Hi there!

Well, here I am. This has been a long time coming..
 
For years now, I have been meaning to start a blog, about my journey towards a more resilient and sustainable life in the ‘burbs. While there is heaps of information out there for people who own their own home, with plenty of space, my situation is different. I rent. I can’t just dig up the lawn to plant veggies, or construct a chook yard down the back. I have limited space, and limited money. I know I’m not alone, and I think this is a major reason many of us find it hard to live more sustainably. We feel like we are at the mercy of the rent cycle and can’t do much to change things. But I really think we can, and I want to begin a discussion about this.
 
My first feeble attempt at blogging was in Sydney. I was working 2 jobs, while also trying to build a fledgling organic gardening and permaculture business, Harnessed. I was living in a share house, an enclosed trailer parked on the street to house my ever-growing gardening tools and supplies. Only just keeping my head above water financially, I felt burnt out. I concluded that a blog would have to wait until I had more time.
 
Soon after, I was living with my partner, Kristal, in a dysfunctional rental house of our own. We were still working flat out to make ends meet- and build Harnessed into something sustainable. It was hard, but we were getting somewhere. Then along came Sophie, and the phrase ‘not having time’ took on a whole new meaning. Still no blog.
 
Just after Sophie’s first Birthday, we got news that the lease on our rental would not be renewed, because the place was falling apart. We made a big decision to change our trajectory. With no money (but a bit of credit) we moved to Brisbane where we life is more affordable and the future more prosperous. Now, seven months later, we are just beginning to feel like we are getting ahead again, albeit with a debt from the move and a large workload to pay it off.
 
It would be so easy to find more reasons not to blog right now. I work full time, and have had to start my business all over again on the weekends. And I’m determined to be present- in mind as well as physically- as Sophie gets older.
 
But of course there is never enough time, is there? So in the spirit of following permaculture principles (which I will get in to, I assure you), I am going to start, small and slow, and just see where this whole blogging thing leads.
 
So let’s begin!