We have landed...We now call Tulip Tree Cottage home

So much time has passed since I last wrote as life has been so incredibly busy as we prepared for and then went through the arduous process of packing and moving.  The last couple of months have been a time of anticipation, exhaustive activity, last minute legal hitches, mismatched settlement dates, a life lived in one room for 3 weeks, happy farewells and then finally the big move.

I so wanted to shout to the world we are here, victorious despite the challenges and now we have arrived in our new country abode. However, a move means a wait of nearly two weeks for internet connection not made easier by just a snippet of mobile phone reception here at Cradoc so my blogger celebration of our move begins now - 2 weeks after we arrived at our new home.

The first evening of our arrival we both stood on our new balcony overlooking the hills and looked in awe as the sun set of the rolling green hills of Franklin on the other side of the Huon.  Not a day has gone by where we both have not stopped and just gasped at the beauty of the environs that embrace us in our new home.  I do wonder if we will ever fail to see that view in the way that time can numb the wonder of what in its newness is so striking.  I have committed to never let this be so.

Our first two weeks has been marked by work, work and more work. Ian has been consumed with two key tasks.  The first being to wire over all of our wooden paling fences in an effort to keep our to Houdini pooches contained before we both return to work.  The second is to try and drive what sounds like an army of rats that live in our roof space but that fortunately rarely ever seem to venture downstairs.  Nevertheless, their rumbling upstairs are enough to raise the hairs on my arms and leave me feeling hyper alert.  The first is a battle we felt quite defeated by yesterday when we returned home from an outing to see each of them either side of the front gate like guarding lions like those of the pyramids and patiently waiting our return.  The latter is also a battle we are losing with 5 critters caught already and yet early evening still heralding a rampaging march within the roof that I'm beginning to think that only mobilisation on the scale of that seen for the Normandy landings will defeat.

I've been focussing on unpacking the inside and finally feel like this week I may have broken the back of it and the final touch will be getting up all of our pictures.  I think then it will truly feel like home.

With our absolute lack of knowledge around gardening equipment beyond a domestic lawn mower we headed off today to the Hounville STHIL shop. One and a half hours of the intricacies of operating a Work Boss Chain Saw and a way too powerful Brushcutter...nearly $2,000 poorer but laden with all the essential extras we left the store feeling we were well on the way to becoming true country folk.  

Two weeks of immensely hard work, physical, mental and emotional challenge that has been coupled with immense joy, excitement and sense of awe and wonder at the beauty, serenity and soul affirming environment that is now ours.

On Saturday and Sunday I will join Kate (Vegetable Vagabond) and others in Cygnet to learn about Sourdough bread making.  The first of many steps on the journey to a more organic, sustainable and self productive life.  I look forward to sharing more in the months to come and hopefully documenting our progress and achievements at Tulip Tree Cottage.