Cake or Death?

Quite a while ago my brother in law Mikey made a suggestion that was so inherently awesome that it just could not go undone.
Barb had been making some cake (it may have been the TARDIS) and we were throwing around suggestions for which cake she would make for my birthday. Mikey just looked at us and said 'Duh, isn't it obvious? You have to do Cake or Death.'
For those of you not familiar with the delightful Eddie Izzard, Cake or Death may not mean a lot to you but it has become a bit of a cult classic among my group of friends. It was such an appropriate suggestion that there was no going back.

So last night was the night. My Cake or Death party had arrived. Barb had worked hard the last couple of days and apart from a small hiccough when transporting the cakes, they arrived at my place looking fabulous.



Barb was going to make the lillies herself but didn't have enough time and so she paid a small fortune for these ones. She then ended up complaining that she should have made them since her lillies taste much better than shop bough ones.


We'd thrown around a few ideas on how we would achieve 'Death' and pretty early on decided on a headstone. To get ideas Barb Googled 'headstone cake' and came up with a link to my blog! She wasn't impressed that I hadn't included a photo of what I thought it should look like!



Since it's not that often I get to dress up all pretty I thought I'd make the effort for the evening (it was my birthday do after all!). It actually turned out to be one of the most expensive outfits I've ever worn! I wore my netting skirt I bought in Edinburgh, my big boots and the corset I bought for K-Lees' wedding and when I added up how much all those items cost me it came to over $500! Since my wedding dress was only $350 it is definitely the most expensive outfit I've ever worn. I rather liked it though!
This isn't the best photo, it's a little dark but it'll give you the general idea.

Barb had left Mikey with the kids and came round beforehand to help set up. I think she rather enjoyed having a little time to herself and so she asked if she could have a shower and get ready here without three screaming children clustered about (a rarity for her). She may have been a little excited by this 'me' time however as she wasn't concentrating completely when shaving her legs and ended up with a gouge two inches long up her shin that bleed profusely for a number of hours.
All ended well as she didn't bleed to death and she stayed to enjoy the party.


Jo came around beforehand also but didn't stay as she had to get home to Darce and the puppy. Before she left I made sure I got a photo of her with Barb as everyone says they look like twins. I've never been able to see this. I'll grant you that they look more alike than I do with either of them but I've not ever thought they were almost identical.

I'd had roughly 35 people RSVP to say they were coming and about ten people say they might be coming and so I went into a bit of a mad panic rushing around making sure I had enough nibblies and drinks. I shouldn't have worried however. I guess it's a little like a Tupperware party. They always say to invite twice as many people as you'd actually like there since half of those who say they'll come never do. In the end there were only about twenty of us and I have so much junk food left over that it'll take forever to get rid of. Normally I'd be a little disappointed that so many people didn't show up (and the majority didn't even let me know they wouldn't be coming) but at the end of the day everyone who turned up were the ones I really wanted to be there and that's important. I'd rather have a smaller gathering with my real friends than a larger one with acquaintances any day.

First to arrive was Smerk! We hadn't seen each other (literally, not internetly) since the Spicks and Specks live show and it was great to catch up. We've promised to catch up again before Christmas and hopefully we'll catch up before Boo and Mouse come in October. But if things get too hectic and that doesn't happen at least we'll know that we'll see each other at the MoH Perth reunion!


Tash was the second to arrive and it was great to catch up with her too. We got to know each other back in our Rally days and you become friends really quickly when you spend hours sitting in freezing rain doing nothing but waiting for a yellow T18 with red splotches to come hurtling into the pits so you can change the tyres.
Tash is a little like Smerk in that she lives in the same city but on the other side of it (but in the opposite direction to Smerk) so we don't get to catch up anywhere as near as often as we'd like.


I had several work friends come round and that included Joanne, my 'date' from K-Lees' wedding. Jo and I have always gotten on wonderfully and have heaps in common. Like husbands that say hardly anything and are quieter than mice. Myles and Christian can sit in a room for hours and say two words between them. Despite this, Myles and I get on really well, perhaps due to my experience with filling in the silent gaps myself. A while back when we'd only met a few times Myles turned to Jo and said 'I really like that Annie girl. She's really nice' and Jo just nodded and agreed and Myles said 'You know exactly where you stand, it's really refreshing. I really like her' to which Jo replied 'Bloody hell, is she your other wife?'. And so I am now known as Myles' floozie and he as my 'other husband'.


I'm not too sure what Chiaki is doing in this photo...and I didn't even suggest (out loud anyway) that she may excel in certain professions....lol

I managed to track down my hubby for a photo. He was rather shaggy beforehand and I knew he'd be shaving but I asked him if he'd leave a bit on as I think he looks hot like this! It makes kissing him a little scratchie but I don't mind!


After having my photo taken with the other hubby it was time to get a photo with the other love of my life. Joanne and I were rather unaware of Steve and Kathryn in the background at the time...


The guys from work who showed up.


I can't quite recall what we were going on about that was so funny but I think it had something to do with cleavage...


It was soon cake time but before we did that I made everyone sit down in the lounge room and watch Eddie so they knew the reason for the cakes wasn't because I was a nutter. Then I was made to blow out candles and everyone sang Happy Birthday. It was rather funny when they got to the 'Happy Birthday dear...' part because there were 'Annies', Netties' and 'Annettes' all in there together and so it sounded like 'Blahblahblah'.
Barb got this awful photo of me turning around and so I look like an ape but that hasn't stopped me from posting bad photos before!


Christian got Buzz for his birthday and so fun was had by most playing that for a while.


The last photo is of Chiaki and I since the other one of her that I had wasn't exactly flattering! By this stage my contacts had gotten a little blurry and so I'd thrown on my glasses. I forgot that no one really sees me in my glasses so I got a few strange looks at first. These are the ones I ordered online. Only cost me $8 US! Woo!

All in all I had a fun night. I had a few drinks but didn't get drunk - in fact I don't think anyone drank enough to get drunk. I think the memory of Christian's party was a little too fresh!
This morning I've just spent tidying and doing this post but hopefully a little later on I'll go for a hike with Christian and then maybe read for a bit (I bought three Doctor Who books with the money Mum gave me for my birthday). A nice relaxing end to the weekend!