Well, it is India, right? The Haleem was delivered a day early. The cake place closed. The phone for the veg briyani, veg kabobs "place" was disconnected. My driver showed up 1 hour late to pick me up (and I had to do all the pick ups for the party on the way home). All in all, 40 min's before I was set to meet Tom - NOTHING was ready. Our friends are fantastic and rallied around the cause. I found an alternative cake/tart place, Petra got the house decorated and made salad, Alex ran out for ice (running into Tom and giving a lame excuse that Stacy really wanted COLD drink when she got home, hence the 4kgs of ice), Angelica keep everyone on track. We quickly divised and excuse to have Tom and I stop at Petras and "SURPRISE!" the party started. Alls well that ends well. The food was fantastic, the cake to die for, there was plenty of champange, beer and wine toasts, but best of all Tom was surrounded by all the people here that love him.

Happy Birthday Tom! We love you!!!

(Pictures to be posted once I get them from friends:) )