Simply Living

inspiring

2010-03-26T14:01:00.001+11:00

Debt

2010-03-24T17:23:00.003+11:00

I need to redirect my focus to being more thrifty and reducing my debt significantly over the next 12 months.

I joined simple Savings a little while back but with out the lap top at home I find it hard to keep record. i am going to make a real effort to keep record over the next few months. I plan to have reduced debt by 30 thousand over the next 12 months.

Being a single working mother its sometimes hard to find time to keep on top of these things, but I know I need to focus more to get this done. I'll update as I go along and if you yourself have ever had to get rid of a chunk of debt I'd love some tips on how you managed it.

Its been a long long time....

2010-03-05T15:20:00.003+11:00

I'm alive, not that I think anyone reads or even knows this blog is here anymore its been doormant soooo long.

A lot has happened over the last 8-9 months. Too much to go into in one post.

One thing thats been truly wonderful is my house is finally finally after all this time, almost fully sorted and decluttered. I'll have to take some photos and upload next week, I am computerless at home at present so only on the computer at work til I get the laptop back, which has been a blessing really.

Other really exciting news, well for me anyway, is we finally uilt a chook run! Our 7 chooks have been 100% free range 9as in no run or pen) for the last 18 months if not longer and they now have a new home and they seem happy for it, our grass is growing once again and I am now planning restructuring a very large vegie patch!

Heres a pic of the chook run.

It needs a new pic, we have water and feeders hanging inside and a few fly traps and there is now a gate by the large post in the middle to get in and out easier.

Menu planning and organising

2009-07-29T00:17:00.003+10:00

I am late posting the menu plan but it is done, I have a 4 week one on our new organiser board in the kitchen.

This week form memory (cause I am too lazy to get up right now) is

- Lentil shepherds pie
- chicken salad
- Fried rice and stir fry
- osso bucco and mash
- pasta (unsure if chicken and veg sauce or justa tomato and veg sauce)
- steak/rissoles and veg
- roast (whatever meat is on special when I go to the butchers mid week)

We've been tracking all spending in our tracking journal. The other half has been doing it diligently also which is good as he tends to be the one who spends more than rest of us. I think this will bring good change.

I was rereading over at lightenings blog about how she tracks and how she tracks backwards from what she has budgeted. This is what we are going to change to doing, going to draw up a new book.

I also did up charts for household choores/every day things needing doing and popped one on the new organiser board. There are alist of about 25-30 things needing doing every week, a lot needing done every day. Some days I feel I carry an unfair weight of the household duties and kids so this will hopefully inspire the others in the house to help. Its only been 2 days but everyone is enjoying adding their intials after they've completed a 'chore'

Its very late and I am constantly complaining that I am tired. Bed for me.

Budgeting

2009-07-26T00:27:00.002+10:00

This weeks overdue task was to redo the budget. Re evaluate where we are at and address where we need to make changes.

Relationship wise we've been taking steps to see what and if change can work and if we can work together. Time will tell.

Back to the budget, it was daunting to write everything out, we included goals and ideals also. Now we have a plan. the next step is document all spending over the next few weeks/months and then reassess and see how accurate the budget is. Then we'll continue to reassess until all debt is removed (its not tooo daunting yet thank goodness)

So I will be browssing blogs for ideas and tips on saving money.

Cleaning fairy

2009-07-22T20:44:00.002+10:00

Today my cleaning fairy came.

I have an ongoing barter going on between myself and a good girlfriend. She cleans my house once a week and i do her photos, including prints etc each year (and usually photograph a friend or two for her too)

Having a cleaner when you work full time makes life a little...sorry no a LOT easier.

Didn't sort through any areas today, was too tired. I did however manage to get tea on the table again by 5pm. The kids demolished it again, they eat so much more and better when fed early. I just have ot keep it up now.

Steps towards a declutered home.

2009-07-20T20:26:00.002+10:00

I have been talking about how cluttered and out fo control messy my house has become over the past few months (probably longer really!)

So I have been taking steps to declutter. It seemed such an overwhelming task when I started and it was so hard to figure out where to start. Usually I would empty a room and focus on that, but honestly that is too overwhelming and time consuming when I work full time running my own business and take care of 3 kids!

So... I have made a decision to every day do at least 1 'spot' this spot can be small or it can be bigger. But not too big.

Yesterday I cleared out the utensil drawer, we had too many old spatulas, serving spoons and more stuff that we never use and wont use so i tossed them and washed the draer out then restocked it heatly and more organised.
I then did the plastics cupboard, this was easy as I did it 6 months ago so i only had to tos one lid that no longer had apartner and then resort it into an organised manner again.
Then I cleaned up the backyard. The lawn (well where there was once lawn) had alot of general rubbish and kids toys and just well mess. So tidied it all then swept and bagged up 3 large garbage bags of rubbish from it.

Then today after work and getting the kids from school I did 2 of the bathroom drawers and the bathroom cabinet top.
I also did one cluttered shelf in the dining room.

It might not sound much but it feels good. I am creating space within our storage. I'll keep doing this and then once a room is all sorted on the inside i can then target it completely and spring clean the room. I am hoping this way things will more easily have their 'space' and we will in the mean time also minimilise our collection of 'stuff' we simply

Menu Plan Monday

2009-07-20T17:19:00.002+10:00

a new week, we did ok last week with the menu, ended up with take away 2 nights so moved those items to this week and we changed Sunday nights as we went to a farmers market and got a yummo whole organic free range chicken to roast instead!

So this week is:

Monday - Chow Mein/cauliflour soup
Tuesday - Fresh fish, home made chips and salad.
Wednesday - Vegiue curry/rissoles and vegies
Thursday - Beef stiry fry, w/chilli for us w/out for kids
Friday - Satay chicken
Friday - Chops and vegies
Sunday - Steak and salad.

a lot of red meat this week so will make changes to that next week!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-07-13T22:44:00.003+10:00

Part of my getting back to (ok getting into/starting properly!!) organising my life is getting back to menu planning. Particularly now as a working mum running my own business away form the home I need to be more organised. I have 3 school aged chgildren and its important i find routine and organisation. I have anew list on my fridge and am getting a new pin board for the kitchen to put dsome of my new orgasnising tools into place. One is a 4 week menu plan, which will usually be filled in one week in advance (but having 4 weeks means if I htink of somehting for next week i can add it right away)

This weeks menu:

Monday - Pork noodle stir fry
Tuesday - Pita pizzas
Wednesday - Spag bolognaise
Thursday - Rissoles/steak and vegies/salad
Friday - Lentil shepherds pie
Saturday - Chicken salad
Sunday - osso bucco and mash/vegies.

Another thing is trying to get dinner ready earlier. I work for myself so can leave work early if I am up to date, but being a new bsuiness out of the home (run at home for the last 6-7 years) and trying to expand at present/build a base, I sometimes need to work a little later. So on the days I can leave I am planning on having dinner ready by 5-5:30pm. I did that today and found that everyone in the house was more settled for the evening, far too often do we eat at 7-8pm which is way too late for the kids. they ate well too tonight, so well i missed out on the stir fry as I was busy pottering round and they all had seconds so I had a steak salad!

knitting

2009-07-13T20:33:00.001+10:00

do I even rmemeber how to do it?

About to go dig it all out and knit myself a dishcloth. Need to reconnect with the litle things that help me relax :)

a better week...

2009-07-12T23:34:00.004+10:00

Finding a bit of motivation again.Looking forward to kids going back to school, hoping we can all gain some more routine/organisation in our lives.I purchased and downloaded the companion from here: http://www.busymothers.com.au/
and only been using it a few days but already feeling a little more organised, still have lots to fill in it though.

Things with Joey are good, for now. I am still apprehensive though. We've ridden this ride before but this does seem different, we're focusing on getting ourselves help being respectful, and being caring. again kkeeping it simple, it is making for a happier household when we are all together.

The house is still in chaos, this week i am going to try leave work a litle earlier each day, pick kids up from school and come home and do alitle bit each day to try get back on top. I did sort stacks of the washing which was amammoth task but there is still more to go.

2 in one day

2009-07-05T19:19:00.001+10:00

Today I felt it a struggle to get motivated. In the end i Have done lots of dishes some qwashing general tidyiung and put clean new flannel sheet sets and beddingon all kids beds. Tonight I am cleaning lounge and folding about 5 loads worth of washing.

breathing

2009-07-05T14:10:00.002+10:00

something I can manage on a daily basis... breathing. moving through the motions.

Things are improving all the time, its stilla roller coaster. We still live together mostly though we share using the back of my studio for a break form each other and form the kids. Love the studio, its so clean, very minimalistic and easy to relax there.

Home is still a mess, a real overwhelming chaotic cluttered mess. I truly believe it impacts on our mental health living like this.

I need to break it down into little baby steps to achieve organisation. I am off to hunt websites for tips (not flylady been there done that hated the emails!)

a fresh start...

2009-06-14T14:38:00.002+10:00

a week and a half ago my 10 year relatioship ended.

At present we are still mostly living together as we sort the best plan of action for our children and for us.

It is a weight that has been lifted from over me. I feel many mixed emotions. sadness through to relief.

I look forward to living a life that will make me happy, whether that be alone, back with him or eventually with someone new. Not making any grand decisions on that, for now I live for me and the children, doing the best I can.

I plan to post here, some posts will be hidden for me, as a record of my growth, many posts will be shared.

I feel my relationship has been a huge contributor to my ups and downs on staying focused on my goals and plans.

This week I have simple plans and goals.

This week I plan to organise the unti behind my studio so I can stay there when needed.
My plan is to continue witht he decluttering of my house at home where the kids are.

Today my goal is to finish declutering my wadrobe. So at least every day I know where my clothes are.

its the simple little things.

a pleasant week

2009-05-17T18:46:00.002+10:00

life feels like its settling into a nice pace.

Had a lovely week, did some op shopping one morning, decided I have ben working hard so on my drive to work I thought I had no urgent deadlines so I took the morning for me and visited 3 different op shops.

I picked up a great bookshelf for eldest dd's (10) room, its in need of another full overhaul, she is such a clutter queen!
I also got a small tv that was in fine workign order for $20 for her room, she has no idea i bought this though it will be gifted to her once her room is organised. Hope she isnt dissappointed that foxtel wont work on it though!

I grabbed myself a few books fomr the the op shop also and dd2 (7) a skirt and top.

I also headed of to the good guys sale during the week, they had an extra special discount evening where i picked up a dishwasher. We have wanted one for some time especially since i am working full time now, it will just free up some time to be witht he family and get other stuff done. It is a Bosch and is a 4.5 star water rating which is good.

I treated myself to a new snapshot camera, the new Lumix waterproof/shockproof camera, looking forward to that, i hate lugging my big slr everwhere so quote simply i just dont do it!

and I got a few things for the astudio, a coffee machine and a microwave, so now I can do a big cookup on weekends and not have ot buy takeaway for lunch (though must admit the cafes near the studio are incredibly good!)

speaking of cookups this week I have been ona cooking frenzy. (did I say how much I love the seperation of work and home home feels more homely hence I have been more homely!)
This week I cooked up 2 quiches, a big pot of stovies 9a scotish dih mum made as we grew up) a beef casserole, a lentil and chick pea curry, a lentil shepherds pie and roast lamb :) I now have alittle set of caontainers of frozen lunches and we've been eating well!

Also been starting to declutter yet again at home. Does anyone else seem to find no sooner have they finished decluttering the entire house that they have to go back to the start as its building up again!!) this week I cleaned the fridge out, cleaned 2 drawres in the bathroom and the sink top and did half my wadrobe (being more ruthless this time, I am notholding on to as many older clothes, have packed a suitcase to pass onto the girls as they grow up)

speaking of the girls growing up, I measured everyone on our wall again today, dd 10 yrs is now 5 foot tall! she's pretty much as tall as both mine and hubbys mums! Pity they arent around to see her.

I am a hopeless blogger

2009-05-11T20:59:00.002+10:00

I think partly because I keep too many blogs, because I get busy and different things take different preference at different times in my life.

Anyway... I'm back, its been 4 months since my last blog post....

LOTS has happened in that time.

The biggest news is i took a shopfront for my business, so am now located at 81 Poath Rd Murrumbena, 3163 for any melbournites who ever want to pop by for a visit! I took the lease early march and spent a lot of the next few weeks renovating the place then shopping and moving in! Its still not finished but is great to finally seperate home and work. I LOVE that work is left at work and when I come home I am just 'me' not worker me. The kids like it more too I think! I'll have to get some photos and post them in here soon.

Personally lots has happened, I finally finally gave up smoking, 100% for good. Its been around 2 months now and I feel so much better for it!

I finally had my hip operation last week, it was found I had torn the ligements across the hip joint, or so i think thats what he said post op when the surgeon visited me! I see him tomorrow for a check up so will find out more then. hopefully this will mean I can start gettigng active again in a few weeks time.

Pet wise we have grown our menagerie by 2 more chooks so we are back at 7 again now. The girls are all still laying well , most giving us an egg every day. the 2 new are only 12 weeks or so old now so are living in the over sized rabbit hutch until they are bigger and can start mixing with the other girls.

We lost one of our guinea pigs a few weeks ago, poor thing, it was the one we adopted a year or so ago form the animal shelter, we knew she ws old when we got her but really no idea how old so no idea how or why she died. At first I was concerned it was neglect as with me growing the business, the hubby has been doing more round the house and taking over what was my role here as he isnt working much at all, but then found out that indeed piggy was still being fed regularly so prob just old age.

Garden wise, its in dire dire need of attention!

Houe wise, ah yep same as garden!

But life is good and I want to try post back here a bit more often.

when i was a kid

2009-01-18T16:37:00.003+11:00

I've been tagged by Donna

Basically she asks
I want to know, where were you and what were you doing when you were 17?? Tell me all (and your readers) about who you were back then. Have you changed? Did you have any idea what was in store for you? Oh and....I want to see a pic!!

The above is me at 17. At 17 I had left school (left at 16 at the start of yr 11) was working full time in a child care centre. was studying child care at tafe 1 day a week. I was insanely thin! crazy thin. I used to see a doctor to gain weight... I did eat... but also smoked a bit of dope, or actually I think I might not have at this stage yet? I think I was 18 when I started that?

I used to go 'clubbing' most weekends, cause I worked and had money. I was really sporty too, playing netball a few times a week. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Career wise or goal wise... I was just living, partying and having fun. I was not in a steady relationship, had been in one and didnt get into another one til I was a bit over 18 or just before 18...cant remember exactly.

I remember being insecure (I still am, but less so) very shy with boys. At 17 I thought would either not have kids at all or i wouldnt have them til I was at least 30 (had my first at 24-25) actually had all 3 by the time I was 30!

I wanted to travel, to go overseas (never really did, unless you count new zealand!)

I in return tag

Kelli

Jayne

and thats it :)

Simple Womans Day Book

2009-01-04T14:48:00.002+11:00

I found the simple womans daybook's blog (click header above to take you there) recently and love the idea of reflecting on the simple things in life. At taking time to look at these things.
FOR TODAY JANUARY 4TH...

Outside my window... the sun is shining, washing is drying on the line

I am thinking... how much nicer the house looks after spending abit of time cleaning this morning.

I am thankful for... my health, my lovely children

From the kitchen... I'm wanting to cook some recipes form new vegetarian cookbook I got for christmas. I made a really tasty mushroom, sun dried tomato, green bean and cream fettucini this week.

I am wearing... Jeans, barefeet and a singlet top

I am creating... a book of photos for january 09, a photo each day documenting our lives.

I am going... for a bike ride this evening when it cools down... some me time, some down time.

I am reading... The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

I am hoping... that the shop front i am looking at this week either works out or inspires me to move my work out of the home environment.

I am hearing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtqjmuUaYXA

Around the house... am doing a lot of decluttering, sorting and rearranging! Today though I vaccuumed the enitre house, did 3 loads of washing and soon to do a HUGE pile of dishes, need to get on top of it all before going back to work tomorrow.

One of my favorite things... relaxing in the tub with a good book... which is something I actually did first thing this morning!

A few plans for the rest of the week: plan to visit my grandmother, she is respite care as my dad who lives with her normally has gone on holidays. start cleaning out the front lounge room and knock out the current bar in there.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

blah - not again

2009-01-02T10:14:00.003+11:00

The kids came in crying this morning... a fox had been AGAIN!

I'm quite deflated really. We have just spent time redoing thir home, putting in new perches etc. 5 of our 6 chooks have taken to perching up high in a shelf near the back door since the last fox attack, the dog sleeps at the feet of this cupboard. they are smart really. But one liked to go into its home so we made sure she was lockled safely each night and since fixing the house had started taking the others in.

Last night we had friends for a bbq, I retired early as was tired from new years. they were sitting right next to the chook house but for some reason Joey (the hubby) still didnt shut it when he went to bed. I'm annoyed but also know he certainly didnt mean it and I know he feels terrible this morning.

We need to work on building their run asap, as much as free ranging is fun for them having the run will mean they are ALWAYS safe.... hopefully.

I quit

2009-01-01T16:00:00.003+11:00

I'm putting this out there publicly. This is something i am a bit embarrassed by! I am a smoker. Yes a revolting yukky smoker. I dont smoke a lot, smoke more when drinking but have found myself over the last year smoking more often during the day. I noticed myself creeping up to 3 packs of 20's a week, waaaaay too much!

So today I've QUIT!

Its all good so far, probably helps I had a few wines last night so certainly don't feel like smoking much anyway. I'm going to go to the chemist tomorrow and get some gum and possibly the weaker patches. I'm going to limit my drinking over the next few weeks as that is certainly when I am weakest.

I will do this!

the big EGG

2008-12-30T13:25:00.002+11:00

Our chooks live a very happy lovely life here at our place. They free range all day long only shut away at night. (though we are bulding a run as we want our grass back! and some of our garden too)

Recently we moved our chooks house form behind the shed to the side of the driveway in the backyard. Into the kids old cubby house. they weren't real impressed by this at first and took to sleeping at the back door with the dog. So yesterday hubby scruubbed the deck and the shelves they were using as a perch near the back door then put new perches in their new home and made it a little airer for summer (anothe reason i think they werte using it was cause its a bit stuffy)

Since their move a few weeks ago they have also taken to laying in odd spots, basically anywhere but their laying boxes. Today after their first night in their renovted home I checked the box and found this.

that is one big egg! It measures 9cms long, weight is over 100grams, not sure hw far over as dont have kitchen digital scales but it registers on my bathroom scales!

Hope everyone had alovely Christmas and hope the new year brings you all much happiness :)

Meme

2008-12-17T02:08:00.002+11:00

Saw this on Kelly's blog

I've GREENED all I have done

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited The Great Barrier Reef.
5. Stood under the stars in the outback, the real outback – think Uluru.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to the Gold Coast’s theme parks – anyone, you take your pick.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sung a solo.
11. Bungee jumped, jumped out of plane, been paragliding or hang-gliding, hot air ballooning – you get the idea, you’ve been hundreds of metres about earth in a seemingly flimsy contraption.
12. Visited Melbourne.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Had a child. Raised a child. Worked with children.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Been to the Snowy Mountains.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Visited the Brett Whitely studio in Surry Hills, Sydney.
20. Slept on an overnight train or bus.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Been backpacking.
23. Taken a mental health day.
24. Been buried in sand with just your head and toes sticking out.
25. Held a possum, kangaroo or koala – or any other native Australian animal.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Been in a fun run.
28. Been on the Blue Mountain cableway.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Played, or watched, summer cricket.
32. Sailed, kayaked or canoed our beautiful waterways.
33. Seen the Daintree.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Visited an Aboriginal settlement or mission.
36. Learned a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Toured the Sydney Opera House.
39. Tried rock climbing (indoor or outdoor), abseiling or just simple bush walking.
40. Visit Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art.
41. Been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
42. Sunbaked at Bondi.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Broome.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone fishing.
49. Seen Tasmania’s old growth forests.
50. Been to the top of Q1, on the Gold Coast.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Driven the Great Ocean Road.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Norfolk Island.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Guide biscuits.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone jet boating.
66. Visited Port Arthur.
67. Bounced a cheque.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Australian War Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Federation Square.
74. Been on the Murray River.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Travelled, or climbed, over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Three Sisters at Echo Point, Katoomba.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited St Mary’s Cathedral, in Sydney.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Been to Hermannsburg.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited Parliament House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Saved a pet.
95. Been to the site of the Eureka Stockade.
96. Swum in The Whitsundays.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a mobile phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Menu Planning and other stuff

2008-12-16T10:31:00.003+11:00

I missed menu Plan Monday last week and this week its now Tuesday!

OOPS!

This time of year is super busy for me business wise, filling and getting everyone's orders to them on time!! So posting on here has had to be set aside for a bit. I am really looking forward to the slow down that January will bring. I still work but its nothing like the previous months so much more relaxed!

So back to menu Planning.
I did still menatlly menu plan last week and did well. We are loving the asian omelttes, they are really really easy and yum!
The tandoori casserole became a regular lamb one as the eggplant died before I got to use it!
The rissotto was yum, hadnt made that in along long time!

This week is:
Roast Lamb
Chicken curry/japanese
Chicken and noodle salad
a bbq - simple sausages and chicken wings/pieces.
lentil shepherds pie.

and we are eating out 2 times at bbq's/christmas functions.

On other things. I made a large purchase this week. I am NOT a domestic goddess of any kind. I am one of the slckest housewives i know. I have a strong dislike to housework but I also have a like of a clean house (it can be messy/untidy though)

So I purchased a DYSON vaccuum cleaner! Extravagent? yes? I will say I got it at a good price, or so I fell. I got $280 off the retail price (through the sale and then a little bartering)
I've never owned alot of new things, partly because of cost, partly because we get handed down all sorts of things and partly because i think its a waste if we don't need it! Plus i like to shop thriftily when i can.
Our old vaccuum was a hand me down from my grandmother. No its not a heirloom or antique, just a crappy old vac! its been borken for some time, the attchment at the bottom keeps coming off and the suction... well it sucks!
Plus I hated the waste of all those vaccuum bags we seem to constantly buy!

So I am now a Dyson owner. I love the idea of a bagless vac, less waste and I can tip it now into my worm farms or compost.

Menu Plan Monday

2008-12-01T19:43:00.001+11:00

Had a very chaotic week. Last weeks menu only 1 thing got cooked form it so the entire thing is doing a rerun since I have everything to make everything already!

- Chicken rissotto (mushroom, spinach, pumpkin leek)
- spag blognaise
- asian style omelettes and quiche for kids.
- tandoori lamb casserole
- lentil curry (carried over form last week - will be made for hubby and my lunches)
- chicken curry - japanese style to use up some cabbage.
- leftovers and salads throw together (to make use of the sald stuff and any leftovers during the week.
- cauliflour soup (cause I just peeked and there is a full head of it stashed in the fridge vegie drawer!)

- I also am going to bake some zuchini and choc chip muffins this week for school lunch snacks and just extra snacks.

The Simple Woman's Daybook.

2008-11-27T12:39:00.003+11:00

I found the simple womans daybook's blog (click header above to take you there) recently and love the idea of reflecting on the simple things in life. At taking time to look at these things. Especially at present when I feel over worked, am in pain with my hip and find direction to ap ositive place a bit difficult at times.

FOR TODAY Thursday 27th October...

Outside my window...
The sun is shining, the chooks are bathing and digging in the dirt in the shade...

I am thinking...
That life has ben abit hectic lately and really is time to schedule in some forced relaxation.

I am thankful for...
My husband... who took this week off work to help with the children, to take them to and from school and to give me time to rest my hip and finish my current work.

From the kitchen...
a simple quick , yet yummy bologniase for the rest of family... tonight I am going out for tea!

I am wearing...
3/4 excercise pants and a comfy tee, bare feet.

I am creating...
A recipe book for my children.

I am going...
out for dinner tonight with a wonderful bunch of fellow photographers who all volunteer for the ACOCP

I am reading...
blogs, lots of blogs....

I am hoping...
that my husband gets the job he has applied for, he so very much wants it.

I am hearing...
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=39253593

Around the house...
with my recent injury the house has gone to the.... gosh no words can describe!

One of my favorite things...
Watching our new kittens chase and play, having them snuggle and purr on me in the evenings... I was never a cat person... or so I thought.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Continue to get on top of my backload of client work, finish my tax, add some lime to the front garden beds, take some time out with the kids.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... an older picture from my files. I may have shared it before, not sure. It is from a trip to Rye in May. I escaped of the weekend with just the kids as life was feeling overwhelming and the husband and i bickering for no good reason. We spent our time walking on the beach and them playing in the rock pools, sand dunes etc whilst I relaxed and read a book. Below is 'Bushy Island' created by my 6 yr old daughter from things she collected at the beach that day.

Menu PLan Monday

2008-11-24T21:50:00.004+11:00

Its Monday again!
Doing the menu plan last week really made a difference. I've come across orgjunkie.com during the week and see they have aplanned Menu PLan MOnday each week. It looks like a great place to get lots of recipe ideas from!

Firstly as an aside, I have injured my hip. Its avery pain ful injury that means I can not excercise, that I can barely work and barely do anything really! I have been and will be posting about it and the lead up to the surgery on bitsfromme.blogspot.com . The reason I am mentioning it is one thing I can do that I do enjoy is cook. and because I will be very limited excercise wise I will need to eat healthier so to not gain back the 10 kilos I have worked hard to lose this year. Living with this injury for a period of time in the wait til surgery and the recovery wil be a very testing time personally also.

Anyway back to menu planning!
As I said last week was a success and we found we ate almost all of the vegies and fruit in the house and nothing went to waste (not that there is ever really food waste with the chooks around!)

So Left in the fridge: - cabbage (I think there is 3 of them now!), bok choy, little piece brocolli, 1 corn, cucumber, 2 eggplants.

Meat we have already : - 5-6 chicken breast fillets. half a kilo chicken wings. chicken casserole pieces 1-2 kilos

Being delivered this week- 8 litres milk, 1 block cheese, 2 litres orange juice, 5 loaves wholemeal bread.
Fruit veg box this week will contain :-

this weeks menu plan:-
- Chicken salad
- Chicken rissotto (mushroom, spinach, pumpkin leek)
- spag blognaise
- asian style omelettes and quiche for kids.
- tandoori lamb casserole
- lentil curry (carried over form last week - will be made for hubby and my lunches)
- chicken curry - japanese style to use up some cabbage.
- leftovers and salads throw together (to make use of the sald stuff and any leftovers during the week.
- cauliflour soup (cause I just peeked and there is a full head of it stashed in the fridge vegie drawer!)

- I also am going to bake some zuchini and choc chip muffins this week for school lunch snacks and just extra snacks.

need to buy:-
- half kilo uncooked prawns
- 1 kilo lamb (either shouler to cut myself or diced already)
- mince meat

- rissotto rice
- ham (for sandwiches and quiche)
- sesame oil
- choc chips
- wholemeal self rasing flour
- natural yoghurt

- extra carrots
- extra apples
- bean sprouts
- pumpkin
- beans (frozen if no good fresh)

Soil testing

2008-11-23T22:24:00.003+11:00

When we fist moved here 4 years ago I turned the grass out the front inot a bvegie garden, 2 large beds. I had much success the first 2 years but the second year I also had many plants stolen, I grew from seed I had collected from the first year, raised my tomato plants up to a good size just for osmeone to come over night 2 times and dig them all out! It was disheartening.

Then last year I was going to just grow things peopel might beless likely to steal (lettuce/zuchini/herbs etc) but NOTHING would grow!
My father in law had brought in a ute full of soil and added it at the start of the season. I was suss about it as had no idea where it was from etc.

well ever since added that soil NOTHING Has ever grown out the front. the grass wont even grow back. even weeds struggle on the soil!

So this year I turned the soil added loads of compost and organic matter, then planted in piles of compost on top of all that turned soil. At first things grew well.

then they have now turned to this

Yellowed stunted unhealthy looking plants!

So I finally did what I should have done ages ago... I bought a soil test.
The girls had been using soil tests at their school as they are about to plant a vegie garden at school. So I handed the test to them and let them test for me.

This reading of 6 is from the compost on top that I planted directly in.
dig just a tiny bit deeper and the soil is VERY acidic. a reading of 4and 1/2 no good!

well this does explain what I kind of already knew. I thinnk it might be a failed garden this year. I will attempt to improve the soil but have a feeling it really is going to need to have the top 10-20cms of soil removed and to start afresh. we'll see... any ideas?

1st shopping week

2008-11-20T20:15:00.002+11:00

OK did the rest of our weekly shopping. Was easier shopping with a planned list. The hubby spoilt it though as he went out aswell after work and got some items so we went alittle over what I budgeted and ended up with a few things doubled up and things we didnt need. BUT thats ok as I also got some cheaper/discounted items so a few things will last weeks/months (the very large tin of olive oil that was on special, the extra bottle of lime juice cordial as it was discounted if you bought 2)

So no savings into the account this week but I do know we have saved from previous weeks shopping. i found we were creeping over the $300 mark way to often for our food. I know the kids eat a lot and both hubby and I eat all our meals from home (I work from home and he works funny hours so is home during the day a lot)

Menu Plan Monday

2008-11-17T17:32:00.008+11:00

Well I've gotten back into reading others blogs along with trying to make the effort to update mine.
Over at Lightening Jodie is blogging her menu planning and her shoping budget betwen now and the end of the year. I too wish to do this but will work on that for Wednesdays as thats pay day here. But will plan for Mondays.

At present we are having our fruit and vegies delivered by Aussie Farmers Direct once a week and its a mixed box that we have no choice in, we also get all our bread and milk delivered by them and orange juice and cheese. Below will be this wednesdays delivery (I can download and see online so can plan which is good)

The above doesnt quite cover all that we use so I have to top up especially fruit.
What we have left over at the moment that needs using too.
Washed potatoes, a whole pumpkin, small piece brocolli, 2 leb cucumbers, 1 bag salad mix, 2 bunches bok choy, half cauliflour, 1 zuchini, 1 green capsicum, half a red and ahalf a yellow capsicum.
Meat already in freezer - 3 porterhouse steaks (small), 3 chicken breasts (reminder must get deep freezer repaired this week as under warranty!)
Eggs in abundance from chooks.

So with the above in mind my menu plan for this week will be:
- Chicken fillets and vegetables (tonight)
- pumpkin soup (will be had for lunches)
- Lentil shepherds pie (to use up lots of the vegies)
- minestrone/vegie soup (again to make good use of last weeks excess vegies)
- chicken curry (Joeys japanese one that will use the cabbage up)
- lentil/chick pea curry.
- Pasta with either bolognaise or meatballs.
- fried rice and honey soy wings.
- quiche (lunches)
- home made rissoles or sausages/vegies
- Thai beef salad (lunches)

(I'll keep the eggplant til next Monday to use in a recipe then of tandoori lamb casserole)

What I need to buy:

mince meat (kangaroo)
chicken wings (2 kilos)

More fruit - 3-4 kgs apples and 1-2 kgs banaanas.
Mushrooms
spinach leaves
tomatoes

additional
breakfast cereal
ham for lunches
rice crackers
tins tuna
baked beans
toilet paper
hot chocolate
lime juice cordial
tzatziki dip
ham
rice
tamari

Gosh that makes shopping look affordable, will be curious to see if it really works! I plan to budget $200 a week on food as we spend over that now! The aussie direct order is $76 each week so that leaves me $124 to get everything else.
I work from home and hubby is home in the midday hours so its good to plan 3 or more cooked lunches a week if possible. This accounts for the kids lunches also.

Foxes in suburbia

2008-11-16T13:09:00.003+11:00

Yes foxes are found in suburbia everywhere. Aparently they say there is 1 fox minimum per sq km in melbourne suburbia and urban areas. So many people living in the city/suburbs feel 'safe; from foxes and don't realise the risk.
We unfortunatly learnt the hard way 7 or so months ago when we forgot to lock the chooks up one night and we lost 1 (Marg) we were very thankful it was just the one, the fox had access to all 6!

So we have been much more vigilant with locking the chooks up every night, though it is the hubby's job, its mine to let them out in the morning. (the chook shed/house is behind the garage shed, if we leave it til after dark its pitch dark down there and to be honest I am a bit scaredy cat and hate going down there after dark so thats why it is his job for night and mine for morning)

So last night I couldn't sleep. I sufer insomnia on and off. It was 2:30am as I was watching the tv thinking I should probably go to bed and try reading. I heard a few funny noises outside, one was like a cat squealing, then rustling about. I thought at first 'oh cats fighting'
so ignored it for a bit, then after a another minute I heard louder noises and then I heard a chook clucking nearby.
I raced to the window and saw the chook first, fapping about in the driveway... then i saw it.... THE FOX . I hit the window and yelled out. It froze and looked at me.
I raced to the nearby cupboard grabbed the torch and went bursting out the backyard. the fox ran off as I went running into the drive.
The chook was no where to be seen.
My heart was pumping, I raced next door and woke my fther in law so he could come help me check the chook house (was too scared to go on my own) so went and checked and all fine except one chook missing. We hunted round the yard with torches and found her eventually, hiding under a bush. She seemd unharmed so we locked them up for the night. Was then really worried about the bunnies as they live under the deck at night. and my mind kept going back to the squealing noise I heard... bunnies can squeal when terrified or being attacked. Otherwise they make virtually no noise.
I hunted everywhere and realised the bunnies were not going to come out from under the deck and just hoped they were fine.

I hopped into bed by this time it was around 3:30am. I couldnt sleep after all that and kept hearing noises and getting back up to check. Eventually I drifted off around 5am.

The hubby came home form work at 6:30am and I woke then and explained what happened, he had thankfully spotted one bunny on his way in so I felt a little relieve and went back to sleep.

When I got up finally today I went and did a check and asked everyone what animals they had seen so far in the day. Both bunnies had been spotted at some point in the morning happily munching hay out the back....phew.

I went down and checked the chook house and nearby. You could see where the chook had been grabbed and where the fox has tried to drag it over the fence... there was a trail of feathers... thanfully chook must have struggled and got free and then ran to the drive where I heard it. Lucky chook.

We discussed today that we need to make a plan for lock ups for weekends when hubby is working, we cant risk losing them over something as silly as forgetting.

A couple of the chooks taken today.

In happier news! We recently got 2 new kittens. Meet Ablett and Bartel (yes the hubby and son are Geelong fans and are responsible for their names!)

ABLETT

BARTEL

and a photo from today of our dog Tiny. Tiny is getting quite old now, she'd be pushing 15 years old. She is still spritely and in very good health, though a bit deaf and a bit blind.

and while I'm here, some photos of the kids from today.
Tiahna, who is 9... I love this, she talks with her hands all the time.

love this of her too

my 2 tree climbing monsters!
Liam (he's off to school next year, can you believe it!)

and Jaime

and Miss Tiahna pushing her sister round in the wheelbarow. Its a gorgeous day outside so am glad they are out playing. Think I might go join them again!

then lastly this....

look closely. Its my daughters bike up in the fig tree. I'm not impressed. The father in law has thrown it there.... why? well she must have left it in the driveway. thing is she has been looking for it and hasnt found it for the last 2 weeks. I had no idea, thought it had to be around somewhere. What annoys me is a few things.
- he could have asked her to move her bike.
- throwing it in the tree is a grown man having a tanty and setting a bad example.
- not telling us he did it even after he knew we knew her bike was missing is silly games.
Now I know my daughter should also learn to put her things away but I strongly believe this is NOT the right way to teach her. Her reaction to finding it in the tree was 'oh wow look, never knew my bike could fly'

now I have no idea how to get it out, its high and all tangled in small branches!

Organising and cleaning up!

2008-11-15T22:50:00.003+11:00

I've been spending a bit of time decluttering and making changes round the house.
These are some images of the play room BEFORE I cleaned it up.
I was really sick of the cane shelf, the old dining table, the couch- all are older second hand items (I dont think any furniture in out entire house is new?) the toys were all mixed up, the kids had stopped playing in here (can you blame them!)

THE RESULT!!!! We got rid of the old couch and replaced it with another one (bought for $50 at the op shop, its a sofa bed too and the mattress looks brand new/never used) no one else likes the couch, i think they have no taste cause I LOVE it :)
The corner desk is actually the top of the tv cabinet (see below) I bought it from the op shop aghain ($70 for thetop and bottom) and it fits perfectly here in the corner and the actually use it as a desk now!

the 'boys' corner. Liam is in heaven he has access to his train set and all his cars again... poor jaime is constantly being bugged to play cars with him now. thankfully she is a compliant big sister at times!

This bookshelf i bought for $15 at the op shop. its great as means everything that was on the floor is now up and looks soooo much neater and is more organised!

this is my new work office! I was working out of a shared room witht he hubby but found it causes us to bicker as we are next to each other ALL the time. Plus I like that this room is now MY space. My desk is a trestle table we used to store office stuff on/boxes etc. pity i dont have a before of this room as it was the junk room and you couldn't even walk in the door!
(the basket on the desk is from an op shop too, all the plastics (in/out trays, pencil holder etc are all made form recycled plastic.)

OK our lounge is NOT normally this shocking. Poor hubby he'll hate me for posting a pick of him downing a long neck (its home brew) watching a sports show... typical aussie bloke (LOL) - immune to the mess around him too!

and the result of a spring clean!!
We got rid of the stereo that was there and put it in the garage (and the kids love it out there now and blast the music, my poor neighbours!)
we got the new (second hand form op shop) tv cabinet. its great as the amp, dvd player and foxtel all fit packed away now. there are shelves for the dvds on the side of the case.
we moved the fitness/trainer to the toy room (probably should freecycle it cause we never use it, we prefer to excercise in the great outdoors!) put a throw/red blanket over the couch as its leather (no idea if its real leather or not another hand me down) but its been peeling off(ok the kids keep picking at it) so this looks better.
see the rocker my son is on in the edge of the frame? an old op shop buy thats bneen great, the kids love it.

next up i want to get rid of those awful vertical blinds. no idea what to replace them with though but they do need to go!

returning

2008-11-12T15:31:00.001+11:00

I'm returning to blogging... see you soon :)

Soup recipe

2008-08-20T14:46:00.001+10:00

You must try this, its so easy and truly really deliscious and ne the whole family will love... and best of all its cheap!

My dad emailed it to me as he came round a few weeks and made it for us. the recipe is from a friend of my sisters so i cant claim it as his or mine!

simple
1 chicken breast per 2 litres of water cut into strips and sealed in small amount of oil in pan.
bring water to boil and add "pho ga" cubes 1 per 500 ml of water and chicken strips.at this stage add fish sauce and soy sauce (about 1 tspn per 500 ml of water).
keep water on slow boil and add chopped greens. i use bok chuy, witloff or chinese cabbage but anything will do. this adds bulk but not flavour.
now add 5 spice mix. i use cardamom, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. about 1 tblspns total mix per litre of water.  stir regularly and keep a glass of wine handy so you dont lose interest.
after about 5 minutes add a handful of coarsely chopped vietnamese mint leaves and about one roll of vietnamese noodles per litre of water. i cut it in 3rds with scissors because a knive wont cut it and it is just too long. have another glass of wine and then.....
after about 3 minutes add packet of bean sprouts and have another glass of wine.
while drinking wine stir soup regularly making sure to transfer bean sprouts from bottom to top so they break down evenly. when wine bottle is empty soup is ready.
good ruck ... i hope your soup is prenty good

Buns and Chooks

2008-08-16T17:31:00.003+10:00

some recent bun and chook pics.

poor

2008-08-16T14:48:00.001+10:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Poor

Take the test!

budgeting

2008-07-10T19:32:00.004+10:00

I'm pulling the budget in tighter than ever. I really want to get rid of all our credit card debt. I wont discolse how much it is but lets say its more than most families have, much more :(

So my budget meals this week are going to be:
fried rice with honesy soy wings
lentil/chickpea curry
chicken burgers
sausages in rolls
chow mein
baked beans and tinned spag and eggs on toast
quiche
omelettes
home made pasta and tomato based sauce.

Thank goodness for our chooks. Means we have loads more egg recipes to do.

As of today all 7 chooks are now laying so we get 7 eggs most days now, or will do.

Discount/cheap meals to cook

2008-07-08T20:09:00.002+10:00

I am after loads of recipes for tasty yet cheap to cook meals.

I am on a strict budget for the next fortnight and need to keep meals as cheap as possible.

I will be shopping at aldis, the market for fruit veg etc to save but have a pantry with canned stuff and want recipes to help get through.

So what are your fav cheap meals? or cheap meal websites?

I am making chow mein one night, had shepherds pie tonight, will do a lentil curry, will do chicken wings cause they are cheap andf the kids love them but I need more ideas!

When I met Jack ... a story

2008-06-30T16:57:00.001+10:00

One morning, without notice to me, my bun mum popped me in a cage and took me out to the animal shelter.
Once there I was introduced to a rather handsome, and large, bun of no known name.
Since we seemed to get alng OK my mum purchased this new pal for me and boxed him up and took him back to our house.

Once at our house, we were placed in the bathroom together. Now I dont usually hang out in the bathroom so wasn't sure why I was there and suddenly there was this new pal there too. We weren't sure of each other at first so mum popped us in the bath tub so we were forced to be nearer one another.

at first we just walked around the tub and ignored one another. Then my new friend (who is now known as JACK) flopped out next to me so I flopped out too.

Mum thought we were becoming friends so she moved us to the bathrom floor together.
On the floor we wandered around and jack kept stamping his feet at something so in return I showed him how well i could stamp my feet too. this didnt seem to faze him much.
Since jack was all new and exciting mum's kids were hanging about and I think they made Jack feel a bit nervous. After a while mum kicked the kids out and it was then finally that Jack and I could get to know one another a bit better.

I made the first move, moving in close I bowed my head submissively to see if I'd get a bit of a smooch and a grooming.
Sure enough I did and I liked it. Jack groomed my head all over, all over my ears and my back too. I just kicked back and enjoyed it.

I was begining to really like Jack i think so we snuggled in together.

After that lovely snuggle I figured I'd repay the favour and do some grooming myself so I set to cleaning Jacks head and ears with much affection.

After being so cozy, mum scooped us both up and moved us! Where were we going???

Oh! Hang on this is MY room!
I had to do some jumping around and thumping just to let Jack know that he was in MY place now! Jack responded by thumping back and chasing me in circles. I think he was trying to HUMP me!!! He didnt succeed though!

Jack was quite fascinated by this new space and through the hard clear stuff were these strange creatures over looking us. Jack wasn't used to them. I'll need to let him know they're OK and that you can play good games in the yard once were eventually let out with them.

After a bit I submitted and dropped my head for a snuggle. I was rewarded with some more ovely licks to my head

I think Jack could feel a presence nearby!

I whispered into Jacks ear that it's only a harmless sticky beak chook!

unfortunatly it kinda spoiled the mood

before long we were back to snuggling again.

and even sharing food!

I think I like jack. He's a very handsome fellow. I've never met a bunny bigger than me before but am sure glad I have now because i think we're going be fabulous friends. How could I not love him, he's just sooo handsome!

Thanks Mum, I won't forget my husbun George but thanks for finding me a new friend now, I 'm much happier now
_________________

Op shopping

2008-06-28T19:37:00.003+10:00

I've been re-enjoying op shopping of late. I think my life works in cycles and sometimes it gets too buys and I forget to do the things i enjoy and that make me a happier person. Life's been getting back on track lately and I feel renewed in my blogging and tracking of it all.

So the last few weeks I have made a few trips to different op shops.
I did some work for Eastern access community health (EACH) in doing photos for their website and brochures etc. I had to go photograph the EACH op shop (situated on Bedford rd Ringwood east) whilst there I so wanted to look around and explore the expanse of goodies, so after I finished for the day I headed straight to the op shop and spent an hour and a half sifting through and looking at all the stuff!

I came away and sent $50.60 and was incredibly pleased with my purchases and incredible bargains!

They are all pictured above. The coat is an italian wool coat in brand new condition ($15) the poncho is my absolute fav, its pretty old but in great condition and its super cuddly and warm! ($6) There are a pair of colorado mary jane shoes ($8) a cool stripey knitted scarf in brown tones($2), a cool shirt for the hubby in cream with a brown pattern ($4) a multitude of kids books (50cents-$1) a couple of board games, all complete and only $1 each! a rain hooded jacket for the 4yr old, a long sleeve top for him also, some tins for my 9yr old to store goodies in on her shelves in her bedroom, a glass jar with cool lid(now a new coffee jar) a black poncho for the midle 6yr old. a great savings :) and some unique items found!

Tagged

2008-06-08T15:16:00.003+10:00

By Kelli

This was actually really fun and cool to do! I love flickr for inspiration

1. Dedicated to Susan, 2. Scouting the Horizon, 3. Monkey in the Sprinkler, 4. Beautiful old lady from Darap(Sikkim) village, 5. OUT17292538, 6. VinRouge - Dressed & Undressed, 7. Welcome to my place.........Scotland, 8. Rhubarb, 9. the storm within, 10. the sound, 11. nature, 12. aussie kids at play

for those of who who want t make one also

Here are the rules if you want to play too:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker).

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name
My answers are from left to right, it is weird cos hardly any of the pictures depict what I actually put in as my answer.

Freezer

2008-05-17T17:12:00.002+10:00

I have wanted a decent large freezer for a while.
We did have one years ago but it was ancient and used sooo much power.

I hate how I cant cook up meals ad freeze, cant buy some things in bulk as have no where to store.

but now I do

http://www.hisense.com.au/products/refrigeration/detailed/type/8/58#High%20density%20foaming

We did a lovely big food shop this week and look forward ot the money we'll save!

animal update

2008-04-19T19:48:00.002+10:00

I'm going to try keep blogging in here, have had a big absence but plan to get back.

I havent got recent pics but figured I'd update ont he animals anyway.

Did I post to tell you all we lost poor Marg our chook to a fox a little while back? It was so sad and all our own fault also. I thought Joey had put them away, he thought I had put them away for the night, they had put themselves away but alas the door was open to their house. Thankfully the fox took only the one chook, as it had access to all 6.
We buried Marg in the backyard under the worm farm. the kids were so upset by it all, a lesson in life and death.

So a few weeks on and I went to Myuna childrens farm wiht my kids. They had loads of 10 week old chickens. I was tempted but didnt.
I then went back a few days later and just to bring home 2 of the australorps. They were so pecked and plucked form being picked on by the other chickens that I just had to take care of them. They cost $7 each.

I housed them in the old large rabbit hutch I have so that they were seperate form the other choolks to recover. I used the old rabbit run to give them grass/scratchign time each day also.
After 3 or so weeks and when they had grown alittle and were look healthier I let them start to have short supervised free ranging time with the other bigger girls. At first they were getting very picked on so we kept time together short.
It only took another week or so before they worked themselves out.
The australorps are now 17 weeks old or so and still sleep seperately from the others and may always will but they all spend their days together without fuss.

Egg counting stopped as we get 5 eggs every day from our others. Each chook lays every day, even our now 4 year old white leghorn! I reckon the australorps will be at least another 6-8 weeks before we start seeing eggs, their combs are still black and nt changing to red at all yet.

The rabbits are incredibly happy buns who live almost permanently free ranging outside. At night they often wont come in so instead over night they live under the house (the front is blocked so they cant get out there) The hay bail is always accessable to them so they are quite happy big bunnies!

The guineas are well, just guineas! LOL. They are the simplest pet to have and the kids love them.

our dog has some sort of irritation on her back and back legs. Her fur has actually chnaged colour from grey to brown, its very strange and I think she needs a trip to the vet for a check up. She is getting on now and would be around 14 yrs old.

So there, a bit of an update!

You are what you eat

2008-04-18T21:49:00.003+10:00

I watch this show a fair bit on the lifestyle channel. The woman has a similiar accent to what my mum had so she reminds me a noit of her but I also just like her table layouts of what the family eat for the week, the crap then the healthier stuff.

So today after I did one of our weekly shops (I do two a week) I put everything out on the table and photographed it!

On the table here is

about 20 apples (red and green)
bananas
plums
nectarines
onions (red and white)
bag mixed lettuce
bag spinach leaves
bunch continental parsley
cucumber
whole pumpkin
3 leeks
bunch baby carrots
3 punnets cherry tomatoes
bag mushrooms
6 large tomatoes
packet mixed sprouts
1/2 kilo ham
fresh mozzarella
goats fetta
sun dried tomatoes
olives
anvchovies
2 jars mussels (plain and chilli)
tin sardines
1 roast lamb
1 kilo chicken wingettes
2 loaves wholemeal bread (vienna and regular)
2 litres milk (rev)
a big M
2 cans coke zero
4 ham/cheese rolls
2 doughnuts
2 packets fruit filled bars
3 tins spag
3 tins baked beans

So there you are :)
The lot cost about $90
On a normal week I'd need to add a bit more meat and another full fruit shop and a top up of vegies.
It was interesting to put it out and look at what I bought and what we eat over a few days.
The doughnuts and ham/cheese rolls arent something I buy often, I got them as a treat for the kids instead of takeaway tonight to make tea easy :)

eggs

2008-02-06T22:17:00.000+11:00

All our new chooks are now laying, not every day but most days.
The kids just love running out after school to collect them and in the mornings when they get up and let the girls out for the day.

Some days we get 6 eggs some days only 3 eggs.
The funny thing is before we probably bought 1 dozen eggs each fortnight, sometimes less only occasionally more yet now we arent yet having excess to give away as suddenly the kids LOVE eggs!
Its agreat after school snack, soft boiled eggs with toast soldiers.

Today after school I was chatting with Jaime (age 5) and asking how her day was. She said ti was great and today at school they had to draw pictures of a chore they did at home. They could only pick one so she picked and drew herself collecting eggs form the chooks :)

and we 'may' be getting more chooks and a big new chook pen and run! People over the park are getting new renters in and they have a few chooks and a big house and run that they are most likely going ot be looking for a new home for.

Small World

2008-02-02T19:11:00.000+11:00

I meant to share this ages ago!

A few months ago I had a response to one of my posts with someone asking if i went to a certain school. After a few emails we found out we did in fact go to school together for 1 year in Yr8 and we were in the same Greek class (otherwise one of us was in 8c and the other 8b)

I was sent the following photos:

standing in the first photo is ms lightening

I am the one in the grey skirt to left most of the photo sitting on the ground with the black material in hand.

In the second I 'think' the girl on the left is lightening again and i am the girl 3rd from left (white school dress bending forward) .

The play was called 'the wild washer women'.

So how's that for a small world hey!

another month on!

2008-02-01T22:45:00.000+11:00

I havent done an update for quite a while again!

I will get back to regular blogging here eventually!

I took a month off work and spent lots of time wiht the kids which was good, also went away to the beach for a week which was also relaxing (or as relaxing as 6 plus kids in a small 3 bedroom house can be!)

I'm still going along with most things.

The chooks are giving us lots of eggs and boy are they yummy! I think 2 are still not yet laying, but the rest are and we get 4 eggs most days. I'm having alittle bit of drama with themlaying where they please at present instead of in their house as they free range from sun rise til sun set!

Our bunnies and guonea pigs are great, all healthy and thriving and all the animals are giving us loads of mulch and manure for the garden. I have been heaping it below the lemon tree and the tree looks healthy now. I'll have to take a photo.

I'm participating in FebFast
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/Susan_Darcy
If you wish to sponsor me you can but please don't feel you have to. I just think its a good idea health wise for me and also to raise funds for youth drug and alcohol users.

The vegie garden is going OK. The lettuce/silverbeet bed has mostly gone to seed so i am hoping to get a fair amount of lettuce seed for future use as the guineas and rabbits love it all.
The tomatoes have been great though the chooks stole a few! I have a few plants I planted later that are just coming in to ripen now and the other ones are nearly ready to pull out.

We've been enjoying plundering the potato patch and feasting on home grown spuds! This is first time I have had success with spuds!

The garden does need a bit of work though. I need to plant more and start preparing the front beds and try to improve he soil. Everything out the front stayed stunted all season, very weird! I need to do a soil test still, I just didnt rush due to holidays and being busy.

I'm still knitting, still only dish cloths though i did knit wrap to use for photo sessions for newborns!

thats it for now. Lots more to update but will do it later :)

so much more relaxed!

2007-12-28T14:33:00.000+11:00

ahhhhh

I am sooooo pleased xmas has finally passed!

I have some time off work (ok I still have a little work but nothing like the pre xmas pressure!) and have been potteirng in the garden, spedning time wiht the kids and animals. making plans (like my list) and just feeling oh so much more relaxed!

I must get ut and get more garden photos! I did some more planting this week. Transplanted a heap of silverbeet that I planted from seed a while ago. I also planted more seed of radish, corn, and coriander a day or so ago.

I am going to fence off two more of the garden beds as the chooks are grabbing the tomatoes the moment they start to turn red at all and thats just not on :)
The rabbits have gutted one garden bed and I have added heaps of their litter waste to it so will do some planting in that soon and then start to prepare the front beds to attempt some sort of winter garden.

I havent grown a winter vegie garden before. Being in Melbourne its always a bit colder so more difficult. This year I am going to try and start a bit earlier in the hope of getting it better established!

On a side note, I have many new plans for my photography bsuiness in the coming new year. I am going to expand into pet photography (so if you are in melb and have a pet you'd like done, send me a message at pets at susandarcy.com.au as I need a few to do for free or cheap to add to the port folio! I am after a variety of pets, not just your standard dogs and cats!)

Also business wise I am really going to push the 'green' message more in the coming year through my business. So if you have a local product or service that falls in any way under the 'green' banner (I'm pretty open) then again send me an email to green at susandarcy.com.au so we can discuss some promo of your product/service!

I think I might go bask in the glorious sunshine now! its so nice to be on holidays!

101 things in 1001 days - Jan 1st 2008 - Sep 28th 2010

2007-12-22T12:29:00.000+11:00

I have read numerous blogs over the times that have aprticipated in this personal challenge. It has always interested me and I think its never really a bad idea to have goals to aspire to.

Apparently it started with this guy here
http://www.triplux.com/default.asp

So basically the rules are:

The Mission
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

So I posted it here because I thought I'd find it interesting to challenge myself to do it.

I will be starting a new blog for this challenge and linking it from here.

Anyone care to join me?

OK have now started the blog and got my list up.
Its HERE
Hoping it inspires to make changes in my life and to work towards my goals.

see they are real :)

2007-12-18T20:22:00.001+11:00

here they are finally :)

They are wet n these images too as it was raining and they were wandering in it.

they are the COOLEST animals :)

They are becoming more friendly everyday, they love a scratch along their backs and since i am mum, when I am outside they follow me in the hope food. They roam everywhere too now all day long, we just pop them behind the shed at night, then lock their home up as it gets dark.

Belle (the white one) has taken to clucking at the back door when she wants us (usualy for more food, seriously they have access to food all day long and still want more more more!)

They are laying well too. we get 1-2 eggs most days, where as at their last hoe they only laid 1 egg every few days and Marg (the brown one) wasnt laying at all anymore!

The eggs are soooooo yummy too! The kids didnt eat eggs before, now they love them! Plus they helping feed them, collecting the eggs etc, except my eldest daughter, she is still a bit unsure of them.

Far out!

2007-12-06T19:47:00.001+11:00

I think I have to accept i wont be able to keep up wiht blogging land until I have finished all my xmas rush work for my business! I just havent had time to update.

There has been lots going on.

We have the chooks, 2 to start with,m they have been named Belle and Marg. They are fab! They are laying nicely. The brown one hadnt laid any eggs at the past house for quite a while so we are pleased she is nowlaying again for us. They seem quite content though, they have come form living in a an aviary where they didnt get out in the yard mucvh at all to having a huge space that is all theirs! We've left the gate open for them to come out further into the yard but they are funny, they stick their beaks out and look then go scurrying back to their own yard!

am loving the eggs they are sooooo deliscious!

Vegie gardens are booming, picked my first tomatoes this week, jsuta few grape type cherry ones. all the plants have lots of fruit on them now and I put in some more seedlings a week or two ago. Also picking zuchini pretty regularly and ofcourse lettuce has been being picked for a while. My cucmbers have stunted and are going nowhere, might try some seedlings and see if they growe!

I had to fence of one of the garden beds as the rabbits were enjoying it a little too much. it has recovered well and is now thriving.

Christmas! My gosh when did it come round so soon!

I am so disorganised!
We are going easy on the presents for the kids thisyear. Both my girls want digital cameras. I picked up[ a bargain wiht one today and got a 7.1 mp for $115 as it was the shop stock one! Now to hunt for one for the other! I also got them high school musical on ice tickets as they are huge fans of the show. other than that they will get a couple of little stocking fillers and thats it. Liam I have no idea! I had some stuff picked out on laybuy will have to go check what it is. He is right into pirates and anything to do with sport and cars so he is pretty easy.

I hosted our big family xmas do here last week with all the cousins, aunts uncles etc and we do a zkris kringe. i gave some knitted dish clothes i made and a bottle of wine for mine. Would love to make more xmas presents but honestly dont think I have a lot of time left@!

anyway I havent eaten tea and am hungry! Promise to come back some times soon and post photos of the chooks!

bok...bok bok...bok bok....

2007-11-14T21:45:00.000+11:00

WE'RE GETTING CHICKENS!!!!!

Finally! woohoo :)

I am like an excited little kid!

My neighbour came over today and a fried of hers is moving and cant take his two chooks with him, they are still quite young and are already laying and it was either find a home or think of killign them! I said dont kill them I'll take them!

So that was all done without a thought of where they would live as we still dont have a home for them!
So then my neighbour remembers she has a large old dogs kennel and it needs a new roof but we bought it over today. (its so large it took 7 men to lift it over the fence!!) it will fit 4-5 maybe even 6 chooks in it. but we will start with just the 2 for now :)

They should be here tomorrow or the next day! Now I have to work madly to repair their new home! Will take pics tomorrow!

vegetarian lasagna

2007-11-09T17:51:00.001+11:00

anyone got a recipe for one they would care to share?

either add it to the comments or email me at
sedarcy @ gmail.com

vegie garden and thinking of going vegetarian.

2007-11-06T11:34:00.001+11:00

Many years ago I used to be vegetarian. I made sure I ate a balance of foods to try to make sure I got the vitamins needed. I obviously lacked in something though as I was comepeting in competitive sport and a few times I passed out after competing! Not good. I also found I craved steak, yes bad, but its always been a food i really love. I could live without all other meat happily if i could eat steak occasionally.

So anyway. Lately we have been making more and more vegetarian meals. Joey and I eat out for lunch once or twice a week and we almost always choose vegetarian options now. We found a fab little cafe in upper ferntree gully called Tastee Az that has the most yummy vegetarian meals (they serve meals with meat also) and we now go once a week to make our way through there very tastee menu! I highly recommend anyone in the area to go and eat there you won't be disappointed, plus the food is reasonably priced.

So in all this I have been thinking about taking the step back to being vegetarian once again. For me it would be primarily for health reasons, secondly for the environment and thirdly for the animals. Is it unethical if I chose to eat meat on the rare occasion? like when at visitors who just find it too hard? at social events when there is no other option? and once in a while to curb my steak cravings? Give me your thoughts :)

Now on to a yummy recipe.
I made a vegie quiche this week which was soooo yummy!

Here is the easy easy recipe I did this time.

I used a square baking tin.
Put down a sheet of puff pastry.
then layered in the cut up vegies
Tomato
mushroom
silverbeet
red onion
red capsicum

then some crumbled marinated fetta

then relayered the vegies again
then topped with more marinated fetta and some asparagus and grated cheese.

then mixed 4 eggs with a little milk and cracked black pepper and poured over the top.
bake in the oven til risen and firm and brown.

then eat!!!

It was really yummy!

This is it with just the vegies layered in. I got busy and forgot to photograph the rest!

the garden is booming along out the back. I need to retie the tomatoes and transplant a few of them.
I posted apic just after planting about 2 motnhs ago, they sure are doing well here!

Int he pic above you can see the main tomato bed at the front which also has some basil, chilli and parsley in it. All growing well.
Behind that is a bed with more chilli, spring onions, cucumbers, beans and some lettuce. also tomatoes that have sprouted from previous years seed in the soil that I need to transplant this weekend.

to the left of the picture not in the built up beds I have zuchini growing and pumpkin and parsley and mint. to the right I have strawberries and another pumpkin (the pumpkin is a smaller variety that wont take over the garden hopefully! Its already flowering too.)

the back bed is the main lettuce bed which also has carrot and parsnip growing now and more silverbeet and radishes.

I'm really disappointed about the front beds, everythign is still not growing and just dying off :( I figure I am just going ot kep adding to the soil and keep trying. I probably should buy and do a ph test to see what is up with it.

Oh I picked and ate a snow pea yesterday. I was lamely excited by it :) pity the plant is out the front and joining the others in dying off so not sure if I will get much more thsan the one pea off it!

echo echo echo.......

2007-11-03T23:50:00.000+11:00

Yes yes I'm here :)

Thanks for the messages asking after me :)

The biggest reason for my absence in posting is that this time of year is the busiest for me business wise. I am behind business wise also which isn't at all good. Everyone wants photos in time for xmas, every year I say I will organise it better and havent managed yet again. I will rectify it though and I will get on top. Plus I am shutting up shop for 6-8 weeks over december/Jan to be ready to start afresh all organised in the new year.

Now lets see, other than work.

Queensland:
It was really great! I worked but most of my jobs finished by 10am so I had the days to explore. I drove all along the coast (from Brisbane down the gold coast) and also drove inland and through the part of the hinterlands and Mt Tambourine. I loved tamborine it was gogeous!
I sipped wine with new friends often and ate fabulous often too and I made the most of my child free time but just enjoying the peace.
Poor Husband at home ended up haivng to deal with 2 sick kids with gastro! Oh well, he definitely had a new appreciation for me once I got home!

The Garden:
Out the back is growing great! My Tomatoes are thriving, I also have them self sprouting everywhere form lasts years crops so have transplanted some and given some away.
One chilli plant died but the other 2 are going really well. zuchini, pumpkin, cucumbers, beans, lettuces are all going great. some of the capsicums are thriving too.
Out the front is a different story.
I think the soil sucks! I used mostly a heap of dirt we got from someone who mulched a tree. The father in law brought it home and I didnt really want it at the time but hoped it would be OK. I added manure and compost and blood and bone to it but nothing wants to grow in it.
Everythign is turning yellow and dying and just stunted in growth. I am now adding lots of the animal litter to itin the hope it improves in time. i am going to transplant heaps of the self seeded tomatoes to it and just see what happens. I focused more out the back this year anyway.
Oh my potatoes out the back are booming too as is my passionfruit. I have recently planted a heap of seed too - radishes, silverbeet, spring onion, parsnip, carots and some lettuce out the back beds too and they have all sprouted now.
My lemon tree seems to have coped so far wiht the heavy prune I gave it and is starting to show alot of new growth. I pile most of the animal hay and litter under it all the time too so maybe thats helped.
I reconnected the hose fomr the washing machine this week too as the grass is already starting to really brown and die, earlier this year!

The house:
is CHAOS!!!!!!
Because I am snowed under wiht work the house has been sorely nelgected!!!! I just aim for the bare basics each day and am happy if that gets done. I think I might to get osme paid help in to get back on top :(

The Kids:
are all great!

The animals:
are all growing! Stella the rabbit is gorgeous. she free roams out the back now as well as the house. she eats form the vegie garden but doesnt demolish it, probably because there is plenty there. The guinea pigs are all gettign bigger and healthier.
The dog is the same old same old. actually we realised she is getting old! she is about 13 or so now!

The worm farm:
takes care of itself mostly :) I just add every few days and they are multiplying well now!

Op shopping:
I still go most weeks, if not more than once a week. Its my release! I've picked up loads of great books and stuff for the kids. When i have more tiem I'll start reposting my bargains!

Oh I am still knitting, still basically, nothign fancy but i am building a collection of dish cloths now and I find it really relaxing!

NEWS!
After much discussion we are seriously considering selling in a year or so and moving into the Dandenongs! very exciting!

I am sure there is heaps I have forgotten but will try to get back to more photos and updates :)

Just so you have at least one photo here is my Bunny Stella, taken this morning in one of the vegie gardens.
isnt she pretty :)

Slack Blogger :)

2007-10-16T21:25:00.000+10:00

Just a note to say I am back from Queensland, it was fabulous! Will update more later in the week as have ocme down with a throat infection which isn't fabulous!

School Holidays

2007-09-27T10:28:00.000+10:00

I have been a slack blogger.

It is school holidays here though so we are busy!

Oh also I am going to Queensland from the 8th - 14th October. I am staying in brisbane and also going to the Gold Coast. I will be CHILD FREE! I am going on my own as am going for a girls weekend and also working (doing family portraits for people), I will have some spare time though and I have never been to Queensland before. i will have a car too so am looking for any suggestions on places to visit that I might enjoy. I am not interested in theme parks or the like being on my own.

So yes, it is school holidays. I bought the girls a knitting nancy each and they have been learning hjow to use them, also Tiahna, my eldest, has been learning how to knit.
They have been recording the goings on in the garden and wiht the animals in their Nature journals which they enjoy. Also both girls have started making their own scrapbook albums which has helped pass time away.
Liam has been outdoors playing ball, soccer, cricket etc at every spare chance, he is alittle bored though and I must find some 'boy' things he can enjoy.

I've been busy in the garden, doing a lot more planting of seeds and seedlings. I have planted out a guinea pig and rabbit garden out the front which so far has celery, coriander and parsely in it.
I planted out more capsicums, more tomatoes and some corn seed and sunflower seeds.
The silverbbet has all srouted out the front beds, the snow peas are going along really well and all the plants I planted in the first backyard bed are booming along nicely. I need to stake the tomatoes sometime today and plant out the other seedling I got during the week as we are about to get some good rain over the coming days.

Must get back in with some updated garden images soon!

Guinea Pig Home

2007-09-22T21:04:00.000+10:00

I bouhgt the guinea pigs a new hutch from ebay last week. Its really great, its 2.75m long and 70cms wide so heaps of space for the 3 little piggies to run around in! Plus it has an area undercover and also an area with no bottom so they can munch on the grass at their whim :)

I did have ot make some adjustments ot it though.

This is it as I picked it up.
Before shot, it came in 2 pieces. The main hutch part was fully enclosed with wire so I had to remove it form the end where the hutch was to attach on.

Inside the hutch BEFORE. It has a wire bottom and is just a bit too open for the piggies.AFTER:
This is the first after shot, before puting the last bits in.
I went and bought some timber and got my neighbour tocut it for me with his electric saw.
As you can see I enclosed the sides in more to protect them form the weather more.

I added string to the roof atached to the frame to make it easier to leave open.
The renovated inside :)
I covered the entire floor with wood.
Then I built them a covered home/sleep area (the box bit) and they will have a ramp (its there but I took it out after the photo as itsd not attached or safe yet)
The box part comes out easily for cleaning.
All finished with the piggies inside.
I bought about 10 metres of fleece from the op shop during the week and am cutting it up an trialling it for their bedding. under it is newspaper at the bottom then nappies on top then the fleece. this should mean cleaning is easier and not needed as often (before i had to do a full hutch clean every day)
There is a tray with paper and hay inside the box also.
They LOVE it!
They started running around and jumping all over the place like mad when we popped them in there.
they have sooooo much more space then they did before and I have been watching them tongiht through the window and they are consatantly back out to the grass for extra munching (even though I picked a big handful and added their daily veg to the covered area!)
My second kknitted dishcloth!
Love the colours, I want to knit myself a head band from the same cotton.
This one was much larger/longer than the last as Joey requested bigger cloths.

another piggy :)

2007-09-16T19:37:00.000+10:00

Yesterday my middle daughter and I had some time together so we headed off to the keysborough animal shelter andJaime picked out a guinea pig for herself.
This is Ginger (middle guinea) and she starting to settle in here at home. There has been a bit of nippiong going on as they assert who is the dominant piggy which clearly being an adult guinea pig, has become the head of the trio.
I today gave them a nice bath each and a blow dry and did a thorough clean out of their hutch. Am bidding on ebay for a bigger hutch too now.

Also our rabbit has fallen in love with our dog! I am cracking up laughing here watching them play with each other and Stella is doing binkies all over the place showing her happiness.

Knitting, gardening and more new pets!

2007-09-13T14:05:00.000+10:00

I haven't been a very good blogger recently!
I've been a bit flat emotionally, need to see the doc to discuss my meds. But then again it is also that time of the month so maybe thats all it is.

I have been busy again though and have lots to update on!

The wrom farm is coming along well. I havent set up the second one yet but will soon. I give the worms food every few days to once a week and they are getting it though most of it now. You can see a mouldy apple in there the kids add to it sometimes too!

I planted tomato plants and some basil and chilli and a mini capsicum in the front bed of the new beds. Yes they are bought seedlings, I am going to grow more by seed though too, we just eat loads of tomatoes in the summer season and I magaed to grab quite a few different varieties including some heirloom toms and some diggers toms as seedlings.
My parsely self seeds each year and i always have an abundance with our new animal friends enjying it I have made sure i am transplanting the constantly emerging seedlings as they grow so we have an even more plentiful supply.
The radished are coming up more each day!
The snow peas are coming along very very nicely.
This is the potato bed and I also planted parsnip seed at the far end.
Last weekend the girls and I went to the market shopping for new pencils and a visual diary for them to make into their 'nature diary'
Each of them decorated their books and are journelling some of the things we are gorwing, writing about our pets and writing about any projects we do.
This week are growing carrot tops!

and here is my beautiful bunny Stella again. She has settled so well into our lives. we love her dearly :) She is a indoor house bunny mostly though she has a run outside she goes int for some sunshine and grass munching.
nibbling parsely leaves, one of her fav snacks!
and yes I am a sucker! We have 2 more new additions ot the house!
Meet 'Puss'
and 'Boots'

our darling new guinea pigs. Puss is just 5 weeks old and Boots is 12 weeks old.
The kids adore them and they are much more kid friendly than the rabbit so Stella is happier too :)
Plus I have so much more animal manure and hay for the compost and garden beds now.
I found a good cheaper produce store yesterday too and I will be growing a lot of their food for them.

Oh and my sugar n spice yarn came in so am part way through knitting my first dishcloth!

Busy

2007-09-06T23:34:00.000+10:00

Not much of an update.
Been busy working. Built a mini run for Stella, who bny the way is slotting nicely into the family. I think she may be living indoors a fair amount in the long run, just have to work out living arrangmenets :) She now comes to us rather than running away and will be hand fed too now. She loves being outside in her run and burows in the hay and jumps about.

Garden news:
the cucmbers in the hot house have finally sprouted!
the radishes out the front have sprouted too.
the snow peas are growing rapidly now out the fornt too.
I dug into all the vegie beds a heap of horse manure today, fun smelly stuff!
I planted out a diggers tomato seedling too. It had been in the hot house but weas time to move it as t was getting too big for its little pot.

Still waiting my yarn delivery to start knitting my dishclothes!

Stella

2007-09-01T22:39:00.000+10:00

Meet 'Stella' Our new 8 week old rabbit.
I have seen lots of rabbits being offered through freecycle and I wasn't sure about it, but I jumped for some reason on this one. I am unsure if she is a 'he' or a 'she' how do you tell?
The people I got her (we are referring to her as her for now) breed their rabbits for food for their snakes! They do let the mother keep and feed 2-3 each litter then give them away to people who want them as pets.
Stella is currently living in our bathroom. I pick up a hutch from a friend who on Monday. In time we will build a bigger one for her and will also build a run in the yard for her, thinking along the lines of a chook tractor with a wire floor, something we can move around. If I can secure the yard i will let her roam also. So far the dog is fine with her, had a sniff and then left her to it.
Her name is courtesy of the girls, Liam anted to call her Josh.

Now to teach the kids to stop picking her up! Hope she survives their over enthused love for now!

Bargains

2007-08-30T20:19:00.000+10:00

I've been out op shopping a few times over the last few weeks and haven't shown much of what I have bought in here!

Yesterday I went again (well I was in Oakleigh anyway so figured why not) I picked up this wonderful blue bag. It is in a gorgeous material and is a little bit padded. it is now my knitting bag!
See my attempt at knitting. this isn't anything. I bought two balls of wool form a local op shop for 20 cents each for me to practise on so am just knitting them out and will give to the girls for their dolls for blankets. I am also keeping my eye out for knitting needles now at op shops.

I just ordered some cotton to knit some dishcloths with from natty yarns
in 3 different lots of colours. these are some outfits I bought last week at the op shop. a gorgeous pink and cream paisley country road skirt for my middle daughter, and a gorgeous dress each for the girls.
I have also been collecting books. To list them all ouldbe crazy as i have bought os many. These 2 were yesterdays finds.

Today I also planted silverbeet seed in the front garden bed, along with some cucumber seed and radish seeds.

The carrots have now sprouted out the fornt also, so its all comign along nicely. I toasted one lot of seedlings in the hot house as I forgot to water them over 2 very warm days! I'm leaving them in there but will do another few trays of the same tpyes of seeds this week.

Oh and also its one month today since I quit smoking! yay for me :)

planting

2007-08-28T18:10:00.000+10:00

No photos today but we did plant out all the potatoes, also a passion fruit down the side right past the potatoes and past the fuschia tree.

Feeling quite knackered after yesterday.

Oh one thing. I bougth osme knitting needles and wool and am going ot give knitting a go. i visted my younger sister today and she's been knitting and she leant me a booklet on howe to get started, she reckons its easdy. I havent knitted for a very very long time so we'll see!

ouch

2007-08-27T18:04:00.000+10:00

My poor aching arms.
We had another working bee here today wiht the neighbours.
We weeded and dug the entire side of the house (see previous pictures from older post to see how weedy it was)
This is where the potatoes will be grown. (between the tank and fence)

Huge job here, dug and turned all of the soil, removed all the weeds and transplanted all the self seeded seedlings to the bed in the back.
Still more work to do but definitely getting there!
My sprouted snow peas out the fornt.

The transplanted lettuces from the part where we dug the 2 new beds.
The silverbeet will most likely go to seed now which is a good hting.
I am so so sore. and I still have a game of netball to go play!

New work area!

2007-08-26T18:35:00.001+10:00

My new work area! I love my new huge desk (Thanks freecycle)
We moved the bed into Liams room so he has two beds in his room now, not sure if it will stay there though.
the plan is to make my old office into a study nook for the kids, add a bookshelf in there and clean it right up.
We still have loads to sort but at least the desk it set up!

Gall Wasp

2007-08-23T18:50:00.000+10:00

My poor lemon tree was taken over by gall wasp! I noticed it a while ago but having no knowledge with fruit trees i wasn't sure what was wrong. The tree has been looking wrose for wear over the last 18 months so i think this is the second or thrird season with gall wasp.

Here is the tree before I heavily pruned off all of the galls.
see them? they were everywhere!
Whats left after a heavy prune. I gave it a really really good water with tank water when I finished also and will go buy sme citrus fertiliser this week for it to help it along.

woohoo

2007-08-22T19:39:00.000+10:00

We have growth!!!

In the little hot house the silverbeet has sprouted! I opened it up to water them and all of the silverbeet is poking through! The snow peas I planted in the front garden are also sprouting!

So exciting!

busy busy.

2007-08-21T20:50:00.000+10:00

I haven't posted an update all weekend!
I'll try to keep it brief.
Saturday:
was spent doing a lot of cleaning round the house, a bit of catching up. No work in the garden, just lots of sorting and tidying inside. Joey also took the kids to see the Simpsons movie and I got a few hours peace!
Sunday:
More cleaning was done (some days it feels like it is never ending!) then it was out into the garden!
The kids helped build one of the top vegie beds and turn the dirt.
I then emptied the compost and moved it and gave it a good turning as I refilled it. i also was able to get quite a few buckets of it to use on the garden beds. I then trimmed the lemon tree, it has some strange growth happening, bulbous bits? might have to look it up and see if its something bad or not!
Here are the girls hard at work.

Jaime loves helping in the garden and seeing what friends she can find.

My little man and his cheesy grin, gone are the days of natural images of him, you have to fast or you get the cheese!Monday:
Went op shopping with my sister. Got loads of great buys. Havent taken pictures but got loads of books, some parenting ones, some cooking, some gardening. Got some great outfits for the girls, skirts and dresses. I got myself a new handbag (will take a photo during the week and post it) I also went shopping for an outfit for jaime for book week parade.
I picked up some seed potato too for planting, 1 kilo of it. Now need to get that bed ready down the side of the house.

Today: The girls had a bookweek dress up day at school today. They had to choose a character form a book and dress like them.
My eldest Tiahna, dressed as a netballer as she is reading the 'netball diary' and jaime dressed as 'Holly Hobbie'
Jaime's book is actually my book form when i was a child, It was one of my favs. I still adore the illustrations in it.
with her teacher who was dressed as 'puss in boots'

I so want to learn how to sew. We had to buy a hat for Jaime as I can't sew so couldn't make her abonnet. The apron and dress we scored dirt cheap at the op shop though.

water bills and worm farms

2007-08-17T22:48:00.000+10:00

We got a water bill today. We were down to 284 litres of water a day! same period last year was 410 litres a day so a good drop. Even 410 a day is ok as last year there were 6 people living here for that periods bill.

I picked up another worm farm yesterday too! I got this one through freecycle. its a can-o-worms worm farm. Figured 2 will give me even more lovely worm castings and worm wee for the garden!
Just have to get some worms for it as we don't have enough yet in the other one as its only been going a few weeks.

I got my diggers seed cataloguie today in the post too and have been looking through thinking what i will grow!

Rock Paper Scissors

2007-08-17T00:56:00.000+10:00

Joey is an only child. He has found the dynamics of 3 kids interesting at times. One thing he struggles with at times is their squabbling, fighting and mostly their inability at times to take turns without it being a blow up.

So he introduced them to
rock-paper-scissors.
IT WORKED!

Now when they get in the car and want to fight over who sits where they rock paper scissor it out instead of fighting and they accept the outcome (ok some sulking sometimes ensues!)

found this silly quiz online

You Are Paper

Crafty and creative, you are able to adapt freely to almost any situation.
People tend to underestimate you, unless they've truly seen what you are capable of.
Deep down, you're always scheming and thinking up new plans. Your mind is constantly active.
You are quite capable of anything you dream of. You can always figure out a way to get what you want.

You can wrap a rock person up in your sheet of trickery.

A scissor person can sneak up and cut you to pieces.

When you fight: No one can anticipate your next move

If someone makes you mad: You'll attack them mercilessly when they're unprepared

Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

Operation Study/Office

2007-08-17T00:04:00.001+10:00

Hmmm this post is quite embarrassing really but I look forward to the end result so am going to just share, if you think I am a pig so be it :)

So, I work form home. I'm a photographer as I have mentioned before. I spend a bit of time on the omputer editing images. I have lots of paper clutter/prints etc etc.

It's now out of control.
I hate hate hate doing my paperwork, for either house or business, so I let it pile up , and pile up it has!
This is by far the messiest most cluttered room in the house.
It's time to change that!

So this is where I currently 'chat' to you all through here :)
Some of what's in the picture:
- my mac laptop
- my ball (my seat)
- toaster (that stopped working over a year ago!!)
-all my camera bags and gear
- my client display folder and display boards
-post it notes stuck to the wall to remind me what needs to be done :)
- 2006 organiser on the wall on the right.
- books I am freecycling
- books I bought for me recently
- stuff i am ebaying.

EEK! IT's just way too cluttered, not good for the mind!

So I'm moving, I'll be joining Joey in the above room (taken from 2 views as its a bigger room)
the table on the right is coming out, the bed is going in my current office (the clutter room once cleared) filing cabinets will move to other wall and my new (well freecycle new) huge desk will go next to Joeys desk.

This is a BIG BIG job of organising and decluttering.
Will take a while.

Nice Matters

2007-08-15T22:40:00.001+10:00

I was most pleased to recieve this award today from Polly
The award was started by Bella-Enchanted

"This award will be awarded to those that are just nice people, good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!"

I've chosen to give the award to
Ali from Our Patch
Kez from Kez's Blog
Lucy from TBMM

I love reading each of their blogs and I really appreciaqte the friendliness in their comments on my blog :)

More planting

2007-08-12T18:11:00.000+10:00

Planted some cumin seeds today and planted some snow peas in the front and some carrot seed out the front in the vegie beds.

Thats about it really today!

First planting!

2007-08-11T20:19:00.000+10:00

Today we did our first planting!

Remember I mentoned the wood structure thing i picked up from the side of the road? well today I got round to fixing it up, covering it etc so that my seedlings have a safer. hopefully warmer home to start them off!

Here is the structure below hoked up to the wall so i can get in easily underneath.

Front on lifted up.
Inspired by Ali of Our Patch I cut up a used plastic milk bottle to make some plant labels. I used collected egg cartons for the punnets for the seeds and we made a seed mix from sand, potting mix and compost. I planted seeds for capsicums, cucumbers and silverbeet today. I also bought a seedling of a blck russian tomato. I have tried growing these the last 2 years wihtout success. The first year it was stolen form my yard and last year it met an early death by the whipper snipper.
The end product down in place. I have plenty of room int heir for seedlings and some plants too and its in a good spot to get sun. My original plan for it was to be a chook tractor but it can always be converted to one if this fails and we want to reuse it :)
My eldest is at Rye for the night wiht some cousins and her two grandpas. So it was just these two today. they were so good and helpful really. They spent loads of time outdoors today and even when the rain didnt bring them in!

Recipe Book

2007-08-10T00:31:00.000+10:00

Today I helped a good friend wiht a bit of packing as she is moving into their first home!

In the mormning I got up and decided to clean up a bit before going and then figured I'd cook too.

Yestrday I missed the osso bucco due to Joey being out for the night so we did take away.
So today i cooked it.

I photographed as i went along as i am thinkig I will make a recipe book for the kids with all my fav recipes for them.

This is Osso Bucco.

Brown Osso Bucco in a pan and lay in baking dish.

dice up
-1 carrot
-1 onion
-2 cloves garlic
-2 sticks celery
- 1/4 red capsicum

In a pan, cook diced vegies until slightly softened.
-add around 1 cup of wine (choose a wine you like whether its red or white, amke sure you at least likethe tatse!)
-1 chicken stock cube (or 1 cup of chicken stock)
-1 large tin chopped tomaotes (or fresh tomatoes if you have them)

Cook for around 10 minutes on a medium to high heat.

Pour mixture over Osso Bucco and cover with foil and bake. Preferably ina slow oven for many hours, if not ina medium to high oven for 1 hour (ours today had 4-5 hours in a slow oven)

serve with mashed potatoes and steamed greens (we had silverbeet from the garden, about the only thing currently growing !)
FREECYCLE is cool :)
Check out these gorgeous cannisters I picked up today! They are like new and are really lovely! I also picked up 2 dripper hoses yesterday form freecycle for my vegie garden.
I also went op shopping today and yesterday! I picked up this great little enamelware/cast iron pot. Its made in poland (or so it is stamped) I initially bought it to use a pot for a plant outside (have been collecting enamelware pots for this in different colours) but now I am not sure if i want to keep it in the kitchen instead!

I picked Liam up some dinaosaur activity books which he will love as he is dino mad!I also bought myself a heap of different books over my travels.
I LOVE hunting out books in op shops. i am drawn to cookbooks, gardening books, sometimes novels, books that I had in childhood etc. I love reading, love researching, love learning and books fulfill all of those things!

Some of the titles i bought:
The Australian heritage Cookbook
Australian counrty style -country rooms
The complete gardener
Natures super foods
and many more!

Market day.

2007-08-08T09:19:00.000+10:00

Yesterday was market day. We live near the Dandenong market and we try to get there each week on a Tuesday to stock up on fruit and veg for the week. It saves so much money when we do this as prices are quite competitive. We usually try to go an hour or so before closing as prices drop even more.

They do have an organic section but lately prices have been insane in that area and unfortunately my budget doesn't stretch to accomodate me there. I do head there first though and pick up what I can.

Some good bargains from the rest of the market though were
$1.99 kg broccoli
5 avocados for $1
apples and pears for $1-1.49 kg
big large head of cauli for $2
big bag of baby carrots $1
Bananas a bag for $2

and much more for good prices.

With 3 kids we go through a heap of fruit anf veg each week, we always have to shop 2 times each week for them. Its great that we eat such variety but without the market we wouldnt be able to afford it some weeks.

Yesterday I also took the bagged up lettuce to school, in all I gave away 6 decent bags of lettuce and still left myself with 2 bags. the mums were most appreciative!

I also checked out my local fishing store again and this time they had red worms in so i grabbed a punnet and brought them home and added them to the worm farm.
The worm farm is going well. We haven't been feeding them a lot yet as they establish. But they are starting to eat there way through what I give them.

I'm heading out this afternoon to get osme plastic to cover my mini greenhouse/seed protector :) Will post photos once I am done!

Frugal Award

2007-08-07T10:03:00.000+10:00

Thanks to Robin for nominating me for a Frugal Subversive Award!

I am not on par at all with most of the other bloggers who have also recieved this, but my naturally tight arse ways have obviously led me to this award. Hey can only be good :)

In turn I nominate

Kez
Lucy
Ali

If you are given an award and want to take part in this meme, you can in turn select three other bloggers who have inspired you to be a frugal subversive. Passing the rules on with the award will make it easier for everyone to participate. Congratulations on the award. I hope it helps you spread awareness near and far.

MEME RULES

1. When you are tagged, write a post with links to three blogs who have inspired you with their frugal creativity or innovation.

2. In your post, please link back to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme and save the award graphic.

3. Leave a comment or message for the bloggers you’re tagging, so they they know they're received the award.

4. Display the Frugal Subversive Award badge to identify your blog as part of the movement that is turning its back on consumerism at any cost.

Thanks to Rhonda at Down to Earth

Neighbours

2007-08-06T21:34:00.000+10:00

When we were looking to buy a house a few years ago we never imagined we would live in a street like we do now. Actually when we I first found this house Joey didnt want to come look at it as it is a weatherboard. I convinced him to come look and we both fell in love with the place straight off!

We live in a court (or cul-de-sac) and we live down the bottom in the bowl. I remember in the early days of living here a few of the neighbours came by and said hello, they all introduced themselves if they saw us in the street. In quite a short time we soon knew everyone in the bottom half of the court and had met the rest of the street also.

In the 3 years that we have been here we have made wonderful relationships with our neighbours.
I have made 2 wonderful female friends, our kids play and we get along fantastic. We have street parties and bbq's at each others places, dinners and drinks and lots of plays with the kids. We have babysitters that we very much lacked before moving here (a godsend for us especially as both mine and Joeys mums are no longer with us).
People help out, they help with the house, the garden, fixing things etc, with the kids and more!
We dont just live in a court, we live ina community, it really is great!

So back to today
Today we had a working bee at the neighbours house. My sister was over for the day so she helped too as did another neighbour up the street.
We worked on extending her vegie patch. The men built the fence (it has to be fully closed in as they have 2 large dogs who would love to dig it up!) and we weeded and dug out all of the beds and added compost and manure and dug it through. We also painted the lot and dug out a dead tree form the front and planted a new tree. Took most of the day but it feels nice to be working outdoors and even nicer working together with others.

After the days working everycame to our place for tea. There was heaps of salad in the vegie beds sprouted form ones gone to seed last season so the kids had salad and sausage rolls and i cooked up a lentil shepherds pie for the adults which we too had salad with.
(my neighbour said her husband wouldnt eat it as it had no meat and so many vegies in it, I told her that we wouldnt tell him til after he ate it that it wasnt meat, we just said it was shepherds pie, he ate 2 platefuls and shocked when we told him it had no meat in it! LOL)
I have 5 bags of salad to distribute at school tomorrow morning to the mums (they were all complaining of the price of it today and there was such a surplus even after each neighbour taking some for themselves, that is seems only fair to take some and share it round.)

Then after dinner i went for a jog, yes a jog!!! with another neighbour, just in our street which is hard enough as the court starts at the top of a hill and we live at the bottom so we jogged up and down!

A good day!

Well thats another rambling post :)

Menu Planning and some rambling.

2007-08-05T17:40:00.000+10:00

Firstly 1 week of no smoking! woohoo, feeling really good about it!

I was chatting with Joey today (the other half) saying how good i felt and how I feel I am getting more organised, healthier etc etc. I was talking about how after my mum died (august 1st 2004) how I got stuck right into the garden as a way of coping and for stress relief and how it really helped, how I started to go to the gym and walk often a few months after she passed away and I felt good, it again helped me cope, How I used to be more organised, I used to menu plan, cook new meals each week and just generally take better care of myself. Then on the week before her 1 yr anniversary of her death we lost Damian, a very special friend the world just crashed around me. Over the past 2 years I have gained a fair amount of weight (am currently 97-98 kilos was 80 kilos the day of his death and was at the gym 4 times a week as well other excercise) I became super disorganised and struggled with day to day tasks.
My partner and i also separated last year for 6 months which added to the stress that was mounting in my life. Physically after my mums death I was not in a good way either due to damaging my pelvis during the birth of my son.

That all sounds quite depressing, but sometimes I think we need to look at some of the things we have overcome and gotten through in life to better appreciate the things that make us happy, to better notice when we are taking good care of ourselves, when things are going good.

For me, things are good and I like being able to say that. Not perfect, but thats all the fun of it. I am now back into gardening, have goals, ideas, plans and am acting on them. I am a lot happier than I have been for a while and it feels good.

So after that ramble! Today we picked up and delivered a washing machine from freecycle to my brother in law who hasn't had a working one for a very long time, as we did it we smiled at our good deed done for the day! We then went to the shops and had some yummy sushi and sahimi as alate lunch and then did the food shopping. I was craving roast lamb so thats what is cooking now in the oven! One thing I thought of whilst shopping is how I really need to get back to menu planning, it saves money and means we eat variety and helps us to be more organised.

So after all that rambling here is my proposed next fortnights menu plan!

Sun: Roast lamb and vegies
Mon: Lentil shepherds pie
Tues: Pork noodle stir fry/sausages and veg for kids
Wed: Osso Bucco casserole
Thurs: Marinated chicken pieces and vegies
Fri:Fried rice and honey soy chicken
Sat: Take away/fend for yourself night.
Sun: Roast Pork (in camp oven)
Mon: Lasagna
Tues: Tofu noodle stir fry
Wed: Chicken curry/ sausages and veg for kids
Thurs: Quiche and salad
Fri: Chow mein
Sat: take away/fend for yourself night.

Saturday

2007-08-04T20:48:00.000+10:00

On Saturdays I usually work, its the nature of my job, weekend work. For those that don't know I am a photographer, I photograph pregnant women, newborns, children families etc. I specialise in black and white and used to be a darkroom junkie, but have now entered the digital age.
So because I photograph children and families I often work weekends. The great thing about working for myself and the type of job i have means I am not usually gone long when I do go to a shoot and I do only do 3 shoots on average a week so I can be around at home more and be there for the kids etc.

So yes when I have a complete weekend off it is special, so today i decided to NOT sit inside all day!

This morning we all went down and watched my daughter play netball, then afterwards we participated in some local tree planting!
They were planting at the reserve next to netball so we stayed and planted for an hour and grabbed some great info on the local environmental group and also on more plantings in the coming weeks that we will go along and help out on.

Then I dropped everyone off at home and I ducked over to pick up some match box cars that had been offered up on Freecycle. Freecycle is great. I wouldn't have bothered with these cars if they weren't in my same suburb , just round the corner and my son is car crazy so he was most impressed!

Once home I took the kids out the front and let the other half sleep as he is working night shift tonight, we got stuck right into shovelling all the dirt onto the main two front beds. (ignore the smaller ones, that was my 3 year olds help, they need completely reshaping and redoing, but hey he tried to help!) we then added some blood and bone and some organic fertiliser and mixed it all in. Have to get some manure to ad to it then mix that in then lay a nice thick bed of straw over the top then we can think about planting!!

My girls, such pretty little sweet things they are!

Day 5

2007-08-03T19:14:00.000+10:00

5 days since i quit and I am doing just fine :)
I was a bit feral on day 1 and 2 but am feeling a lot more human now!

I haven't been in the garden this week due to work commitments but if the weather is good on the weekend I will be able to keep progressing with it all.
I have asked on my local freecycle group for any items to help wiht building the chook house, not sure if I'll get a response, I'm a little stuck wiht it as i am not a builder by any means!

Yesterday I taught a photography class at the breastfeeding assosciations Hot Milk conference. I have supported the ABA for many years now as i think that breastfeeding is a winderful thing to promote.

Teaching the class as interesting. I realised again my fear of public speaking. Initially I absolutely froze, felt myself go bright red! The class was difficult too as everyone had different cameras, some point and shoots some slrs and all different makes and models, then there were some with no cameras at all.
So I turned the class more into a long question and answer session. That was challenging as I was put on the spot but was able to answer everyone well enough I think!

I'm not entirely sure teaching is at all my forte in life, but hey I gave it a go!

Hopefully I'll be back after the weekend with some more updated garden images!

Day 1.

2007-07-30T16:28:00.000+10:00

What a day!

Firstly I have a confession to make!

I quit smoking today. Hence the day 1 title.

I have never really been a full time smoker in my life but was leaning more that way in recent months. I'v always been a bit of a social smoker who will have one when out having drinks with friends. Then my mother died 3 years ago from lung cancer so i vowed to not smoke again. I had already not smoked for over a year due to being pregnant and then having a baby who was 4 months old when my mum passed.

Then 12 months after my mum passed my best friend was tragically killed in a car accidnet. that night I started smoking. I figured I had it under control, it was a stress thing for the few weeks after his death then it went back to being a social thing.

Again I quit a few months later to only take it up again when I seperated from my partner last year for 6 months. The stress form that was huge and for me smoking was one of my crutches i used to help me through.
I stopped at new years for 4 weeks then after a huge argument one day i started again.

So fast forward to now and the last few months my partner and I have gotten back together and things have been improving (except today but thats another story) I feel I have gotten a bit of 'me' back the last few months and I have not liked the fact I was smoking. Unfortuantly it isn't that easy to just stop.

But I am going to do it. I had my last one last night and will not have anymore. I was sititng outside last ngiht having it and was looking at my worm farm, thinking of the plans for the vegies, the chooks etc and thought how silly that I want all that yet I'm doing somethign so harmful to myself and i am sure has to be harmful to the environemnt also!

Now on a very positive note I had my working bee wiht my two female neighbour friends today! It was very productive!

We started out the front and laid newspaper over one of the larger no dig beds then shovelled a good pile of dirt form the big dirt pile that was out there.

We then headed out the back t do the chook run area.
we spent all afternoon on it and it is now ready to have the fence fixed and to start on the chook house!

This is just some of what we found under the grass/weeds
-about 40 besser blocks
-about 10-15 bricks
-about 20 heavy irons (used for hangis)
-one hangi basket
-some chicken wire
-some other wire
-corrugated tin
-2 large hoses
-some sort of pump?
-lots of wood
-2 large bread trays

and more!

We filled 3 red bins with weeds and scraps.
This is as much as we are weeding, the chooks will enjoy the rest.

I am absolutely aching, it was all very hard work but good in many ways!

Oh my!!!

2007-07-28T22:44:00.000+10:00

Oops!

Be warned! This is what can happen if you spend too much time focusing on your garden and reading way too many peoples blogs!

The laundry doesnt wash itself!

OK so there are 5 of us here and 3 of us play sport and the kids do like to get downa nd dirty outdoors but this is a little crazy!

I've just popped aload on, will hang it up and pop another on before I head to bed!

I like that we dont have a dryer for the energy consumption we save but in Melbournes winters it is hard ot keep up with the washing!

Progress!

2007-07-28T18:30:00.000+10:00

It's been a productive day!

My eldest child and youngest were out all day as was the other half so it was just me and jaime, my middle daughter who is 5yrs old and loves helping me!

So today I was going to sit and do computer editing work for work but once the sun shine came out we decided it was a good idea to get outdoors!

I found a use for all the bluestone we were given! They re going to edge our vegie beds out the front! The 2 larger beds will be no dig gardens and the smaller ones will be dug and will be for shallow rooted plants like lettuce etc. The rocks arent in their set places, just laid out to give me an idea of the shapes of the beds, we still have loads more bluestone if I want to change their size/shape etc.There is still obviously alot of work to do but it took ages to move all this stone!

I planted a pittosporum out the front too, I chose this as it should grow and fill that gap and hopefully deter vegie thiefs!

Meet jaime, my helper, pretending to drive daddy's ute.

After all the hard work of the fornt yard I wanted to do somethign abit more fun wiht Jaime, so we grabbed the paints I bougth this week and we decorated the worm farm. it looks much brighter now :)

We then went to the shops and got some bits and pieces and have cooking some yummy scalloped potatoes and we're having kangaroo tonight wiht them.

all in all a good day

Worm Farm

2007-07-25T19:04:00.000+10:00

OK, we built our worm farm yesterday!
Yesterday was one of those cruddy days, I wasn't in the greatest of moods so in the afternoon I took off on my own for a few hours. I headed out to the hampton park tip/recycle centre and visited their shop. I picked up some really cheap outdoor toys for the kids, a book, a plant/tree for the front yard and a cane toy basket/chest for the kids cubby for toy storage in there.
I then headed into Dandenong and went to the op shop there and scored osme books, 2 on natural health and a couple of kids books.

I was on the hunt for some fly screen for my worm farm.
I then headed to menzies ave to the op shop there to see if I could score anything in my plight to build my worm farm. No luck. I then went to the green grocer nearby and they use all cardboard boxes so again no luck!

It was then that I thought that we actually might already have everythign we needed at home.
I was right. In the garage were 2 styrene boxes, there was no flyscreen but there was a heap of shade cloth so i used that instead. We already had tape. I used a couple of the breezer blocks I found in the new chook area to raise it off the ground. A coke bottle form the recycle bin for the drain hole and newspapers fromt he recycle bin to help start the bedding.

Some of the materials.

My daughter, aged 5, she is absolutely fascinated by bugs and loves getitng her hands into stuff. She was so excited by the box of worms and immediately stuck both hands in for a dig around. She asked if she could keep this worm seprate as a pet and wanted to name him.
Preperations.
Cutting a hole in the bottom styerene box for a drain hole. I taped it in place.

Rested the first box on the breezer blocks. I put a small piece of wood under the left block to give it a slight tilt to the drainage side.

Inside the base. I placed a brick incase the worms fallin and there is too much liquid in there, they have a place to be safe and not drown.Plus it weighs the bottom half down a bit.Preparing the top box. We poked loads of holes in the underside of the box first.

Then placed it on top of the first box and put a piece of shade cloth in the bottom.
Added the worms bedding. shredded newspaper, compost and some dirt.
we then added the worms, a very small amount of food/scraps and thewn covered the lot with damp newspaper.

I will get a hessian bag to go over the top. i know there are some somewhere in the garage, just have to find them!

Last night I cooked a deliscious lentil shepherds pie too, though we never made it into a pie, we just had the mixture with mashed potatoes on the side.

planning

2007-07-24T19:51:00.000+10:00

Ok, Today I did yet more weeding and I also went in and measured the area for the chickens so i can start to plan what and how I will build the hen house. I did this dodgy drawing in photoshop of the area wiht the measurments. I am going to draw up the whole backyard this way, saves paper and I can easily edit ideas in in photoshop. (remember if you click on images they come up larger)

Todays weeding progress.

Some of what was found under the weeds!!! Doing the measurments I realised there is a lot of stuff hidden under the grass/weed behind here!

I had a chat wiht 2 of my nieghbours today and they wil come on Monday for a working bee so we can tackle this a bit harder with help!
My goal is to have actual chickens wihtin 2 months of when I first started this. so one week into it really now.

I guess you have to start somewhere!

2007-07-22T17:43:00.000+10:00

Ok so we started to weed the,to be, chicken run area. Oh what a mammoth task this is turning ut to be! The weeds are sooooo thick and there is just so much of it!
Uncovered a foam pillow and 2 very long redwood sleepers or at least thats what I think they are since we have them elsewhere in our garden.
I actually weeded about 2 square metres and it took a while and filled the red garden waste recycle bin (not composting this stuff due to the weed it is)
I know it looks like we barely touched it, but really we did! The kids helped too which was fun, they talked about how we are getting chickens to go there.

The Garden July 07 and freecycle

2007-07-19T18:26:00.000+10:00

OK, so I went around today and photographed different patches of the garden.
It's a bit sad just how neglected it has become over the last 12 months. Unfortunately work and personal commitments took precedence over it but not anymore!

Firstly this is the area down behind the garage where we want to clear out and build a chook shed and run. The area is a good size and we could easily have 6-8 chickens comfortably in there (and let them out to free range properly)

This gate will be replaced eventually but the wood used form it will go towards the project or towards the new gate, this one isn't working as well as it should and isnt secure enough.

The pile of over grown grass on the left here is actually at my chest height and I am 174cms! There is a lot of stuff under this awful kikyu? grass/weed. I saw wire, tin, bricks, concrete etc, will be interesting to see what we can find and hopefully reuse some of it in the process!out the front, facing in form the street, wanting to plant something in that gap, ideally one day we'll gut the fornt yard and start all over again.

I grew vegies in the front yard for the first 2 years here, but not last year as I had thieves the year before. This year I am doing it again, will build raised beds, most likely 4 seperate ones. That dirt will go as a base in them

facing the house, very shady here and not much grows. the Jade plants are looking a bit worse for wear, well one is thriving one is dying, cant be good feng shui! again any advice?

and I've joined my local Freecycle! I have gotten rid of a full length mirror and a rocking chair so far and gained a desk.

standing on the grass at the top off our yard and shotting from each angle.

Standing in drive and shotting in each direction

I grew tomatoes and some vegies here last year, this year I want the stump removed and to make more of a garden here

from the other side(driveway side) I grew tomatoes in the lower garden by the retaining wall. This year not sure what I will do here.

the kids cubby, going to do a potted garden in colourful pots round it and get the kids to help do it.

a neighbour gave us all this bluestone, still not sure what to do with it! any ideas!

addicted

2007-06-25T17:23:00.000+10:00

I think I am becoming addicted to OP SHOPPING!

I have picked up some good bargains over the last week!

I got my daughter some great jeans for $2, a gorgeous poncho for my middle daughter for $2, a stack of books all for under $1 each. I got a great jacket for me for $4, and some cute pink metal pots for planters outside the kids cubby house.

Then today I got a few dinasaur books for my 3yr old son, a book to resell, and this great kids kitchen buffet/dresser thingy for just $10! Have popped it in their cubby! I also got a wine rack to sit on our bar. I'd been trying ot find one second hand for a while and this one suits where it sits and was just $3!

and to compensate I have finally paid my ebay account and have started listing the stuff we no longer need here:) Have some bags ready to go back to the op shops too so all is good!

Had a nice day in the dandenongs yesterday wiht the kids too, visted William Ricketts sanctuary and found some nice places to stop to eat, the Mt Dandenong bakery first off, then a cafe overlooking a great lookout in Kalorama. The cafe was sweet, we sat outside and had coffee and hot chocolate and cake and the even had rugs to put over your lap to keep you warm!

I baked bread!

2007-06-20T18:54:00.000+10:00

I'm doing a personal eco house challenge for a fortnight. I am writing down the meter readings for each of the following, water, gas, electricity and the car odometer, also counting how many garbage bags we go through in a week.
The aim is to take notice of how much we do use and how much making changes reduces our usage.

I had a goal to cook more and to cook more for myself (from my list) and today I baked bread!!!!
I was very proud of it too :)
I also made a lovely cauliflour soup and a sausage casserole for the kids and a chicken thrown together curry thingy for Joey and I.

OK the bread was by this recipe,

and the cauliflour soup:

(in progress)

1 head caulfilour
1 leek
1 clove garlic
some vegie stock
can light evaporated milk.

Chop ingredients, put everything except the milk in a pot and boil for about 20 minutes.
Then add milk and blend. Was very easy and was yummy!

Sausage casserole:

sausages (I used 5 thin ones)
2 onions sliced
1 clove garlic.
half a bottle of tomato passata (puree)
small can crushed tomatoes
1 tbs bbq sauce
2 carrots chopped.

Brown sausages then chop, throw all ingredients in a pot and cook for about half an hour :)

Then this is a recipe I just chuck stuff in.
Chicken thrown together curry:

1 kilo chicken cassorle pieces
1 red onion roughly chopped
1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped roughly
2 tomatoes chopped
large handful fresh spinach
half red capsicum chopped.
curry spices (I used cumin, garam masala, a malaysian pre mix of spices form my asain grocer and turneric)
a little water.
chopped fresh chilli
chopped fresh coriander.

Thrown everything in a baking dish and cover with foil and bake in oven for about 1 hour.

Today I also spent a good bit of tiem in the garage sorting through piles of stuff! the place is a bit of amess so I dragged each of the bins into the garage ot make it easier to sort. I also grabbed some bags to do bags for the op shop.
I am about half done will finish tomorrow, will be easier once done, one more area organised and also will maen i will be able ot access my gardening stuf much easier!

op shopping

2007-06-16T14:14:00.000+10:00

Well I had alovely lovely afternoon yesterday, went tinkering waround op shops in the arfternoon all on my lonesome! It was great.

I picked up some nice buys. Some clothes for Jaime, a black jacket, a beanie and a skirt. I'll take a pic later and show you all.
I also got a shirt for Liam, so saddle club books for Tiahna, a book on organics for me and a novel for me too. I also got some cool old fashioned photography booked from the 60's.

my best buy though were these ultra cool pots. I knew I wanted them as soon as I saw them. I am going to drill holes in the bottom of them and use them as plant pots int he backyard, just have to decide what to grow in them now!

I am doing heaps of research at the moment on building a chook house form recycled materials, thats my next project!

another update.

2007-06-07T14:15:00.002+10:00

OK!

I have been a slack blogger. I have been continuing on with my declutering so the house is stil in good order. We got what was needed for our valuation so thats good, one stress gone!

I've been getting back to cooking more vegetarian meals, feeling a little uninspired though so if anyone has any good sites for recipes I'd love you to post them!

A few things I am going to accomplish in the coming weeks are:
-walk to school more so drive less (we live so close it really is silly to drive!)
-TAKE THOSE GREEN BAGS SHOPPING!
I am still really bad at this one!
-conitnue to change my business to a more eco friendly one (see my website link in the links part, I have a comp running at the moment!)

I gave up the no shampoo challenge and am regrettign it. during oit my psoriasis was soooooo much better, now I only wash my hair once a week as it seems all it needs but the psoriasis flared back up right away!

another update.

2007-06-07T14:15:00.001+10:00

an update :)

2007-05-18T20:59:00.000+10:00

I'm not the most regular of bloggers, but I like blogs because i like reading back over time to see change and where I was at.

So lets see, its been about 4 weeks i think since i stopped washign my hair and went water only. Its a bit greasy today but generally its fine.Its softer and easier to brush. The kids have been longer then me and their fine too. I'm still suproised it doesnt smell sweaty or yuk!

I have started working on some of the things on my list.

We are having a house valuation next week so we have done LOADS of decluttering and the entire house and garden have had a complete spring clean! After the valuation I will taking all the bagged and boxed items and having a stall at a trash and treasure market then donating all of the left over or may list soem things on freecycle!

Since we have been sorting and declutering and cleaning so much the reducing my garbage waste has dismally failed, in fact it nearly doubled this week!

I've been more conscious of the compost again and have my scrap bowl back, really need to look into worm farming and building a dog composter!

Another thing I have dismally failed is taking my reusable bags shopping! I suck at it and really must make more effort.

The begining of the list

2007-05-06T22:35:00.001+10:00

Eat More Vegetarian Meals:
This is for both health reasons and the environment. Another bonus is it's often cheaper too!

Cook One New Recipe Every Week:
To keep it interesting. Plus got to make better use of the zillion cookbooks I own!

Menu Plan:
It saves money, it helps me eat healthier, it makes cooking easier and less stressful as i have the ingredients there.

Declutter My Life:
Starting with the house first, sell things we no longer use or need. Give away as much as we can. Make an effort to work on this one every day. It will take time but it will happen.

Use More Enviro Friendly Cleaning Products:
In the kitchen, laundry, bathroom etc.

Vegie Garden:
Get it up and fully functioning again. Work on soil improvement.

Start a Worm Farm.

Imrpove Our Compost.

Make/Build a Dog Poo Composter.

Save Even More Water:
we're pretty good already but we can always improve!

Drive Less, Walk More.

Use Less Power:
We've switched almost all our globes over now, need to finish that. Make an effort to keep all lights off when not needed. Switch more appliances off at wall when not in use.

Redesign The Front Yard:
It needs a complete overhaul.

Clean the Area Behind the Garage:
Gut it out, then get CHICKENS in! Build the coop and area from recycled materials.

Reduce Garbage Bin Waste :
Our small green bin is usually very full each week. That's for 3 adults and 3 children. I want to aim to reduce this. I have one big obstacle, my FIL is bin obsessed, he feels they need to be filled every week and goes out fo his way to find things to fill them (for instance he once cut down a tree just to fill the garden waste bin! I was horrified!

Reduce PLastic Bag Usage:
I really need to keep the green bags in the car. This is one thing I am bad at and its simple and needs improving!

Eat More Organic Foods:
More motivation to grow more of my own.

Excercise at Least 5 Times a Week.
For obvious reasons.

Buy and use a Diva-cup:
and cloth pads too.

Get More Sleep

Read more:
and more variety.

A list

2007-04-29T21:41:00.000+10:00

I have wanted to compile a large list of things I'd like to achieve and evaluate the list over time, check myself against it, add to it when I think of new things.

That's my goal this week.

Pumpkin Soup

2007-04-29T21:35:00.000+10:00

One of my goals is to cook foods from scratch as much as possible. Tpo cook a variety of foods so we don't get bored with food and to also cook healthier foods as much as possible... oh and ofcourse the aim is for it to taste good!

So today I made pumpkin soup.

Susan's Pumpkin Soup:

1 butternut pumpkin
Half an onion
2 sticks celery
1 potato
1 massel vegie stock cube

Chop all ingredients and toss in a pot and add enough water to cover.
Bring to boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
Either mash wiht a potato masher or give the lot a quick whizz with a bamix.
Eat :)

6 days no shampoo

2007-04-26T23:54:00.000+10:00

Its been 6 days and i am only washing with plain water. I give my scalp and good scrub and massage wiht my fingers whilst in the shower.

Imust say I am suprised, my hair isn't greasy yet and it is easier to brush.

The kids are on day 9 and both girls hair is looking a little lank. Liams is very short, his hair looks fine, he'd be happy if I never washed his hair ever again as he hates having it done.

the no shampoo challenge.

2007-04-23T17:06:00.000+10:00

Yep I am jumping on the wagon of no shampooers. My kids are joining me too.

I've been 3 days without shampoo now, the kids have been 6 days. So far so good.

Why no shampoo?
Well the theory is that shampoo strips the natural oils form our hair so our bodies.scalps then work to provide more oil to compensate. The idea with no shampooing is that our hair will eventually adjust, that at first it will be awful and greasy and yuk but that after 6 weeks it will beautiful and gorgeous and will have no need for shampoo again! I even read it will smell nice naturally after 6 weeks, hmmm, will be interesting to see!

Other added benefits of no shampooing are I save money, 2 less products to buy and also it is better for the environment, less chemicals going down the drain.

oh no another blog!

2007-04-23T16:40:00.000+10:00

Yep just cause I'm sure I don't have enough blogs already!!!!

This one is about living, treading a little lighter on the earth, saving money, relationships, family, food, getting organised, and whatever I feel fits :)