LAYING DOWN ROOTS

As of this moment I have been living in Auckland for just over 13 years. Which is weird to think about because that is longer than I lived in the town I was born into, and certainly longer, four times longer than the time I lived on the farm with my parents, yet I have never called it home.
Really, for the longest time I didn't call anywhere home. When we traveled down to the Bay of Plenty to visit family I would casually call it 'going home', yet when we left, often in a rush to get back to a place where people drive over 40k/hr, I would also refer to that as 'going home'. 

I have never felt like I could lay down roots here. I never felt settled. Perhaps it was due to the fact I have always rented here, that I have bounced around suburbs all over Auckland like a ball in a pinball machine, never really getting to know anyone I lived close to, participate in a community at all.

When we have Zander we were living in a small two story in Remuera. It was cold and drafty despite looking new and well cared for. I hated the neighborhood, there was no character and despite being a nice wetlands to walk through close by I just never felt at home, like there was anything to do or be a part of.

By the time we had Evie we were living 20 minutes away, three 'burbs over in Penrose and that community feel was even worse. In the 3 years I lived there I did not meet my [read: very very close] neighbours properly until the day before we officially handed our keys back. Hilarious considering we heard them screaming at each other for almost 3 years non-stop. There was nothing really for us in the area, nothing to grab hold on and love besides the house.

Now though, its different. I don't know what has shifted. Perhaps its the fact we are living out west, where things are more 'kiwi' feeling (thats another thing about Auckland, although its part of New Zealand, it never felt like it for me!), more laid back. Perhaps its the fact we now live in the heart of what was once a village, on the very outerskirts of Auckland, in which we have everything we need within a 30 second walk. Feel like a bottle of wine? theres a bottle shop just down the road. Run out of milk or need some ingredient you forgot in the weekly shop? there is a gas station and two dairys/superettes within a 20 second run. kids sick and need to see the doctor, its just across the road and to the left. Pizza for tea? - straight across the road you go again. Cafe, fish and chips, butcher, money machine, dvd shop, chemist, train station. All here.

I think its this house too though. Although its dark and coldish in the winter and the floorboards are totally dodgy, the spring and summer makes it shine. We can open up two sets of double doors out on to a deck, including from our bedroom. They are wooden and have a charm besides leaking air. The deck is situated so its gets afternoon sun and because of the height we have a breeze. The kids can now run around in a backyard which we have never had before, closed off to the road and sheltered for our plants. We have even planted some of our summer garden actually in the ground, almost as if we are planning on being here a while. We have met a couple of neighbours as our landlords and their three kids live behind us and the old man next door is kind. 

I'm also involved in this area now. I run a library just 2km away, I am on the board of the community centre there too. Workmates who also live in the area say it has a huge social feel and there are often movie nights out at the park.

For such a long time I was dreaming about moving down country, moving to another, smaller and lovelier city. But I finally, finally, feel like I'm in a place where we can lay down some roots. Long may it last. 

05| My hometown