I am missing my family…. I know that really goes without saying and it is probably really a rather boring sentiment especially when I haven’t even really gone any-were yet.

I am only a 1 hour flight away from home, Monday – Thursday I live the single life then Friday, Sat and Sunday night I get to climb into my pj’s and snuggle on the couch with a bottle of bubbles, something yummy and home cooked, my hubby and one or two dogs, maybe a cat.

I waited years to have my own little house, I dreamt about a picket fence and my garden.  Finally after about 6 years we found our house on the internet, it had all the features we wanted plus some very saggy corners, a garden full of granny plants and thick lace curtains so we bought it over the phone sight unseen.  For the last five years we have replaced pieces, fixed pieces, restored pieces and banished ghosts till we can sit and reflect and ponder happily.

So when I get home I never want to go out, I don’t like to leave the house except maybe to go to the nursery to get more plants for the garden that is overflowing with them or a farmers market so that I can spend all day in my kitchen.  This weekend was a triumph we didn’t even need to go out to the farmers market.  The veggie patch provided bunches of fresh kale and parsley, bright green with little holes were the caterpillars had nibbled.

I made kale & walnut pesto by blanching the kale leaves then blending with walnuts, olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan.  It was beautiful smothering fresh pasta with a slurp of walnut oil on top.

I am anxiously watching my blueberries, tomato’s and eggplants so that I can beat the bugs and birds to my prize’s.  My brother has built a huge net to cover his treasured crop, my brother in law is hand fertilising his zucchini’s and corn and my Dad is worried that while he is away for 2 weeks over Christmas the tomato plants will face irreversible dehydration.  I’m not sure how we all got so interested in gardening but comparing crops when we call around to each others houses is part of the routine and come chutney time we will no doubt engage in more friendly rivalry.

Apparently I have to dust my paint brush around the middle bit and over the hairy bits…… the only problem is I can’t figure out which bits are the hairy bits…….

Then I am meant to collect the pollen from the flowers without the stem and put it on the flowers with the stem, so that I get some apple cucumbers…….

I am hoping that my eggplants and capsicums don’t require any sexual assistance!!!

So these are my summer days, pottering in the garden, drinking bubbles, walking the dogs around the block and admiring other peoples gardens.

I will miss it all but only for a year, and I will never forget how special it is to have a base to return to.  Somewhere that is my special house and garden.  Were I can plant whatever I want in the garden and potter in my pjs all day.  I can sit on the back step with my dogs and enjoy a coffee in the morning or a bubbles at night.  I have packed my bubbles and coffee and will spend my first few days or weeks trying to find my ‘back step’ so I have some-were to sit and ponder.