Here we go again.. - this is the 2020 update that wasn't...

Full disclosure - this was the Spring update from 2020 that never got posted... but worth pinning any way...

I know I had promised to be a little more regular with posts, but this year is proving to be a little more difficult to navigate than anticipated. COVID is only a small distraction, as we have fought with drought, bush fires, massive ICT network outages (at my work) and then the onset of a wonderful, life giving La Nina weather system that is  punching much needed water into the eco systems. Coupled with that is grass that grows in front of you, and then grows some more!

We have managed to fit in some fun this year, with short trips to the South Coast and the Snow – but have had to cancel our planned trip to the Barossa to catch up with team McGlinchey (border closures). The constant overlay through has been the house, and we have managed to get a massive amount done. We are now in a sprint to finish, with the bank requiring us to have our final certification in about 320 days! Money is tight, and trades quotes were ridiculous, so we are mostly going it alone.

I have been able to get my green thumb on this year, and successfully transplanted six established (and on the road to maturity) multi-graft fruit trees into a new orchard precinct. They all took, and we now have apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums – and it looks like we might get fruit this year! The citrus grove, after a particularly hard couple of years, is looking a treat, with the trees covered in a snowdrift of fragrant blossom. We have lemons, blood orange and kumquats; and I am confident that some of the oranges and grapefruit might also fruit this year.

I have given a neighbour rhubarb on the condition that I can get some when we move, and it is taking off. At home in Canberra, I have oaks, Chinese elms, Japanese and Norway Maples and apples all growing. I have started our hedging with a dozen or so rosemary cuttings and the thornless blackberry that I rescued as an orphan in the lawn is looking like it will come good too. Phyl was cleaning out Clare’s garden the other day, and found that a couple of her feijoa branches had hit the compost heap and layered into root – just need to get a couple of other trees to make sure I have both male and female trees and we might get that fruit too!

As far as the house is concerned, we are part way through laying the southern deck, and ceilings are up in about a third of the house. We have selected the tiles for the bathrooms, and are almost ready for the tiler to come in and waterproof. Jane is especially excited at the thought of being able to shower inside the house. I kind of like the open-air option, and might have to work something in to the final design! I reckon that by the end of the Christmas break, we will be almost ready to render and paint! (Now that is optimism!)

The boys are awesome, but growing way too fast. At nine, MacK is 43 kg and in size 8 mens shoes. He has just come off an abbreviated Aussie rules season where he showed that he has the potential to be a rangy power house in that game. I still hold out hope for him as a flanker in rugby, and think that Hugo will still likely be suited to the front row! Hugo’s development is likewise leaping ahead, and he holds his own with the big boys (until fatigue catches him!).