Moving cities is hard. Especially when you move from a small city in a small country to a large city in a large country. I was reminiscing the other day on how I used to be so anxious every time I got on the train or tram or even walked somewhere. What if I got off at the wrong stop? Got lost? That doesn’t happen anymore, and I feel a lot more comfortable in Melbourne now. But I miss home, I always miss home. Not because I am a small city dweller at heart (even though this is true), mostly I miss the people that make a city somewhere I can call home. I don’t just miss sitting and watching ships shuffle around Lyttelton Harbour, or looking down from the top floor of the library at the people walking below. Most of all I miss the people that would sit or walk beside me while I did these things.
Although nothing can or will ever replace those places and people that make me call Christchurch home, this weekend was a reminder of how the experiences I love most about living in a small city can still translate to big city life. Saturday started with my neighbours bringing over a loaf of bread they bought for me from a bakery over an hour out of town because they know it is my favourite. This was followed by a visit to the local library, then my favourite lunch place, where even though they know how much of a cheapskate I am they put up with me anyway and gave me a free milkshake. The walk home saw a detour via my favourite produce shop, the owner of which who I not-so-secretly love despite his produce being terrible, him not really speaking much English and an age gap of at least 35 years. After this fantastic start, the only way was up with the weekend also including writing postcards on the roof in the sun until it got dark and cold, pulled pork tacos at a great pub in the company of a great friend, Con Air (were Nicolas Cage and John Cusack always so hot?!), and a Sunday rummage sale followed by lawn bowls.
So where is this rambling, diary-like blog entry going? Even I’m not sure but I think the point is that no matter how homesick you are, if you are spending your weekend in good company, relaxed and having a good time you are doing something right, especially if you are barefoot and drinking a beer at 1pm. And what better way to make or keep friends than with the below recipe (terrible segway but just go with it people)!
Cheats Pink lemonade
3 lemons, cut in half and juiced
1.5 litres lemonade
2 blood oranges, cut into quarters/slices
1 lime, cut into wedges
a handful of mint
1 large jug
Mix the lemon juice and lemonade in the jug
Add the mint, lime wedges and orange wedges, squeeze a few of the wedges to make the lemonade good and pink
As you can see, not the most difficult of drinks to make especially as no extra sugar is required with store-bought lemonade being so sweet anyway. But guaranteed to look impressive and taste great. Plus if it is a day where it feels like the sky is desperately cupping its hands to keep the sun from running through them at the end of a pretty chilly week, lemonade is guaranteed to remind you that summer is on its way.
Pink lemonade party mix
The Lonely Goatherd – Sound of Music soundtrack
Sitting Inside My Head – Supergroove
Spoonful – Canned Heat
All I Have Is Love – Gregory Isaacs
A Day In The Food 
It looks so goooooooood! 🙂
Not as good as patting that fluffy white dog!