Barn progress and general updates

I’ve been absent, so a quick update – the barn is underway, although we aren’t living in it yet. We are trying to meet the council’s requirements so we can apply for changes to the original planning permission, namely to add an extension so there is actually enough bedrooms. Part of this is installing a kitchen, so we have been working on this, we have cupboards, gas burner (although planning to upgrade this to a 3-ring one soon, as these little camping ones are expensive to run), and we are also required to have a microwave, which we don’t currently own so will be acquiring at some point. There is no mains electric at the moment, so we are also trying to suss how we can rig up some solar panels, and a generator so we can run the fridge and the sewage treatment plant. The sewage plant was installed at the end of last year, and involved big holes and lots of diggers which the girls loved. We still aren’t sure if the pump is working on it, so that’s a big source of anxiety at the moment. We have running water at least, although we can’t let it go down the drain yet, or flush the toilet because of the sewage plant issue. We do have some growing things, and the girls are enjoying having a garden they can dig in to their hearts content. There is plans for a mud kitchen at some stage, but they are rocking along just fine at the moment.

We met some more of our neighbours (not just the sheep), who are rather fabulous, small-holders and living off-grid, which is rather inspiring that it might actually be possible and not totally insane to attempt with small children although the lack of land means we will never be self-sufficient for food unfortunately. We also had our first proper social visit at the barn, as an old (and also fabulous) friend came over for tea and cake.

The girls are growing up and becoming fast friends, thankfully. I was worried their different personalities would make it hard for them to find common ground. H is now compulsory school-age, which means she has to receive an education (although despite the term, it does not have to be at school). She’s a nature lover, so we have been looking at conservation, oceans, and planting trees. We took part in a project by Great Trees in the Clyst Valley (https://www.clystgreattrees.org.uk), to plant over 2000 trees, including 1000 english oaks, to form some new woods. H loves to see ‘her’ woods, and it will be great seeing them grow up with her, although I suspect it will take her lifetime or more to be truly established. She’s also been helping plant potatoes at her grandparents, and has her own patch at the barn too. I suspect that bit will be more of a lesson on why seeds don’t grow if you keep digging them up. She’s taken an interest in learning to read herself, and has been involved in beta-testing an app aimed at fledgling readers which has been quite good fun, and interesting to see (for me too!).

In the kitchen, I’ve grown a sourdough starter, and have had various successes (and failures and one quite unpleasant burn), which I will write up for this blog at some point. Sourdough appealed to me as I’m not dependent on being able to source yeast. It’s been a learning curve, but a fun one. When we first move into the barn, we won’t have an oven for some time, so I’ve been experimenting with cooking bread on a hob too, that will be in a blog post someday too. I’ve made several years worth of marmalade because I got a bit carried away when seville oranges were in season. Luckily S is a big marmalade fan, so it will be appreciated. It makes for good currency too as most of our friends like it.

When I burnt myself (friendly hint, don’t pick up pans that you have just taken out of the oven with your bare hands!), a lovely friend gave me 2 aloe vera plants, something I have wanted for a while but never got around to. I have never had much luck with anything green inside, but they both look happy, and are growing. I was very excited to see the bigger plant has grown a teeny baby. I’m hoping this is a good sign, and not a last ditch attempt of surviving my terrible plant care.

Just before Christmas, I finally managed to get a new job. I had been with my last employer for 9.5 years, and it was having a serious effect on my mental health. I still find I have repercussions from working somewhere that treated people poorly for such a long time (like anxiety attacks when I needed to take a day off to look after my sick 2 year old – my manager said thanks for letting him know, I could’ve cried!) but I’m finding I am much happier, and healthier, and our family life is much better because of it too. I am planning to write more often, maybe I’ll stick to it this time?