Weeknotes 005 - home, in small and tender ways
It’s been a while since I slowed down and just stayed around the people I grew up with. Nothing special happened, actually. We just ate together, talked a bit, and rested; but somehow it made me feel grounded again.
Happenings
I went to my father’s house. Not my real childhood home, since we sold it back in 2021, but my aunt’s place instead (my father’s sister). She was one of my mother figures after my mom passed away in 2007. “One of,” because I have more than one now :-)
My husband was still away on his long on-site work, so I took a shuttle bus, and my brother picked me up at the pool.
It had been a long time since we, as a family, were all together. The last time was probably more than a year ago. My sister had just moved back to Bandung after working out of town for a year, so she surprised my father, and of course, he was the happiest man. I joined the surprise too, since I hadn’t told him I was coming. When he saw me, I caught the tiniest smile. My father is one of the most plain-faced people I know (the second being my husband); so I knew he was happy.
That night, my mother-in-law video-called me, asking where I was and how I was doing. She has become another mother figure to me over time. When she calls, it’s usually because something happened in the news or around her neighborhood, and she wants to make sure her children are okay. There was a quiet kind of happiness in that moment. I was with my family, the people I grew up with; yet it felt comforting to have another person I could call family, someone who cared enough to check on me. Please stay healthy, Mamak.
Home isn’t a place; it’s the people. My sister is my closest family member, and we talked a lot that day. We didn’t do much, really. Ate simple meals at a small food stall across the street. Chatted about life. Complained about our jobs but with no plan to quit. Helped my brother take photos for his job application. Slept under the same roof with my father, sister, and brother. Somehow, I missed being home.
One of my happiest memories was the time spent with my siblings. We curled up together in a sunny bedroom, reading manga and eating cheap snacks. I know I can never recreate those moments, but they’ll always stay as one of my dearest.
Things I Noticed
Lipstick
A red lipstick can instantly brighten your face. This week I’ve been too lazy to put on makeup, even though my routine is already quite minimal: base, brows, blush, and lipstick. This week I’ve been even lazier, so I rely on lip tint to brighten my face.
Why lip tint? Because I only wear powder foundation, so lip tint adds color without making my face look “unbalanced” from not being fully made up. So far, Wardah Moist Dew Tint has been my favorite. I use the shade of Cherry Gelato, a warm red that covers dark lips well and instantly brightens my complexion.
Fitness Tracker
Not exercising makes me uncomfortable, but overdoing it also makes me uncomfortable. Yesterday, I increased my pace hoping to make my workouts more effective, but my legs hurt badly and I felt sleepy, so I skipped the next day. This week, I started again with a more attainable speed, and my body feels better. Right now my focus is consistency; how to make it a habit and integrate it into daily life.
Since I couldn’t decide which app to use, I ended up making a small fitness tracker here. No weird stats, no complicated app. Just a simple page on this website, which I already open every day.
Reading while Writing
I’m currently reading How to Keep House While Drowning. Since the book feels important to me, I decided to read while taking notes, which surprisingly, helps with my concentration. Honestly, I rarely handwrite notes these days. Even meeting notes are quicker to type.
Writing by hand makes my hands active again and refreshes my mind. It also feels nice to see my own handwriting. I should make more things with my hands.
This week was big. I hadn’t seen my family in a long time, and being with them mattered; even in small things: simple meals, quiet talks, and just sharing the same roof for just one night.
And that was enough.