Country kids-Melbourne days.

A few weeks ago I was reading a blog post, or an article, or something, about the city/country mix. About kids getting the best of both worlds. Bonfires and bush walks and mud stomping and vegie growing AND movies and shopping and cafes and culture. 

It occurred to me that it would be great to mix our world up a bit. That it would be fun to have a few days in town seeing the sights, doing the Melbourne touristy things and showing our girls a bit of the world we grew up in. 

One of the main reasons for choosing to move to Daylesford in the first place, was how close is it is to town. How accessible. So we packed up our city clothes, and drove an hour and a half down the road to Melbourne. 

We crammed so much into our four days in the city. We had a ball. 

We celebrated my grandad's 94th birthday.

We could not have felt prouder of Indi and her painting at the NGV.

We didn't do any farm chores.

We watched movies and I beat them all at bowling.

I didn't wear gumboots but clogs and city boots.

We ate every meal out and didn't cook at all.

We walked the dog at doggie parks.

We didn't light or feed any fires for warmth or for cooking.

We loved Brunswick street.

Indi tried and failed to convince me to wear tights with fire works on them.

We loved the strong water pressure and the bath that filled in a few minutes.

I didn't turn my computer on or look at my emails.

We camped on the floor of an unfurnished apartment.

We struggled with the traffic.

I was amazed that after 11 years I didn't have any Melbourne geography but Bren knew exactly where he was going at all times.

We didn't see any stars but we saw lots of twinkly night lights.

I couldn't drive in the city.

We only found a few op shop treasures; a few Meakin plates, a red cardi, a scarf.

We didn't have any other place to be but together.

We didn't find it easy to have a dog in the city.

There was a shopping centre just down stairs.

We couldn't get used to sharing walls with neighbours.

We didn't bump into anyone we know.

We bought them band hoodies at Victoria market.

We didn't have a TV, or a kettle, or a coffee machine.

I didn't feel so cold.

We spent too much money.

We carried keys with us always.

We didn't do nearly as many things as we had thought we would.

I cast off a beanie and started a Mara.

On the last night we didn't have any kids!!!!! (thanks D and M xx)

We had a ball.

It was such a great thing to do.

But coming home was the best. We fell in love all over again with the trees and the space and our newly painted white house and our Esse.

We came home, lit the fires, went for a walk through the bush, cooked dinner from our passata, our apples and our greens and slept so well in our own beds.

There's certainly is no place like home, but it sure is fun to go away and visit.

So how about you?
Do you have a bit of a city/country life balance?
Do you like to swap your city boots for your country boots (or visa-versa)?
What's the best thing about where you live at the moment?
Are you enjoying your holidays?

Have fun out there.

xx

One day in the city.

Yesterday morning started off just like any other Thursday morning. The same scramble for clothes and bits of uniform, the same porridge and coffee for breakfast, the same hair plaiting, lunch making and drive to school. And yesterday morning there were only annoying songs on the radio, bad drivers in front of me and only bills in the mail. 

I drove home from school dreaming of adventures but was greeted at the door by the reality of Miss Indi with a head ache on the couch, Miss Pepper DESPERATE for a pick up sticks partner, farmer Bren and the boys busy with the shed raising and a house that looked like a bomb had gone off inside.

Something inside me snapped! I couldn't breathe.

I could not spend the day cleaning and cooking and looking after people. I JUST COULDN'T!!

So I bundled the girls into the car and we drove to Melbourne.

This was NOT going to be a Groundhog day!

And the closer we got to the big smoke, the free-er I felt. Like I could breathe. Like I was a person and not just a look-er-afterer-er.

We almost got lost about 20 times, we laughed that my big fat country car was too big and fat for the city, we freaked out about it getting stuck in an underground car park, we hung out with my city Mum and my city sister, we drank great coffee in the coolest cafes, we walked graffiti lane ways, we ate sushi and croissants, we sorted through Emily's op shop pile and drank fizzy drinks at her work. We had a ball.

Miss Pepper told me she had dreamed of the big city and felt like her dreams were coming true. She skipped down the streets and marvelled at all the people and shops and things.

Miss Indi cried with joy at the news of One Direction tickets, totally rocked Emily's cast offs and looked so much better than she had on the couch at home.

And I felt like I'd had a holiday from my real life. Like I'd seen new sights. Like I'd spent the day living life rather than just checking things off a list. Like I was inspired all over again.

On the way home to Daylesford Miss Pepper slept, Indi and I laughed at the radio and a tiny anxious butterfly danced inside me afraid of the chaos I would find at home. The chaos I had not coped with that morning. The chaos that had the power to erase the joys of the day.

But the exact opposite happened.

We drove up at twilight and found my farmer boy, my Jazzy, a bonfire and a barbecue feast. It seemed they had needed a bit of a break from the usual too and had spent the afternoon preparing. A more wonderful homecoming I could not imagine.

We caught up and told the stories of our days, we ate, we played games, toasted marshmallows and we laughed a lot.

And after the girls went to bed I sat up in bed with my darling and knitted a sleeve.

I must remember to not be so bogged down by the everyday. To be more spontaneous. To chuck the have to's and routines out the window every now and then.

Today I've woken up happy to be here and totally inspired.  I can see the beauty again. One day in the city was as good as a holiday.

So how about you?
Does the same, same, sameness of your life sometimes make you want to scream?
Do you ever feel the need to leave it all behind and have a break from your world?
When was the last time you said stuff it and headed for the hills?
Where do you go and what do you do to refuel?


I hope you have the happiest weekend!
xx

ps hugest love and thanks to you @writerbee and you @mililala and you @dayorganics xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sixty four!

Exactly one month to the day since the oldest four girls in our family gathered in the city to support each other through Farmdoc's open heart surgery, we came together once again. This time Abby came all the way across the seas to join us too.

And this time we came together to celebrate.

We sang Happy Birthday.

We danced to the obvious Beatles song.

We drank coffee.

We ate a big lunch and a little cake.

We reminisced.

We spent time together with no husbands, or boyfriends, or children, or pets.

We talked through issues and told stories.

We cried at his speech and laughed at hers.

What a day!

Happy Birthday Dad!

I hope you had a great day.

xx

ps. Bloody Blogger just swallowed this post when I tried to publish it the first time. I think it was better the first time too.

pps. Thanks heaps for all the answers to my last post. You guys are awesome.

ppps. Imagine how much fun it'll be when you turn 64 and get to spend the day with your adult children. Now that'll be a great day too I think.

pppps. I'm on officially on Pinterest now as Foxslane.

Twirling.

I've just gotten back from a whirl wind, 26 hour trip to Melbourne. I had a ball catching up with lots of crafty bloggy girlies, walking the city streets, hanging out with the parentals and drinking lots of great coffee.

Before I go and get changed into my Farmer Kate clothes I thought you might like to see the new skirt I made last Thursday.

I made it from some of the fabric scraps Michelle sent me. I didn't have enough of either the grey or the red to make an entire skirt so I mixed and matched. Like the red skirt it has a zipper fastener, a lined facing, three layers and a couple of darts.

It is very full, almost tutu like and pretty short and boy is it fun to wear. After my Mum and a couple of my bossy sisters assured me that I am not too old to wear such a skirt I decided to make some more and wear them often.

This skirt makes me feel happy and twirly and dancy.

It doesn't make me want to stack wood, or comb lice out of hair, or deal with crate loads of apples and pears and persimmons, or make dinner and play Uno though, so I'd better go and get changed. Jeans and a hoodie here I come.

Have fun y'all.

Its my birthday la la la la la la la.

In the house I grew up in in Melbourne, it was the rhododendrons that heralded my birthday each year, but here it seems to be the gorgeous waratahs.

We kicked off the festivities yesterday with a trip to Melbourne.

Where we hung out with my Mum, my sister Emily and her boyfriend Jono.

We drank some great coffee, ate sushi and explored.

This morning has been the usual chaos of getting the big girls to school on time with the added bonus of lots of singing, cards and prezzies. Yay!!

I plan to spend today screen printing and knitting and then preparing and eating the birthday dinner when the girls come home.

I hope you have a great day on my birthday.

My Dad has written some lovely things about me here. Its a bit embarrasing to be so self promoting but hey its my birthday la la la...