Cultural Exchange

Sunday
We came home from yumchar with friends at KingBo in the City and found Beth's friends from across the road hanging about outside our home.

"Hello girls," said I as I heaved bags and Baby out of the car. "What've you been up to today?"
"Oh, nothing, playing," said D.
"Is Bethany allowed out?" asked C hopefully.

The girls followed us into the house. They come over so often it's like a second home (maybe cubbyhouse would be more appropriate). I've long given up closing bedroom doors to hide the mess within.

The kids hung out in the lounge while we packed away groceries, changed Baby's nappy and started cooking dinner.

"Beth, why don't you offer your friends some seaweed?" suggested CA kindly.

We'd done some shopping at the Asian grocery store on Russell St and each member of the family had come away with our own personal favourites. Beth's is seasoned seaweed, CA's is sambal belachan and those "kiam sui tee" (salty/sour/sweet) nibblies that he once offered his angmoh colleague, who politely accepted - with hilarious results. Mine's Owl Brand Teh Tarik. :-)

Beth duly dispensed packets of seaweed to her friends.

"Is this really from the sea?" asked C as she bit into the rectangular sheet.

We said yes, seaweed comes from the sea.

"Eew!" said C in disgust. "I thought they MADE it!"

D's reaction was more extreme.

"Yuck!" she spat.

"Oops," said CA. "I think there's chilli in the seaweed."

"Have you tried egg tarts before, girls?" I offered. "We got these from the City. It's like custard with pastry."

"I've never been to the City," said D.

We'd bought half a dozen from Maxim's, and they were still nice and warm, although somewhat wobbly after the journey over the Westgate Bridge.

Personally, I prefer the variation offered at KingBo, the kind with flaky pastry.

I'd just handed out 3 plates and 3 egg tarts when there came a rap on the front door.

It was the girls' mum.

"Hi Serena, how are you. (To the girls) C'mon, it's time to go home!"

I explained that we had just introduced her daughters to the delights of packet seaweed and they were about to sample egg tarts.

"Oh, alright. (To the girls) Another 10 minutes, and then you really must be home for tea!"

"But Bethany's taking the dog for a walk, and we haven't gone yet!" wailed D.

More complex negotiations and 2 half-eaten egg tarts later ("Yuck!" spat D after one bite), we finally left for our walk.

Our entourage certainly took up a lot of the footpath and nature strip: 2 adults, 3 kids, 1 baby and 1 over-excited dog making our way to the playground.

Come to think of it, this is a very nice estate. Everything's new and in relatively good condition. (Okay, I hate the graffiti on the playground equipment, and can't understand why people would think it's cool to deface public property.) All it lacks is a fancy name like Rose Grange or Claremont Park to put it up there with the new masterplanned communities that are coming up all over Tarneit, Truganina and Wyndham Vale.

The girls had fun on the swing and monkey bar, Scottie basked in the glory of having 3 girls fight over whose turn it was to hold his leash, and Baby J just lapped up everything in wide-eyed wonder. She's probably wondering when she can join in.

All in, it's been a good weekend.