Dunedin

I have just been home for the first time in 4 years, visiting my Dad in Dunedin. The purpose of the trip was really all about my dad and spending time with him, but it was lovely to be back in Dunedin, although slightly unnerving. It's hard to put a finger on it but it kind of seemed to me that time seems to have stood still and things seemed to have a slightly shabby feel about them. Where houses were tired 4 years ago, they are even more tired now, faces that I recognise from when I was growing up are still there, just older. A bit of a time warp maybe. And cold. Did I mention cold. I left Sydney in the late 20's with Sunday reaching a bracing 10C in Dunedin. We went for a bit of a drive on Sunday and the wee townships seemed so bleak, admittedly the beachy towns around Dunedin are always going to seem bleak on a cold Sunday late afternoon, but it just felt a smidge depressing. Ok a lot depressing. I had to stop myself from asking "what do people do here?" "where do they go?" as not everyone needs something to do or go to like I seem to.
Anyhow, although I once said that my family is off limits for blogging about, apart from The Sister who is always a target, iIm going to relax my rule here for a moment. Now you girls who know my dad will appreciate this story.... imagine a lovely late Friday afternoon, a nice wee cafe bar down at the beach, a lovely chilled glass of central otago reisling and an interesting chat with Dad and his partner. So we finish off our glass of wine, I pick up the wine list to choose another glass "hmmm, what will I have this time...?", my dad stops, looks at me and says "eh? we only have one here, we don't have another, we've got wine at home". And just like that I was reminded of my fathers reassuringly predictable routines. So we went home for a glass of not as good or interesting wine.
Bless.