Useful lessons from Mr Fix It and Mothers

Mr Fix It has just finished rebuilding a battery pack for his mother's battery powered carpet sweeper. A trip to Jaycar for batteries, some soldering and it is now sitting in the charger being juiced up. There are always a couple of fixing jobs to be found when we visit. I think maybe K's brother leaves a few things so Mr Fix It feels needed the few weeks a year we are here.

He is now watching a Cook and the Chef rerun. We were at Maggie Beer's Farm Shop watching a cooking demo last week. Got to see the lady herself as well....

Mother and I had a lesson this morning on how to use a screw driver to pop the lock release on lockable internal doors. This was prompted by having to run the long way down the corridor when one of us accidentally locked one of the doors to the two way bathroom. Inconvenient if you are in a hurry. This got Mum regaling us with the story of her and her sister-in-law poking a broom handle in the window from outside trying to pop the door lock after a similar but much more troubling accidental turning of the toilet door privacy lock. I think buckets, a mop and accidents were mentioned. After  we stopped laughing Mr. Fix It got into instructor mode. The trick works too. Who knew!

Mother has rearranged her living room furniture again. Back to the way it was .... And the layout I prefer. The highlight of this arrangement us that from one lounge chair you can see the trees and sunsets. They are not bad either. For city sunsets that is. Mum was so excited about the colours last night I had to get the camera. The three of us were out on the deck for 20 minutes oohing and aahing.

This got me thinking about the joy there is in the simple frugal things that our parents, especially mothers, still practice. A few pots together to make a garden, when you can no longer handle a large one. Home made meals in the freezer, for when you are too sick or tired to cook. Or visitors pop in. Water saved from boiled vegetables to make soup later. Old biscuits turned into peppermint balls to take to church for a friend. Jam or chutneys cooked up when friends donate fruit. (Both my mums are pretty good at making something from nothing. )

I reckon we have the independent, frugal, simple, small space living down pat. To live fulltime in a caravan, some of that off grid, we have put a bit of energy into it. However watching the mothers manage daily on little money and failing health is an education.

Tomorrow I am off to spend the day with my mother. Some alterations and repairs are on the agenda since her sewing room is set up. K is doing a doctor run with his mum. These are very precious times since we are so far away, and even more so as the years roll on.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move