This is what I have been working on over the last month. "Aunt Bettina's Parlour" by Quilted Crow Girls Designs. I started it I can't remember when at a class at Hettie's Patch earlier this year. I am enjoying hand stitching! It's all very relaxing and fun.
This year is all a bit of a blur. Every year I am amazed at the beginning of every month to realise that another month has flown by. This year it is even worse. We left Melbourne last November, but it seriously only seems like a month or two ago, not the eight months it really is. I miss Melbourne a lot. Well, the place a little, but mostly the friends I made there.
When we moved back to South Australia eight months ago we decided to do something different. Why not? We decided to move to the country. We are just renting so this would be an opportunity to see if country life is for us without too much of a commitment. Our current home is on seven acres, and is on a dirt road. (Can't get more country than that!) When we moved in we couldn't see any houses from our house. We are surrounded by paddocks. Paddocks that are full of rabbits, foxes and kangaroos and also cattle and sheep. Now we can see a house on the hill opposite our hill. It is in the process of being built. And do you want to know something funny? In the tradition of South Australia (it's a small place people) we know the people building the new house. They will move in in the next month or two. What are the odds that we would know them? In Victoria not great. In South Australia, pretty much even.
This is our backyard. So, after eight months, how do we like country living? So-so. There are some things I love. Like living in the middle of nowhere! And some things I am completely sick of. Like living in the middle of nowhere! I love the quiet. (Well, except for the cows and sheep. Boy are they noisy!) But I am sick of having to drive 20 kilometres to the bus stop to drop kids off. (I know that that is not really a long drive, but it seems long to me!) Sometimes I make the 40km round trip three times a day which is crazy, but necessary. So I'm hoping to move again when our lease is up. Where to? Right now I have no idea.
We moved back to South Australia to help our daughter. She is one of the most brilliant and capable young women I know. Always has been. She does have a huge challenge though, her son has special needs. Without the regular support of extended family this special boy's challenges were overwhelming for her. As he has gotten older, and bigger, the challenges have grown too. So now we are nearby to help. We have him come stay at our house one day a week each week. This gives her a break and an opportunity to do something other than look after him. He has behavioural problems which are really hard work. Of course, he is still wonderful along with it. Last month was a big month for him. His doctor prescribed him medication. His mother has resisted this course of action previously because she wanted to try every non-invasive way of helping him first. This was the next step. He has reacted really well so far and we hope this will give him a chance to learn and practise better behaviours.
This is him helping his sister last week, which seems an ordinary thing but is quite amazing for him.
So, I am still here. Working on sewing projects, babysitting my grandchildren and watching kangaroos in my front yard, in the side paddocks and on the other side of the hill. I have many new projects floating around in my head. I have attended a class and improved my free motion quilting somewhat, and I am contributing to a market that my girls are doing this month. Oh. And we built a tiny house.
