My Table

Bought $1500 table for $500. That kind of thing makes adult-Anna do a little happy dance. It also makes teenage-Anna very angry. I laugh in her face, mwahahaha. My table rocks.

Free Laptop

I've my hot little hands on a free lappie. Still have old lappie, but was so peeved with it that it actually got left behind in the land of Oz. As a consequence (indeed the consequences of anger are rarely good) have only had phones to use internet on the entire time we have been away - until now. Smart. Thought about buying new lappie, but hubby is not prone to impulsive purchases (only had two months to look around) so nothing came of it.

Spent a month in Amsterdam, in a small houseboat - passing the time between Bean Bed Time (7pm-ish) and our bedtime (totally a total secret) contemplating life, staring at our smartphones and reading an old copy of "the Beach" which found in mother-in-law's garage. Boring? you ask. Nah. Actually I have decided to redecorate when get home (to Byron Bay) - I'm chucking the TV. FUCK the TV. Mind-numbing, annoying piece of crap. Or well, at least it does not belong in the living-room. Might hide it elsewhere though, for those times one wishes to curl up with a cup of tea and an entire caramel slice; to watch the latest season of Game of Thrones. For example.

Another reason is, bub can't so much as lay eyes on a piece of technology (computer, phone, ipad etc) without going completely bonkers and wailing until she gets hold of it. What is that? No child of mine is watching telly 24-7, that's for sure. So the work of satan will be demoted to manland.

Now it is time for my 6th cup of coffee of the day, needless to say we are still in Sweden. It is Midsummer. I am awake a lot.

Gone Walkabout

So Blogger decided to lock me out. Suddenly password no good. Would not let me sign in via phone. Then laptop was malfunctioning. Laptop really is scheduled for retirement. Has been for years, even though I (the most technologically challenged person you are ever likely to come across) still sort of think it is new. Ish. A modest four years old.

Anyway. Decided to try again today. Was all like, have so much to write about! Would be great to have a blog! Oh! I doooo have a blog!

Have been very busy, ladies and gentlemen. In short summary we are no longer in Byron Bay. Decided to pack up life - cram it into the smallest room in the house (manland) and rent the rest out whilst we go walkabout.

Not something most people do when just had baby. But have always been bad at staying put. Stayed put for so long waiting for said baby. Now she is here, it's time to show her a little bit of the world. House will still be there when we want to come back. We hope.

Funny story there actually. Had somehow managed to push the door to manland shut and turned the key - squeezeed rest of worldly possessions (including baby stuff) into commodore and hit the road. All was well and good.

Got to Bellingen. All was well and good.

Then heard of massive hail storm which had passed through Byron hours after we left. Some damage to house. And garden. In a way happy didn't have to see it. Hubby has handyman lined up to sort out emergencies.

Honestly. Might be better to sell house and live permanently on houseboat in Brunswick (actual idea) or in winnebago (unlikely).

Rubbish?

Look what I picked up from the side of the street! Am not ashamed. No, I'm proud. It's recycling.

Fish Drama

I mentioned previously on this blog that we had found ourselves living in a house with its very own fishpond. Suddenly pet-count was up from 1 to 32. Like, approximately.

Ponds are a genuinely bad idea. To top it off previous owners had drawn electricity to pond using totally insane and utterly illegal methods. Our electrician could not believe his eyes. Bill to fix; hefty. We death-defyingly left electrical mess as was.

Then suddenly had light bulb moment. Placed ad on gumtree re free fish, available for pick up. For some inexplicable reason we had loads of interest.

Fish are gone.

Woop.

But.

Two remain.

In the "hospital pond". This is a second, much smaller, pond built by previous owners. No electricity.

Anyway. Two sick fish. Asked hubby to kill them. Asked many times. Nagged,  you could say. Until this morning. Argued. Shouted. Kill the damn fish. Dammit.

Hubby decided to call me on it. Why him? Why can't I kill them? He's a fricking vegan. Couldn't think of anything to say so before I knew what was happening, had said fine. Fine. I will kill them. But never ask me how I did it.

How the freaking hell am I going to kill two fish???

Heatwave

Have not had loads of energy to update.
Australia is in the middle of a heatwave - and days have consisted mainly of finding ways to cool down. In particular hands and feet have been on fire. Totally uncharacteristic - my hands and feet are usually freezing regardless of outside temperatures.

Have also had a house full of guests - always nice, unfortunately house did not agree and stuff has been breaking down at unprecedented speeds. Think plumbing, for instance.

Interestingly, plumbing decided to cark it at around 4pm on a Friday afternoon. This is Byron Bay. Forget getting anything done at 4pm on a Friday. Haha. Plumbers all sitting merrily having schooners at the pub. No worries and all that.

So have had interesting weekend of showering using garden hose; when 35 degrees in shade - not showering is simply not an option.

House has so many issues sometimes feel like banging head against brick wall might be a constructive idea? But always calm down and realise there are also many reasons to LOVE house. It's a wonderful place, really. As long as one is not too fussed about minor renovation-projects and, well, working plumbing...

Old Outdoor Furniture - New Lease on Life

House came with set of old outdoor furniture.

Was not left there due to kind heart of previous owner, explanation was probably simpler than that. Once put together, would be totally and utterly impossible to move off deck. (She still made us pay for it. We had yet to realise it would have been left there either way.)

One of the little quirks of this house. Is architectural nightmare. Remember when bed got delivered and had to hoist it up via balcony? Yes.

A very dear friend is an architect. She came to visit, and emitted plenty of "hmmm" and "oooohhh" sounds throughout visit (there might even have been an "interestiiiing"); followed by card saying something like "congratz on new home, it has lots of added value potential!"

Anyway, as usual, I digress.

The outdoor furniture.

Clean up:

Progress:

Beautiful Chocolate Finish!

Must admit this was always my project. Though, as you can see, in the end Hubby did all the work. Figured, why do something your husband might as well do? So had to put up with a bit of complaining, but totally worth it.

Day 16: my bathroom cupboard

Most intriguing subject on which to base a blogpost, honestly.

First would like to mention Splendour in the Grass - wintertime music festival held right here in Byron Bay; which went to in order to drink tequila, freeze our asses off, and watch a few bands. Did not bring camera. Hmm. If only had modern-era phone... if only.

Back to topic.

Not merely "a" cupboard (as in one). But lots. And all mine. Hubby has some things in the furthest one away next to the toilet. He has band-aids and eff off mozzie spray. Also keep all my spare toilet-paper there, in his cupboard. As have explained previously, have tendency to break out in hives if house has any less than five spare rolls of toilet-paper.

Very important. Fluoride-free toothpaste. Do not be fooled people. Fluoride makes you stupid.

What else? Some incense and some sea-shells. Of course.

Awesome Art

Awesome new piece of "art" for office:

Saw.
Had.To.Have.
Purchased.

Hubby: "Secretive? You're not secretive. What secrets have you ever had?"
Me: "Like I'm telling you."

Everything else pretty spot on though.

My House

I loves my house.

House has a few issues of which we were, more or less (mostly less) aware of when moved in. Figured we would "fix up and renovate." As you do. Reasonably quickly became aware that we are not people who know how to "fix up and renovate." Alas, things stay the way they are - but house is most beautiful and best atmosphere ever.

Stage Two & a Weather Report

The enemy has launched stage two of its attack:

His strategy is to strike at night, under the cover of darkness - when everyone is asleep...

But we have launched a counter-attack. Seeing that it is now winter, as opposed to summer, we have... moved the compost bin back inside!!! Had to move it outside because of an entirely different sort of enemy (ants) over summer. Ants have probably gone into hibernation now. We do see the occasional, confused, ant in the evenings when we light the fire-place; ants come out thinking it's summer again. So stupid.

It is so beautiful here in Byron right now. Sunny, clear skies, clear turquoise water and 20-ish degrees. Until approximately 5 pm every day. Then the sun retires promptly and temperatures drop by about 10 degrees. Will never get used to it happening so quickly - can never get fire going fast enough even though might have been thinking all day that we won't be needing the fire that night.

Lesson 1 if living in a house in Australia built by Australians: You will always need the fire.

Cleaning

Three hour turnaround between visitors here today - so... instead of blogging am going to do some washing, drying, sweeping, cleaning-windows-covered-in-sticky-child-hand-prints - and so on.

And re-making the beds.

Oh dear.

Was awesome having our dear friends here for a week, even if kiddies got a bit loud at times. Definitely should organise lock for ensuite bathroom door...


Better go!

Assembly Repeat and Paperwork

Hubby, angrily: "Didn't we say we were never effing going to get effing assembly furniture again?!?"
Me: "What other kind of furniture would we get?"
Hubby, in finest you're-an-idiot-tone-of-voice: "PRE-Assembled furniture!!!"

Behold, new addition to office...

In other news, have re-entered Immigration-Authority-Hell.

High time to organise self and get Citizenship. Indeed, could just not bother and continue to enjoy freedom from having to participate in elections and other such things - but, all things considered, better to have aussie passport.

Hello paperwork. Forms, forms, forms. This that and the other which has to be signed by such and such a person who has to have known you for atleast a year and bla bla bla - not easy at the best of times and certainly not when new to a place.

I understand standards have to be in place and rules followed. But honestly. Have been here since 2002, and am married to a local. Yet, have to have identity certified by someone who, for example, is boring enough to have worked at the post-office for five years. Hurrah.

Art

Created this beautiful artwork for bedroom wall - it is Tallow Beach, you can see the Byron Bay Lighthouse on the hill in the middle one.

And by "created" I mean we sent a photo off to someone who made it cheaply for us and delivered it to our door.

Do you know what you would have to pay for almost any type of artwork that size..? Too much, is what.

Do not understand art, really. Never have.
Pretended to briefly - during arty-intelligent phase (after communist-rebel phase, prior to alco-partygirl phase).

A Little Spring Cleaning

Got told the other day that I look very tanned. Immediately became paranoid and assumed was probably halfway to melanoma. Is not like when someone thinks you are too thin - and you are delighted - being too tanned DownUnder is equal to being suicidal, old-fashioned, uncaring, unhealthy and so on.

May as well give up right now, open a bottle of wine and light up a ciggie?

No. Anyway - therefore decided it best to avoid sun for a few days. Naturally, weather is displaying clear blue sky, sun and 35 degrees.

Solution? Spring-cleaning.

Yes, realise is middle of summer. But better late than never.

Here is some evidence of what I consider step one of a proper house-clean: Throw out everything that can be moved in order to clear space and gain easy access for cleaning:

(that is the bird in the middle - he enjoys being outdoors, also hates vacuum cleaner)

Step two: clean. Step three: watch Dr Phil, feel exhausted thanks to heat, and wonder why you just dumped entire contents of house outside.