Tania's birthday

January is a big birthday month for us. Rob's is on the 11th, Joshy's is on the 24th - and this year our dear friend Tania celebrated a big milestone birthday over the weekend in Sydney. Quite a bit of planning went into how we would mark the occasion. The party's theme was black with "a splash of surrealism". My clever friend Jane designed and created this amazing birthday card for Tania .......   

and we all did our best to dress the part ......

Rob's outfit had quite a bit of input (and borrowed fish shoes) from Ella......

Tania broke the black code - but that's allowed because it was HER BIRTHDAY and HER party!

Jane, Tania and Judy - the band is back together again (complete with all our surreal accessories)!

Jane, Tania's daughter Aine and Tania .......

Our friend Nicki (we go back a long way too) was there on the night - looking healthy and looking forward to the new year after a tough few months of cancer treatment.

Jane and Graeme, Tania's daughter Morgan, and Nicki ......

Jane and Rose, Rob and Nicki ......

I said a few words to mark the occasion ...... trying my best to sum up the nearly four decades I have known and loved this amazing woman ........

Tania's cake was the HUGE hit of the evening. ...... evoking Salvador Dali's famous Mae West inspired lips sofa ... it was a sight to behold ....

Morgan and Aine created this masterpiece themselves - under the guidance of Rhonda the cake whisperer - but taking many, many, many hours, much butter, much red food colouring - and eventually breaking the fuse of Tania's oven (so stressful!!)

So many layers - of red velvet cake, vanilla cake, rich dark chocolate, butter cream and carefully laid rolls of fondant - and it actually tasted as good as it looked!

A typical Tania moment ......

There were around 60 people celebrating with Tania this night - so much love and affection, fun and laughter, dancing, and the most beautiful food and good wine. A night to remember.