We were taking Miss Five and Miss Eight into the city for a special show for their birthdays, which are in fact three months apart.

The tickets were quite expensive, and as well there would be train fares and lunch out. It all added up to quite a lot. But there couldn’t be NO surprise to open on the special day – could there?! More gifts were bought and wrapped beautifully. The gift wrapping was of course just ripped off! No recycling happening. 

By now, they probably would not even remember that this outing was their MAIN birthday gift.

Everything was smooth during the long train trip into the city. We were in a “quiet carriage” so all conversation was whispered. Pa and Miss Five sent silent phone messages across the aisle to Miss Eight and myself. It was quite fun, met the criterion of being quiet ... and passed the time.

Lunch should have been smooth. Miss Eight wanted sushi and we bought her the chosen sushi combination platter. Miss Five wanted a tub of rice pudding with nutmeg on top! Pa and I were going to share a galette and a pancake from the French place. It turns out that Miss Eight only liked HALF the sushi – and wanted to try Miss Five’s rice pudding. Miss Eight therefore ate just TWO pieces of sushi out of eight, as she needed two to swap with Miss Five. Intense bargaining had been happening. When the meal arrived for Pa and myself, you will doubtless guess what happened when they saw how delicious our food looked. Of COURSE we shared with them “Sharing is caring” – right? Pa and I finished the unwanted sushi.

I am not sure how sushi and rice pudding tasted when eaten alternately, along with a galette (with pork sausage in apple cider, caramelised onions and mushrooms), and of course a pancake (with coconut ice-cream and home-made Belgian chocolate), but the girls seemed happy enough.

Then a long walk to the theatre.

Pa had unfortunately forgotten his walking stick, so he was lagging behind. Miss Five was excited at being grown up and kept skipping ahead – no, she would NOT hold my hand for more than a couple of minutes. Miss Eight’s sparkly shoes were rubbing and forming a blister, and she couldn’t walk fast. She had the perfect solution to keeping us all together.

“Pa, I’ll be your walking stick!” she announced. “Put your hand on my head and turn me in the direction you want to go!”

Miss Five could not be left out, so she volunteered to be MY walking stick. I don’t have a walking stick normally, but that day I did. We followed Pa and Miss Eight, my hand firmly on her head, turning her in the appropriate direction. It was fun. Who cares what the crowds of people thought?

We arrived in comfortable time, and visited the bathrooms, then found our seats in the theatre and settled in with a few minutes to spare. I relaxed. Wait. We needed to have another trip to the bathroom. I explained to the usher. No problem. We made it back, just in time. I relaxed again.

The show was slightly scary for Miss Five, so she spent most of it wriggling and squirming on my knees. A pity we couldn’t have bought just THREE seats.

Of course, the show was based on a book ("Ratburger” by David Walliams) … and lo and behold, there was a souvenir stall, selling his book. (Great marketing!) Yes, being the Nanny I am, I am always trying to encourage reading, and this was a BIG book with a couple of hundred pages! Miss Eight was very persuasive, and Miss Five could read it as soon as she could manage that number of pages. Something special to look forward to, because now that she had seen the show, the book would not be scary. Probably when she is about eight.

After the show, we noticed an activity centre in the foyer of the theatre – craft! It looked interesting and was free. Something else special to take home.

The handsome young man welcomed the two girls to seats and said I was very welcome to join them and help the girls. Me? Help? He obviously doesn’t know I can’t cut a straight line. He sort of ushered me next to Miss Five. No seat.

He explained what to do, and got them started. Next step: cut out …. But wait! Where are the left-handed scissors? Miss Five is left-handed, like her mother. There were none. I did my best to cut out the appropriate parts. Where was Pa? Sitting on a comfortable chair nearby. He smiled and waved.

At last we were finished and the results were impressive. I am not quite sure what they were meant to be, as they didn’t seem to relate to the show. Headbands with penguin beaks, googly eyes surrounded by super long eyelashes and curls from pipe cleaner and paper.

Yes, they wore these as we walked back towards the train session – and they were, once again, our walking sticks. We stopped for several minutes in amazement at a magic “golden man” sitting suspended in air and held up only by a walking stick! We couldn’t figure it out. We got a photo of the girls standing on either side of him - for the cost of a donation! The man has to make a living, of course!

We were stopped again, this time by a man with a sign announcing a “free scoop of ice-cream” at the nearby ice-cream parlour. Sounded good. Yet we all know that nothing is really free. We also know that children can’t resist getting free ice-cream.

Several minutes later ... I am now signed up to receive information about an expensive hotel chain, necessary for a voucher for a free ice-cream (and will doubtless receive endless emails), and the girls each have a delicious cone. One is "Chocolate Chip Crackle” and the other is “Cotton Candy”. The second cone cost $7.50! I must remember to unsubscribe from the hotel chain. Pa and I somehow missed being offered a taste of the treats.

We finally arrived back at home.  Miss Eight was to return to her place, having had her sleepover the previous evening, while Miss Five was staying on for her sleepover.

I messaged their mother to say we had returned safely. Yes, I was half hoping she would pick up Miss Eight, to save an hour’s driving for us. Apparently not. Perhaps she was enjoying having Miss Three on her own. Okay, toasted cheese sandwiches and fruit for a quick meal. Pa drove Miss Eight home, while I got Miss Five ready for bed.

I then got myself ready for bed, knowing the next day would start very early!

I chose NOT to add up the total cost of the day, nor for their birthday gifts this year.