‘The little things sometimes stay with you for a lifetime’

Photography: Kee & Kee

We’re sitting at the kitchen table at home, Nick, the kids and me. We had a good meal and dessert was already behind us. The table is cleared, the dishwasher is on and the coffee is on. Julian shuffles the cards Holiday quartet.

We all enjoy playing games after dinner: chatting, laughing, trumping and eating the chocolates that come on the table with the coffee. I paid close attention and complete a set of four with a card that Nikki gives me: three pictures and a question. ‘Quartet!’ I call. Time to answer the question that belongs to this quartet.

Flip flops

“What is your best holiday memory?” I read. I don’t have to think long about that. In my mind I zoom back in time twenty-five years and tell about a campsite in the south of France, where I came every year with my parents.

I have a floral bathing suit and the Mediterranean sun warms my skin – in a few weeks I will have more freckles again. I can see the children who also came there every year, the caravans, colorful parasols, and towels that flutter dry on guy ropes of tents after a day at the sea.

“’What is your best holiday memory?’ I read. I don’t have to think long about that”

It smells like pine trees. I can feel the francs that I hold tightly in my hand as I think back to the walk I took along the dusty road to the camping shop. I bought Carambar sweets there, and sometimes a bottle of Orangina. Flip-flop, do my slippers. I hear Celine Dion’s “Pour que tu m’aimes encore” coming from the store radio as I open the door and hum along with the tune.

Small things

My children look at me open-mouthed. Is that your best holiday memory? – I can hear them thinking. Across the table, Nick gives me a wink. Sometimes the smallest things stay with you for a lifetime. How nice that I can share those memories. It’s all about making memories…