Indi's Place

My cool little pixie living down the back

Hot summer days mean lots of swimming around here. They also mean that by late morning, we need to seek out some shade else we turn into lobsters. 

Lucky for me, there's a little elfin child who welcomes us into her cottage down the back.

She makes us lunch ... mmmm avocado and vegemite sandwiches

Then takes us on a tour of her garden

Sometimes we even get to sample some fresh produce

After all that we like to go back inside as relax in the comfy corner (note the authentic crocheted rag rug, made by yours truly ;) ) until the sun passes enough that we can head back out to the pool. 

Oh how I luuuurve summer! 

We're Rolling!

Well, we are on the road! (Literally; I’m typing this from the front seat of the car heading north on the Pacific Highway) Man I’ve been busy; I’ve been trying to sit down and blog all week but there has been so much to do. But it’s been sooooooo fun packing up our little van; I haven’t been able to wipe the grin off my face all week! 

Firstly, thanks to everyone for the recipe ideas; I now have a freezer full of delicious home cooked food ready to heat up in a flash. Tonight it’s chicken and bacon casserole with rice. 

Secondly, we’ve had a last minute change of destination and decided to scrap the Darwin leg of our trip. It turns out that stepson number two, who normally resides in Darwin, is down in Townsville with step son number one doing some kind of ‘war-game’ thing so we can catch up with both of them at the same time.

We were still going to go to Darwin regardless, but when we sat down and wrote down a rough guide to driving times, we realised that we were going to be really rushed. Darwin is another 2500 kms from Townsville, so that would’ve meant 5 days solid driving, but we’d only have had enough time to stay for 3 days before making the 5 day trip home again. Somehow I can’t imagine the kids being too enthusiastic about that! Also, Craig is an interstate truck driver; he drives AT LEAST 5000 kilometres a week. It wasn’t going to be much of a holiday for him.

All is not lost though ... instead we’re going to head further up the QLD coast and spend a week or so exploring Cairns, head out to the Barrier Reef, and take a trip up to the beautiful rainforests of the Daintree. 

So we left home this morning at about 9.00 am, after a rather tumultuous evening of last minute packing and tidying. Our first stop was Hawks Nest, which is only an hour and a half away from home but the boys needed to have a surf (yes, I do mean needed. If they don’t surf they turn into grumpy trolls hehehe). They’ll probably only have three days to surf because there’s not much swell up north. 

It’s a beautiful beach. The kids and I had a walk, run, did cartwheels and just generally mucked about to expend some energy before we got back in the car. It obviously worked, because they are both asleep in the back of the car right now! We collected some awesome shells too so we can do some cool crafts when we get to Townsville.  

We grabbed some lunch at the local bakery, and now we’re doing a couple hours of solid driving. We’re running a bit later than we’d hoped, but hey, it’s OUR holiday so who cares?  Ha ha ha ha! It just means we’ll be setting the van up in the dark when we get to the campground. 

Well, that’s about it for today. Tomorrow we are going to meet up with my dad in Coolangatta and have lunch in this great little Turkish Pizza place that we’ve been going to for years, and then head up to Noosa. Stay tuned! 

Toy Catalogue Time

Eeeew.

Indi is sitting upstairs reading one of the glossy consumeristic tomes.

Indi: 'MUM! I found something I would love you to buy for me!'

Me: 'What is it?'

Indi: 'A cubby house!'

Me: 'You have a cubby house out the back!'

Indi: 'But this one has swings.'

Me: 'You have swings out the back too!'

Indi: 'But these swings are attached to the cubby house.'

Me: '(insert are-you-for-real? face) I'll move the swing set next to the cubby house for you.'

Indi: 'Oh just forget it!'


I'm not sure if I won or lost that argument ... ?

Tea for Two

What a glorious sunshine-filled day! Nature is never as beautiful as when the sun comes out after the rain; the colours are so intense! I feel really energised tonight after spending the first day outside in what feels like weeks.
After spending the morning pottering around the garden, playing in the cubby, choosing a spot in Indi's garden for her raspberry plant, hanging some washing, and planting and transplanting a few things we decided that an afternoon tea party in the sun was in order.

My friend Ben bought me some beautiful tea for my birthday this week. It's a blend of green tea, olive leaves, rose petals, spearmint, cornflowers and chrysanthemums. I've been saving it for when I can actually sit down, relax and enjoy instead of my usual make a cup then run off to hang washing only to return to a lukewarm mug!

It's a tea to indulge all the senses; when the water is poured over it all the flowers swell and open up. It looks very pretty in the crystal teapot.

Keanu was asleep, so Indi set up a rug on the front porch in the sun.

It was really enjoying just lazing about in the sun, kinda lost in her idiosyncratic ways, when I realised how little one-on-one time we actually spend together.
I remember when she was younger and we lived up North. We'd spend our days together in no rush to be anywhere or do anything in particular. It was just the three of us; soo little mess!
Most days now it feels like I barely have time to stop for a cup of tea! Craig is away a lot with work, so I'm spreading myself pretty thin to give both kids time and attention, keep the house in some sort of order, as well as finding a little bit of time for myself (which I really need to do otherwise I turn into an irritable crabby so-and-so).

It doesn't leave a lot of opportunity for peaceful tea parties, so today I'm grateful that I had the chance to spend a little bit of time with my beautiful daughter Indica Rose xoxo

Brrrrrrrr! An Update from Coolsville ;)

It's cold and wet and windy and we've been stuck inside for days. The wet washing is threatening to rise up and overtake the house and the kids are going a little bit crazy because we haven't been outside to play.
We've been staying in bed later and later and then we need to turn the lights on early in the afternoon because it's so dark.

Certainly not weather conducive to gardening! I managed to get out the back today for a short time in between the rain. It's so wet! The poor vegies look like they're about to float away.
It's too wet to plant anything unfortunately. Over the last few weeks I've been gifted lots of plants; a couple of avocado trees, some raspberries, a red cordyline, not to mention my broccoli seedlings that are patiently waiting to go in the ground, the pineapple tops that we sprouted still sitting on the kitchen bench and the poor lime trees that have been sitting miserably in their pots for way too long.

On a bright note, the zygo cactus' have started to flower. What beautiful intricate flowers to put some colour into the grey days!

And some jonquil bulbs from a friend last year have popped their little green heads up.

On the craft front: lots has been happening. One thing I do like about the cold weather; snuggling up with a crochet hook and loads of yarn! I've jumped on the Ravelry bandwagon so have loads of inspiration. This coupled with the fact that I was gifted loads of gorgeous yarn for my birthday on Monday has led to lots of projects being started.

Not a lot to report on the homeschool front. We were doing a lot of outside activities but the weather has put a stop on Indi's garden for the time being. The closest we've been to outside education is digging up worms to feed to Nim.
She has been very interested in earth sciences lately. We've been reading a book about the universe and our planet. I picked this book up in a second-hand shop a while ago (I have an addiction to those 70's style kiddie encyclopaedias ;) ) and it's been very useful.

Today we read and talked about how the earth spins on it's axis, creating day and night. Indi deduced that even though it's night time here, it's daytime on the other side of the earth. I showed her how the axis is tilted and, as the earth revolves around the sun, this is what causes the weather to change throughout the year. We also looked at how the moon 'changes' shape and why it does so. If this cloudy weather ever buggers off I'd like to create a moon calendar with her.

And finally, an update on the guinea pigs.
I'm sad to say that we lost another baby :( so just one little fella left. Worse still, one of my males died aswell. Just like Bali; he seemed fine in the morning when I went out and fed them but was dead by the afternoon :( .
The little baby seems to be doing great though. I still have him inside with Jazzy; he's very vocal and scampers around and eats with gusto, so I really hope he's going to be ok.

Sunday.

I always feel a little melancholy on Sundays. No, maybe melancholy isn't the right word. Maybe pensive.
Craig usually goes back to work on Sundays.
Sunday is when I like my solitude.
Think about the week gone, think about the week ahead.

This cold weather helps.
I feel like hibernating.

An Alliterative Look at a Sunny Sunday

Splashing

Surfing 

Strolling

Snuggling

Sandy

Seaweed

Chook house

Ok, so here is stage one of the 'getting chickens' plan.
My darling man and our uber cool friend Steve spent all weekend--in 35 degree heat, 99% humidity, and pouring rain no less--dismantling, moving, and rebuilding this cubby-come-chook-house for me.

 

Craig and his step-dad built it about fifteen years ago when the boys were little. It's huge; probably a bit of overkill for a couple of chooks. I could house about 10 in there, but I don't have that much grazing area at the moment, so we might just start with two or three.  We've sat it so it backs onto the little vegie patch. I think I'll grow a passion fruit vine over it. Or maybe some Jasmine ... mmmmm. Not edible but oh-so-sweet in the moonlight!   Or maybe a choko vine. Then the chooks can eat the fallen chokos.
We still need to build a wire run for them, and add some nesting boxes. Hopefully we can get that started next weekend.

 

Being Valentines day, monkey-man here thought he might pinch a flower from the neighbour's garden for me while he was bolting the roof down. Such a sweety xoxo

Things we haven't done this week ...

... Wash dirty nappies!

Before Keanu was born, we decided that we would try a 'no nappy' approach to his elimination needs.
I'd read a little about elimination communication a few years ago on parenting forums, but Indi was too old by then for it to be of much relevance. Once we found out Keanu was on the way, I hit up google and read as much as I could find. He was born in the warmest month, which made it easier because we didn't have to worry about keeping him rugged up all the time. He spent his first few months in either a singlet or nothing. The first couple of weeks I just put a folded nappy under him when I fed him, and kept a close eye on him watching for any signals as to when he was going to go. Then I started to hold him over a bucket when I fed him, as I noticed that he liked to pee (and usually poo) when he was drinking. It's funny how excited we all got every time we caught a wee or poo in the bucket!

Keanu lived in the sling for the first few months, so it was easy to pick up on his need to go. He very rarely peed on us while he was in there; whenever he needed to go he would squirm about and use his knees to push his body away from whoever was carrying him. We really only put a nappy on him at night. By this time, we were totally hooked on EC and just amazed at how much he could communicate to us at such a young age. Sometimes I would just take him without even thinking; sometimes I would be on the other side of the room and yell out 'wee!' a few seconds before whoever was holding him copped it on the lap!
Once he decided to leave the sling and crawl, however, we discovered the beauty of linoleum floors! I don't think that we were missing the signs, more that he was so intrigued and fascinated by the world that he didn't realise he needed to go until he was wet! Some days we were perfectly in tune, others I spent the whole time mopping the floor.

When he hit about eight months, I decided to try him overnight without a nappy. I prepared myself for a night of no sleep, expecting to be up three or four times taking him to pee, waking up like a cranky grizzly bear ...
Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong! Just like in the daytime, he didn't pee while he was sleeping. Wow, I wish I'd tried it sooner! As long as I wake up when he does in the morning--which most mornings is not until around eight--and take him for a pee, we can say that, for the most part, we are night dry.

We still use nappies on occasions--even 'disposable' ones sometimes-- but generally our little boy just gets around in little training pants. As long as we are aware and in tune with him, we can help him to do his business with a bit of dignity.

Things we've done this week

 

Snooze on the beach ...

enjoy the best summer fruit ever ...

 

take care of some important business calls (see, boys really can multi-task)

practice our 'bick flaps' with dad

beading (pretty sure this one ticks a few homeschool boxes too ... pattern recognition?)

and start planting some seeds in the garden. 

If it takes a village ...

... to raise a child, then we're in trouble because my little village seems to be getting smaller and smaller!
Aunty S and her boyfriend have gone on a holiday to QLD for two weeks; Uncle J and Granny have basketball every weeknight and haven't been getting home until 10pm, and Craig was away four nights last week with work. Oh, how I miss all those spare pairs of arms!

Of course, all this has to coincide with Miss 4's 'question time' phase of childhood. If I had a dollar for every time I heard the words 'Hey mum, why does ...'  this week, well ... I'd have a shitload of dollars.

What a draining week. Now my little man is sick (well, not sick sick, but he has a high temperature), which is really a blessing in disguise because it gives me an excuse to slow down and not stress so much about what isn't getting done. After spending today just pottering around with him stuck to my side, I've realised just how inattentive I've been lately to both his and Indi's needs. No wonder she has spent the last few days acting like a defiant little so-and-so; all she has heard from me this week is 'In a minute ...' and 'I can't right now ...' and 'NO!'   
*Sigh* Let's hope next week brings some quiet mindful moments!

Our new caravan

Well after months of searching and researching, we found a nice little van for ourselves.
It goes from this ... 

to this ...

 

with a minimal amount of effort. Well, about the same amount of effort as it took to set up the tent. 

It's very roomy inside,with a double bed at each end, a U-shaped lounge (that converts to another bed) and seats and a table for four (that also convert to another bed!). It also has a 90L fridge, sink and a two burner gas stove. 

We need to do a few things to it; firstly we want it to be self-sufficient power-wise, so that we aren't reliant on powered sites at caravan parks. It has a small 12v system at the moment, just enough to run the two internal lights and a maybe a portable dvd player but we are looking at getting a bigger battery and wiring the whole thing to charge off the alternator. 

Our first real trip will be up the coast in the April school holidays. After that we will do a month long trip; all the way up to Darwin to visit stepson #2 in the army, then across to Townsville to visit stepson #1 and back home down the coast. 

Oh I can hardly wait! Meanwhile, I'm having lots of fun setting it up inside like a little home, scrounging around the thrift shops for bits and pieces of kitchenware, and lurking around 4WD and camping websites and forums online.

So what is Alternative Suburbia?

Perhaps I should write a bit about my purpose for this blog. I know, I know, intro's are supposed to come at the START of something, not three posts in but I was just keen to get blogging (everyone else is doing it!)

So. Alternative Suburbia. How to describe it ..? Maybe do the best you can with what you have.
I am not a people person. I am doubly not a five-bedroom-brick veneer-double-garage-nuclear family-2.4-children kind of person! Yet that seems to be where I find myself. Well, not the nuclear family and 2.4 children bit; eight people encompassing three generations living as what I like to think of as a tribe in a house owned by my mum, plus two stepkids on the weekends and two older stepkids who have joined the armed forces and visit when they can is hardly a normal nuclear setup! What can I say? I'm drawn to big families.
We live this way for many reasons which vary according to my mood. Mostly, I tell myself, it's because we are pooling our resources, reducing our 'carbon footprint' and saving money. Sometimes I tell myself it's because we are failures at life and are too useless to get our own house. LOL! But not very often.

Anyway, i'm procrastinating. The point is, I generally hate suburbia. I hate lawns where the blades of grass all face the same way. I hate English Privet pruned into the shape of a box around the letterbox. And I hate the fact that we have 700 square metres of land and still have to go to a shop to buy fruit and vegetables.

So I'm going to change it.

I want a rich green canopy of fruit trees, and heavy vines weaving in and out of the fence. I want lawns that smell sweet when you walk on them. I want big fat hens wandering around scratching up the fertile black soil. I want to be shoving boxes of excess food on to my friends. I want grubby kids that are in tune with the natural cycles of the earth.

I want to create my Alternative Suburbia ... and I want to share it! Enjoy!