Life in the New Zealand Countryside
• Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - New Life In New Zealand
Hello again everyone, old friends who have read my blog before and new ones too!!
Its been more than 6 months since I updated here, mainly due to having a baby in November and moving from France to New Zealand back in August last year.
But we are here now and have settled (for the moment!) in the north island of New Zealand, in the same area where I was born and spent the first 8 years of my life. We are in a place called Waimauku,10 minutes from the beach, which is on the west coast, and about 30 minutes from Auckland, NZ's largest city.
When we left France I was about 7 months pregnant with our second baby. We spent two months down south, living near my parents, and the plan was to have baby there, then move up here, but one day my hubby just decided that we were moving now!...... two weeks before I was due!!!!!!! So we packed up the truck, and drove the 15 odd hours it takes to get to Auckland, stopping one night half way. We spent two weeks looking for work for hubby and a place to live and found this house just days before I gave birth. Baby was 4 days overdue and it seemed like he was holding on until we were well and truely settled.
On the 26th November our baby Damodar came, after an amazing water birth at home, with the midwife arriving just 15 minutes before he was born. The birth was 3 1/2 hours long, and only one hour of that was hard work. Im totally blown away at the power of the female body to give birth and was on a euphoric high for several days afterwards. It was incredibly healing and helped all my feelings of failure and inadequacy from my previous birth just melt away. Hes now 7 weeks old and just beautiful, hes so peaceful and settled.
Damodar is about 4 weeks old here, with his older brother Syam, who had just turned 2.
|
Comments (7) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Sunday, May 20, 2007 - A long time
I have finally found the time to get around to updating you all on here! In between moving into our still under renovation house, discovering the new pregnancy, and dh having an injury, its been very busy and a little bit strange round here. Not to mention we have had endless computer and internet troubles with all the moving too. So finally we are back online and settling into our house :-) Pregnancy is going well and Im currently 13 weeks. Syam is continuing nursing and I plan to tandem until he weans. Wish me luck !
The house is looking wonderful, I will have to get some pics up here for you all to see. Hubby is currently working on the second floor bedrooms.
And theres still more news too. We are moving to New Zealand, my home country, in August! Its been a hard decision to make, but we are both very happy with our time here and excited to be going 'home'. A big reason was having the baby there and I will be able to get the support I need for our particular parenting choices, which are considered a bit strange here :-) Also I will have my family and mum, whom I have missed sooo much.
Well I have little Syam wanting his dinner so I guess thats all for now.
Sita.
|
Comments (5) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Wednesday, April 4, 2007 - Some exciting news
Hi everyone,
I just got a comment on one of my blogs that reminded me that I havnt told all of you yet.
The big news is that we are having another baby!!!!
We found out last week, although we both had been suspecting it for a while. Its so exciting and wonderful, well the morning sickness part isnt, but we are expanding our little family and thats just so wonderful. Another little darling to love and cherish.
I have so many hopes for this pregnancy and birth, that it will help me resolve how my first one was....um I could say less than desirable. I dont know if this is really the place to go on about birth experiences, lol, but the jist was that I wanted a natural and intervention free birth. I didnt get that. My son had surgery when he was 2 days old and I didnt get to feed him after more than a week. We all assume that we will have our baby, and everything will be fine and dandy. Well this time, with a little more knowledge and confidence, it WILL be. :-) Wish me luck! |
Comments (6) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Wednesday, April 4, 2007 -
Hubby cut his thumb open last Sunday, so the moving has been postponed, until he can use his hand again. At this point the doctors are hoping that the severed peice will attatch naturally itsself, but there is a risk that it may not, it could just die, then he will need skin grafts to replace it. Heres praying that it heals well and he wont need surgery! Hes on antibiotics for risk of infection and heavy painkillers, so hes very miserable. Im not much better with morning sickness coming on, we are a funny pair right now! We are looking at two weeks if all goes well and no grafting is needed.
|
Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Sunday, April 1, 2007 - What Its Looking Like Right Now
• Friday, March 30, 2007 - Getting Close
Its 3 days until we begin to move!!!! We completed the stairs yesterday, we will need to take the hand rail back, and dh will make one himself to fit. We sanded all kitchen walls, I masked off the two sets of double doors, and dh did a white undercoat. The final colour will be a light warm blue. I definately didnt want a cold blue, its too hospital-like or doctor officeish, but we thought a pale warm, almost lilacy blue would look good with the kitchen unit, which is wood. I cant believe how fast things are coming together. You dont see the progress so much when you are tearing things down, as all you seem to be doing is alot of cleaning up. I cant count how many time I have put rocks into sacks and swept up all the dust. But once the major things like putting up beams are done, it goes really fast.
There is of course the other part of the house, upstairs, but that we will attack last, once we are living there are have the rest of the house in good shape. I couldnt imagine us living there when we first bought it, and sometimes I even thought we had made a mistake, but it warmed up to me over the months and the more I worked on it with dh, and spent time there, it seems like its going to be a great home. I was also a little freaked out of being in this huge house by myself for alot of the day, as it had so many doors and little rooms and two sets of back stairs that went up to the attic, it just seemed so weird, like you never knew who could be in the next room, but now that dh has taken all of that out. The two bedrooms upstairs that were joined by a funny long bathroom, is now all one big room. We will separate it again with new framing and walling. And both those horrible rinky stairs to attic are gone too, which we will replace. The whole house is so much more open and clear feeling, not stuffy and closed like it was.
Dh's father comes back from India on Wednesday, and we want to be in the new house and out of his house by Tuesday at the latest, so I think I will begin packing things on Sunday. Its great that its just down the road, we can do it all with dh's work van. :-)
Take care everyone. |
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - Recent Pics
• Wednesday, March 14, 2007 - Working Hard.
Hi Everyone, Hope you are all keeping well.
I have been very busy working with hubby on our new house these last few days. We decided to do a bit more than what we had planned, one major thing being putting in a new stair case. The old one was fairly rotten in many places and they were a major eyesore for the house. Also stairs just opposite your front entrance, like when you walk in your door you can see directly up the stairs, are very bad in Feng Shui and Vastu. Of course its impossible to follow all the energy guidelines when doing up a house, you may have to pretty much start from scratch, and that means alot of money!! But this improvement came as an aside for putting in new stairs as now the angle of them has now changed, turned by 90 degress, and you will be seeing the cupboard which will be under the stairs, when you walk in the front door.
Every afternoon I leave my son, whos now 15 months, with grandma and head down to our house to put a few hours in. Its really handy to have all our three places, our current house, my mother in laws house, and our new house, all in such close proximity, taking about 10 mins to walk inbetween each one.
Yesterday I began lifting all the old tiles on the kitchen floor. Theyre some kind of plastic/lino creation and absolutely grotty. We will be laying down nice wood, with a coat of varnish ontop. I did about 3/4 of the floor, before grandma came down with Syami in the pram and I went home with him.
We have to be in our new house in 2 weeks time!!!! as we are actually in hubbys fathers house, and he will be returning from overseas and wants his place back. Dont ask about my inlaws living arrangements, LOL, way too many issues there! Hubby thinks we will have the stair case in and the surrounding walls up, but no kitchen. Apart from the living room,, which we havnt touched, and is in resonable shape, there is one bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, that are completed for living. We will have to rough it with no kitchen, but Im sure actually living there will prompt the work to go faster.
I will try to get some pictures taken of the new work done, just as soon as I can get our silly camera to work.
Thats it for now, off to get some housework done before hubby comes to pick me up.
Have a nice day everyone!
|
Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Sunday, February 25, 2007 - Relationship Resources
Hi everyone,
If anyone has any marriage/relationship resources that you have found usefull, could you send me in the right direction?
Im open to anything, Christian based etc......
Thanks.
Sita.
|
Comments (6) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Monday, February 19, 2007 - Spring is on the Way
Ive been so busy lately, I havnt had the time to add anything on here. The weathers getting warmer so we have been spending heaps of time outside. It was a nice 17'C today. I want to prepare the garden this week for planting. Ive been cleaning out the rest of the flower gardens, weeding and trimming up things and its looking great. Syami will spend all morning outside. His aunty sent him a pair of water proof overalls from Germany, and they are just great! He can get all mucky and wet, but his clothes stay completely dry. Its really his first spring/summer being able to play outside. Last summer he was just 5-6 months old, and only starting to crawl and he didnt like the grass much. Now that he can walk, hes loving his independace and exploring everything.
I made a great loaf of sourdough last week. It was hit with my hubby, who is French, and very picky about bread! so that ment it was definately something.
Here's a pic from this morning of Syami loving the sunshine.
|
Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, February 10, 2007 - Sweet life
Well life has been going along in its slow sweet way. Last week we got milk from the farm after a while of not getting it. This time Ive vowed to myself never to get store milk again. Its just toxic! We have also discovered another farm closer than our other one, that will also sell us thier raw milk. Both farms let thier cows graze on grass and dont give them any nasty grains or worse flour! as some commercial farms do. Isnt that just terrible? feeding a cow flour!! No wonder so many people are allergic to commercial dairy, as the nastiness begins with what the cows eat, and believe me God did not make them to eat flour. I feel so much better that Im supporting the proper care of cows, and not ones that are kept in tight pens, never to see the light of day.
On another note, Ive just mastered making a soaked bread, as per WAP and Nourishing Traditions. Ive been implementing a tradtional diet for more than 8 months now and I can say that we are now 100% WAP. We are refined sugar free, white flour free, processed products free... and I cook completely from scratch, nothing from a box. Well we never did eat from boxes, but I can fully realize the importance of eating a proper diet more than ever now, after reading so much about what is real food. The funny thing is, my parents have eaten WAP most of thier life, without really knowing, and we were raised on home grown veggies, homemade bread, raw milk and homemade yogurt. I want to offer my son, and children to come, the same thing. I think its such a gift, the gift of good health, wise eating habits, and proper knowledge about real food. Spending time in the garden, showing them how to put seeds in, how to water the little seedlings, how to pick the veggeis when theyre ripe, how to cook them, how to milk a cow, how to dry your washing in the sunshine that God gave us, there is nothing that compares to this. Its the most basic of things, but today people have forgotten this life sustaining talent. Children of the modern age think that milk comes from a packet, that veggies come from the freezer in the supermarket. Educating my children about the realities and wonderful self sufficient ways of life is one of my hearts desires.
|
Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Tuesday, February 6, 2007 - Pate Vegetal.... a french recipe.
This pate recipe was given to me by my mother in law, who we live near to, and I adjusted it (typical me) to suit me better.
Makes approx 3-3 1/2 cups
1 med red pepper
2 med carrots
1/4- 1/2 white cabbage, or chou blanc as its called here
1/4 cup olives, green or black
3 Tbsp brewers yeast or nutritional yeast
2 tsp fine rock salt
3 Tbsp EVO or coconut oil
whole wheat flour to mix.
Additional ingredients: courgette, onions, leek, eggplant, nuts of any kind, seeds like sunflower or pumpkin work well too
Grate the carrotes and chop finely the rest of the vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients mixing roughly. I use my stick blender to blend to a chunky paste. You could use a food processor too. Once blended, mix in the flour 1/4 c at a time (up to approx 1-2 cups) It should be a stiff mix, not sloppy. Should be able to stand a spoon up in it.
Spoon into a baking tin. I have used my bread tin, or sometimes I use my silicone cake pan.
Bake at 180'C for about 40 mins, or until it has a slightly browned 'skin'. Spoon into a serving dish when still hot, let cool, then refridgerate.
My mil uses little aluminium baking pans, that are used to serve the pate in, so it never needs to be moved. Apparently it sets better this way, but I try to avoid aluminium... so its up to you ;-)
|
Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Tuesday, January 30, 2007 - A difficult situation
We went to the 'Integration Agency' as I call them, yesterday and they basically said that unless I can complete the French language course then Im unlikely to have my papers renewed. So this is a bit of a bugger... it means that if I cant have my papers renewed then I will have to leave France.
We have explained that its virtually impossible to attend the course, due to reasons like; no transport ( this is a biggy, we live 1 hour away from the course location), hubby does not have enough time to drive me there more than once a week, then theres Syami, hes still breastfeeding more than 5-6 times a day and I DO NOT want to end our breastfeeding relationship to attend this course. I see the need to be able to speak french etc, but its very inconvienent at this time. The agency lady told me that, at 14 m/o my son is too big to be feeding and I should stop to be able to attend the course. Of course, IF he wasnt feeding anymore, then finding someone to look after him would not be a problem (he has a very willing grandma). So its very frustrating and doesnt leave us with many options... one being to leave the country when my papers run out... or being an illegal Hubby spoke to the agency higher than the course people and they were very unhelpful, basically telling him that we had to organise our life that so that I could attend the course... meaning that we move to a bigger town, I give up breastfeeding our son, and buy a second car..... VERY unlikly. Ahh this is so depressing.... Why cant they wait another 6 months..... but I guess even then, I want to feed my son until hes 3, so that wouldnt really help anyway. Why is it so hard to integrate with the 'system'... They dont understant why we want to live in the middle of nowhere, why I stay at home to look after my son, why Im feeding him....In one way it makes you question your choices in life, but also it makes you stronger in them. I see that mothers here put baby on the bottle at 6 weeks, return to work and but baby with a nanny or creche. That is LESS than desirable in my eyes. I *know* what Im doing is right for my son. Why does the system make it so hard for people who want to do the *right* thing? Actually I know why... but its just so unfair.
Just wanted to share this with you, and for all those who nursed/are nursing thier babies.
|
Comments (4) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Saturday, January 27, 2007 - Todays creation.
Heres a pic of my little boy with the vest I made him. It was cut from a sweater that belonged to his great great grandfather (who passed away recently) Its machine knitted lambs wool and very soft.
|
Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Wednesday, January 24, 2007 - Homesickness..... or 'Mumsickness'
I was reading Rosebee's blog yesterday, a fellow kiwi and it really made me realise how much I miss home. I tend to block it out and get on with life, but at times like that it really comes out. 'sniff sniff' I am happy here though... life is just great. I miss my family alot, especially my mum. She helped me so much during my preganancy and early days with Syam until we came here when he was 3 months olds. Good ol mum, she would come over and with out saying a word just put a load of washing on or do the dishes, while bleary eyed me still in bed with bubba could only say thanks.... How do you ever repay what your parents do for you? Its the kind of love that you cant put a price on ever. Mum and me arent even what I would call affectionate to each other but underneath, the love is there. Shes one of the only people that I can 100% relate too, and our lives are so much the same, I feel like Im following in her footsteps, well its not that so much, its just that we value the same things. We value being able to grow your own food, cooking from scratch and so many do-it-yourself talents. She gave me soo much incredible support when Syam had to undergo surgery and I had to pump my milk for 2 weeks (hes 13m/o btw and successfully breastfeeding!). Thinking about those times brings tears to my eyes. How much I love my mum. 
This is us in India together--------^
I miss my familiar country, people, attitudes and lifestyle. There are things I dont miss of course......like some of the ways here lol. Im too kiwi. In the area we live they are still quite backwards, and although some of that is good, like the oldies keeping gardens etc, but the view that wholesome foods are for the poor and farmers and refined foods are more upper class. Like bread, white bread for the upper class and dark wholewheat bread for the 'low class' farmers and such. Grrr.
There are still many great things about being here though, one is the avaliability of
healthy foods, like raw cheese, organics etc, which we didnt have
access to where we lived in Nz. Its great also seeing how the other half live and 'getting out of you skin' so to speak. I guess you just make the best of what you get in life and make it work for you. I want to be gratefull with my lot, be happy with my little joys in life.
|
Comments (3) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Monday, January 22, 2007 - Sunflower Seed Crackers
1c Flour ( I use Whole Wheat)
1tsp Sea Salt
2Tbs Sunflower Seeds
2Tbs EV Olive Oil
1/2c Warm Water
1.Preheat the oven to 350'F or 175'C
2.Mix the flour, salt, seeds and olive oil in a mixing bowl, blending the oil in well with a fork.
3. Make a well in the middle and pour in the water. Mix until it holds together but not too sticky.
4.Prepare your baking sheet. Roll out the dought ON the sheet to about 2-3 mm thick.You can score it lightly with a knife into square or diamond shapes if you wish to break it up later.
5.Bake for 20 mins or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.
For a variation you can use pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds.
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Friday, January 19, 2007 - Cheese and greens
Today DH had a friend working with him on our house. They came for lunch and he will be eating with us until the weekend. I made broccoli cream tart, quinoa and endive and walnut salad. Yum.
My baby is such a big boy now, he can walk the entire hallway without falling over. ;-) Hes so adorable, he will turn around and look at you with this big grin after walking somewhere. Im sure he's impressed with himself .lol.
Ive been thinking about growing some greens like silverbeet or kale indoors, like in a pot. Ive only ever grown it outdoors in a garden so not really sure how it will go. But Im just craving greens and they are so oversprayed and overpriced at the shop during this time of year. Has anyone else done this in a pot?
I also finally found someone who will give me some kefir grains.. yayyy! I can do cultured buttermilk by the fire which Im very pleased about. I like to drink it in the morning.. with fruit and brown sugar. mmm. We tried out the little cheese maker that we found in our new house. I wanted to make la faiselle, so I used some store bought stuff for the starter, but alas it didnt set, it was like runny yoghurt. Still edible but just not faiselle.! When I get some organic yoghurt I can do that in the maker too. Its basically just a tub thing with a heating pad at the bottom that keeps the inside 35 degrees. Very handy for kefir too I guess.
Anyone else here make fresh cheeses and yoghurt? I would love to share ideas or recipies.
Have a great day
|
Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - Some help here
I deleted the 2 pics I had in my blog hoping to make some space, but Im still unable to upload pics. I see other blogs with many more pics than my 2, so Im a little confused. The thing is I have tried uploading images as small as they can get and also larger ones.. but still Im stumped. I know how to resize and reduce the pixels and I do that.... soo... hmmmm.. wonder what it could be.
Thanks
|
Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Monday, January 15, 2007 - Recent Happenings
Well the house is coming along nicely. Today hubby knocked a wall out in the kitchen, it really opens the space up and gets rid of some of the bad energy I felt in there. I had originally wanted a kitchen made in the dining room, but due to lack of space and of course theres the extra $$ in doing that, we have decided to go with the old kitchen, as it already has the water pipes etc, and make use of that.
We also ripped out the wall paper in bedroom 2 and the weird long room which we thought to make into a mini bathroom also went. Its heaps better and just enough I think to make it seem 'new'.
On another note, hubbys grandfather passed away on the 7th so we went down south to Mami's house to attend the funeral and give her some support, as she will be all alone in the house now. It was stressful to say the least, not only because the mood was justifiably depressing but the difference in lifestyle is just to big of a bridge to gap. Its hard to explain exactly what it is. I didnt grow up with this close family network thing and am totally unaccustomed to it. Aside from that we eat totally different from them and our ideas on healthy living are worlds apart. I did find some raw milk in the grocery shop though so that was a plus. You cant find it here. While we were there, Syami took his first steps and has begun to walk. Hes 13 months old. I sent a little video of it to my mum in Nz and she said she cried when she saw him. How much she is missing .... its not something that makes me happy.
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
• Friday, January 12, 2007 - A description
Well this house is an interesting thing really. Its built in stone from the 17oo's and has had a few 'makeovers' in its time. The lady we bought it off really let it go and didnt even do basic cleaning, which in the long run, makes our job a little makes our job a little more laborious. To her credit, she did look after her bedroom, and put new wall paper, installed a new inset wall closet and painted the floor and door skirting a lovely yellow to match the walls. That was about the only decent room in the entire 3 floors. What we are doing basically is doing what she did, very quick and relatively easy 'cosmetic' renovation. It doesnt include breaking down walls, which my dear hubby is so good at, or replacing doors,windows etc. Even just giving everything a good scrub would brighten the place up. The top floor is completly unlined and has very old tile flooring covered with a few inches of dust, bird poop and straw. I think we will be leaving that one alone, except maybe to dry the washing in winter.
The next floor down has the only bathroom, which hubby has nearly completed. The original cast iron bath is still there, with a new shower installed over it. The wall tiling had been redone not so long ago and still looks great. Its a dark sky blue ccolour. Hubby did the floor in a pale marble tile a few days ago and has just installed the new loo. It will need a new hand basin and viola..... done! Then theres the bedroom that I mentioned (bedr 1.), which just needed a new floor, so we ripped out the stinky carpet and lay nice clean 'fake wood flooring, the kind that you just click together. Cheap and looks very smart. Now the next two rooms, well theyre a longer story; one is a huge double bedroom (bedr 2.) with 2 double doors opening into thin air (one storey above street level) It will need a completely new floor, hubby thinks he will try out the new selfleveling cement then lay the floor on that, as the old tiles are uneaven and it would be an over endeavour to take them all out. Strip the plaster and paper, and replace. Then inbetween this room and the next bedroom, is a long thin little room, it used to be a bathroom. So thats going to stay a bathroom, we'll put a new shower and basin, but no loo, there will be a separate one down stairs. Then the back bedroom (bedr 3.) on the other side of the little bathroom needs quite a bit of work too, basically the same as the bedr 2. The kitchen need completely redoing, which means a new sink and bench unit. New paint on the walls, new shelving and cupboards.
Its not the kind of house I would want to live in forever as it shares both its side walls with the neighbouring houses and opens right onto the street front. Its just an investment so that we can buy the house that we will want to live in 'forever',which I will describe later :-)
|
Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
|
Hubby putting together the new staircase
View of our house from the back of the garden
Syami enjoying the afternoon while we work
