two decades passed and yet...

So it was my birthday a few days back. Gosh, I'm two decades old now. It's so hard to believe. But anyway, the day was spent normally as May is usually a month of mourning, since it's when grandpa passed away. We did have cake though. Happily I didn't have to make it myself, rather we got it from this cozy little bakery in my neighborhood. They carry a variety of sweet and savory breads along with decadent mousses and cakes. It's quite a treasure... but trapped, unfortunately, in a battlefield of a neighborhood.

The cake was exceptional. Smooth ice cream filling that wasn't overly sweet between two layers of cotton soft cake, topped with an assortment of fruits and a nest of shaved dark chocolate. <3

I wasn't really expecting any presents, since I rarely tell people about my birthday, but goodness... I was shocked and awed beyond measure.

A tea cake mold! I've always wanted one of these~

And a wonderful sketch journal from bocchan. I finally have a place to draw... rather than doing it on my textbooks. >_>;;

And goodness, it didn't stop there~ I was ambushed by friends on campus the day after my birthday wherein they dragged me away to lunch at a quaint Thai restaurant.

 I had the pineapple fried rice. Quite a lovely dish it was: Large tender shrimp, succulent chunks of sweet and tangy pineapple, with savory slices of chicken and pieces of egg all tossed together in fried rice that carried the flowery aroma of yellow curry. I would definitely return to this restaurant... if I could only remember where it was. Haha.

This has to be the most wonderful birthday I've ever had! I am truly blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. My gratitude for you all is perpetual.