For a brief moment today I was warm. the sun peeked out for a few glorious hours and I took myself off for a walk to, and along, the beach. And yep, as I trecked back up the steep stairs from the beach I very vreifly considered whipping off my jacket and getting down to just two layers – but didn’t.
Now the sun has set and the chill is back. The heater is blaring and my snuggy rug is on my lap. And now my heart is warm, too, becuase he delightful Chris Bongers has dropped in to share with us what it is that warms her heart. Over to you Chris.
What warms my heart
I’ve just come back from a winter getaway that will keep my cockerels glowing for months.
For a whole week’s R&R, our fam bam went cold turkey on technology at Lord Howe Island.
No mobile phone coverage, no internet, no television or radio, no DVDs and no vehicular transport.
We spent our days exploring on shanks’ ponies and bicycles, criss-crossing an island that measures 12 kilometres by 2.7, snorkeling in wetsuits, swimming with Galapagos sharks, and then returning to our lodge to be force-fed like geese every four hours.
We did unearth a couple of old-fashioned social networking sites – the local coffee shop and the Pine Trees Lodge dining room – where we all chatted IRL (in real life) just like in the old days.
In the evenings, we played cards and Bananagrams, and shamelessly hogged the pool table, convinced that our only serious rivals, the Japanese honeymooners, had better things to do with their time.
After dinner, we read in front of the fire until my snoring disturbed the other guests and the fam bam quietly trundled me off to bed.
It was a glorious week, topped off by a kids-only daily ritual. Each day they’d launch themselves off the jetty into turquoise waters that barely reached 20 degrees. The first time they did it, they almost landed on a 2-metre sting ray, which terrified them so much, they spent the rest of the week trying to do it again.
That’s why I love writing for kids. They’re not afraid to have a good time.
Thanks Christine!
You can visit Chris online at http://christinebongers.wordpress.com/
Her latest book is Henry Hoey Hobson .
Aren't children great? What a lovely post, Chris. A treasured family holiday warms the heart every time.
Oops, that was me!
Chris, you've painted some gorgeous pictures with your words. Sounded like Lord Howe was one of those lovely, old-fashioned family holidays with time to talk and relax.
Thanks for sharing 🙂