Life in the great outdoors

We've had several beautiful days of sunshine and warm days. Ahh, thank you!

One of the interesting things about being in the park is watching the different campers come and go. When we first got here, there were a lot of retired people from the southern states. Most of them had fairly new campers of a similar style. Now we are seeing more families with campers like ours, some newer, some older. Recently, a huge, American-style 5th wheel was here. Two people were travelling with it. When we had that week of rain, we looked longingly at that rig, with it's 3 slide-outs, and imagined them comfy and cosy in there. But thinking about it now, it would be just like living in a little house. We never saw the people sitting outside of their place, the way people with the smaller campers do. I spend a lot of time either outside (we all do that)or in the annexe where I do our food prep and sometimes I even cook out there in the electric frypan. We have a stove and oven in the camper, but we haven't used them. If we need those things, we go to the camp kitchen which is a fun social event, and it doesn't stink up the camper. When I'm in the annexe, it feels like I'm outside (when all of the windows are rolled up), yet with the basic conveniences of inside. I like it a lot. When we choose our next camper, I want to remember how good it feels to live outside. I'd like something a little more secure, with an easier set-up (not that this is bad, it's just that the newer campers are quicker and easier to set up), and maybe a little bigger for the kids to have their individual space.

The American 5th wheel type campers and motorhomes are a rare sight on the roads here. Partially due to the cost to buy them, and the cost of fuel here and the roads here which are narrower and just not as good as in the US, despite very high taxes.

AJ has been spending a lot of time with the rainbow lorikeets. Now when we get up in the morning, they are often waiting outside our door. And they often come to visit during the day. We offered them wild bird seed but they were not interested in that. They like all kinds of bread and seemed to especially love a day-old peanut-butter & jelly sandwich. I don't know if that's the best kind of food for them, but it seems to be what they are used to from other visitors feeding them bread. We've also fed them apples which they like.

Yesterday afternoon some friends dropped by as they were riding home from school. Sami and AJ hadn't gone again. They hung out and fed the birds for a while then AJ, Nicholas and I got on our scooters (I borrowed Sami's) and we went with our friends to a local playground. Nicholas loves his scooter and he is fascinated with bikes so maybe he might be the first of my children to ride one. Sami and AJ have never been very interested in bikes, they've been content with their scooters. Yesterday Nicky carried his scooter up the slide at the playground and I had visions of this little 2 year old extreme sports star hurling down the slide like it was a ramp at a skate park. Once he got it to the top of the slide, he rode it on another little ramp at the top of the play equipment and then must have figured that riding it down the slide would have been a bit too steep for him at this point. He's a very determined litte guy though. Had to have that scooter up on the equipment.

We're going to have a lunar eclipse party tonight with some friends at a local beach. Cary and the kids researched what happens to the moon during that (the moon moves into earths shadow so there is no reflection of the sun on it to give it its brightness and it will go dark). Maybe I should pack the headlamps and flashlights.

I wonder what other adventures this day will bring?

Some photos

AJ, aka birdman, still in his PJ's, feeding bread to the rainbow lorikeets. He wakes up so excited to see the birds that he rushes over to them as soon as he's out of bed.


I forgot to mention yesterday that Sami had designed this black shirt for herself. She took a pair of scissors to a pair of track pants, cut out the crotch and rolled up the legs, um, sleeves. She often modifies her clothes in some way. It's a good thing that a lot of them come from the thrift store! Sami also spent a bit of time yesterday drawing rather complex designs. She's very critical of her drawings though and tears them up if they are not 'right' in her mind.


Sami hanging out, front of our annexe & camper. It's a good little camper for now. A newer and larger one will be nice one day though. Cary is looking into sending one over for us when he goes back to the US next week. Next week - argh, I'm going to miss him like crazy. I know the kids will too.


The back of our little home. That's Nicholas in the red shirt and our Toyota Landcruiser to the right.
Another reason we chose to start with a smaller camper is the high price of petrol here. Our 4x4 has dual fuel capacity. It takes unleaded petrol (called gas in the US) and also LPG (liquid petroleum gas, called gas here). Petrol is currently AU$5.20 / gallon and gas AU$2.40 / gallon.

I'll get some photos of inside the camper another time.

Hope you're all having a great day. The sun has been out most of today here - ahh, lovely!

Fabulous Friday

Sami & AJ skipped school today and we've had a fabulous day. They spent several hours this morning feeding the rainbow lorikeets, climbing trees and playing with other kids here. We went for walks, did some laundry, and just hung out. We sat outside when it wasn't raining and came in and watched a movie when it did rain (again!). It's been a perfectly lovely, natural living kind of a day.

I took some photos of the camper and will post them next time I'm on here.

Enough already!

After the brief spell of sunshine the other day, we've had nothing but more rain and wind. It's expected to last another day or two. Ok, so we need the rain, but a whole week of it? The local newspaper reported that on the heaviest day this past week, 107.8mm of rain fell overnight. That's over 4".

Winter is officially over here at the end of this month and then spring begins. It should be a very green one after all of this.

We chose to park our camper on a grass pad, we could have chosen a concrete one but didn't expect this much rain. When it was dry, it was so great to step out of the camper onto the grass. But now it's mud and cold water. This too, shall pass.

Before the rain, as we glided easily into this simple living lifestyle, I found myself getting more in touch with myself. I was eating a lot more fresh foods, and I was also eating less as I was living with more awareness of my actual needs. The rain and cooler weather has changed that and I have been eating more of the things that my body really does not do well with. Ah dear, I'll get back on track soon.

It's 3:30am on Friday here. I can't sleep. I'm listening to the wind soaring through the trees and the ocean pounding.

The transition to this lifestyle has been made easier because of technology. Our laptop is our DVD player and TV and the wireless internet is fabulous. The 3"x1" TV receiver that plugs in to the USB port gives us better reception than we had at our house. Another laptop would be nice so that someone can be on the internet while others watch the TV or a DVD. But it hasn't been an issue so far. When the warmer weather comes back, we probably won't even think about it as we'll be outside more often.

Sunshine!

Hip hip hooray, the sun came out today! After non-stop rain for about 4 days, we have sunshine today! Some of the rain we had was very heavy with strong winds. Our camper held up and so did we. Living this close to each other and to nature has given us a great appreciation for simple things like warm feet and blue sky and a few minutes by myself to go to the bathroom. Most campers in this park got some water in them during the heavy storm, as did we, but it wasn't bad.

I am wishing that I had just put in 4 weeks notice at the school. Sami and AJ are ready to leave. They know that they don't have to go if they don't want to, but they are choosing to still go most days. They are usually late though. I've come to see this experience as a part of our Life Learning journey. We no longer have any doubts that LL / unschooling is what is best for us. Interesting that the thing that has turned Sami off the most is the very thing that most people highlight about the school experience - the social side. She's had other children from her class teasing her about her reading. Plus, she would rather choose her friends rather than be forced to spend her free time there with kids she just doesn't connect with. I've realised that Sami really likes the rhythm of school and it gives her a sense of security. So I will work on establishing that for her here. It's hard for me though. AJ has enjoyed the social side of school, but does not like the rules.

The thing that helped me get through some of the challenging parts of the recent storm were repeating "this too, shall pass", taking the kids to the tv room and letting them just run around in circles (there were no other people in there at the time), and just being in the moment, feeling Mother Nature in her wildness. It's all good.

Wet, wavy and wild!

It's been raining for 1.5 days now, non-stop. Yesterday it was just 'rain'. Today it is 'heavy rain'. It's a good test for our camper and our patience. Actually, our patience has been doing very well, it's interesting and exciting living so close to nature.

We took about one second to get used to living in the camper and we love being outside most of the day. In the morning I take my yoga mat outside and do yoga watching the sun rise and the birds wake up. We've been spending the majority of our time outside. The campground has outdoor sinks (as well as some inside the big camp kitchen) where we like to do our dishes. It's so great to not be confined to doing things like that indoors.

Yesterday during the gentle rain, Nicholas got some of his toy motorbikes and sat on the edge of the grass playing with his toys in a nice big puddle, totally not minding that he was getting rained on, just enjoying the moment.

The day before that, one of the other visitors here, who is a hairdresser, came over to our place and gave the kids and I a haircut as we sat outside enjoying the day. The new cut together with the wet weather has given Sami and I very wavy hair. Mine feels wild and I love it!

One of the things we love about our pop-top camper is the huge windows it has. We feel so close to nature, even if we're inside. I was lying down with Nicholas today as he drifted off into his daytime nap, and I was so enjoying watching the storm outside - watching the trees dance with the wind and rain. The wild heart inside of me connected with the wild side of Mother Nature with an appreciation I've never had before. I put my hands against the canvas and felt the rain pelting down yet I stayed dry..so close, yet able to keep my little cub safe from the storm so he could sleep peacefully.

Another thing we like about the camper is the floor plan. It has a lot of seating with storage underneath as well as a sink, oven/stove, more cupboards and a little fridge. We removed the table from inside the camper as it opens it up more. We have an annexe as well which is like a huge canvas tent that attaches to the camper, effectively giving us another room. In there, we have a long camping table with a bench seat. This is where the kids have their art supplies, where we often prep our food and sometimes where we eat when we've got this rainy weather. We have a bar fridge which is about twice as big as the one in the camper that we actually don't use as a fridge as it's so small. We have another folding table that has our fruit bowl and other food stuffs stored on and under it. And under the long table are large plastic storage boxes with our clothes in them.

It's a good starter camper. It's easy and light to tow. The annexe makes it very spacious (well, for a camper that is). I'll post some photos on here when the sun comes back out. Cary is going to look into bringing a newer camper over from the US. They are sooo much cheaper there. We've been looking at ebay there to see the kind we would like. I don't know that there's any such thing as the 'perfect' camper, they all have pros and cons. It's a matter of figuring out our priorities and then going with what best meets those. As our children get older, I'm sure those priorities will change.

What's most important though, is that we remember to be ourselves - following our own interests while enjoying being a part of our family. Cary has been so calm and centered throughout this transition. His attitude of being in the Now, has been soothing during the many times when I started to panic about all that needed to be done. Sami and AJ have adjusted to this without any complaints - they see the adventure and excitement in it. Nicholas, well he's just happy as long as we're together.

Sami and AJ went back to school a few weeks ago after the winter break. As we "have to" give the school 4 weeks notice, or else pay for 4 weeks tuition, we chose to give notice of about 7 weeks, mainly so that Sami could have a decent amount of time to try the violin which they were just starting this term as well as staying here for the lovely Spring Festival at the school. Their last day will be 14 September which seems a long way off, but I'm sure it will go quickly. We're all looking forward to getting back to the Life Learning lifestyle 24/7.

Contents may settle during transit

How much do we really need? Looking at the small suitcase I brought with me, it still looks like too much. Ok, it is still winter so I have clothes for 4 seasons in there but I wonder if I could get all I need into an even smaller suitcase or storage bin.

We looked at our storage unit the other day where all the things we thought we'd like to keep are stored. I wondered "why am I keeping all this?". Of course there are some things that need to be stored like photos and special sentimental things. But do I really need to pay to store the Christmas tree I got for $5 at the local thrift store? We plan on living OTR for..well, indefinitely at this point. Holding on to the few bits of furniture - that again, were purchased 2nd hand - shows a lack of trust that good deals on nice furniture will come to us if we need them again. I wonder just how lean I could go?

I know we haven't been in this situation for very long, but in terms of our 'stuff', less is definitely better. I brought along a big box of toys for the kids and they have hardly played with any of it. They have been having much more fun playing with the other kids in the park, or at the pool, or in the games room, or feeding the rainbow lorikeets, or going for walks. I'm glad we are staying here for a bit longer so that we can fine-tune this process and figure out what we will need and use while we are OTR.

Out, In, On, Over

We are out of the house, we are in the camper, we are on the road and over the moon!

Oh my golly, it was such a massive effort to sort through our stuff, do the yard sale, pack the stuff going into storage after figuring out what's coming with us, take the stuff to the storage unit (we still have to rearrange that but it can wait a few days), get the camper set up with our stuff and then clean the house. I have no desire to do that again! Whenever we would bring things to the camper, I just did not want to go back to the house. But it's done now, with many many thanks to our good friends Tracey & Dany & Mel that came to help clean and pack and brought us dinners. Fantastic! We love you guys!

We are so ready for this. In the past, we've spoken about doing it, but we just weren't mentally ready for what it's required to take this step. We've only had 2 nights in the camper, but I love it. I love having less stuff, I love being outdoors most of the time, I love the friendly community in the caravan park - other travellers are so helpful and friendly, I love sleeping closer to nature - with just canvas walls rather than brick. The kids have adapted to it so easily - loving the playground and the pool (even though it's a bit too cold for Cary & I to swim, they don't seem to mind), meeting kids from other countries.

It will take us a little while to fine tune the process, but we are really happy about how it's going. Even though we haven't actually left the area, it feels like we're on the road as we're planning our next places to visit, and are living as we will "OTR".

Almost there..

For several weeks, I've had a knot in my belly. I think it's a mixture of excitement and concern of all that we need to do. In the past, I've moved a lot. I've always looked forward to the move and enjoyed the excitement of a new home / town / state/ country. I have not been enjoying this process as much as usual, but that's probably because it's really not that long ago that we had the major move here, but I am excited about what's coming up.

We are all looking forward to going back to homeschooling, living simply and on the road.

Cary has mellowed so much since he's been here. He needed a good long break after hardly ever taking a break back in the US. He is so calm and connected to the children and I. He really "gets" the Life Learning approach we take to homeschooling! It's great to see him getting more connected to himself too.

Sami (9.5yrs) is more sure of the things that really interest her, rather than doing things because others are doing them. She's more aware of her strengths and other areas she'd like to work on. After I read the last Harry Potter book within a few days, she decided it was time to read all the HP books. So we're reading them together. She's keen to watch each movie after finishing a book and is already talking about things in the first book that are not in the first movie (that she hasn't seen for over a year).

A lot of people have been mentioning that AJ (6 yrs) seems to be maturing - he's definately moving into a new stage. He's still goofy and rowdy and playful, but his gentleness is shown more often and he seems calmer within himself. He has a very active imagination and still loves books about the real world - how things work, why things are the way they are, what causes things in nature etc.

When Nicholas was still in utero, a healer / psychic told me that he was an Indigo child. I think that they were right. He has a very strong opinion and voices that. When he makes his mind up to do something, he is full of determination. Like potty training himself at 21 months - day and most nights. His speech is having a major breakthrough at the moment and new words come through several times a day. He is always concerned when someone hurts themself and he will go to them and put his hands on them. He often reads my mind and says something just after I've thought it. Other people are drawn to him like a magnet. He's almost 26 months old.

For me, I've found it very helpful to read blogs and stories of other real, unschooling families. The love and inspiration that I still feel from members of the LVLL group that we left in the US helps so much, as does the friendship and support from the friends we've made since we've been here. We are so blessed to have such good friends here and there.
Thank you!

Phase One complete

Or is it more like Phase 101? We had a yard sale yesterday. I was not looking forward to it. Back in the US, I used to enjoy having a yard sale, but this time, I was just tired and tired of it. Once it got going, I was ok and we did get rid of a lot of stuff. Cary is amazed by how much stuff we've accumulated in the 10 months we've been here. All the kind of stuff it takes to make a home function - some tables, clothes, toys, books, chairs etc.

This coming week we have to finish packing up what's left in the house and put it into our storage unit. We still have to do a few things to the camper to get it ready and then clean this house. Within 2 weeks, it will all be done and then we need to get Cary ready for his trip back to the USA.

I trying to get back into the moment - being present. But there is so much going on, I'm finding it rather challenging. I'm feeling a bit scattered and overwhelmed. ..Breathe deep, seek Peace. .. I get so caught up in all the details that I forget the most important detail - to take care of myself in the process, to take time out to really be in the moment, to play and laugh and be silly instead of serious and buzzing about trying to get everything done. To not neglect the rest of my family and to find creative ways the kids could help. To actually accept help from them and others who offer.

What still needs to be done will get done whether I'm stressed or relaxed about it. It will be a lot more fun if I can just relax. I might save myself a few wrinkles in the process!

Home?

My sister and her family have lived in their home for 15 years. I've lived in at least a dozen places in that time. And here we are, preparing another move. The idea of moving into a camper sounded so exciting and adventurous. The fact is that it is that, but I'm also a bit nervous about it. Not really having a permanent place to call "home". Have I really had that for a while? Where is home? Parts of me say Australia, but where exactly here? I've travelled around and lived in so many places. There are bits of my heart in all of them. And certainly the same could be said about the US. I still feel a connection to the country I lived in for 12.5 years and especially the places where my children were born, where we all learned and grew so much and where we still have good friends and family.

I think I've learned to live without a strong attachment to the idea of "home". It's only when I hear other people mention things that relate to that, that I realise it's something that is not really present in my life. Not deeply. Maybe if I lived somewhere where I could plant a vege garden and hang all of my pictures on the wall. And have animals (I miss that the most). Maybe that would give me the feeling of roots that a real home gives.

Until then, I'll keep spreading my wings and keep comfort that, for our family, home is where the heart is. So while we're all together and following our dreams for adventure, we are strong and we free and we are a group of 5 individuals, all blooming in our own way.

The Invitation

I'm re-reading "The Invitation" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. It's a book that inspires the reader to live fully. Parts of the actual Invitation:


"It doesn't interest me what you do for a living, I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.


It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.


...I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.


...I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.


...I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself..


...I want to know if you can live with failure..and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"


...It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away. ..."

There's more, but these bits just jumped out at me in this moment so perhaps I need to consider them.

I ache to live fully. I've been a fool, many times and am ok about the possibility of being so again. I'm still open. I'd like to be even more wild. I have a very hard time disappointing those closest to me in order to be true to myself. I've done it though. I've had many failures which I prefer to think of as lessons. They may knock me down for a short while, but it doesn't take me long to get going again. What sustains me? Love, the stillness (Peace) deep within when I remember to get in touch with it, Adventure, Faith in the grand plan and the Creator of that.

Maybe from this, I can figure out what it actually means to me when I say that I want to live a full life. If I only had a few months left to live, how would I live? Is that what living fully means? To live as if we were going to die? (No, because that could put the emphasis in the wrong place. Besides, we're all going to die sometime - that needs to be accepted as a normal part of life.) What would I eat? (Only the freshest, organic fruits and veges, a little freshly baked bread or baked sweet potato and a little chocolate!) Where would I go? (To the tropics, wherever it was dry season. I simply cannot stand to be cold.) What would I do? (Spend time with my husband and children, family and friends - playing, swimming, reading aloud, cuddling, telling silly stories. I'd also do more Reiki and yoga and be more vocal about living simply and gently. Maybe I'd write more too.) I think the most important part would be that I would find it easier to live in the moment, to be fully present and to appreciate all of the beauty and joy in ordinary moments.

Hmm..that was an interesting little exercise. I've often said that I'm not afraid of dying, but I am afraid of not living a full life. It looks like I need to work on being true to myself, even when others don't approve, to risk possible conflict instead of always trying to be the Peacemaker. To take time to get in touch with myself to Know and Be still and absolutely in touch with what it is I really feel and want. To be more vocal about my beliefs, needs and desires. I have been working on removing a block in my throat chakra and I believe it's working! To remember to be here now. I feel so good when I can stay in the moment, everything seems possible...and it is!

Sunshine Sunday

Last Thursday morning, we packed up some things, loaded up the car and took a 5 hour drive to the Gold Coast. I was surprised by how uncomfortable I felt there. It's like a mini Las Vegas with traffic, lots of strip malls, big shopping areas, huge theme parks, tons of people, billboards and did I mention the traffic? The area we currently live is so much quieter and I have gotten used to that. I find it more soothing. I was a bit overwhelmed there. In the afternoon, we looked at a pop-up camper that we had seen advertised for sale and was our main reason for taking the trek. It seemed to have everything we were looking for so we did a deal. In my haste to get a camper so we could move on with all the things we need to do before Cary leaves for the US, I ignored my instincts that were telling me to slow down. I hate it when I do that. I feel like I let myself down by not Trusting my true self and letting my physical self run the show. I'm still working on the Trust lesson. I'm not positive we got the right camper or the best deal, but it's done and we need to make the best of it.

The next day we towed the camper 2 hours north to the Sunshine Coast where we had a lot of trouble finding a vacancy. We hadn't counted on all of the snowbirds to fill the van parks for the winter. We did eventually find a spot right next to a beach. It was too cold to swim, but nice to play on the white sand and watch the beautiful waves. The camper was easy to tow and easy to set up. I feel a little bothered because the very-nice-older-man that we bought the thing from assured us that "everything works" and the fridge did not work, and the table did not go down nicely to make another bed. We should have checked those things. But it was solid during the windy night we had and we did all sleep comfortably. It has a lot of good points and we will be able to fix a few things on it to make it even better.

We spent two days on the Sunshine Coast, looking for the place we want to park the camper when we go back up there and just having another look around. We all liked a RV park (called caravan parks in Oz) with a patrolled beach on one side, Underwater World on the other, and walking distance to fabulous cafes, restaurants and shops as well as a decent amount of shade.

While we were driving up and back, Sami, AJ & I watched some DVD's while Nicholas played, drew, ate and slept (though not much of that). In one of the Harry Potter movies we watched, Dumbledore says to Harry something about choosing between what's right or what's easy. I thought about that in regard to what is coming up for us. It would be so easy to just stay where we are, doing what we are doing. But it just feels right to break out of that and do what we're about to do. But it is challenging some of my comfortable, easy, notions. Like security and trust that I've mentioned before. I've had to change some of my internal dialogue in order to get my head around some things. We've decided not to go crazy and sell practically everything, but to store it and just see how this adventure goes. We can always sell it later, or use it whenever we are ready to move back into a house. This way it feels more like we're going on vacation rather than moving in to a camper. Even though I imagined myself more like a free-spirited-gypsy doing that, Cary's not thrilled with the deal as we could have bought the same thing back in the US for 1/6th of the price. But that's the way things are here. He's looking forward to the adventure, he's just had enough of the high cost of things here.

After 3 weeks of school holidays, the kids go back to school tomorrow. Sami said she does not want to go and that she wants to homeschool again. Though she is looking forward to starting violin which they will do tomorrow. Once she's at school, she seems to enjoy it so I think she won't mind the next month or so there before we get on the road. I think we'll spend a few weeks visiting family and friends before heading back up to the Sunshine Coast and getting to know the natural learners group there. I hope they are as great as the LifeLearners group we left back in Vegas.

Simply Trust

Years ago, in an article on simply living, I read that most people only use 20% of the stuff in their homes, 80% of the time. Or maybe it was even less, like 15% of the stuff. In contemplating our next step, I'm wondering how much (how little) stuff I can honestly live with. How much will it take to function easily, to live happily? I've been thinking about the things I will miss about living in a house...at first I thought of all of the storage cupboards in a house. Then I thought about all of the things in those cupboards that really don't get used, like the food processor I've used twice because it doesn't seem to take any longer to chop things by hand when you consider the time it takes to set the thing up, use it and clean it. A well-stocked pantry, but I really only use 20% of the stuff in there. It would be a good challenge for me to plan our meals so much better that we only buy what we will actually use. What else will I miss? The space in the house where the kids can run up and down the hall? No,- compared to the space of the great outdoors that's not a consideration, except maybe in rainy weather when we could find a museum or library to go to anyway. Hot running water? - yes, that would be nice but it won't take long to boil water for doing the dishes. A bathtub? - yeah, but not really necessary if we're swimming in the ocean or river most days.

I could not find any "thing" that I would actually miss about living in a house. (And I certainly won't miss the cleaning or the bills!) So I looked a bit deeper. What feeling does a house give me? .. A sense of security. This is the one niggling little point that has been in the back of my mind, making me just a tad uncomfortable. This adventure is challenging that notion, but it's good. The fact that this house is made of bricks and I can lock it up makes me feel that we are safe and so is our stuff. Are we really? Anyone could easily break in through a window. That kind of thing is very rare in this area though. But when we're travelling, would the threat of crime be different?

After hours of research and phone calls, we decided to buy a little pop-up camper. We drove an hour away to look at one that sounded good, liked it, decided to buy it and negotiated a price. The owner agreed and, as it was Sunday about 3pm, we said we would meet on Monday morning after going to the bank. He called us about 8am on Monday morning to say that he'd already sold it for more money. We were PO'd! He'd given us his word. He should have had the decency of at least letting us match the offer. Anyway, it wasn't meant to be and perhaps he did us a favour. We started reconsidering the whole camper idea and thought maybe we should just do a tent for a while. We'll still keep our eyes open for a camper, and if it's meant to be, there will be one. Otherwise, we'll do a big tent until Cary can have a very nice camper sent over from the USA.

Would I feel more secure in a camper because we can lock it up? Am I kidding myself? Would I be concerned about someone stealing our stuff out of a tent that can't be locked up? Am I showing a complete lack of Trust in God and my fellow man? ...Oh, maybe that's my lesson for today - Trust.

Most of our personal stuff will be in storage until we are ready to go back to living in a house where we can again have our photo albums in a closet where they rarely get looked at, and the boxes of sentimental things sitting in the garage collecting dust, but can also have some of our pretty, special things decorating the home, reminding us of friends we've known and places we've been. In the meantime, things with a high personal value, should be 'safe' in storage.

So I come around again to wondering just how much or how little we can live with, especially if it's in a tent. Considering the needs of two adults and 3 children - clothing, cooking, toys etc. I need to keep it simple and I won't take anything that can't be easily replaced. I need to release the attachment to the things we do take, or it could attract the very situation I am currently concerned about.

I trust that I can do it!

dolphins!

The children and I love to go for walks to the headland near us. We walk from here, past the creek, over the bridge, through the bush...when we get to the top, the bush clears and the sight of the ocean always takes my breath away, it just looks more beautiful each time..we stroll along the headland until we are to the top, spend a little time looking for dolphins and whales and watching the surfers, and then stroll back, go down the side of the headland and walk along the rocks and beach until we get back to the little bridge across the creek again. Round trip takes at least an hour. Often when we get to the top, I try very hard to see dolphins and whales and usually end up disappointed when I don't see any. It's been a while since I did see any. But yesterday, a couple of amazing things happened when we went there.

For the first time, Nicholas actually walked almost all the way there. Previously, he had always insisted that I carry him from the time we got across the bridge, up through the bush and down the headland until we got to the beach when he would walk again. Carrying an extra 30lbs up hill was quite a good workout! Yesterday he only wanted me to pick him up once when some other people passed us. The rest of the time he held my hand and walked there. He is getting more independent all the time. We often go to the beach with friends after lunch. Cary and some of his friends go surfing while the kids explore the rocks or run up and down the sand dunes or dig or just play the free way kids do. Nicholas is joining in on a lot of that now and it's beautiful to watch the other children helping him when he needs it.

But the other amazing thing that happened yesterday was the dolphins! I was really enjoying the walk with the children. I was totally in the moment, feeling full of life and love. When I got to the top of the bush where is cleared and I saw the ocean, I decided that it didn't matter if I saw a dolphin or whale. I knew that they were out there - I could feel their energy and it was all good. We sat at the end of the headland just enjoying watching the water and feeling the sun. Sami was writing and drawing in her journal while both boys were sitting on my lap enjoying a cuddle. Then I saw two fins which soon became 3..5..8...10! There were at least 10 dolphins right down in front of us. We watched totally delighted as they played in the waves and swam back and forth directly in front of where we were sitting. What a gift!

When I released my attachment to having to see dolphins, they were there, and in a pod bigger than I would have hoped for. Gods delays and not Gods denials.

I've seen 'The Secret' and know about the law of attraction, it's just so great to have the lesson presented again in such a way as this.

New Name

I have been thinking about what I have written in the description of the blog "..to live fully..". Am I doing that? Can I really do that with our current way of life? What do I need to do to really live fully - what do I really want to experience? What kind of life do I want for my children?

My children have a book called "We were tired of living in a house.." and you know what, so am I! I'm tired of insulating myself with the distractions that come with maintaining a house. Yes, it's also a home but I feel like I spend too much time keeping that home "homely" that I don't spend enough time enjoying the things that really make this place a home - my family. There are other distractions around me and within me that I am working on clearing also. Things that have kept me from really getting involved in creating a better world.

So, in honour of the many breakthroughs I've been having lately, I've renamed this blog "free spirit life" which is the blogger address anyway so I guess it's been brewing in me for a long time. I've removed the border around the title to signify the removal of borders in my mind.

You can expect more blogging from me on simple & conscientious living, natural learning, travel, natural health & healing, indigo kids and more. Oh the places we'll go! Woo hoo!

Ok, because I can't wait anymore, I just have to tell you...here's the plan: We are going to buy and move into a camper within the next month. We will put some things like photos, papers, some books and special things etc into storage. The kids will have one more month at school only because Sami is about to start violin and she really, really wants to do that. (It turns out she has "an exceptional talent" for music according to her teacher. She also loves learning new languages. Interesting that her name actually means "listener" so I guess she has an ear for that kind of thing.) Plus we need some time to wrap everything up here. Then Cary is leaving for the US to wrap things up there while I head off to the Sunshine Coast with the kids to meet up with the big Natural Learners homeschooling group there and enjoy some slightly warmer weather, better fruit and connecting and playing and living more fully, deeply. Early next year we are going to spend at least 6 months in the islands of the South Pacific, starting with Vanuatu. Our children will see how the people there can live so simply and joyfully, they'll see real volcanoes, go snorkeling in the crystal clear water, and play with children from a completely different culture. They are really excited and so are we. This feels so right, like we are really on the path of living fully. I know that it's a process and not a destination. I know I still have a lot to learn and I am ready! I am ready to get back on the road less travelled and my heart is full!

Busting!

I am just busting with excitement! We have a great plan in motion. I won't go into it just yet. In the past when I've gotten all excited and told the world what we're going to do, the momentum seemed to stop and the plan flopped. Maybe it was meant to. It's all ok. I'll reveal all soon!

As it's been getting easier for me to simplify the material stuff around me, I found myself wondering just how "simple" could I make my life? Could I live in a cabin? A camper? A tent? If so, for how long? How much space do I need to put my material stuff in? Just how much stuff do I really, really need/want? And how much stuff do the other members of my family need/want? With less stuff around us, would we actually go out and just live more fully - enjoy the natural world around us, connect with each other even more, meet new friends, lie on the grass and watch the stars, etc (things we already do, but would we do them even more because we could and we weren't inside cleaning and tidying and being absorbed by the material stuff)? I believe we would. I think our living space would become the great outdoors and the house base, if it were much smaller, would become mostly a functional eating/sleeping space with just enough familiar things for the comfort and fun of home. Fun as in games, toys, craft supplies, movies.

How easy would the adjustment be to let go of the idea of having all these rooms around us? Am I so conditioned to having them that I would panic when living without them for too long? I've been exploring this from many angles. Maybe I'll just have to try it to find out for sure.

Hello again

We haven't had the internet on at home for a while. There's a lot of uncertainty about our future here. We were offered a chance to get out of the internet contract we were in, so we did. I have just reconnected with a new provider which does not require a contract, but it is dial-up. That's ok. It's making my online time more efficient.

Australia is a beautiful, wonderful place. It's very easy to live here socially, spiritually, emotionally. But financially, it's tough. High taxes, all kinds of extra fees, regulations, licences. How can we put a price on the peace of heart that we have found here? We know that change is coming, we're just not sure what it's going to be. That kind of uncertainty has been a regular visitor in our lives. I'm learning how to manage it. Being present and enjoying the moments as they unfold is part of it. Being open, accepting the impermanence of life and situations also helps.

Recently I reached a turning point in my Self. I found a deep inner Peace. A friend lent me "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle which confirmed a lot of what I already felt and also gave me some tools to take that deeper. Like "Watch the Thinker" which I find stills my mind when it starts getting into some old patterns. From that book, I love this quote by Marcus Aurelius: "Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs?" (I'm sure my unschooling friends agree.)

I am easily doing a deeper cleanse of material stuff. I came across some papers and things from my youth. I no longer feel any need to keep them. I'm going to have a ceremonial fire when I've finished gathering them together. Other things I'm coming across I'm easily letting go of if I have no need for them. I feel totally ok with everything I have gotten rid of in the past and now. I really, really like having less 'stuff' around me. It's nice to walk into the garage and not see a mountain of boxes, just lots of light. That's how I'm feeling - lighter - in weight and vibration. I like it.

here now

I haven't felt like blogging for a while. I've been so content just enjoying each moment. Living in each moment. Really feeling it, seeing it, hearing it, touching it, experiencing it.

Here and now.

I feel light and connected.

I have not felt the urge to write, but just to live fully in the present. To write about it would have been like putting a label on it, and I find labels limiting. Perhaps helpful at times for clarification, but we can get stuck living within those labels or living up to them.

When I was much younger, I did all kinds of quizzes to find out my personality type, studied what I was supposed to be like regarding numerology, astrology, etc. It doesn't matter. I am who I am. How I wish someone had told me then that, in order to find out more about who I am, I do not need to look outside, but inside. I wish someone had taught me then how to meditate and that whatever I felt inside was perfectly fine and good for me. Was it school that taught me to want to know my place among others? To try and fit in and belong to some kind of group whether it's a sign or a number or a type?

I have no need for that. I like who I am.

I am here now.

I am

Busy week

Last week just flew by. I don't know exactly where all the time went, but it went fast. This past weekend was a blur. Friday evening we met some friends on the beach for a bonfire. We watched an almost full moon rise over the warm ocean while sitting back, feeling the soft sand between our toes. The kids toasted marshmallows and made their own little fires. Guitars, drums and other percussion instruments came out and we had a sing-a-long. The evening had a very similar feeling to it that our homeschooling events back in Nevada used to have. It's usually that way when we get together with the friends we've made here.

Earlier on Friday, we had a free energy audit at our house. The consultant replaced every light bulb in our home with the energy-efficient kind. 22 light bulbs for free! He made a few suggestions and that was it. Australians in general are very concerned about global warming. It seems that every week there is an article in the paper about some local business who is switching to green power or how they have made changes in their business practices to help the environment. Have I blogged about our bin system? We have three 240 Litre wheeled bins with colour coded lids. Red is for general trash. Yellow for recycling. Green is for food scraps and garden clippings. The green one gets picked up every week while the red and yellow alternate weeks. Everyone uses the system.

Saturday morning we went to a couple of yard sales then into the Botanical Gardens to celebrate Japanese Children's Day in the Japanese section of the beautiful gardens. That place is huge. We drummed and danced and ran into friends there. The weather was warm and wonderful.

Sunday we went to a farewell party for some Dutch friends of ours who are leaving Australia next week to travel in the USA for a few months. They are working on getting visas to allow them to come back here to live. The party was at a beautiful creek picnic area and the kids had a great time exploring and playing. We had fun chatting with our friends too.

Big new here - Nicholas has stopped using diapers during the day! Several weeks ago he refused to wear them anymore and he always goes on the potty or toilet or outside now. He's 22 months old. I have to wait for him to fall asleep at night before I can put a diaper on him otherwise he'll pull it off. Sometimes when he wakes in the morning it has a little in it, a couple of times he's been dry, usually after he's woken me to go potty during the night. I'm impressed! He is a little boy with a big mind. Once he sets his mind to something, he is very determined! I was told before he was born that he was a strong Indigo child and I can see the truth in that.

Cary has taken up surfing. Life is good. I'm blissfully content.