My favourite family routine

As E and I inch towards the creation of our own little family, there's one thing I'm really going to miss with mine. On a day to day basis, we get so caught up with our own lives that it's not easy to spend quality time together, dad has his work, bro has his studies, while I have my 'happening' social life (NOT!), mum has always been the pillar of support at home, so I try to make it home for dinner on weekdays, so that she has company, even if the boys aren't home.

However, nothing beats having the whole family together right? That's why sundays have unofficially been recognised as family day. The one day where everyone would be at home. We'ld all laze around doing our own thing until dad gives us the signal that it's time to head out for breakfast/lunch/brunch, then we'ld all rush around like mad.

Once everyone is ready, we'ld all huddle into the car and as dad drives out of the house, the unavoidable question pops up. "Where to eat?" And the standard response would be, "Errr, where ah", "Anywhere", "What you want to eat?" And at random, we'ld mention places that have long disappeared, like Compass Rose, Coachman Inn and whatnots.

Sometimes we'ld head for our standard faves like the Beach Road Prawn Mee shop at Upper East Coast Road, Cafe Cartel or even Ikea. But once in a while, inspiration strikes and we'ld go on a little adventure, heading for places such as Clementi West or Holland Drive for fish/crab bee hoon.

On Mother's Day, inspired dad drove to Botanic Gardens, we were flabbergasted. Were we heading for the atas type places in the gardens? That didn't really sound like dad. Our routine leaned towards the more relaxed and casual. Then it conspired that we were going to the new Taman Serasi food garden. I had no idea that it had reopened, so this came as a big surprise to me.

We headed straight the murtabak stall where dad ordered like we've been starved for days. Two murtabaks (chicken/seafood), 1 curry fish head and the extremely sinful sup tulang. I could practically feel my arteries clogging up but hey, we only live once right?

Later, our tummies filled, we took a stroll around the gardens. Believe it anot, it's our first time there as a family. I've been there a couple of times with E but the parents and bro have not. So it was pretty fun, doing the touristy thing, walking around, pointing out squirrels and examining the flora around us. It was pretty much family bonding time, so much so that we started acting silly, playing around. Even the parents got into the act.

It's days like this that I'll really miss once I'm married. I know we'll still be living near them but things will still be different. But you know what? Instead of dwelling on what might be, I'll just bask in the present and enjoy family time with dad and mum now.