.... getting sick. Or fighting off illness. Between the three of us we've had viral infections, coughs that won't go away, expensive holes in the teeth, lots of prescription medicines, a trip to emergency... I'm not really too sure why this is happening to us, as 95% or so of what we eat? It's prepared from scratch. We avoid chemicals and numbers in our food and around the house. We were ok though winter, but since the strong winds started in August, oh boy.
... riding our bikes. A lot. Willow's only 14kgs, and I can get a seat for the back of my bike to take her weight up to 22kgs- after that, she's on her own. Willow also does pretty well on her own little bike, riding along beside us. Sadly, Little Town doesn't have anywhere to really ride a bike.
... trying to not die. Little Town Drivers are *the worst.* Especially with indicating. Let's just say many, many people indicate and then DO NOT TURN. Or they indicate left, and they go right. Or they simply choose to not indicate at all. I'm really quite frustrated and over it. It's scary to nearly have some car drive into the side of your brand new car... it's even worse when you are on a bike, with your daughter. It makes me want to follow the car and scream abuse at them and throw rocks.
... wallowing in new car smell. M got a new car. A nice one, where we can now all put our bikes in the back and go somewhere else that's less death trappy. Willow is very pleased and proud with the new car.
... asking questions. "Mummy, how come some people have big houses and other people have little houses? Why do we have a little house? Why do some people have cars and some don't? Why are some people boys and others are girls? Can Amber come over next week and play with me? Why is that little boy crying? Mummy, why are you angry at that car? Why does my room get so messy?"
... not playing well with others. I'm proud of how Willow behaves in public. She's quiet, thoughtful, polite, interactive and a joy. I'm less pleased with *other kids.* Willow's been asking to stay home from pre school and faking sick on Thursdays, which is weird because it's Wednesday's that Cruz attends, and Willow doesn't like Cruz because he threw bark chips into her eyes and pushed her over. Apparently, none of the kids like him. Which is weird, because Cruz is the weediest looking, glasses wearing kid there, and heck, last time I saw him, he was wearing a pink dress. Not that I'm saying there's anything WRONG with a boy wearing a pink dress... it's just normally the other way around, isn't it? That the scrawny cross dressing boy with glasses is the one being bullied, not the bully.
... House work. Sigh. I know, right? Doing the dishes is my most hated job. Actually, cleaning the shower and toilet is, so I never do it. Those jobs are alway's M's.
... Gardening. We have six different types of basil, eight different types of tomato, three or four different beans, soy beans, corn, pumpkin, silverbeet and rainbow silverbeet, laksa plant, stevia, mint, thyme, lemon balm, oregano, marjoram, cress, parsley, spinach vine and perpetual spinach, two types of carrots and cucumber, all in various stages ranging from "waiting to sprout" to "thriving." We've also put in a worm farm, and I've been remodeling the courtyard garden. Last year we got about two weeks of rain, and everything rotted in the soil- all the beetroot, all the carrots. They're tearing down the house next door so I've been sneaking over after hours to collect bricks and hauling them home, to put in a retaining wall. Hopefully by raising the bed ever so slightly, the water is better able to drain off. The other reason for building it up is all the hay and chook poop and other stuff I've been digging in, hoping to improve the hydrophobic clay soil. Willow will eat stuff from the garden that she won't eat anywhere else- tomatoes and peas are the main ones, but she gets a real kick out of pulling carrots out of the soil.
... tracking down stuff for gardening. We were planning on growing quite a bit in polystyrene tubs, but they're REALLY hard to get from Woolies and Coles.
... uni. So much uni work to do, and I'm only part time. I just need to keep gritting my teeth putting one step in front of another. Eventually, I'll get there. Eventually I'll graduate.
... We are going camping soon! Willow is super excited. (as are we.)
... I'm opening a shop on etsy. gulp. Hopefully in mid October. It's a joint thing with a friend, as both of us don't have a lot of spare time, so we figured that maybe between the two of us, we could generate enough stuff for a shop for a little extra cash on the side... or enough cash to cover materials. I'm sewing hot water bottle covers, patchwork blankets, some girl's dresses and some patchwork skirts. So far... I have one patchwork blanket, and two hot water bottles done. I also have 10 more covers cut up and ready for sewing, several more blankets planned in my head (dusty purple, pink, blue and orange, although NOT all mixed together!) So, wish me luck (and wealth).
... I also have some other blankets due. One for a dear friend (eh, I have till March) and I feel like I should do one for my neighbor in December, and a lot less like doing one for my other neighbor who never wants to hang out with me.
... Christmas ornaments. I have a white jumper and a red jumper I got for $1 at the op shop that I intend to make Christmas gifts with. Also intend on designing some fabric over at spoonflower with Willow's illustrations on it. But- HOLY CRAP GUYS. Is it really only October, then November and exams.... and then Christmas? Wow.
... We really need to take Willow to the beach. She loves the beach. Oh time. I wish we had more of you. Ditto money.
