reliving my youth

I turned 25 in January, and celebrated by moving to my Dad's house. I'm trying not to feel weird about missing out on fun, which is probably the thing about living at home that trips me up the most: sober-driving home a bit earlier than usual, or committing to a taxi home before everyone gets a second wind and stays out all night. I've become really comfortable on the couch, I weep over Catelynn and Tyler on 16 and Pregnant and watch far too much Jersey Shore.* Dad's house has a hammock to lie in, an elderly cat to befriend, a kitchen full of healthy food. I've paid off my credit card. The best thing about my Dad's house is my Dad, though. I haven't lived with him for more than four days at a time since I was ten. I get to hear the best, most punny Dad jokes before anyone else. So all in all, I think this is a good thing. 

*and feel vaguely and confusingly attracted to The Situation

mum's house

Tea and scones and my dear Mama's house on Sunday. She just threw it all together.  Hope you had a marvelous weekend. I had a mum date that was the most "Susie" day ever. We went to the Parnell Festival of Roses, had brunch and then bought some strawberries and fancy bread. While I was lazing with the cat at home, mum made scones. By the way, our phone chat was just the best, Lou-lou-la-lou.

lucky me, no, really

From: HAN 

Sent: Monday, 2 August 2010 3:36 p.m.
To: DAD 
Subject:POTENTIAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT

AHOY DAD

You may or may not be aware that I have started doing Bikram yoga (that’s the hot yoga). Anyway, it’s really good and I’m enjoying it a lot. However, individual classes are $20 each, which is really expensive. A ten trip pass is $160, and I have just found out that if I sign up within a week of my first class (which was on last Wednesday) I get 20% off that, which makes it a grand total of $128 which is only 12.80 per class which is really cheap!! So far I am planning on going twice a week. Maybe even three times if I’m feeling virtuous...

Sadly, payday looms from quite a distance, Wednesday week, in fact, so I cannot afford to take advantage of this good deal. This is where the potential Christmas present part comes in...what are your thoughts? Indeed, if you felt it would be easier, you could just give me the entire chunk of Christmas present money early and gift me an empty card with a nice note in it come December 25^th.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this proposal.

Xxx

Han

-----------------------------------------

From: DAD
Sent: Tuesday, 3 August 2010 8:17 a.m.

To: HAN
Subject:RE:POTENTIAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Ahoy there Hannah,

Xmas present put into bank account.  Keep the yoga going.  Love dad xxx 

DAD

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Picture from here

nostalgia

I think most children of divorced parents find it incredibly bittersweet to look at photos of their childhood. I know I certainly do. I feel this pulling in my chest when I see photos of us all together. That's not to say it makes me feel terribly sad, but there is an indefinable tugging sensation. I think that when my parents separated, my heart was broken for the first time, and looking at those photos makes it ache a little.

One thing I love about my parents is that even though they are separated now, they were together for a long time before they had children.

At around my age they were married and travelling the world together. When they left New Zealand, my Dad had to hide on the other side of the ship so my Mum's very strict Croatian parents would not know they were going away together. They even worked on a kibbutz in Israel (Mum didn't like it and Dad had to spent a lot of time keeping the other men away from her. Did I mention my Mum is really, really pretty?)

When they returned to New Zealand they lived in a dank little flat in Wellington and my Aunty remembers them dancing in the kitchen together while making pumpkin soup. We've found photos they took of themselves, cheek to cheek, holding the camera at arms length. It makes me feel hopeful, knowing that they were that in love, for that long a time.

I found this picture of my dad with either me or my older sister at the beach. I think its quite lovely. xx

our parents are awesome

How lovely are these pictures from my parents were awesome? There are the usual ridiculous and embarassing photos on there but also a whole lot of really nice sixties and seventies snapshots, with long hair and beads and soft lighting galore. Han's parents wouldn't look out of place on this site, my mother's outrageous magenta hair circa 1985 might even fit in too...