I haven’t written much here lately so what follows is a rough visual timeline (one picture for every 2½ days) of some of the things we have been up to.
1. Standing outside the garage wondering about which little patch of chaos to tackle next.
2. Joining the dog on the couch in the garage with a cup of tea, knowing the chaos can wait.
3. Worrying that I’ll never mow the steep back garden without injuring myself.
4. Spending a chilly early evening zeroing my new pest neutraliser.
5. Collecting firewood, stacking firewood, chopping kindling and bagging kindling.
6. Popping over to the neighbours for a few hours messing around in Jeeps.
7. Fixing windows for the tenants.
8. Buying SWMBO the nice shiny red sports car she’s always wanted.
9. Flying to Sydney and back in 24hrs for 1 sleep, 2 meals, 3 meetings, 6 taxi rides & an interrogation at Customs at 3 a.m.
10. Learning from my mate Johnny how to dig post holes, widen a gateway and string No.8 wire.
11. Chuckling at doing a little light gardening Kiwi-style i.e. with a big blue tractor.
12. Wondering (repeatedly in this very rainy winter) if our access road will flood.
13. Taking a family time out to help our eldest move out to a house with new friends.
14. Collecting and stacking more firewood, chopping and bagging more kindling.
15. Working with my youngest to build a new, wider gate for the new, wider gateway.
16. Sharing the satisfaction of a job well done – and a gate that fits!
17. Remembering to go to the day job that (mostly) pays the bills.
18. Admiring the decorating prowess of SWMBO (and assembling some furniture).
19. Rescuing a sadly fatally traumatised birds from the woodburner flue.
20. Sampling a taste of the old country.
21. Relishing a homemade egg and bacon muffin containing our first home laid egg.
22. Assisting Johnny move his flood-bound flock to greener, drier pastures.
23. Knocking myself out in the basement and bleeding a lot.
24. Making time with SWMBO to continue running our youth group – like when dissecting pigs’ eyes!
25. Prepping the rentals for letting.
26. Re-enacting ‘Fahrenheit 451′ with the kids’ old school work.
27. Researching local history and finding that valley floods (No. 12) are par for the course.
28. Retiring old power tools and buying their replacements.
29. Buying a car – and then selling it again (long story).
30. And revelling in the daily beauty of views, skies and rainbows (more of which soon).