Eeek, Our Off Grid Build Is Happening!

I thrive on change.

If there isn’t enough change in my life I go looking for it.

I have been known to dream up ridiculous projects or jump into a new career every time life slows down a little… it’s a character flaw.

So it could be said, that usually, I eat change for breakfast.

But right now, my brain has reached its upper change limit.

However, the wheels of change that are currently spinning out of control were actually set in motion about three years ago…

Three years ago we noticed a run down 22-acre former sand mine for sale and went for a look. We stood on top of the last remaining sandhill, looked around wide-eyed, and thought…

Imagine if we could purchase this land, regenerate it and build an eco-friendly off grid home on it?

It was a crazy, whacky idea. The type you dream about, but don’t actually DO anything about.

And we didn’t do anything for a while… but over time we kept gravitating back to this piece of land.

Eventually, we put in an offer to purchase subject to conditions that were unlikely to ever come to fruition. The top of the list was a planning permit from the local council.

But after a long rigorous process, we were pleasantly surprised to discover we had the support of the local council and our project was looking like it might get legs.

Cue the OBJECTOR.

I have written plenty about the objector and the shitty, ridiculous, drawn-out VCAT objection process, but the crux of the story is, we had to wait another twelve months to see if this land would be ours.

This meant, for the last few years our sustainable build project has been tucked away in a compartment of my brain labeled:

BIG HAIR-BRAINED IDEAS THAT WILL LIKELY NEVER COME TO FRUITION, HOWEVER, I WILL THINK ABOUT THEM FROM TIME TO TIME ANYWAY.

The VCAT process felt like a David versus Goliath scenario.

The objector was making it very clear they were willing to throw limitless money, time and professional resources around in a bid to stop us from purchasing this land.

Why?

Because they wanted it.

There were MANY days in this process when I wanted to give up.

The sheer amount of red tape, time and energy that was required felt like it wasn’t worth it. A while ago I wrote about one of those days, the day I sat in the Lorne pub sinking White Russians bawling like a baby because the objector had once again decided to screw with our lives.

But just like a dog with a bone, I only needed to think about how unjust and unreasonable the objections were and I would keep going.

And you probably know by now there is a happy ending to this part of the story because a few short weeks ago a decision was finally handed down by VCAT.

 WE FREAKIN WON!

After a three-year process, we were finally given the nod to pull the big whacky idea out of ‘UNLIKELY’ and put it into ‘IT’S HAPPENING’.

At the time it felt like a victory of monumental proportions.

The little guys won.

We were even being fondly referred to as The Kyvalley Kerrigans!

We were wearing this title like a badge of honour, after all, we were finally going to build our castle on a hill.

However, there were still a few fairly major barriers between us and the project. The most notable of which was selling our existing home.

So once again the project was locked away in my ‘BIG HAIR-BRAINED IDEAS THAT WILL LIKELY NEVER COME TO FRUITION BUT I WILL THINK ABOUT THEM FROM TIME TO TIME ANYWAY’ brain compartment.

No use counting my chickens before they hatch, or in this case, no use planning a new house I can’t afford unless we sell our existing house.

We decided to let you guys, the Booken Blend readers in Facebook land, know that Bullara was for sale. We posted a story about Bullara that appeared in Homescape magazine and asked you guys to share it.

Then, because of one of you fabulous humans, BOOM, it sold... in a week!

At first, we were falling over ourselves excited.

Not only did it sell quickly, but it also sold to the most delightful young couple you could ever imagine. They appear to love our home as much as we do. They have a little girl who I can see playing mums and dads in the cubby house and bombing in the pool, just as our kids have. They want to know all the ins and outs of how the passive design principles work and the history of this beautiful old girl.

So we popped the champagne and phoned our families to share the exciting news.

Then reality set in.

My house is gone.

Someone else is going to live here.

Not me.

Someone else is going to raise their children here.

Someone else is going to surround themselves with their friends and family here.

Someone else is going to dream here.

I know, I know, a house is just bricks and mortar. But it’s not really.

Not for me.

This is the home we blended our families in. This is where we got married.

Jedda was born here… breathe Lisa, breathe.

You know they say, ‘When it rains it pours.’ Well, it’s pouring here.

In the space of one month, not only have we purchased the block, sold our current home, found a rental to move to, started building a shed and chosen a building designer, but I have also started on a new program to help manage my autoimmune disease which requires me to give myself injections once a fortnight.

The first injection I have to give myself is on Tuesday.

I am absolutely sh*#@ng myself.

So right now, I feel like my brain has too many tabs open.

Things are out of control. I’m not sleeping well.

I’m forgetting things like Crazy Hat Day at daycare (sorry Jedda).

And to top things off today is a fairly significant day… my firstborn turns thriteen. We have a teenager in the house.

Somebody hold me.

Bodhi’s birthday is a timely reminder that change is inevitable.

Change is going to keep coming whether I like it or not. It might be gradual and sneak up on us, or it might hit us like a freight train.

But the way I see it, I have a choice.

I can freak out… or I can embrace it.

It’s time to embrace the freight train.

Blend it your way,

Lisa