It isn't often that my siblings and I are all available on the same day.. Ever since we were younger, we always had various priorities, sports, appointments, work, social events or just generally hectic schedules that limited the amount of "quality family time" we shared.
Now that we are older, not much has changed..
So it was an unexpected (but wonderful!) delight when my brothers and I all had our Sunday wide open!
*yipee*
I have two older brothers. And although they can be over-protective, stubborn, ridiculously huge pains in the gluteus-maximus - they are also the first people I go to when I need advice, when I need a hug, or when I want a really good belly laugh!
Some of my best memories from childhood are of my Dad taking us four wheel driving in the Stockton Sand dunes.. I remember they would call them "boy weekends" (but I always tagged along regardless of my gender). A few of Dad's mates and their sons would go on a spontaneous weekend adventure or camp trip. Every car would get a radio and every individual would allocate themselves a code-name.
Mine was always chosen by my Dad.. Usually something like "princess". And My brothers would pretend they were in the FBI or one of their Xbox games and called themselves things like "Red Warrior" or in Joshs' case, "Lebanese Chicken".. (don't ask!)
Dad was working his second job, Mum was also busy, so the three of us set off to the dunes with just the company of each other, and the other member of our family, Koa (our beautiful husky).
A four wheel drive, good vibes, great music, the company of loved ones and an adventurous mind is all it took to feel entirely free and at ease with the present moment.
I was quite literally sitting in the back seat, smiling. Peering over my brothers shoulders through the windscreen and into the distance; a seemingly endless stretch of beach, blue skies and a few other tyre marks creating alluring choreography.
It really was the perfect Sunday afternoon.
We found a spot, parked up, and began setting up a tipi (teepee) my eldest brother, Josh, had recently made by hand. (saying he is talented is a massive understatement!! When this boy gets passionate about something there is literally no stopping his creative potential).
Josh has always been a very independent, individual character. Other people's views or thoughts have never phased him, and as both his sister and a fellow human being, it is something that I admire about him.
What you see is what you get with Josh.
Carefree, charismatic, humourous, humble, generous and the epitome of a "free spirit".
This is my other brother Sam, and my beautiful boy Koa appreciating Josh's admirable creation. (yes, I have the worlds happiest, goofiest dog!)
Finer details, handmade by Joshs girlfriend
Within the first ten minutes of pulling up camp, Josh had found an empty gatorade bottle and decided to fill it up with little shells to make into some kind of craft or home decoration.. (Bless his little cotton socks!)
Handstand vs ocean.
Ocean won.
Josh ended up clogging the bottle with a shell that was too large. My brothers then spent five minutes trying to "out-man" each other by hitting it with sticks in a desperate attempt to make the shell budge.
Neither man was successful and their behaviour clearly demonstrated the male relation to primates..
Sunset came. Koa was exhausted. and we had a blanket and pillows in the car..
The perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon..
