Busy time for all

The lead up to Christmas was even more hectic than usual.  Leaving our rented house in early march rather than the end of the month has given us a big push to sort our stuff out.

We have already sold and given away a lot of our accrued possessions in the last year, but we still have so much! 

For the last four or five years we have thought of ourselves as not being part of the consumer society, and thinking about our needs rather than wants, yet we still almost fill two houses with "stuff".

One of the things I am looking forward to next year is living without all the unnecessary things we have got used to.  We did not bring the TV to the rented house, but listen to the radio and watch the odd DVD or BBC program on iPlayer.  That was a major liberator, no longer feeling tied to the box.

With the TV around we would never have got the wooden bowls, spatulas and spoons made for Christmas presents. And Vikki would not have filled the cupboards with preserves for us and family and friends.

We spent Christmas with relatives and we quickly got drawn into old bad habits watching the TV.  Looking for something to watch instead of turning it off when the program of interest finished.

Just as bad as the Web.  It's so easy to get caught up, and suddenly I've run out of time for all the jobs I wanted to do.

I think that is why I am still so busy!

Battery, chainsaw and sling

My first week of de-working (trying to remove work related stresses and mindsets that most of us have developed) started well.

The van battery seems to empty itself of energy when it gets really cold, so after the AA man got it working on Sunday evening (an extra story for the little one when she was in bed tonight) I went shopping on Monday.

Bought a Halfords Portable Power Pack, which as well as starting your motor also has other features which should be useful as we travel next year.  I have plans to fit a second battery, solar panel and high efficiency fridge in the van, but the Power Pack will get us through winter and be a useful tool next year to keep a laptop or two working.

Then I bought a chainsaw.  A Stihl 211, which should be good enough to allow me to use my chainsaw training whilst WWOOFing next year.  I have some bio-degradable chain oil ordered, which may be expensive but works better and does not hang around messing up your environment.  I found time today to use the saw to get a willow log cut to size for making some long handled spoons.  Every spoon I make I get better and quicker, so hopefully I can get a few made this week.

The snow hasn't been a problem for us.  Not being stupid in the van worked on Monday and Tuesday and the rest of the week the girls enjoyed walking to Heath on Wednesday, and nursery on Thursday.  Of course I had the big sling with me to carry the little one home!

Heath car park, normally full

The school closures made me wonder if many parents were enjoying home educating their youngsters.  Spending extra time with their kids could either be a chore, or fun.  I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to January when I start looking after the big one full time.

Yes, my first week of de-schooling has gone rather well!

Mixed emotions

My excitement today has been overwhelming, clearly visible on my face all day.  Now the adrenaline has gone, as has daily contact with so many people I have come to respect over the last two years and ten months.  I am totally drained.

But tomorrow new things will start.  I have so many projects to work on in the next few weeks and months I will be busier than I have ever been at work!

Getting our house cleared and ready to be rented is first, and then getting the van storage area prepared for our tour of the UK next year.

Starting off in April we will have a short stay close to home to check we have everything and then down to Cornwall for our first WWOOF farms.

We are trying to volunteer on diverse farms to allow us to try as many different farming systems and techniques as possible.  And that is the main reason for this blog, to document our travels and learnings for friends and family, and anyone else who may want to do similar things.  Five months in the UK will probably not be enough time to see as much as we would like, but we should learn what aspects we like and are comfortable doing if we can get our own smallholding.

One site which has already agreed to host us have home educated children which will be very informative, and we hope to stay with a few other home edders on the way.

Now I am sitting down writing this I can feel my excitement growing slowly.  I have enjoyed my time at NHGS and will miss many people there, but I have a new challenge, and getting to spend so much time with my children whilst they are young and appreciate my presence is something I am really looking forward to.

Last day at work

This is the start of my blog, starting at the end of my first life!

After thirteen years providing support to teachers and students, trying to make their use of computers easier and more effective I am making a big change. 

Today is my last day of paid employment for a few years, I hope.  I will now be home educating my children, mainly by playing, I must admit!  And next April we will be spending five months touring the UK volunteering on (mainly) small organic farms, learning new skillsand helping to make low impact agriculture more economically sustainable.  And after that a month in Canada, probably our last flying holiday for a long time.

As well as being an IT Professional, with bits of paper, ID card and pin badge to prove it : ), I am an Environmental Chemist, dry stone waller, certificated chainsaw user who is studying trees and woodland management and learning to carve greenwood.

More importantly I am a big child and looking forward to playing lots with my children and making learning fun, as I think it was when I was young before teachers and teaching were audited beyond any sensible limits.

Time to go to work now!