you know you're living in the country.

I've decided that the best way to reframe the sometimes frustrating mostly humourous and sometimes ridiculous moments I experience living where I do, is to have a common thread on this blog. That is, you know you're living in the country when...

I have been still very sick from the farm child, who we hope calms down a bit soon. Nothing glamorous about tasting meals more than once. Every day. So thank goodness for the Olympics, they kept me occupied for a whole two weeks. Yes, I even watched weightlifting and men's volleyball.

Anyhow, a week or so ago the farmer and I had some rare time together in town (140km away), and decided to take advantage and get takeaway. I had decided on the vegetarian pizza, until I realised that it included one choice of meat...You know you're living in the country when even the vegetarian pizza includes meat on it.

The farmer and I head off for a holiday on Friday (the farmer's birthday), so I will post more when we come back from our much anticipated trip to Kota Kinabalu.

how good news travels

One thing i've had to adjust to living in the country is how good news travels. i have been shocked at the speed and the wide spaces it travels. This week I went to get some hair removed at one beautician, and on warning her I was pregnant and likely to run out at any time, whe replied "I know"... have had many more similar experiences. it reminded me of a time when I had just moved here, and I discovered that I was being referred to as 'old man Fowler's son's girlfriend'. I was suitably horrified.

We are now the proud owners of a new canon digital camera and so I will be excited to add photos to this blog soon. In hindsight, adding the ultrasound picture would be interesting to no-one at this stage,, as it's indistinguishable. We'll hold off to 20 weeks I think.

a farm child

Yes it's true. A farm child is adding to this equation of farm wife and farmer. We are due on the 20th February, and I will try to get a copy of the ultrasound picture up sometime soon. So reason for my aforementioned sickness - quite extreme nausea and tiredness hve led to very low activity levels. I am definitely not doing 10000 steps every day...the farmer has also taken on the culinary mantle as I retch on walking into the kitchen which is turning out to be quite effective 'conditioning' for those of you who studied psych at uni. So while we are very thankful for this new life, we are eagerly awaiting 12 weeks when I may be able to tolerate the smell of cheese again. All of my predictions about how I would feel when pregnant are not coming true...it is definitely about being in the moment at this stage. We are expecting a visit from sister, brother and cousin next week to improve the social situation around here - looking forward to having friends to be with.

drought but not out

I read in some article that the zone we live in should soon be eligible for dry season assistance, as we are said to be in a bit of drought. Forecasts for next year are apparently not great. So without getting too morbid I have been thinking about what this means. But for now I am still sick - a long time now - and not puttting many coherent thoughts together. Hope to be back on the wagon soon.

tinned corn and mince

I've always thought dishes with tinned corn were beneath me...until now. I have come to appreciate the mondayitis that comes with not having grocery shopped properly for 2 weeks or so and being far from any food seller. So tinned vegies, mostly corn, it is. And as we've had a cow that needed freeing from this life, mince (all 110 kg of cow converted). Any ideas for brilliant combinations...

mary had a little lamb

Or rather Kath had 8 little lambs as of this afternoon. They're ensconced in the chook pen. We have lost a few lambs as the mums have not had enough feed and water. So the three oldest have ribbons around their necks, to identify them. So my blogging absence has been partly about gradually acquiring 8 lambs, as well as just returning from a fabulous crafternoon/weekend at Williams. Many things learnt. Hope to do it again. Off to laugh tonight at the comedy festival roadshow - we both need a bit of that around here at present.

animal vegetable miracle

I've just started reading this wonder of a book. After experiencing the death of ray charles this morning I read Barbara Kingsolver's first recommendation. Never name the baby animals as I presume you then won't want to kill or eat them. I would tend to agree. Curious George is alive and well although I would be hesitant to kill something I have bottlefed like a baby. Otherwise this book has so many parallels with Australia and our lack of cuisine identity. Still thinking that joining the Slow Food movement would be a good thing on many fronts.