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It was the end of summer. The air was warm and smelled of freshly

mowed grass. Sylvia played outside in the backyard. In the shade of a thick grapevine canopy,

it was nice and cool. Although the yard was small, it had all of the trappings of an enjoyable

playground. A wooden swing hung from the thick branch of a cherry tree. A red bicycle with

training wheels was parked near the fence. And right in the middle sat a big sand box.

Colorful toys were scattered across the sand like seashells on an oceanless beach.

Assisted by her loyal dog, Picky, little Sylvia played with a set of baking toys.

She fetched water from the kitchen in a small blue bucket. She managed to keep at least half

of the water from splashing out on the way back to the sand box, where she carefully poured

some of the liquid into a basin in the sand. Mixing wet ingredients with dry ones was after

all one of the first steps when baking. She enjoyed the grainy feeling of the wet sand

between her fingers. It wasn't quite the same as cookie dough and didn't bring the joy

of a sweet treat, but it was still quite fun. Once she had the perfect consistency for

a sandy dough, it was time to choose a baking mould. A cupcake, a cookie, or a slice of cake.

Sylvia said to Picky who laid nearby. The cupcake mould was yellow, Sylvia's favourite

colour, making it a top choice. But since her upcoming tea party had a guest, she also

asked for his opinion. Picky had fallen asleep, stretched on a fresh patch of grass. He enjoyed

the quiet afternoon, ideal for a trip to Puppie Dreamland. His breaths were calm, yet his ears

...