EWW: Merry, merry Christmas

Signing off for 2020.

Welcome to the last Emily Writes Weekly of 2020. As I write this I am looking out at the beach. I’m so happy to have you with me.

At the beginning of the year, well before Australia caught fire and the first case of Covid 19 was reported my mother-in-law asked us if we’d like to go to Waiheke together for Christmas. We love to spend Christmas with her so said yes straight away. She made the booking and then the world started to fall apart.

We are now in Waiheke and I’m so grateful that she booked us all in so early, because unfortunately now - a bach is out of reach for most with prices sky high. I truly recognise how lucky we are to be able to get away.

We are sharing a lovely little blue bach. I was taken by the doors which have a ship in stained glass - immediately reminded me of The Water is Wide.

There is a ship
And she sails the sea
She's loaded deep
As deep can be

There is a red bunk bed and a double bed for nana. It’s compact and perfect. Wherever you are in the house you can see each other, only one person in the kitchen at a time. There’s a lagoon that stinks. And the smell wafts every time the wind blows.

I am writing as Eddie makes Dominoes with wooden blocks designed for balancing. And I feel so peaceful. I can hear the beach. Can see my mother-in-law reading, my husband’s tanned legs resting on a chair as he just sits and drinks a beer. He’s so comfortable in himself. Just watching him relaxes me.

Just to be clear I’m not sugar coating everything - Ham is yelling that Dominoes is boring. SO BORING. But we are all quietly doing our own thing. Even his complaining is a solitary activity.

For the first time in a long time I feel rested. We went out early today to explore our temporary village. Ham walked around with great authority holding his map - “First we will see the phone box. Then we will see the Money Machine. Then there is Activities. 500 metres.”

I took myself on a date. Drank a glass of prosecco looking at the bay. Felt each step I took, one foot in front of the other. Bought the boys hats with watermelon slices on them.

I’m not entirely sure the children know it’s Christmas Eve. But they do know there’s a calm here. Ham has stopped morning and is now building a city.

Eddie slept with me last night. His little legs tucked under mine. I met my husband in the kitchen, side by side as there’s only room for that. A midnight hui about blood glucose levels. Insulin at 2am and again at 4am. And it was fine. When I closed my eyes everything was quiet.

Peace at last.

Merry Christmas my friends. May you have pockets of calm, may the corners of the day fold in gently and envelop you in quiet. May joy find you, wherever you are x

Thank you for your love and support. Arohanui, Em x