Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Boxes




There is something very strange about packing up your life is almost like a stock take of not only your current possessions but a reality check on what means a lot and what is just “stuff”. As hard as it is to pack up your life I have found  it a fantastic opportunity to cleanse and donate. Over the years we have collected so much and this has been the perfect opportunity to really look at what we have. What do we need? What can I live without? What can be better served by donating to others who will benefit from it more than it being stored in a cupboard that I will rarely use?  Apart from these altruistic sentiments it’s also a really good time to just throw out the stuff that we have just stored away because “we might need it one day”. I started out conservatively .By the end of it, I was very much, nope, it’s gone! I remember coming back from our last posting and thinking “what the hell was I thinking keeping this!” With this in mind I was pretty ruthless. 

So, can’t tell a lie, when you stand there and some stranger says sign here and you confirm that your life is enclosed in 100 boxes,  it’s a little confronting. My kids will attest to the fact my favorite saying is “rewrite the narrative”. My life is not enclosed in 100 boxes. My possessions are. My life is travelling with me. My amazing husband and children. Part of my life will remain with my friends and family who are not only in Australia but all over the world. As bizarre as it is too see all of your worldly possessions in the back of a truck it has had also served as a reminder to me that that if I were never to see them again I’d be ok. My family and memories are worth more than my possessions. (It’s still weird though!) 

Thursday, November 10, 2022

My Home Town

Some amazing shots of the place I call home. Will miss you Melbs but I know you will be waiting for me when I return. Chris manages to capture the true essence of Melbourne. Each of these pictures is a snapshot of a moment that any Melbournian can experience on any given day. I don’t know how he does it but he is able to really find the heart and soul of my stunning home town. Thanks to Chris and Humans of Melbourne for these amazing moments showcasing  the city I love. Check out Chris’s incredible work on Facebook  https://m.facebook.com/100064311056519/



















Friday, October 28, 2022

30 Days Out!

 


In the crate Alby! You need to get IN the crate!!

So we are 30 days out! It’s been a crazy time to say the least. As far as our plans are going….we are getting there. Slowly, but we are getting there. 

I am methodically working through sorting what is coming with us and what is going to be stored in Australia. We will have 2 uplifts. One for export and one for storage here. It’s actually quite cathartic to take stock of what possessions you have and have a big “Marie Kondo” purge of thing that don’t bring me joy. Aside from the fact I can’t throw out the kids (kidding!) I have offloaded huge amounts of “stuff” that we have accumulated over the years. The benefits of this not being our first posting are huge as I am being ruthless. I can clearly recall unpacking when we got home from Vietnam  and thinking “What the hell were we thinking keeping this!”  

We are also preparing the house for rental which involves such fun things as new gas pipes, new stormwater drains, electrical checks, new front fence, front stair upgrade, new roof and general improvements to make it a solid and safe rental for potential tenants. 

We are in the midst of year 12 exams for Christopher who is handling it like a trooper. 

 If I could sum it up at the moment, and I hope you will pardon the language, shit’s getting real!