Re-entry (28 Sept. 25)

Sunday (on a long weekend), Lancelin Caravan Park, Lancelin.

We arrived back from our trip "up North" just over a week ago (parkergriffins.blogspot.com). I've discovered that, apart from missing traveling, I am missing writing my daily blog!

So my plan is to try to write once a week, or couple of weeks when life gets busy, about our normal lives. Because, contrary to the address above which implies we are travelling (more on that shortly), we are back to our regular, somewhat chaotic, everyday life.

When we got back last Friday morning, coming out of a living situation in which we have had the minimum of everything (two glasses, two plates, and the like) as well as 'a place for everything', I was filled with an urgent need to simplify the house, eradicating "stuff".

But by the time we had discarded the rotten contents of the home fridge (a full garbage bag), brought in things from the campervan, and emptied (reshuffled) the loungeroom in preparation for a new lounge suite, the bins were already overflowing, there was no surface space visible anywhere, and I was totally overwhelmed!!

So we have agreed to implement my "one room a month" idea (I wanted to do this last year but it never came to fruition). The plan will be to thoroughly get one room fully sorted, and then move on to the next one. The lounge room is first. In a year, we would have an organised house. What do you think the chances are??

Speaking of being overwhelmed, I've now realised why I’ve never succeeded in writing a general life blog. We've just been home a week but it’s already been full on, and too much to describe in one blog! So here is a brief summary:

- Sat/ Sun- getting the new lounge in, washing, unpacking etc. Mark pulled out weeds 2m high in the front garden.

Weeds... garden "looking good" according to kids

- Mon/ Tuesday I took these days as extra long service leave to make my glass for the Kojonup Aura Gallery (cactus and dotty bowls), which Jess has delivered on her way back to the farm. So I am now crossing fingers that: a) the gallery owner likes them; b) the pricing is right (very tricky to do); c) someone buys something; d) they dont get broken when being wrapped up (which has happened before). Meantime Mark went to work!

Dotty vase

Cacti, plus I used 'expanding foam' in the pot to put the cacti in.

This was my first attempt with the expanding foam - didnt realise how much it would expand!!!

More dotty things

- Wednesday. My first day of work! Had to put on fancy clothes and pretend to be a big-wig professor for a European accreditation interview. Warren and Cynthia called in after work. Great to hear about their travels to South Australia and to catch up!

- Thursday. Mark's 65th birthday. Us, the girls and their boyfriends (Oscar, Alex) plus Didi and Jess all went to dinner ant our favourite Indian restaurant, the Maharaja. We mostly like it because it’s quiet and the chairs are very comfortable. I worked from home and was really bored by 11am.

Marks 65th birthday at the Maharaja!

- Friday we joined Harry (nephew) to help celebrate his 21st birthday at the Como hotel. Meanwhile Mark drive the van to Lancelin for the Buskers Festival.