Lazy afternoon with friends and family

We have been away from the farm a bit in the last few weeks. We lobbed back in time for Master One Year Old's birthday party in a lovely park at Picton. Good food. Kids every where.

Back at the farm yesterday we were delighted to join in an afternoon with Mr Homemaker http://mistahomemaker.blogspot.com.au/?m=1
and his wife and girls who had come to visit with the Crookwell family.

It was a warm, breezy day. Typical of the best here.

By the time they all left the wind has risen and thunder sounded a few times. Then rain. Love the sound of rain on a roof.

Quick spaghetti meal, a movie and snuggle in bed.

Great day.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move

12 months off grid on the caravan.Keeping busy getting ready for summer.

The caravan has been great through the winter. On sunny winter days the canvass annex absorbs the heat and acts like an electric blanket. By breakfast time we can open the doors and windows onto the annex and take the chill off inside. At night we drop the blind and shut the curtains and keep the heat in. We even managed to cope with storms and a bit of snow.

In preparation for warmer weather Mr Fix It has fitted a new fan in the shower alcove, scrubbed and vinegared all the walls to kill any residual winter mould, and removed and replaced silicon sealant joints around fixtures in the shower, kitchen and toilet room to complete the mould proofing.

Time to think about changing the annex walls to shade cloth so one piece has gone into the canvass man for repairs.

The water filter on our pump from the rain water tank has been changed. Tap seals replaced, and the shower head cleaned and refitted.

The afore mentioned bathroom fan caused a bit of work. The new one had to be altered, wired differently and reshaped to fit. Our van is now 10 years old and spare parts have changed. Be a bit hard if you weren't handy.

A couple of weeks ago there was water under the kitchen sink, in the cupboards that is not the sink itself. After a few minutes with his body contorted into the cupboard space Mr Fix It concluded that our hot water tank had rusted through. So trip to Canberra to buy a new  one. K charmed a discount, but its a good thing that K is good at fixing most for next to nothing. The savings were needed cos the water heater and integrated tank were not cheap.

The frustrating thing was that the heater was working, just the tank needed replacing and there are no tanks for our model. Anyway the new one was working  half an hour after we got home.

Winter clothes to go under the bed and summer ones in the wardrobes, scrub the extra fridge out cos it is no longer cold enough to leave things out, and then we are summer ready.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move

Reflections on 12 months off grid in our caravan

We have just reached the 12 months off grid milestone. Our caravan has been parked on the family farm since this time last year. We travelled down from Mataranka Northern Territory in time to farm sit while the new baby was born. He turns one in a few days.

While we have ventured off sans caravan a few times,  the van has sat happily enjoying the view for a whole year.  At first it sat in its spot dressed in its summer gear. Shade cloth annex front and back. Solar power was abundant. Water had to be carried in from town though.


 Summer in Crookwell is very mild. Even so we did have occasion to run the generator to power the air conditioning once or twice.

Winter however is entirely another matter. When we realised K was gonna need to hang around for cardiologists, the shed was born.

As the weather grew colder, the caravan grew its winter skin of canvas annex. And the shed grew a closed in room and a wood fire.

We had rain, wind, fog, snow and sleet. Not all at once mind you. And the rainwater tank filled very fast. No more water carting. Yeh!!!!
There were wonderful sunny, cold winter days as well. Lots of farm things, and family time.

Then there was spring. Naked sheep after shearing and now lambs. While it is still cold at night the sun heats the annex quickly. Soon it will be time to shed the canvas annex in favour of shade cloth again.

Through all this our tiny home has remained just that. Home. K spent a weekend away recently and I cuddled up in the comfort of the van. Didn't even go out and light the fire.

We are still working out what the pattern of life will become. What mix of work, travelling and family time we will enjoy in the future, but we have really given the off grid setup of our caravan a proper work out. It is almost 10 years old now. Not so new anymore. (I will have to tell you about the last lot of repairs Mr Fix It has done.. Maybe next post)

We still haven't got to spend quality time with the QLD family. Maybe we will get to do that next year. K's heart is behaving so far post his operation. He is easing back into full days of activity and its hard to keep up with him again. All good!!


Love my life still.


Cheers Sue


A Ferg on the Move