A new normal

I suppose it is human nature to reference or compare a new experience or environment to that which you know best, to what you know as “normal”.   It gives you a frame of reference, a way to approach your new situation with some sort of already embedded understanding.  When a new experience is nothing like your known “normal” you tend to go into survival mode—doing the best you can with what you know and the tools you have. You may be cursing under your breath and popping Ativan as you go, but you soldier on nonetheless. I think any of us who are, can certainly confirm that being a parent is one such experience. What you once knew as “normal” will never be again. You are carving out a new one now—a wonderous sculpture consisting of diapers, bibs, onesies, sippycups…soiled shirts, leggings, unwashed hair and unshaven legs… sleep deprived eyes, and mountains and mountains of laundry. Your frame of reference has shifted and you find yourself unable to chime in to conversations that don’t revolve around breastfeeding issues, behavioural challenges, revolutionary advances in baby gear, or time-out methodologies. Soon, however your new normal begins to feel….well more normal I guess. It becomes the backdrop that you compare your future life changes to.  And once you've tackled parenthood, all other life changes seem preeeeeeeety manageable somehow.  I think that is how I have come to embrace this major life change I find myself in now.  Moving to another country!  with my toddlers!  Eight-thousand-three-hundred-and-sixty-five miles (that's 13463 kilometres) from my parents and brother and closest friends!  Sure no problem! It cannot nearly be as bad as throwing my back out at 36 weeks, 18 hours of labor, or the torture of sleep deprivation for four years straight...or teething, the poop painting phase, or the epic tantrums of the terrible twos. 

Bring. It. On.

We are approaching our 6 month mark of calling Australia our new home, and I am just now starting to ache for some of the things I love about our old home.  Besides the obvious things to miss like decent mexican food and decent beer that won't keep my kids college education from going bankrupt ($25 FOR A 6 PACK OF IPA PEOPLE!!),  I miss family dinners and small talk around my parents fire pit, I miss my glorious mama friends and their babes, whose little faces I miss much much more than I thought I would watching my own children change and grow.  I miss walking around my sweet little neighbourhood and discovering new local food and fare.  I miss having the option of visiting the ocean each and every day. I miss hanging out with those who have seen me grow over the last 20 or so years and listening to their talents poor forth on the strings they strum and skins they thump.  Although I do occasionally ache for these and other familiarities of home, there are so many things that I appreciate about where we are now: Wide open spaces where my son regularly sees cows and sheep and horses while learning the sounds they make:  no traffic; bush walks among gum trees with stunning skies that can only found in AUS; having extended family so close where we regularly get together with cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents;  living on a street where every afternoon, children play together, running in the yards, riding bikes and scooters and skateboards and all the parents embrace the gang as they move from house to house. These things are becoming my new normal.  And just as I came to be more or less fluent in the language of mommyhood, I slowly negotiate my way through this new dialect too. I have started to pack my refrigerated items in an "esky" when I need to keep them cool on a road trip or party.  I occasionally "reckon" things and my kids "have a go" instead of a turn. I go to the "loo" and put my groceries in the "boot".  I "give way" while driving on the right side of the car on the left side of the street. There is  a civility to the language and the culture here that I am thankful my children are exposed to, though teaching manners and regular please and thank-you's still has its challenges. As most things in life do. Challenge is something I've never really shied away from and I think that is what has driven me into so many amazing life experiences. I am thankful for that, and thankful to be living this particular challenge now. 

hodge podge catch up

well.  seeing as how it has been 8 plus weeks since my last post, this will undoubtedly turn into a randomm miss mash of thoughts and observations to fill in gaps and catch up with each other.  one thing that has become apparent to me is that blogging is hard work. especially with a full time job, family, and adventures to be had.  and i am one who NEEDS sleep so this whole “oh i do it when the house is quiet and the kids/S.O are asleep” thing is sooo not something that i can see happening.  the other thing with the blog so far, is that i have found it SO difficult to upload photos.  i am using a free blogspot so i am sure that if i was willing to fork out some AUD, the process would be less like dial-up. lastly, I find that I get bogged down with blogs I mean to write but never get around to, then I feel like I don't know where to start so I just don't do anything (should I coin a new term??  "blogged down").  do you ever have that feeling?  anyway, regardless, I am making the effort now to catch up, however disjointed and subpar the effort may be.   things that have happened in the last few months:

Lightening Ridge - the strangest paradoxical town that ever was

Scores of garage sale scores with some cool diy’s (planning to do a separate post on these projects so stay tuned)

Mother’s day

My baby turned 4 amongst a flurry of snowflakes at her Frozen themed birthday party that momma got really into throwing.  

Here are a bunch of photos to catch you up to date—I think my baby will be 5 by the time they finish loading …

Mothers Day

Shrimp on the Barbie really is a thing!

Bacon and Bana on the grill...mmmmm

Mommas with their babies



Lightening Ridge

This town is an oddity.  The degree of unusualness and incongruence is in direct proportion to the stunning gems it unearths.  Lightening Ridge itself is made up of two main streets and extends outward where the effectiveness and sturdiness of "shelter" dissipate along with the pavement. Most people live in what are referred to as camps which consist of some kind of mobile home with corrugated tin slapped on here and there.  no running water, no electricity.  What they do have, however, are extractors and tumblers; piles upon piles of already fossicked soil; and mines that extend as deep into the earth as the depth as some of their pockets.  Its a place where you go to get off the grid.  everyone keeps to themselves, minds their own business and doesn't ask too many questions.  The man wearing rags, quenched in sweat and soil enjoying a brew next to you at the bar may well have millions in his bank account.  He pulls the wool over the greedy eyes of his peers in fear that if its discovered that his was the mine that birthed the greatest stone, he will be pillaged, stolen from, or even cast down anothers mine, never to be seen again.  The entire time you are there, you are unconsciously shaking your head in disbelief.  At the beauty of the opals and the sheer third worldiness of the dwellings people call home; knowing full well they could afford far far more.  Lightening Ridge and the its surrounding towns are also known for their bore baths--hot mineral springs that soothe and cure and really make the visit all the more worthwhile.  We had a great time there--it was definitely a sight to see!  We shopped for opals, made a mine descent with hard hats on, and fossicked for "ope-fuls" as Waverly called them.  Here are a few shots to give you an idea of the place:

fossicking

opal dentures? why not! eat your heart out Kanye West

Throwing a few back

Lightening ridge golf course--the "green" of the 2nd hole.  I think my dad would faint!

A typical home--the grating in the foreground is covering a mine entrance.

All off the piles are cast off soil after its been tumbled and the valuable stones removed.  You can fossick in these piles and sometimes find flecks of opals left behind which was actually quite fun treasure hunting for us!

The bore baths were amazing!

Some bore bath FAQ

A bottle house complete with bottle dog house

Aaaaand...a beer can house.  I guess we know what people do in their spare time

the gang

 We visited a place called Amigo's Castle.  Basically a guy decided to build himself a castle.  It drew oglers from far and wide.  Man progresses to becoming a recluse, having been overwhelmed by interacting with so many strangers.  The castle is now an official tourist attraction and there is a nominal charge to visit.  He lives in the back of the property. Alone.

And down the mine we go!

Looking up the mine shaft

In the mobile home park we stayed in there were many opportunities for more raised eyebrows--one of which was our neighbours who had taken in a baby joey.  The girl had three kids of her own and carried this thing around in a recyclable grocery bag "pouch".  It was a riot.

Waverly's Frozen Fourth Birthday!

so happy my mom could be here for the party!

I had fun with the food!

I also had blue jello squares that were "Christoff's Ice Blocks" as well as Elsa's Blizzard Bread which was a Aussie popular party food consisting of white bread (which I cut out into a snowflake shape) spread with butter and sugar sprinkles.  My mother in law took on this task and she used blue and silvery sprinkles--they looked fantastic and it was the first empty plate at the table!  for the record I think the stuff is g-r-o-s-s!

Next we played, pin the nose on Olaf which I printed off from a free printable and pieced together on a thrifted frame.  It was a big hit! 

 It was time for present opening at this point--lots of fairy and princess themed stuff came home with us that day

 We then played "Freeze Dance" where everyone danced to music, then had to "freeze" when the music was stopped.  Whomever was last standing got a prize :)  I think the group was a bit young for the rules of the game, so we basically just had a dance party in the middle of the park.

Then it was of course time for CAKE!!!!  Anthony made an amazing cake (as he does every year)  and everyone sang happy birthday

Wave has made so many sweet friends at school so far.  I was so happy so many could make it to the party.  They were just adorable and I think everyone had a really good time!!

And now for a random picture to end the random post--my bro and sis in law got an absolutely adorable little Jack Russell puppy This is me and Farrer having a little cuddle with him :0