another birthday

And I got home to see that the fourth test was all over. We were shit. Again. Five nil ahoy. Bollocks.

The morning after I booze my breath stinks like stale shit. Even after the couple of beers on Boxing Day I awoke with a rough odour and was glad I could have a day of rest from the demon drink. I donned my new bike shorts and rode to work for another uneventful day in the office. My resolve in staying off of he grog lasted until seven that evening.

An, one of Sal's closest friends, was having a surprise birthday party at The Watermark restaurant in Balmoral, an inner harbour beach suburb on Sydney's lower north shore. An and her fella James live in London (he is English, a big bloke who looks like Matthew Hoggard wishes he did. James plays cricket.) They met in London in similar circumstances to my meeting Sally in Syney; arrive with partner and trade in for a newer model shortly afterwards. Ouch. An is Vietnamese Australian. Or Australian Vietnamese. Back to the restaurant. James, with a little help from local contacts, arranged the whole thing from London; restaurant booked for 20 people and a degustation menu selected. Five courses with matched wines. I had a glass of champagne to start the night, having managed maybe 26hours without a drink. Sal and I began ushering the arriving guests into a corner of the bar that would hide us from An and that gave us a lovely view out over the beach. An would be arriving later and late. She is usually late.

Actually, I think An is Vietnamese Australian. I think that because I have been told that, being Vietnamese, it does not matter that she was born on December 27th because her official, government of Vietnam decreed birthday is Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, January 1st. Along with all other Vietnamese. Quite bonkers.

Everyones birthday is celebrated on new years day. Not only is Tet the beginning of a New Year, it is also everyone's birthday. The Vietnamese do not know or acknowledge the exact day they were born. A baby turns one on Tet no matter when he/she was born that year. Children say they were born in the year of the symbol of the lunar calendar for that year. On the first morning of Tet, adults congratulate children on becoming a year older by presenting them with red envelopes that contain "Lucky Money," or li xi. These envelopes are given to the children by parents, siblings, relatives and close friends.

An was suitable surprised and impresed when she arrived to find us all there, not just me and Sally, as she had expected. The crowd were a United Nations bunch with most continents represented. The conversation, food and drink were good and it was like being in one of those dinner-party-in-a-restaurant things you see on the tele. I sat next to a Filipino Australian (or Austra - you get it) cosmetic surgeon. So like American TV. If I could remember the wines I would list them because they were cracking. The food was good too...balmain bugs and duck standing out for me, and then, of course, some birthday cake, coffee and cheese and taxis home. A very nice night out, after which I'd get a litle uner 5hours sleep before...