Parks and personalities

Lake Canobolas Reserve

It has always been very important to me that my cousin's children and my children grow up to be close. We had that with our own childhood and we are where we are in life today, because of that.

Despite the distance between our homes (both now and before) I think that a comfortable bond has been created. Whenever our children come together, they quickly and easily fall into play with the cousin or sibling with a similar personality.

However, our time spent together, has usually only been two to three days. This we have always found, is just enough. Never long enough for us mums to catch-up, but too much longer, and the 'rattiness' begins.



I guess I (we?) did not take this into consideration when planning this holiday. As I was going to be on the road for six days, I wanted to stay longer than two or three days. After all, there was lots (lots) to do and see. After only a couple of months, I was missing my cousin terribly and I was desperate to see her new home town.

Eight days was perhaps, four days too long - for the kids at least.

We also found life in town very different to spending time on the farm. Spunky Monkey is an outdoor boy and needs to be kept busy. On the farm, from 6am until 6 pm he could be outdoors. He would be sent to collect eggs, feed the chooks, open the gate for the chooks, put the chooks in for the night. He would be sent to the vegie patch to collect herbs or tomatoes and one day, the dried beans still on the vine, which he then colour coded. He would be sent into the paddock to look for rocks or collect sheep poo for the garden. At other times he would climb trees, dig around in the shed or ride bikes. Try putting this boy inside all day with seven other kids!

So..... we spend our days at the some of the beautiful parks in the area.

Elephant Park

But for us too, this was much more time consuming. Our farm days were lazy, the kids dressed themselves and ran wild, we drank way to much tea, leisurely putting out food when required.

Picnics out and about, meant that our mornings were spent dressing everyone in weather appropriate (and presentable) clothing and packing our picnic lunches. At the end of the day, when we arrived home late, the cars needed to be unpacked, the picnic sets washed, everyone needed a bath (eight kids) and dinner needed to be prepared.  Our days were lovely, but they were very busy.



Please don't misunderstand me. Our holiday was FANTASTIC!

I just need to maybe do things a little differently on our next visit. This is a new chapter for our families, there is a different future ahead for our times together. We are adjusting.

I know that we will find our new rhythm soon enough. There will be many more visits to Orange to come.

 A day at the Adventure Playground and the Orange Botanical Gardens

We certainly did have some wonderful days out.

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