Before we go to the park

I have lived in Japan on and off about 14 years.  Not once have I studied the language.  I've been busy, OK?  No need to look at me like that.  I currently have one full time and 4 part time jobs, plus I am a TERRIBLE student.
When I was a newly wed, I had sweet visions of my husband teaching me his native language, as he went to teachers college to become an instructor of Japanese for foreigners before I met him.

He has never actually taught a class. He was horrified at how much work it is to teach some one to speak Japanese from scratch, and he made a quick exit from the teaching profession after being an assistant for just one week, admitting later (after we had been married some years) that he only did it to meet foreign women.    :)

We are going to the park.  I am the worlds cheapest date (according to my Mr.)  because I don't drink, I get nervous in fancy restaurants, and I like to spend a lot of time in the park, feeding the ducks and fish, watching the turtles, riding my bike at a leisurely pace.  Trips to Kichijoji park are a big thing in our house. We get to go on three train lines (all the boys in our house are hard core train fanatics, including The Daddy), we lurk in the expensive shops, breathing in their free airconditioning in the Summer, and we have a nice Tempura dinner at Tenya, after feeding the ducks and giant Koi in Inokashira Koen.  A special trip is made to get big bags of Fu, and left over bread is saved up, and carefully cut into little bits to tempt the ducks and fish close enough to see and take a picture.  Yaki Dango and Ice cream are purchased.  We all come back exhausted, full of snacks and sugar.

Before we go to the park, The Boy is helping me with my Japanese  (because his Dad,  never has), while we get ready.   The Daddy, is tired of my whining that he has never taught me any useful Japanese, so has helpfully made a trip to the second hand book shop, and bought a copy of "Teach your Gaijin Wife Japanese in 90 days!"  with a two CD set.  How hard can it be, right?

I dunno the word in the second question, so I asked The Boy what "Ben Lii" means, because I told him I didn't know this Ben Lii man. He says "I will give you a clue, it lets you start the whole house and drive it like a car with just pushing one button".  Wow, obviously a lot more information is conveyed in Japanese then, eh?  I was stumped.  Just so you know, The Boy is eight.

I look at the answer page while The Boy is not watching me, and the question was "What is useful about this?" in Japanese.
I am still laughing, and he is VERY cranky that I won't be serious! hahahahaha :) :)

The Duck is running interference by repeating everything The Boy says over the top of him.  Is it any wonder my Japanese is spotty and strange??  He also informs me, that the text book his Dad chose is Osaka Ben (with a strong Osaka dialect/accent, and we live waaaaay over in West Tokyo ) and "Mummee, you prolly shouldn't talk like that anyway  \(*o*)/