Familes-good and bad things
Sometimes the trouble about having a good life, is the fear it will end. And then the lesson you recall is that you can only make the most of it, that's the only real protection against risk. So I've had a perfect long weekend, since returning from Melbourne, making the most of "work hard/play hard" mantra (and next week will be hard...including a specialist appointment to see if the kid has a heart murmur and how serious it is). This has included hanging out with Pete and Cato on Friday afternoon at the Port train museum (I would say the highlight was the TWO train trips that we took around the grounds, sitting in small carriages, reminding Cato not to stick his arms out of the carriage, being whisked past old buildings and carriages and working yards and seeing distant scapes). It was enjoyable to be able to entertain my son but also have an adult conversation at the same time, albeit on child rearing issues and thus not that entertaining. He did point out the awfully retro cafe across the road which looked like a 1983 time capsule (pine decor, capuccinos etc)-Pete's always reliable for a good pop culture analysis.
Saturday the family did the house hunting thing ,which was more succesful than last weekend for several reasons. Better planned-attempted 3 open inspections, only looked at very suitable properties, did a bit of neighbourhood sight seeing (discovered Alberton has it's own neighbourhood shops including a pizza bar, it was all a bit like the Yenda village square in the city), and found a possibility. We also visited our friends J&P, who are the most community minded people I know, the people who do all the things everyone else talks about: community gardens, permaculture, suistainability education, making furniture from reclaimed pieces, sewing by hand personal and heartfelt art, toys and clothes; creating art works for home and community events, growing and cooking organic foods, cultivating friendships across the generations, living frugally, hosting WWOFers and all that gear. The two kids ran around the backyard pushing dolls on wheels. They'd also been the very forunate survivors of a backyard shed fire, something that could have burnt both their house and the neighbours down.
J&P told us to visit the Bowden development opening, which was both good and annoying. I'm sure I've blogged about how I feel about using grassroots/artistic/community "vibes" as a enticement to purchase a slice of that designer life. So the Bowden development was showcasing all the groovy community neighbourhood features, such as community centres, working art studios, Cirkidz, community gardens. But all these things have nothing to do with planned upmarket accommodation. I think there's a component of promoting it as a designer alternative community, for people who want to cycle or use public transport, and live in high density accommodation.
Today, the family joined together for Mum's birthday brunch, four cousins were all together again. My youngest nephew kicked the soccer ball around the flat, staircase and downstairs garden, all threateningly close to breakable windows. When the kid woke up, we played in the mud together, which was incredibly fun for him and incredibly upsetting when the fun ended. And then finally we all took a bike ride together. This is life I could live for a long time.
So that's the good side of families. The sad side is that Andy's cousin texted us Saturday evening, to tell us Vince Lovegrove had been killed in a car crash. His Kombi left the road and was incinerated. His eldest is Andy's cousin, and her mother contacted us, upset for her daughter who was heavily tied up in the ebbs and flows of his current life and somewhat of a substitute mother to his youngest . On Friday I'd been looking at the photos of this family, posted proudly by Helen, and then on Saturday night I was hearing of the grief and distress they were now experiencing, loose ends and unresolved conversations. The impression I had, was that he was a raconteur, a lover of life and music, someone who had great fun living the high life and not so good with personal responsiblity. He did the things that we wished we've done-toured overseas, cameod in Monkey Grip, hung out with charismatic people, parented full time and someone else always paid. Helen's outlived him, is the survivor and far far cooler. It makes me want to visit and see her again soon.
Saturday the family did the house hunting thing ,which was more succesful than last weekend for several reasons. Better planned-attempted 3 open inspections, only looked at very suitable properties, did a bit of neighbourhood sight seeing (discovered Alberton has it's own neighbourhood shops including a pizza bar, it was all a bit like the Yenda village square in the city), and found a possibility. We also visited our friends J&P, who are the most community minded people I know, the people who do all the things everyone else talks about: community gardens, permaculture, suistainability education, making furniture from reclaimed pieces, sewing by hand personal and heartfelt art, toys and clothes; creating art works for home and community events, growing and cooking organic foods, cultivating friendships across the generations, living frugally, hosting WWOFers and all that gear. The two kids ran around the backyard pushing dolls on wheels. They'd also been the very forunate survivors of a backyard shed fire, something that could have burnt both their house and the neighbours down.
J&P told us to visit the Bowden development opening, which was both good and annoying. I'm sure I've blogged about how I feel about using grassroots/artistic/community "vibes" as a enticement to purchase a slice of that designer life. So the Bowden development was showcasing all the groovy community neighbourhood features, such as community centres, working art studios, Cirkidz, community gardens. But all these things have nothing to do with planned upmarket accommodation. I think there's a component of promoting it as a designer alternative community, for people who want to cycle or use public transport, and live in high density accommodation.
Today, the family joined together for Mum's birthday brunch, four cousins were all together again. My youngest nephew kicked the soccer ball around the flat, staircase and downstairs garden, all threateningly close to breakable windows. When the kid woke up, we played in the mud together, which was incredibly fun for him and incredibly upsetting when the fun ended. And then finally we all took a bike ride together. This is life I could live for a long time.
So that's the good side of families. The sad side is that Andy's cousin texted us Saturday evening, to tell us Vince Lovegrove had been killed in a car crash. His Kombi left the road and was incinerated. His eldest is Andy's cousin, and her mother contacted us, upset for her daughter who was heavily tied up in the ebbs and flows of his current life and somewhat of a substitute mother to his youngest . On Friday I'd been looking at the photos of this family, posted proudly by Helen, and then on Saturday night I was hearing of the grief and distress they were now experiencing, loose ends and unresolved conversations. The impression I had, was that he was a raconteur, a lover of life and music, someone who had great fun living the high life and not so good with personal responsiblity. He did the things that we wished we've done-toured overseas, cameod in Monkey Grip, hung out with charismatic people, parented full time and someone else always paid. Helen's outlived him, is the survivor and far far cooler. It makes me want to visit and see her again soon.
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