A number of people asked how I could do it. They seemed frankly surprised when I said I wasn't missing my boy. It's almost like they expected me to be almost falling apart. "That must be hard, how do you do it?" they'd ask, wonder in their eyes.
Ah, well it's quite simple really, I give the child to my mother and don't think about them too much. I have a rest. He has an amazing time with someone who cares deeply for him. (Okay, disclaimer: I did think about him a reasonable amount. And he was with the person in his world who can settle him when he is unhappy, which is always a helpful thing to know when your child is off far away on a big plane so you don't worry TOO much!).
So what did we adults get up to without a child in the house?
Well, wouldn't you like to know! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Shhhhhh....some things should remain a secret. Okay, okay, I'll tell you...
I read a whole entire TWO NOVELS! Ah, bliss. We had icecreams. Just us. We went on a spontaneous visit outside town. I did NO study for once, as it was mid year break. And I can't remember what else, except that it honestly, truly didn't feel long enough before my delightful noisy, demanding, curious, huggable, lovable boy returned to us with tales of zoos, trains, boats, planes, uncles and aunts, and great adventures with his grandmother.
But I can tell you that we enjoyed a lovely bush walk. One I'd hoped to take Munchkin on sometime, but am glad we did alone. It would have been too steep for him, for at least a year yet.
We went to the Whataroa Falls at Otanewainuku.
We saw some gorgeous toadstools and lovely little robbins.
The falls were a bit of a disappointment. See them, beside my handsome man?
Haha, did I fool you? Those aren't the real ones. Here are the real ones!
It was lovely to get outside and walk without worrying about when we might need to be home or whether it was too far for small legs.
I just love being out in the bush. There's something about it that fills my soul to overflowing with calm and much-needed peace. Is it the crisp air? Or the quiet? Or that I'm out walking and walking is wonderful exercise for me? Is it all that green, which soothes the eyes? I think I must be about due for another bush excursion, all this talk of it is making me lonesome for a bushwalk!
Amy
