The Holiday House

The Holiday House

I got to thinking of our house as the holiday house last year.  It was in Winter when all of the tasty hearty food magazines came out with stews and puddings and cosy ideas.  It made me realise that our house, though being obviously country, has never really had a theme to me.

Our other houses previously have all had a central idea that we have either adopted from the house or brought with us, but this house has never had anything except wildlife to give it a theme.  That Winter I realised that our house is pure weekend winter country house. In summer its no good except for sunsets and insect enthusiasts, but in winter, with the wood fire and country kitchen beautiful blue sky days and straw coloured winter grass, its the kind of place people would pay to go away to as their holiday house.

It makes it easier this way, on weekends after working a 60 hr week and virtually seeing nothing of home (especially in the day light), to wake up on Saturday mornings and to have 2 days at 'the holiday house' it makes me feel like we have a little part of paradise that is so hard to capture.

If we want we can stay at home the whole weekend and not go out at all, with the whole silent place to ourselves, or we can go on a 4WD on our own part of the property and not have to use any public roads. We like to cook up hearty winter country foods on these days like cassoulet or just pork belly with roasted winter vegetables like parsnips and brussel sprouts. In the afternoons we indulge in cheese and pate and our new favourite baguette from Woolworths (there are no good bakeries around us - I am not committing treason).

This is what makes things bearable, what makes it all worthwhile.  This house comes with this job.  This job is demanding, but we have the best deal out of all the staff houses.  And can enjoy a total winter escape package for no more than our weekly rent (clever huh). Guests are welcome in our holiday home and take great pleasure in gathering firewood. They like to relax on the verandah and take in QLD's winter. The sky is never so blue.

At night the fire is lit and the red wine opened. You can cosy up into bed and sleep in in the morning.  A holiday home without the petrol bill or chilly receptionists.  What an indulgence.