The Beginning of the Nuthouse

The nuthouse began for us in February 2003 when we moved all our goods and chatels, loaded up the dogs and set off for a life on the mid north coast. We had purchased a 13 acre, 1000 macadamia tree orchard in Valla, approx 10km from Nambucca Heads in a beautiful green valley. When we woke up on our first morning in Valla with the sun streaming through the window of our large bedroom we thought we had died and gone to heaven. The rolling green hills and fresh clean air was a stark contrast to the red dry dust we had left behind in Parkes. When the hammer went down on the last of our collection at the clearance sale in Parkes we felt a bit empty and lost. After all, this had been our home for 23 years. We had bought up our three boys, run a successful electrical business and managed a small farm for all those years. We had a big tie to Parkes with me working at the local vet clinic for 18 of those 23 years, and lots of friends to leave behind.

We have now been here for 5 years and have loved every minute of it. The work is pretty constant, but a labour of love. I will portray a shortened life story in my blog over the next few pages. Hopefully a few photos too. Also I want to include a few of my short stories I have written and poetry I have penned for family and friends on special occasions.