We started 2014 in the best way I could imagine, off the grid.

My little family and I escaped up Coal and Candle Creek, and Smiths Creek for a few days of R&R on the boat. When I say ‘escaped’ I really do mean it, there is no phone reception in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park which means no phone calls, no Facebook and no Instagram.

On the boat we are completely self reliant on the house batteries and water tanks, true off the grid living. I hope for our home to be this sustainable one day.

Right now Lara doesn’t know how lucky she has got it. But I’m already telling her to make sure she doesn’t take it for granted.

Mark and I both dove head first in to novels in the way that is only possible when on holidays. Lara wrote the book “slept like a baby”, adding her own subtitle “on a boat”. If it wasn’t for the fact that I completely relax and get really sleepy when holidaying on the water I would have been worried about her. But it was all Lara’s sleeping that meant I got to become engrossed in a novel for the first time since becoming a Mum.

I have read a few books since having Lara, but I really had to make a conscious effort to pick them up. And honestly I was more interested in mindlessly scrolling through photos on Instagram. However, I was given books for Christmas by a very well read lady who knows how to pick a book that I can’t put down. And she did it again.

Police by Jo Nesbo is a book in a series of Harry Holt novels. I just about finished it in three days out on the boat. I have two more chapters to read. However, since returning to the real world (home) all my household and gardening chores are yelling at me again. Just not as loudly as Lara when she is hungry.

So why am I blogging instead of reading them you ask? Well, it is kind of strange, part of me is really keen to know what happens. But the other part of me will be a little disappointed and wanting to run out and grab the rest of the series as soon as I finish it. Hopefully I will be able to make time to write a book review when I have finished, but we shall see.

Our three day holiday up Coal and Candle Creek, and Smiths Creek was exactly what I needed. Getting off the grid has an amazing way of recharging the human batteries.

As a stay at home Mum, Christmas and New Year was fun, but it didn’t feel like I was on holiday, honestly, I was ‘working’ harder. We were socialising more and all the housework still needed doing. So getting away from it all was bliss. We did hardly anything, and saw plenty of eagles and signs of fish. It always makes me happy to see how healthy the wildlife is. We were also lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to witness a display of skills that was seriously cool-see photo below, no zoom required.

My favourite part of the holiday was sailing back home and showing Lara how to hold the wheel as I steered us up Pittwater and towards our mooring. Whilst I’m not wishing our little ladies life away, I am looking forward to teaching her how to sail. Something tells me she is going to be great at reading the breeze, because she already smiles and sticks her tongue out when a gust hits. No doubt she will be a better sailor than me before she hits ten and will kick me off the boat soon after. Where have the last three and a half months gone?

To see what is growing in my backyard farm click the link.

Want to read about parenting, click the link.

For restaurant reviews click the link.

Tips and tricks for sustainable living.For a shortcut home click here.