Usually the weekend is filled with jobs to do, tidying and cleaning, animal care and frantically trying to prepare for the week ahead. This weekend is a bit different.

J is away, so I have the house (and the animals) to myself. With a bit of concentrated effort, I managed to knock off most of the weekend chores by midday yesterday, and am now having the rest of the weekend to relax and enjoy some down time.

This week is likely to be another challenging one, but I’m preparing for that with some down time now.

-G

Over the last few days we’ve been hunkered down for what was supposed to be a record-breaking storm, as a tropical cyclone headed our way.

Cyclones tend to run out of gas before getting to New Zealand, but the hype level on this one was extreme, and it did end up causing some nasty damage in parts of the country. For us, though, it only meant a lot of rain and a bit of wind – but nothing that seemed worse than we had a dozen times during summer.

I get frustrated at the way media hype bad weather. It’s an easy story for journalists, and fear sells. However, not every approaching front means we need to start building an ark, and the risk we run is that when especially bad weather does actually threaten, people will be complacent.

Thankfully, almost everyone did seem to be prepared, at least this time.

-G

I’m not sure if we actually had a frost overnight, but it certainly got cold. It’s been awful weather most of the week, and I’m glad we’d already started our winterisation (if there is such a word), but thankfully the skies have cleared for the weekend.

I took leave from my day job on Friday, not for any particular reason, but it’s allowed me to do all the things I’d normally pack into a weekend over three days instead. That makes everything feel a bit calmer.

Today I’m having a lazy start, with oatmeal pancakes for breakfast and a load of washing out on the line. The washing won’t dry, but at least it’ll get some air and sunshine.

-G

This week I’ve really appreciated our home as a place of relative stability and calm – a haven from the busy-ness of the world outside.

Coming back to our animals, relaxing, enjoying quiet dinners, then sleeping in our own bed – sometimes the simplest things help to offset external stresses.

Between some long days and inclement weather, I don’t have much to update about the house this week – the garden needs weeding, and lawns need mowing, but both can wait a few more days.

Today I’m just going to enjoy the relative calm.

-G

We’re going to start something new here, and share some words of wisdom each Wednesday from people who aren’t us.

Typically, these will be quotes about home, gardening, animals, homesteading, city life or self sufficiency – but you’ll have to tune in to see what’s inspiring us.

-G

Welcome to our blog, and to our attempt at becoming more self sufficient near the city – as we call it, City Sufficiency.

This blog will track our progress as we learn about growing our garden, looking after our house and taking care of our chickens, in our first home.