We started with a celebratory lunch at a new restaurant called Warm Coastal (whatever that means), with Diane wearing her birthday present from Daniel.
Since we had a faculty development session that day, we took a break and had birthday cake. Birthdays are fairly new celebrations here, since the traditional way is everyone turns a year older when the lunar new year arrives.
Diane and Jenny, a teaching colleague, then celebrated together. In China the birthday cake is eaten before the meal. Life is too short to miss dessert, right?
Jenny turned 55, the age of mandatory retirement for women. Dinner was in her husband's show room; he designed the table and chairs in his picture and is on the left in the red shirt. Their son and niece are next to Jenny.
The birthday women finished the meal with the traditional bowl of noodles with egg; the egg symbolizes a year without problems and the noodles are for long life. So we're looking forward to a great year.