Mar 63 min read

My little Friday night secret.

I know what you're thinking - What can she secretly do on a Friday night when she's a mum of 2, has a full time job and sleeps the same amount as you do on a short flight? I have that life, you say, there's no time for that!

Yes, there many things I can do in the 2 hours I have free once the kids go to bed!

I can knit, watch a movie, read a book, paint my nails, gaze out the window and contemplate life and its wonderessness (not a word)!

I could do all of those things, except knit, I have the hand eye coordination of a toddler. But I don't. I go onto Instagram. I go on my feed, see what family and friends are up to, what cool vegetarian recipes look great but super intimidating to try and make then I faff around a bit on the explore feed, that's where all the awesome animal reels are. I do that for only 10 minutes. Alright, 30 minutes. But then, and here is the little secret part, I go onto MY OWN personal profile page and start scrolling. I scroll for HOURS!

I'd be sitting on the couch with my cup of tea. I'd either already be on IG or a memory would come to mind and I'd have to refer back to my page to relive that memory. After I had that moment, I wouldn't stop there,

Since starting my IG account in 2013, I've posted almost 2,000 photos or videos. My postings increased when I had my first son, of course and it didn't start out this way, but that account has become my online diary. As a photographer, that's how I feel things, express things, and how I encode a memory.

For example, the trips we've been on over the years (not many thanks to covid). These pictures bring back how I felt at the time. Hawaii, for instance, my eldest suddenly got an allergy to UV rays, so I stayed inside our hot Airbnb the whole time while my husband was out doing wedding party stuff. Then Costa Rica. We went there for my 40th and I was in my happy place: forests, volcanoes, sloths! It took me more than a month to get over that vacation.

Birthdays. What cake did I make (I could do a whole post just on that), what experience did we do (we don't buy gifts on birthdays but experiences), what ridiculous photo set-up did I make the boys do! Haha!

Special moments. Days like Father's Day, anniversaries and Christmas are a given. But for me, there are some moments that don't have a day. They happened on a regular Saturday, at an ordinary time. However, I look at the pictures and I either laugh, or cry or smile and feel okay with the world. Picture 1: I asked them to wait outside with the bikes while I got the doughnuts. The cashier was laughing as I was ordering so I turned to see what she was laughing at. I saw this. Picture 2: My parents with my son. They live in Australia, where I'm from, and they don't get to be everyday grandparents. They're so playful and engaged with the boys. Give me all sorts of feels.

Or those photos that remind me of the days where I simply through it. I didn't write anything specific in the caption but I know. I know how I felt on that day. I know that I pulled my socks up anyway and made something of the day, no matter how small of an action it was. These are the photos that make me most proud.