Wow, what a huge break we have had from one another, but I am kind of back, not sure how often or to what degree but here we are. I have thought about this space a lot over the last couple of months, with feelings of reflection, overwhelm and fondness. I have started this welcome back post numerous times in my head but have never finished and even now as I type I am unsure as to where I am heading.What I did decide, to make it easier on me, is to start this post in the right now, what is happening all around me as I type. Following posts will swim luxuriously back into the past and catch you all up with the bigness of the last couple of months but for now I will welcome you all back with my reality.
We are extremely close to finishing our build (as much as you can ever really 'finish'), the idea of putting furniture into our new space and actually living in it still feels like a wonderful fantasy for me. To cook in a kitchen will be a considered thrill and to not have dust, dirt and crap everywhere, wowsers. It has been a huge journey in so many ways; emotionally, physically, financially (we will scrape in pretty much within budget) and creatively. We have had to compromise, let go of timelines, breathe out amongst a chaos that can only be character building and shake our heads and laugh at the last 3 months of rain. As a couple we have hard really, really hard times but luckily it has ended up cementing us and making us even more stronger and more full of love (albeit with the help of wonderful friends and beautiful counsellors). I have loved everything about this build (yes even the crapness), I have liked the uncomfortable living situations, the fact that even after a bath or shower by the time you walk to bed your feet look pretty much the same as before the wash, the disarray has been a great lesson in letting go. Not having an oven just a camp cooker has led to simple but creative meals (and sometimes not so creative), I have loved cooking outside, waving to friends as they drive by, feeding our 'pet' magpies, being amongst the weather. I have loved seeing our home evolve, marvelling at the time it takes to do things, watching the kids run with it and delight in little changes.
Okay, so that's where we are basically at right now. Hopefully in the next week I can post pics of us in our new place, planting our fruit trees (if the rain holds off) and slowly settling into this space, minus the tools, the noise, the fine layer of dust but not minus the crap, crap always manages to find its way in.
Just in case you are interested:
* The beautiful 5mtr cedar doors were from Gumtree in Lindfield, NSW for $500 (amazing huh!)
*All windows from ebay, gumtree or secondhand barn.
* The lights were from Gumtree as well $30 each
* Pink and Blue cupboard from Hyde Bellingen
* Kitchen secondhand from Bondi (including oven)
*Wood - local Blackbutt from a guy name Matt, property at Boggy Creek
*Little basket is our builders own.
*Blue vice is on our kitchen bench, a table from the QLD railways.
*The flooring is second-hand from Urunga (a local suburb) but yes from Gumtree - we opted to not go with slab flooring as in this mouldy humid climate everyone has told us airflow is more important than themal mass (well particularly when we were going to negate the thermal mass anyway by putting flooring over it). We will (when we save up a bit) but in underfloor insulation but all the walls and ceilings are insulated and we have our build north facing.
* The garden has recently been dug up as we have put swales all through the yard to redirect water coming from our neighbours yard into ours, beautifully excess water will be distributed to all our trees, instead of having a river run through or by piping it out.
