Cow Poo Manor

We're about 70% moved in to Cow Poo Manor, so named for the eeeenormous pile of manure that graces the otherwise charming rural view out our new back window. Right now I'm sitting in the empty living room in our old place, where the internet connection has miraculously started working again now that we're bloody leaving.

I will miss this house so much. It was a little cold over the winter - you could see your breath in the kitchen, and the olive oil turned white and frosty. But now that spring is here the garden is stunning and the grass is freakishly plush and velvety. I've never known lawn you could cuddle up to! The gardens of my childhood were riddled with bindis - tiny evil thorny weed things that hurt like buggery if you tread on 'em. As I explained to Dr G, in Australia even the lawn wants to kill you.

Cuppa tea and a Violet Crumble in the backyard - best day ever!

Thank you a bazillion all for your kick arse comments and emails last week when I chucked my wobbly! I'm moving into Stop Moping, Start Coping mode now. I hate being a whinge bag on here but by the same token pretending all was well wasn't working too well. I think I said  before, sometimes you need to just spew out the Mope before you can start to Cope. Feeling much better now...

Oh dear... better get back to work as I can hear Dr G very pointedly tidying things up. Hehe.

Comments

[1 · Posted by ali · May 06, 2009 at 06:00 PM]

That lawn does look good enough to snuggle up on.

I love the greeness of this country. We went walking in the Yorkshire Moores last weekend, and I fell in love with all the rolling green hills..
sure beats bindis or crunchy, brown, dry grass from home!

Bring on the adventures of Cow poo manor though!

[2 · Posted by Quix · May 06, 2009 at 06:22 PM]

I always feel a bit sad moving, like the place itself is going to miss me as well! Good luck with the move!

[3 · Posted by psychsarah · May 06, 2009 at 07:47 PM]

I'm loving the idea of "Stop Moping, Start Coping mode"-you certainly can turn a phrase!! I wholeheartedly agree that sometimes you just have to get the moping out of your system. I hope the move goes smoothly, and you find things to love about your new place.

[4 · Posted by Stacy · May 06, 2009 at 07:51 PM]

Good Luck on the move!

[5 · Posted by Loth · May 06, 2009 at 08:49 PM]

I hope you're having stationery printed with "Cow Poo Manor" as your address on it. Cos that would be cool.

[6 · Posted by fat mum slim · May 06, 2009 at 09:03 PM]

That looks like lovely grass.

And I certainly know my grasses. ;)

[7 · Posted by LBTEPA · May 06, 2009 at 09:38 PM]

Never apologise for whingeing - it's part of progress (ask Barbara)!
Do get the Cow Poo Manor stationary

[8 · Posted by Denise · May 06, 2009 at 09:47 PM]

I'm scheming to send you a present for some reason so that I can get a "Cow Poo Manor" notelet in return.

[9 · Posted by Sweetie Pie · May 06, 2009 at 10:54 PM]

I can't wait to hear about the goings on at Cow Poo Manor! I would probably have to give in to the temptation to roll around in that grass. It looks so lush!

I love that mug, by the way. So cute!!

I'm glad you are feeling better. :-)

[10 · Posted by Lucy · May 06, 2009 at 10:55 PM]

Good luck with the move! I'm intrigued by the Violet Crumble - is it the same as a UK Crunchie? - or am I making a terrible type of Mint Slice/Viscount Biccie faux pas by saying that?

[11 · Posted by Sara · May 07, 2009 at 01:45 AM]

Venting is always good. When I went through my realtionship break-up I just didn't want to write about food, or exercise. Sometimes there are other things on our minds after all... ;)

Lucy, we have had both Violet Crumble and Crunchie and they are similar but different. It's hard to say why and might just be a difference in the chocolate. Plus a Violet crumble is chewier. Not 'chewy' but not 'crackly' like a Crunchie. I'm not actually sure if Violet Crumble is still on the shelves here... which makes me realise it's actually been a freaking long time since I bought a chocolate bar. How did that happen??

[12 · Posted by Shauna · May 07, 2009 at 09:46 AM]

@Denise & Loth - That is a great idea! Could have a sketch of the pile as a logo! Hehehehhee...

@psychsarah - thank you :) i'm already finding things to love, it is very quiet and you can hear birds chirping all the time. beautiful!

@Lucy - MintSlice/Viscount Faux Pas... love it! Sara explained it nicely... the Crunchie honeycomb kinda dissolves when you bite into it, whereas the Violet Crumble holds its own more.

My sister is a true connisseur and likes both VC and Crunchie as they each have their own charms, but claims that the honeycomb in the Australian Crunchie is superior to the UK.

IMHO, the ideal scenario would be to take the VC honeycomb and cover it with the Australian Cadbury chocolate for the ultimate choc-honeycomb experience.

(Rhi and I have had long and thoughtful discussions over these issues)

@SweetiePie - I got the mug in New York right here - http://www.fishseddy.com - they do online ordering. I was wandering round waiting to be on the telly and ended up buying little random objects! you can never have too many mugs I reckon.

[13 · Posted by Jovey · May 07, 2009 at 10:39 AM]

lol, I was re-reading your book not just twenty minutes ago including the "Stop Moping, Start Coping" section from your previous move out of Edinburgh. Love you mate (even if I don't comment enough to show it) but I really think you just hate moving ;)

[14 · Posted by K · May 07, 2009 at 10:41 AM]

Glad you're starting to feel less mopey and more... copey? (That doesn't sound right.) Moving, or the prospect of moving, is enough to do that to anyone, I should think - it's supposed to be one of life's most stressful experiences, after all.

Now how on earth have I never encountered a Violet Crumble? And what's violet about it (other than the wrapper)?

Actually I read it as Violent Crumble the first time. Maybe I need some coffee?

[15 · Posted by Shauna · May 07, 2009 at 10:45 AM]

JOVEYYYYYYYYYY!
Nice to see you mate :)
I was searching the blog to find the previous incidence of "stop moping start coping" and couldn't find it. Thanks for solving that mystery!

K - Good question! I think it's just coz of the wrapper! my sis and I often call them Violent Crumbles... eating them can be deliciously violent and crumbly! It came from this Aussie band called Pretty Violet Stain that I'd misheard as Pretty Violent Stain and Rhi was giving me shit about it for months, such as yelling, "WHOA that's a pretty violent stain!" whenever I spilled food on my clothes.

[16 · Posted by MizFit · May 07, 2009 at 11:03 AM]

WE <3 you.
whinebagging and all :)

couldnt love you more...unless you decided to get a tattoo?
of dietgirl?
hmmmmmmmm....

[17 · Posted by Ash · May 07, 2009 at 12:42 PM]

Hi there... I love your tea cup! Where did you get it?? And that grass does look velvety!

[18 · Posted by Shauna · May 07, 2009 at 12:43 PM]

Hiya Ash - details are in comment #12!

Miz, I'm far too wussy for tatts :)

[19 · Posted by Sandra · May 07, 2009 at 05:22 PM]

You've just reminded me that they don't have prickles (bindis in Australia) here in the UK do they? I hadn't realised that before. I remember a childhood of being quite afraid of running on the grass in case I got a foot full of them.

Good luck with the move!

[20 · Posted by demussnr · May 08, 2009 at 12:30 AM]

Good. Glad to hear it. Keep on keeping up! X

[21 · Posted by Lucy · May 08, 2009 at 09:10 AM]

@dg & @Sara - thanks for clearing up the Crumble/Crunchie confusion for me!

[22 · Posted by Alice · May 08, 2009 at 09:48 AM]

My saviour from depression and severe anxiety was knitting. Seriously! It's the best thing I ever learned to do and I know it's on your list of things to learn. I live in London but I know there's a lovely knitting shop in Edinburgh called Knit 1 Yarns. They have a website too. I think they have beginners classes as well. Get yourself along there and learn a great new hobby. I'm currently knitting for my 6 week old niece and there's no nicer feeling. :o)

[23 · Posted by Suzanne · May 08, 2009 at 07:05 PM]

Wait, isn't "Bindi" also the name of the daughter Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter? Maybe not such a nice name?

[24 · Posted by jkapp · May 08, 2009 at 10:53 PM]

moving house for me was such a shambles... used to console myself with thought of "at least I can milk this bunny for at least a weeks work of take out..."..

That just makes me smile now, these days I would only use the excuse for two days max.

oh to get wiser with age ! Good luck

[25 · Posted by Lyn · May 09, 2009 at 01:19 AM]

Hey glad to hear you are DOING something about that feeling. That's the first step. I need to do that too. Sitting in some discontent over here myself.

Hugs!

[26 · Posted by Harrison · May 09, 2009 at 02:34 AM]

I know I'm gonna be a mess when I eventually move out of home. I've lived in my house my whole life (then again, I am only 17). I don't know - I just hat the thought of someone else living in my house. The whole concept freaks me out...

[27 · Posted by Merry · May 09, 2009 at 11:25 PM]

In California, there's a town called "Vacaville." For some reason, the locals don't appreciate it when you call it "Cow Town." Points to you for honesty. :)

I suppose this means I should rename my house to Dandelion Manor or Weedville. Sigh.

[28 · Posted by Rebecca · May 10, 2009 at 12:20 AM]

Stop Moping, Start Coping is my new mantra!
P.S. Thanks to you, I checked "I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What it Was" out of the library.

[29 · Posted by ani pesto · May 10, 2009 at 03:16 AM]

So glad you've found your way from mope to cope (I'm totally going to use that as if it were my own now). I'm also loving the stationary concept for Cow Poo Manor, so many branding opportunities.

Thinking of you as you close the door to the old house and begin a new era. Moving to a new place fits rather neatly with the "I could do anything" direction.

xx

[30 · Posted by Wendy · May 11, 2009 at 08:52 PM]

Moving is stressful. If it were all about choosing where to hang pictures, I'd cope just fine. The other stuff does my head in. Hope it's going smoothly and that you love your new place as much or more than your old.

[31 · Posted by John · May 12, 2009 at 07:41 AM]

Ah, cow poo. I attended grad school and had two internships in the American Midwest. Cow poo is a big part of that time of my life -- that and learning how to differentiate with a sniff the droppings of cow, horse, chicken and pig.

I have mad skills.

[32 · Posted by Sarah B · May 14, 2009 at 05:36 AM]

Oh, I know what you mean about Australia wanting to kill you! I live in NZ for the moment, and here practically everything is benign - no deadly spiders, snakes, dingoes, or prickly grass, generally. It's so... friendly, I don't know what to do with myself. ;)

[33 · Posted by Jane · May 17, 2009 at 08:08 PM]

looks lovely! I hope you are not often downwind of the poo mountain.

On an unrelated note, have you come across Meridian nut butters, including almond? many health food shops stock it- you can look for one on their website http://www.meridianfoods.co.uk/index.asp?section=Where to Buy

[34 · Posted by Kath Stevenson · May 24, 2009 at 09:44 PM]

OK - I have really fallen in love with your writing since reading your book! Absolutely great! You are so fortunate to have such amazing people in your life. (LOL I would KILL to have a sister like yours! What a help to you she has been!)

I own an aviation company in the U.S. and good to know that I'm not the only one = WHERE did you get your tea cup?? So cute! Are they available to buy online anywhere? (Or can I buy yours?? :)

[35 · Posted by Kath Stevenson · May 24, 2009 at 09:47 PM]

Thanks! Just noticed your post with the mug info! Off to order now!!