Lockdown Day 6

I feel like we are getting a bit of rhythm now. We get up, have a cup of tea, we can be more relaxed because the kids don't need to catch the bus, we walk the dog. The kids need the wifi and devices in the morning for their school work, so I settle into doing something like dyeing or sewing. Hubby has his building projects to keep himself occupied.

I'm quite glad the kids hog the internet in the mornings. I found myself starting to obsess with the news stories, the graphs, the worry about what this virus would do to refugee camps, and I needed to stop. So the online schooling is helping in this regard.

In the afternoon the kids are encouraged to get some outside time and exercise. I'm thankful we live where we do, they can bike, jump on the trampoline, walk to the beach, swing on the swing, I couldn't imagine having them holed up in an apartment or the like.

This is the view from my deck. Not many people around.

Hubby and I were discussing how much our world is going to change from this pandemic. Although we are working and behaving as if the shortly we'll all go back to the way we were, will we really? How long will it really take before NZ feels safe enough to have the unrestricted travel we used to have? Will our tourism industry ever fully recover? How many people are going to die? They are big questions and only time will tell. So in the meantime, I'm trying to enjoy the things I can.

Like watching my daughter teach herself to knit from the internet and make an amazing start on her 'covid blankie'! She's truly putting in a stellar effort!

Consolidation revisited

Back in February I mused on what I wanted from this year.  Now it's May, Autumn is heading for Winter fast, and I thought it might be time to revisit that blog post and see where I'm at.

My word for this year was consolidation.  And here's what I said back in February:

"I want to settle into this boat life and make it work for us.  I want to strengthen my quilt making and further develop my own style and way of working.  I want to gather my far-flung quilting supplies and fabrics and make an effective working space here on MV Cerego.  I just want to settle in and stabilise ourselves in all respects before we stretch our wings any further.  
So no goals or resolutions for me.  Just a word to remember (before I get excited and hare brained about anything new and shiny)."

So how's it working out for me?  

As for family and boat life, I think we've really settled in well.  In fact it's coming up nine months that we've lived here and I'm not regretting it yet!  The weather has cooled down and we've had some rainy days but, so far, so good.  The boat is becoming more and more sorted with every weekend - bookshelves get put up, deck wash pumps get wired in, little leaks get fixed - it's really becoming a home.

Flashback: what the kid's cabins looked like when we first bought Cerego.

I've got a daily routine going.  It had to change a lot.  Back in our house I could sew in the evenings but here I can't because of noise and kids sleeping etc.  So I try to do a lot more sewing during the day.  Evenings are for dishes (no dishwasher!), computer work and husband socialisation.  We talk more now - that can't be a bad thing right?!

We haven't bought any houses/boats/businesses so we are pretty stable in that respect.  Husband's businesses keep him pretty busy, but living five minutes away has helped the stress levels and made it easier with combining my work, his work and kid duties.

And I don't think I've been distracted by anything new and shiny (except Instagram - I caved and signed up, I'm madquiltlady there if you want to find me).  

The kids are doing their kid things.  It makes it easier living close to the school.  Sports and lessons need less driving and less organisation, and they can be more independent.  I've noticed big gains in their maturity.

So yes, I feel settled.  We've slowed down and kept new projects to a minimum and we're reaping the benefits of such a big life change.

That's it for consolidating the life side of things.  I'll write more about the quilting side of things another day.

Across the Ditch

Hmm, what to write about first?  Well, I guess I better explain where I've been for the last few weeks.  My Dad turned 70 this year and we decided it was time for a family get together.  We haven't all been together in the one place for about six years!  All my immediate family live in Australia now - I have to break out the passport to go visit my brothers and sisters :(  So our little family crossed the ditch (that's what we fondly call the Tasman Sea) and spent ten days on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts of Australia.

The kids were extremely excited to be having a plane ride - they can't remember their last one.  And the first plane we ride on is a little one from Kerikeri to Auckland, just one seat each side of the aisle, which makes is a bit more exciting.

We had to spend a day in Auckland due to a passport issue.  (Warning: check your passport expiry dates CAREFULLY!  It is not good for stress levels to find out you have an expired passport the day before you fly.)  But we made the most of it with a trip to the museum and a trip up the Skytower.

Dad's party was a great success.  The log cabin quilt I've been working on was presented to him.  My eldest sister made half the blocks and on the back are blocks from members of the family with names, handprints and pictures.  He loved it!

This is my Dad, my step-mum and all my immediate siblings.  I don't know how my half-brother managed to get out of this photo, and my step-sister was the one taking the photo.  Of course there were plenty of little children - all cousins - running around too.

We had a trip to Australia Zoo - the home of the late Steve Irwin.  Not cheap, but really worth it for the kids.  Lots of animal experiences.

And a great show where a 4-metre long croc named Graham (not sure if this is a great name for a crocodile) tries to eat his keepers.

Later in the week we borrowed my parent's camping gear and headed to Great Sandy National Park with two of my sisters and their families.  I got to see a snake in the wild.  I think it's a carpet python - not poisonous.  It was hanging out in a tree where we were waiting for the ferry at Tewantin.

Camping at Great Sandy National Park is only accessible by 4WD because the beach is the highway - a little bit different!

We camped and swam and ate and saw a whale and lots of birds - and cleaned out about 2 tonnes of sand from our belongings when we got back.  So much fun.

And there was the obligatory theme park visit.  But I had cut a deal with Hubby!  I took the kids to the zoo while he went swag (a kind of iconic Australian camping bed and tent all rolled into one) shopping, and he took them to Dreamworld while I went fabric shopping.  I reckon I got the better deal!

Phew!  That's enough photos for one day.  I'll show you the few fabric goodies I picked up another day.  We visited my husbands cousins as well so we really filled up on family on this trip.  Now we are getting back to reality.  It's school holidays for the next two weeks so it's an easy transition really.  It's nice to be home, just a little bit cooler!

Bermuda Triangle

Just a note to say I haven't been sucked into a black hole.  I'm visiting (and admiring) my gorgeous brand new nephew!  Actually, I've finished visiting him and moved on to my sister-in-law who kindly looked after my kids while I helped out with the new babe.  I'll be back home and posting again soon. 

Family Photo Time - say cheese!

We spent the weekend in Hamilton at DH's cousin's wedding. And I decided that we needed a family photo. We don't have too many of them. Usually I'm behind the lens so you don't see me, and getting everyone to sit still and smile for the camera is hard work. But seeing as we were all wearing clean clothes for once, I decided to enlist the help of an Aunty and give it a go.

"Come on, behave for Mummy. Turn around and look at the camera!"

"Now if you don't smile, there won't be any pudding."

"Oh, well. I guess it's better than nothing...!"

Satisfaction is......

A bottled brew of gingerbeer.

A perfectly baked loaf of bread (admittedly from the breadmaker, but hey!)

A big pile of chopped down gorse.

Realising that this beautiful flowering flax used to be a small division just a couple of years ago, planted by me (or hubby or one of my dear friends!), and look at it now! We are making progress.

Building a calf shelter for the little bobby calves that I'm going to raise. Hot news: I have resigned so now I'll have the time (I hope) to do this sort of thing.

A beautiful Sunday spent with the family.