Whop whop!

Since I'm already on the topic of reminiscing, here are some of my favourite childhood memories, mainly to do with the kick ass place South Head where I grew up.

The orchard

• collecting cicada shells and "leaf water" while mum worked
• being chief tractor driver for the persimmon pickers (and thinking I was SO good at it)
• eating fruit straight from the tree, mmm apples warmed by the sun
• sneaking biscuits from the smoko shed
• jumping into the pits up at the maori pa
• mountain biking around all the different rows and tracks

The lake

• winding up the windows on the way there so we were as hot as possible before our swim
• making tracks through the reeds with our boogie boards
• Honeymoon Bay - and the epic walk it took to get there
• Being big enough to swim across to "the other side"
• sinking peoples dingys
• skimming mussels across the water (and always wishing I could do more skims)
• getting there and always finding one of your friends already there to splish and splash with
  
• the night Mum, Nico & I got stuck halfway round and Dad rowed out in the dark to find us

Jana's house

• getting to eat meat
• getting to watch tv
• getting to play with their pets

Ah yes, those days hold many of my fondest memories alright. I am just so fucking glad my parents chose to live in the whop whops and deprive us of television, packaged food, fizzy drinks (apart from our special Friday night lemonade), the latest gimmicks and "cool" clothes. I can honestly say, that as a result of living where we did and "depriving" us of those things, it has helped shaped me both physically and mentally, into a much better person today.

I just hope that when it comes to me having kids I can show the same patience and strength as what they did while we were complaining about how *unfair* it was not being able to watch tv, eat chips & lollies, drink fanta, own chatter rings and wear tearaway pants.