I’ve always been a bit of a tree hugger, love the rainforest, the eucalyptusy smells, the birdsong, the silence.
Neighbours within poking distance is not my preference, i love people but like choosing when I interact and Rob, well he prefers animals! 😆
I’m used to the drive home from work, nose to tail traffic, petrol fumes, tradies driving up my arse. All worth it 40 minutes later when I park under the tree in front of the house, swing the car door open, feel my nervous system go aaaaaah soon as feet touch the ground.
Moving entire countries, buying land, building a home together was a challenge, many “aah, that’s what we should have done” moments since.
Rob enjoys new things, research and planning, likes deciding and acting, not worried if he makes the wrong decision. I like to take my time, consider, mull things over. Together we wing it.
A timber home “felt” like a good fit for us, 🎶 “I wanna live in a wooden house, making new friends would be eeeeasy” 🎶🎶
He keen on moving an old Queenslander in and renovating, I could NOT get my head around that (shame.)
Gorgeous replica Queenslanders were way out of budget so we ended up building a pole home, (another story in itself) traditionally meant for a sloping block.
The bank happily loaned us the maximum mortgage at HUGE interest rates (1996.) Wasn’t till moving in did it hit. We’d be working our butts off forever to pay for it (nearly there🙄😆)
Both working full time, 40 mins away from site, the building process was a compete blur (for me.)
Moving in a relief but the reality completely overwhelming (again for me, Rob happy as a pig in mud!)
We’d built a house in Scotland, purchased off plan, knew EXACTLY what we were getting.
This was different.
Delightful new neighbours commented. “oh we rented a Queenslander first, no way we’d actually LIVE in a timber house.”
Neighbours on the other side “we’d NEVER have a high set house again with kids, far too noisy.”
New friends “ laundry downstairs, too hard.”
Someone else “ what about termites?”
First thing my dad said on walking through the front door spying the high ceilings and beams “how’re ye gonnie keep it clean?” and “huv ye goat a fire extinguisher?
Similar “where’s the fire extinguisher” comments from my father-in-law as he peered at the red cedar slats.
Couldn’t get their Scottish “heids” round the flimsiness of our abode which might burn down any minute.
New neighbours and friends invited us over, proudly giving tours of their places, I’d come back home, look at our multi level, angular, unfinished place … I didn’t love it.
“Shit, was this a mistake?” 😣😆
I’m an outer order inner calm type, prefer symmetry, stripes on the lawn, defined garden edges. Our place was the opposite, a bit of a jungle. How did we tackle it all? Well let’s say there was no such thing as a garden design.
I remember sitting on the deck, looking at the jungle of weeds, Jackie French book in lap, feeling a tad overwhelmed. I wanted JACKIE’S life, gorgeous garden, wombats and all.
But reality was setting in, she was an expert, her garden (obviously) a full-time job.
We had jobs elsewhere, shift-work, longish commutes, food to buy, food to cook, laundry to do, floors to sweep, kitchens and bathrooms to clean in this new big tree-house.
Rob – “where should I plant this?” Me – “ how about there?” Rob – “no can do” (solid clay and rocks, a pain) Me – “dunno then, don’t care.”
Wish I’d known, wish I’d cared!
John, ex-farmer, mower and whipper snipper guy would mutter “watch what yer planting” spying the tiny cute palms, the bananas, the bamboo.
Now 26 years later we’ve our own botanic gardens and leaf litter freakin everywhere! Bane of my life!
Many other moving in memories.
Feeding cockatoo’s from the deck, waking one morning to find a whole flock consuming the timber cladding.
Rob fascinated by carpet pythons, feeding them (don’t ask) to see their jaw action close up. 😫
Learning to live with enormous hairy legged spiders, Rob nearly falling off the deck trying to shake one out of his hair😂
Me shit scared on my own at night hearing possums running over the roof, wtf, is that a human?😳
First big hail storm, like someone chucking bricks on the metal roof
Starting the animal collection, a variety of farm animal’s passing through over the years, no pigs or goats much to Rob’s regret.
Looking back, sooo stressful at times but brilliant too. Would I/we change any of it? Apart from being miles away from family (sucks) ☹️😢
I don’t think so 😊