My brave new life

Oh wow!  I have not blogged in quite a while and in my absence a couple of delightful curious creatures have bravely joined my rambling blog.  Hello to all!  Welcome and to the rest of my dear readers, thanks for sticking by me.  Do I need to re-introduce myself? Hahaha

I will give you a brief update.

Early July Rick, my two boys and I, dug up sticks, packed it all into a container (for storage) while we hiked it up the Pacific Highway to beautiful and sunny Queensland.  The winter here is a delightful spring for Sydney and I hear, since we left Port Stephens, the rain has barely stopped there.  I will not gloat any further as I will be paying for it come summer!!  Sweat, chaffing and heat-induced drowsiness come to mind . . . the locals tell me you get used to it, but may take a couple of summers . . . yikes. Oh and probably no baking or knitting!  What's a girl to do?!

We are blessed to be house-minding until mid October, thinking this would give us plenty of time to find work, save and then move into a rental.  Well, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of rentals but there is a massive shortage of something else, WORK!  Yes, 4 days after arriving I hear the news that Wide Bay (Hervey Bay) has the highest unemployment in  . . . wait for it . . . all of Australia!  Sheesh.  And they are just the reported figures from Centrelink.  That does not include those unregistered (ie me), partners of those on Centrelink who may be looking for work or those who can only get 8hrs/wk but want more.  IT IS REALLY BLEAK.  People with horticultural degrees get interviews for lawn mowing jobs (I kid you not, it is true!).  Employers have never had it so good!  I even heard last week that degree graduates are going for traineeships where once upon a time a school-leaver would qualify.

I have been networking like a crazy woman for the past 4 weeks.  Rick and I have been praying.  This is a trial and a test of faith.  But I know that this time will pass and it will be a distant memory- oh to be at that point already!

So as you can see, I am returning to work after 3 years of bringing up babies and working part time from home.  Rick's body needs a break, my brain needs a recharge so we are swapping roles.  Well, that is the plan anyway.  So far we are both stay at home parents and the kids seem to love it.

I am sad to say that I have not done anything crafty in weeks.  Does that mean I am not a true crafter afterall?  Hope not.  The sewing machines are in storage, my hand sewing (hexagons) also got packed but I kept out a little knitting and mending.  Just have not been inspired.

And last but not least, Liam turned 3 and in preparation for this little milestone, we are attempting toilet training again for the umpteenth time.  So far, he's coming along well.  Lots of wee-wees from "his tunnel" as he likes to call it (hey whatever works) but he is refusing to poo and I fear a back-log is going to come forth when we least expect it!

Got any good tips for getting a toddler to poo on the toilet?

xxx Fi