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little toot & Ganoot

Hey there, still tuned in?

Good! Because I have got some exciting news for you. Jane, Kris and I will have a stool next Saturday at the Elwood Community Market, with our T's brands little toot (Kris) and Ganoot (Jane and I). Hopefully it is going to be just as succesfull as our last market in Preston. I will take photos and post them on WindowsLife and/or our 'official' webpage: www.littletootone.com, which is now being developed.

We are also busy with Ollie's 4th birthday, with Jane working now as well. Lots of time is also spent at rowing and social activities like drinking coffee and going out. Diaries are being filled and empty sheets are coloured. Travel plans are in progress. Episode III for this weblog is sitting somewhere on a shelf, waiting to be typed and restored forever.

Enjoy your holidays!

Weekday morning - episode II

The monitor in Toby and Jane's room, next to the back door, has not reported any sound of the babs yet, but Toby tells me he actually has heard one of the 'genoots'. I bet it was Eloise, always the first to call out. I am already on my way! But Toby gets there the first himself and Ella is already walking towards me, as I am only just in the hallway. Usually this means I am getting a kiss, but today the only thing she gives me is a 'Noooohh.. Mokkie!', so I get her her her milk. Fortunately, we have got two scrimps and Mister Happy is happy to give me a slimey morning cuddle-kiss, though, still wants to be carried by his old-time favourite Toby.

Back on the job. I make sure all kids got what they need ('mokkies, toasss, blakkies' on the 'cow', so milk, toast and blankets on the couch) and then I start folding the first bit of dried laundry, to make room for the wet whites. When I come back I see Ost has duck in the twins lunchbox. Actually pretty funny. And it also means he is having a good brekkie. He even makes Bella and Hensels eat sandwiches! Though, now I have to make a new lunchbox so I find my place back in the kitchen.

Jane and I talk the day through. The kids have been having colds and Ollie even an ear infection, so last few days we have been messing about a bit. We are worried about Eloise still. Jane wants to take her to the doctor after dropping Ollie of at school. But Eloise seems better than she has been in days, so we change plans. Jane will go to school with Olliebollie and then follow the 9.30 a.m. yoga session. I will take the twinsels. Thursday is 'my' day with the kids.

I have made a bit of a plan for the morning with Beezie and Hei. We are taking the train into the city and could then go to the botanics. The Children's Garden, an other design of Andy, is lovely on a nice day like this. Though, inspired by Jane, I decide to stay in the city centre and the arty playground at Federation Square. But before we could ever get there, I have still got some of my laundry to do.

It is nice in the living room. Toby is reading Hein a story and Ella and her 'Dowry' (dolly) also come to have a look. Somewhere in between activities we have been able to have a decent brekkie and even feed the kids! I have had some pooridge I had already made yesterday. The kids eat a bit of everything, preferably what is in our bowls.

Now Toby has to get ready as well and he goes for a shower, closely followed by fellow-ginger Hen. Watching our life garden entertainment out of the well used laundry room, I here a typical Henrish cry. Ten seconds later he comes out Toby's room straight to me. The poor thing must have been playing with taps again, as he is soaked wet. Luckily we are in the right room for nice, fresh towels. Eloise walks in to give him a kiss as well.

Good oppurtunity for me to get them out! I quickly finish my jobs, stick the kiddies in their coats and put there shoes on. Grab dummies and water bottles and remember - just in time - to get my own shoes. Meanwhile Toby has gotten ready too, Bella-weezie looks for Dowry still and Henry pushes his Dad of to work. 'Ba-ye, baaa-ye! Seeee-ya, see-yaaaa!'

Time to be quick for me. Stik 'em straight in the pusher, give them dums and biscuits ('Ahh-shaa, bikkieee.', 'Peas!', 'Thang!') and off we go. 'See ya later, Astrid.' 'See ya, Cam.' 'Seeee-yaa!' 

Fi-nal-ly.

Happy Birthday, Mamalief!!

Weekday morning - episode I

It is Thursday morning, 7 a.m.. I used to be running late getting prepared for school, not to mention starting to work at the bakery on Saturday mornings at this time. But today, I roll to my other side once more - really, just one more minute! - before throwing my duna off, suddenly wide awake. Grab some clothes without really thinking about it and make my way to the shower.

After a well-measured 10-minutes I put my clothes on and here Ollie knocking on the bathroom door. Jane tells him to give me a minute. After that minute, Ollie actually does run in, hiding from Jane. I catch that she is a lion and he is her prey, a butterfly. He hides behind my legs and I try to protect him from this terrible way to die. In real, Jane is trying to dress him for school. So when I get to catch Ol and pull him on my knee, I strip off his green PJ's with dogs and pull his stripey purple uniform T over his head. He doesn't want to wear his wind-shed yet, but now worries. We always end up dressing him in episodes.

A kids show is on the tellie. One I hardly know, as I usually only get to sit down with 'the babs', Henry and Eloise. I make things ready for these two to wake up, so bottles, toast with 'cado' and a lunch box for our outing this morning. By the time I am finished the gardeners, who are building a beautiful garden designed by Jane's brother Andy, have arrived and Toby, Jane and Ollie have made their way out to the backyard to have a look.

Before prime-time with the 'scrimpies' I quickly duck in too, with my own cuppa and a latte with sugar for gardening man James. It is a beautiful morning in June, clear and so cold we are breathing out little clouds of damp. Jane is talking things over with James and feeds the choocks with our left-overs, collected the day before. I am just standing there, leaning against the doorpilar, listening and dreaming about...

Toby and Ollie have gone back in and I here Jane talking about a cabby-house for the kids in between the tramp and the shed. I tell her I am not sure about that, as I think it will make the garden look less deep. We sigh a bit and enjoy the early morning peace. Then I poor out my last bit of thee, cold and bitter, and have a look in the laundry. Have to get out a full load of white this morning, but better wait for a calmer moment, as the twinnies are about to wake up.

Every day life

The nicest thing of being here is having such an exciting every day life, hanging around the house. Pretty funny, because doing laundry and dishes and having 3-hour outings to the local park - in short: being a home-'mummy' is not really supposed to be exciting. If you are not doing this job yourself, you simply got no idea what life is like here for me.

That brings me to the hardest part of being here. None of you really knows what the kids are like. Or why Jane is like my best sister-caretaker-hostmama-friend in one, on a shared first position for any of these individual roles with my own Dutch friends and family. Or, why Toby is the funnest and funniest Dad in the world (likewise, shared first position with my own Pappa Theo, who is my best father without any serious competition). And then I am not even talking about what it is like to live in Melbourne, in beautiful Australia, yet.

None of you knows, but one. Because about seven weeks ago my dearest friend Tessa came to visit me. Not just for a weeks or so, but for a full month. I feel like I am the luckiest to have a friend like that. Who has overcome her own fears and has been willing to change her own perspective on the world and in particular our own lifes. She has shown incredible strength and she has been so brave. I feel proud at her, in a way I cannot describe.

Now, while I am finding my way back in family life in Melbourne, still processing an amazinf few weeks with Tessa, I am getting ready for the next big thing, when my Mom and sister are coming this Melbourne spring!! It is an other four months still. But I am thinking it over, making travel- and outing plans. All in order to make our time just as special as the time I shared with Tessa, although probably incomparable.

Okay, where is she getting at? Well, most important for me about having these dear people over and keeping this weblog is to show and tell about my every day life here. That is why I have decided to write about this morning today. An exciting morning, but nothing more or less than what we would do on any other weekday.

Here is the first episode. Hopefully I can finish this trilogy soon, and you get to keep up with it as well.

Meanwhile I have gotten lost...

...

in all kinds of visual and performing arts. Going to museums and public spaces has become my favorite pastime in the last 8 months. I never get bored by visiting Fed Square or the NGV and literally get dragged away there fro the moment I enter and see the typical bright Australian light shine through the modern shaped windows of the Atrium.

Like you all know I have been sketching and drawing all my life. Inspired by all this real art & beautiful environment I have had to buy myself a sketching block and a few pencils, to process all my experiences. But that was not satisfying enough of course, so art supplies have become half of all of my properties at the moment, inclusding charcoal, canvases and 'real' paints. Okay, maybe I'd better bought myself a new camera. It would have been heaps cheaper in the end. (But less fun!)

Besides all this cut 'n' paste I have also been occupied with planning a trip. Not just a trip, really. It has turned out more like a physical and psychological journey. I bet you all know what I am talking about. I was preparing for Tessa to come.

More about this tomorrow. Please find the first photos on MySpace.

Bloggers-block

26-3-09 at 12.56 p.m.

2 months, 2 weeks and 1 day ago, I wrote my last blog. I have apologised many times before for not writing anything for a week, or a week or two. Or month or so. But today, 'sorry' won't do the trick anymore. Today the only thing I can do is promising I will never ever wait this long with writing something for you again. Especially to all these people who actually have been checking this blog during my absence. (Indeed, I can see how often my blog has been seen, actually been read, who you are, where you live and were born, and the allergies your dog is suffering from. You be warned!) So here we go:

I, Astrid Riona Cats, born 29th of November in Eindhoven in the house her parents still live in, who is also foster owner of dog L, which is allegic to chocolate like any other dog, promise I will never ever wait 2 months, 2 weeks and 1 day until I write a new blog anymore.

Only one question remains. What the hell has she been up to?

A lot thus. In short: having grazy Easter holidays up in Beechworth (with double 'e' and therefore not at the beach, but up in the hills with most amazing gorge and national park.), where I got even more friendly with Jane's lovely family. To give you an idea: tomorrow Toby and Jane will go to Flinders to have a little break togetter and Jane's mum is willing to help me out a bit. I am already looking forward to spend some time with lovely 'nanna'!

Meanwhile I have gotten lost...

...

Like I am getting now. I am going in the bath with Ollie now, so I will stop writing for now. One thing to cheer you up: it won't be that long until I'll write more again, as I will finish this thrilling story by tomorrow!

Love & xx 

Anniversary

Ha' ya' go'n', mate?

Today I have been here exactly six months, I realized this morning. Perfect time for reflecting and giving you an update.

Has my life changed in the past six months?
I would say so. From being only responsable for my own life - and not even fully - I went to being non stop concerned about my three little lovies. From 'traveling light' with only keys, phone and wallet to huge bag with lunchbox, biscuits, more biscuits, nappies, wipes, sunhats, sunscreen, bandades, bottles, dummies... From going out to the one and only Stratumseind to 'outgoing' to the park, zoo, pool, beach, botanics...

From early autumn to early spring, with weather comparable to Dutch heatwaves. From snow in Jan-Feb to Ozzie heatwaves, up to 50 degrees and bush fires. From skates to surf board, form gloves to bathers.

Have I changed?
You tell me. I am sure that my thoughts and concerns have changed. I have also turned into an almost-Ozzie, with a cowboy accent, sunnies and an easy going attitude. Jane crowned me as Ozzie when I did not botter to go looking for possums. My position among others has changed. But is that my true self? Is that who I am?

I still eat muesli in the morning. I still wear funny earrings and coloured clothes. My hair is still not curly and not straight. I still love painting, sports, Grey's Anatomy and jazz and rock music.

And more important: when I talked to my sister on Skype the other day, I heard here saying at the end that I have not changed at all. It made me so indiscribably happy. So that is what I believe.

Six months is enough to get bored, though. So I have been looking for some thrills and here are the results:

I have succesfully finished my first painting course. I hope it is not the last, but that depends also on the offer of challenging courses and the colours on my bank results.

I have also fulfilled a rowing course. Quite succesful too, though, but just the start of what hopefully is going to become a membership to the 6 a.m. trainig sessions!!

We have celebrated Jane's, Henry's and Eloise's birthdays. Jane's 40th ended up in a big party, at which I have even speeched and gained a lot of affection. :P Henry's and Eloise's 2nd was some sort of emotional to me. Now I am taking care of two big boys and a big girl, instead of a boy and two babies.

I have been making and planning a lot of fun trips and outings. I have met people who looked exciting but turned out dull, people who lookes casual but turned out extraordinary and especially a lot of people who I now love and get inspired by.

I feel like constantly reinventing myself and life. I set new goals and make new plans. I am sure I can keep myself enetertained and satisfied this way for the next year. And when I come back, I hope you will say I have not changed at all.

With love.

Summer in the city... and Autumn!

After two months of feasts, events and travelling we are all back on track. Now Ollie has started school, there is a daily and weekly routine again. Boring or dull? Not at all, as our routine consists of outings to the beaches and parks, and seeing and playing with friends. It is also very relaxing and for a change, I even got time to read a book!

Though, some small are making huge, exciting changes.

Although you may think I am here to travel and do as many things as possible, main reason for me to become a nanny was that I wanted to live somewhere else. And it turns out that I find that the most enjoyable as well. The feeling of not being a visitor, but a resident and maybe even citizen (!) of Marvellous Melbourne makes me realise how adaptable and capable human beings are. I can tell after only four months, of which the first two have been like holidays to me, and the last two have been public holidays. This is the reason why I am going to stay here for another year: I have just started living here and I have not finished that yet. I want to complete at least one full year of living in Melbourne, starting now.

In just over a week I will finally start both my painting and rowing course. I am really looking forward to that, as it means that I will meet even more people - especially meburnians! - and I will be intellectual chanllenged! The last reason is really important to me at this stage. I miss school, I miss uni, I miss listening to teachers and reading theoretical books. I miss not getting something! (My parents are surely happy to hear!) So now it is all coming back: I am listening to classical music with Toby and to jazz and rock with Jane. I am learning a new sport and keep running and going to the gym. I am drawing, sketching and painting again. And yesterday I bougth a brilliant book: The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker. I am a genius to be. :P
(For more info about my course or rowing: http://www.cae.edu.au/?course=HXM061 and http://www.melbournerowing.com.au/)

Obviously I am not the only one with new things going on. I have already said Ollie is going to kinder. Naturally, he struggles a bit at the beginning, but this morning as we walked (or rather: ran!) him to school this morning he loved going in there and showing us around. Now he is only going from 8.30am to 1.30pm on Monday, Tueasday and Thursday, but in a few weeks he will be there until 4pm. Pretty long days for a 3yo! But he is ready for it and he is definately doing well!

Not having Ollie around gives Jane more oppurtunity to do things on her own as well. Now we are both just enjoying our time, but Jane might even go back to work for a few hours a week. Though, we feel happy to give Eloise and Henry the change too to have an outing themselves. It is great to just hang around with Ella while Jane takes Henry for a babyccino or the other way around. I heve never had so many kisses and cuddles in my whole life, not to mentions the big belly laughs! We also want to give them a bit more structure and challenges, as they are none but real todlers now. Today we ran into Wesley College's paygroup, which was exciting and perfect for us! And on Thursdays when Jane is off I love taking them for a ride to the beach.

Another change we have made is that I now work from Tuesday to Saturday. This works well as Toby, Jane and I are all around at Saturday, which gives us all more space and the kids love it to have the complete family too. It is our day for doing nothing or special outings and it feels like week end to everyone! It also means that I am off on Mondays, except for one houre of waking the twins up in the morning while Jane bring Ollie to school. I really enjoy that lazy on the couch moment!

The only downfall is that we ran out of gingerbread and stroopwafels! We have found a shop in Brighton that sells them, but they do not taste half as good as the Real Deal. So here I am, begging for more. So far my SGB-donation went to Oxfam Novib. (The senders of goods have been sent a card with the 'present'.) I now consider to donate money for the victims of the bush fires, who have lost everything but themselves, including their friends and family. On the other hand, I do not want to stop giving to the Third World kids. Maybe another reason to send more parcels? (A) Or donate money yourself!

Take care and hopefully talk to you soon!

Sensational 2009

Again it appears to me that so much has happened sonce I wrote my last blog, that it is impossible to write it all down in detail here. I think I'd better tell you in short what I have been up to. There would only be use is telling you everything, if you suffered from insomnia.

You know I would go to Sensation2008 on NYE. Well, we did and it was really sensational. So great to see some of the world's best dj's and dance on their beats. Now I know what they are so famous for!

The next day, January 1, I more or less decides to join the Dutchies (or Cloggies) on their way to Sydney. Three days later we ended up in a luxurious hotel in the City's centre. It was a Saturday night, so of course we went out. Unfortunately we were not allowed in most of the clubs as we were not all dressed properly (thongs!), so we went to a backpackers cafe. No regrets at my side, because this night turned out to be one of the best party nights I have ever had, meeting and joining Koreans, Canadian and a Danish guy.

Back at the hotel (7.00 am) I met my Frisian Cloggies back, all ready for a big sleep in. Mine ended not longer after, though, as the Dutch-Polish-Australian girl would show me round in Sydney for the few hours I had left. She did a great job and made sure I had seen the city, harbour, Harbour Bridge, Operah house and Bondi beach before I flew back to Melbie that night. (Thank you Sandra, see you soon in Sydney or Melbourne!)

Monday morning, back to work. But only for one week, as Corinna and I went to Tasmania for the following week. Without doubt most beautiful and diverse island I have ever been, with red stony mountains, both 'wide, fine sandy European' and 'Tropical turkoois' beaches, yellow fields, green hills, lavender fields, and amazing wildlife from walabies to Tasmanian devils to wombats. Lovely time, especially due to our first touring group!

Though, it wasn't too hard to say 'G'day' to this little paradise, as Corinna and I went to the Australian Open tennis event the day after! We have seen Ana Ivanovitsj, Djokovic and Roger Federer playing and had a great day at our seats in the shade!

But shade cannot save everything, as we are currently in 'the Biggest Heat in a Century'! It's been over 40 degrees for four days with another week to come, night temperature between 20-30 (!) degrees. Worst of all was that 20 000 houses suddenly got out of power. We were one of the lucky people involved and got stuck without aircons, vens, fridge, freezer, hot and cold water for 24 hours. I myself was not that pleased as it started when I was home alone with crying, overheated children. I ended up sleeping in the living room with all windows and doors opened, so the house could cool down to outdoor temperature: 29 degrees.

Now The Power has turned back on, so our energy is reloading again as well. Main issue for now are the plants. Sounds funny, but trees and flowers are really burning! Leaves turn black and branches fall off. Besides this heat, it hasn't been raining for a month, so the forests have got no saves. Big worry is also bush fires as the wind is about to come... It looks really awful to see this beautiful country and city suffering like that, together with the animals and vulnerable poeple. Let's hope for rain to fall soon!

Although my stories are not that detailed and well updated, my online photo book is. Photos of Australian Open will due out as soon as Corinna sends them to me.