We all have choices in life, don't we?
Recently I joined a dear friend out for breakfast with her
friends. I know these other women and
they are lovely people. We are quite
different but that’s OK, the world needs different people. I was bemused as they judged my decision to
own a pure bread Scottish Terrier, gasping at the cost. Declaring they could NEVER afford something
like that. I chuckled as I looked at
them with their faces fully made up, hair styled and dyed, clothes on
trend. Showing each other the beautiful jewellery
their husbands had bought them, driving their new cars, discussing their
husbands footy season tickets.
Their choices resonated with them, mine with us. Which is OK.
When we say “yes” to something, we say “no” to another. But I did find the conversation amusing, none
the less!
You see for us, Aggie the Scottish Terrier is not just a pet. She is something we get to experience. She is a part of the family yes, but she is
also a teaching tool for our family.
Aggie, will be a breeding dog. A
partner for her will be carefully selected, genetics thoroughly researched so
her offspring will have strong, pure genetic lines. Our aim will be to preserve and strengthen the
breed. Her litters will be well spaced
out, and kept to the very strict pedigree standards. Our boys will learn about life, birth,
finances, about vetinery medicine, the development of puppies. They will learn responsibility, to care for
something dependant on us. They will
learn to love and to say goodbye as we find good homes for the puppies.
But these are all choices, and we all have them.
Recently Grant and I have made another choice. To change the way we are selling the
shop. To sell the lease of the business
whilst holding onto the building and renting it out. This is not ideal for us, it will leave us
with a small debt, the rent will cover it.
But none the less. But it does
put the business into a completely different price bracket. We have also accepted the grim reality that
business’s in this area are currently only able to be priced 1.5years profit,
rather than the traditional 2years profit.
In the long run it will be fine, short term it will be financially
tougher.
But we can choose to hold on having our focus on making as
much money as possible. Or we can choose
to live the life that resonates within our heart of hearts.
Luckily I don’t care for fancy clothes or shoes huh?
It also means that when we buy a farm it will just be land,
there will likely not be a house on it – probably not even a run down little
one. Which in one hand means we get to
build, and there are some interesting, cost effective options out there for
someone as handy as Grant. But who on
earth will ever rent to a rowdy family like us when the time comes? 3 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats and a flock of
chickens…..! I think it pays not to
think about it.
On the home front we are happily working in the new veggie
patch. I had a good friend come
yesterday and I was thrilled to send her home with lemons, grapefruit, spinach and
some home made lemon curd. We have
brought manure into the first section of the veggie patch and turned the soil
and planted it out with a few winter veggies.
Carrots, broccoli, cauli, cabbage, spinach, kale and marigolds have gone
in. The mulch will go down once the tiny
seedlings are a bit bigger. It’s a bit
of an experiment this patch. I think the
soil needs more work, Grant thinks it will be fine, though it will improve over
time. It’s not an ideal time of year to
plant, but we have not spent much and it’s a bit of trial and error which
brings us great fun.
I wonder if you are thinking carefully about the choices you are making in your life? I wonder if there are choices you havn't dared let yourself consider to be an actual possibility?
Much love,
Emma
xx
