BROKE DOWN

It was hot and dusty, on the side of the road. The guys were debating over the merits of peeing in the radiator, which was emitting steam and a foul smell. But Rachel and I were oblivious, instead peering under our hands at the brightly lit fields about us. The hay bales were calling to me.

Just one jump of a fence, and a leg-up, and I could be Queen of the World on one of those hay bales, surveying my kingdom around me. Well, it turns out, climbing hay bales is more of a difficult and dangerous business than I first thought, and they are always threatening to roll over and squash you. But no matter, with a bit of pushing and pulling, we were up. It took another quarter of an hour for the guys to realise that pee + radiators = not so smart, but during that time, I quite enjoyed taking a moment to breath and look around me. 

It is not often that we get to actually be in the landscapes that swirl past us, as we stare out the car window. 

CARD TOWERS

For a few weeks, I became quite obsessed with building card towers. It began as a competition between friends, with a few winning towers of two or three stories, and then sky-rocketed from there. Soon, every idle moment was spent building towers, accidentally knocking them down, swearing, and rebuilding. 

There was that ever present goal: nine stories high. I could never reach it, as my favourite deck, with the worn edges, would not stretch that far. The eight story tower was, and still is, my limit. But one of these days I will conquer that number nine, and have the honour of chanting Queen's 'We Are the Champions' as I dance around the living room, (very very carefully of course). 

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TIPS FOR BUILDING CARD TOWERS:

Start by carefully leaning two cards against one another, in an upside-down 'v' shape.

Then make another, as close to the first as possible.

Now, place one card face down as a 'roof' over the two upside-down 'v's, so that it stabilises both of them. The trick is to use each 'roof' to stabilise the cards underneath it. If they are unstable, poke them a little till they sit more comfortably.

The number of 'v's on the bottom layer directly corresponds with how many storeys your tower will turn out to be. For example: 3 bottom 'v's = 3 storeys high. 

It is always best to work with old card decks, as the edges will be a little worn and will provide more friction and stability to your tower. Newer decks are much more slippery. So, if you have an old and a new deck, use the old first, as the tower's foundation will be much more stable.

Have patience.

DRIVING RACHEL

When mum and dad go away on long business trips, I am left with the task of driving my younger sister to school each day. 

The getting-out-of-bed part is always the hardest, and I wonder how I ever managed to get up so early for school in the first place. Then I remember why I was generally late to my first class.

Rachel on the other hand is up and ready, and knocking at my door asking me: can we go now? I reluctantly schloop myself out of bed, foregoing any form of dressing, and get into the car with my pajamas and slippers, to drive Rachel to school. 

Yet, I find there is something quite special about these early morning car trips. Rachel chatters away beside me, and every so often we sing together, me bleary-eyed, her bright and chirpy. It is winter and the sun is only just rising in the east. Then there is that moment of calm and silence after Rachel runs off to class, and I am left to contemplate the beauty of the sunrise. I always feel thankful in that moment that I am free to enjoy these things: free to see the sunrise without a care in the world, free to wear my pajamas in the car and then go home and get back in bed for another hour. 

Later in the day, I feel as if I have achieved so much more that morning, simply because I got up earlier and spent a few moments in mindfulness and simple bliss. 

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“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”

— Laura Ingalls Wilder

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