Stroppy teenagers and... um... stroppy thirty somethings

Well it's been a while since I last had a moan so it's about time I rectified that. Today we are all at logger heads!! Sam is being a stroppy 13 year old and won't help Will paint the fence (well he did eventually - but he was pretty grumpy about it because he wanted to watch the Brady Bunch of all things!). Will is a stroppy 29 year old and doesn't think that Sam pulls his weight (he's probably right) but he thinks that when he was 13 he did EVERYTHING his parents told him because he knew they were older and wiser than him... yeah right... I don't expect his parents remember it that way!!... and I guess I am a stroppy 34 year old because I'm sick of the two of them bickering and it's hot and I didn't sleep well because Will has the fan on full blast in the bedroom so it's like an icebox on a night...there... rant over!

On the positive side. One side of the fence is now built and stained and looks beeeeautiful - infact the neighbours keep saying how nice it is and one guy said 'it's the best fence in Corindi' (there you go Jeff and Linzi, you'll have tours coming around to see the famous fence). Whilst Will and Sam varnish the posts on the other side of the fence I have made chocolate brownies a la Jamie Oliver and for the first time ever I have made a desert that looks and tastes like it should. This is a real achievment, usually my cakes don't rise and my biscuits look like small dog poos... but the brownies look just like they should, all crisp on top and moist in the middle. I think having the right equipment to cook with has made the difference, trying to sift flour through a collander never did seem the right way to go about things to me.

Sam is now officially on Facebook - this is great because he has got to catch up with all his friends back in the UK and most of the kids he is meeting on his travels also have profiles so he can keep in touch with them all. I ummmd and aaaahd about whether to let him have a profile but came to the conclusion that I have to trust him and let him grow up and at least whilst we are here we can teach him how to use it sensibly. We are now thinking about schools again and trying to work out which school he will go to when we get back. Colstons would be the ideal as there is no room at Mangotsfield but I'm not sure we can afford it after a year off... private education is super expensive, still I'm sure we'll work something out.

Picture attached is of our Sunday Roast crew - the lovely Corindi neighbours.

Complete bravery...

Today Sam went to the skate park whilst all the other kids were in school to practice 'dropping in to the bowl' which basically means going off the lip of a skate board ramp down a really steep slope. The reason that I am writing about this is because it showed real character to do what Sam did today.

He was nervous about doing the drop whilst other kids were there so asked us to come to the park with him today. We also bought him arm, knee and elbow pads for the occasion. He stood at the top of the ramp, balanced on the edge and told us how nervous he was - we tried to encourage him and after a couple of minutes he had a go... and of course he fell off. He picked himself up and checked that everything was still in order and then went back to the slope and tried again. He repeated this about 5 times and each time we shouted further encouragement. 'I just need to remember that if I fall over it will hurt a bit, but that's all', he said, as he syked himself up to go again. 'Can I have a milkshake if I do it?' he asked, it seemed the least we could do in the presence of such bravery. 'My heart's beating really fast' he said...and then, he dropped down the slope and made it.

It reminded me of when I taught him to ride a bike, he kept riding down the hill and falling off at the bottom and then, suddenly, he just got it!! Well it was the same thing, as soon as he had gone down once there was no stopping him. He was dripping with sweat but really pleased with his achievement and rightly so. You can learn an awful lot in school but today was a real lesson for Sam in facing and overcoming his fears and what better reward than a milkshake.

This afternoon he played with his friends and they are coming over tomorrow night to watch a film and eat cake whilst we build and varnish the fence. So all is well in the world right now - especially for Sam.

Bellengen

This morning we got up and Scott left us to fly back to Bali. It has been really nice having him here as an additional member of the family (and one who can teach). I think he has also enjoyed being here, in the middle of arguments, with Sam wittering on in his ear and singing annoying songs, what's not to love? No seriously, I think he did enjoy being part of our family and being mothered (cooked for etc), so now we are back to three.

Yesterday we all drove to Bellengen but we didn't pick a very good day for it because it rained when we got there. We drove around a loop road called The Promised Land which ended up at Never Never Creek, honestly it sounds like something from a Peter Pan Story. The funniest thing was when Scott walked into the local garage to get directions and came upon a wise looking, sage like man behind the counter, 'Excuse me' he said, 'I'm looking for the Promised Land'. I'd like to say the the man, closed his eyes, took a long breath and, looking deep into Scotts eyes said,'you're already there my son, you're already there.' But instead he said, 'Turn right at the post office and just keep going'. Not quite so romantic.

The drive was quite nice but I'm sure that in the sun it would have been beautiful. We stopped for lunch in Bellengen at a little vegetarian restaurant. Bellengen is a bit like an Australian Glastonbury but not nearly so hippified, there are a few hippy types wandering around and the restaurants and cafes have that certain feel that only comes with a slightly spiritual place. It was actually a lovely little town and I would be really happy to go back and explore some more (on a sunny day) but as there is no surf within walking distance I feel my chances are limited. Wandering around the little shops is not Will's idea of fun! Bellengen also reminded me of Raglan in New Zealand, a gorgeous, old (ish) town with a relaxed vibe.

Now we are sat on the sofa eating a big brunch (not good for my expanding bottom) and then me and Sam are about to continue with our Physics (heating and radiation). Later we will go for a surf and then off to collect more varnish for the fence.

Fishing

This morning we got up and went fishing with Mark who lives across the road in his 'tinnie' (Aussie speak for a small boat). We had four fishing rods and a bag full of prawns for bait. I had the very nice job of handing prawns to the boys to bait their hooks. It was actually really nice to be out on the river, floating along in the sun, catching fish and looking at the mangroves.

Sam was the winning fisherman and caught two small bream - he had to throw them back though because they were under size.

After fishing we came back to the house and just chilled out sorting out paper work - we have now booked our flights to Perth for the 4th May and it will be fantastic to fly over and see Charlotte and Neil. Whilst we were booking the flights etc Sam headed off to the skate park with the local kids - he is now part of a gang of kids who skate around Corindi and all seem really nice. Corindi is such a small, safe place it's brilliant because he can just head off and say he will be back at a certain time and you don't have to worry. That's why travelling with a 13 year old is so much easier than travelling with a younger child. They are old enough to be sensible on the roads, know what time to come home and not go off with any strange men (although he did come home and say that he was going to look at someones puppy earlier!)

This evening we went to Red Rock Beach with Mark and Scott. This is the most gorgeous secluded beach and gets it's name from the red pigment in the rock, which is what the aborigines used to paint their bodies. Red Rock is also called 'Blood Rock'and apparently this is due to a massacre of aborigines which happened here many many years ago, but adds a slightly eerie feel to the area. We walked up to the headland and it was super windy, the waves were crashing in and the sun was going down, it was pretty spectacular... and then we went to the local bowling club for a chinese meal (cunningly named 'Red Wok!') After a huge feed we are all crashed out on the sofa.

Picture attached of Sam catching his fish

longboarding...

Last night I couldn't sleep because I woke up and thought 'Oh my god, we are in a house and everything has reverted back to normal - Sam is addicted to the TV, I am eating and eating and eating and doing not enough exercise and Will is working and stressed. Nothing has changed!!' So I decided the best thing to do would be to wake up Will and tell him my worries - and here's the thing, things have changed because Will got up and got me a drink and listened to me droning on at him about how I was worried that when we got back to the UK we would just slot back into the same old routine - and he said not to worry, things would be ok. Now 7 months ago, Will would have told me to shut up and go back to sleep.

It is scary though, to think that we will be home soon and then what? Will being home all the time be enough for us after our mad cap adventures, will we slot back into a routine as if nothing has changed? In the clear light of day I can see that we have a choice in this - that yes, things could go back to the way they were... or... we can choose to change them and to take the lessons we have learned with us. So this morning I got up with a different attitude. I had an apple for breakfast and when the boys went surfing, I took the long board out and had a fun session myself. If I want to stay fit and healthy and keep up with the routine we have established then it's up to me to keep on top of it.

Playing on the long board was loads of fun and I will definitely do it more often... after a session in the sea we had a Macdonalds and yes, I had the healthy option, and then we went and bought the National Geographic for Sams lessons... picture attached of me on the surfboard. Tonight we are going out for a meal with the neighbours.

Plans

So it's been a beautiful, hot day in Corindi. The fence posts are now firmly concreted in place, the ipod is on it's way to being repaired (well we have found a company who can do it) and Sam has finally introduced himself to the kids who live across the street... ahhh lovely.

Today we have worked on English and I have realised that we need to work a bit harder with the English to extend vocabulary. I am going to buy the National Geographic magazine from now on as this will help with the Science and also the English. After a frustrating lesson we went to the shops and had a gorgeous lunch in Woolgoolga, I had linguini with salmon and tomatoes in case your interested... and then we went to the beach but the waves were rubbish. It was nice for me though because there was a cool breeze so I did some yoga and had a little run. Now, the boys are doing yoga and I am about to make a potato and cauliflower curry and Sam is watching 'The Big Bang Theory.'

We have a few busy days ahead as Scott leaves us on Tuesday and we have quite a bit of sight seeing to do... Tomorrow we are going to the Big Banana, which I think is a fun park and then out for tea with the neighbours. On Saturday we are going to Bellingen which is a beautiful town near by and then on Sunday we are going to Red Rock which is another beach that we haven't been to, We also have to fit in the Surf Museum and the Aboriginal Centre... phew!!

I think the plan is for us to stay here for another week or so to complete the fence and then we will head to Byron for a few days followed by a return to the house and then back to Sydney, flying out to Perth at the start of May and then on to Bali on May 20th.

I also found a guy selling books near here and picked up three books for $5 - brilliant (am now reading the Dali Lama's book of wisdom).

Oh what a beautiful mooooorning.....

This morning I woke up to one of the best sights ever. Lying in a comfy bed, with the fan cooling the air overhead and the sun peeping through the blinds, in walks Sam with a red tray complete with a piece of toast with marmite, a cup of coffee with milk on the side and a tall glass of water. I sat up in bed, munching the toast and reading my book and realised how lucky I am... no work to go to, no pressure or stress to do anything...lovely.

The only thing that would have topped the morning off would have been my horse peering through the window rather than a kangaroo - but I guess you can't have everything. I was due to go riding yesterday but to be honest I can take it or leave it here. I miss horse riding, but more importantly i miss my horse and the great thing is that he is still well back in England and it won't be long before I get to see him.

Yesterday we made a roast for the Corindi neighbours and it was lovely. Rob and Margaret (who I have adopted as my Australian parents) made a delicious pudding (or Dessert as they call it here - when I said pudding Margaret was very confused and thought I meant a suet pudding or something) anyway, we all had lots of food, lots of wine and beers and a really nice evening. Sam had a great time too and the next step in our Corindi programme is to introduce him to the kid over the road.

This was going to be a longer post but a major crisis has just occurred - Will has stood on Sam's ipod and the screen is cracked - I have feeling we are about to enter crisis mode!!!!!!!!