Living in this house has been a good challenge and a good stretch. There is five other girls and two of them I get a long with really well. Because some of the connections aren't organic it has really caused me to come in the opposite spirit and to practice what I preach. I want a community that is loving and vulnerable and I've been challenged to be this even when it isn't reciprocated. This is always the biggest test isn't it? Doing what you believe when it isn't easy. Overall, this has been good. I've been enjoying swimming in the pool and the spontaneous conversations that fabricate. Also it has been nice to be so close to Simon. Time wise it is the same amount as when I was living in Bangalow but there are convenient paved paths inbetween. It is a lovely ride.

As you know Simon and I've been looking for a van and we were running short on time. This week I started working as a nanny for 41/2 year old named Tygar. He lives about 30 minutes away but it is in another town called Mullum. I need a car to get there. We bought the van on the day that I started work. We had been looking at others and non passed the registration check but this one did and it passed other tests as well. We bought it from two Germans who were here on vacation. We spent two days cleaning it and organizing the heaps of camping gear and fishing gear it came with. There is a huge bed in the back so we can go camping once we are married. I'm excited to see more of Australia and to get on the road.

Like I've said I've started working and the first day was crazy. I tried to get Tygar to eat a very small portion of peas. I reasoned that if he ate them he would get an iceblock for dessert. He didn't like the peas idea but he liked the iceblock idea. This set him off and he threw a tantrum for what seemed like the better part of an hour. He ended up falling asleep on a beanbag under the coffee table. I would have left him here but he needs to wear a nappy for bedtime and I had to wake him up and try to get him out from the table. He cussed at me and he ran out of the house. I cased him down the street and them gave him a timeout in his room. All day and into the night it was battle after battle. Luckily I won the big ones and the next day that I came he was nice to me and listened. It is difficult laying down boundaries on a child who has never had them. He doesn't understand choices because he's never had consequences.


Let me know how you are doing. I really enjoy hearing about the details of your life as well.