Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Modern Day Migrating Feline


We're at that unbearable point where all our worldly possessions are in boxes. All my books, all my treasured things, all the kids toys (except a select few) and all their books too, are all in boxes, stacked in the hallway. I did the last basic grocery shop today, mostly snack food, and cat food and litter for his holiday at my friend's house.

I had a really difficult time packing James' ashes into a box. I put them in with all our precious things, candles from his funeral, beloved decorations, photos and gifts, then labelled the box very carefully. I had to have a good cry before I was able to put him in there though. I should be packing his toys, twice because he should be unpacking them faster than I can pack them.

I'm still working out how to transport the placenta to the new house. we have a few options.

  1. Store it in my friend's freezer (next to her placenta!) then let it fly down with the cat in his carrier box, telling the airline that it's cat food because they allow that (they probably wouldn't allow a placenta)
  2. Courier it down to a friend there and store it in her freezer (again, next to her placenta) until we arrive.
  3. Take it with us in an esky with ice, adding more ice every time we go past a servo and storing it in hotel freezers
  4. Same plan only with dry ice so it doesn't need too much maintenance as we travel.
  5. Get it dehydrated so it's easy to travel with.
I'm leaning towards number one because it's the easiest way, and the only way to keep it as is. Having never had a placenta and having had four babies, I'm a bit precious about it. I want to plant it underneath a fruit tree in the new garden. I'm thinking of doing a whole placenta ceremony where everyone in the family (none of us have had our placentas buried or even honoured remotely) chooses a rock, catches some blood from our finger (the kids can just use red paint) and ties a small cutting of hair to the rock and then we'll bury it with Angus' placenta.

Today I rang several companies to find out how much it will cost to fly our cat down to us. It looks like being about $120 plus $10 cat cage (second hand from the cat protection society) and whatever the cost of sedating him will be. Yesterday I organised for our pay tv account to transfer to the house, I'm researching phone and internet options, and I've created an account for electricity. I can't get the electricity on properly until an electrician has been to the house because apparently there is a problem with the hot water meter. I've never even heard of HOT water meters so I'm inclined to agree ... there's a problem!

Monday, September 27, 2010

The Move Begins In Earnest!


We're on the count down, it's only 11 days until we're out of this house and then another six until we leave Sydney and embark upon our crazy making tree change adventure. Packing is in full swing, I'm in the process of changing the deed into my name, I've stopped grocery shopping (WOOHOO!) and I'm either throwing out or giving away a truck load of stuff - most of which our hoarder neighbour is snatching up. I discovered that I need to apply for the first home owners grant before the deed will go in my name which is irritating but it's all one big fat learning curve.

Working out what to pack and what we'll need to take with us is complicated by the differing weather in Sydney (where it was 26C today) and Tassie where it was snowing last week. It's hard to pack for the baby too because he's grown out of his winter clothing and no where is selling it now, not even vinnies. I suppose that he'll be warm enough in his trackies, strapped to me in a sling with my cardigan around him when we go outside. We're going to have to buy suitcases for the boys because taking clothes and toys for them will mean they need a fair whack of space.

The best thing about moving will be the adventure! the worst part will be NO INTERNET!!! I'm sure there will be plenty to occupy me.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Lounge room

This is a picture of the lounge room. It's the main selling point for us I think, with the wood fire heater and the polished floor boards. It's also so bright with so much real light, our current rental house is the darkest in Sydney. It also has more cockroaches and mould than any other house in Sydney, and it costs us $300 a week. I think this room will end up going brown, I hate white walls.


Friday, September 17, 2010

Leaving home


We're looking at leaving Sydney sooner than December now! I'd like to leave in the next four or five weeks but we have to see how everything works out. It's so exciting to finally be embarking on this crazy adventure, but I'm sad at the same time. There's so much in Sydney that I love. So many wonderful friends, family, fantastic food from all the corners of the world, so much to see and do, and of course the fantastic weather. I love the in between seasons in Sydney. Spring and Autumn are just always beautiful, not too hot, not too cold.

I have a hunch that I won't like the weather so much in Antarctica. Mind you there are friends and family there that we will like being closer to. And there's stuff to do there, it's just that it will be so different to everything I've known my whole life. I know I enjoy doing things down there when I'm on holiday, the million dollar question is WILL I LIKE DOING IT WHEN IT'S NOT A HOLIDAY? One of the things I'm really looking forward to is bush walking with the kids and a dog. We've never been able to own a dog in Sydney, and even our cat is a state secret from the real estate agent.

We went for a walk last night to cheat Angus out of his witching hour and talked about the colour we want to pain things. It feels very real, and very exciting when we can realistically discuss that stuff! Fortunately, for the most part, we agree on colours and designs for stuff, and we have similar ideals about living sustainably and being more in touch with nature. I found a photo of a two story weatherboard house that's painted like the rainbow. I'd dearly love to paint our house like that but A draws the line at that display of eccentricity. Oh well.