Sunday 24 April 2011

So why this blog?

We're well and truly under way in having our first ever house built.  With a newborn baby, who's growing bigger and more active and more mobile with each passing day, living in this fabulous (but also fabulously small!) two-bedroom apartment it's become apparent that the time has definitely come to move further afield, and into a space better suited to a raising a family. Sheesh, did I really just say that?!?!? Wow, it feels very strange and "grown-up" to be writing those words.  Is this really me?!?  Well, yes ... I guess that's just the new "mama" me speaking.

Anyway, it's true: all things must come to an end ... And as my wise friend (and martial-arts teacher) used to always remind us, we shouldn't see endings simply as a time of loss or mourning ... because they are also necessary in order to give way to new beginnings.  Yin and yang.  And with these new and soon-to-be beginnings, there is much to look forward to ... as well as happily leaving some things behind.

Our days of renting will soon be over.  No need to ever again jostle with countless others at open for inspections.  No more rental increases, lease renewals and being at the mercy of landlords and real estate agents. Ok, so instead we'll be nervously keeping an eye on interest rates every month and we'll have a mortgage hanging over our heads for goodness knows how long. But, how nice it will be to create our own home ...put nail holes where we want to, paint walls as we please - and never have to move again (well, at least not for awhile).

Sure, I’ll miss having so much within walking distance - and I’m not looking forward to being a Connex commuter, BUT ... we'll have more space to spread out, a park outside our window, a balcony overlooking the park, a nice bath to soak in, and room for a proper dining table (yay, no more eating dinner with plastic trays on our lap!) – oh, and let’s not forget no more stairs to climb (well, at least not 3 flights of stairs!!)

Eventually, there’ll hopefully also be a lovely garden to relax in ... and even some home-grown herbs and vegies out the back (which probably means, given our bigger kitchen and a walk-in pantry, there's now no more excuses for me not to cook!)

Yes, I'm not really sure if I'm living in la-la-land a bit ... because for some strange reason, I keep thinking that when we move into our new house I'll have all this time on my hands ... time to tend to the garden, time to try out delicious new recipes, time to do yoga in the backyard, time to take up sewing again and create wonderfully cute outfits for our baby, time to learn to bake bread, etc etc ... as if moving into our own bricks and mortar will magically turn me into a domestic goddess!! 

But then again, I guess my concept and management of time has never been my strong suit.  I mean, after all, what on earth am I thinking creating a blog when I'm already flat out looking after a four-month old (whose voracious and ever-increasing appetite means her feeding schedule is becoming more and more frequent - in fact, I've now stopped to feed her three times already whilst writing this post!), as well as busily doing this and that in relation to our house ... for example, drawing up various elevations in Excel to try and see how things such as the kitchen cabinets, bathrooms, gardens, exterior render colours etc might look like. Visiting showrooms, display homes, supplier stores, to get more samples and more brochures than what I already have; as well as poring over real estate ads and magazines for even further ideas and inspiration!  Ay, ay, ay ... yes, it's not as if I'm short on things to do.

However, having said that, I guess it's precisely because this whole house-building thing is such a big deal and such an all-encompassing part of my life right now, not to mention it being a significant milestone in my life and that of my family (ooooh, I still have so much fun saying that!), that I figured it'd be nice to try and document the journey as it unfolds... so that I myself will remember it well after we've moved in, but also so that one day our baby will be able to read and see for herself all that happened in the process of creating what will hopefully be her wonderful and cherished home.

Anyway, I guess the actual story telling will have to wait for another day ... Til then, ... good night.







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