National Day Tan style

Packrat and I aren't all that patriotic. We have so much issue with the government it's hard to draw a line between government and country. But both of us have realised that with children, it gets easier to get excited about National Day because they are excited about it.

Anyway, I do like parts of the National Day parade- the military bits. I push to the back of my head the roots of where all this military show off originates from though.

So, this morning, having heard that all the military vehicles involved in the parade were in a holding pattern at a huge open air carpark near the parade grounds, we take the twins there. And there, lined neatly and looking all spit polished and buffed were what our tax money paid for. Lines and lines of tanks, Howitzers, troop carriers and bridge laying vehicles.

Both of them greeted the sight with a big "WOOOOWWW!"

Things we noticed.

1. The Howitzer was pulled by a vehicle with wheels taller than Evan.

2. The troop carriers looked remarkably claustrophobic.

3. Naval divers had bad dress sense. Short shorts, tight Ts with their Gortex boots does not make a pretty sight.

4. Both children commented that there were a lot of leaves on the vehicles. We tried explaining the concept of camouflage to them but it got lost in translation.

5. The NS men guarding our nation's military hardware really didn't care that kids were clambering atop the vehicles.

Jordan wanted to get into the boat. When I said she had to ask the Navy soldier she told me straight off that he'd said yes. Should I be worried that the girl can lie without batting an eye to get what she wants?




















Evan wasn't particularly interested after a while, wanting to duck into the nearby shopping mall to ride the elevators.

Jordan's interest was sustained a little while longer.

She was thrilled that she could read the letters on the speedboat. And when I told her that it spelt Navy, she repeated it a couple of times. She had tired of it when I videoed her and the video shows her exasperation at Mommy for making her repeat a task she'd already performed to perfection.





But what disturbed and tickled me the most was this. 4 NS men in full number 4 attire were walking towards us and she waltzes up to them and declared loudly "I like soldiers!"

Wait till Papa hears you say that Jordan! He'll lock you up, forever!


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