Saturday Evening Post — We Made This Ourselves

Olivia Leigh Photographie

Olivia Leigh Photographie

Hey!

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

No lie, I’m voting to try my damnedest to protect my daughter’s future. But, the thing is, I’m voting even more to protect the future of people who are far more vulnerable. I vote because Black Lives Matter. I vote to empower intersectional feminism. I vote anti-racists into office and racists out. I vote for people who will protect LGBTQI individuals. I vote for indigenous rights. I vote for healthcare. I vote for education. I vote for the environment. I vote for fair wages. I vote for art and poetry and music and beauty. I vote to protect civil rights, voting rights, human rights, abortion rights. I vote for my family and all y’all. So you vote for you and your family, hell yes, but vote for the future of the whole damn planet and all its people, too. Especially you very angry white women, I get it. I’m mad too but hush, we gotta fix the mess we helped make, no more time for shock. All our more vulnerable folks could’ve told us shit was this bad long before 2016 had we bothered to look around more. Don’t feel bad, go get ‘em. And then never stop looking around again. (PS this gorgeous piece is by @corneliamcnamaraflowers for @igrowchicago’s Gather gala and it was holy moly even more beautiful in person)

May all the members of her generation—however they identify—not put up with it. Any of it. All of it.

I’m not sure who enjoyed this role reversal more. Watching her dad dive back into endurance sport and watching her cheer her dad on felt like a return to who we were before she was around and also a step forward to where we’re heading as a family.

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.

What Happens Next: Napier

Aug 3 What Happens Next: Napier

Day Trip: Arthur’s Pass

Jul 25 Day Trip: Arthur’s Pass