Since I last wrote, we’ve had a lot happen in our little world, including a health scare with our daughter resulting in a longer than comfortable hospital stay in April following our family’s turn to have covid. Thankfully, the covid was very mild. The ruptured appendix and complications with our daughter were not.

We’ve finally come out of the shock and emotional whirlwind, although in quiet moments, I reflect on how it could have gone in a completely different direction. Counting my blessings right now is an understatement, and although she’s not fully healed, she’s almost there.

Life seems to be slowing out of the chaos, although we’re still adjusting to our new life and home.

I went to a neighbourhood party on the weekend and met some new local friends.

It was refreshing to connect with some like-minded new friends who have opted for similar lifestyle choices as we have. It reminded me of expat life, where everyone is open to meeting new people because most of us originate from somewhere else.

One conversation I had with a new friend, a systems analyst, turned pig farmer, was about how her parents, who immigrated from Egypt to start a new life in Australia many years ago, shared similar transition challenges to us.

And the conversation also turned to how it’s not just us feeling this underlying unsettlement due to our new life transition. It seems a more expansive sentiment amongst everyone due to the pandemic, political, economic and even climate reasons. 

If you didn’t already know, Australia has been hammered by some crazy weather these past few months, including unprecedented flooding and, sadly, loss of life around the area I live.

It was refreshing to get her insight into how others have also been feeling who haven’t made massive life changes by choice and to get a broader perspective that we’re all feeling all sorts of strange during these times. 

My focus continues to be on counting our blessings, focusing on what we can in our little world and radiating that to our small community.

Another wonderful thing that came out of this gathering and meeting new people was the swapping of produce. I came home with loads of homegrown ginger, a massive pumpkin, and more ideas on my impending home vegetable garden we are planning to set up very soon.

With inflation and increasing cost of living, food security and cost-saving are front of mind. 

It just makes me feel creative.

On a similar note, my kid’s lunches have been quite dull lately, so they’ve been asking for bread rolls which I indulged a few times last week until I worked out how expensive they were! $6 for six rolls! I did the sums and worked out that I could make them for 20% of the cost at home. The problem is, I’ve never made bread rolls before, so I thought it would be pretty straightforward.

As it happens, making bread rolls isn’t that simple. Well, not for me.

The first batch turned out more like scones and was dense but yummy with warm loads of butter. So I called my uncle, the baker and got the low down on how to make fluffy bread rolls. 

And pleased to say they worked!

Instead of $6 for six bread rolls, I made 9 for $2. And they taste delicious and are super easy to make.

If you’d like me to share the technique he shared with me, let me know in the comments below, and if you don’t, I expect you’ve already mastered this simple art that has taken me till 45 to master!

Until next time, take care and hopefully, next update, I’ll be able to share some vegetable garden, house renovation, new puppy and home organisation living in a small home updates (consuming my non-working hours!)

Robyn x