A New Year beginning

Wow its 2009 already ... Happy New Year to you.

The New Year has not bought the type of hot weather we may have experienced in Sydney but I am told its coming...we'll see but I am happy to not feel the heat. It is odd though to have 5 degree temps in the evening to us and even needing to light the fire! Good Lord imagine what winter is going to be like!!!

The mail arrived the other day and I find myself assulted with not one but two speeding fines! Jesus ! One was only 8 km over the limit and both on the same stretch of freeway! I don't really know what else to say, but I am inclined to justify my speed as there is still alot of Sydney Girl in me and, well yes, I still feel like a busy woman and rushing everywhere. I do admit to thinking how slow the Victorians drive here, and they do, especially the country folk. I am a city, lane switching, freeway peak hour driving expert compared, so need to change or risk my licence! Time to slow down and kick back more.

When we first arrived here Connor and I were in Melbourne for the afternoon and I was dashing about as you do in the city. He pulled on my handag and said "slow down you look silly"and sure enough, even the city Victorians don't rush and dash about as frantically as we do in Sydney. I am trying really hard now to walk slower and try to relax :)

A book I have been reading about an Englishman who moved to rural Spain has reminded me of my quest to live simply and more off the land. He mentions how he still found himself being enslaved to modernism and found himself still buying and wanting lots of things. I thought again about this and realised I am still living very much the same, working to afford the items we need or do we? Thus my quest begins...

Mum pulled some (what we thought were) shallots from the garden and left them by the side of the vege patch. I have since discovered these to realise they are garlic bulbs! In the spirit of my new quest I decided would no longer buy garlic but ultilise the fruits of my land and set about peeling half a bucket of garlic cloves with Cameron. My fingers ache and smell horrid but I now have a jar of frozen garlic cloves and a bottle of garlic oil in the fridge and feel much more like a farmer and saved us... mmmm probably a whole $2 or $3 ! Thinking I need to evaluate effort vs output principles a bit more lol!

Anyway lets hope 2009 brings Gippsland a drought and fire free Summer and a prosperous year ahead. The same to you where ever you are...