Good times

Dear Sarah (what a cool name)

Loved catching up the other night on the phone! I wanted to write and share a few of the cooler moments from the Lonsdale family holiday. Going away before Christmas is wonderful but provides a false sense of ‘calmness’ before the sometimes ‘storm’ of Chrissy. When I went grocery shopping yesterday after arriving home, I had to remind myself to relax, as I navigated my trolley around the place. Great to be home. Amazing to have been with my family.

Somehow each day on holiday, I managed to stay asleep in my bed, while my mother and Matty looked after the girls. I think it was mostly mum (secretly getting the girls to make birthday cards for me) but Matt had a share in that.

Horse riding (Yes, even me!), rock climbing, water sliding, archery and the flying fox were highlights for us all.

Times where we just sat together while the kids played lego or cards or dolls. Beautiful. Often hilarious.

Getting the family Christmas ready with the kids and then having it. Uncle Jeremy giving us presents that were our own already! Sneaky guy stealing our stuff to wrap up. Very funny.

Loads and loads of good food and of course a lot of coffee.

A moment of reflection and thanks to my family for their support over the past few years of crazy-ness. Some tears, of course.

And Sezzy – loads of playing cards and even me teaching our family and friends (30 at one stage) to play Danish rounders! Whoop whoop! Missed you my beautiful friend. It won’t be long till we see you again – someone recently asked if I was heading to the UK next year! How funny. Do you think they will pay?

Thanks for your generosity towards me. I anticipated this being crazy-hard with the girls going. But it’s been good. It’s been softer and it’s been more comfy having the familiar around in the unfamiliar time. Matt and I have snuck coffee’s when we could, I’ve taken him to my fav café, we’ve even watched a bit of ‘The Wire’ (how many bad words are in that? poor Grandma!).

“Presence is a delicious word because it points to one of our truly great gifts. Nothing else can take the place of presence, not gifts, not telephone calls, not pictures, not mementos, nothing. As the person who has lost a lifelong mate what they miss the most; the answer is invariably “presence”. When all are ill, we don’t need soothing words nearly as much as we need loved ones to be present. What makes shared life – games, walks concerts, outings and a myriad of other things – so pleasurable? Presence”.

Love you Sarah. You are one beautiful wahine. Talk soon, love me.