4KIDS
Feb 2009 saw a 4KIDS reunion at the bach. Maxine drove up with Jay, Coralie and Fitzy on Sunday, and met Barbie already there. Keith and Hana joined the party on Monday night.
We had lots of swimming in occasionally-tepid waters, lots of laughs over synchronised swimming and Articulate and Balderdash games, some reminiscing, and just soaking up the essence of the bach and beach. Planting a few pohutukawa up the hill added to the sense of shared belonging and contribution.
Four grown-ups and their parents take up a bit more room than a young family, but no-one wanted to spread out into the garage. They preferred to fit into the bach, Coralie on the window seat, Jay on the top bunk, and Hana (with Fitzy) on a mattress on the floor. There's still room for everyone, and it reminded me of Megan's comment in their Bach Book about sleeping in a bunk as an adult. "I still fit", she said.
After Keith, Barbie, Coralie and Hana left for various work commitments, Jay and Maxine had a quiet evening and wonderful catchup, before packing up, enjoying a leisurely paddle to Grandpa's Garden and the Arrows, and heading back to Auckland on Wednesday.
I've just been reading Pip Cheshire's 'Architecture Uncooked' book about baches. He talks about being embraced by the bach and the place, the balance between human society and nature, the restorative effects of the bach and the value of simplicity. In his ruminations about the pragmatic approach to bach-building, and "beloved buildings and the things that make them so special", there are many glimpses of our own unique haven that is so full of memories. I wonder how long it will be before we are all together there again.
