New in the neighbourhood

Hi, We've been in our new house almost a month.   It feels longer.    You may have noticed us, I am in no doubt that if you live on this quiet street that you would have heard us by now.

We are the ones that moved in a hurry,  without sorting rubbish at the old house and thus bringing a whole heap of cr*p to the new place.  Hopefully this explains to you why our wheelie bin is filled to overflowing each rubbish day. Due to the sheer amount of cr*p, this will continue for at least 5 more rubbish days.

Our daughter is the one that returns home from school and strips off, to the NUDE. When asked why, she explains she is hot. We make her dress for dinner but bear with us as she passes through this naturalist phase. (Hoping it is a phase!)

My husband is the one who you would have seen biking off to business meetings in a suit with a bike helmet. We are currently a one vehicle family and working through the complications this presents. Thankful it is summer and thankful that because I have babies to transport that I trump when it comes to using the car. Even in a business suit and bike helmet, his good looks still take my breath away.

I am the lady who you see standing outside her new house, head tilted as she does her best to visualise it in different colours. I adore our new house, I do, but it hasn't stopped me wanting to plan a few changes to make it more "me".  This constant need to improve every house I've ever lived in isn't a new trait so please don't take it personally.  As stated above, lots of cr*p was brought from the old place- unfortunately this includes all character flaws.

My oldest son is the one who you have heard. His voice carries above lawn mowers and chainsaws. We have a walkie Talkie to address the need to shout from upstairs to downstairs, from Nan's house up the road to our house. He is still learning. Our apologies. We do realise that Grandad giving him a little motorbike just adds to the cloud of noise already surrounding him. But he LOVES it, and there is no way we can kill that joy. We have spare earmuffs if you need to borrow.

Sam is the name of our dog. No doubt you have heard us call him too as he takes off up the street any chance he gets to familiarise himself with the neighbourhood cats. He hates cats. Best if you see him to keep your kitty inside. I'm making no promises he will come when called, he is going through his rebellious teenage years.

Our baby you might have seen escaping out the front door as well, with a very efficient butt shuffle. Turns out he can open doors. Thankful this is a dead end street and it was his Aunt who screeched on her car brakes upon discovering him in the middle of the road.

And while you are gasping over that account of bad mothering, did you see me today tie Sam's lead to the pram while I locked the front door only to have Sam take off after a cat, flipping the pram right over with Nathan inside?  He is fine and still smiling despite that big lump on his forehead.

The constant stream of visitors this last month is not because we are a drug house, although you can be forgiven for thinking that. It is because we are blessed beyond measure by wonderful family and friends who want to stop in and see our new pad. It won't always be so busy, promise!

I am adjusting to living in a house with 2 levels and more than double the rooms of our previous home. I can only ever get one half of the house clean at a time. Either upstairs is clean and tidy or downstairs is, but never the two at the same time.

We are loving waking and going to sleep listening to the native birds in the tress around us. This truly is a little slice of paradise and we count ourselves very blessed and privileged to be here. Still pinching ourselves to check that it is real.

Anyway, we are your new neighbours at number 7, feel free to pop in and say hi, offer to babysit, walk the dog or clean some windows. It'll be nice to meet you. x