Saturday Evening Post — We Made This Ourselves

Olivia Leigh Photographie

Olivia Leigh Photographie

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We document our family's working sabbaticals as well as adventures a tad closer to home.

Aug 1

Aug 1 Saturday Evening Post

Julie Schumacher

A few photos from our week.

New Regent Street, Christchurch

New Regent Street, Christchurch

Wallaby, Hanmer Springs Animal Farm

Wallaby, Hanmer Springs Animal Farm

Tram Ride, Christchurch

Tram Ride, Christchurch

New Brighton Pier

New Brighton Pier

Cardboard Cathedral, Christchurch

Cardboard Cathedral, Christchurch

Wacky Stays, Kaikoura

Wacky Stays, Kaikoura

Wacky Stays, Kaikoura

Wacky Stays, Kaikoura

Napier

Redwood Memorial Grove, Rotorua

Redwood Memorial Grove, Rotorua

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Jul 21, 2017

Week in Review

Jul 21, 2017

Jul 21, 2017

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@w ellturnedwords

The single greatest challenge to me on these trips is imparting in her a sense of wonder that we are doing the things we are doing and not habituating her to every day needing to be full of goddamn magic from start to stop. Some days are like this day, up before dawn to chase the sun on top of the oldest dune in the world. It’s a gangbuster day, indeed. Some days are travel days full of books on tape and salty snacks. Some days one of us is puking (on this trip, two of some days). Some days are kind of a dud or rather dull, even if we tried to find the magic. Some days it just rains and rains.
We want her to understand these exceptional hours, days, weeks. How and why we work to make them happen. But we also want her to not be an asshole when she gets home (or ever), dominating conversations with a then-we, then-we, then-we. We’ve worked with her to ask about her pal’s summers, her neighbor's weekends, everyone’s everything, and to then ask at least two thoughtful follow up questions. Not to wait for someone to take a breath to insert her own story, whether it’s about a trip or about her regular Tuesday. Whether we traveled or not, we try to encourage genuine curiosity and a conscious pause. That’s just kind of how to be a listener and a good person.
Ultimately, adventure is wherever seekers seek. And good stories can come from the mind-blowing and great stories from the banal. But being a good person? That’s on us. And that’s on her.

A sundowner on Signal Hill felt like an appropriate send off to a city that’s done right by us. A month always seems so long until we’re in it and then it’s over. This trip was different, far less down time and less sleep and more work late at night than trips past. But in our time reflecting today we agreed we wound’t have it any other way. We weren’t sure this trip would happen because of the drought. Then we spent time in the ER getting x-rays and weren’t sure the rest would go as we hoped. There’s always something to wish away or worry about.
Late this afternoon a young girl living in our building and Loie started playing and wound up making friendship bracelets together in the living room while we packed. Why hadn’t they played earlier, I thought. And then I remembered that I’ve yet to leave a trip without some wish that some thing had happened or we’d squeezed in one more to-do or go-there. And instead, I should be gobsmacked we had today. And the day before. And the day before.
We’re equal parts sad and ready to go. Now it’s on to Namibia. To 11 days in a crazy truck with a tent on top. To dunes and game drives and I’m not really sure what else. To wishing and worrying and doing it anyway.

A morning trip to the chemist to get some meds for pain and swelling and the troopiest trooper said she was feeling like she wanted to go out into the world.

We create an insane Google Map when we travel. There are color coded layers for food, a different layer for treats. We add kid-specific adventures, playgrounds, outdoor stuff and odd stuff (our favorite!) and more.
We get hyper organized so we can be super flexible. A shift in the weather, a late work night meaning we are braindead the next day or — in this case — a major booboo means we aren’t left without a plan. The maps are downloaded onto our phones so a playground or muffin can be found at a moment’s notice.
Today we looked for something relaxing and family friendly that didn’t involve climbing on things (Lo’s favorite). I’d been excited to see the Indian Runner ducks parade around at @vergenoegd_wine_estate (these cuties provide eco-friendly pest control in the vines). I thought the kid would dig it too and eat some fries while we did a tasting. I knew we could feed them, I sure did not realize how awesome it would be. And for Lo, after she fed some ducks she just stood still and the staff threw food around her for some magic moments I’m sure will make her trip highlight reel. I know they made mine.

Visit grocery stores and playgrounds, we say. They’re two places to get a not-quite-as-touristy perspective. Today we added a third.

This morning Lo got a lesson on ropes course safety and then was trusted to go out and follow the rules. Take leaps but not be an idiot.

This afternoon we went back to the BMX course. She went hard. Then she wiped out hard. I got her home with piggyback rides and lollipop bribes. After an hour of not being able to put weight on her leg, we headed to the ER.
At home, this would’ve been agonizing. A hurt child is the worst. Our first job, we tell her, is to keep her safe. But our friend Paul also said you gotta let them do stuff, even if they break stuff. So we embrace hanging from high things and leaping from high things and doing things that make my mom knees buckle.

The agony at home would’ve been, also in a gross part, financial. What if she needed a cast? Or god, surgery? What would we do? Beyond having nearly a month left far from home, that would’ve been a burden at home that would’ve crippled us as self-employed people. We know the stats of medical financial hardships and we still fall in the lucky camp.

Tonight? We spent under two hours with incredibly friendly, smart people at the local ER. They were kind to Loie, patient with us, thoughtful and deliberate. X-rays and a check revealed a painful deep bruise but no break. All in all, it was around $200 dollars. That’s it. We stood there and asked about the future bills we’d surely get. No, no, take your daughter home. She’ll be fine and you’re all set.

There’s got to be an easy lesson here somewhere. That countries that embolden their young people to stretch and try and grow also support them when they fall and don’t bankrupt their parents. That surely builds resiliency in families and in kids. We’re so off in the US. We bubble wrap kids and then ruin the parents anyway when the kids do get a busted bone.

At the end of the day Lo said “Well, if I have to walk slow, at least I’ll see more at the art museum.” Here’s to a kid who can see the bright side. And to systems that help them (and their parents) take good care of what matters.

Yesterday we had a back up plan despite a clear day. Today we decided to lean on optimism despite a cloudy one.
Up, up through the clouds to a misty topped Table Mountain. The kid embraced it, hopping on rocks and walking through the clouds. A decision to stay a while meant we walked till we chased the sky and were rewarded with a picnic lunch view unlike any other.
And then a multi-hour hike on jelly legs down Platteklip Gorge where Loie was the youngest hiker by a good five years. She holds her hands like that when she’s a bit nervous. I was too. It was hard. We were pooped. But as her dad said, sometimes you realize you’re in the middle of magic and you gotta go with it.

Before I met her dad, I didn’t want to have kids. I wasn’t sad or mad about it, parenting seemed like a job thrust upon a well-intended woman who wound up doing the work.

My dad was really cool. So cool, so smart, so interesting...but not so dad-like. I know he loved me and was proud of me and wanted the world for me but in his Star Man ways the normal day-to-day tasks of making hot dogs in the microwave or remembering school trips or knowing how to handle the bumps and bruises of childhood eluded him. He was made for libraries and art galleries and fancy French restaurants. With him gone, I’m so glad I got all his best very best traits. And that I can see them in Loie.
I’m also in awe of the man who made me want to be a parent. He’s engaged and thoughtful and endlessly interested in whatever she’s yammering on about. He’ll play any game, climb any hill, endlessly go and do and be with her.
I didn’t think parenting was something I’d do. With him, it’s the best thing I do. Today is a joyful day. And a hard day. And for everyone out there experiencing one or both, I’m here too.

What Happens Next: Napier

Aug 3 What Happens Next: Napier

Day Trip: Arthur’s Pass

Jul 25 Day Trip: Arthur’s Pass