let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see

If ever you should attend a restaurant called Tho Tho on Victoria Street, be sure to tell them it's your birhtday - even if it's not. If you tell them it's your birhtday, they will bring out The Rude Cake.

We were there this weekend for The Birthday of my darling Ms Snazzles! There was no pretense needed; it was indeed the (day before the) 5th Anniversary of her 21st. However she was being coy, not wanting to bring it to the attention og the (comically inept/rude) waiting staff. Fortunately for everyone Jellyfish, Ms Kat and Brother-Snazzles conspired to out Ms Snazzles on her special day. Suddenly, a tinny muzak version of Happy Birthday starts playing, and a waiter arrives at the table with this - The Rude Cake:

There it was, lovers and dreamers. Truly a sight to behold: eight inches long, complete with mint-leaf pubes and fried ice-cream bollocks, literally oozing custard from its tip, and pointing its swollen head right at Snazzles - who happened to be sitting next to her mother. What a treat. Of course, much primary-school humour abounded as the penis-cake was shared... "My mouth is all sticky." "It's tastier than the last one I had." "God it gets all over you, doesn't it?!"

On Saturday night, we converged on The Retreat for the enormous joint birthday shebang of Darling Snazzles, Kranki, Sherrif and Fluffy. An atmosphere of celebration/chaos was more than adequately evoked simply by the sheer numbers (hundreds!) of partyers who braved the conditions (sweltering!) to rock-on in the beer garden. The participants indulged the 50's Beach Party theme to varying degrees, from all-out to cop-out. Personally I was decked out in a beautiful bright orange Hawaiian shirt, fluorescent green lei and big straw hat. The straw hat was abandonned early in the evening (munkey doesn't do hats, as a rule) and I also managed to misplace my lei by the end of the night (and haven't we all heard that before). The joint was still veritably jumping (I believe "Walk Like An Egyptian" had just hit the dancefloor) when I bundled myself into a taxi. Here's hoping the birthday boys and girls had an excellent evening. Joyeux Anniversaire!

Dragging myself out of bed, not too hungover *sensible-on-saturday-night-for-a-change munkey* I braved the almost inconveivably furnace-like Melbourne weather on Sunday to meet the lovely Mr Stevie for a coffee, before we both retreated back indoors. The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. I know there was airconditioning involved - as well as about 900 glasses of water.

A sad occasion last night: late in the evening, I traipsed over to the house of Snazzles, Moodles, Jellyfish and Plantman to farewell Krankiboy from our shores. I know, of all people, I have quite small emotional claim to this beloved yankee visitor. However it was important to me to be there to say goodbye - not just out of solidarity for my loved-ones who will be far more heart-broken by his departure - but also because it has been an honest-to-goodness joy getting to know him, and I will genuinely miss him. Travel safe Mr Kranki, and come back soon (or fucking else).

To paraphrase Moodles as she walked me out to my car last night, "It's good to have wonderful people around you." I have to agree. Wonderful people rock.