A Scavenger's Weekend

Earlier last week I had an annoying experience of spending a fair chunk of cash on taking kids to a rather disappointing waterslide on what was supposed to be a fun school holiday outing. Also, I think I managed to lose Charlie's good Akubra hat in my huffy state as I left, probably leaving it balanced on the front of the car as I drove off. Boo. Luckily, this weekend seemed intent on turning the tables.

I love a good roadside furniture freebie. I even scored a relatively aesthetically-pleasing doggie pooper-scooper (yes there is such a thing) from someone's hard rubbish recently. It has long, chromed handles that remove you from the 'business end' of the device, which is pleasantly rusted, blue-painted metal. Seriously. I barely even mind the chore when I'm using it.

What is it about the thrill of scavenging? I'll be the one running up the street with the wheelbarrow when there's a tree cut down, collecting firewood. I think fruit overhanging someone's fence is fair game. Andy's a bit dubious about it sometimes but hey, waste not, want not!

On Saturday, this desk presented itself with a 'FREE, PLEASE TAKE' sign just around the corner from our house. Don't mind if I do! My companion at the time was Clem, who has the treasure-hunter's instinct, and was very excited.

It's made of oak, entirely charming and just what Clem needed for his bedroom. Into the car boot it went - not easy with just Clem helping. I drove with the boot open, very carefully and slowly, around the corner back home while Clem ran along the footpath calling out to me that it was all going well and nothing was falling out.

We gave the whole desk a quick wipe-over and then a light polish with my trusty beeswax/linseed oil potion, I tightened up the screws on the drawer handles and it was good to go.

We had to do a fair bit of re-shuffling in his room to make it fit, and Clem (not for the first time) rejected my suggestion of getting rid of the doll's house you see upon it, which was my eventual solution. Fortunately, it's quite a deep desk.

 It even features this fabulous slide-out... slidey-outey-thing, to which I imagine Clem will add his own initials, compass-stabs and so forth as time passes.

On Sunday I took Clem and Jasper blackberry picking (Andy is overseas, actually on his way back right now, and Charlie was at a friend's house). The day was not too hot, and recent rains had plumped up the berries.

Yum!

The boys and I have enjoyed blackberries and vanilla icecream for dessert two nights in a row and there are still more left. Mind you, I just extracted a lingering stray blackberry thorn from under my right big toe. But the scratches and prickles just kind of make it all the more satisfying. We fought for those berries! And won!

At any rate, I think the world has given at least as much as it has taken from me this week, and I am happy. And tomorrow, two of the boys are back to school and Andy comes home. And the next day, Charlie is off to high school. Yipes!

- Jane x

weekendish stuff

Nothing earth-shattering here, just a few pictures from lately.

Elodie declares that it was so nice of Clem and me to create a little framework for her bottom to sit down in.

Jasper seems to have the Etch-A-Sketch thing figured out.

Inspired by the astonishingly good beers we tasted (in goodly quantities) in New Zealand, we have dug out the homebrew kit and made a batch, bottled last weekend. Ready to taste next weekend!

Charlie and Jasper weren't sure if we were taking advantage of them by asking for their help with a brew they can't drink, but the lure of the bottle capper gadget won them over.

And another New Zealand-inspired taste sensation: Eton Mess, which Jasper discovered over there at a restaurant and has been wanting to try making ever since. He did today, using the recipe in the River Cottage cookbook and oh, it was so good. He wants to make it for his friends who are coming over to celebrate his birthday next weekend.

And we have just wound up the weekend by watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with these big boys - the second time they've seen it - and it really is such a great movie. Highly recommended if you haven't seen it yet, and really nothing unsuitable or even mildly embarrassing for the 11 and 13y.o. viewers!

- Jane x

fluffy therapy

Mondayitis? Feeling at all glum? Here, have a dose of this sweet, fluffy, cheepy goodness.

Our reliable broody Wyandottes have been sitting on a dozen Sussex eggs, half Light Sussex and half Speckled Sussex. Actually we snuck one egg away after about a week to give to my parents for their own broody Wyandotte, and that successfully hatched yesterday. We have six chicks here so far (as far as I can tell). Some eggs still unhatched and the mothers are sitting tight so we will give them another day or so.
There is hardly anything more adorable in the entire world, I think, and I can't keep my hands off them. Cheep cheep!

- Jane xx

rare and lovely

Bless the littlest one for waking up with a croupy cough this morning, but otherwise good spirits. With nothing pressing but a late afternoon meeting, I have been able to spend rare and lovely hours cosying up with him today. How lucky am I?

The fire has been on, the winter sun has been streaming in through the windows, the back room fairly clean and tidy after efforts yesterday. And the most constructive thing we have done is a 300 piece jigsaw.

With all the boys at school now and me so busy with two jobs, it's a real gift when things align and I have the perfect excuse to achieve nothing but being here with my Clemmy. He's still so little really and asked "is this a pecan?" about the toucan on the puzzle.
He's actually been much, much nicer in recent months, after his, um, difficult phase last year. Far more content, adaptable and reasonable in his attitude. Seems hard to believe I bought a book called "The Explosive Child" now. (I did. It's still next to the bed. Maybe it worked?)

Back to reality's to-do list tomorrow... recharged by today.

- Jane x

The Museum of Economic Botany

At our Botanic Gardens - clearly my favourite place for taking photos if you've been reading here for a while! - there is a fascinating building called the Museum of Economic Botany. It's been there as long as I can remember but it's had a makeover in recent years. I remember it from childhood as rather dark, cold and mysterious. One singularly fascinating object contained therein is etched in my memory from earliest years. It's still there. Can you guess from the pictures? My boys find it just as fascinating today. It's quite fun to think of names for it.

Pretty much equally fascinating today though are the amazing papier mache and plaster models of apples, pears and fungi, as well as case upon case of dried grains, fruit, pods, timbers and so forth: all the plants that humans have put to use for food, clothing and shelter.

There is also the exquisite 'Cabinet of Curiosities' installation by the amazing local artist Fiona Hall, commissioned for the MEB's restoration in 2009. It has various peepholes and views including this little tunnel containing tiny models of animals, plants and birds which lights up in sequence from end to end and in different colours, quite mesmerising.

And at this time of year, on the Plane Tree Lawn not far away, is the excellent sport of catching autumn leaves, discovered by Charlie, Clem and I last year. We were up and out early (for us - 10am) on a Sunday morning and it was so beautiful, we vowed to get out early on Sundays as often as possible. This time of year, anyway.

- Jane x

Everyone looks better in a Laurel Wreath

Hey, how about some laughably basic instructions on how to make your own Laurel Wreath? Cut two longish bay (laurel) twigs and join them together. I used sticky tape. Wear. Feel Roman.

Thanks lovely commenters on the last post for your encouraging excitement about the new shop. I will write up a proper post about it soon, but briefly, I am blessed with the most awesome, talented and delightful business partner, Fiona. Together we aim to bring to Adelaide the kind of sewing shop that we feel is desperately lacking in our city: beautiful garment and craft fabrics with an emphasis on natural, organic and sustainable fibres, together with indie designer patterns, inspiring books, sewing classes and more. After months and months and months of planning, it's really happening. We're very excited but it's scary and opening up a shop costs a lot, cripes! Retail... a whole new world. More details soon.

- Jane x

A library bag, and make it snappy

How often do you get to sew something as joyfully simple yet useful as a library bag?

With half a metre of this Cloud 9 Ed Emberley crocodiles that Clem chose himself, I whipped this up for Clem's school 'Library Day' (Thursdays).

obligatory bag-on-head shot

It's basically just 2 x 50cm square pieces. The trimmings from the width became the handles (with a little scrap calico sewn inside for extra body). No need to even pre-wash the fabric. Only a few short years ago it would hardly have even occurred to me to sew a library bag. Now, it's an easy pleasure. Ain't sewing grand? (Should one put an apostrophe in ain't, given that it ain't a real word?)

Two new library books came home in the snappy crocodile bag today. Happy library day!

- Jane x

random things you find around the house that make it all worthwhile

(unmistakably the work of Jasper)

- Jane x

spot the stripes!

The company I work for makes the occasional TV ad, and I'm really chuffed to have been part of this one. It's for a marvellous not-for-profit organisation that provides all sorts of services for people with disabilities, helping them participate in more aspects of the mainstream community. It's really nice to feel that sometimes advertising can do good things for good people.
On the day of the shoot I was wearing my handmade stripey top, and ended up stepping in as last minute er, 'talent'. Hello, back of my head! Hello, totally unprepared hairdo! But excitingly, hello handmade clothing on television!
(The presenter is a local TV newsreader and delightful to work with, as was everyone.)

It's so wonderful that organisations like Barkuma exist. Human nature can be very inspiring sometimes.

- Jane x

catching leaves

Yesterday I woke up with puffy eyes. The night before I'd been overcome for a while by 'woe is me' after a hectic week and the prospect of another one looming. I was feeling all out of balance; consumed by work and volunteer responsibilities, unable to find enough time to do what I wanted for and with my family.

I'd rushed home from a childcare committee meeting in time for Andy to head out to see a colleague's new theatre show. But five minutes later he was back because he said it seemed like I needed him there. What a darling. Of course once he offered me sympathy and a listening ear, I went all weepy because it's so much harder to hold it together when someone says "are you alright?", isn't it?

I'm worried I'm not spending enough time with Clem before he starts school in October. I'm worried I'm attached far too much to the computer tending to work emails when I officially only work 1.5 to 2 days a week. I'm worried I don't have enough time to keep up with basics like keeping the bills paid (because of the work I do to help pay the bills in the first place). I'm worried that the big boys are growing up before my eyes and their childhoods are slipping away. I'm worried that our lives are over-complicated with unimportant stuff.

So I talked this all through with my darling. He listened and made all the right sympathetic noises. And you know what I eventually realised?

My overriding worry was that I couldn't spend more quality time with my family. And I feel this because I love them so much, and I'm so very lucky to have them. I'm just greedy and want more. And that's not so bad, is it?

And then yesterday, Charlie was feeling a little tired and blue in the morning so I let him stay home from school with me and Clem. In the middle of the day we went to the Botanic Gardens, as I'd promised Clem we would. It's one place guaranteed to make me feel the goodness in the world.

Autumn leaves from the many Plane Trees were everywhere. On the Plane Tree lawn they were falling around us. The trees are immensely tall and looking up, we could see the leaves begin their journey down. 

And we could try to catch them. And if you have never tried to catch falling autumn leaves, looked to the sky, run this way and that, dashed, hands outstretched and finally snatched one victoriously before it hit the ground, I think you should try.

I realised that it doesn't take long to feel like I've 'caught up' on quality family time. A small but concentrated dose of goodness like that can take away the pain of an entire difficult (normal) week.
I also realised that even once Clem is at school, I can, on occasion, steal one of the boys away for a day. It doesn't have to be an ending.
Sorry there are just a few unimpressive phone photos. It was a back-to-basics day.
Things are good.
I'm lucky.
Wishing you a happy weekend.

- Jane x