Life Lately #2

Some weekends are for big adventures. Others are for small wins and overdue catchups.

Friday

After a full work week, I hopped on my bike and cycled home. With my husband away for Saturday work, I had the house to myself for the night — so I figured, why not finally try DoorDash? I know, I know — I’ve been living in New Zealand for 1.5 years and somehow never ordered in until now. It felt like ticking off a modern rite of passage.

And what did I choose for this groundbreaking moment? A Whopper from Burger King. It’s been months since I last had one, and somehow that familiar, slightly-squashed burger hit the spot!

And with no one around to judge my food choices or screen time, I fully leaned into the freedom and gave in to my inner hermit. I played games, binged movies, and stayed up until midnight! I even fell asleep right there in the living room, burritoed in a blanket. It felt a little like being 20 again… but with back pain the next day.

Saturday

The day kicked off with the usual chores (laundry, dishes, pretending to be productive), but what made it special was a long-overdue video call with my university friends. We hadn’t all been on a call together in a while, and talking to them hit me harder than I expected. We’ve known each other for over a decade — met in our awkward student days, grew into our messier adult ones.

This July, I’m finally visiting home, and we’re planning a mini reunion — renting a villa with a pool in Metro Manila (link to the place we'll be staying at), partners and kids in tow. It’s going to be chaotic in the best way. I’ve lovingly accepted my role as the group’s designated mum — the one who nudges everyone to show up, books the Airbnb, and makes sure things actually happen.

Seeing their faces on screen and hearing their familiar banter reminded me how much I miss being around them. No amount of postcard-perfect views can replace the comfort of friends you crammed with before exams, stayed up late writing theses with, and ugly cried to over your first heartbreaks.

P.S. Hopefully none of them stumble across this blog — or I’ll never hear the end of it!

Later that evening, AJ finally got home, and we went out for a proper dinner date at Taupo Social Club. It was a much-needed reset, a chance to slow down and reconnect after a busy week. Good food, easy conversation, and a quiet reminder to carve out these pockets of time — not for any big occasion, but simply to be together.

Sunday

A proper lazy Sunday. We slept in, took our time getting into the day. For lunch, I made one of AJ’s favorite meals: homemade pork meatballs. The kind you dip in either ketchup or soy sauce with a squeeze of lemon. Comfort food at its finest — simple, nostalgic, and always a hit.

In the afternoon, we finally peeled ourselves off the couch and headed to AC Baths for a swim. We managed 500 meters — not Olympic-worthy, but we’ll take it — and then floated around the hot leisure pool like happy seals.

Nothing wild. Just a weekend stitched together with simple pleasures, missed people, and the warmth of love — near and far.

Your turn—what’s been going on in your life lately?