Border Living Magazine - look out for me!

HEY!

This is the Summer Edition cover.

BORDER LIVING MAGAZINE's Autumn Edition is out on shelves next week!

This edition will feature a special new page called 'Sitting On The Fence', which will be a 'he said/she said' section. Yours truly will be the 'she said' half of the feature (The Farmer's Wife), and regular readers of my blog will recognise my first column. (It's a personal favourite of mine).

How excited am I???!!!

Border Living Magazine is a stylish rural magazine

capturing the innovative and inspirational people and places within the Border Region!

The magazine is dedicated to showcasing a positive way of life for this part of the world with stories, profiles and businesses from all over the western regions of Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales. I love it because there is always someone or somewhere you recognise, and even if there isn't, it's always nice to look and learn.

Make sure you head out and get yourself a copy! You won't regret it. I'll be getting a copy or ten myself. You know... just because I'm a bit excited!

ENJOY!

My Book - Updated

I have been keeping busy this week writing more of 'The Book'. I've decided to get off my backside and finally start telling the story of how I ended up in the bush, met CP and then married him, with all the trials and tribulations in between.

I'm writing it in instalments - the only way I know how - but I'm loving it so much I've just about finished the eleventh chapter already!

So just in case you were wondering why I've been a bit quiet... I'm still posting, only I'm doing it over here for a bit. It's all linked into the tabs at the top of my page.

Check it out. It's a bit of light entertainment, though not completely different to my usual blogging style.

I'm loving the feedback so far!

Thanks for all the support and encouragement!

Enjoy!


Click here to start (or keep) reading!

Anywhere But Here...

As a result of localised flooding, I have been isolated on our property for almost a week already. We can expect to remain here for at least another ten days and possibly even up to three weeks. I have been homeschooling two of my children, and I've even taken on one of my neighbours children (the only neighbours we can access without driving through flood water). It's not horrible, but I keep bringing myself back to this blog I wrote early last year.... (I have adapted it).

I am dreaming of this... a holiday I took to Hayman Island early last year.

How on Earth did I ever survive this island paradise? Hayman Island, The Queen of all island resorts. I was there with my mother, sister and my sister's partner, to celebrate my sister's 'very important' birthday.

And now I am back, elbow deep in washing, cleaning, cooking and managing three small children, rationing bread and milk, and already out of fresh fruit, and living on the canned variety. But I am dreaming about this (dreaming about boosting my Vitamin B levels that is)...

Getting my fix of Vitamin B... ahhh... lovely Vitamin B.

And this...

Not Vitamin B, but an important element in the rejuvenation process.

And this...

There might be banana in that drink - more vitamin B maybe?

And this...

Definitely no vitamin B in this drink, but soaking up the glorious Queensland sunshine.

And this...

Does it get any better than this?

*sigh*

I am a glutton for punishment though. Before I left, CP went into such a meltdown about having to look after the children, that I ended up preparing a months worth of food (which I left in the freezer, so that all he had to do was reheat and serve), I stocked the fridges, freezers and pantry, I left all uniforms ironed and ready to wear, I even arranged for a girl to come in and help with child care and baths and lunches etc, AS WELL as leaving this...

Seven pages of 'notes' (including, meal planners, rosters, routines etc.) so that everything would function as per normal whilst I was away. Compulsive and controlling, I know. But as much as it was for CP, it was also for my own guilt-ridden piece of mind.

At the start of CP's meltdown he asked, "What would you do if I just packed up and went away for a week and left YOU at home with the kids?" To which I replied, "Probably just go on as per usual. Except that I would have one less child, so the stress might be less, and I would have one less person to cook for and pick up after. In fact, if you were planning on going, perhaps you should make it TWO weeks to give me a REAL break, and try not to call too much, because I might be having too much fun! I might not even notice you are gone." Perhaps a little harsh. But my point was that I DESERVE a break from the hum drum of my every day life. It stopped CP in his tracks anyway.

I loved being away, but I was racked with guilt for much of it. Needlessly, I might add. The kids were all happy and healthy upon my return. I am loving being home with my family again. I missed them terribly, and I'm pleased everything is still running smoothly. The question is, would it all still be running smoothly had I not left my 'freezer full of notes'?!

In any event, getting away is good for the soul. I am a firm believer in the family motto 'happy wife, happy life.'

And boy am I happy. Happy and relaxed. I'm feeling energised and content.

At least I WAS, a year ago. But thankfully Queensland Tourism are offering a $5000 dream Queensland holiday, and by golly, I am certainly going to be in it to win it!!!  

So pop on over to the link above if you think you see yourself enjoying some Vitamin B on a fantastic Queensland holiday. (Thanks to Queensland Tourism and Nuffnang!)

Cabin Fever

It's been raining since mid-November, pretty much on and off. We've hade a whole lot more than our annual rainfall in 3 months. And even though things are looking beautiful and green at the moment, we aren't exactly having celebration drinks. We have been incredibly blessed, in that the rain has stopped for long enough for us to get the sheep work done, and cattle work done. So we aren't panicking about crops, or shearing or drenching etc. And more importantly, we aren't on or near a river. We are exactly half way between two major river systems that are currently experiencing the worst recorded flooding in history. So even though there is an inland flow that meanders through our 'place', it never does any major damage. We reap the benefits of water without all the negative side effects.

The ground is drenched.

My heart goes out to those affected; people who have lost everything, crops and income that are lost, livestock losses. Whatever the loss is, I feel deeply for people who are suffering, or who are yet to suffer.

This is three years in a row now. Three 'once in a lifetime' floods. Enough is enough. People in the country all love a bit of rain as much as the next person, but the floods, like everything, need to be in moderation. As far as our own experience goes, the first flood, in 2010, was a result of flooding from north of us. The water came downstream very quickly and caused untold devastation. I made a video of it, which you can watch HERE. It was a big deal at the time because it was supposed to be the largest flood in recorded history... and it was. We were cut off for about 2 or 3 weeks. We could drive about 1/2 an hour in any direction, and were lucky in that we could still socialise with our neighbours. It was quite an enjoyable time for us, albeit a little tiring.

The second flood, in 2011, was a result of widespread flooding. Queensland was largely affected, and many lives were lost. The flood here was not as severe, and many people were ready for it. Levee banks had been raised and people were prepared and well stocked. We certainly were, after having done the mother of all grocery shops at the coast before dashing home after New Years before we got stuck out. This time we were stranded for about two weeks, and it wasn't anywhere near as frustrating as the floods the year before.

This time is different again. We are already flooding as a result of some of the most concentrated local rain we have on record. And we haven't even been affected by the water heading south in the river system from the flooding up north. This time we are struggling to even get out of our property - not that it matters, because roads have been closed around us, effectively locking us in, anyway. Here are some pictures I took yesterday.

You exit my driveway and turn right, and this is what you see.





Once you drive through the water above, you are faced with this just ahead.  

We have no idea how long we will be stuck at home for this time. Every flood has been different.

But being at home is getting harder and harder this time around. CP hasn't been able to busy himself with 'farm jobs' and is starting to go a little crazy. He is suffering a bad case of cabin fever.





Not my hubby, but also losing his marbles.

So even worse than trying to keep a house tidy with 3 small children at home in wet weather; even worse than homeschooling your own children; even worse than mould growing on everything; and even worse than running out of bread and milk, is CP being inside the house with us! CP is not indoorsy at all! Anyone married to a farmer will testify to the fact that they are only happy when they are doing something. And by 'doing something', I don't mean playing on an ipad or playing on the Wii. CP is only content when he's outside having a HANDS ON Mr Fixit moment. And so I have been trying desperately to come up with more and more jobs for him as the floods wear on. I suggested marking out and starting plans for a tennis court. But it's too wet. Kristy from over at AnK Bowtique (who is flooded in at the moment - thinking of you!) suggested he make a bike rack, like her hubby did in earlier floods. I'm pushing that one at the moment... But he could also do a new hat rack, boot rack or any other rack... or he could work on my car, which is in dire need of tender loving care. He mows the lawn - every day - and then comes in and whinges and moans that I could be doing more.

So more than the floods themselves drive me crazy, it's my husband suffering a bad case of cabin fever that's really doing my head in. If only I could keep him busy and out of the house... I might actually make it through this bout of being stranded with my sanity still in tact.

Any other suggestions for husbands suffering cabin fever?