+1/2!

As fate would have it all three of the BYSerbia ladies celebrate our natal anniversaries in the second half of August. Since we began this year shortly after that we were denied the possible fun which would emerge through a Serbian celebration. Instead of letting this fun pass us by we gathered up our pals and collectively celebrated our 18 and a half birthday.



To put this in context, I have celebrated, or at least recognized, my half-birthday since I realized such a dichotomous exists. I love festivities and fun and sprinkles and each holiday, however insignificant, gives reason to have fun with friends and dress fun in particular colors so I take pride in conducting utmost celebration. For me this date falls directly after Hallmark's largest grossing holiday (I'd imagine), the salute to St. Valentine. As such my mom, being a contender for the best in the world, humored me and we'd bake – meaning she'd baked and I'd guinea pig – some delicious treat in celebration of the neighboring occasions. Once I wasn't privy to her baking and she only showed me half a cake insisting that she was able to shape and bake a semi-circled cake (oh it rhymes!). At the age when gullible isn't in the dictionary one chooses to be mystified by the how rather than doubting the woman who just made you a cake, or half of one. My mom made each Valentine's day~half-birthday unique and even in Serbia I received a pink Princeton shirt and crooning card wishing the merriest of merriest on my 18.5 day. Yup she's pretty fantastic.

Anyway after minor poking of fun my group members signed on to this folly and this past Sunday we had a three way half-birthday zurka (party) with our group and host siblings. I often write about palacinke (crepes); I expect to miss them the most upon reemergence into the society of thick pancakes and at least once a week our group meets before work or class to treat ourselves to palacinke. Since we've grown so fond of them we themed the party around them and provided an array of slane i slatke (sweet and savory) toppings. We also baked two desserts: a pumpkin pie from a can of Libby's and Betty Crocker just add water crust that Jill's sister sent for Thanksgiving but thanks to the ever-reliable Serbian postal service didn't arrive until late December & a plazma cake, made from Serbia's proud proprietary Plazma.






It was a glorious evening and without this perhaps inane midpoint-recognizing ritual that fun would have been lost so here's to the half-birthday because really, why not celebrate being ~183 days older?