Big family, birthday fun

Loving sisters

Today is my birthday and it is also my only sister’s birthday. We were both born today, July 15, but 16 years apart. She is my baby sister, which is why I have invited myself to her house for dinner. My sister’s house is in darkness when I arrive for our birthday dinner and I am perplexed because they have five adult children and three of them married this year in January, February and March respectively. Already nephew Jason and his wife Rhianna have produced Anne’s first grand-child, Theo. There are two cats and a dog, too. Yet the place is silent, most unlike a birthday celebration. Until I enter with my poodle puppy Oscar. The whole clan of 11 adults, because my niece Chelsea has her boyfriend here too, are clustered in a circle before a roaring slow-combustion heater watching a movie in darkness.

Someone switches the lights back on and we kiss and hug each other and I receive a dozen “Happy Birthday’’ greetings. Oldest daughter, Sonya has cooked a birthday dinner for her mother and Auntie because we were both born today – July 15, only 16 years apart. And soon a dozen of us cram around the big refectory table seated on a conglomeration of chairs. Theo at three months, is propped up at the head of the table on my sister’s daughter-in-law Tonya’s lap.

“We are still one chair short,’’ says Ken, who returns soon after with an office chair.

The table is laid with small servings of simple prawn cocktail with creamy sauce and soon Sonya rises to take out two big pastry pies from the oven, which are dissected to reveal the filling of chicken, leak and potato. She places a medley of colourful roasted vegetables in a bowl in the centre of the table.

“Oh, it smells delicious,’’ says her mother, my sister Anne. Sonya smiles and we wait for her to sit before we all tuck in.

“It tastes delicious, too,’’ says her new husband, Sam. It’s his birthday today, too, but I have forgotten a gift. The puff pastry is crispy and the chicken pieces shred easily under my knife. It is a triumph and I say so to everyone.

“It’s a wonderful blend of flavours,’’ I state.

The men jibe each other about their respective hair dos and conversation flows onto Chelsea’s new job as a receptionist. Nathan, the youngest child at 17, has been given a prized spot in a TAFE course for the building trade and we buzz about his achievement. Soon the two pies have been hungrily devoured. The birthday dessert follows decorated with pineapple pieces and four candles – one for each birthday person. It is also Ken’s birthday on July 18^th – and we blow out a candle each to a chorus of Happy Birthday.

“Time for gift-giving,’’ commands Anne and we move to the living room.

Now Theo commands attention with his distressed crying. “I think he is hot,’’ says new mother, Rhianna of the three-month-old. Anne whips off his tiny jump-suit and nappie of the infant and lies him naked from the waist on a rug in front of the fire. Oscar is banned to the bathroom. Conversation lulls as we watch the baby quieten, and kick and gurgle, unfettered by constricted leggings.

The scenario brings back my own memories of Anne when she was a baby and I was 16 years old and how our mother did the same thing. Anne would be stripped and laid on her stomach or back, propped on a pillow and she would kick her chubby legs, smiling and gooing. Now my love for her overflows as I watch her wonderful, big, loving family.

There are many gifts handed around and the family gives me a stylish oval camphor laurel cutting board and I hand my sister a unique coffee mug screen-printed with stereotypical 1950s images of housewives.

“You can remember me each time you have coffee,’’ I say. “As if I would ever forget you, sister dear,’’ she replies.

I will never forget tonight and how family fun filled the void in my life if only for one night.

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