Goggles are aviators?

Two years ago I baked a cake on my dad's birthday, as a little tribute to him, and asked the family to "decorate" it with sketches of some of his favourite things. Cyra was my very willing helper and added to the theme by making a big red heart in glitter in the middle of the cake and then taking it around for everyone to add their bit. I decided I would add my dad's aviators to the mix and asked Cyra what she thought. "Goggles are aviators?" she asked. Inodded. "Yes, yes do it, it will look good". I started to draw them with this tube of edible paint. I've never been much of an artist, so I realized after a few seconds that the frame was looking fairly lopsided. "Oh no", I shrieked, "it's all teda, what to do?", I turned to Cyra for encouragement. She looked grim, "It's looking quite horrible, Reem". I was hurt, "it's not that bad!". She shook her head, "Just horrible".

Shaheen walked in during this exchange, and I turned to her for help (much like I did as a

kid when she did all my charts for me!). "Do something, the aviators look awful. I'm ruining the cake". She burst out laughing and said "Couldn't you have chosen something easier to draw if you couldn't do this". I turned to Cyra accusingly, "She said it would look good". She laughed again and said "why are you taking advice from a 6 year old? serves you right". Cyra just held her hands up in despair, "How did i know she was a horrible drawer". While I was shaken by this repeated use of the word "horrible" and amused at being called a "drawer", Shaheen quickly did a little bit of damage control to get the aviators looking acceptable.

Today i'm thinking of that little exchange and my dad, who would have been 70 years today. How he would have laughed at Cyra's candour and would probably have said "She's absolutely right Reem!". We're all thinking of him today and I will be baking a cake this weekend. I'm sure Cyra will have much to say about it. And I doubt he would want it any other way - cake, a drink, and lots of laughter, even if it's my expense! Happy birthday Pa...always remembered, forever loved.