Im blithely teaching my student at the dining table. Terelle senses something is different about today. She saunters over and asks, "Why am i not going to school today, Mummy?"
"Cos its a public holiday."
"What's a public holiday?"
"Its a day when everyone does not work."
"But daddy is working." (Hubby's big boss is in town so he has to be at an important meeting)
"Daddy is special, he has to go to the office. Ok be good, go watch your cartoon, after Mummy has finished tuition, ill bring you out okie?"
"Yay! We're going out! I love you Mummy!"
She quietly settles down to watch tv for the next 45min. After my lesson, i decide that since its a cloudy and cool day, we could head down to the Botanic Gardens to have a picnic and feed the fishes. So I start packing some picnic things to take along.
"Are we going now Mummy? Are we??"
"Yes, after you finish your lunch."
"Oh man!" (Accompanied by a dramatic hanging of her head and exasperated shaking of her hands - This girl deserves an Oscar for her theatrics)
I call my parents and tell them of my plans for the day, to which they reply that its too hot to go to the gardens now and that i should make the kids take their nap 1st and then head down in the evening.
I agree (against my better judgement) and feed my by now extremely bored girl her lunch.
After lunch she dejectedly lies on the playmat in the living room and declares in a forlorn voice, "Its so boring at home, i want to go out Mummy, im so bored"
"ok ok we'll go out after your nap ok? Gong Gong and Por Por says its too hot to go out now. All the fishes are hiding deep in the pond, they will not come to the surface cos the sun will fry them"
"oh fry them? Then they will die? ok then ill sleep now, we go later when the sun is not so hot right?"
"yes i promise we will go later"
And so she happily skips off to bed. An hour and a half later, she jumps out of bed with a broad grin and chirps,"Are we going out now? Are we are we??"
By then it has started to rain cats and dogs and i was silently cursing myself for not following my instinct just now and just gone when the weather was fine.
"We have to wait for the rain to stop. Anyway Baby Bone is still sleeping. We will go when he wakes up ok?"
"oh its raining so the fishes will get wet then they wont come to the surface?"
"Hahahha the fishes are already wet cos they are living in the water. We will get wet if we go out in the rain. Then we will get sick."
"oh ok we go later"
Seemingly appeased for the time being, she skips off to play with her toys for a whole of 5 min before announcing again,"Im bored mummy! BORED! I dont want to stay at home. I know! Lets go to the children's playground!! The one that is nearby?"
"Aunty Yiling says its closed for renovation."
"Oh man!" (Dramatic hanging of head and wringing of hands again)
Her head suddenly jerks up and she implores longingly
"What about the other indoor children's playgrounds? You can drive there!"
"Its a public holiday baby, they will be very crowded"
"Oh man!" (This time she throws herself onto the mat and lies there with a woebegone look on her face)
"We will still go to the botanic gardens to feed the fish, just wait for the rain to stop ok?"
She doesnt answer me. I think she is angry with me. Haha...
After half an hour, the rain slows to a drizzle so i decide to take a risk and venture out. Terelle can hardly contain her excitement as i bundle both the kids into the car.
"Are we going to feed the fish now Mummy? Are we?"
"yes, yes. Pray hard its not raining at the botanic gardens ok?"
"Ok....god please dont rain at the botanic gardens please please" After which she settles back in her seat and happily starts singing her songs.
It was raining throughout our entire journey to the gardens and i was half expecting to have to deal with her disappointment at not being able to feed the fish after all. Miraculously, right after i parked the car, the rain stopped and we all headed straight for the Symphony lake.
As she was standing there gleefully throwing bread into the pond (bread sponsored by Gong Gong and Por Por who trooped all the way to Katong to buy scraps from a bakery), she turned to me and gave me a disdainful look.
"At last im finally having fun Mummy!"
"...?? ...??!!"
Since when did it become my fault??? Hahahah...
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