Another update

Many of you contact me about Gracie and want to know more about her. Here she is with her lead on waiting to be taken out. I'll have more Gracie news next week.

I thought I'd be back with you by now but Hanno is sick again with a bad cold that we're hoping won't turn into another bout of pneumonia. Our main focus at the moment, and what we've been preparing for these passed couple of weeks, is getting the house ready for Kerry, Sunny and Jamie to move in. I know! Big surprise, eh? Their first ever house is being built and will be ready to move into before Christmas. They're very excited about it because they've worked so hard to make it happen. The lease on the apartment they're living in now expires next week, so they'll move in with us until the house is ready for them. Both Kerry and Sunny are absolutely exhausted. They've both been working in their shops all day and taking Jamie to school and after-school activities, while working with the builders and deciding on colours and fixtures and making sure all the council requirements and paper work is done properly. And now they're packing up their apartment and decluttering after work when all they want to do is sleep. Having them here will give Hanno and I a chance to look after them during this very busy time. While they're here they won't have to do any housework, shopping or cooking and we're on hand to look after Jamie. They'll be free to work and focus on the house. I think it will be a very busy and happy time here at the Hetzel house.

I'll be back as soon as I can be. I'm not sure when that will be, possible early next week.

While I'm here I wanted to let you know that I have an article in the current edition of the PIP Australian Permaculture magazine. Here are the shops where you can pick up a copy. I'm pleased to say that the wonderful Biome shops in Brisbane stock it and if your newsagent doesn't have it, ask them to get it in for you or subscribe through the PIP website.  The magazine is full of interesting, thoughtful and educational information and it is brilliantly illustrated. My good friend Morag Gamble has her regular article on Permaculture Around the World, the feature articles are on seaweed and aquaponics, there's a family section with kids' pages and 10 Ways to Get Kids off Screens and into Nature. Add to that an excellent rundown on Crop Rotation and Rental Gardening, a Strawbale building project, Save your Seeds by Jude and Michel Fanton of the Seed Savers Network, designing a Food Forest and Homegrown Herbal Skincare. But there is much more to read for everyone interested in living our beautiful lifestyle while developing practical and traditional skills or wanting to grow food and develop self-reliance.

My congratulations to publisher/editor Robyn Rosenfeldt and the staff of PIP on the production of this excellent and practical resource. It's been published for less than three years but it has already developed into a must-read vibrant magazine.