Missing someone, but still finding things to love…

The man of the house is away for three nights 🙁

We’re missing the scent of testosterone in the air (but not his socks). We hung out watching Charlotte play touch-rugby yesterday, after our man had flown the country, wishing he was there to add some of his flair.

Bedtime isn’t the same without the man of the house either – He who makes us laugh, reads, cuddles, plays games (Words with Friends, Hanging With Friends & Draw Something are all Apps we’re digging!) and attends to various requests, from getting warm milk (Charlotte) or water with ice (Sophie) to Alice asking for ‘Peppa Pig on iPad’.

Mornings aren’t the same without our amazing omelette making guru (Charlotte’s best meal of the day is breakfast). Charlotte was awake before me this morning and sat, glumly, over a bowl of rice-pops. I said, ‘Oh, love I’ll make you an omelette like Daddy normally does,’ but she politely said, ‘No thanks, maybe tomorrow Mummy.’

Dan normally takes Charlotte to school every morning. They enjoy a coastal drive around the south coast, by-passing all the city traffic, and taking a quick zip along one section on the highway to school (against the incoming city traffic). They turn up the music and really get their groove faces on.

Wellington's south coast

I drove her this morning, whilst our friend Frances stopped to look after Alice and Sophie. It was fun to have some one-on-one with my oldest daughter (but the music selection I had was pretty poor in comparison to what she’s used to with her Daddy!). We had a giggle trying to sing along to ‘Wonky Donkey‘.

After I dropped her into school I enjoyed a real luxury – solo supermarket shopping! Oh my! What a treat! I’d completely forgotten how delightful a visit to the supermarket can be. Oh, to gaze at the selection of fruit and fresh bread. To take in the aroma of it all, the colours and imagined tastes. It wasn’t a surprise that my basket was quickly over-flowing and I really should have got a trolley instead. When I couldn’t possibly juggle anymore items I reluctantly headed to the check-out, reflecting on how lovely it was to put the groceries on the conveyor belt without negotiating jobs to Alice and Sophie at the same time – or having to come up with impromptu diversion tactics to avoid little hands grabbing at the confectionaries stacked around the check-out.

As I came out of the super-market I noticed the aroma of coffee and of course grabbed at the opportunity to order one, without a little person threatening to run off into the car-park.

On the drive back home I turned up the radio and listened to the novel sounds of grown up talk and music, watching all the suits coming off the train and buses to run into their offices. My thoughts drifted to my man, over the ditch in Melbourne, where the 38 degree temperatures were going sadly unnoticed by him – as he was working hard out in an air-conditioned office (though I understand he is hoping to catch a little motor action on Friday, visiting the Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix track!).

We had a brief ‘Skype’ video call with our man tonight, after harassing him with texts, e-mails and pings on Facebook. He had to make excuses, half-way through a meeting, to say, ‘Good-night to his girls’ – awww, bless, he’s so good to us. The girls are all now sound asleep, a little sad, but making do with their ‘ole Mum!

We can’t wait for our man of the house to return on Saturday afternoon. He was especially in my thoughts as I wheeled the refuse bin down our long driveway this evening, carrying Alice on my hip, and feeling the onset of rain on our heads (it only rained for about ten minutes – timed perfectly for when I did the chore that our dear man of the house normally does dutifully every Thursday evening).

We’re trying to keep our spirits up – even fitted in a game of mini-golf at wonderful Carlucci Land after school this evening (but it wasn’t quite the same without our ‘Pro’ playing!). I did my usual job of monitoring Alice to make sure she didn’t become a hazard on the course, whilst encouraging fair play between the older two, sometimes quite competitive (!) sisters. Alice really had her heart set on an old go-kart (which she said was, ‘Alice’s tractor!’) and a pig (she still thinks the ‘Kune Kune’ pigs at Wellington Zoo are the best!). Charlotte and Sophie tried to see if any ‘Hobbits‘ were home – but sadly there was no one in to offer ‘elevenses’.

At home our Monarch caterpillars have certainly had their fill. All eight of them have turned into chyrsallis this week. It’s truly amazing watching them transform.

Chrysalis and a caterpillar in the background preparing to chrysalise

So, as Kristy at ‘Paisley Jade‘ says, ‘I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for… no matter how simple it is.’

And although we’re missing our man of the house, we’re keeping our spirits up and focusing on the beauty all around, with young Alice pointing the way (to the moon!)…

I see the moon! Please! Get moon!

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