Melbourne – only a drive away!

Wow! It seems so long since I last wrote for the blog, but really it is only about a week ago. So much has happened in that week. For most of it I have had a very runny nose and felt really quite tired and ordinary, which has meant some early nights and eaten into that precious time when all the kids have gone to bed. While Andre has been sorting and learning all things “bus”, I have been learning from Robyn. The other day she made a batch of feta cheese. How fantastic is that! Just to get up in the morning, do a stint at the gym, come home and make a huge batch of feta. Watch out Dianne and Julian! It all was quite specific with amounts and procedures and sterilising etc. and even more impressive when I learnt that she is the only one in the family who eats it! So we quite gladly will help Robyn in that department. We now have a fridge full of feta. Unfortunately, like Andre has said, the fridge isn’t so well and we have asked Phil to order us 4 new batteries for the solar system ($1000). We have well and truly knackered the others and this is the sort of unexpected expense that can crop up. Robyn has also been making us wonderful cups of fresh chai. So I am going to get the mix of spices and start to cook up a pot or two. Today I spent the day going to Melbourne to drop Jarra off at his Gran’s and to meet Gill and Cam’s new bub Hamish. He is gorgeous and it was fantastic to meet the little man and to see them one last time. By the time I see him next he will be almost one I imagine. There is definitely something very special about holding a newborn babe in one’s arms. So soft, so delicate and smelling so sweet. I almost felt a little broody….. but no!!!! Arriving back, I was chatting to Robyn who had been to a forum for mothers who believe in natural birth and parenting. Only three others had turned up, but were very committed to the idea of getting like minded women together. Then we got on to our birthing stories, as each of our children have entered the world in an interesting fashion. It is an amazing thing to revisit the whole birthing thing – not the usual coffee chit-chat these days – and it brought a smile to my face thinking about my experiences and it helped to remind me how special Jarra is and why I need to have understanding when dealing with him. He was “born in the caul” as some of you might know, which is very special. I must make this my mantra when dealing with his fierce independence, curiosity and lack of fear – all of which is adding to the close proximity to the day I find my first grey hair. I have said before that he will be the one to do it. I need to look at him and believe that it is all for the greater good. When he was born we were very excited to discover that the word caul comes from the word “caulbearers” who were deemed chosen individuals to live for the greater good and that they had powers that others didn’t possess. Well I kinda like that and I think I just need to be reminded of it periodically – especially when he is throwing a big tanty!! I enjoyed our time back in Melbourne for the games. It really was jumping and I was sad we weren’t able to see the fish lit up at night. Weren’t they awesome?!! Today on the radio – I had a lot of time in the car! – they were discussing ideas of what to do with them now that the games are over. One suggestion was to send them to Sierra Leone and for us to keep the athletes. I like that one! Well I must go now and enjoy what is left of our precious night on our own together. Rennie and Tal are having a sleepover with Eric at the house and so we have a very rare chance of having the bus to ourselves… funny, it actually seems quite big without them! This really is our home now.