The First Hash

Dear Baby,

Yesterday, the third sunday of the month and year, mommy took you to your first kids hash! It was a couple of firsts too, the first time mommy had driven with you more than ten minutes in the car, and the first time you got to explore the great backyard! (in reference to your Signing Time: My Great Outdoors DVD).

We got to the site and parked behind Auntie Wina and Uncle Joey just as they were getting themselves ready. Mommy had already thrown our water bottles into a backpack with a small towel and wipes and some money. We walked up to the gathering site which was located at someones home. Mommy signed you in as guest and paid the $10. For the next three runs it'll cost $10 per run, after that you'll be member of the Junior Hash House Harriers and would only need to pay $6 instead per run as JH3 only happens once a month.

We were a bit late and the run had already started, 4pm, we went in after checking which paper trail to follow, there were two, a short run and a long run. Since it was your first, we all decided to do the short run, and for that particular run, we were to follow the long wide paper strips.

You decided that Monkey should come with you and he followed us in as well. The first part was walking through the uneven grassy grounds. The next part was crossing a small plank that goes over a little stream, and the beginning of an upward climb up a hill. Auntie Wina started singing and mommy joined in:

Lets pack our bags, and grab a tent we're going to explore,

Open the door,

Head down the trail,

Over the bridge,

Carefully cross the stream,

Into the woods,

Climb a mountain,

Explore our great backyard!

You watched that DVD so many times we have memorised the lyrics! Uncle Joey was impressed, he thought Auntie Wina and Mommy came up with the song just like that. We told him where it came from, heheh.

And climb a mountain we did. The forested hill was just going up and up, and since you didn't want to walk, mommy had to carry you, Auntie Wina carried Monkey, and us three adults haven't hashed in ages so all of us were finding it a little bit exhausting. You walked a little bit on the hill, and when you stopped mommy picked you up again.

When we reached the top of the hill, there was a clearing and we took a break so mommy can give you some water to drink and we looked at the view, there was a housing estate in the yonder and we wondered which development that must be, guessing on our calculation, it could be Meraggang. While we were there more children and their parents turned up and we decided to move on before the little clearing got crowded.

Downhill we go, we went through the bracken, again you walked a little bit and then mommy carried you the rest of the way, we saw the trail had split into two, one fore the short run and the other for the long run. We kept to our paper and turned right. After the bracken we got to another clearing. Auntie Wina took the opportunity for you to learn textures and you touched the fuzzy mop of grass and the leaves from nearby branches and kept you clear of the razor grass.

Uncle Joey ended up carrying Monkey

Mommy, Dyanna and Auntie Wina at hash

The paper trail lead us to a ledge, mommy went down first and Auntie Wina handed you over and mommy got a hold of you and all of us got down onto a rocky terrain. That was when mommy wanted to take a picture to commemorate your first hash! There were lots of other children by then passing by as we were almost near the end of the trail and you walked most of the way after that. And just as the trail ended, you wanted to be carried again and mommy carried you all the way to the starting site and signed you out.

There was a coupon for food and drink and we claimed it, which was a hotdog with onions and a juice pack that day, which you don't fancy so mommy had some. Auntie Wina and Uncle Joey had kebabs from the kebab stall that had set up shop, other kids and adults were seen eating fish and chips too. There were mandarin oranges handed out and mommy had some and you had a bite as well. You were mesmerized to see the bigger kids running around, and some were playing ball. Mommy learnt and realised that it was the Chinese New Year run and there was a lion dance troop setting up ready to give their performance. Some kids started beating the drum with their hands and you wanted to join in too, and you asked mommy to carry you and pointed you wanted to go there, so we walked up to the drum and you started banging away. Mommy put you down and directed you to the lower end of the drum and you were able to reach standing on tippy toes and you were the shortest amongst the kids who were banging on the drums. Mommy should've taken a picture of that.

We positioned ourselves as best able and we jumped when the firecrackers started, mommy wished I had brought your BabyBanz earmuffs and used my hands to cover your ears to try to lessen the noise of the firecrackers and the clashing cymbals. The lion was dancing and everyone stood and sat around watching the performance. You had the opportunity to feed one of the lion with a couple of red packet ang pows, you were delighted to be able to be so close to the lion and stroked the lion. We left not long after that as it was time we should be heading home. As we walked back to the car we could still hear the sound of the lion dance.

At first you didn't want to be strapped in and mommy had to sing 'row row row your boat' before you calmed down. And we left the place in a good mood, you played with your toys and we got home just before the sun had set. That night you slept by 8pm and totally exhausted and so was mommy.

Love,
Mommy