LAUR

11th July 2010

3 days in zombieland, filled with 1pm starts, food that’s bad for me and daggy clothes. The plan of getting healthy before I leave was slowly sizzling and had almost been seized by the daggy masochist zombie that possessed my body. Day 3 presented an oversized revenge of the sixth star wars tee-shirt, a scrunchie and pokadot pants, although this amused me greatly, this is as far as id let my sad unsocial life get. Day 4 I would not be living in zombieland.
Day 4: Zumba? What the fuck is zumba. Still sticking to my promise I dragged myself to the gym. My sleepy eyes soon widened as the instructor started shaking it like fergie. ‘Am I supposed to attempt that?’ looking around realizing that soon id be on the other side of the world, I drew a deep breath and gave ‘zumba’ a well deserved go. It may have proved to be the high that delighted the rest of my sunny day.

Today was also the monthly ceremonious day of ‘the arrival of dads national geographic.’ shoot me for not emphasizing the dad part, as I didn’t realise that the greatest monthly pleasure was opening the parcel so he was the first to see what was on the front cover. But usual routine soon flowed from its arrival; dad studied it for a while, then educated me on his new found wisdom. I smile and nod. This month’s fascination was the male bower bird and its extravagant and artistic attempt to impress the stubborn female. I compared this to the male human species, a sobering juxtaposition; I imagined being a female bower bird how lovely.

Today I also offered to rise at 8am to take Lucie to her first exam, as I jumped in the car I could sense the fear that I could so easily relate to. I decided to bite my tongue and not speak of ee cummings sonnet, instead I thought it would be much more appropriate and comforting to blast sergeant peppers lonely hearts, at full volume most importantly Lucy in the sky with diamonds. As she jumped out of the car I searched my brain for some inspiring words, but instead I advised her to write what ever the fuck she wanted as this would be much more fun. Why did know one tell me this when it was me.

That night as I sat round the table with my little family of four plus the much beloved loyal beagle at the side the day ended on a much more somber note. Mum made her usual jokes of eating sticky date pudding, everyone laughed but I was preoccupied with a much more disturbing thought. I thought of our month back packing through Thailand, the four of us wandering around the beautiful northern countryside, bickering about rats in beds, elephants outside windows at 4am and four people top and tailing in two tiny thai single beds in 30 degree heat. I realise that in less than a month we will each be taking steps into the unknown, I think of mum and dad scampering there way along great ocean road with little more than a map, foam pretending to be a mattress and a stack high of national geographics. Lucie climbing up Hotham in the Volvo. Mollie still in good old tassie being spoilt by my energetic cousins. And me miles away from life as I know it.