We are here!

Well the move is done - we are officially here - unpacking not so much done :-( . It is sort of surreal being here.

We have been busy though, lots of walks, visitors, walks, unpacking, and more walks.  You just can't help yourself you just want to wander around all the time and there is so many things to explore.

We have picked up our beutiful boys (border collies) from the Johnsons.  They are georgeous and very good.  They hardly bark or anything.  They love to go for walks with us but are still on the chains or in their cages (at night) until we can work out the best way to let them run free and not have to worry about them running off or getting to the neighbours animals (That wouldn't be a good way to meet the neighbours) so here are some picies of our beutiful boys
Heys and Spud

Productive Day!

We had a productive day yesterday.  Our kids have a cubby house that my dad made for them about 7-8 years ago.  Well of course its coming with us but it is so heavy that we couldn't lift it to move and it wouldn't fit on a trailor so it had to come apart for transport. so we pulled it apart,  Here are some pics of the process.

Just starting

front wall and ceiling pannels off

With my two baby girls

Nearly done, roof and walls off

My dad the champion builder!

On Saturday I woke up in one of the snarky type moods and so to try and get my self out of it I started knitting a dischcloth.  These things are fabulous and I use them everywhere, but it has been a while since I have made one and I am getting low.  Also a friend of mine, Delvene, has been learning to knit and is and churning them out, so I was inspired and what better way to lift a mood than a quick knit up that you can see finished. 

Well the theory was good but no longer had I done a few rows but of course someone needed something, then I got distracted and then I went out for the night so didn't really get back to it.  With all the packing the last thing I needed was another "work in progress" laying around so on last evening I decided to finish it.  So what do you think?

These are the best thing and can be made from all sorts of yarn.  This one is made from 2 strands 100% crochet cotton 4ply.  They are great to use too,  and once you have used these you will never go back to the store bought cloths.  I use them in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry and any where else my little cherubs make mess and whats the best you just chuck them in the washing machine when your done.  They really don't wear out (I have had one for at least 5 years now).  They are also great for new knitters to try,  something really easy with just knit stitch and yet not the boring old scarf, have some increasing and decreasing to.  It is actually knit on the diagonal so it is really easy to make bigger or smaller even for the first timer.  When you are ready to try something more you can easily incorporate some patterns into it.  Here is the link to where I found the pattern.  Have a go at one, but trust me it won't be just 1 you stop at.  Well I will catch you next time and if you do make one send me a pic I would love to see your handywork!

Lazy Easter Sunday

I really didn't do much packing today, it is easter after all and I was on kid duty whilst Ian packed up lots of shed stuf (read lots of crap everywhere).  So I had a lazy day with the kids.  I recently discovered a lovely Blog mainly about knitting, cooking and life in general (A Friend to Knit With)  I have been drooling over all the knitting and especially the lovely cookies this lady bakes.  Well yesterday I tried one of the recipes,   Here is a metric conversion for you.

Slice and Bake Cookies
Ingredients:
450gms brown Sugar (16 oz)                                   2 Cups oats
450 gms melted butter (4 sticks/1 lb)                   2 Cups Corn Flakes
2 Cups sugar                                                                    4 Cups Flour
4 Eggs                                                                                 2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Vanilla                                                                     2 tsp Baking Powder

Directions
Mix in order (1st column then second column). You are looking for the consistency of a plyable dough (may need to increase or decrease your flour)
Add nuts if desired.
Roll into logs and wrap in wax paper
Chill for at least 2 hours before cutting.
Bake at 180 c (350 f) for 10-14 minutes

Dough can be stored in the freezer for later use.

Check out the orginal here Slice and Bake Cookies (at the end of the page)

This was the best idea,  I got about 9 logs out of it and put them straight into the freezer.  Then when you want to use them just pull them out cut along the log to make circles and off you go.  I wrapped mine in baking paper and then the sheet I needed was even ready to go - so easy. 
This is the outcome of 1 log - I got 9 logs total.  You could probably make them a little bit bigger but I like them this size becuase of course the little chicklets like to take 2 at a time.I can not believe that I haven't come across this idea in any of my Aussie cook books - its great.  Here are some picies (yes I need work on my log shapping).  Try them they are yummy and such a good idea for the school holidays.  Enjoy and don't forget to check out A friend to knit with's blog.

Packing has begun!

Well the chaos of packing up 7 hoarders worth of stuff has begun.  Everything we are packing has to go into storage as we go because we have to be out of our old house on the same day we can get into our new use, bit of a bugga that.  We have sent 3 trailer loads of just pot plants to my inlaws today as well as a full shed load of boxes.  It still all seems a bit surreal at the moment.  I have got a copy of the floor plan with the necessary labels on it.

This is generally how we will lay out the house as well.  Finally a room for each chicklet, and did you notice I have a sunroom and a workshop in the main house.  The workshop near the sheds is where all the lego and science lab stuff for the boys will go.  We also have a family room (mainly for the 2 little girls) a lounge for the adults, a family room for the 2 boys and Nish's room (or rather teenage retreat) is big enough for lounge and bedroom.  We also hope to put a bathroom in there for her too.  Ian's Junk has been relegated to the Master shed, but this thing is so big I think our current house could fit inside it.  The 2 lovely pups have a house/cage infront of the workshop and there is also a cattery for pip and pop.  Well I better stop procrastinating and get back to packing. 

Hope you all have a great Easter and stay safe.

Can you hear the Cheering!

Yes its is now official! we sold our house and bought our Kersbrook house yesterday.  All signed, sealed and delivered.  Finally!  Here are some numbers for you - trying to get Ian out ov Vale Park - 15 years, trying to convince Ian to move to acerage 5.5 years, Seriously looking for an acerage - 18 months, number of houses made offers on and lost -3, time to sell/buy house once we thought the whole thing was a loss were walking away to start again from scratch - 4 hours!

I know Monday night the whole thing was over,  we had had two offers on our house but they were too low, the house we want to buy wouldn't budge,  Ian had asked for our deposit back and the whole thing was over.  I was devastated.  at this time a year there is nothing on the market in the Adelaide hills and it just gets worse over winter.  I really thought that we would looking at another 6-9 months at least.  Then wamo, in the space of 4 hours offers where made prices were negotiated and the whole thing was done.  We waited the 2 days cooling off and now we officially have an acerage in Kersbrook!

We will be moving in either 2 or 3 weeks - nothing like sprinting the last leg of a cross country race!  I spent friday enrolling the kids in their new school, researching heaters, buying school uniforms, telling one of the kids schools they will be leaving next thursday (last day of term).

We also have lined up 2 georgeous Border Collie puppies here are some pics. Thank-you Johnson Family!

They are both boys and currently live on a farm with a family with 4 kids.  They are very cute aren't they, and from talking to the Johnsons they seem like they will fit in beutifully with our family.  We are thinking of names.  I like Spud and Heys.  Spud is my 1st dads nickname and Heys is short for my 2nd days name - I like the idea of every time I call them I will think of both my dads! What do you think?

My mind has been going a million miles a minute,  I have the whole house packed and moved in my head - now if it was only that easy.  At night my dreams are full of wonderful gardening plans, animal rearing, spining by the fire and cooking lots of home grown/raised food.  It all sounds lovely but I know in reality it will be lots of hard work, with highs and lows, but hopefully very rewarding. 

Come ride with me on this magical carpet.  Let the Blog begin!

Still Waiting!

Well Auction day came and went with the expected fizzle.  Both Ian and I expected not to sell at auction, don't ask me why, call it a gut instinct.  So now we have the house on the market as a specific price.  The day after auction I got a phone call from the real-estate agent with someone who wanted to view the property and they knew the asking price.  They stayed for about 20-25 mins, the agent reports that they seemed interested, so now we just wait and see.  While this is all going on, the first date on the Kersbrook house contract has come and gone.  However the real-estate agent said not to worry but to let the contract stand and we will see how things go.  This basically means that if any offers come through on our place we will just redate the exhisting contract on Kersbrook.  All very fustrating really.

I really am starting to chaff at the bit now - I just want out of the suburbs and to start up on the farm.  I was looking forward to moving in the school holidays and the kids starting fresh at a new school at the beggining of a new term.  I was also looking forward to having winter to settle in and start on things before spring arrived.  Like planning where to put the veggie patch and get it ready for spring plantings.  This is not a small task as I plan to have a HUGE veggie patch and also a orchard. 

Well not much else to report, this must be the most boring farm blog so far with no farm stuff going on! Oh well, it will happen it's just a matter of when and where - stay tuned.

The beginning is Near!

Well we have our house on the market and it goes to auction next Sunday.  We do have a specific amount we need to get in order to get the Kersbrook property I talked about in my last post.  Depending on the day of the week depends whether I think it will all carry off or not.  It is literally like a house of cards, one card goes and it all goes.  Then other days I feel like it is a certainty and am off desiging the garden or reading up on animal care or dreaming of my knitting/spinning workshop.

The opens have been "fun".  There really should be some law against living in a house with 5 kids when you are trying to sell a house and have opens every weekend.  I have 1 more open inspection this thursday and then auction on sunday!  Fingers Crossed.  I'm sure I will update you with the forthcoming news.