Arrived and living in Blue Knob

Red hot pokers in the paddock







Finally, yesterday, we got our connection to the internet sorted out - only dial up, but after having to travel at least 9km to the nearest internet cafe, it is a luxury to sit at home, with a mug of hot tea and browse, check emails, do a bit of internet banking, and hear from loved one's far away, if a little slowly!




And so finally we get to update our blog. We've been here 2 1/2 months, after a couple of extremely relaxing weeks in Malaysia & Thailand (see hut in photo - Tam reckons its the same one she stayed in 20 years ago - needless to say very cheap and carbon neutral air-con!)

Since arriving at our humble bush house, we've managed to do lots of mowing, pruning and weeding, whilst gleefully spotting black and white cockatoos, regent bower birds, crimson rosellas, and many other subtropical birds. We're getting to know more of the native trees and various dreaded exotic weeds to be removed at the first opportunity. Admiring the centre of the Milky Way as it stretches gloriously across the Southern night sky, and occasionally glimpsing a flying fox feasting on the flowering Bangalow palms or spotting a possum in a nearby tree are some of the delights. Finding another tick buried into my skin, or another blood sucking leach crawling up my leg, or coming across the biggest spider I've ever seen upstairs (now named Matilda, we're not sure why?) are some of the less delightful aspects of living here.

Unfortunatly we've also wasted a lot of time looking for a car, only to waste a lot of money on a Heap of S**t car that lies beleaguered with broken head gasket at the local garage. I'm wondering whether doing a mechanics course might be the next best move, given our relatively remote location and the horror's of buying 2nd hand vehicles! Buying a donkey and trap is a serious consideration - said donkey can mow our paddock for us, produce lovely manure for the veg garden and we get to quote Shrek on a regular basis! Watch this space! Although I might just buy a moped, possibly less moody than a donkey (if our recent donkey-sitting experience is anything to go by) and less fencing involved!

Sadly, I need a car to get to work - but I need work to earn money for a car now we've blown our car budget on what turns out to be a wreck (I'm feeling permanantly nauseous about this fact at the moment). So, after much tearful wailing, flailing of arms and general victimness, I'm finally calming down and beginning to consider the positives. The first being that it wasn't raining when we hitched into town today. The second being that we did get a lift and were not murdered and left in a ditch. We happily returned (c/o a pre-arranged lift with my father) having enjoyed a Soya Chai in town, posted letters, done a bit of shopping and discussed the next best move regarding the Heap of S**t car with our very friendly mechanic Dave.

I've painted a couple of beams in our living room this afternoon and Tam (seen brushcutting to the right) has cleared hay from the previously jungle-like lawn, relocating the hay on the bottom layer of our embryonic raised veg beds. Tam has also stacked firewood from a recently felled Sally Wattle.

Tomorrow my brother Grant is taking us to the local town, Lismore (40km south) and we are going to buy a BRAND NEW chainsaw. I am trained in chainsaw use and Tam has chainsaw experience from another lifetime working with a tree surgeon in Brighton. So we'll be able to get serious about stocking our wood pile for next winter.