This is where I work

I have a job.  It's not my mothering, house organising, driving kids around, everyday job.  This one is organising and tidying someone elses house and yes it's a house cleaning job.   I've been cleaning houses for other people since I was 17.  My first full time job was a Nanny/housekeeper looking after 3 children on a Cotton farm in Goondiwindi, in southern Queensland.  Yes I know those are sunflowers below but when I worked there they had only just picked the cotton and turned over the fields, so I'm afraid I don't have any cotton photo's.

I really can't say I enjoyed housecleaning, and cleaning windows and ironing were the bane of my existence, cooking a meal was a little foreign to me....but it earned me money. $150/week to be exact.  I used to drive the oldest child to the bus stop 20 minutes up the driveway and back from their home to the main road every morning and afternoon.  I would spend half a day each week on the ride on mower listening to my walkman, cutting the grass around the house and back paddock to keep the snakes at bay.  The youngest two children and I would do paint and craft activities and exploring around the property in our day.  What I really liked about my first job was being out in the bush far away from the suburbs and the city but living in a family environment.  

You see my nanny job provided me with a bedroom, food and involved me in the family's activities and a bit of adventure in a farming community.  I cared for their children and in turn they looked after me as it was my first time living away from home.

So I guess it was the atmosphere of farm and family life that drew me to the country doing what I do best, looking after children and fitting in with another family.

A few years later after I had been living overseas for a couple of years I started studying and I picked up a few house cleaning jobs.  It was a nice bit of money in my pocket while I was a student.  This job I have now is probably one of the nicest house cleaning jobs I've had to do.  The reason why I don't mind doing this job is that it gives me a little pocket money and is in a place where I would like to live myself.  It's half an hour away from where we live now, but it's in the rural outskirts of Sydney.  There is natural bushland all around.

There are fruit trees...

and my favourite Autumn trees, Liquid Ambers and Japanese Maples.

It is peaceful, quiet and there is so much space.  I often hear the Bell birds, a donkey braying nearby and a cow lowing off in the distance but no traffic noise.

That is why I like my job, nothing to do with cleaning, I really don't enjoy cleaning, but the atmosphere that I get to soak in once a fortnight.  I can take Toby who just loves it out there as much as I do, he helps me and he gets to explore.  Toby tells me he wishes we had this house because they have stairs and trees and space (and a big house).....this is what he loves doing.

.....and a bit of this

I'm glad I'm still enjoying the things I did when I was 17, I just wish I didn't have to do the cleaning bit.  One day we'll have our own place with space, room to run, trees to climb, pumpkins to grow, Autumn leaves to romp in and to be adventurous in our own place......one day......it's still in my dreams.