I had pictured this for a long time -- sitting at a table outside Mr Prata eating a fluffy egg prata with fish curry. Only it is now called Prata Planet, but it was pretty much as good as I remembered. Eating off our tin plates amid other workers having breakfast while traffic zoomed below on Ave 5, early enough so it wasn't too hot yet, I felt content. Afterwards we drove to Clementi Market and brought home lots of goodies for the kids. So far so good.

Unfortunately, it's never so perfect once the kids are up. Finally after much angst, we decided to go to the birdpark. By the time we got there, it was 1, and the heat of the day had climbed to its zenith. Still, we fortified ourselves with laksa and chicken rice and were ready for the sun's onslaught.

I sound like a broken record but again, it would have been so nice had it not been so hot. All the children wanted to do was escape into the airconditioned places like the owl and penguin enclosures. Luckily the lory loft was a blast as usual. I got to meet Ruby, a king parrot who used to be a showbird but had to be retired after she bit someone in the audience. I noticed her sitting quietly by the birdkeeper, who then got her to talk and whistle by feeding her sunflower seeds. Every time I have been to the bird park or the zoo, something surprising and worthwhile will emerge.

Finally, we headed home for a much needed swim (at least for Izzy and me), and a lot of rousting to go to dinner at Margarita's with Margaret and Izzy Capodanno! Margaret has not changed one whit and Izzy has become an adorable young person. It was a little awkward at the start because the kids had forgotten each other and Ethan  had never had Mexican food. By the end of the evening, the kids had hit it off and Ethan pronounced his tacos "quite nice". Margaret drove us home, as J had taken the car to go running at MacRitchie. I wish we lived closer to them -- beginning with being in the same country! Margaret told me that the Hallocks are also moving back to Singapore. They will find it much changed.