Lots, and lots, and lots of photos up on my Flickr photostream. Was a v. enjoyable celebration, and v. proud and happy for my cousin (and her groom, my new cousin-in-law).

Was a shame to have to rush back, but with another international wedding to attend this year, I’ve been using up my oh-so-finite allotment of leave.

Was great to see family on such good form – Baboo (Dhanisha) now fully capable of in-depth conversations! And no doubt Shayna will be able to return to those now that the stress and excitement of the wedding is over (for now)!!

P.s. I hate officious church… erm, officials. The “saviour” complex of these volunteers too often leads to priests being told what they can and can’t do by the “secretary of the church cheese collection committee” or some such, and (my particular vitriol) the enforcement of arbitrary restrictions on hymn choices which are too protestant in nature. Grrr.

So, I’m home: jetlagged like a beast but happy to be with parents (whose undistilled joy at having their kids visit is always nice… nothing like a bit of unconditional love ;)).

Have already managed my first roti canai since I’ve been back (it really is the best food in the world). Have also very briefly seen the bride-to-be, who was on great form, although complaining that she’d just had “five things done to her head simultaneously…” — ah, the collateral damage of weddings.

Running tech support for my family at the moment as well. Amazing how easily unsupervised computer technology can turn into scrap metal…

More will follow as more interesting things happen…!

(1) Proof blog posts so they say “disaffected” less often
(2) Be less of a ponce
(3) Spell better

Divison6.co.uk, brought to you by the power of one bio-electric monkey-descendant…

Obviously in a particularly pretentious mood this evening, but what does it mean, the phrase “blood is thicker than water”? I’m glad its never been used against me, as I’d be forced to question it, most prodigiously. Egads, three episodes of Jeeves & Wooster and I’m sounding like Bertie already.

Anyway; I mean, obviously blood is thicker than water; but how has “water” come to signify non-familial relationships? It seems a bit odd; and particularly for someone (like myself) who has been happily enjoying a friendship circle that in many respects supplements my familial relationships… In any case, when you marry water, it doesn’t turn into blood by default, does it? The whole thing seems slightly subject to slightly arbirtrary shifts in perspective… And following a water-blood paradigmatic revolution… well, then. Well. Then. Well.

Anyway.

Tthe inspiration for this post, such as it is, is my cousin Shayna’s impending marriage to the stalwart and enigmatically initialled KP. Am massively, massively excited for cousin Shay and am only slightly dreading a 13-hour flight home, and me with a cold and all. The next few days should be fun, busy, and see me maniacally supplementing my Flickr-stream.

Ok, I miscounted. Really there were three phases to the first round of celebration, and third was a great dinner on Monday that my brother cooked for me.

He made roast chicken in a bag which was great, and a rather marvellous salad, and we had some great wine and champagne – although I managed, to Arvind’s chagrin, to maintain my mid-week habit of not imbibing too much…

I also got AMAZING gifts. Gem got me an iPod Nano!!! I thought it was a double-CD when I saw the wrapped present! I still don’t quite believe it! They are every bit as beautiful and a little smaller than you’d imagine. I am going to have to plot something fiendishly good for her birthday to make up for it.

Siblings done really good. Some music and reading, a subscription to Private Eye and the box set of Jeeves and Wooster! And parents are buying me a bike, which my brother represented symbolically by laying his outer tyres around his living room with a bike helmet and a catalogue… hoping to shop for it today! So exciting!

It has been an awesome birthday – and the biggest party is yet to come! But I do already feel I have celebrated well, which is very satisfying, to say the least, and am massively greatful to friends and family for making it special in a dozen little ways.

Scary being closer to 40 than, erm, being born, though.

Gemma made me a cake!! She’s a legend; that’s dedication for you…

Phase II of celebs were great, fortunately not being up too late last night meant not too knackered today for dim sum at Phoenix, followed by a rousing round of the hat game and some random Monkey Ball.

Had a great time. Fantastic to have siblings and good friends around. Shame few people couldn’t make it for various reasons, but I guess that’s what phase III of the celebrations are for!!

Anyway, will try to be less egocentric for a few weeks. But hey, at least the blog’s getting updated!

So, first stab at birthday celebrations and we went out to “Onanon,” a cheesey LNL venue in Piccadilly, which proved very entertaining.

Particularly pleased of this photo with Katie and Lisa which makes me look like much more of a player than I really am ;).

Although I was middle aged and “called” the evening at about 11.30 so we could all get last tubes home, we got a good bit of dancing in and I had a great night on the whole…

Phase 2 of celebs comes today with dim sum lunch… Yum! Majority of my celebrations, though, postponed till November for reasons too complicated to go into… People are being very charitable and celebrating with me multiple times!

More photos at my photostream, as ever. I really need to stick a static link to that in on the main navigation…

Rose leaves my family after 15 years with us today. It’s a sad day for all of us, and rightly so; after so many years of working for us, and being that warm and uplifting presence, and, as Sheila puts it, helping to make our house a home, we will all miss her terribly.

She goes on, hopefully, to brighter and better things, and her family, back in the Phillipines. We all wish her the best of luck.