This morning was all about our usual getting-ready-for-school rush: printing out a family photo for an art project, packing the school bag, ensuring lunch box contents were approved by Miss 5 etc etc. Even though the two younger kids are off at the in-laws for the day, and I ironed clothes and found school shoes and socks last night, we still only managed to get out the door at our usual time (i.e. 5 minutes later than I would ideally like, LOL).
On the way home my thoughts were filled with the mental filing system all parents have to use: PE shirt washed for tomorrow [tick]; birthday present bought for weekend party [cross]; preschool bag packed with spare clothes [tick]...
As I walked home up our urban street (two blocks from the school), I was quietly bemoaning the fact that I am apparently going to need more than 24 hours in a day to do everything when I have all three kids in school and in various sports/ dance/ social events... when I noticed that our lawn needs mowing again after the rain showers we had a couple of days ago, the bougainvillea is getting out of control and needs trimming, the street trees need weeding underneath... and I suddenly thought:
Where would I get the time to look after a small acreage??? When would I get the time to plant/ fertilise/ harvest/ preserve more fruit and vegetables than I have now??? How would I factor in extra travelling time getting to and from the school twice a day if we lived out of town??? What the hell was I thinking?!!!
I know I had resigned myself to the fact that we are not going to be able to afford to move to a small acreage for many, many years, but there was always that pang of envy every time I noticed a large block for sale in the paper or drove past a For Sale sign on a house on a few acres. Well no more! It has suddenly become very clear that the benefits of urban living, for me, far outweigh the extra work and time required for maintaining and working a few acres.
So, for the next 17 years anyway (until my youngest daughter finishes school), I am going to be a committed urbanite - but hopefully one who still manages to step lightly on the earth :-)
3 comments:
Sorry, lots of comments from me tonight, as I get more aquainted with your story (and stories)
This one resonates with me because I've had a similar craving to go live simply in the bush or on a beach.
And for similar reasons, we're not doing it.
I made a smilar vow, to live that slower life I imagine, right here in suburbia.
I am enjoying going back through your posts, though it is making 'Enough' seem redundant... it seems I am having the same sorts of epiphainies as you have, just months and months later.
So, given that I am travelling down your road, I have to ask- how is your vegie patch going?
Hi Alison :-) I used to think the same thing - how many blogs about sustainability can there be, lol. But I do it now for my own reference really, an online record of everything so I don't have to go searching for all that information in my messy office :-) If someone else finds that information useful too, then I'm really glad they stumbled across it. As for my veggies - as a time-poor mum-of-three I have to say that the combination of both being a beginner veggie gardener and not being able to get outside as much as I'd like, isn't generating great results at the moment BUT it's all a learning curve. Growing my own food has most definitely inspired me to do more cooking from scratch as well, which is benefitting my whole family, so all in all it's been great so far :-) I just wish I had more room in my backyard...
I know that is the one thing that is stopping me from taking up gardening! I want to, but after doing everything I am doing, its late and I just want to go and veg in front of the computer instead.
It sounds like though that you have found the room for that in your life. Its probably making you appreciate it more because you have had to find room for it. :)
Post a Comment