tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50898285525190765062024-03-19T18:01:27.527+10:00down to earthUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3010125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-37938669743662844212024-03-09T10:47:00.003+10:002024-03-09T12:33:24.506+10:00This is real freedom<div style="text-align: justify;">One of the things I love about living alone is that I can do whatever I want to do. I've always been independent and a loner but this puts a new sparkle on the edge of it. This is REAL freedom. But hand-in-hand with that freedom is the importance of maintaining relationships with family, friends and neighbours. My family continues to support me with phone calls, messages and visits which I know will carry on until I die. Thankfully, we are that kind of family. I have a couple of online friends who I speak with online or on the phone and two other friends I see every few months - it works well for me, keeping me in touch with the people I love while enjoying my independence and time alone. My neighbours seem to have adopted me since Hanno's death and I can rely on them for almost anything ... except getting rid of snakes. LOL I am reluctant to ask for help but sensible enough to know when I need to. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecXtOSOWeuhfdeqMnPrHCePj3OuHVO7EWLeDaAQy6zXaZogztIuRwdUH6eMwUaubNg6ivczudGD6G-5NED-8APCoZ2O6cwDZ0INYQdvreNuJSHUQS5TG2a3z7UYDrBUFSm8smfiZMM2QcuLQQBdV6e29JD2iOGopaXvcoFVGrdED-1wxeQ8vZlCQZwpE/s630/1%20(35).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="630" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecXtOSOWeuhfdeqMnPrHCePj3OuHVO7EWLeDaAQy6zXaZogztIuRwdUH6eMwUaubNg6ivczudGD6G-5NED-8APCoZ2O6cwDZ0INYQdvreNuJSHUQS5TG2a3z7UYDrBUFSm8smfiZMM2QcuLQQBdV6e29JD2iOGopaXvcoFVGrdED-1wxeQ8vZlCQZwpE/w640-h336/1%20(35).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday, I did my grocery shopping, came home having bought a new moth orchid, repotted it and two other orchids and then had a tea and toast breakfast at 10am. I worked on the cookbook for three hours. At 2pm, I cut up tomato, onion, cucumber, lettuce, avocado and chilli, made guacamole, and had lunch of corn chips, salad and guacamole, then I finished off the fresh pineapple I cut up the day before. From 3 - 5pm I was mending and sewing, then took Gracie outside again until it was almost dark. Inside again, I showered, read for a while, made some notes about ideas I'd had through the day, read The Guardian online and went to bed. It was a good day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRI91r4ixtNVeAdyA-h1P5EYLva7nUqQMo8OD8Fq4KhYaajXhpRUY3agEyQBXmCwH6zCubVbJ9VXCbMvJdzLyoCeMD5r1vR02O40e0zHZJ_ocG-w-8sNy0O67_HYL6bSijkBqux5XnDg_0y1PcA3qL0OKkaTRjbZtkroj9reTAKzuuzRYb2mF3ralrlk/s630/1%20(36).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="630" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRI91r4ixtNVeAdyA-h1P5EYLva7nUqQMo8OD8Fq4KhYaajXhpRUY3agEyQBXmCwH6zCubVbJ9VXCbMvJdzLyoCeMD5r1vR02O40e0zHZJ_ocG-w-8sNy0O67_HYL6bSijkBqux5XnDg_0y1PcA3qL0OKkaTRjbZtkroj9reTAKzuuzRYb2mF3ralrlk/w640-h426/1%20(36).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Spending time with Gracie is very important to me and seeing as she likes to be WITH me, I have to juggle time working on the computer and being outside with her watching her chase March flies and lizards or watching what's happening in the neighborhood - which usually is not much. There's virtually no traffic, but a lot of birds and after 3pm, neighbourhood kids playing in the street. Every couple of weeks I wash Gracie, or groom her, she hates having all that done but being a Scotch Terrier in a warm climate, she tolerates it and me fussing over her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp41b5y9pAu7d8etjtlcGRacY1ku0TL3YZ7TluJyoi0948HSyXabryOnn1bhaGEZkjT4lugS2FBfyXYoyv5RgtHuO_52vdEPPjB9tFyx_xoq-IzAR1YWDyvkKUYAEuIqGe_Jg-CqEqx0qDAflKljrH_6LHhZlD7lnpkwY4665eVYpS3ej2OUxk_0lZ1Z8/s850/1%20(37).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="850" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp41b5y9pAu7d8etjtlcGRacY1ku0TL3YZ7TluJyoi0948HSyXabryOnn1bhaGEZkjT4lugS2FBfyXYoyv5RgtHuO_52vdEPPjB9tFyx_xoq-IzAR1YWDyvkKUYAEuIqGe_Jg-CqEqx0qDAflKljrH_6LHhZlD7lnpkwY4665eVYpS3ej2OUxk_0lZ1Z8/w640-h418/1%20(37).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Here are my beautiful sons, Shane and Kerry, when they were in grade one and preschool, they are now in their 40s.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think a lot about my life and my good fortune to have met Hanno all those years ago and how grateful I am to have this life. I have a wonderful family, I have nothing to complain about, I have more than enough, I'm happy to live on less than I earn and feel fortunate to own my home and have no debt. I've met many interesting people, made a living being a writer since I was about 30 years old and have an abundance of optimism and general good health. I wonder too about the state of the world, how wars break out and how it is usually the innocents who pay the ultimate price for that. Hatred, aggression, greed, jealousy, sexism and racism are reported on the news everyday - it never goes away. And yet here I am, a dog at my feet, reading this blog post I just wrote and wondering how I got so lucky.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Addition: I've just restored the comments. I hope they aren't swamped with spam like there were before, if so, I'll deal with it then. Please comment here rather than Instagram.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-7416762325862718132024-03-01T10:35:00.012+10:002024-03-01T11:20:43.298+10:00Grocery shopping and bill paying<p style="text-align: justify;">I gave up looking through supermarket specials catalogues years ago when I realised that 90 percent of what they reduced in price was junk food: fizzy drinks, sweets, chips, biscuits, sugary cereals, cake mix, canned soup etc.. Grocery prices started rising before Christmas and while many of us are used to higher prices, we're all looking for value for money so it's still very difficult shopping for fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, eggs, staples and cleaners. I put cleaners in there because although I don't buy washing liquid, spray and wipe or any of the common cleaners, I do buy borax, washing soda, laundry soap, vinegar, disinfectant, oxy-bleach, dish liquid and White Magic Flat Pot Scrubbers. Those scrubbers are very effective, they're $5 each, you can wash them in the dishwasher or the washing machine and they last well for at least six months. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis127XbILESoApIlTSCrGgOMZXRciVV81iexztpSNasUeuDvNyplniXzjVLnBVI44ZXJh6IzbCRRVjjPOZzSUQFmHHIaBjNLd7bf6Mmm437EgXfZl4qAcM6JHyd106M4fNbGkoHlUVcbf9rVVn0EoF66hg8g9kucAlaq0ooxHtO17ea8q5_ItASgdAps8/s888/1%20(30).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis127XbILESoApIlTSCrGgOMZXRciVV81iexztpSNasUeuDvNyplniXzjVLnBVI44ZXJh6IzbCRRVjjPOZzSUQFmHHIaBjNLd7bf6Mmm437EgXfZl4qAcM6JHyd106M4fNbGkoHlUVcbf9rVVn0EoF66hg8g9kucAlaq0ooxHtO17ea8q5_ItASgdAps8/w612-h640/1%20(30).jpeg" width="612" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>This is my general cleaning kit. It contains disinfectant, a homemade spray of water, vinegar and a few drops of dish liquid, small bottle of vinegar, brushes, eucalyptus oil, bicarb soda, a duster and rags.</i></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp1qbRhkNS4e93KzNwljiixl5UB-WcvwH0FD_-W9JX7xx13W0fmKfdfntbMAXfDUORN4m5N0e5jBcWS6xTR74RQey4prHDqhDkhUfv6RRDZa-lf0ZDZkS6CBErvpf7YEzUpskDtFIJQCnw27VbMdiYpWbvgjIbbob8DlOY2AwGXV4MDHfE3Iqzu3rG94/s850/1%20(31).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp1qbRhkNS4e93KzNwljiixl5UB-WcvwH0FD_-W9JX7xx13W0fmKfdfntbMAXfDUORN4m5N0e5jBcWS6xTR74RQey4prHDqhDkhUfv6RRDZa-lf0ZDZkS6CBErvpf7YEzUpskDtFIJQCnw27VbMdiYpWbvgjIbbob8DlOY2AwGXV4MDHfE3Iqzu3rG94/w640-h480/1%20(31).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is a robot wet mop brought back from South Korea. Sunny and Kerry gave it to me as a Christmas gift a few years ago. It's fabulous. It uses plain water with a dash of vinegar.</i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I use the borax, washing soda and laundry soap to make laundry liquid, I use vinegar, disinfectant and dish liquid for general cleaning and the oxy-bleach on stains or in the washing machine to make sure everything is cleaned to the standard I want. One <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2018/05/laundry-liquid-and-general-cleaning.html" target="_blank"><b>10 litre batch of homemade laundry liquid</b></a> lasts for about four months, so I'm not weighed down by the cost of buying a bottle of Cold Power or Radiant every week or two and bringing in all that extra plastic into my home. Buying ingredients for homemade cleaners will save you a lot of money and it's ongoing so the savings continue over the years.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHQ-61UabfDdVMHDo7Bkak5ur0p-8AhdhixSu2aQEheKSH1EjcIE_3P1XJ0l79BRUiFOeGGVIyOsxLK_PPd3UPRXHGjP9bQgSHIAcj4kmmB3zMBe2rwNzP41sa6jZN-bWFfC5-mwQ-AExIaOW7vYADxEuReoqtB2Phjo7esfPVZQy1c6D2MnBWYKf5_Q/s1000/1%20(23).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHQ-61UabfDdVMHDo7Bkak5ur0p-8AhdhixSu2aQEheKSH1EjcIE_3P1XJ0l79BRUiFOeGGVIyOsxLK_PPd3UPRXHGjP9bQgSHIAcj4kmmB3zMBe2rwNzP41sa6jZN-bWFfC5-mwQ-AExIaOW7vYADxEuReoqtB2Phjo7esfPVZQy1c6D2MnBWYKf5_Q/w640-h640/1%20(23).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I usually have my groceries delivered from Woolworths but two weeks ago I decided to do a test shop. I always knew Aldi was cheaper because we used to shop there but I moved away from them when I thought the quality of their fruit, vegetables and meat weren't as good as they once were. <b><i>To help me with my test shop, I made up my shopping list on the Woolworths app as I usually did but didn't pay for it - I just had the list in my phone. The app automatically creates a shopping list on your phone with weights and prices. Then I went shopping at Aldi and as I walked around the shop, I could compare the Aldi prices with the exact price Woolworths were charging for the same product.</i></b> An average Woolworths shop cost me around the $100 mark (that's for me and Gracie) and the Aldi shop was around $80. So I'm back at Aldi for the time being. I've always believed Aldi sold the best dairy products and I'd pleased to tell you that they still do. Their butter is $6.39 per 500g against Woolworth's Western Star butter at $8 per 500g, recently reduced from $9 per 500g. Their milk, cream, cheese and yoghurt are all excellent and cheaper than the same products in Woolworths. I'm pleased to say their nuts, tissues, tea, and general groceries are cheaper too. Most of their products are made in Australia, their fruit, vegetables and meat are all local and for the foreseeable future I'll be shopping there. If you think you might change too, download the Woolworths or Coles app, make up your shopping list and take that list to Aldi to make a real comparison. I hope it helps you make the most of your grocery money.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4edZrZ3KeQUOZkUKX7ocIfWC1clMgeH9lr-TxnRkVO9_vbOs19hHKYH8aJUFq5jkqeeTvOiq1Vs3SPnHNDakdeF6SRwHOYj3_8Pql-mzczIOXGsC8hPViYMnrncfFIHxgEFfEGqLPEjOKOXonJil5qfJGt5rES0l_pziuN0q4j_5YiguoSUR6swXdHbQ/s850/1%20(24).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4edZrZ3KeQUOZkUKX7ocIfWC1clMgeH9lr-TxnRkVO9_vbOs19hHKYH8aJUFq5jkqeeTvOiq1Vs3SPnHNDakdeF6SRwHOYj3_8Pql-mzczIOXGsC8hPViYMnrncfFIHxgEFfEGqLPEjOKOXonJil5qfJGt5rES0l_pziuN0q4j_5YiguoSUR6swXdHbQ/w640-h480/1%20(24).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Get into the habit of shopping with the UNIT price in mind, not the product price. The unit price must be displayed near the product price for you can compare before you buy. For instance, I buy a 1.5 kg bag of Australian traditional rolled oats, grown on Australian farms and it costs 17 cents per 100 grams or $2.60 per 1.5 kg. If I bought Uncle Toby's traditional oats, they would cost me 65 cents per 100 grams or $6.50 per kg. I've eaten rolled oats since I was a child and there is no difference in the taste of these oats. Getting into the habit of shopping by unit price, you will save money. Look at generic brands too. Some, but not all, of the generics are good but you have to test them first. If you want to test a product, buy the smallest size you can and go for it. You might be in for a pleasant surprise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2kpu7QulSWYezN2MltG9ZghF8I4Kv2vYagjCIFbpNtAjWqjuoRrxPZOqjDBKHIZKJ5uov8QOa-OwY2fs8n1azI3gMeVNLCi7_-c8UVX6ntPTP4Lap8ATOt5ewwYj6GtH_VSTYZ12mPuxL-EcWekt6KF6_13zN7YIR4z2N5njVHxPUVL5wCax6KvVUYM/s850/1%20(25).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2kpu7QulSWYezN2MltG9ZghF8I4Kv2vYagjCIFbpNtAjWqjuoRrxPZOqjDBKHIZKJ5uov8QOa-OwY2fs8n1azI3gMeVNLCi7_-c8UVX6ntPTP4Lap8ATOt5ewwYj6GtH_VSTYZ12mPuxL-EcWekt6KF6_13zN7YIR4z2N5njVHxPUVL5wCax6KvVUYM/w640-h480/1%20(25).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you cook from scratch or you're planning to, having the staples you need in your pantry will make cooking easier and will open up a wider range of meals you can make on a regular basis. Your staples are the ingredients you have on hand to make the food you usually eat. My pantry staples are: plain, self raising and bread flour, cornflour or arrowroot (to thicken sauces), salt, pepper, curry powder, chilli, onion and garlic powder, dried italian herbs, dried oregano, ginger powder, mustard seeds, sweet paprika, honey, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, shredded coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, vinegar, tea, rice, barley and pasta. In the freezer I keep two 500g blocks of butter and in the fridge I always have milk, mustard, dried yeast, eggs and cheese. I usually have the following in my stockpile cupboard: tins of salmon and tuna, baked beans, tomato paste, tinned tomatoes and passata. The start of a lot of meals I cook are onions, carrots and celery but when I cook asian food that changes to garlic, ginger and green onion, so I have those ingredients on hand too or will be ready to buy them when I shop again. If you can work out what ingredients you need in your pantry/fridge/freezer to cook your favourite meals without going to the supermarket you'll make things easier for yourself. Set yourself up with the ingredients you need but don't go overboard on things like spices because they'll go out of date before you use them. Just get the basics - salt, pepper, flour, sugar, tea, coffee, rice and whatever it is you need every week to keep you going.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wish I had more information on bulk meat shopping but I haven't bought bulk meat for years. If you have family or friends who will share the purchase with you, and you have a large freezer, it's an excellent way to save money on meat. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2015/01/buying-meat-in-bulk.html" target="_blank">Here is the last blog post I wrote on bulk meat. </a> You can get a general idea of the process in that post and it will give you an understanding of weights as well as how to order.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKC2KTWTDVarVQ1lRUJ5VLBz3JnsNd3lFn5TBcv96Ef07lEB6J3j5fCDijiNukjVFWHAeVeJ-MOti1yg-fahlgskbH7MrEyqcbQN1fC1q4JbGHQ73zJ5ybGmRt-B5WVWPqAHogI30bwww_Pbc2ZXJiuB1E-O9ewxTdmtohyphenhyphensTbL8RFZ_6OXwddVvTLWI8/s850/1%20(26).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKC2KTWTDVarVQ1lRUJ5VLBz3JnsNd3lFn5TBcv96Ef07lEB6J3j5fCDijiNukjVFWHAeVeJ-MOti1yg-fahlgskbH7MrEyqcbQN1fC1q4JbGHQ73zJ5ybGmRt-B5WVWPqAHogI30bwww_Pbc2ZXJiuB1E-O9ewxTdmtohyphenhyphensTbL8RFZ_6OXwddVvTLWI8/w640-h480/1%20(26).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rice pudding is a delicious breakfast porridge and is much cheaper than commercial cereal. I make rice pudding or rolled oats porridge for six months of the year and when I see the prices of those other cereals, I just smile and walk on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rice pudding - ½ cup white rice with 2 ½ cups of milk and a 1 tablespoon sugar. Place everything in a saucepan, bring to a gentle boil while stirring so it doesn't catch, then simmer for 15 minutes. OR, make it the night before, store it in the fridge overnight and reheat in the morning.</div><div style="font-family: Cantarell; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Cantarell; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/feb/25/liz-harfull-cookbook-interview-tried-tested-and-true-recipes-changed" style="font-family: Cantarell; font-size: 15.4px;" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/feb/25/liz-harfull-cookbook-interview-tried-tested-and-true-recipes-changed" target="_blank"><b>Australia's vintage recipes</b></a></div><div style="font-family: Cantarell; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroHMnzjelUuJkfRE6f7gpdDZwal0FBae-Tm8WNR6p0_hjZM9sAIm2rBGU-4gloFyL3AJFP0-isgEsXa7jHYx2d9Tqlf8KpX_byQIJRf4lA0isGrzl5gaP5Kqrr3yv4GN1zsez8CufVWbFDgr4DnC1asW26poPlwO61K60IxV2ydlpmJmKOGcVA0qc21I/s850/1%20(27).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="850" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroHMnzjelUuJkfRE6f7gpdDZwal0FBae-Tm8WNR6p0_hjZM9sAIm2rBGU-4gloFyL3AJFP0-isgEsXa7jHYx2d9Tqlf8KpX_byQIJRf4lA0isGrzl5gaP5Kqrr3yv4GN1zsez8CufVWbFDgr4DnC1asW26poPlwO61K60IxV2ydlpmJmKOGcVA0qc21I/w640-h610/1%20(27).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><i><br /></i><div style="font-family: Cantarell; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;"><i>Looking through my collection of 1970s and 1980s recipes.</i></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Try to be flexible too. If you don't have fresh garlic, use garlic powder; if you don't have passata, use tinned tomatoes or make a cream sauce. As you become a more experienced cook, you'll know what you can use in place of something else. There's one thing for sure, when you're a cook, you're always learning. I've been cooking from scratch for most of my 75 years and I know there's still a lot to learn.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I really wish I still had a chest freezer. I have the freezer at the top of my fridge but a chest freezer would help me shop less often. I'd be able to store milk, packs of flour, blanched vegetables bought on special as well as more cooked meals. If you're just starting out, think about getting a chest freezer, it's a very wise investment.</div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food." target="_blank"><b>The harmful effects of ultra-processed foods such as cereals, protein bars, fizzy drinks, ready meals and fast food. </b></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><u>Paying the bills</u></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the past, Hanno paid all the bills and I had to learn, very quickly indeed, about how to do it so I didn't pay late fees or have the electricity cut off. Now I have a master bills list which is made up of all the bills I pay during the year: every month, three-months, six-months and 12-months. I made that list by going through the previous year's online bank statements. I also add up how much I spent on groceries in the previous year and focus on reducing that with smarter shopping. Like my bills, yours are probably paid in a variety of ways - by Direct Debit, BPay, Credit Card or online transfer. When you set up each account, choose the payment option that's easiest for you. Having a list made up will help you organise your bill paying and when you see amounts deducted from your bank account, you'll be able to check them off your master list or if their not legitimate, you can report it to the bank immediately.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbdKYKM3wl8TQBj5ZmKDLSyJLS_r19mXy_rJiSOaLRNntx5FVCTDj5Cc3yV0yZ3EUwzrZ8jt7Qeaw_oKnSf0a6ebRtAhlZ0BewaPWR-Nm69kkbbc6RAasSHXFe2ST_4v590a7WmEDkRwvZubB02NobCMI-hkC2kau4CKkGOSyyjxbA7KXcpfjtsfKXWc/s850/1%20(28).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbdKYKM3wl8TQBj5ZmKDLSyJLS_r19mXy_rJiSOaLRNntx5FVCTDj5Cc3yV0yZ3EUwzrZ8jt7Qeaw_oKnSf0a6ebRtAhlZ0BewaPWR-Nm69kkbbc6RAasSHXFe2ST_4v590a7WmEDkRwvZubB02NobCMI-hkC2kau4CKkGOSyyjxbA7KXcpfjtsfKXWc/w640-h480/1%20(28).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">When I get an online notification about a bill and it's not due for payment for a couple of weeks, I put the date due in my online calendar and set the calendar to send me an email reminder three days before the due date. That's been working well for me but work out what will help you and make it a regular thing. </p><p style="text-align: center;">~~~ 🌿💜🌿 ~~~</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm finishing this post now but I feel I still have important things to tell you 😵💫. I might remember them later today, if so, I'll add them here. I do hope you're helped by some of the above. Grocery shopping is an important part of family life and in these difficult times, we all need to save where and when we can.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I hope you're doing well and looking forward to the change of seasons like I am 🥰. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-9494839353310019642024-02-19T09:26:00.009+10:002024-03-08T10:21:14.951+10:00What I used to do and what I do now<div style="text-align: justify;">When I simplified my life I thought not much would change in the future. Looking back on it now, things didn't change for many years but when the changes came, they were terrifying, challenging and, eventually, wonderful. I’d never thought about living alone until it happened and then I thought I’d just carry on as before. But it didn’t turn out that way - many of my changes were big and difficult and now my life is very different to what it used to be. So I thought it might be a good thing to write about here - to help others as they age and because I want my blog to be a journal of my life and it wouldn’t be a true and genuine account without these final chapters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWrKmMj-NDn-rEeeHuBe4wBxnqNFKU__uRAgmX9GWJ4GZ-jW8YjXnjhtY6aQYK9aLQKXnvdch8-eIP8i1ZupwSW49KY3Q_HzMorgwS1PDS9a3nnfXY7A-ioRhmS8l0wvY1lG0yvMtIu5J0GiWHkQu4QPlrngcYOVOC_fWvIiNd_zPuy9iv3LxRAVFDds/s845/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="845" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWrKmMj-NDn-rEeeHuBe4wBxnqNFKU__uRAgmX9GWJ4GZ-jW8YjXnjhtY6aQYK9aLQKXnvdch8-eIP8i1ZupwSW49KY3Q_HzMorgwS1PDS9a3nnfXY7A-ioRhmS8l0wvY1lG0yvMtIu5J0GiWHkQu4QPlrngcYOVOC_fWvIiNd_zPuy9iv3LxRAVFDds/w640-h426/3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The catalyst for my life change was Hanno becoming sick and eventually dying of brain cancer and Parkinson's disease. Long term readers might notice I left out the diagnosis of dementia which I now believe was false. It wasn't the only false diagnosis he was given but let's just leave it at that. When Hanno died, I fell in a heap and sat on the front verandah staring into space and I stayed there until I realised that I had to do something to get myself moving again. Afterall, I didn't have Hanno there to ask our mutual question: "What are you doing? There's work to be done." The only thing I could think of was to restart my decades-old housework routine and see where that took me. I wasn't sure what would happen, maybe I'd come up with a great idea on how to live well, maybe I'd sell the house, maybe I'd go back to the seat on the verandah. I just didn't know. But what did happen was subtle and reassuring - my housework nurtured me by providing a familiar way to spend my hours and that in turn removed my anxiety and sadness. I felt my life taking shape again, I started with making my bed in the morning, taking Gracie outside and sitting to watch the sunrise, making breakfast, thinking about lunch, cleaning the kitchen, then moving on to whatever needed to be done that particular day. I also included a lot of downtime when I'd read, paint and write because I wanted my creativity to thrive again.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hF9DJ9x5NleCdSz8Bj-_7Vep7pmFOUPI86oHZZ2j9tCIqAIwoqFMC7AoTxu-9zuJ8JCjjZWHJ0u4i3KXEejDGmzZHeZjeSqObZNSNO2WARXFOzi9wwwJdTeQhIyaLGoW7QX_xdsnQhVINiZwstR5gHkNescGMe_WyfdI1Xm7bPCxOPk0e7lAkc9f9ns/s1000/1%20(15).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hF9DJ9x5NleCdSz8Bj-_7Vep7pmFOUPI86oHZZ2j9tCIqAIwoqFMC7AoTxu-9zuJ8JCjjZWHJ0u4i3KXEejDGmzZHeZjeSqObZNSNO2WARXFOzi9wwwJdTeQhIyaLGoW7QX_xdsnQhVINiZwstR5gHkNescGMe_WyfdI1Xm7bPCxOPk0e7lAkc9f9ns/w640-h480/1%20(15).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was diagnosed with a non-malignant brain tumour in 2019. It makes me dizzy and unable to bend over or look up to do things but mainly it's made me think in a different way! It's made me more organised and patient, two things that weren't a big part of my intellectual or emotional makeup before. Now I do what has to be done, not find reasons not to do it and that has made life much easier, especially as I haven't had Hanno asking the "What are you doing? ..." question. I can easily motivate myself to do almost anything now and I'm more inclined to forgive mistakes, in myself and others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OxTbRLnmzsjSXYKGYoJYkD3kK8XhJM1ACTZoiYdy3119aM2CGPLMfqwWIIPC8dHAz19QSnecPUNn8j49Fz6p7ISzXt9xGla9n2ivlUhdkgWgNGlCJPoyPIRrS71xiwj9zE8aqjqDCGwubTJT4KQ7cK7jpIUoZvIwGbgk2ailjTHxViYJLBaNRhOZo7Q/s630/2%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="630" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OxTbRLnmzsjSXYKGYoJYkD3kK8XhJM1ACTZoiYdy3119aM2CGPLMfqwWIIPC8dHAz19QSnecPUNn8j49Fz6p7ISzXt9xGla9n2ivlUhdkgWgNGlCJPoyPIRrS71xiwj9zE8aqjqDCGwubTJT4KQ7cK7jpIUoZvIwGbgk2ailjTHxViYJLBaNRhOZo7Q/w640-h426/2%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I met Hanno when I was 28, he died when I was 74, so it took a while to work out what made sense at this stage of my life. In the old days, I'd stockpile, bake bread every day, make almost everything from scratch, preserve food, make soap and simple cleaning products, I'd grow food, cook and store it, shop mindfully, I gave up recreational shopping (including thrift shopping), I decluttered, recycled and composted. But that all changed when I was alone. Initially I stopped baking but started again when I didn't want to drive to the bakery to buy bread, and I missed my daily piece of toast. Instead of baking a loaf every day, I now bake about once every two weeks and wait until the loaf is cold, slice it, bag it in a reusable plastic bag and store it in the freezer. When I make biscuits/cookies, I make a full batch but divide that and freeze half the dough. It tastes just as good when it's baked and if someone comes over I usually have something in the freezer I can defrost and bake for them. Instead of growing or buying a large amount of tomatoes for relish or strawberries for jam, I buy those things in season when they're at their best and cheapest and preserve smaller amounts. Around Christmas time, I bought four punnets of perfect local strawberries and made two jars of strawberry jam - that will probably last me most of the year. Instead of buying fresh tomatoes, I bought tinned tomatoes and made the relish I usually make for Christmas lunch. I still have six jars of that which I'm using as pizza sauce, sandwich relish and as a base for curry and pasta sauces.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hJXMsXQ_dMXP9mcIIiSyDX5H6J_maxNQezUAL9RXga1xmU11Bh4ucWk700ttmiPKl2HyowjgaCoeHS2ZYInKSv_YXYEeQsniIrjFcQbL42Lh0_fP5gBngxZhIQbzf2DdpN68NPuaqXTHtMIhhMVKNWDNoc93E7f_nqIBsv_K7GfrOyal2w6VK-UZKFA/s630/1%20(18).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hJXMsXQ_dMXP9mcIIiSyDX5H6J_maxNQezUAL9RXga1xmU11Bh4ucWk700ttmiPKl2HyowjgaCoeHS2ZYInKSv_YXYEeQsniIrjFcQbL42Lh0_fP5gBngxZhIQbzf2DdpN68NPuaqXTHtMIhhMVKNWDNoc93E7f_nqIBsv_K7GfrOyal2w6VK-UZKFA/w640-h480/1%20(18).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've cut my food waste by about 90%. I did that by using the Zwilling vacuum seal glass containers and plastic bags. I wrote about that twice last year, here are those links: <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2023/01/food-storage-stop-wasting-food.html" target="_blank"> Zwilling vacuum seals one</a>, <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2023/11/new-mugs-zwilling-storage-and-pinkie-is.html" target="_blank">Zwilling vacuum seals two.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-aZKK3diuPTfSBQp5x8Oa-evtFpdgaAsi7R-m56Fgj5ZliQC-sDaD8Ow4Hr38SFnIMEAo5EWRArGxN5p90nMm4NM7NrUkbjit5k23IM1UnGWW6WFfq5e9UljpI6B1No1XQ0UmeevqW7UwPachyphenhyphenobQjjv6gB0HSZu7WZHuRB_bjP_0I9qxV3SNg7oE5I/s1000/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1000" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-aZKK3diuPTfSBQp5x8Oa-evtFpdgaAsi7R-m56Fgj5ZliQC-sDaD8Ow4Hr38SFnIMEAo5EWRArGxN5p90nMm4NM7NrUkbjit5k23IM1UnGWW6WFfq5e9UljpI6B1No1XQ0UmeevqW7UwPachyphenhyphenobQjjv6gB0HSZu7WZHuRB_bjP_0I9qxV3SNg7oE5I/w640-h614/1%20(16).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I eat when I'm hungry and go to bed when I'm tired - even if it's 4pm. The time of day and day of the week don't matter because the daily decisions I make usually only relate to me. I can do whatever I like, whenever I like. If you were to walk past my place at 2am and hear the gentle whir of a machine, it would probably be me sewing. Having no timetable or deadlines eases stress, especially after a writing career that is based on deadlines. I feel happy and lucky that this is what my life is now. Of course, I miss Hanno and think of him everyday, but I talk to the photo of him in the kitchen and I'm pretty sure he'd like the way I've rebuilt my life. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtf2H4EVKmdlVEXW05zC8nzl075-nIgEn_v6e_PBAq-dUNaOjAPm9nKKvz6hS-3lfT_chcH6ILtxPPsvNh7f1CSamrBbzd2tmX7yiQy-IeZq2sSCZY-axNoEdXGxJAxkTwa_KjB1cYqMUYA4dkSR9Pk9pGw1ZDPav00EpuvdfKaqOKZJf7sy0JU_q2UVs/s1000/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtf2H4EVKmdlVEXW05zC8nzl075-nIgEn_v6e_PBAq-dUNaOjAPm9nKKvz6hS-3lfT_chcH6ILtxPPsvNh7f1CSamrBbzd2tmX7yiQy-IeZq2sSCZY-axNoEdXGxJAxkTwa_KjB1cYqMUYA4dkSR9Pk9pGw1ZDPav00EpuvdfKaqOKZJf7sy0JU_q2UVs/w640-h480/4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another one of my changes is to have my groceries delivered once a week. For me, it's cheaper than going to the supermarket and roadside stalls. With my pensioner's discount, it costs about $2 per delivery. So I don't have to struggle getting the grocery bags in and out of my car, I'm not tempted to buy things I don't need and I save on petrol because I don't drive the 20 minute journey there and back.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIRjnCPziqUlljEav7lc537ryS_nkcLuLoAiSwboa89RuFUu11i158NOJhXYutGEU9FnIAM-z81B1GBfm1eM5aOIJx6OiqMQtVACHpALPYuuMR2c85lPLLhqA2HQQhsAdolzQhYyzVZ4sO1N1TzBCd9nw8qNijlQj741XyalE4INASVU0HLmEPK1mtbE/s1000/1%20(13).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIRjnCPziqUlljEav7lc537ryS_nkcLuLoAiSwboa89RuFUu11i158NOJhXYutGEU9FnIAM-z81B1GBfm1eM5aOIJx6OiqMQtVACHpALPYuuMR2c85lPLLhqA2HQQhsAdolzQhYyzVZ4sO1N1TzBCd9nw8qNijlQj741XyalE4INASVU0HLmEPK1mtbE/w640-h480/1%20(13).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One thing I've always been mindful of is eating fruit and vegetables every day, mainly for the fibre but also for the vitamins and minerals they contain. When I was cooking for two, Hanno liked having a cooked breakfast and lunch and he'd often have a toasted sandwich for dinner, so there were always a variety of vegetables cooked twice a day. Now that I eat one meal a day and that might be soup, homemade sausage rolls, eggs, steak, chicken or a casserole, I make sure I get enough vegetables by making up a bowl of coleslaw every week. I store it in a Zwilling vacuum glass container and have a coleslaw side dish with whatever I eat as my mail meal. I have at least two pieces of fruit a day and drink tea, water and milk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0InZ9bx03q9NZLYFkD7h9ZGW9UZI7uwvf0_d2INGUu8Zha1z1hQx9KmPow_1LGX9DRT0KaNgrTVgun2Wn4tN2uVjLm88MwCA6HP49_kyy2HNyd0tVXX8_0N2eTHufewJmDcldvV-B86I6H-lfw6cGWOBx377IY9gGsrCA3l6858BGdfUYkYKkWCPMAY/s730/1%20(17).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="730" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0InZ9bx03q9NZLYFkD7h9ZGW9UZI7uwvf0_d2INGUu8Zha1z1hQx9KmPow_1LGX9DRT0KaNgrTVgun2Wn4tN2uVjLm88MwCA6HP49_kyy2HNyd0tVXX8_0N2eTHufewJmDcldvV-B86I6H-lfw6cGWOBx377IY9gGsrCA3l6858BGdfUYkYKkWCPMAY/w640-h456/1%20(17).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I still cook all Gracie's food and alternate between red meat and chicken. About once a month she has a couple of days eating raw meat. I used to give her chicken necks too but she had trouble chewing them so I stopped giving them to her. She has a cup of Black Hawk high quality dog biscuits in the morning and drinks only water.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4L94R3IZ_Bwjh4ZOwMb4hspUWjrrXa3LZNHxvK-ookaA5pzIl-0eYM8TLzJmGx9BxY8lO_QciLMDcczuUvzgokXQigIairgad80724FVXcJofNKWsWXZWuDQKdS3ucOx8zOTw3jw8y3dygY7dR64aLFSUtZj2sZnXr5E7obsHa-F6-7Yoxb6zLzlQ-U/s1334/7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4L94R3IZ_Bwjh4ZOwMb4hspUWjrrXa3LZNHxvK-ookaA5pzIl-0eYM8TLzJmGx9BxY8lO_QciLMDcczuUvzgokXQigIairgad80724FVXcJofNKWsWXZWuDQKdS3ucOx8zOTw3jw8y3dygY7dR64aLFSUtZj2sZnXr5E7obsHa-F6-7Yoxb6zLzlQ-U/w480-h640/7.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Overall, I cook and bake from scratch and although I eat the food I like, usually it's the simple food I grew up eating. I eat very few processed foods or drinks, I know the food requirements for my age group and I generally eat between 6am and about 2pm. I eat less than I did when I cooked three meals a day and I feel better for it. I still keep a small stockpile of tea, small tins of red salmon, baked beans, jam, relish, pickles, rolled oats, grains, pasta, rice, sugar, vinegar, honey, various flours and spices. I usually have frozen butter, bread and a small amount of meat and chicken in the freezer. The pandemic proved to me that anything can happen at any time so I stockpile foods that will store well and keep me going until the food deliveries start again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCifSsStwzGBgipTwl7_2B_CGjWK03TdF7Kk81HuRxmXUKigpEHrEATUBPRvo56bF1H2dupd5CnuqUQYda2Cq5WsW2edcFza8sBz_HvPz1wfw_99BxEp5eD-0MtWV09S-dijX0ey7tp_NOJqhL7V_PNOtDUMRngwcdRr6WO3SzZTj8d8x7zWgrR9tz7pw/s1000/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCifSsStwzGBgipTwl7_2B_CGjWK03TdF7Kk81HuRxmXUKigpEHrEATUBPRvo56bF1H2dupd5CnuqUQYda2Cq5WsW2edcFza8sBz_HvPz1wfw_99BxEp5eD-0MtWV09S-dijX0ey7tp_NOJqhL7V_PNOtDUMRngwcdRr6WO3SzZTj8d8x7zWgrR9tz7pw/w640-h480/6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today I’m making a new version of choc chip biscuits/cookies. If I like them I’ll include the recipe in my eCookbook. I’ve started work on it, made changes already and now I think I’m happy with what I’m creating. Originally I was going to write one document but then realised it would be too big and didn’t want the bother of handling and emailing such a large file. I decided then that I’d break it into several sections, then decided against that because that would be a bother too. LOL Now I'm writing a savoury book and a sweet book. I’ve lived with that decision for a couple of weeks now and it still makes sense to me, so I’m guessing that’s what I’ll end up with. I hope to release the savoury book in June.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYyPrnYZa6tKpNbQV8MVs2bd7-_yeRfDKO0j8F1dq9pDVAe3pRo1sMOQufBilyioJYW_tPBJWpvwbOp_bygAUJ96uMInB2Wprsj8foQZaM7Ps3TyDPqaPTmlD16nu08GRU94DvC_POkg3lZgf_q19i8LL6kCwz2cvOar_8Tk-KbMdAnLPOFPYkPL2SRo/s630/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYyPrnYZa6tKpNbQV8MVs2bd7-_yeRfDKO0j8F1dq9pDVAe3pRo1sMOQufBilyioJYW_tPBJWpvwbOp_bygAUJ96uMInB2Wprsj8foQZaM7Ps3TyDPqaPTmlD16nu08GRU94DvC_POkg3lZgf_q19i8LL6kCwz2cvOar_8Tk-KbMdAnLPOFPYkPL2SRo/w640-h480/2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my next post, I'll carry on with the same theme of what I used to do and what I do now. Those topics will be Gardening, Organising money and paying bills, Grooming and feeding Gracie and a third post on this subject on Spending time alone and with Gracie, Organising my time, Doing what I want, Maintaining relationships - family and friends, neighbours, My health. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope there will be a few things in these posts that will help you as you grow older. It's an interesting and significant journey that not everyone is fortunate enough to make.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15764400779317176992024-02-08T06:15:00.005+10:002024-02-08T07:47:53.445+10:00Starting a simpler life<div style="text-align: justify;">When I started living a simpler life over 20 years ago, I saw it more as a collection of skills rather than a way of life. It took me a few months before I connected the dots and that showed me that when each skill was seen as part of something bigger it made more sense, and all these things made life easier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1HN-wTYf-RqWznHmKEnHeOjv8dwLeYrAB9oOHEVCnQr972stI4jtxTXeRpGyTbzOMe9B4VHrAfVOquL3oL9v69rsPOBjrZDrDTEOyGGbG2jOEh1rupOOYrwhpVO7kQEf__1lnJGsCj9hmqd-ddw4E4pPR-AvmlE94WiG9eeQaiUMZcbkmH4nHvHcGPY/s875/1%20(10).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1HN-wTYf-RqWznHmKEnHeOjv8dwLeYrAB9oOHEVCnQr972stI4jtxTXeRpGyTbzOMe9B4VHrAfVOquL3oL9v69rsPOBjrZDrDTEOyGGbG2jOEh1rupOOYrwhpVO7kQEf__1lnJGsCj9hmqd-ddw4E4pPR-AvmlE94WiG9eeQaiUMZcbkmH4nHvHcGPY/s16000/1%20(10).jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>For example, we’d kept chooks, grown vegetables in the backyard and eaten organic food for many years. I’d baked bread on and off for that time too and when we lived in the bush, we stockpiled. But all these things seemed to be disjointed and random. They were things we did when we had the time for them but never part of a particular lifestyle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8fjJcYXtREmGzKopNQ-EKPkPk0hET3mK999_ksJw4ixkqnDlVmP3E1_BnH-TgvX9AU4iBinTEi4yzumyMfwTyVEx4egNmgf5EV585ky2UVL_f98XqFn7QyItUwm4oDrV1heH-i6OcALIouTumxndYTU4gHNyeLyv2e7An6v_9ddINRKABaVyvW707og/s585/1%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8fjJcYXtREmGzKopNQ-EKPkPk0hET3mK999_ksJw4ixkqnDlVmP3E1_BnH-TgvX9AU4iBinTEi4yzumyMfwTyVEx4egNmgf5EV585ky2UVL_f98XqFn7QyItUwm4oDrV1heH-i6OcALIouTumxndYTU4gHNyeLyv2e7An6v_9ddINRKABaVyvW707og/s16000/1%20(11).jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wanted to live in a way that made sense environmentally, made a better family life and that challenged and rewarded me. So I looked at what we were doing. It helped to have a name to call it so we could focus on"simple living" and not all the single elements like chooks, stockpiling, organic vegetables, slowing down, budgeting, cooking from scratch etc. When I had the name for it, I discovered I wasn't alone in my thoughts. I found people writing about living how I wanted to live and that motivated me like nothing else. I knew I didn't have to move to the country to live the way I wanted, I knew I would have to learn how to do a lot of the things I wanted to do and I would have to budget and save as much as I could.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAANpEnZaqZU8_Y8Gv417SVidapG1LXd6we79eb4tE9kn1vlPz1uLYy5pCTO__uWUfh5lOzzArKkaRt2mklfVP6WW6l0Ha3yNQ7v31HIqjYm90mMV7_VhCYwZSxGvUbRhPPwVKWpoFkXrfDsGOlKjJO2yBEs8Al9Y_6susT3P0tKx0g8uxIi2a1OB9td4/s1000/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1000" height="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAANpEnZaqZU8_Y8Gv417SVidapG1LXd6we79eb4tE9kn1vlPz1uLYy5pCTO__uWUfh5lOzzArKkaRt2mklfVP6WW6l0Ha3yNQ7v31HIqjYm90mMV7_VhCYwZSxGvUbRhPPwVKWpoFkXrfDsGOlKjJO2yBEs8Al9Y_6susT3P0tKx0g8uxIi2a1OB9td4/w640-h626/1%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'd already realised that shopping was a wolf in sheep’s clothing that would give me all I needed and wanted. It had to stop and when it did, I suppose that was the first conscious step I took on the road to my simple life. I stopped handing my money over to large corporations to buy the latest fashions so I could look like everyone else, buy convenience rather than do my own work and buy services I could do without. That made the biggest difference.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7T1ZsZy8hDYY2OnGAFQ9RsyHsVQR-OMnzhVPPAPZuJOqQb5uSrh3u0TDA8YM0IJvuahGNWffB1umcYgIyigua1qTBr0tYX6NGlLiNuJaYfiVyUHmYlQaCSXdD0v_nj-Fkq4xCLyHUoo-E47nKVaArDFbU-qL5nvcSoqmYazg46mfGycN695XTQQvBP5E/s1355/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1355" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7T1ZsZy8hDYY2OnGAFQ9RsyHsVQR-OMnzhVPPAPZuJOqQb5uSrh3u0TDA8YM0IJvuahGNWffB1umcYgIyigua1qTBr0tYX6NGlLiNuJaYfiVyUHmYlQaCSXdD0v_nj-Fkq4xCLyHUoo-E47nKVaArDFbU-qL5nvcSoqmYazg46mfGycN695XTQQvBP5E/w472-h640/1.jpeg" width="472" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I created a plan to stop shopping for what I wanted and buy only what I needed instead. I changed the way I shopped for groceries, I cooked from scratch and made as much as I could myself. Another aim was to rethink how I viewed housework and to make what I did in my home meaningful and rewarding. I did it by realising that every single thing I did at home, I did for my family or myself. Knowing that, and really understanding it, made that change possible. It was like a light turned on inside my head; one of those classic cartoon moments when the light globe comes on and you can almost see new ideas forming and old ways melting away. If what I was doing at home was for us then what greater incentive could I have? However, the work wasn’t all mine, I think housework should be shared. My kids grew up keeping their own rooms tidy, making their beds and doing easy household chores. When they left home, I usually worked in the house and Hanno worked outside, but there are many times we crossed over and I'd do one of "his" jobs and he did one of "mine". I then realised that the work we do in our homes contributes significantly towards how we feel and that flows into other parts in our lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD01D4eCMuChGtlXXhNAvQj9JBuLOz-8MLARBugaAF5MthJ4JxtfwlN4O5_OIclWk_uDbv6siUcnGj3puY7tTLcCB0vxvsebg2YKvLHbV1jtyuuWbG93Unl2NJWxCrlcQmqC70sk3Vyvk9B8vQ-twLeM5-XdEhPHxmrYnnG24D3NiasTH4mMpm6EotCOQ/s1000/1%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1000" height="545" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD01D4eCMuChGtlXXhNAvQj9JBuLOz-8MLARBugaAF5MthJ4JxtfwlN4O5_OIclWk_uDbv6siUcnGj3puY7tTLcCB0vxvsebg2YKvLHbV1jtyuuWbG93Unl2NJWxCrlcQmqC70sk3Vyvk9B8vQ-twLeM5-XdEhPHxmrYnnG24D3NiasTH4mMpm6EotCOQ/w640-h545/1%20(7).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am proof that change is possible. If you were to ask my advice on moving towards simplicity, I'd tell you to focus on yourself first and to understand that you may already be doing a lot of the things that make up this way of living. If it still feels disjointed to you, try to connect the dots in YOUR life. Work out for yourself how not shopping for convenience and things you don’t need, saving on your grocery bills, cutting back on your use of water and electricity helps to pay off your debt. Work it out on paper if you have to. Convince yourself. Develop a plan and new values that will facilitate and support your simple life. When you focus on a simpler future, when you do the work, it will change how you think abut housework, and the satisfaction you feel will help you to keep going. The rewards you gain are massive and you’ll discover the feeling of living debt-free, spending more time with your family and living in a calm and stress-free home. And I that, my friends, is the glittering prize.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGFJhcJPJPE7A_bHxX2AYdSzmoim8e7sxEte9g5s3-POhykWbcCjPD6f9ILGje4MqjQuQsZNEYFe146FWgKaEKroYSy3SomksMkjYRYtMiLx26KyofVb1vUcxyv_VKbEdz4jfSeyFy95c_HSFH0q1Aej7WY-amKk1y0rO2cT0buWg23omRFkH5UXk4Ao/s1000/1%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1000" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGFJhcJPJPE7A_bHxX2AYdSzmoim8e7sxEte9g5s3-POhykWbcCjPD6f9ILGje4MqjQuQsZNEYFe146FWgKaEKroYSy3SomksMkjYRYtMiLx26KyofVb1vUcxyv_VKbEdz4jfSeyFy95c_HSFH0q1Aej7WY-amKk1y0rO2cT0buWg23omRFkH5UXk4Ao/w640-h431/1%20(9).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nicole Lutze is advertising her new natural cleaners workshops in March. They’re being held in several locations on the Sunshine Coast, cost $5 and are being sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Council. <a href="https://library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/whats-on/at-the-library/make-natural-cleansers" target="_blank">Click here for more information. </a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">🌿 🌿 🌿</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-34963041351468932622024-01-17T14:59:00.006+10:002024-01-18T08:25:56.802+10:00Housework changes us<div style="text-align: justify;">I used this quote at the beginning of chapter five in <i>The Simple Home</i>, Laundry Love. It's one of my favourites:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>“Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.”</i> -Ralph Waldo Emerson</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That is how I feel about the work I do here in my home. I end up with the prize, this is how I win it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_7GdOv4UzFm9EBGtsDhAq2ajyUsg5uOJDrI0yG2lntek44fSHv_iGS2Kq6DAM12AQnSDq10jbCSQu_pMBYesZQvy6W6rcvhXZ2MW-NjWfn16Pwx3McKdGCQdU-SutToWiLcHNvKkcjggZVsP9kToOpr73PJcQZlQRZCb5uCpJ3J2Y7-1G_b0hyphenhyphenfwEXc/s1000/1%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_7GdOv4UzFm9EBGtsDhAq2ajyUsg5uOJDrI0yG2lntek44fSHv_iGS2Kq6DAM12AQnSDq10jbCSQu_pMBYesZQvy6W6rcvhXZ2MW-NjWfn16Pwx3McKdGCQdU-SutToWiLcHNvKkcjggZVsP9kToOpr73PJcQZlQRZCb5uCpJ3J2Y7-1G_b0hyphenhyphenfwEXc/w640-h640/1%20(11).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Back in the day, I used to multitask, take shortcuts and do only the work that was necessary for a clean and tidy house. I didn't think about comfort, warmth, wellbeing or safety. It was only when I started to slow down and appreciate the work I was doing that I realised how important it was. Housework changed me from being a busy, tired and overworked mother, wife and writer into what I am today. When I gave up work at 55 and concentrated on building a simpler life, housework was my steady guide. It taught me that I could modify what I did to suit how I work, and to hope for the unexpected and challenging because that was what would keep me productive and interested in my home. When I understood that, the rewards were abundant.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN2e7zwrkcTHoc2LIa31n_WxULuM2htHmXgOQF1otAJoTJqBAQL9oIdRFKFz9DzQx9OcNi8w_Gf2_AO-H7-qSwbd1MLqOKOrZT5dAyjFNO3K9Khyphenhyphenu7llsVR93czVPlQBlK1atuoDCBFLUb5sThlrH8YmtE_3wU61nHljsBqlNVtmTgetIyFcFuiBjbNk/s1271/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN2e7zwrkcTHoc2LIa31n_WxULuM2htHmXgOQF1otAJoTJqBAQL9oIdRFKFz9DzQx9OcNi8w_Gf2_AO-H7-qSwbd1MLqOKOrZT5dAyjFNO3K9Khyphenhyphenu7llsVR93czVPlQBlK1atuoDCBFLUb5sThlrH8YmtE_3wU61nHljsBqlNVtmTgetIyFcFuiBjbNk/w504-h640/1%20(16).jpeg" width="504" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the years I moved furniture around to better suit the way we live, I started stockpiling, changed the way I shopped for groceries and although I'd always cooked from scratch, I started baking bread every day too. We got rare breed chickens. I began growing food in the backyard, preserving, volunteering, budgeting, sewing and mending. And I was knitting - I started knitting organic cotton dishcloths, and I still do that now. 🙂</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCGcI65ImGIzcMtWzGh6nBk0RMQzAJAyqG2ecFvzAOtV21GxY8JZLrEiFLmC_8watJwa1co1f3q2D-Htapom2_3KeeyM_5RKcDekr3ZRCOKgGT5VcfQa-Yzb8KDuJOc6wp-IC7noeQVF8GEg5-LjvHhyphenhyphenJJaKA-I-PfOJ-gwkjJNDDvCFtJ0V-lOJfu40/s1000/1%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCGcI65ImGIzcMtWzGh6nBk0RMQzAJAyqG2ecFvzAOtV21GxY8JZLrEiFLmC_8watJwa1co1f3q2D-Htapom2_3KeeyM_5RKcDekr3ZRCOKgGT5VcfQa-Yzb8KDuJOc6wp-IC7noeQVF8GEg5-LjvHhyphenhyphenJJaKA-I-PfOJ-gwkjJNDDvCFtJ0V-lOJfu40/w640-h640/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>One of the important parts of this new lifestyle for me was my mindset. I promised myself I'd be kind, generous, non-judgemental, respectful and accepting. That made a big difference. Surely those values should be part of any simple life. It doesn’t make much sense without them.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmvGaMnqWT3Bj_2-6BzgkOhY4Vfs5UD9loR54A7D22vEC6HMoLGJvDBGmdOPrlsDVL7IZcldw7BRp09g0NweAj6L3_5Dw0zqWZGwUjqRDiVTIoB-1dbLUxhMV9mYPNEhwIREBw7AMmYIXUIlUDsElMMjGenblS6kBE9gBKhJW5clQ_-djhUeoTjY4o0Y/s650/1%20(20).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmvGaMnqWT3Bj_2-6BzgkOhY4Vfs5UD9loR54A7D22vEC6HMoLGJvDBGmdOPrlsDVL7IZcldw7BRp09g0NweAj6L3_5Dw0zqWZGwUjqRDiVTIoB-1dbLUxhMV9mYPNEhwIREBw7AMmYIXUIlUDsElMMjGenblS6kBE9gBKhJW5clQ_-djhUeoTjY4o0Y/w640-h640/1%20(20).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cutting up old sheets and pillowcases to use as cleaning rags. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphendCQxFSbN-1lghzvP4zhU63zbhM06xg9mwj5X_LASmy31buG_qAWMe9OxQ1fPhF4czW2Q7YZd1NwoJXJ7HueIxquRIpi3QLue2DRJ0iZyWCiSbMZlILV90yDDAUR8icD3KIrPivYXO6E2RwZpYdQP_1Fqam7iPl3N-6xbBL7w08qoVWnTkYTMyUva0c/s1000/3%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphendCQxFSbN-1lghzvP4zhU63zbhM06xg9mwj5X_LASmy31buG_qAWMe9OxQ1fPhF4czW2Q7YZd1NwoJXJ7HueIxquRIpi3QLue2DRJ0iZyWCiSbMZlILV90yDDAUR8icD3KIrPivYXO6E2RwZpYdQP_1Fqam7iPl3N-6xbBL7w08qoVWnTkYTMyUva0c/w640-h480/3%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It might seem strange to you now but over the course of your lifetime, you’ll save hundreds of dollars by cutting up old towels, sheets, tea towels and T-shirts to make cleaning rags. I estimated once that using rags instead of store-bought cloths would save at least $1000 over the course of the average housekeeper’s life. Anything made from cotton or linen is suitable, and because they’re old and well used, they’ll be seasoned, absorbent and soft. To clean the rags, just throw them in with the normal wash, or in with the mats if they're really grubby, and when they're dry, store them in your rag bag. When their life is over, throw them into the compost. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2016/09/household-linens-cleaning-cloths-dish.html" target="_blank">Click here for Down to Earth rags post.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROjJlXK1dpC4j32k3CPYX5jioVyhDBvz7SzvfJj-MLYi9BmnshRol-TdByhdrOXNJkOoC3PHZm_FNiXWM-uFeGOov_hyphenhyphenmd0GSrp_nG6QlWauPovX1ljfZiiPsFNUaqL0SrwXCL_wHQrIbNBKHDvRjt2z08y6dnK4926s6mw8DPlzGoIbmit_oKZ-SV6o/s1334/1%20(17).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROjJlXK1dpC4j32k3CPYX5jioVyhDBvz7SzvfJj-MLYi9BmnshRol-TdByhdrOXNJkOoC3PHZm_FNiXWM-uFeGOov_hyphenhyphenmd0GSrp_nG6QlWauPovX1ljfZiiPsFNUaqL0SrwXCL_wHQrIbNBKHDvRjt2z08y6dnK4926s6mw8DPlzGoIbmit_oKZ-SV6o/w480-h640/1%20(17).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Speaking of rag bags.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This post is a sample from <i><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2018/08/domestic-crafts-and-household-linens.html" target="_blank">The Simple Home</a></i>, my final book. It'll give you a good idea how I work with household linens, sewing, mending, knitting and general craft work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>MOVING ON</u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After many years of using a homemade laundry liquid I've move on to homemade laundry powder. The liquid takes slightly more preparation time and I preferred it because I used it combined with bicarb soda for bathroom cleaning. That paste is like Jif but with only four ingredients so I know I'm not spreading around chemicals that might cause harm. My homemade laundry powder recipe has four ingredients and costs in the region of three dollars to make a very large batch - 10 litres in liquid form. That's much cheaper than the supermarket powder or liquid and you're not bringing all those heavy plastic bottles into your home. You can add any oxy-clean type stain treatment (Vanish or Disan) to the mix if you've got kids or a partner with dirty work clothes. Making your own laundry powder/liquid will take 10 minutes and cost around $3. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I still make my cleaning paste with the bicarb. I just mix half a cup of laundry powder, add two tablespoons of bicarb and enough water to make a paste. Store it in a sealed container.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJkTxltXDaUzUTzd-_jbTSUl6qixyzt8F5OfqsgKTQTVRHX4iNGtNLAjI976AbUeZjhpTj7rPtacUZUEUhsJM0yKUugzxOMja2TTBsWvcet6m4uYc-QgmQq1H7bhyisaXzRwEJgi4yuS47MdbyCCr9yHeYx-4spj4DFqIx0MISEruzzVf1pZyATCiJcQ/s1334/1%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJkTxltXDaUzUTzd-_jbTSUl6qixyzt8F5OfqsgKTQTVRHX4iNGtNLAjI976AbUeZjhpTj7rPtacUZUEUhsJM0yKUugzxOMja2TTBsWvcet6m4uYc-QgmQq1H7bhyisaXzRwEJgi4yuS47MdbyCCr9yHeYx-4spj4DFqIx0MISEruzzVf1pZyATCiJcQ/w480-h640/1%20(8).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b>SHARP KNIVES</b></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I was decluttering the other day I found my dad's honing steel. It really looks its age and more like a pirate sword than a modern steel. It's still sharpens knives well though. One of my chef sons was shocked by the knife I gave him to carve the ham on Christmas Day. LOL I had been using one of those drag through knife sharpeners but that's in the recycle bin now and I'm a changed woman. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKYPCxx20zg" target="_blank">Here is a good video I found on how to use a honing steel.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>COOKING FROM SCRATCH</u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I cook all my meals from scratch but I don't expect anyone else to do that. If you want to start scratch cooking, do it one night a week, make enough for two meals and either freeze the second portion or serve it the following night. Cooking meals with ingredients you have in your home is much healthier and cheaper. You know what's in the meal, it tastes better, and you can make it exactly to your liking or health requirements. Food with ingredients you have never heard of, frozen meals and ultra-processed foods aren't healthy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtw6beGVXiql5ZqKUzqODAR2w4sEFmb3RnhNQXwJS9d7xdGCX0344Cv7QYj_YvB2AoV6YSzZS7pGltQq60lo-rTq8POKmTCVMp0lNWDWo6v4dCun6PWRi2DD0F5zgvV_lNuW5_ldN1lC23QIrwYv39V3DAHmYYERMl0O2Qlx1KgWakfcbgQ9JD2Qjcsk/s1000/1%20(15).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1000" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtw6beGVXiql5ZqKUzqODAR2w4sEFmb3RnhNQXwJS9d7xdGCX0344Cv7QYj_YvB2AoV6YSzZS7pGltQq60lo-rTq8POKmTCVMp0lNWDWo6v4dCun6PWRi2DD0F5zgvV_lNuW5_ldN1lC23QIrwYv39V3DAHmYYERMl0O2Qlx1KgWakfcbgQ9JD2Qjcsk/w640-h578/1%20(15).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chicken schnitzel and salad.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One thing I know to be true is that when you do simplify your life, be that a lot or a little, life will be easier. Start slow with what you're struggling with at the moment - budget, cooking, cleaning or whatever, choose one thing and work your way through that. Just use the parts that suit you and your life, leave the rest for now. When you feel confident with that, choose something else. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL6dwU0heKAmSykZXeNHsA4AmlQh1ReS60OyaZ6tdwUMHk-QzfzcLVte1jufD9p_0hLX8Bx2iQFMpSw6u0Ytjeyt9mAf__HA-5cIFt15qgDz0yBeYpSMKFWFibG3GgGMqYhbQTH1d6-K580vQd9KWg61vjX-6Ky6R8Ffv3VSt9jP3nhCbc2eenboe_xo/s1000/1%20(19).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL6dwU0heKAmSykZXeNHsA4AmlQh1ReS60OyaZ6tdwUMHk-QzfzcLVte1jufD9p_0hLX8Bx2iQFMpSw6u0Ytjeyt9mAf__HA-5cIFt15qgDz0yBeYpSMKFWFibG3GgGMqYhbQTH1d6-K580vQd9KWg61vjX-6Ky6R8Ffv3VSt9jP3nhCbc2eenboe_xo/w640-h480/1%20(19).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I helped my family out with some home cooking late last week because they had a lot to do. A simple meal of bone broth and vegetable soup, lasagne and cinnamon tea cake filled them up and gave them a break from cooking. I love it when I can help. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvrKkOLUxmj1xaRSRKP6sfNrsBo2-i6S7rJysqGIdfg_tRNa-VT7qwmjmQBY_2jblNgcC9IAUQb4dmqgVXpJlFhLoNWRzDpoyP9tXOGvld4JYvobKgsLUlR4QscjWneSZGCRXTa3DuvKlEJTabyp9R4bgPIg94mnh7JZ4pdij4on_NplT9n_24ejci2E/s1334/2%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvrKkOLUxmj1xaRSRKP6sfNrsBo2-i6S7rJysqGIdfg_tRNa-VT7qwmjmQBY_2jblNgcC9IAUQb4dmqgVXpJlFhLoNWRzDpoyP9tXOGvld4JYvobKgsLUlR4QscjWneSZGCRXTa3DuvKlEJTabyp9R4bgPIg94mnh7JZ4pdij4on_NplT9n_24ejci2E/w480-h640/2%20(5).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you work outside the home for a living, you'll fit your simple tasks around your family and your job, but don’t make the mistake of putting off the decision to move towards a simpler life because you are working. You'll make things easier and cheaper for yourself if you start some of these simple tasks during your stage of working outside the home. You'll learn and practise some of the skills you'll need when you're living a simpler life. Just as an example on a starting list I'd suggest making your own green cleaners, cooking one or two meals per week from scratch, stockpiling, menu plans and growing a few herbs and green leaves in pots. That will get you started and you can add more tasks when you're ready for them. Remember, there isn't a one size fits all approach to this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd92Q6SYUaUE1D5GgUTkR6Co1H2h90v95PrqQtNASuvHrFxX5b5UHioAAMGkELW0qdxRpwUDHv4DAk57cLPpOdxroDltwwwBfOHmyxnSyKRTjjqEJVnOa_d3RTPNu3TCqKhRAPUelx0mK7toQ7IN7GfhcG9nfRaPpCisO17VOpLeSOvlh2CAotEIO-P84/s1000/1%20(14).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd92Q6SYUaUE1D5GgUTkR6Co1H2h90v95PrqQtNASuvHrFxX5b5UHioAAMGkELW0qdxRpwUDHv4DAk57cLPpOdxroDltwwwBfOHmyxnSyKRTjjqEJVnOa_d3RTPNu3TCqKhRAPUelx0mK7toQ7IN7GfhcG9nfRaPpCisO17VOpLeSOvlh2CAotEIO-P84/w640-h640/1%20(14).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It won't happen overnight and you must remember we all go through stages - that's a chapter in <i>Down to Earth</i> (the book). I can do what I do because I'm 75 years old and I have time but my age also restricts because I don't have the strength I once had and I have a non-malignant brain tumour that makes me dizzy when I bend over or look upwards. But no matter what stage you're at, we will all be restricted by something that will probably disappear one day - the kids grow up, you stop or start working outside the home, you pay off your mortgage etc. Making your own homemade cleaners, menu plans, mindful grocery shopping, budgeting etc will all make your life easier and only take a short amount of time to set up. Once you get used to it you'll wonder why you waited to do it. 😊</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CeCCSCDunnlHIiGfuRDwcS9UcAXu9z5dkO1OHP1fNSMdnBslz2EHhiDwWfrOjvPtgZ3gCA4XX218-09UXpGb_3VTJS_aQA-cwzv2x8M3QiNXpV-vCXpEihojYf7wU-6F2b2XXsQYVlSUbqhp2BhoYl8iQ0dLKl41HtYcfoj0SUsDf8NP-h8VMxqYOq8/s1000/1%20(13).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CeCCSCDunnlHIiGfuRDwcS9UcAXu9z5dkO1OHP1fNSMdnBslz2EHhiDwWfrOjvPtgZ3gCA4XX218-09UXpGb_3VTJS_aQA-cwzv2x8M3QiNXpV-vCXpEihojYf7wU-6F2b2XXsQYVlSUbqhp2BhoYl8iQ0dLKl41HtYcfoj0SUsDf8NP-h8VMxqYOq8/w640-h640/1%20(13).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I believe there are many ways to live simply. I have lived in Europe, in the Australian bush and in the city, in houses, flats and caravans, and I know with no doubt, I could have lived simply in all those places. Whatever your circumstances are, you can fashion a life that will simplify your daily tasks, help you nurture yourself and your family and lead you to discover that a simple life is like a patchwork quilt - it's pieced together slowly, unpicked sometimes, composed of a mish-mash of colours and textures and is different for everyone, depending on the fabric of your life. But when one stands back from a completed quilt, its complexity becomes apparent. It's no longer pieces of this and that, it builds into a functional piece that gives warmth, beauty and comfort. That's how your simple life will build too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>If you're struggling to simplify, have a look in my right-hand column <b><span style="font-size: medium;">→</span></b> and you'll find my archive listed year by year. I think beginners would find the 2007 - 2014 years the most helpful. OR, just under that, all my topics are listed - just click on the topic name to go there.</div><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />I had my latest Covid vaccination on Monday. This is a new vaccine that covers variants that appeared over the last year or two. The advice from my pharmacist was to have a booster every six months from now on. That’s the advice for everyone in Australia over the age of 75, everyone else is yearly.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today's lunch was a pork chop with coleslaw and salad, and a couple of ripe yellow peaches. I’ve been eating a lot of peaches and nectarines since the season began here in December. They're my favourite fruit. 🍑 ❤️ 🍑. This afternoon I've been sewing, watching the test cricket and finishing off this post. I hope your day has been joyful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b>ADDITIONAL READING</b></u></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/07/beer-bread-and-beyond-the-mind-blowing-potential-of-australias-mountain-rye-and-other-perennial-grains" target="_blank">Beer, bread and beyond: the ‘mind-blowing’ potential of Australia’s mountain rye and other perennial grains</a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/jan/02/purls-of-wisdom-the-wellbeing-benefits-of-knitting-and-crocheting" target="_blank">Purls of wisdom: the wellbeing benefits of knitting and crocheting</a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/15/merlin-spaniel-humans-dogs-home" target="_blank">The incredible story of Merlin the spaniel shows how little humans know about dogs</a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/dec/16/how-to-make-candied-chocolate-orange-peel-with-old-fashioned-recipe-zero-waste-cooking" target="_blank">How to make candied chocolate orange peel (and an orange old fashioned) – recipe</a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-53620250902106116342024-01-05T07:31:00.009+10:002024-01-06T03:52:51.275+10:00A new year with new opportunities and challenges<div style="text-align: justify;">I really enjoyed Christmas day. I had my family here and we feasted on a cold lunch of leg ham, prawns oysters, pork belly, roast potatoes, potato and green salads, and for dessert - pavlova, lemon cheesecake and chocolate tarts. I made a cashew roast for Shane which he had with salads. He said the roast was delicious and he took the rest home with him to eat over the following days. Again, we had an alcohol-free celebration. There was cold beer in the fridge (leftover from last year, LOL) but no one was interested. They chose from the wide variety of small bottles and mini cans of Bundaberg ginger beer and other fruit drinks, Coke and lemonade. Many of us drank cold water as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5_k8gZEZVztuQ10iItOMBh0YtgeIx-ujRmlv98pnPZL8YNBtsLiVqinG8tGjdl5WoNk6QBdyDdYV318NbEXqC5pA_LdNWBCX6k7vMo3DIVCyl58jyAWM8q7EHB7qoxgpwK4afUyZha-it2nSt7bTJA9LZMY3EHeaUQfiAQ-AfeQvcB2F4iGYu0-PSNo/s1000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5_k8gZEZVztuQ10iItOMBh0YtgeIx-ujRmlv98pnPZL8YNBtsLiVqinG8tGjdl5WoNk6QBdyDdYV318NbEXqC5pA_LdNWBCX6k7vMo3DIVCyl58jyAWM8q7EHB7qoxgpwK4afUyZha-it2nSt7bTJA9LZMY3EHeaUQfiAQ-AfeQvcB2F4iGYu0-PSNo/w640-h480/3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>I started writing down my schedule for various foods to make sure I cooked everything I needed and had it all ready to go when everyone arrived. I started with one large list of everything and then divided that into smaller lists over three days.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLgpjMGHWAN-pBmsi2c35TOTNzrhe-yx0CE5PgbCwVr3iuzQrFvI4hQ9vdJQYgdIPDogShCuD502OfiJVPz1jIcUEDLuaNJWC_PGI9hNoGyOAY2lPBxdPOrvzs65byA3V6ryZb-2Fv8KIVy-udknYrQYLsizF_w6dETm6f_c2cH8n3M_Jfg9AMST3m3c/s1334/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLgpjMGHWAN-pBmsi2c35TOTNzrhe-yx0CE5PgbCwVr3iuzQrFvI4hQ9vdJQYgdIPDogShCuD502OfiJVPz1jIcUEDLuaNJWC_PGI9hNoGyOAY2lPBxdPOrvzs65byA3V6ryZb-2Fv8KIVy-udknYrQYLsizF_w6dETm6f_c2cH8n3M_Jfg9AMST3m3c/w480-h640/6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wanted a Christmas tree this year but I could not face a plastic Christmas tree and couldn't handle a fresh tree, so I bought this little Cypress pine, added gifts, lights and baubles and I was happy. It was small and simple and delivered the feeling I was hoping for when I turned on the lights. I want all my grandchildren to experience an Australian Christmas that isn't drowned out with plastic and expensive gifts. I want them all to grow up knowing they are important and loved and part of a family that encourages them to do their best and have fun.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since Christmas I've been making a lot of homemade soup with mainly vegetables and bone broth. I love soup and it didn't bother me it was the middle of summer because I had the airconditioning on most days. I'm making mushroom soup today and will have that for lunch followed by fresh strawberries and Maleny cream.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApUZOZZAVTfsnvsGtbVgZ6wpLdU3wDzswzljgnOjTTLtP9SipHo7uWXVi2twkr0IMri9c3qdP8FkYxAWykW-u3XllamGDpoAgfd5veqVxKNlAVKxlRc1UB1wWPO0gDTva8zgfJKuMv-3fRtKCL1-TnISE4NlXChMs-VW9lkPHqlCSlkOU0laJTp9sO6g/s1334/1%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApUZOZZAVTfsnvsGtbVgZ6wpLdU3wDzswzljgnOjTTLtP9SipHo7uWXVi2twkr0IMri9c3qdP8FkYxAWykW-u3XllamGDpoAgfd5veqVxKNlAVKxlRc1UB1wWPO0gDTva8zgfJKuMv-3fRtKCL1-TnISE4NlXChMs-VW9lkPHqlCSlkOU0laJTp9sO6g/w480-h640/1%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIY36GcQSNrKC8RFIQyo6X0FUPpuYV5rc6qSoU0v4ZdxfdJHkPU4NLgP5qQLV7eUEmF9QtsyhPfhKxp2QeByISV1W1Pz9xgQYD3SRSLAoJ2oBJfyXqgCa67K8i-M_m0oM-s0G6p4OBQju3T_dheNbQJIvv5GgbIchgtAxUbLIix78QWdIdgqaqlnZrAFw/s1000/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIY36GcQSNrKC8RFIQyo6X0FUPpuYV5rc6qSoU0v4ZdxfdJHkPU4NLgP5qQLV7eUEmF9QtsyhPfhKxp2QeByISV1W1Pz9xgQYD3SRSLAoJ2oBJfyXqgCa67K8i-M_m0oM-s0G6p4OBQju3T_dheNbQJIvv5GgbIchgtAxUbLIix78QWdIdgqaqlnZrAFw/w640-h480/2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OL-FqQ36zLxq60AGIsGcNvdSZRK41YNhBfJW4qtW7N3usTtc7Xx-mfVqal1JCK5frzWiHzpoxTrZ_cOI2EoORHDWj3Smlof3Wsj3B0i-P8SVH0N0V8LcdgSHdh2rdpIbIZ2HJMuT5l4LAKMZlTDPLWr0vexPIF5_yMJyY7RbKj4Nk1yZ5RB7lyhFNJE/s1000/3%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OL-FqQ36zLxq60AGIsGcNvdSZRK41YNhBfJW4qtW7N3usTtc7Xx-mfVqal1JCK5frzWiHzpoxTrZ_cOI2EoORHDWj3Smlof3Wsj3B0i-P8SVH0N0V8LcdgSHdh2rdpIbIZ2HJMuT5l4LAKMZlTDPLWr0vexPIF5_yMJyY7RbKj4Nk1yZ5RB7lyhFNJE/w640-h480/3%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gracie loved all the Christmas visitors but she really hates hot weather so most days were spent inside with frequent trips outdoors for toileting. Rain started falling on Christmas night and carried on for days. We got 127mm (5 inches) on the first day with 69mm (2.7 inches) of that falling in 30 minutes. Gracie was uncomfortable with the weather. She doesn't like getting her paws wet so I had to push her onto the lawn to wee and when she finished she ran to the door to go back inside. I'm not sure what the overall rain total was but over the last two days my rain gauge overflowed at 150mm/6 inches both days. I was sorry to see many people flooded out on the Gold Coast but we've been in drought here and the water did the environment the world of good. Have you had rain at your place?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDQWqZH8l1SlM1w9Q0K-l-Cg6dOSThziNRKCeqMKWyzwoq0nTLh61k-ZFDaW18wG0QtqL9npXbUt6cuXJP-egHWljH4oQC8RNbobxsgk1V4bRSi7mabUYZ04CQ4kIqA2UFSGAR21WCeJ5C0E7XKT0kRekl6IhyphenhyphenCm7QplnyRaGe2afq8VVa3u0aDDHTsg/s1334/7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDQWqZH8l1SlM1w9Q0K-l-Cg6dOSThziNRKCeqMKWyzwoq0nTLh61k-ZFDaW18wG0QtqL9npXbUt6cuXJP-egHWljH4oQC8RNbobxsgk1V4bRSi7mabUYZ04CQ4kIqA2UFSGAR21WCeJ5C0E7XKT0kRekl6IhyphenhyphenCm7QplnyRaGe2afq8VVa3u0aDDHTsg/w480-h640/7.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Gracie loves playing with her toys. She brings this red ball to me, I threw it up the hallway (it collided with the Christmas tree a couple of times 🫤) and she brought it back each time so I could throw it again and again and again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you look closely below, you can see the pig's ear is missing but overall, I'll delighted with how she's been with these toys. She's such a strong dog she usually destroys her toys in a few days but these are surviving nicely. She treats the pig like it's her baby. She carries it around by the tail or ear and licks it like she would a puppy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUADGxyH9BATFDvEQBrEmnWSkPni2HtxLcXXDZpr6bAWl8CTB0eqtf9WcnUaH6t41Rf9hE95fdPEjEoxcUF9l56OYlz67KzOS3WvXppTnJRhRp4ZyMWQNyEgZECI9uZVu4yLhqv9UQG1n2VkVzNlzfAPiu2FCxaFMHHAupcUTItCoXYsjb1eQnorBncA/s1334/10.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUADGxyH9BATFDvEQBrEmnWSkPni2HtxLcXXDZpr6bAWl8CTB0eqtf9WcnUaH6t41Rf9hE95fdPEjEoxcUF9l56OYlz67KzOS3WvXppTnJRhRp4ZyMWQNyEgZECI9uZVu4yLhqv9UQG1n2VkVzNlzfAPiu2FCxaFMHHAupcUTItCoXYsjb1eQnorBncA/w480-h640/10.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrITtZcyYV-O024NMQMCGIMm12nNTrrbOstGAFtaD3671IwqJlHZ5zztZkIj8_D035YgwuNIKiUkKVMg8wk2gsS_2LBYtSpXMaLn7nQlbkUGXYxuLS0DYRf2FhP-y3kETvULYiiWWXfxseKJ9wqjijqlJdwqwPgx6Jocl1CQv1LXdPZe1nhL50bWl61f8/s1334/8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrITtZcyYV-O024NMQMCGIMm12nNTrrbOstGAFtaD3671IwqJlHZ5zztZkIj8_D035YgwuNIKiUkKVMg8wk2gsS_2LBYtSpXMaLn7nQlbkUGXYxuLS0DYRf2FhP-y3kETvULYiiWWXfxseKJ9wqjijqlJdwqwPgx6Jocl1CQv1LXdPZe1nhL50bWl61f8/w480-h640/8.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBWBq83eSNrb_5iIk_NsPtH0FWtGs0n-AERxq8b4Ggbl1mc_PjYS7WpvFKArE7_H1VGirBx2C17klakYwv6FXN24CPHW_Pk-ZqqmmOl1BVMzvafa5EJ0Zp9-VEcjIoqUoBI6TfL3IZ8RDCNSNy6M_TrOUjSnw47_Fccy-O1Y8FJvxcc1hE_kgh0SFMDU/s1334/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBWBq83eSNrb_5iIk_NsPtH0FWtGs0n-AERxq8b4Ggbl1mc_PjYS7WpvFKArE7_H1VGirBx2C17klakYwv6FXN24CPHW_Pk-ZqqmmOl1BVMzvafa5EJ0Zp9-VEcjIoqUoBI6TfL3IZ8RDCNSNy6M_TrOUjSnw47_Fccy-O1Y8FJvxcc1hE_kgh0SFMDU/w480-h640/4.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSV0DH-dfpZixxs06jOITReFvt2mOLRYIjdCtRCDYOZsxjjdXMH2NXL1gdTDMrSn4Tk1CBtpxxax2B0Iy1UG0Fh_Rhfi5vY8Yn5nDnTgAd8koycmNvWm1AGlM29EWld-OwU_UQ-LojPPdDBPmWMmJLkm15r-5IN3QqFE-gZHazQjy5_Y44m9eKL0DRM0I/s1000/9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSV0DH-dfpZixxs06jOITReFvt2mOLRYIjdCtRCDYOZsxjjdXMH2NXL1gdTDMrSn4Tk1CBtpxxax2B0Iy1UG0Fh_Rhfi5vY8Yn5nDnTgAd8koycmNvWm1AGlM29EWld-OwU_UQ-LojPPdDBPmWMmJLkm15r-5IN3QqFE-gZHazQjy5_Y44m9eKL0DRM0I/w640-h480/9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This is the front yard on the first sunny day after the rains. It made such a difference - the once crunchy grass was green again and flowers were blooming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT__3sYntun_KnVR6nXTueTL793Ait5AuP2MWnOj37eXW7hzJ5rqfO_5qFXC0O0o31xXVAq2pXkV99fFHNm8_c8RLk4yZ4_RNo075GVAXe-pSayRXsgzXb4a11vLxn_sh_QOPHKPzEfDRDzL06iIQcUtpy6B3SGe-CnYG_eLr8hoZRlEwQyw2xFBg5ZY/s1334/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT__3sYntun_KnVR6nXTueTL793Ait5AuP2MWnOj37eXW7hzJ5rqfO_5qFXC0O0o31xXVAq2pXkV99fFHNm8_c8RLk4yZ4_RNo075GVAXe-pSayRXsgzXb4a11vLxn_sh_QOPHKPzEfDRDzL06iIQcUtpy6B3SGe-CnYG_eLr8hoZRlEwQyw2xFBg5ZY/w480-h640/1%20(5).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQwAPGAKBuajoqhyRFVMRM4FKi4DnZ0jwu2SAFeSHkjqQmFjpCRjOA_OSYvQm_QgojyMI6tB0tKaDNC8uorkNySsH0pbGKTvZwLcJ43gZO6nKbkUhZmhj5MQeIaw70P1lcFwA3TOR_YzKH9k8FYHYltGQ-fOQkd0SpcJRpuPCKwgafuV-Nm0NLo1QkNc/s1000/1%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQwAPGAKBuajoqhyRFVMRM4FKi4DnZ0jwu2SAFeSHkjqQmFjpCRjOA_OSYvQm_QgojyMI6tB0tKaDNC8uorkNySsH0pbGKTvZwLcJ43gZO6nKbkUhZmhj5MQeIaw70P1lcFwA3TOR_YzKH9k8FYHYltGQ-fOQkd0SpcJRpuPCKwgafuV-Nm0NLo1QkNc/w640-h480/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This is one of the flower beds on Christmas morning. It doesn't look like this now. </i><span style="font-size: large;">🥺</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Out the back, the rain helped the nut grass grow enough to almost take over the flower gardens. Once you have nut grass, it's one of those weeds you never get rid of. Everything you do for the plants - watering, fertilising and pruning - all help the nut grass take over more. I've thought about it for a few days and I've decided to get rid of the flower beds. I'll be 76 years old in a couple of months time and I don't want to waste time weeding. I'll keep all the roses in large pots and get the gardeners to mow over the rest. It was a reluctant decision but it's the right one for me. I'll still set up a shaded seating area with a new table, chairs and my umbrella so I'll continue to spend time outside in the fresh air watching the wildlife. I have 11 roses so I'll still have plants to tend and flowers for the house. It's just another step in my journey through old age - my strategy is to keep as much as I can of what makes me happy and not regret losing the rest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktWiThEeAcPN9mX6qxVx8X7XOfn81rtzyKTUtIBbX7vphN1Rs_ADEgRZqj2ef8JpZdKTCzcSw5WIiXo1w7ZYKDIkGMFeKkOi3eMUndMuR1_RPUY95xRK7T_JmnAlwSG-5_JJKk8UuiCej4L1bUwbjQlDTXQugORbGpcBe8Xarc3zAx2hJXI5Y-XRJT_8/s1000/11.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktWiThEeAcPN9mX6qxVx8X7XOfn81rtzyKTUtIBbX7vphN1Rs_ADEgRZqj2ef8JpZdKTCzcSw5WIiXo1w7ZYKDIkGMFeKkOi3eMUndMuR1_RPUY95xRK7T_JmnAlwSG-5_JJKk8UuiCej4L1bUwbjQlDTXQugORbGpcBe8Xarc3zAx2hJXI5Y-XRJT_8/w640-h480/11.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I cleaned up my writing/sewing/painting room a few days ago and decluttered my cupboards and drawers as well. It feels so good to have a room with only the things I need in it. The things that used to be there are now out roaming around the world finding new people to look after them. I'll take another photo of the clean and tidy room for the next post because since I tidied everything, I've dumped a basket full of fabric on the sewing desk. 🙄</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejAh_57PJkbiuStfMUP-tbwn2DNhVPKUdW8B17cOa6ROd4vDhZECNBBJMcuGs8AMfyB2nx302luFe0wLV9IGdpV9Dj52hoWwcXguh9LjdXkTM_gwT0GzJVv2JkYA4Ykw1vRtwfIVsIIMyBARvWg0QCSNl70CeMIsgCH1I8-DnpscjtQ67Lclg245DUqA/s1000/12.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejAh_57PJkbiuStfMUP-tbwn2DNhVPKUdW8B17cOa6ROd4vDhZECNBBJMcuGs8AMfyB2nx302luFe0wLV9IGdpV9Dj52hoWwcXguh9LjdXkTM_gwT0GzJVv2JkYA4Ykw1vRtwfIVsIIMyBARvWg0QCSNl70CeMIsgCH1I8-DnpscjtQ67Lclg245DUqA/w640-h480/12.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>The first task in the newly clean work room was to cut up old towels for new rags and I found scrap materials that I've made into napkins.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpTtO8qO3DUkCoFdOIkKtc5Q_c4TU979Xpj1BntE3xADanCXnBNP4PHjKnmUBtZK6Z9aju_svzZ-qr4aOBeYI4GDDv33tr1khxoPn8WXTf3LNVuXJXaNsZ_Deq1GnwU5N5SiC1RKzmtf3_N1aRWEvEDbiPhk77jRODwUjNHs8Eb7ROFVdTj1rAxb4WIw/s1334/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpTtO8qO3DUkCoFdOIkKtc5Q_c4TU979Xpj1BntE3xADanCXnBNP4PHjKnmUBtZK6Z9aju_svzZ-qr4aOBeYI4GDDv33tr1khxoPn8WXTf3LNVuXJXaNsZ_Deq1GnwU5N5SiC1RKzmtf3_N1aRWEvEDbiPhk77jRODwUjNHs8Eb7ROFVdTj1rAxb4WIw/w480-h640/1%20(3).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">But now I'm on Covid watch because I spent a couple of hours with someone who woke up with Covid the following day. I was going to have my Covid booster today. I'm not really sure what to expect because I never had Covid but the pharmacist gave me clear guidelines to follow if I don't get it and if I do. Now I just have to wait; lucky I still have RAT tests in the cupboard. I'm so pleased I did my shopping on Wednesday so I don't have to go out and can look after myself properly without the risk of infecting others. A new Covid vaccine was released on 12 December which covers the variants that arrived in 2023. You can get that from your local pharmacy. In February I'm also getting boosters for Shingles and Pneumococcal Disease. If you're living in Australia and you're over the age of 70, you can get a free vaccination for both diseases from you GP.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/jan/04/australias-best-value-fresh-produce-in-january-underwhelming-greens-are-an-excuse-to-make-greek-salad" target="_blank"><b>Nectarines and peaches are on special this week</b></a> at Woolworths. I bought a kilo/nine nectarines for $3.50. If, like me, yours aren't ripe when you buy them, leave them on a dish on the kitchen bench for a few days and they'll be ready to eat. You can also stew peaches or nectarines with a little sugar or honey and have them with ice cream or custard. I bought a large punnet of smallish strawberries for $2, two green bananas, red onions, a bag of almost-local sweet potatoes, five tomatoes and a really delicious and crunchy iceberg lettuce for $2. I didn't have to buy cucumbers because I still have two I bought the week before Christmas surviving perfectly in my Zwilling vacuum dishes. Lamb forequarter chops are $12.50 a kilo this week. I'll use them on the weekend to make a lamb and vegetable casserole with herb dumplings. That will make three or four meals for me. I use to eat a wide range of modern foods but a couple of years ago I went back to cooking only the food I grew up eating. It's mostly old-fashioned Australian cooking with lots of casseroles, soups, lasagne, pasta meals, salads, chicken, fish, corned beef and cabbage, various curries and the like 😀 and I buy according to what's in season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>Interesting reading:</u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/jan/02/purls-of-wisdom-the-wellbeing-benefits-of-knitting-and-crocheting" target="_blank"><b>Purls of wisdom</b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/jan/05/amy-remeikis-the-mp-called-and-said-you-have-turned-the-town-of-texas-on-its-head" target="_blank"><b>When the political reporter wrote a love letter to a Queensland country show, she accidentally set off a war within the Country Women’s Association</b></a><br /><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2023/dec/14/laundry-clothes-expert-guide" target="_blank"><b>I really liked this article on washing clothes and household linens.</b></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you for visiting me today and welcome to the many new readers who have joined through Instagram. 💜❤️💜</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76505726581835855982023-12-12T08:40:00.011+10:002023-12-13T14:19:25.256+10:00Decluttering is good for the soul<p style="text-align: justify;">Summer hasn't been too bad here so far this year. We missed the very high temperatures experienced down south so it gave me a chance to weed the garden, declutter, do some Christmas preserving and deep clean various cupboards and drawers. I also had a looooong talk with Grandma Donna on Skype last week. We have so much in common and it feels as if I've known her for many years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Decluttering is so good for the soul. When it's been done it reduces the amount of time it takes to do the daily chores because there's so much less to look after. Moving stuff around from A to B "because I might need it later" kept me from doing my decluttering effectively. Since Hanno died, I've given away and recycled about 50 percent of what I own and boy, does it feel good! I still have a few things to go but they're items I'll sell - lawn mowers, whipper snipper, wheel chair etc. They're all in good nick so I doubt I'll have a problem moving them on to new homes. I wish I’d been more focused on real decluttering years ago. It can change how you live and how you view your life, and I know now that it's too important not to do it properly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVOSfVwLV4ZKeFLC-NViQFLJDfrbs9IDgwKk9TMjgNEZdwQuBtwNmsg1PRXOzOFsT2-d-soxL6vNHNVpPgEXziNfy6muFEt8446b9wJTxOpPBXoExtcNCnP_OZaV9Hvoy4n4JGlHgJJ4-WEEO4kE5nhMvvpwIZaSdbMhY8RMdpmlQTHLvISfAsK2Coyc/s4032/IMG_723696365.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVOSfVwLV4ZKeFLC-NViQFLJDfrbs9IDgwKk9TMjgNEZdwQuBtwNmsg1PRXOzOFsT2-d-soxL6vNHNVpPgEXziNfy6muFEt8446b9wJTxOpPBXoExtcNCnP_OZaV9Hvoy4n4JGlHgJJ4-WEEO4kE5nhMvvpwIZaSdbMhY8RMdpmlQTHLvISfAsK2Coyc/w640-h480/IMG_723696365.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1qPZmqInn9X2o1oh799ixx7Pyn2E4EfN-tJgKVXc8V5TbZABcCpCc983mmYjhUIhtH8eug3zLld3AMuAZjBhCXYDOZ-8wUvjfCv_ghH0oMxJPI2W7T5zAjuBPBsLFcIbPj-dFS5kY5mtkfLJdcjVDkY6iUHVI47iCh2pRoAb1CUUxVdoTOxWM3y4CaA/s5712/IMG_0120%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5712" data-original-width="4284" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1qPZmqInn9X2o1oh799ixx7Pyn2E4EfN-tJgKVXc8V5TbZABcCpCc983mmYjhUIhtH8eug3zLld3AMuAZjBhCXYDOZ-8wUvjfCv_ghH0oMxJPI2W7T5zAjuBPBsLFcIbPj-dFS5kY5mtkfLJdcjVDkY6iUHVI47iCh2pRoAb1CUUxVdoTOxWM3y4CaA/w480-h640/IMG_0120%202.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is four sliced cucumbers that had been salted for an hour. I wrote about them previously and you can find the<a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2019/01/bread-and-butter-cucumbers-from-scratch.html" target="_blank"><b> full recipe and instructions here.</b></a> I saved the leftover spiced vinegar because I use it as my salad dressing. I don't like dressings containing olive oil.</i></div></i><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PQ9Biy2yC1MoOyhz4dYhZ1yDzFDUQhT3ofgDrL92W6ijmsr9NuDKOswGtJ4xFfMle1iehRUyh-SWKijor__uJQs5ljJfGmH8OuZm5CDyJP4fxVXz2oW6UCNrR5XsdumS5ZPUIyjJG3uudIYP6eCDiTjIb_q7hGvk-UYAVUc8QZL15k3yNp4YPSVKkW4/s4032/IMG_0136%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PQ9Biy2yC1MoOyhz4dYhZ1yDzFDUQhT3ofgDrL92W6ijmsr9NuDKOswGtJ4xFfMle1iehRUyh-SWKijor__uJQs5ljJfGmH8OuZm5CDyJP4fxVXz2oW6UCNrR5XsdumS5ZPUIyjJG3uudIYP6eCDiTjIb_q7hGvk-UYAVUc8QZL15k3yNp4YPSVKkW4/w480-h640/IMG_0136%202.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><i>I bought two new toys for Gracie yesterday - a stuffed pig and a ball on a rope. She loves them a lot and took the pig to bed with her last night. It was still beside her this morning when I woke up. 😊</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QOve_tFQBqPEUclT2T_4tLTq1TIlw6SvvL6UlPSRw62RmcnHZpBESbc-0bLUblrd6qa0weEuyEuahXw2RW9cjrvJlZEwMxRiqYW6_MWoz20s4IZLI23ccJqJLzvjTKC37i2iYdAmliAe-Kf_4BMIOMt2ufcOyrUVuj5gSUzVQJFCk_bmZui4DIgpse0/s5712/IMG_0078.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QOve_tFQBqPEUclT2T_4tLTq1TIlw6SvvL6UlPSRw62RmcnHZpBESbc-0bLUblrd6qa0weEuyEuahXw2RW9cjrvJlZEwMxRiqYW6_MWoz20s4IZLI23ccJqJLzvjTKC37i2iYdAmliAe-Kf_4BMIOMt2ufcOyrUVuj5gSUzVQJFCk_bmZui4DIgpse0/w640-h480/IMG_0078.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBRnahxo1IyBpBDY1vhXMFmx6F3Aw2Uv22BvQGnEx4HkPmSRp-Qo-kzQhq7VH39kYM2I6KnrA6vKqoIoyitHamRre4c0EVgvs5XPPtlNwpKX1MytnK0S2gUGGJ-RAnandGhqH57AuCISw8Vkcbk69HSmZV1fpFQyJZl3PIffdwySXcMfa3LlIYyPne34/s5712/IMG_0083.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBRnahxo1IyBpBDY1vhXMFmx6F3Aw2Uv22BvQGnEx4HkPmSRp-Qo-kzQhq7VH39kYM2I6KnrA6vKqoIoyitHamRre4c0EVgvs5XPPtlNwpKX1MytnK0S2gUGGJ-RAnandGhqH57AuCISw8Vkcbk69HSmZV1fpFQyJZl3PIffdwySXcMfa3LlIYyPne34/w640-h480/IMG_0083.heic" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpKGNhnZAh8LLQB9lfRYvfFaZmSuMjzmTLJLUx3vxi4M-oBHVlVzkJQEG6qsRu3Ii3IVDgLiR1CTaS1CPhFYXUo31wOGLdNgufEEGRw_V178uBqSkbBtK-eQXQQ3z9Dk2kBLC2_E_nGFhejwvL5WwWd2CJTBiEr9UzQgdxg_hMfDVL89TvI0Q_COXjO4/s4032/IMG_0096%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpKGNhnZAh8LLQB9lfRYvfFaZmSuMjzmTLJLUx3vxi4M-oBHVlVzkJQEG6qsRu3Ii3IVDgLiR1CTaS1CPhFYXUo31wOGLdNgufEEGRw_V178uBqSkbBtK-eQXQQ3z9Dk2kBLC2_E_nGFhejwvL5WwWd2CJTBiEr9UzQgdxg_hMfDVL89TvI0Q_COXjO4/w640-h480/IMG_0096%202.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwUmWB0ETKqYgU7LuzNCAZqOtRFf6nEveY4tMov0O_zYMihQBrtbCF4DSsWD5WIg4ghXyF2SnIBn85ptJNRd5u6cb2nEr9QU6zMd2tNbQIysvi03yOq_ESolekkHpj_Lo7pvwV7uhZ0vUK7tAa0PwMRYcH-AdkWy13p0uDAWtLLENCOHFa6b8cChK5LI/s4032/IMG_0099%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwUmWB0ETKqYgU7LuzNCAZqOtRFf6nEveY4tMov0O_zYMihQBrtbCF4DSsWD5WIg4ghXyF2SnIBn85ptJNRd5u6cb2nEr9QU6zMd2tNbQIysvi03yOq_ESolekkHpj_Lo7pvwV7uhZ0vUK7tAa0PwMRYcH-AdkWy13p0uDAWtLLENCOHFa6b8cChK5LI/w640-h480/IMG_0099%202.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaO7ZUc6SrTTzGu56Nr6yTpht-PfZ4-jVs_DayyF5rRGVNgwFnczeeh0_nIs6wUS173QshRpwDVnX9xsxheO_SswU_qTVC0_jbleRNPkOYeQkHE_9XbgwVybZyTzge-3Emi2QlQ6hwmd2RUA-xCIg8pdNsN2jhzgEsUul_dPJ_bd58bxXvz9GJAsrN-Eo/s4032/IMG_0101%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaO7ZUc6SrTTzGu56Nr6yTpht-PfZ4-jVs_DayyF5rRGVNgwFnczeeh0_nIs6wUS173QshRpwDVnX9xsxheO_SswU_qTVC0_jbleRNPkOYeQkHE_9XbgwVybZyTzge-3Emi2QlQ6hwmd2RUA-xCIg8pdNsN2jhzgEsUul_dPJ_bd58bxXvz9GJAsrN-Eo/w480-h640/IMG_0101%202.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEu7EFYCxo0_SyDjL-3_zaZv6ePUe4IULBzlAsTRkgSzvtv4imRjc5AAyk86AvDvXo1uwYRWbtRC4yU23M3i9_Dekr9mxxfGWQFdIrPZq1Oecy3z778UruIg5o55UQ7txnuUVoSBBK1yOhsHHEHdQbgt8CWCkPxZ8hnxApG4daQD2SE_qiaRUtAJBBvk/s4032/IMG_0102.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEu7EFYCxo0_SyDjL-3_zaZv6ePUe4IULBzlAsTRkgSzvtv4imRjc5AAyk86AvDvXo1uwYRWbtRC4yU23M3i9_Dekr9mxxfGWQFdIrPZq1Oecy3z778UruIg5o55UQ7txnuUVoSBBK1yOhsHHEHdQbgt8CWCkPxZ8hnxApG4daQD2SE_qiaRUtAJBBvk/w640-h480/IMG_0102.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">The garden is coming along well. I'm not doing any major work on shaping or remodelling until the plants spread out and cover all the soil they're growing in. When that's happened, I'll move a few things and hope I end up with a wild garden that reveals hidden beauty as well as the more obvious kind.</span></div></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">I had a few hours of sadness when I heard Shane MacGowan died recently. He and the Pogues are favourites of mine and I've spent a lot of time listening to their music. I'm expecting to hear Fairytale of New York a hundred times over the Christmas holidays. It's one of his fabulous songs that I never tire of. If you haven't heard the song before, look it up on YouTube but be aware it's not your traditional Christmas song - it's much darker. It reminds me of the value of embracing imperfection in music and people. As Leonard Cohen put it: "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I hope you'll spend the holidays with loved ones and friends and rest enough to give yourself a good start to the new year. I'll be sharing Christmas lunch with my family - Shane and his children Alex and Eve, as well as Kerry, Sunny and Jamie. We're having what has become a traditional Christmas lunch for us: Cold glazed leg ham, spicy chicken wings, prawns fresh from the boats at Mooloolaba, potato salad, green salad, various homemade pickles and sauces, and for dessert - homemade pavlova and cheesecake. What are your plans?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you for your support during the year. I'm glad to say I've moved through the grief of losing Hanno and come out the other side, give or take the odd moments that I hope never leave. I know now it's a big deal to live alone, much more of a task than I'd imagined, but I'm doing well and enjoying life. Of course, my sidekick Gracie helps me a lot and together we're pretty happy. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Happy holidays everyone! <span style="font-size: xx-large;">🎄</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And here are a few links I thought you might be interested in:</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/02/greener-washing-how-to-reduce-the-carbon-and-climate-impact-of-your-laundry" target="_blank">Reduce the climate impact of your laundry</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Mi17io_ZU/ Details in the comments attached to the post." target="_blank">Here's one for the knitters</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/03/im-not-buying-new-stuff-any-more-the-young-people-getting-into-degrowth" target="_blank">I'm not buying new stuff anymore - young people getting into degrowth</a></li><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/30/greatest-lyricist-irish-president-leads-irelands-tributes-shane-macgowan" target="_blank">Shane MacGowan tribute</a></li><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/09/wild-true-stories-21-funniest-animal-photos" target="_blank">Funny animal photos</a></li></ul></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-955490711351978492023-11-16T16:41:00.000+10:002023-11-16T16:41:04.201+10:00New mugs, Zwilling storage and Pinkie is in and growing<p style="text-align: justify;">I'm still living in the outernet, still loving it and still glad to be alive. I wrote about the <u><b><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2013/03/living-in-outernet.html" target="_blank">outernet here</a></b></u> if you have the time to read about it. Every time I walk out into the backyard and look around, I have a feeling of gratitude for everything I have, especially the gardens and access to the private, open space. The garden brings balance to my days, keeps me active and reminds me of the benefits of the past and the promise of the future. Earlier this morning, I planted my rose, Pinkie, in a large pot so she can climb up the lattice. When Pinkie flowers she will create a beautiful backdrop to the garden that I've spent almost three decades tending. I am one lucky gal.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsttenhg6_pbBYb7OQC1YaXsO9-QRF33VOoO6MEpUDSRn88DP71puyQLngKjSSUVaxySqva6zv2mpb1eVs52up2xt2YF73bkssVzmgxLzuoh8JaqqeXBbpn4ShTesRuGuq96fS_XdN34S9u6_ZqyCfhkqzHBolxKr77y6Qlj7LTHSMIziFP5W1POi6XF8/s3022/IMG_0067.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="3022" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsttenhg6_pbBYb7OQC1YaXsO9-QRF33VOoO6MEpUDSRn88DP71puyQLngKjSSUVaxySqva6zv2mpb1eVs52up2xt2YF73bkssVzmgxLzuoh8JaqqeXBbpn4ShTesRuGuq96fS_XdN34S9u6_ZqyCfhkqzHBolxKr77y6Qlj7LTHSMIziFP5W1POi6XF8/w640-h622/IMG_0067.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>I bought these gorgeous mugs recently and have been enjoying my morning cup of tea with them on the front verandah. They make me smile everytime I see them.</i><p style="text-align: justify;">I've gone back to making bread. I have a loaf on the rise now and it should be ready by lunchtime. I plan on having a leg ham, salad and tomato relish sandwich for lunch with homemade lemon cordial and lots of ice. The forecast temperature is 35C here today, I've just turned the airconditioner on and when I get a fair bit of this post written I'll look forward to doing the rest of my housework in comfort. I have a load of washing in, the weekly grocery shopping was delivered earlier and although I put all the cold things in the fridge and freezer, the rest is waiting for me on the kitchen table.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFDyfwXKmgeyluGrioBV6pfjQ3u8oydNWSHKfumSdxdz087qUYa9836pokeMzxIhedw3f_X9qFtBQxbVW5zr8BeIeM2h-eLT8kY2UzpF6XOK4ODCaRQ_BpAQCSUTTxOffA2fvgNUvqd_tNZyW-Z5l7QTi2StUDuhnihJ3oANIdWWJGbGVA3GAStfFoZM/s1000/1%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFDyfwXKmgeyluGrioBV6pfjQ3u8oydNWSHKfumSdxdz087qUYa9836pokeMzxIhedw3f_X9qFtBQxbVW5zr8BeIeM2h-eLT8kY2UzpF6XOK4ODCaRQ_BpAQCSUTTxOffA2fvgNUvqd_tNZyW-Z5l7QTi2StUDuhnihJ3oANIdWWJGbGVA3GAStfFoZM/w640-h480/1%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some of you will remember I bought a Zwilling Fresh and Save vacuum starter pack in January this year. I've been using it non-stop since then. It's changed how I shop and cut my food wastage to almost zero. I recently bought a three pack of a small, medium and large glass container set and I'm using them for storing cold cuts, cheese, strawberries and leftovers. A good friend of mine bought a starter set when she heard about mine and recently she told me it’s been “life changing” for her. It's a truly wonderful system of food storage in a vacuum. When used correctly, it enables food to last five times longer than normal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvKzmIDUgnrSseeABME_o-XWLW_9-1zyKXnu3ekDEtGDCJbzBSlRA3DKajrKr6DCpl7-Ooqw57PbQrniQrKmNmbjikXEkiQa978BXql_Xg2VzIIU0i8mWIYkczSEu28-9jfPsF5ttUAshp7T4_z50-w9qnM0x98frqxUG9VM8RktV90CHpLcXN7Yuvto/s1334/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvKzmIDUgnrSseeABME_o-XWLW_9-1zyKXnu3ekDEtGDCJbzBSlRA3DKajrKr6DCpl7-Ooqw57PbQrniQrKmNmbjikXEkiQa978BXql_Xg2VzIIU0i8mWIYkczSEu28-9jfPsF5ttUAshp7T4_z50-w9qnM0x98frqxUG9VM8RktV90CHpLcXN7Yuvto/s1334/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkKWMFyrzRocZa2N8sG2-5BnyYiu7N_lbasp_oe87j1CrqwAusEbcvXWTQDSz3uoR2fEWRg4XnSQjcCRODj_m89Iwa-Rxx92UWrot11cXEWDegLFPdE_olJrYl_YwOb6kXoDZgs3i_7lqUsQfAFgAxxKKeUPwz2uRUxn5FZTOpikf7R7m28mJ0apiJrE/s1334/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkKWMFyrzRocZa2N8sG2-5BnyYiu7N_lbasp_oe87j1CrqwAusEbcvXWTQDSz3uoR2fEWRg4XnSQjcCRODj_m89Iwa-Rxx92UWrot11cXEWDegLFPdE_olJrYl_YwOb6kXoDZgs3i_7lqUsQfAFgAxxKKeUPwz2uRUxn5FZTOpikf7R7m28mJ0apiJrE/w480-h640/2.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The two photos above are the new vacuum set I bought recently.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvKzmIDUgnrSseeABME_o-XWLW_9-1zyKXnu3ekDEtGDCJbzBSlRA3DKajrKr6DCpl7-Ooqw57PbQrniQrKmNmbjikXEkiQa978BXql_Xg2VzIIU0i8mWIYkczSEu28-9jfPsF5ttUAshp7T4_z50-w9qnM0x98frqxUG9VM8RktV90CHpLcXN7Yuvto/w480-h640/1.jpeg" width="480" /></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is bacon stored in a Zwilling vacuum container. This lot is 4 weeks old, generally when it goes a bit slimy and disgusting, but this was as fresh as the day it went in. I finished off this bacon the following week and didn't waste any of it.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzNNSzg8il68QAkQ2sIHj3lgxaDgigPDfKqM176GeOG0L2ZouW_hVMy0ZbCUAk694o_2997hmY4quonxYpKEtYwIFX3IhWIJzTz9P1uHS440PvXGA475w4njpo8GkqRUCnpD_-2L3k9NjN1N0QoQv2Tzy3fsejUJg1LH33STC0qWKY-cv3PV3zg9Xr9M/s1000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzNNSzg8il68QAkQ2sIHj3lgxaDgigPDfKqM176GeOG0L2ZouW_hVMy0ZbCUAk694o_2997hmY4quonxYpKEtYwIFX3IhWIJzTz9P1uHS440PvXGA475w4njpo8GkqRUCnpD_-2L3k9NjN1N0QoQv2Tzy3fsejUJg1LH33STC0qWKY-cv3PV3zg9Xr9M/w640-h480/3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>This lettuce looked good - it was three weeks old at this point - but it was bitter when stored in the plain glass container with no vacuum. I stored half this lettuce in a Zwilling container, finished it off when it was six weeks old and it was tasty and delicious. Another batch of food saved from the compost.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbOEUNbBGG3UtKG6TclKqy-iE7hfMfzuYJH0xZQQgEzUa6Wu-wMrPzuJ1xUa8UDNry4rqHxCAWEXPhA_humNwsIuFG9ch3U3BQDwaKX4_113ZP0XMu2F6RDDxLBg1hbEGZizHJEJH3tWA2b9mIjZucYTe1hQplnaKkXPu2OHuCoFqy91yUnq5qY-Fgos/s1334/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbOEUNbBGG3UtKG6TclKqy-iE7hfMfzuYJH0xZQQgEzUa6Wu-wMrPzuJ1xUa8UDNry4rqHxCAWEXPhA_humNwsIuFG9ch3U3BQDwaKX4_113ZP0XMu2F6RDDxLBg1hbEGZizHJEJH3tWA2b9mIjZucYTe1hQplnaKkXPu2OHuCoFqy91yUnq5qY-Fgos/w480-h640/4.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>This is more<b> non-Zwilling storage</b> but this time it worked out well. A cucumber from Woolworths with parsley and cherry tomatoes from my garden - so really fresh. The photo was taken at week three, I finished off this box in week four and all the food, including the cucumber were good to eat.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdce_xRYVKxwjTX7W-widDSAoNYr4aSphLfzTORiXDefiPMcnuwNS6Fm1z9cYPhRWX5bao0H8QdU9A3tt5inmt5NhURQQWZA8Vql21GqBdS_9h4S3EHJx9U9MrVe0ylXjciVmZ7otJLkQapudXLsNuP7JUw8ghk7z1EhJqQHqRrH-aT81P9N3MPv5utk/s1000/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdce_xRYVKxwjTX7W-widDSAoNYr4aSphLfzTORiXDefiPMcnuwNS6Fm1z9cYPhRWX5bao0H8QdU9A3tt5inmt5NhURQQWZA8Vql21GqBdS_9h4S3EHJx9U9MrVe0ylXjciVmZ7otJLkQapudXLsNuP7JUw8ghk7z1EhJqQHqRrH-aT81P9N3MPv5utk/w640-h480/5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This beef ravioli will be eaten in a couple of weeks time after being stored in the fridge. </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio6NEAZgzirki9B6_d0dSZz7hze7DtZiP7QlkMnK2tXh2nD54Qd1onFv0TgIDBdeFsthaJFKy_GtHGSWfZZQl_88uTWTd9tyEsrURDeeP7F2XSZOHPZkwMUI2l6Ck6lFp5S0NvEBBQM5fZQgYdyIG0ih9ZXdClE6QIFuOU9tLg1P_Kv32wM3XXx2Seno/s1334/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhio6NEAZgzirki9B6_d0dSZz7hze7DtZiP7QlkMnK2tXh2nD54Qd1onFv0TgIDBdeFsthaJFKy_GtHGSWfZZQl_88uTWTd9tyEsrURDeeP7F2XSZOHPZkwMUI2l6Ck6lFp5S0NvEBBQM5fZQgYdyIG0ih9ZXdClE6QIFuOU9tLg1P_Kv32wM3XXx2Seno/w480-h640/6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>I took a small amount of parmesan cheese off the top of this block and I know when I come back to eat more, it will be good to go after being stored in this Zwilling vacuum bag in the fridge.</i><div><i><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHODR8BwUrUxSHXux95x2M7d-xRVMTsbiayb_h8VTN0L2b5yGs75Lr1nRq0DGaHbDOAzAhpdqDF929J9bJsElBiDsQDMbjeqJq4Li9MSXexaDBYYZSjE_BHhD7j7ZgGZjwwhX3CKZ_IK5kpnlG5d4n8xgGILy42emYe_VylGTzIWUEEC4qYpnZvUsOPro/s1334/7%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHODR8BwUrUxSHXux95x2M7d-xRVMTsbiayb_h8VTN0L2b5yGs75Lr1nRq0DGaHbDOAzAhpdqDF929J9bJsElBiDsQDMbjeqJq4Li9MSXexaDBYYZSjE_BHhD7j7ZgGZjwwhX3CKZ_IK5kpnlG5d4n8xgGILy42emYe_VylGTzIWUEEC4qYpnZvUsOPro/w480-h640/7%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>The bags are easy to clean - I clean mine with a brush to get into all the corners and edges, then dry them in the sun on the back verandah.</i></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Recently I decided to test the Zwilling against the methods of food storage I used in the past. What I discovered surprised me a bit but it was a pleasant surprise. When storing fruit and vegies in the plastic bags I bought them home from the supermarket in, vegetables and fruit lasted about a week. For instance, cucumbers and ripe capsicums went soft and mushy after a week, especially if they'd been cut into. Storing the same things in a plastic box with a clip down lid, they lasted a bit longer. But storing them in a glass box with a clip-on lid, well, they lasted three to four weeks. The Zwilling containers come out on top with taste though. The non-Zwilling glass containers with no vacuum looked good but the lettuce was bitter. The food stored in the Zwilling boxes all looked and tasted fresh. I'm certainly a Zwilling convert and I recommend the vacuum system to you. I have no connection to the Zwilling company.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7AMQbzpfrpp-UbSpUAkcz4WoesL0cd-_NuaTQhP1w6nmjXE_at7oQOgo7owhbCNz96DZWNgfTEGAolrO3MBl51nyvaUB8DhbqqKwGjomJAWh2ylVPnQBPKqwrXvCDgg8R9F_rWa3sgJ7jhReZthuVySBezydCdGkp585vGAavtQKT4W0TUdIuH2R_5g/s1334/1%20(4).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7AMQbzpfrpp-UbSpUAkcz4WoesL0cd-_NuaTQhP1w6nmjXE_at7oQOgo7owhbCNz96DZWNgfTEGAolrO3MBl51nyvaUB8DhbqqKwGjomJAWh2ylVPnQBPKqwrXvCDgg8R9F_rWa3sgJ7jhReZthuVySBezydCdGkp585vGAavtQKT4W0TUdIuH2R_5g/w480-h640/1%20(4).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This is the relish I made last week.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYEQv0dyARCgw_ZIQEzssyjqEKhsD-NSXT8xtWyId01-Amg4vTL_ES85AWxq8vmH2J8G9TtR27z45DNdvZ9QxFy0oSxNdU1uyyo6UZsLA1iWgnWpildbBKzlLHPkR4qgBCxYzOUXvEyQwogQl-srM2yIahtIaeI7ASTB0DQ-Al0U-p1dM__mMC-QiB7c/s1000/1%20(6).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYEQv0dyARCgw_ZIQEzssyjqEKhsD-NSXT8xtWyId01-Amg4vTL_ES85AWxq8vmH2J8G9TtR27z45DNdvZ9QxFy0oSxNdU1uyyo6UZsLA1iWgnWpildbBKzlLHPkR4qgBCxYzOUXvEyQwogQl-srM2yIahtIaeI7ASTB0DQ-Al0U-p1dM__mMC-QiB7c/w640-h480/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Times are tough at the moment. For mortgage holders and for people who shop for groceries (at our two major supermarkets who say they're helping us as much as they can yet they're still making billions of dollars in profits 🙄) I hope you're keeping your head above water, especially at this time of year when usually we're shopping for Christmas presents and food. Try to make use of any produce you're growing to make christmas drinks and food. I've just made some cordial and tomato relish. I'll be storing it all but it will make it onto our Christmas table too. Everything you can make now will be less you have to spend later. If you are struggling, I hope you get through the Christmas period and look forward to a better year in 2024. Be kind to yourself, don't let pressure from family and friends get to you and just do what you think is right. ❤️</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here are two recipes for relish I'm happy to share with you.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-best-fast-tomato-relish-recipe.html" target="_blank">Fast tomato relish</a> - using tinned tomatoes</li><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/04/tomato-relish.html" target="_blank">Traditional tomato relish</a> - using fresh tomatoes</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4DHXj7JxYolLRQ1vpa8dxgS-PtylSVo0nPDkCEk_2wzfGQZxO8xWs7jkSiFZ-jHBZe3CitXHN0NXTucuEyiGtXZgDHcUhiwvwjfy4x0Bxyp-m4AM6iA8CyGKKDITI9X4koRkYODgOmFjhcUOgSiNBgQmkomXpvDjUCoQvvRSYinJgO8Itd_gHmxCOao/s1334/1%20(8).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4DHXj7JxYolLRQ1vpa8dxgS-PtylSVo0nPDkCEk_2wzfGQZxO8xWs7jkSiFZ-jHBZe3CitXHN0NXTucuEyiGtXZgDHcUhiwvwjfy4x0Bxyp-m4AM6iA8CyGKKDITI9X4koRkYODgOmFjhcUOgSiNBgQmkomXpvDjUCoQvvRSYinJgO8Itd_gHmxCOao/w480-h640/1%20(8).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvXOoyZZZD0t9rzbJhsF830I4wD1Zm6PHVyfDl22DxYb-P-MQf7NCW2D_58lXKZ7Bz0ZoQ-SlfYO0HQhBBTLZ_zBBqld1bM19O3Cd_j3Ww1RTlGYLL6Mj73Bfq74CGA33QwsaHCtzQJarl57l7pb6FCJ0svC1fjztUDoM7AiO46W7e3l8lUwV4vYBmks/s1334/1%20(7).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvXOoyZZZD0t9rzbJhsF830I4wD1Zm6PHVyfDl22DxYb-P-MQf7NCW2D_58lXKZ7Bz0ZoQ-SlfYO0HQhBBTLZ_zBBqld1bM19O3Cd_j3Ww1RTlGYLL6Mj73Bfq74CGA33QwsaHCtzQJarl57l7pb6FCJ0svC1fjztUDoM7AiO46W7e3l8lUwV4vYBmks/w480-h640/1%20(7).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>And finally, here are a couple of photos of Gracie taken this week. She's in good health but she had to endure a clipping and a bath this week. Thankfully, she started talking to me again yesterday. 🫤</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-49431905118369339422023-11-01T17:09:00.008+10:002023-11-02T05:33:59.306+10:00Becoming capable and content<p style="text-align: justify;">I've been battling the bush fires here since Saturday and it's been very stressful. I'm close to the area that was evacuated so we were all on a Prepare to Leave warning all Sunday. Thankfully, I was able to stay. Gracie didn't know what was happening as I kept walking outside to see what was happening. Bush fires are unpredictable and fast so you have to stay alert and follow the guidance of the local fire brigades. I'm amazed and so grateful for all the work the volunteer fire brigades, helicopter and fire bomber pilots did to keep us safe. They worked around the clock to fight the fires and then monitor them so we could stay in our homes. In my town, they saved not only homes and human lives, they also saved pets, horses, chickens and farm animals. What a wonderful group of people. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxLLkrEHhLckEkr43yA71_HmsAkTS2RNcBLGUjNtcrMDlKTiI4UXCjfelztiKd0KKjo6UYK2PAA8LmgHSlsV9wWk3WgpqAW-72e7dB8-oXw__tDjlI3CAv9wN6dc3UPRj8GZb2LDSk6xm9yTi5MQ9AUUAoe5nyklBMpuSb1DFlrrAT-8K2vou4WATWSE/s4032/IMG_720390837.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxLLkrEHhLckEkr43yA71_HmsAkTS2RNcBLGUjNtcrMDlKTiI4UXCjfelztiKd0KKjo6UYK2PAA8LmgHSlsV9wWk3WgpqAW-72e7dB8-oXw__tDjlI3CAv9wN6dc3UPRj8GZb2LDSk6xm9yTi5MQ9AUUAoe5nyklBMpuSb1DFlrrAT-8K2vou4WATWSE/w480-h640/IMG_720390837.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>After trying to get through several boxes of tea bags, which Hanno used to drink, I've gone back to loose tea. I use this teapot, it's exactly the right size for me - two cups. The teapot has a strainer in it so it's easy to make and clean up afterwards. I got this little pot a few years ago from <a href="https://www.exchangestores.com.au/" target="_blank">Odgers and McClelland</a> in Nundle. It's an old fashioned shop, there are very few of these old stores left now. Have a look at their website, I'm sure you'll love it.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The more you stay at home the more important your home becomes. I think a lot of people feel differently about their homes after the pandemic. Homes became our havens and made us realise how lucky we are to have safe homes to live and thrive in. Food plays an important part in life too. There was a time there when we couldn't go out to eat and the weekly trip to the supermarket became a treasured time out in the open air. Those who didn't cook quickly gathered recipes and started cooking and baking and many of them realised how wonderful home cooking is. Did you learn to cook or expand your cooking skills during the lockdowns?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEXPti1lWg4kad-fQYjSyD50ZdbCLrUap0_ZBGRf5MaOuzLhmSKRF4HbxkcC4ZnrR9nAU46jDIteAAk0aY8-XtpGdB6OsIJEkgOTnsZGGjPZNuycc-Bmi0Yhkm7nJexl8DiH8zpGtnrLeGCbUTrWXT2rvcLskOkb4AUTYHqmfP6goOaUcBolWEY2iDhU/s4032/IMG_720405229.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEXPti1lWg4kad-fQYjSyD50ZdbCLrUap0_ZBGRf5MaOuzLhmSKRF4HbxkcC4ZnrR9nAU46jDIteAAk0aY8-XtpGdB6OsIJEkgOTnsZGGjPZNuycc-Bmi0Yhkm7nJexl8DiH8zpGtnrLeGCbUTrWXT2rvcLskOkb4AUTYHqmfP6goOaUcBolWEY2iDhU/w480-h640/IMG_720405229.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UeMAG0lVIZtrLPLbNoi51BnnK3tKipsaAR3Bh77BQ-ceHCMY0tucO6Dn2TH2ylKUlDyhFOOrgFx53mDmtYVIVd5q5oFAKbkSZmOl72TdORAxBUfEbPJPnLgIqFKTsHs49UGlrndcg7RbAYCxZzmD7D-t_VqS4U2VYjqccuoDJ9mbbvd0h-Aj1_HKpDU/s4032/IMG_720405471.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UeMAG0lVIZtrLPLbNoi51BnnK3tKipsaAR3Bh77BQ-ceHCMY0tucO6Dn2TH2ylKUlDyhFOOrgFx53mDmtYVIVd5q5oFAKbkSZmOl72TdORAxBUfEbPJPnLgIqFKTsHs49UGlrndcg7RbAYCxZzmD7D-t_VqS4U2VYjqccuoDJ9mbbvd0h-Aj1_HKpDU/w480-h640/IMG_720405471.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWaQ1f5UrMzDNW141Wmlns0VWF4n5eMbYK5WypIokVGi8onPEcRmurd7fOOTuYy9Hzmul-iiHPd84jAc9RnSoBxegR5Mh0Z95kXzE0s-7HXj90rG8obdoR-z9CbF00wEAEKexh-tV9hRldSS8lI9KtegKMs00hc9lBx-bXctO6WZgeNUniVQ73axzDOY/s4032/IMG_720409467.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWaQ1f5UrMzDNW141Wmlns0VWF4n5eMbYK5WypIokVGi8onPEcRmurd7fOOTuYy9Hzmul-iiHPd84jAc9RnSoBxegR5Mh0Z95kXzE0s-7HXj90rG8obdoR-z9CbF00wEAEKexh-tV9hRldSS8lI9KtegKMs00hc9lBx-bXctO6WZgeNUniVQ73axzDOY/w640-h480/IMG_720409467.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>I have to work on this new bread recipe. I want to make smaller loaves, mainly a one kilo loaf. This is a one kilo loaf but it's a bit tough and I think there's too much dough for the little loaf tin. I won't be satisfied until it's light and fluffy inside with a crunchy crust. When I get that right, I'll start on my wholemeal and rye loaves.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the years I've talked to hundreds of people who dived into household routines, preserving, cooking and baking, and many of them changed how they live because of it. Some people I've talked to said there's too much to learn and they don't know what to do first. It is possible to learn hundreds of cooking and baking skills but you only need to learn and practise what YOU need to know. You choose what you will include in your life, so don't bother with everything, just learn and then practise what you want to eat. You might get back to other things later; you might not. So whether you just want to learn how to bake a decent loaf of bread or if you want to bake bread, cakes, pies, sausage rolls, biscuits etc., just work out what you want to feed your family, then learn those recipes one at a time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7ctrMFZFV_S85b8_k6ktlAHDJZ148uZGsb3myn6m_nBVxRqq399zuKCGZCRap0349LBR_Yi0FaC4KeSfATsPkCvlhMZm_I8SKJw72ZU8SI8h8VQPj98JWMqp29IjWSq7UvyxYdkieteJ_btDHjBu1CB4Vimhzq2zdP01zhh01IPaTBotUZOkmNmAeJs/s630/food%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7ctrMFZFV_S85b8_k6ktlAHDJZ148uZGsb3myn6m_nBVxRqq399zuKCGZCRap0349LBR_Yi0FaC4KeSfATsPkCvlhMZm_I8SKJw72ZU8SI8h8VQPj98JWMqp29IjWSq7UvyxYdkieteJ_btDHjBu1CB4Vimhzq2zdP01zhh01IPaTBotUZOkmNmAeJs/w640-h480/food%201.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju90VDEMj4MDMtbqGzz3GERC5GXjNoibPfmOORjznonnsE4S9WkNp5CnnYMJ3D-jaeBdeKdiFrsotAjlBt8OiMaDWZwL7MKsOVG0SFUFqCbA7szVwzm-iBQhyEjOYlYPe1PA8aMK8V2LdeIBHW3M_87FH-bU7SvJouVWX0oOzlbONs4z6JptnYEGuXiZI/s4032/IMG_720234848.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju90VDEMj4MDMtbqGzz3GERC5GXjNoibPfmOORjznonnsE4S9WkNp5CnnYMJ3D-jaeBdeKdiFrsotAjlBt8OiMaDWZwL7MKsOVG0SFUFqCbA7szVwzm-iBQhyEjOYlYPe1PA8aMK8V2LdeIBHW3M_87FH-bU7SvJouVWX0oOzlbONs4z6JptnYEGuXiZI/w480-h640/IMG_720234848.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><i>This is a recent lunch - macaroni with red capsicums/peppers, onion, garlic and bacon. Instead of making a sauce, I poured on some cream and added parmesan. Delicious!</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've gone back to eating and enjoying the food I loved as I was growing up. I have a list of about 40 meals that is my main source of inspiration. There's a post about that <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2021/10/main-meals-cooked-from-your-rotating.html" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration: underline;">here.</a> If you struggle with the what's for dinner question, making up a list of your own favourite meals will give you plenty of ideas to get you through.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvxbiDBR-lFDMfStmSYySm8xWtizprTNvRelgHe41HVk9vm9hbWIWrV3pqeJuf4iznHUXuT7KcHa-L9-nUAJfBmJ8hdUSshyphenhyphensYkd-DY18pKtHK2SQXUAPVrSed-WUfcuRyx7vJS041w82wKQiCGkcxnI2L0xAbDkRAeqZVAyrkMyfyh7NkqWU0fH9Spw/s4032/IMG_720409547.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvxbiDBR-lFDMfStmSYySm8xWtizprTNvRelgHe41HVk9vm9hbWIWrV3pqeJuf4iznHUXuT7KcHa-L9-nUAJfBmJ8hdUSshyphenhyphensYkd-DY18pKtHK2SQXUAPVrSed-WUfcuRyx7vJS041w82wKQiCGkcxnI2L0xAbDkRAeqZVAyrkMyfyh7NkqWU0fH9Spw/w640-h480/IMG_720409547.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i>You can never have too many jars.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEjkj_OuZwiqzfqv0mQXRglntZMVz7OC8E-88ER1trmyYo5ctDVSzeuKqh-6_o2US_m-ttRlOgIIjG5nv8mzhZTJebkEVb9U_8bexZgPO3fibD6vQSoSxAU0FzTLXbx8SN6dn5-RLaVqM8us_0Og5HRtnG-03qOu9dkVmycRfUTn6fldH1VkBNLxXBlU/w480-h640/IMG_720404881.HEIC" /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a photo of my future mending and sewing. I can see a new scrunchie at the very top, a couple of old towels that will be cut up and edged on the overlocker/serger for rags, a new linen apron and a larger linen check which will probably end up a skirt. I like having my sewing and mending pile in full view so it reminds me that when I have a spare hour, there is work to do.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you don't have a sewing machine, it can be a very useful appliance to add to your home. It will save you money when you can mend torn clothing and household linens. It will also give you the ability to alter clothes to make them bigger or smaller.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAcoazWYyt0vJEi3rlAVqPFgot-xQglR_j43tITmQV-POyspJBm8-qWg0AJknSug7hJMNRkwJ1xdn1KKY1G9IP7MM1rJmqaYM5t0aY1DnfUH_t3em3WFcqFruw3r1_T0MEyn7D3VO4giDkVn95tvMAWiatsZbit1K9joi2nE57rAVamXOSb8BhqXxW0Y/s4032/IMG_720142197.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAcoazWYyt0vJEi3rlAVqPFgot-xQglR_j43tITmQV-POyspJBm8-qWg0AJknSug7hJMNRkwJ1xdn1KKY1G9IP7MM1rJmqaYM5t0aY1DnfUH_t3em3WFcqFruw3r1_T0MEyn7D3VO4giDkVn95tvMAWiatsZbit1K9joi2nE57rAVamXOSb8BhqXxW0Y/w480-h640/IMG_720142197.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I love this Zwilling vacuum seal system I bought a few months ago. I'm keeping bacon in this container, I can unseal it, take out what I want then reseal it. It holds food fresh for five times longer than normal. I kept this bacon fresh for a month when it usually goes a bit slimy after two weeks. In the other container I have strips of capsicum but I also keep lettuce, radishes, tomatoes and cucumbers fresh for a lot longer than I used to. Vacuum sealing has saved a lot of food from being wasted, I don't have to shop for fresh vegetables each week and no doubt, it's saved money along the way. I also have resealable plastic bags that I can store cooked food in - again, it lasts five times longer than storing it in a freezer bag or sealed bowl.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2q2AnWeB_qNx5aDfTCiwd_zN5D-XSyH7BqD4N8AacolcgLATHGHa5Lfc5U-6PBxYbG5Vmgn4kiRoAw6wj7BM1gIetZK6KNL67QNcv3UdnMzgBx6TvtNL3Bd3YqhvGVMcknZwvNts2SK2zlHgjRp7FDrBTIh3Bt2C3iJGpjQj50Ym3Hyv-MZjVXeN7kA/s4032/IMG_720142402.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2q2AnWeB_qNx5aDfTCiwd_zN5D-XSyH7BqD4N8AacolcgLATHGHa5Lfc5U-6PBxYbG5Vmgn4kiRoAw6wj7BM1gIetZK6KNL67QNcv3UdnMzgBx6TvtNL3Bd3YqhvGVMcknZwvNts2SK2zlHgjRp7FDrBTIh3Bt2C3iJGpjQj50Ym3Hyv-MZjVXeN7kA/w640-h480/IMG_720142402.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Of course the ongoing chores, such as cleaning and organising the fridge and freezer keep going with the peak times being the change of seasons. I remove one shelf at a time and clean it, edit what was on the shelf and return what needs to stay on that shelf. It takes about 10 minutes to clean one shelf so I often do this when I'm waiting for something to cook or dough to prove. Breaking it up like that makes it an easier task.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In the past few months I've been learning how to do some of the jobs Hanno prided himself on doing. Maintaining our home and property was his way of showing how much he loved us. He never complained about the work and most of the time he did it silently. Now it's my turn. Yesterday I attached tap timers to the two hoses attached to the tanks. In the next day or so I'll attempt to repair the garden table which blew over when the wind lifted the garden umbrella and tipped the umbrella and table over, making the legs quite unstable. I've also removed and reattached a venetian blind, pruned the orange tree, emptied and cleaned out the 500 litre water tank on the front verandah and sorted through the power tools and their batteries. I'll never do those jobs as well as Hanno did them but I feel I'm looking after myself and I feel thankful that I have the strength to do as much as I can for myself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiY-UDEYuNiQEoGl7uU27_ZVm5KdIdpWnY_hPGpL7-a85s2WjWS3hiKSymPd42LT0PWMfelWbifQD1BuJH33-8rrta1PZHSUQ8_Op19WkDt8noRf1OELsn-oDIIFi79ggGayrnyLZAs95czkc8dzzOVltM2ot0ldtHmsU7qWLsxf5W8RZuu8DW2PKkjA/s1000/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiY-UDEYuNiQEoGl7uU27_ZVm5KdIdpWnY_hPGpL7-a85s2WjWS3hiKSymPd42LT0PWMfelWbifQD1BuJH33-8rrta1PZHSUQ8_Op19WkDt8noRf1OELsn-oDIIFi79ggGayrnyLZAs95czkc8dzzOVltM2ot0ldtHmsU7qWLsxf5W8RZuu8DW2PKkjA/w640-h640/1%20(5).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: white;"> RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE TO TRY </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2019/05/how-to-make-chilli-jam.html" target="_blank">Chilli Jam</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2016/04/homemade-tomato-relish.html" target="_blank">Homemade Tomato Relish</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.cupcakeproject.com/homemade-ritz-crackers-recipe/" target="_blank">Homemade Ritz Crackers</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2019/02/cooking-from-scratch.html" target="_blank">Kartoffel Puffer</a> - potato pancakes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: white;"> INTERESTING ARTICLES </span></b></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/oct/31/everything-from-our-sleep-to-our-hormones-relies-on-the-dark-so-why-are-we-so-intent-on-destroying-it" target="_blank">Everything from our sleep to our hormones relies on the dark. So why are we so intent on destroying it?</a><div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/27/tv-cooking-shows-climate-change-sustainability" target="_blank">Eat plants and go electric: how to break food TV’s bad climate habits</a></div><div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/28/how-to-tell-if-its-time-to-replace-your-solar-panels-and-what-to-do-with-your-old-ones" target="_blank">How to tell if it’s time to replace your solar panels and what to do with your old ones</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I hope things are going well for you and you've closed the gate and taken time out for yourself and your family. We've got everything at home - fresh air, gardening and household routines help us simplify our lives and become capable and content. And that's a very good thing. xx</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-84423496819016214832023-10-10T17:51:00.001+10:002023-10-10T17:51:12.775+10:00The cost of living crisis<div style="text-align: justify;">Hello friends, welcome back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everything is fine here and I'm lucky to not have any big bills lately. The cost of living crisis seems to be hitting hard in suburbia and everyone I know is trying to cut back. If you've never had to cut back before you might not be aware of the many ways to save money so I thought it might be a good idea to go over a few of them. Before I continue, I want to tell you that I find it fairly easy to save money on a wide variety of household expenses. The reason for that is I live alone so I only have to adjust my own behaviour. I'm sure you know how difficult it is to get everyone in the family onboard to reduce their spending. But the main focus at this time should be to pay all the regular bills, put food on the table and buy fuel. After those things have been paid for, hopefully you have money left over to pay all your bills, save or put towards something special like birthday or Christmas presents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3nRsBzsaHXD9qcT0wsS99VNTm3Ne1YrS9xRCUYxBKDuYFtlg8IhALV5jN2Sil90qR1X0DLm9Lm0j-b0WYC7BXHC4y6mH_E5dKLzFpEnUIWje6qWr_XKkOMHfvHORa0ifJ0i0Vg9fE8W9mZ9D7UnK2arMmxWwbYeGJzlW5MH4HkMEbJiKT4PCnFGN-DU/s1000/1%20(6).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3nRsBzsaHXD9qcT0wsS99VNTm3Ne1YrS9xRCUYxBKDuYFtlg8IhALV5jN2Sil90qR1X0DLm9Lm0j-b0WYC7BXHC4y6mH_E5dKLzFpEnUIWje6qWr_XKkOMHfvHORa0ifJ0i0Vg9fE8W9mZ9D7UnK2arMmxWwbYeGJzlW5MH4HkMEbJiKT4PCnFGN-DU/w640-h480/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Remember that almost all the savings you make will be small ones. </b>Adding up all the savings over the space of a month will show what they are: the difference between being in debt or remaining debt-free. So it doesn't matter if you save $2, $50 or $200, it all goes into the pot to keep you out of trouble. I hope you aren't under too much pressure with your mortgage repayments. Gone are the days when you could knuckle down like Hanno and I did and pay off our mortgage in eight years; repayments on many loans have doubled in the past few years. If you're having trouble with your mortgage, or think you'll have trouble in the near future, please go to your mortgage broker or bank loan officer and talk to them about it. Don't ignore it. I'm going to leave the mortgage info there because I'm not qualified to give advice and if you're struggling, you need the right advice immediately.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaPsi9nuILD59RJb7ip8mCialP4Etl6DsUZmM6BYbNDeUDTjSwrhbHT0tr3UzZjYp28kINyZ3OjAq3_LUUMjLZJZYld-W0JnwzYK-DLfiO7hUN1zVqYyRkIKyaIrYXx5uoI6nv4LtTzI_9XHGQyil1P4ubr7EgJgh_Q399nKWZxA8WghnLTDSOSpO8o0/s1000/1%20(10).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaPsi9nuILD59RJb7ip8mCialP4Etl6DsUZmM6BYbNDeUDTjSwrhbHT0tr3UzZjYp28kINyZ3OjAq3_LUUMjLZJZYld-W0JnwzYK-DLfiO7hUN1zVqYyRkIKyaIrYXx5uoI6nv4LtTzI_9XHGQyil1P4ubr7EgJgh_Q399nKWZxA8WghnLTDSOSpO8o0/w640-h480/1%20(10).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chicken and vegetables.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9SwfdmGR4tZ4mVLzuG7eHnKJkNH4OtkvsGDQTsluLj06-NPANv3ZirUAqjZE54Baj2i71SbjpJ0ijhjOhcIGsAwOVCfm5gYdzhZmNlyr5iY0UnAG8q_7hfq6YOfUCxN5a-tao2cxIoq20wNLaWHTVfHVTcZOEy-qEg1BAh9oqL_vzXr0X88uZXumxnQ/s1334/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9SwfdmGR4tZ4mVLzuG7eHnKJkNH4OtkvsGDQTsluLj06-NPANv3ZirUAqjZE54Baj2i71SbjpJ0ijhjOhcIGsAwOVCfm5gYdzhZmNlyr5iY0UnAG8q_7hfq6YOfUCxN5a-tao2cxIoq20wNLaWHTVfHVTcZOEy-qEg1BAh9oqL_vzXr0X88uZXumxnQ/w480-h640/1%20(3).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Steak and salad.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnKrN0H2zVRrb4UlDDZI_vDhkyiT3pH0H5mZVXuJL5CNOgtl-JCyLjhUF7BWkVcW54xxr__lKb_hUCwTs5KeUy13XfsZtxCYNMKSbljTatTx3P8iJyU1Hz4m5VvSp5l9AFbFsV5Y5l2mEWkub3Mitcd90FrsOAZyAGOV-3tTU_jqATWCyywli7Ce2Pl8/s1000/2%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnKrN0H2zVRrb4UlDDZI_vDhkyiT3pH0H5mZVXuJL5CNOgtl-JCyLjhUF7BWkVcW54xxr__lKb_hUCwTs5KeUy13XfsZtxCYNMKSbljTatTx3P8iJyU1Hz4m5VvSp5l9AFbFsV5Y5l2mEWkub3Mitcd90FrsOAZyAGOV-3tTU_jqATWCyywli7Ce2Pl8/w640-h480/2%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Spinach and cheese pie.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYy7SLcX4eRPxGvCaHZNNF7gDD8NKRtyG09cJRH6ofVBk5loBlvQjaiIRccvTnkX-gfYvtzcDHlc0N-DDYiEK4HYjsuPQiQH13IJc06gLC0AM5Mwtw2m0aGlWVDelhwO828_5mKWbJkAD9U6_QWCgHwH14iXYVJaMH47M8jr56UUU2v4-NdtE14QlZ5Y/s1000/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYy7SLcX4eRPxGvCaHZNNF7gDD8NKRtyG09cJRH6ofVBk5loBlvQjaiIRccvTnkX-gfYvtzcDHlc0N-DDYiEK4HYjsuPQiQH13IJc06gLC0AM5Mwtw2m0aGlWVDelhwO828_5mKWbJkAD9U6_QWCgHwH14iXYVJaMH47M8jr56UUU2v4-NdtE14QlZ5Y/w640-h480/3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Asparagus Quiche.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All the other areas of household economy are a bit easier to work with because the stakes aren't as high and when it comes to things like food, fuel, phone, internet and insurances, usually you can cut back or move your account to another provider. When I'm working on reducing costs and you may remember that I recently reduced my electricity usage to see how low I could get it (two posts back) - work out what you want to focus on and one by one, make an action plan to reduce your costs. For instance, if it's insurance, internet or phone costs, do some research and then ring your prover to see what deal they can do for you but make sure you've done research online beforehand so you know what the competition is offering for the same product.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgQmfo14oIisqNxTnJJzxqbpoXMullIHFSmkkVcB2OAYdNSx23pno54PutFPRjLn58DzNAf9aoPeDkj8a5eP6jHdynuxd0hEfltUenLfsSXjaFR61krZVnF7b-PMRnIp-T1KWtBpdWpUbCyn-uONa62UT4ahyphenhyphenE3udGBwu6s4tR83vLUOeLjoVHBKYpyY/s1000/1%20(7).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgQmfo14oIisqNxTnJJzxqbpoXMullIHFSmkkVcB2OAYdNSx23pno54PutFPRjLn58DzNAf9aoPeDkj8a5eP6jHdynuxd0hEfltUenLfsSXjaFR61krZVnF7b-PMRnIp-T1KWtBpdWpUbCyn-uONa62UT4ahyphenhyphenE3udGBwu6s4tR83vLUOeLjoVHBKYpyY/w640-h480/1%20(7).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRp4szkYtQfX5N1r2GRxE_G-JslpZt4mmEC3FErCy0JATZfmYpQz3XZEyXuipQ1EcNpcdqW65dDKh2Y8dRpRWCUG19Ox2aH5mi93OXM4CrKUhXrGgFK1SwSPfLZLjCTEznUnHarYFTUeaqoJkHaTfSzyxUhSKhc5hD5akcZaCQD3PtBgWTmAW8_ftKr3g/s1000/1%20(8).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRp4szkYtQfX5N1r2GRxE_G-JslpZt4mmEC3FErCy0JATZfmYpQz3XZEyXuipQ1EcNpcdqW65dDKh2Y8dRpRWCUG19Ox2aH5mi93OXM4CrKUhXrGgFK1SwSPfLZLjCTEznUnHarYFTUeaqoJkHaTfSzyxUhSKhc5hD5akcZaCQD3PtBgWTmAW8_ftKr3g/w640-h480/1%20(8).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrFOFBHQJ7cva1O2iTMCmUEZxES5K-yRFHM4jYmOYKvha4EsaVroeqstzd1NjeNYHBJiuMnJzR3DEAfGLH7-NbAafu8-7e6UW7R7v8LIOuJmejCCpY0Y2seBl5xi8dLVbRgLJM3S0NdNXN7TlraGa5nuzOlNhKQy44EZ_U-5fxD4iKLV7gFzjHtSn22c/s1001/1%20(9).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrFOFBHQJ7cva1O2iTMCmUEZxES5K-yRFHM4jYmOYKvha4EsaVroeqstzd1NjeNYHBJiuMnJzR3DEAfGLH7-NbAafu8-7e6UW7R7v8LIOuJmejCCpY0Y2seBl5xi8dLVbRgLJM3S0NdNXN7TlraGa5nuzOlNhKQy44EZ_U-5fxD4iKLV7gFzjHtSn22c/w640-h640/1%20(9).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>HINTS AND TIPS</u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>If you make your own plain bar soap, that is an excellent shampoo. It will be a money saver and cut down on the endless supply of plastic bottles coming into your home. If you have a nearby bulk goods store, take a recycled bottle along to fill it with Castile soap. It's also a very good shampoo.</li><li>I started putting together my Woolworth's shopping list this morning which I'll get delivered on Friday. I usually go to the roadside stall near me that sells local produce for my fruit and vegies. I can get everything I want there and usually spend between $10 and $15, the quality is better and it's much lower in food miles. I added everything that I'll buy there onto the Woolworths list too and it came to $33.70 so it clearly shows me that travelling a little bit further will save me money and give me local, fresh food. Think about buying generic brands too. I have found most of the Woolworths generic brands I've tried have been pretty good and better value than the big brands.</li><li>Try to shop with a menu plan already worked out so you only buy what you need.</li><li>Make sure you store food properly as soon as you bring it home from the shops. Divide up, refrigerate, freeze, vacuum pack and store staples in your pantry or stockpile. I store staples I'm using in the pantry along with onions, sweet potatoes and potatoes; foods for future use are stored in the stockpile cupboard. </li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU9hy-TPlpZw-uqJnf96vMQE3W0J1cwIDg8gmEuMYin2uAfe6A0sKrqcAi5Asog6oHEz2n-7xrLqhOmJsmZVp6YJxl7tVHOyX7GTXrIsXy4jN3C1urkROq9r6w5FL6kFfgTD24zWg76tRVUFuNEs0JYnXYw-jfjEq8AOjXVaQ1kRbK_m6aNFcArf4l3Q/s4032/IMG_6638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU9hy-TPlpZw-uqJnf96vMQE3W0J1cwIDg8gmEuMYin2uAfe6A0sKrqcAi5Asog6oHEz2n-7xrLqhOmJsmZVp6YJxl7tVHOyX7GTXrIsXy4jN3C1urkROq9r6w5FL6kFfgTD24zWg76tRVUFuNEs0JYnXYw-jfjEq8AOjXVaQ1kRbK_m6aNFcArf4l3Q/w640-h480/IMG_6638.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Make your own relishes, sauces and pickles. They are so much tastier, cheaper and you know what you're eating.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoo_Mz3JRXiWRdQ7oia2KS5a5_fpg7ejWabrmEHWuSNgMtBcCEEX2g1jVyMpbveZIbHTkvxAcGh60pMIVst_9uuGSdKgh-XV9ar21jAnhxUMgOn8s0V2Ew8f3NT0XGoRAlFA-Y5MDv4R_M2o4tRk13vW96YfNpe_H3KRQvXrIvfK3E7ShgOeRtjwcsJU/s730/B&B%20-%201%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="730" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoo_Mz3JRXiWRdQ7oia2KS5a5_fpg7ejWabrmEHWuSNgMtBcCEEX2g1jVyMpbveZIbHTkvxAcGh60pMIVst_9uuGSdKgh-XV9ar21jAnhxUMgOn8s0V2Ew8f3NT0XGoRAlFA-Y5MDv4R_M2o4tRk13vW96YfNpe_H3KRQvXrIvfK3E7ShgOeRtjwcsJU/w640-h456/B&B%20-%201%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>EXTRA POSTS OF MINE YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2014/05/frugal-food-and-recipes.html" target="_blank">Frugal food and recipes</a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2014/05/cutting-cost-of-grocery-shopping.html" target="_blank">Cutting the cost of grocery shopping</a></b></div><div><b><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2021/10/main-meals-cooked-from-your-rotating.html" target="_blank">My rotating list of favourite family meals.</a></b> Make up a list of the meals your family love, try to get about 20 meals on the list and choose future meals from your list. It will stop that worrying about to eat every night.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope some of this information will help you reduce the cost of living in your home. It's a stressful time but remember, it won't last forever and if you learn how to cut back, you'll increase your skill levels and lead your family towards better days.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-80577042097191258252023-09-21T10:58:00.003+10:002023-09-21T11:52:02.122+10:00Home and garden tasks to keep me happy<p style="text-align: justify;">I'm removing the comments section from the blog. I know that will disappoint some readers but I have two problems associated with comments - time and spam. I have to moderate the comments because of the number of spam comments I get and that takes time every day. As you know, I am spending less time online now <span style="text-align: left;">and having to deal with spam takes me away from other things I'd rather be doing. I'm sorry to take this course of action but removing the comments immediately removes the problem.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">*</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">*</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">*</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">*</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdSfvAt8cNjtYz2aFOx3s0wdKL8MXRnv5NlgUqsCxk1nDzTZRIJRRXqIUTXF1z2-Hz-xP9Vc6Yz-jjeGCw27aoiq8_u3Po0n2P5D72gYAvdj4laTBx7fbyUT-i5tXvxICc3odkGBMKGaH9zDR4gYIpiXjZt4ZyTn8sqfCZJvAk1iAQmKGhO39i3d0WzE/s1067/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdSfvAt8cNjtYz2aFOx3s0wdKL8MXRnv5NlgUqsCxk1nDzTZRIJRRXqIUTXF1z2-Hz-xP9Vc6Yz-jjeGCw27aoiq8_u3Po0n2P5D72gYAvdj4laTBx7fbyUT-i5tXvxICc3odkGBMKGaH9zDR4gYIpiXjZt4ZyTn8sqfCZJvAk1iAQmKGhO39i3d0WzE/w480-h640/3.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope you're looking after yourself. I've just finished making my bed and those of you who have read here for ages will know that a comfortable bed is a building block of self care. We spend a third of our lives in bed. It's where we rest, rejuvenate, dream, talk, make plans and sleep. The best way to make your bed comfortable for those night time activities is to make your bed every day. You'll be able to fluff up your pillows, straighten sheets, add or take away blankets, swipe away wrinkles and get your bed ready for you to dive in at the end of the day. Going to bed, knowing you've prepared it for sleep, gives you a good feeling. If you're not in the habit of making your bed every day, give it a try; it takes only a few minutes but it makes the world of difference.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxQPMM05cNEZRbekug14voestD2OICUdtzdC39AGA3ZDruZLJ44iHPPlZ1LIACv5KjdLkwQ8T1lKj1z8EIxhQyeoer2NtfZ8XII_ZsWXG1BVm3agTWwYaQnMbnJBrGN_SIZTe-ub7nwiI-vFNBjTfksYyQs6T0zL9kzrWztYMfSoP43LKGgHx52D5awI/s800/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxQPMM05cNEZRbekug14voestD2OICUdtzdC39AGA3ZDruZLJ44iHPPlZ1LIACv5KjdLkwQ8T1lKj1z8EIxhQyeoer2NtfZ8XII_ZsWXG1BVm3agTWwYaQnMbnJBrGN_SIZTe-ub7nwiI-vFNBjTfksYyQs6T0zL9kzrWztYMfSoP43LKGgHx52D5awI/w640-h480/5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Q9zBWovQUH8X_IYtqu4yA06tKcwXaetfKCaMib2N5P_6TKoF0VSHciYCCYOmFGHZ94y3Ne7TmuqjKMYTgCWEpPJZtzePmaIYUcFAEUu3OGa_1k-nhXX7xay9RUfZdxr9Gu0i6cppxROsr7X-Xjqei0QFjY3G2tMWBZSINdRLdh_dQTo_ZMy84eGqlaw/s800/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Q9zBWovQUH8X_IYtqu4yA06tKcwXaetfKCaMib2N5P_6TKoF0VSHciYCCYOmFGHZ94y3Ne7TmuqjKMYTgCWEpPJZtzePmaIYUcFAEUu3OGa_1k-nhXX7xay9RUfZdxr9Gu0i6cppxROsr7X-Xjqei0QFjY3G2tMWBZSINdRLdh_dQTo_ZMy84eGqlaw/w640-h480/4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The garden is coming along well and working there, planting, weeding, moving pots, pruning and watering makes me feel capable of doing everything that will help me continue my complex, simple and satisfying life. My old enemy, nut grass, has made a comeback, even with the weeding and mulch. I know I'll never get rid of it so I'm choosing to look on it as just another bit of greenery. I'm hoping that when the garden is completely planted it will be less noticeable.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2N_kF1iSywiDlN9LuMHVNH2nadf_AetsXUVjXAl7ukWsjtQn01ZtHlaLTN1lD2yKV76cd-cC-y9lTKmGZ4fGARpIMmovE-WmRuYXiPB-lam20At8IBV-aiB_A8hRqmMLOKNRRArcwBQr9Uu5Pdivasp38dN1yhTgAELXd-veeCWNoyXOm8zHnlNXLZiA/s800/4%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2N_kF1iSywiDlN9LuMHVNH2nadf_AetsXUVjXAl7ukWsjtQn01ZtHlaLTN1lD2yKV76cd-cC-y9lTKmGZ4fGARpIMmovE-WmRuYXiPB-lam20At8IBV-aiB_A8hRqmMLOKNRRArcwBQr9Uu5Pdivasp38dN1yhTgAELXd-veeCWNoyXOm8zHnlNXLZiA/w640-h480/4%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yarrow and Cleome.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelDuVrB9rwWEMvoAr3Bi1E5dOSa7zzXLxImutmh0xZ1_6FOAHqccQWxpnGvnlr9yvyZrPG5xfUHMMhRTZQFKKQ5yIukT8xwDJfE17AziryeR3tDpuheV3UKAscgqOTbNHfn1D1RJ2Id2IYQPptFEVXz1TB5ZyGXKCYoJaavzHk3GFbU-fpsVaRWUpLJM/s800/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="800" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelDuVrB9rwWEMvoAr3Bi1E5dOSa7zzXLxImutmh0xZ1_6FOAHqccQWxpnGvnlr9yvyZrPG5xfUHMMhRTZQFKKQ5yIukT8xwDJfE17AziryeR3tDpuheV3UKAscgqOTbNHfn1D1RJ2Id2IYQPptFEVXz1TB5ZyGXKCYoJaavzHk3GFbU-fpsVaRWUpLJM/w640-h572/1%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is a Cecile Brunner rose. It's a tiny pink bud - you can see how small they are when compared to the size of a small battery. A large bunch of them in a small vase looks beautiful.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The roses have started flowering and the two Cecile Brunner climbing roses I planted recently are already halfway up the arch that supports them, and one is flowering. There are two other climbers - Dorothy Perkins on the side fence and Pinkie on the back lattice. Both are growing well but not flowering yet. I like height in the garden so I want to get two more standard roses. I've decided to block-plant the white cosmos in pots. They were going to provide height but as most gardeners know, plans change a lot when you stand back and look at what you've got. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have multicoloured Alysum, short pink salvias, cone flowers, and two Peter Pan dwarf agapanthus yet to plant. Two magnificent Berry Canary foxgloves are planted in big pots so I expect them to grow tall and strong. I can feel the garden filling up although I have to wait until the end of the month, see what areas need more plants and then go to the nursery to buy another batch. It's exciting.</div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5OAJI643Kd022VeTIcq0Tmc6ioC4EYCd7JvHtom_RijIQCAoiv06hEmUpv9tKwY2o9_ygu0qpmsFNCMTPo-mXS9FY0GWVet24IIPZ6aNarlYAU5CGWO_r0jrQ4Um7X8Uq2NtQpFk5d-cTEJI5EKLQkAQ4SK4_UW01yY2HWKlLPu-hFb-d8ORBDZ9tg0/s1067/2%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5OAJI643Kd022VeTIcq0Tmc6ioC4EYCd7JvHtom_RijIQCAoiv06hEmUpv9tKwY2o9_ygu0qpmsFNCMTPo-mXS9FY0GWVet24IIPZ6aNarlYAU5CGWO_r0jrQ4Um7X8Uq2NtQpFk5d-cTEJI5EKLQkAQ4SK4_UW01yY2HWKlLPu-hFb-d8ORBDZ9tg0/w480-h640/2%20(2).jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>A new rose - Seduction. Mine is a standard rose not a rose bush.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ErlqMmiOenpabWUHt6XdpslC3BgK7hyp0U4TskKzyZvL_pHgwZqzLs9hNMcZ2LN24XHJyB40Ghm0M7dqFlbFPBgeDKsU9N1bkexX0RGUAnS4Eflpm5d5MB8ISoO--WpXItnioeN6Y6Eg9dwDPdp8dp19hde1kwoQhctMWeTCPrRrv_gnz95M7HVhAiI/s800/3%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ErlqMmiOenpabWUHt6XdpslC3BgK7hyp0U4TskKzyZvL_pHgwZqzLs9hNMcZ2LN24XHJyB40Ghm0M7dqFlbFPBgeDKsU9N1bkexX0RGUAnS4Eflpm5d5MB8ISoO--WpXItnioeN6Y6Eg9dwDPdp8dp19hde1kwoQhctMWeTCPrRrv_gnz95M7HVhAiI/w640-h480/3%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Recently I bought a new rose that I really love. If you're not a rose grower, maybe this rose should be your first. If you've been a rose grower for ages, this is one to make room for. It's called Seduction and it's a semi-double (meaning it has a lot of petals). They are sold as standard roses and as rose bushes. I have the standard variety which is a rose bush grafted onto tall rootstock. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">They start off a creamy white with a touch of pink on the edges and as they age, the pink edges get darker and more noticeable. It supports many roses at the same time and each flower is in bloom for about two - three weeks. They're an excellent cut flower as well.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FLUcmI98Yrjl47qG_yh2ULS9WeLQN1g4PSqENAf9lRu0Qcxpsr5WaqSa5w9p_9L_oQmkV70Kblp8DnXpX2Pq-700-KAvrtec35AkdWnonwkV3Yuiog_O1IEs4Y0ZT5mHEfx582Z4gViyoguT5NHjtz_TNmjWxHrG-mWRjl-78qr51LoGtTRhewW1ZNw/s800/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FLUcmI98Yrjl47qG_yh2ULS9WeLQN1g4PSqENAf9lRu0Qcxpsr5WaqSa5w9p_9L_oQmkV70Kblp8DnXpX2Pq-700-KAvrtec35AkdWnonwkV3Yuiog_O1IEs4Y0ZT5mHEfx582Z4gViyoguT5NHjtz_TNmjWxHrG-mWRjl-78qr51LoGtTRhewW1ZNw/w640-h480/1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've been harvesting the Silver Beet/Chard for the past couple of weeks. I love chard so I'm building up a small stockpile of single portions in the freezer. There are tomato plants at the back, which are flowering, as well as parsley, dill and green onions in the front. With these plants I only occasionally buy herbs or green vegetables but I still buy cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potato and onions.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7ngCV_neGUC-xRHfTvihh0kqUQcHqhstqPT75u2qhZCwecdhvFn_rlMkIS2PlzbYVDPH-GzDNm4N5mjZX7qOhZVKH-da6iP8pb3oZtBMPH8Tr5F7ALR3VnWpNheNuAJtSltLFpsGh09bFdL_KUnmyJww_nTVBH8dJEtP72cJ75Qw6sjlq2BIugXfW4c/s800/1%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7ngCV_neGUC-xRHfTvihh0kqUQcHqhstqPT75u2qhZCwecdhvFn_rlMkIS2PlzbYVDPH-GzDNm4N5mjZX7qOhZVKH-da6iP8pb3oZtBMPH8Tr5F7ALR3VnWpNheNuAJtSltLFpsGh09bFdL_KUnmyJww_nTVBH8dJEtP72cJ75Qw6sjlq2BIugXfW4c/w640-h480/1%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPm6yLD4SZFJsImnh9Cj-Gp-DQ9RzLWhlBxuuzFqmx6DdRp5VE1goTGwWTumJTFJfEunXi2vkdbr220LD6c-UUSb333qkGIQDzxb4o9WJbpEBdihVtHD7ehkl4kHukToKyqxZpM2oXLWxaJ-Uj5vcUqeXp2nzHBEs8hIteu6Xgz7JSVEkyMOfJIQjrGzk/s800/3%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPm6yLD4SZFJsImnh9Cj-Gp-DQ9RzLWhlBxuuzFqmx6DdRp5VE1goTGwWTumJTFJfEunXi2vkdbr220LD6c-UUSb333qkGIQDzxb4o9WJbpEBdihVtHD7ehkl4kHukToKyqxZpM2oXLWxaJ-Uj5vcUqeXp2nzHBEs8hIteu6Xgz7JSVEkyMOfJIQjrGzk/w640-h480/3%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjnV3runfOZLaJD_S0MrTrbPlfxPg2L1BwpxJuGkY2556ZBYNLTkTFqIJKyGOCGtCxOQeGg1EZhQ6-Kqb5JGu7nOaLbaY0nxw8nZDWqXRQQd0zp7gIDY5kW3s3jt-Qy86lb1zyKCJGMnWj0UlEQyKmoV4AakdtArnVaB7w-97KgrAur_xPjhP_3UJJ3k/s800/4%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjnV3runfOZLaJD_S0MrTrbPlfxPg2L1BwpxJuGkY2556ZBYNLTkTFqIJKyGOCGtCxOQeGg1EZhQ6-Kqb5JGu7nOaLbaY0nxw8nZDWqXRQQd0zp7gIDY5kW3s3jt-Qy86lb1zyKCJGMnWj0UlEQyKmoV4AakdtArnVaB7w-97KgrAur_xPjhP_3UJJ3k/w640-h480/4%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I started baking bread again. I had to go to the bakery every week to buy a no preservative loaf and I got sick of doing that. It's much easier making bread at home, it's much cheaper too, I know what's in the loaf and I can make exactly what I want. I don't know why I stopped baking. After Hanno died it seemed to be one of many things that were too difficult. But like all the other things I stopped then started again, bread is back to stay. I had a slice of hot toast for breakfast this morning with butter and cherry jam and a cup of black tea. It was a classic breakfast which I enjoyed a lot.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's going to be 34C/93F here today. Yesterday we had bushfires very close by and all day there were fire bomber aircraft and helicopters flying low between the fire and the local dam. It was burning from Australia Zoo down to the highway and all it would have taken was a change in the wind direction and we would have been in danger of burning here too. It looks like it's under control now and it will be cooler tomorrow so I have my fingers crossed. It's not a good sign when we're still in early spring.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I hope you're well and happy and things are good where you are. Take care. xx</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60057574683650069462023-09-08T10:02:00.002+10:002023-09-08T10:03:01.677+10:00Reducing electricity costs<p style="text-align: justify;">This is just a quick post to let you know I got my electricity bill. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-cost-of-electricity-ive-decreased.html" target="_blank">You might remember I posted about electricity charges after Hanno died when I was trying to establish what I used.</a> While Hanno was sick at home I was using every appliance that made it easier for him and easier to look after him. I knew my solo usage would be less but I didn't know how much less. Click on that link to see the post.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-Q4cV-894fSqZFWzgoc-2Y105BSU4Vk8S2mJEkkzrJVO7eVtKmnWmlj7wgZAu27iCt_b1v0POLfij9Radh__duHbDfCGHSpnTbN9eJtQ-Gh7bqm3DHFApYX4LvE2f1B8WUEwaCkILoL3IhJ0W3AdPUl_GxDrRavMI10_YxfEeZZini-QJ4VnZkJIq3I/s4032/IMG_bill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-Q4cV-894fSqZFWzgoc-2Y105BSU4Vk8S2mJEkkzrJVO7eVtKmnWmlj7wgZAu27iCt_b1v0POLfij9Radh__duHbDfCGHSpnTbN9eJtQ-Gh7bqm3DHFApYX4LvE2f1B8WUEwaCkILoL3IhJ0W3AdPUl_GxDrRavMI10_YxfEeZZini-QJ4VnZkJIq3I/w640-h480/IMG_bill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm happy to tell you that bill reflects the one I got yesterday. My old usage was 5 kWh and my current is 4.06 kWh, less than half one person's usage. I'm glad I did this so I know how low I can go if I need to in the future. I have no doubt I'll use the air conditioning during summer but I doubt I'll stray too far from what I'm doing now. The main thing for me is to use my solar power as I generate it by doing my housework in the morning when the sun is on the roof and to always turn off power when I'm not using it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the price rise on 1 July, the cost of electricity per day here increased from $1.99 to $2.28 kWh and my greenhouse gas emissions reduced from 1.1 tonnes to 0.6 tonnes. I hope this encourages you to reduce your usage too. It's not easy to do at first but it gets easier as you get used to it but as you can see here, it WILL make a difference.</p><p>For the rest of today, I'll have a salad wrap for lunch and make bread this afternoon before spending a couple of hours in the garden. I had a new gardener come over yesterday. He's fantastic and I hope he'll return in a couple of weeks to clean my roof and do a bit of pruning.</p><p>Enjoy yourself over the weekend. I hope you get the chance to spend time relaxing at home. 🥰</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-66044971760723889942023-09-05T09:19:00.004+10:002023-09-05T09:19:56.679+10:00Save money at home<p style="text-align: justify;">I'm making napkins today. Those I made about five years ago are on their last legs and I don't want to buy napkins again and again and again. Today and tomorrow I'll also be making laundry liquid, stainless steel sink cleaner, biscuits and chilli jam. These tasks, and many more like them, are a regular part of my housework. I aim for environmental and financial sustainability and I support and encourage biodiversity on the land I live on. I am mindful of the horrendous changes to the weather in recent years and this year we've seen many record breaking weather events around the world. It's the result of global warming and we've been warned about it for years but done nothing to slow it down or stop it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfR9GyGSkFfiHLoaBhCyzzq71CS8BrNsIF_VAlN75vDsS6HpYFomLIwTcGKOJU5yC8BdEmYk4Q6FxylShBHV5xTIcAp9saEL1x-73cbTfc2tVK5S3Dfz0IIafYvqUlz4EZ2GjQdobn4F98lVJnHpvL8FRyiH-IAph7sCZgUDY9n1Cpsod35X0xbjIg4I/w480-h640/9.jpeg" width="480" /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Every dollar we spend makes the problem worse because that money is buying modern lifestyles built using fossil fuels. I'm not going to write about what certain countries, including my own, do to make the matter worse but I will urge you to educate yourself about global warming and work out a way to make a difference in your own home. We all contributed to this problem in tiny increments, we can undo some of it by working sustainably in our homes. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I try to save money whenever I can because it makes sense to me, it allows me to live the life I live and I want my children and grandchildren to live in a world similar to the one I grew up in. I want that for you and your children too. We can't keep putting it off, now is the time to draw a line in the sand and make sure we stay on the right side of that line, even when it's difficult.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiV1E6qn_dmbPfSecfcFCnHhjZW5G8Wa4YC8b7IIurV4lh2YtJlB9Kga-NoZ1hhPdEhGlZyYkGKmiSnJkBeMIAyP1VvS3BD1qhXtWs4dXRaQNaWtRhX-mGHXIn97mbPY59RbU6iXQXqE7lKqEpFzBceWb7_WjeN4V1D-65zwrgrDsWj-FOj8wrFttd5s/s900/2%20(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiV1E6qn_dmbPfSecfcFCnHhjZW5G8Wa4YC8b7IIurV4lh2YtJlB9Kga-NoZ1hhPdEhGlZyYkGKmiSnJkBeMIAyP1VvS3BD1qhXtWs4dXRaQNaWtRhX-mGHXIn97mbPY59RbU6iXQXqE7lKqEpFzBceWb7_WjeN4V1D-65zwrgrDsWj-FOj8wrFttd5s/w640-h480/2%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Prices increased during the pandemic and the cost of living is still rising. I thought it might be a good idea to share some of the things I do here to help reduce the cost of running a home. I'd love you to share some of the uncommon things you're doing too; don't worry about the common things, most of us are already doing them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our water and electricity prices went up July 1 and we're about to receive the first bills since that price rise. For the last few months I've changed how I use my appliances. We had a solar hot water system installed when we moved here in 1997 and our first solar panels were installed in 2007. In September last year I had the old solar panels replaced and a new system of 18 panels installed. I run my major appliances - washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner,<b> <u>one at a time</u>, </b>in the morning as soon as the sun hits the roof. That's the most efficient way to run my system. If you have solar, do a bit of research so you know the best way to run your system to save dollars. <b><u>The aim is to use the solar power as you generate it</u></b> and just have the leftovers going to the grid but if you work outside the home, that would be impossible for you. A solar battery would be better in your situation because it would collect and store all the solar power you generate during the day so it's available for you to use at night. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLowqB95ZcUgOAKTPUzneTfydYLtI729FMzzYT0oTgdt7f-Vq30DDdX-2p3-5ordMKqgAaTg5HN5fAVRlJL8K4GI8MdqkJ-VMTdDMwgGIQ0giTzzi60zVpBkk68IHUsJ0F2EIilunlFRTqdiwJTFvGP5e3E72vQ4XF391HboM7pUHm6oV4BMwzP7scho/s1133/8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLowqB95ZcUgOAKTPUzneTfydYLtI729FMzzYT0oTgdt7f-Vq30DDdX-2p3-5ordMKqgAaTg5HN5fAVRlJL8K4GI8MdqkJ-VMTdDMwgGIQ0giTzzi60zVpBkk68IHUsJ0F2EIilunlFRTqdiwJTFvGP5e3E72vQ4XF391HboM7pUHm6oV4BMwzP7scho/w508-h640/8.jpeg" width="508" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I use the dishwasher every three days but I also take a break from it for weeks an a time and go back to it again when I’m busy. After a bit of tweaking, I changed the cycle I use in the dishwasher. I used to do a sensor wash cycle (2 hours!) now it's a 45 minute gentle wash and it still does an excellent job. I've not had to rewash anything. I'm microwaving more too. I always heat up in the microwave and I'm cooking vegetables in a bowl with a silicone lid in the microwave instead of boiling on the stove. I have an induction stove so when I do use the stove, it uses less electricity than the last stove I had. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I use clothes stands on the back verandah instead of using the dryer - I get very dizzy hanging out laundry on my clothes line but anything at eye level is fine and the clothes stand is working well. My March electricity bill was $76 - less than a one person house but I'm waiting to see this bill due now because the last bill told me nothing - a certain black dog was seen in the front yard so the meter wasn't read. 🙄 I think the bill will be in the $200 range but even so, I hope that by using the solar power wisely and the $300 worth of credits I currently have, I'll get by and pay nothing.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBK28bEn5sN8JeZuvGE4ZWOKhf5hNLPgU2U_hVZZSQY0474CJQ7ZMukosukVL_oxeOwO5RvsXWZcjl64vJjU8KXKzLgcLqWuTsbK4A0brBFMcBhj4OGGaBS62uEiZ-FF0mQ3HVkcyEBjCH18yR-1RBT2C-O3v0pQAnMOL6QaJtOC2rxSO9FhS-bjHKhA/s900/5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBK28bEn5sN8JeZuvGE4ZWOKhf5hNLPgU2U_hVZZSQY0474CJQ7ZMukosukVL_oxeOwO5RvsXWZcjl64vJjU8KXKzLgcLqWuTsbK4A0brBFMcBhj4OGGaBS62uEiZ-FF0mQ3HVkcyEBjCH18yR-1RBT2C-O3v0pQAnMOL6QaJtOC2rxSO9FhS-bjHKhA/w640-h480/5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I can't work out the water usage. I use less water than one person in my home and yet my bills are always in the $200-$250 range. My sister's water bill is less than $100, and she lives in NSW and she's in a two person house. If you live in SE Queensland, I'd love you to share the cost of your average water bill with me.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Most of the time I buy my groceries at Woolworths and have them delivered. They charge $119 a year for delivery so if I shop weekly, it costs just over $2 for delivery. That saves petrol for the 12km round trip and I'm not wandering around buying things I don't need.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNP90m3P-m_WMrvj_ofuhtqrSZo3w3Cb5J3GzuoNwJ5YhrxRADY4lHgZXE61KroOyTqAectCL4epk3BFnrOMd4pvN0YwwGCVDfAth6jZWiU28ysnk9vpRA7C_JWJ-1amiLHnrre5QF0PqIOXxb3EJhK64xkpjnnA1qVTNcW66rr_cmhN8kcdcZxafHko/s900/3%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNP90m3P-m_WMrvj_ofuhtqrSZo3w3Cb5J3GzuoNwJ5YhrxRADY4lHgZXE61KroOyTqAectCL4epk3BFnrOMd4pvN0YwwGCVDfAth6jZWiU28ysnk9vpRA7C_JWJ-1amiLHnrre5QF0PqIOXxb3EJhK64xkpjnnA1qVTNcW66rr_cmhN8kcdcZxafHko/w640-h480/3%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I eat less meat, I still cook from scratch, still make laundry liquid and homemade cleaners and if you do that too, your grocery bill will drop a fair bit and you'll be bringing far less plastic into your home. I'm thinking of baking bread again because the cost of good bread is sky high and I don't want to eat bread with preservatives and other additives. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2018/05/laundry-liquid-and-general-cleaning.html" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;" target="_blank">My recipes for laundry liquid and homemade cleaners are here.</a><b><u> </u></b><span>Remember to turn off the light every time you leave the room, don't leave the TV, radio or fan on. Don't leave appliances on standby. It all adds up and over the course of a three month bill may tip you over the edge.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zM7LgA7xYNH9ZhlabnHLIteQVr5BEVK-ysVMf74qK9vfp8rPVgRiatNWpqPC2eaFwt9FL8QiowIN56VojmCAuayZv3a-0idR4arCeYf1GjXDJFXAGdufonT6S11EVhDWjRPmAsdk4Z1eicoa_-MRdBJoMTRjS91dowiUaRgJbh8Y46LsQgj8kEE4hqU/s630/6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="630" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zM7LgA7xYNH9ZhlabnHLIteQVr5BEVK-ysVMf74qK9vfp8rPVgRiatNWpqPC2eaFwt9FL8QiowIN56VojmCAuayZv3a-0idR4arCeYf1GjXDJFXAGdufonT6S11EVhDWjRPmAsdk4Z1eicoa_-MRdBJoMTRjS91dowiUaRgJbh8Y46LsQgj8kEE4hqU/w640-h390/6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Baby Gracie playing with a shoe the same size as her.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So what's happening in your home? I'd love to know how you're saving money in these hard time. If you have time, drop a short comment about your unusual tasks because it might help readers who are making their first changes and those who are moving on to another level. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-70245033069025759842023-08-19T15:25:00.007+10:002023-08-19T17:46:21.793+10:00We produced fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs and loofahs from 1998 until 2021<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATL7KXhdPqUqfkD_LJBaI8B6-6cywqR_l_7d6i3DNomL1bC8p-ac_gjzvsc0wpSXkEwgqTawdvfvWGVmCWeLv_haKUV1RaHw56yOgPAkPoDdQRyqRsvArVP62YhB4b28EHGKfp3Xbbz1DhoCnBDg3bUMXUzYWNC4ccRXDsWTKfwMAQTs0P92vUkrcm_I/s906/1%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATL7KXhdPqUqfkD_LJBaI8B6-6cywqR_l_7d6i3DNomL1bC8p-ac_gjzvsc0wpSXkEwgqTawdvfvWGVmCWeLv_haKUV1RaHw56yOgPAkPoDdQRyqRsvArVP62YhB4b28EHGKfp3Xbbz1DhoCnBDg3bUMXUzYWNC4ccRXDsWTKfwMAQTs0P92vUkrcm_I/w600-h640/1%20(11).jpeg" width="600" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking towards the outside world.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I love where I live. My home is situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac of ten houses. I have neighbours on both sides and across the road an old saw mill which is completely screened by a couple of hundred trees. Back in the day when this area was opened up, cedar and silky oak trees were logged and brought down the mountain on timber wagons pulled by teams of oxen. They came to the saw mill close to my house where the logs were dragged across the land and launched from a natural outcrop in the creek in my backyard. They floated downstream to the coast and put on clipper ships which sailed to England and India. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We bought our home in 1993 but didn't move here till 1997. Our soil tests at that time showed this was "virgin land" which had never been lived on or cultivated. The creek is our back border and it still flows but there are no other signs of the history of the land, the men, the oxen or the timber wagons.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJ1cJrnyRTt_uiwSw-GzcnOuZN6xRJjS2SN__JsIQy4anMAOrNRdhbrsyLMththcLXjYti4ypLxwTXrT0afVhYNYs2-5cfJQ9IkCBBWM_o37jnIASXarlttDbn68kdc57ykOE0nbi4hwa9kMmMPDkZfF4VnAU2r8LNwyfRHypeAzn65YazGx2eFMNzwI/s630/1%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="630" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJ1cJrnyRTt_uiwSw-GzcnOuZN6xRJjS2SN__JsIQy4anMAOrNRdhbrsyLMththcLXjYti4ypLxwTXrT0afVhYNYs2-5cfJQ9IkCBBWM_o37jnIASXarlttDbn68kdc57ykOE0nbi4hwa9kMmMPDkZfF4VnAU2r8LNwyfRHypeAzn65YazGx2eFMNzwI/w640-h425/1%20(8).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgu5Rx5GSfPtvL4A0hJwB4BHlozX1dDcfPcIyx9DSsoaHB5RZ6HXZR7ORdeJ_vf5kpHpJRNItq8mn_A7dHw1niNc9hbNuqzHlCQV-LKRUcn5JWflqahzJQriyOMjfWmF78ilLE0e974FMRWnYy0fWC3TDikmCzS3qnXFwL52wMsiu86USgiO4KJKNFd1w/s600/1%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgu5Rx5GSfPtvL4A0hJwB4BHlozX1dDcfPcIyx9DSsoaHB5RZ6HXZR7ORdeJ_vf5kpHpJRNItq8mn_A7dHw1niNc9hbNuqzHlCQV-LKRUcn5JWflqahzJQriyOMjfWmF78ilLE0e974FMRWnYy0fWC3TDikmCzS3qnXFwL52wMsiu86USgiO4KJKNFd1w/w640-h480/1%20(9).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9__P1Ou6SoOjsppH9NRVGNlHiQa_9lrodoH2xmUh031ou6tHbUmtnmmo1valOGJNjRH3bKZm9csEjZNzS7XqqS3tsLUoG_pC480x8FmlU9LWieNwJatwLByyne34-VDLQXKp0OKZnXJQ_lxj7AQFfI1__vnK64Y6QaxrbZ3QnuM18Cmg4NBI0oTVfaw/s630/1%20(10).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="630" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9__P1Ou6SoOjsppH9NRVGNlHiQa_9lrodoH2xmUh031ou6tHbUmtnmmo1valOGJNjRH3bKZm9csEjZNzS7XqqS3tsLUoG_pC480x8FmlU9LWieNwJatwLByyne34-VDLQXKp0OKZnXJQ_lxj7AQFfI1__vnK64Y6QaxrbZ3QnuM18Cmg4NBI0oTVfaw/w640-h427/1%20(10).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>These three photos are our old garden beds. The two beds closest to the house are the beds I'm planting in now.</i></div><p style="text-align: justify;">We decided very early on that we wanted to get the full value of our land by improving the soil and growing food. We bought heirloom chickens, installed water tanks, erected fences and started gardening. We produced fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs and loofahs from 1998 until 2021 when Hanno became ill. I literally walked out of the garden in October 2021 to tend to Hanno, leaving the tools as they were, and didn't go back until early this year.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI32aZWQOPWCWPsVxrKhqi0jG68Sf2J_G78QDoCB-maVdQxJTw336q5hwPQ5dvRZilD2-NGxhzdLJkMH7AMPJodXJRA2z6PfOYDooT_3JZlPLLhI1oqg62oRskVVGEjFRAZGWj9MmRTSPOtnAUgppynD7Qzov7QZrW4gfskEdoRcGKJritq35C_ayPH5E/s850/1%20(14).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI32aZWQOPWCWPsVxrKhqi0jG68Sf2J_G78QDoCB-maVdQxJTw336q5hwPQ5dvRZilD2-NGxhzdLJkMH7AMPJodXJRA2z6PfOYDooT_3JZlPLLhI1oqg62oRskVVGEjFRAZGWj9MmRTSPOtnAUgppynD7Qzov7QZrW4gfskEdoRcGKJritq35C_ayPH5E/w640-h480/1%20(14).jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>The garden when I walked out in October 2021. When I went back earlier this year, it was completely dead.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3fjeRa8f_vavGrdXKmNEUI5UzteWAZ9uha_0XycQQLDllYe0RdzG2d8xOSABHMUC0nqO-ij8joIDRyyk5J3BNFd5vxiXYqO_tZpiCpX9j5VqP_jIDOxhUtE1U65mReoAa9H-0-IayPyXOiXPa9ZzcB-qBMAvd0seLPj-yIGDvYA3PDO84PNXRPR93fY/s850/1%20(19).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3fjeRa8f_vavGrdXKmNEUI5UzteWAZ9uha_0XycQQLDllYe0RdzG2d8xOSABHMUC0nqO-ij8joIDRyyk5J3BNFd5vxiXYqO_tZpiCpX9j5VqP_jIDOxhUtE1U65mReoAa9H-0-IayPyXOiXPa9ZzcB-qBMAvd0seLPj-yIGDvYA3PDO84PNXRPR93fY/w640-h640/1%20(19).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Some of our heirloom chickens. We generally kept between 12 - 20.</i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hanno did the digging, weeded garden beds, made compost, looked after the chickens, planted seedlings and left the gardens fallow from late November to March ever year. It was too hot to garden, there were too many bugs and as it was our wet season, nature took care of the watering. We were excited to plan our new season in January and February every year and started working back in the garden in early March. Doing this allowed us to rest over summer, eat the freshest organic produce, produce much of what we needed and share a lot of it with our family, friends and neighbours.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My part of the gardening took place every afternoon from 2.00 - 4.00 pm when shade covered the garden. I pruned, weeded, moved plants, staked, watered and harvested to my heart's content. I preserved a lot of that produce by making jams, sauces, tonics, cordials, relishes and pickles. We cut down on the cost of our food shopping and made ourselves happy by being productive and working outside in the fresh air.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUegBmsk8amDPifQ1wYc_DAKY70FD7R6s8zgytRmz5-XDR5kzXNwQHQBSmVlmxMDMtOrYb-4VHdJnzXiy-AwexRWriuWlNgHWGyHqxDzBJuEkyJhQwhH6TS6ptsfppYvocxVnQQmP861gZJPn--TOXgPYJgtiARS8ZAp3Ojhfa-O9S8wGIOWMzR9b4R2w/s850/1%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="850" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUegBmsk8amDPifQ1wYc_DAKY70FD7R6s8zgytRmz5-XDR5kzXNwQHQBSmVlmxMDMtOrYb-4VHdJnzXiy-AwexRWriuWlNgHWGyHqxDzBJuEkyJhQwhH6TS6ptsfppYvocxVnQQmP861gZJPn--TOXgPYJgtiARS8ZAp3Ojhfa-O9S8wGIOWMzR9b4R2w/w640-h622/1%20(12).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Here is part of the potted garden I created out the front.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I decided recently that the potted garden I made in the front garden wasn't enough. I wanted what I once had - the opportunity to sit in a joyous space, breathe fresh air, watch the wildlife and think about the ghosts - both men and horses, who moved massive tree trunks across this land. I wanted to see my house from a different perspective; I wanted to see the outside as well as the inside. So at the beginning of this week, after I'd had the garden dug over and compost added, I started planting flowers in two garden beds. In a small separate garden that used to be an old sand pit, I'm growing the herbs I eat, chillies and two tomato bushes. I grow comfrey next to the compost and use it to make organic fertiliser. It doesn't look like much at the moment but like every garden it will grow into something entirely different with a little help from me and Mother Nature.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cxBnJNmILYWtK40A4P4kpSPz57uA5P8P6PNT1RTt3-NChRjlcO1uH_-KQ-4pyPSrnHHD7UFu3GzoHtBNwe3le0A5IVMVyj-UzRODJdCa-bG2EIp_ZzU0aqECTGhes214Wdj-T1jo4VeNKoVwjU12C6CYRJnTRmW5KWnHaWnwFwXLTWXYV5v2OdLL8u0/s850/1%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cxBnJNmILYWtK40A4P4kpSPz57uA5P8P6PNT1RTt3-NChRjlcO1uH_-KQ-4pyPSrnHHD7UFu3GzoHtBNwe3le0A5IVMVyj-UzRODJdCa-bG2EIp_ZzU0aqECTGhes214Wdj-T1jo4VeNKoVwjU12C6CYRJnTRmW5KWnHaWnwFwXLTWXYV5v2OdLL8u0/w640-h480/1%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs3geWPTiFbrcVIra7lKUcc4Ni0P4w5KIbg6ChdNueocLty8wqd5jjwTilq8AOR-pNlfqw_d-dlC6RX3y8QjDMredIRFLc-1ojPSKoIMdZUryKUUvsUymqB5XubaYJCzXMh1SCvyHtDSQN3LToMQDi7aq413tQsVrhW2Ekp_So0fieo48mhbUxI1xvWM/s850/1%20(3).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="850" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs3geWPTiFbrcVIra7lKUcc4Ni0P4w5KIbg6ChdNueocLty8wqd5jjwTilq8AOR-pNlfqw_d-dlC6RX3y8QjDMredIRFLc-1ojPSKoIMdZUryKUUvsUymqB5XubaYJCzXMh1SCvyHtDSQN3LToMQDi7aq413tQsVrhW2Ekp_So0fieo48mhbUxI1xvWM/w640-h526/1%20(3).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS1LxOYh6aCDUh8ngxAbkg-qp-pmNkUP6zGD46qZQEI6yBc2cfZUlQhJtJOfWk8X2KkKjSop1-IIC05_nsOcvo-kWPpXYpd5MO6VtwXPdWyyKTxqI92Ovto9QL48atEEuw3bHUaaaBWOczGBT7WRQ_AtpaIAWaNMNSSNfVACt-smUjHVa9t_VAnefeuU/s1134/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS1LxOYh6aCDUh8ngxAbkg-qp-pmNkUP6zGD46qZQEI6yBc2cfZUlQhJtJOfWk8X2KkKjSop1-IIC05_nsOcvo-kWPpXYpd5MO6VtwXPdWyyKTxqI92Ovto9QL48atEEuw3bHUaaaBWOczGBT7WRQ_AtpaIAWaNMNSSNfVACt-smUjHVa9t_VAnefeuU/w480-h640/1%20(5).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPxOZ1updhMNYsz3aCkZ2nUo5y7W4uJxcf9vYXS4fI1U5Y_syPQD_wfHaKoupc39CSIcXgu3vjtGZsaKhU6pZMLaavSyBt-YEDS3yYt1KpTz5LICGJP12CSIhZ0MSWPmZIdKvkL6hpyxMPGFg-UVCgpwgsy8K42TuvY07OBXSmArXofEPzlZpKSW7ArQ/s850/1%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPxOZ1updhMNYsz3aCkZ2nUo5y7W4uJxcf9vYXS4fI1U5Y_syPQD_wfHaKoupc39CSIcXgu3vjtGZsaKhU6pZMLaavSyBt-YEDS3yYt1KpTz5LICGJP12CSIhZ0MSWPmZIdKvkL6hpyxMPGFg-UVCgpwgsy8K42TuvY07OBXSmArXofEPzlZpKSW7ArQ/w640-h480/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>These four photos above are the new beds I've just planted.</i></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Roses have been moved back to where they used to be and are growing well. Roses are as tough as old boots and they only die if you don't water them. There's a standard dark red Munstead Wood, a standard pale pink-white rose called Seduction, a climber called Pinkie, two pink Cecile Brunner mini climbers, the pink Montville Rose, a pale yellow hybrid tea rose called Elina, pink climber Dorothy Perkins and I have The Fairy rose which I'll plant in a pot and have on the side of the garden. I also have English lavender, salvias, gaura, penstemon, foxgloves, yarrow, several daisies, chrysanthemums, Queen Anne's lace, snapdragons, buddleja - butter fly bush, society garlic and a small lemon tree in a pot. There are a couple of other plants there that I'll remember as soon as I post this but I hope you get the general idea. I'll continue planting until I can no longer see the garden bed. Shane came down to help me with the final planting which was all in the middle of the beds. I get very dizzy when I step on uneven ground so I was very grateful when he said he would come and help.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7UoLRr4hZYHNp757DbuSTsUrMe5XdH2ZgkssoDrDx7vfiR_xBjgD_5OmklVVaQaTaIrI0sqgpc68LAwPpXt8daH7lucgCF5kPuOIxR2YBCEJqQCwFRdiM_fYQniWANJF4k64XKdpn2QkisI9yVa-_B-58OwitBF5DmBy-z2UkvMIggKqzBuGMCGcvqU/s850/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7UoLRr4hZYHNp757DbuSTsUrMe5XdH2ZgkssoDrDx7vfiR_xBjgD_5OmklVVaQaTaIrI0sqgpc68LAwPpXt8daH7lucgCF5kPuOIxR2YBCEJqQCwFRdiM_fYQniWANJF4k64XKdpn2QkisI9yVa-_B-58OwitBF5DmBy-z2UkvMIggKqzBuGMCGcvqU/w640-h480/1%20(16).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">The plants are a large part of the garden but it's the physical space I love the most; it feels different in there. I have a place to sit in the shade and I can see the entire backyard as well as an air corridor that starts around 500 meters away in the bush and flows into our backyard. Male Willy Wagtails use it to show off, swooping and gliding in front of the female birds, and it's the corridor insects use when they start hatching in the bush and move into suburbia annoying us gardeners.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The love of gardening seems to grow stronger in me every year. It helps me think about life and how I fit in, it brings back memories and helps me think about what's next. But it's also about the beautiful flowers and delicious produce that can be grown. And I'm happy to say that it's there for all of us if we have land or pots to grow in and the desire to work hard.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-48651218447130773872023-08-17T12:25:00.103+10:002023-08-18T17:14:04.015+10:00Welcome back - let's settle in here again and get comfy<p style="text-align: justify;">I really thought I'd written my last post here but I didn't know how bad it is out there. I went to Instagram to remain connected to you all but now it's self-destructing to get more advertising dollars so I don't want to write there anymore. I used it one last time to let you know I’d written this post but from now on you’ll either have to check here to see if there’s a new post or sign up to Blogtrottr which I explain below.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVJ5-hXggGuaGuowbuN_ot6u4R4JZ1qzJ7uT2KAKxjCtkQOV7PrbOX4Psq01wwjQfVQxAEFQOcePRVyeaoHPfdrIZVaTp4gIOcKO74NSeimBg9K2Ld-UxXDMd6AgHRx9E-txE1INHoPmIwSrdmg_VpZsf3jd96OXwoPOkS42sPqWTSEHRVU14MprZeFU/s1134/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVJ5-hXggGuaGuowbuN_ot6u4R4JZ1qzJ7uT2KAKxjCtkQOV7PrbOX4Psq01wwjQfVQxAEFQOcePRVyeaoHPfdrIZVaTp4gIOcKO74NSeimBg9K2Ld-UxXDMd6AgHRx9E-txE1INHoPmIwSrdmg_VpZsf3jd96OXwoPOkS42sPqWTSEHRVU14MprZeFU/w480-h640/1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>I took this photo of Gracie this morning after she'd been nosing her way through a garden full of sticky weed. I have to brush her to remove them and she hates being brushed. 😑</i></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for coming back to the blog with me and welcome to the newbies. Here we have no rules except for the requirement to treat everyone with respect and kindness. That's how I live my life so it's no surprise that I want that here too. And it does need to be vocalised because there are new readers arriving here all the time and I want everyone to know what my expectations are. I've been writing on this blog since 2007 and during the first few years I wrote everyday. I had SO MUCH to say I couldn't keep it in. When I discovered this simple way of life, I wanted to share it with everyone and back then, no one was talking about living simply, at least not in the way I live it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The focus here is on my home and up until now, my family as well. Of course I still have my sons and their families but my much-loved husband, Hanno, died in May 2022. Since then I've grieved, thought about my life and my future and came out the other end of that process knowing I want to continue to live according to my values and doing what gives me pleasure. I've always been a bit of a hermit and that hasn't changed so although my family visits me and I go out to see friends, my blog will remain one of the ways I connect with people. So my writing here will continue much as it was before. I'll write about my day-to-day life which always includes housework, gardening and sitting in the backyard thinking about life (and death). Other topics will pop up occasionally too - it will all be a reflection on what I'm spending time on and what interests me and hopefully you too.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_msXAWCo-inygF-ew01e-GmQiC9qWNF8-S27oOAYIdAWcfhKPyZExx5eWdkQGQHYOiy_yU9usC1rQSDnSZXFV8PPZ5-Q6sLqXmpyFyY9BOg0zvAyZ5-v-yOt8DAjudQvufKw3FrqOADRgwG44mMRY3SsQrh71pPuF-AaPFGPPH78VYJuk00PxJ9NMRw/s1134/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_msXAWCo-inygF-ew01e-GmQiC9qWNF8-S27oOAYIdAWcfhKPyZExx5eWdkQGQHYOiy_yU9usC1rQSDnSZXFV8PPZ5-Q6sLqXmpyFyY9BOg0zvAyZ5-v-yOt8DAjudQvufKw3FrqOADRgwG44mMRY3SsQrh71pPuF-AaPFGPPH78VYJuk00PxJ9NMRw/w480-h640/2.jpeg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I spent the last hour trying to find new ways for you to subscribe to my blog. Early last year, Feedburner retired and with it went an easy way to let you know I’d published a new post. I found <b>Push Notifications</b> but don't know how to set it up and <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogtrottr.com/" target="_blank">Blogtrottr </a></span></i></b>which looks okay at the moment but might not work as I think it will. I'll continue to monitor it closely and hope it sends you emails about new postings when you subscribe to it. It looks pretty simple so give it a go and if I find any problems with it, I'll let you know. I'll add the link to the right-hand column too. Of course, you might just want to drop by and check the blog yourself without receiving any notifications. That's fine too. If there isn't a new blog, read through my archives, there are hundred of posts listed in the right-hand column. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’d like to make a list of fellow, non-commercial, bloggers who are currently writing posts. If you have an up-to-date blog which isn't about selling anything, send me a link and I'll check it out and will probably add it to the list.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMRHryaD9yK0oKrCsQBkeA_nxScLn6lNfqAJoINiFrN9xtD4-qgFnnP9R5YV0Jc0EI8lqZAH7-Kx8uwSB8rQG0MbCsfZ-Ey3jRmKSGfIkgOB1sTZbWOtf8Z0WK9AvPbAedS7nJpEx_NV5PVlbELZsUCiktIpl1cKkklc7brNvslR5ksIPy_3N8rTBso8/s850/1%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="850" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMRHryaD9yK0oKrCsQBkeA_nxScLn6lNfqAJoINiFrN9xtD4-qgFnnP9R5YV0Jc0EI8lqZAH7-Kx8uwSB8rQG0MbCsfZ-Ey3jRmKSGfIkgOB1sTZbWOtf8Z0WK9AvPbAedS7nJpEx_NV5PVlbELZsUCiktIpl1cKkklc7brNvslR5ksIPy_3N8rTBso8/w640-h480/1%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for reading through all this. I wanted to get all the blog-related information out before I settle in and write about what I'm doing here. I'll be back on the weekend with a post about the garden I've recreated in my backyard. Thanks for being here. ☺️</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: </span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A number of people mentioned they're using <b><a href="https://feedly.com/i/my" style="text-align: left;">https://feedly.com</a> </b>and that reminded me that I had a Feedly account too. It's a great site that allows you to make a list of the places you want to follow - news sites, blogs etc. I think it's better than Blogtrottr.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Gracie update: she wouldn't allow me to brush her face so I ended up cutting all the prickles out of her eyebrows, nose and beard with some little scissors. She was in the worst mood while I was doing it but when I finished, she raced around the backyard like a gazelle. Dogs eh.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com218tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-84557839585458682522023-02-15T11:27:00.004+10:002023-02-22T03:38:34.897+10:00This is my last post. <p style="text-align: justify;">I have known for a while that this post was coming, but I didn't know when. This is my last post. I'm closing my blog, for good, and I'm not coming back like I have in the past. I've been writing here for 16 years and my blog has been many things to me. It helped me change my life, it introduced me to so many good people, it became a wonderful record of my family life, it helped me get a book contract with Penguin, and monthly columns with <i>The Australian Women's Weekly</i> and <i>Burke's Backyard</i>. But in the past few months, it's become a burden.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjtU9IVwaZ2hnI-_oXYw_m60tE546YmGyG82NtxsV1jNFzgyTqQx7HDjPpq9ZFiLdKmH3cILeDZbl6fI3ppp3SD77Q4fdmVJr5zVCv4D5KXVAWIW9tfm3yHmoyyijPk8UcfNGWc0jzmX8RJzfInwQ0thgjm6_giY71ucKwuXm98YTWdP8AmgBvP0I/s900/1%20(18).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjtU9IVwaZ2hnI-_oXYw_m60tE546YmGyG82NtxsV1jNFzgyTqQx7HDjPpq9ZFiLdKmH3cILeDZbl6fI3ppp3SD77Q4fdmVJr5zVCv4D5KXVAWIW9tfm3yHmoyyijPk8UcfNGWc0jzmX8RJzfInwQ0thgjm6_giY71ucKwuXm98YTWdP8AmgBvP0I/w640-h640/1%20(18).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">In April, I'll be 75 years old and I hope I've got another ten years ahead. However, each year I'll probably get weaker and although I'm fairly healthy, I do have a benign brain tumour and that could start growing. There are so many things I want to do and with time running out, leaving the blog behind gives me time to do the things that give me pleasure.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the day the blog started I felt a wonderful, heartwarming feeling when I first pressed the "publish" button. I wanted to share what I know, help others live simply, get out of debt and be kinder to our planet. I think I achieved some of that but the amount of money still being spent on cars, clothes, holidays and things that will end up in land fill is heart breaking. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd2Ouwkp0jjberikLvKruIVTP988LFn2BuGLwWVj0Db8LhB6kIxJwX5PUmjvGoDeWYyJAHcjD0gG0FktmzhG1WSXjflH2fv2vb0ZB3ttrDH6uu5cwrn_G-QqSPBtPoXSU9Lf9WQTwy1JmGJh0GZiYM7JL_49AoEh6myOHfJvX1CYMSjGp5s2Vqtwj/s900/1%20(17).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd2Ouwkp0jjberikLvKruIVTP988LFn2BuGLwWVj0Db8LhB6kIxJwX5PUmjvGoDeWYyJAHcjD0gG0FktmzhG1WSXjflH2fv2vb0ZB3ttrDH6uu5cwrn_G-QqSPBtPoXSU9Lf9WQTwy1JmGJh0GZiYM7JL_49AoEh6myOHfJvX1CYMSjGp5s2Vqtwj/w640-h640/1%20(17).jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The blog will remain open so you can come back to read whatever you like but next Wednesday, I'll turn off the comments. For those that like the stats, I've written 2995 posts, there have been 91,222 comments and over 360 million page views. Thank you for being part of that. I'm continuing my Instagram page so if you've got an account there, I'll see you around. It's much easier to write on Instagram because they have a limit on keystrokes so I'm pretty sure that can fit into my life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">You can find me on Instgagram by searching for <b>rhondahetzel </b>If you follow me, when I post, you'll see the post along with anyone else you follow. I'll put up a link in my side bar this week to guide you there.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHC6_mPZlYjFPbOjQ3_aph5ZinbfXlF0_9Av7MUxk2BOiFEDi8LIyOjvI_JtzG17Vmu9dcyHMuamXUypcyoZ_Wkg4y8n-9VkWV2dgKjH-bqqUBxda8orfjff766DKElNWLtJJQfGhvuZkuK0XGxIefR5sFvtnOtUMzo86aObUe11gt2DURdoxQlJlX/s900/1%20(16).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHC6_mPZlYjFPbOjQ3_aph5ZinbfXlF0_9Av7MUxk2BOiFEDi8LIyOjvI_JtzG17Vmu9dcyHMuamXUypcyoZ_Wkg4y8n-9VkWV2dgKjH-bqqUBxda8orfjff766DKElNWLtJJQfGhvuZkuK0XGxIefR5sFvtnOtUMzo86aObUe11gt2DURdoxQlJlX/w640-h480/1%20(16).jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">During the 16 years I've written here I've felt loved and appreciated and I thank you all for that. I also say a special thanks to the people who commented - that's what kept me going. Having that contact with like-minded folk gave me a better understanding of the world around me, helped me come up with ideas to write about and showed me that despite what we see on the news, the world is full of people who are trying to do their best.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you for being here with me. ❤️</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com320tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-72339975440887629872023-02-09T11:13:00.007+10:002023-02-11T09:18:37.121+10:00Listing your favourite, easy meals<p style="text-align: justify;">I've written a lot about the various things I choose to do with my days now and apart from not being able to work in the garden, I'm a peace with my daily choices. What I've never talked about with you though, is what I choose not to do. Recreational shopping, smoking, reading fiction, flying, making soap, vinegar and yoghurt from scratch, growing food, travelling, sitting in front a some sort of screen day in and day out and hundreds of other things. I believe the things I do not choose are shaping my future just as much as what I choose to do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qhUkm0NvyLx0O3_ejSfA84dDOy2VlTcZPkWulDNZynHWMnP5dE9Qjn_eKVjdh27syQeU1jDnd6ahnxZIl-qLF817yZAb_lFBLZleKz5WmNJzaV3sBR5_7aB1K3fyQj5RWRJP5fVjN9LREnE0bAiO6GAC31dRnSo3ifV-dhnjhsA_9aUo5lS5g_-9/s782/1%20(14).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qhUkm0NvyLx0O3_ejSfA84dDOy2VlTcZPkWulDNZynHWMnP5dE9Qjn_eKVjdh27syQeU1jDnd6ahnxZIl-qLF817yZAb_lFBLZleKz5WmNJzaV3sBR5_7aB1K3fyQj5RWRJP5fVjN9LREnE0bAiO6GAC31dRnSo3ifV-dhnjhsA_9aUo5lS5g_-9/s16000/1%20(14).jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">When I get up each morning, I'm not catapulting myself out of bed like I used to but getting up slowly, thinking about my day, making decisions about the hours I'll spend within these walls, having breakfast, tidying up, drawing, talking to myself and Gracie and writing. I think that time weaves its own strange web and without me realising, the hours become another ordinary day. Another day I'm thankful for; another day in my past. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBTIW5dJWqLpG4w_eCHFvn-3RV204V_PUTfBVSgRW64OaOgsj3r28dOElrGepsjfDPEzDh2EMjM-EmQnqYgVdZtCs6wlWhUyXWDxgsOkZH1j4dhMObS52wxF7zUBUTPXHQQ8I8m5euU8aNZBMtPDnH7Oxcw1sXrPX-1MgW7TqqC7fNHTROWdQY0J9/s630/6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBTIW5dJWqLpG4w_eCHFvn-3RV204V_PUTfBVSgRW64OaOgsj3r28dOElrGepsjfDPEzDh2EMjM-EmQnqYgVdZtCs6wlWhUyXWDxgsOkZH1j4dhMObS52wxF7zUBUTPXHQQ8I8m5euU8aNZBMtPDnH7Oxcw1sXrPX-1MgW7TqqC7fNHTROWdQY0J9/w640-h480/6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Today I'm writing about the process of feeding ourselves. I suppose we know this process as cooking but it also involves preserving, fermenting, preparation, shopping, baking, and depending on the type of cooking you do, a variety of other processes that delivers food to the table. I'm currently working out ways to keep cooking from scratch and eating the foods I love without wasting what I buy. I was pleased to see many responses to the information about the Zwilling vacuum-packed food. It's a good way to keep fresh food available for a long time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ70ne5CK1o0xR0bLzmX0QZkShXv_R39xcUwbVjS2PyVF87KdqogGo9JxDjr9itqSWWOoNWlaYeNlde4kLRlOsbxfNNK-wnSCPYc0Ink-Z_LiFl5p-VNGgWTslLmmslwbyok_8mPios_UOInZhGzTt1ktRnGtElFIdV98EsLOHHtnqu8m4U2QICGMp/s630/2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ70ne5CK1o0xR0bLzmX0QZkShXv_R39xcUwbVjS2PyVF87KdqogGo9JxDjr9itqSWWOoNWlaYeNlde4kLRlOsbxfNNK-wnSCPYc0Ink-Z_LiFl5p-VNGgWTslLmmslwbyok_8mPios_UOInZhGzTt1ktRnGtElFIdV98EsLOHHtnqu8m4U2QICGMp/w640-h480/2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;">But today's main topic will be some of the recipes I have on rotation in my own home. I'm not giving the recipes for each meal because writing out recipes is painful and the main reason I didn't write a cook book. But all recipes you choose should be edited to suit your own taste. When you find the meal you want to cook, look for a few different versions of the recipe and then edit your chosen one to your taste. <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2021/10/main-meals-cooked-from-your-rotating.html" target="_blank">Here is my list of 40 favourite easy meals.</a></b></span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhT7dHDb6_EjQk2bpvlmCOcG3fF4VXMZc1NkIg-bhQ56uxtJKGE0P5JY3WvOOeLkcjEN42qXGMNlo6Ii4YsyBnhYNIvFRuaZF7dbNwfXEtLiImwaycaiWtri-UK3Y70xyy7qsu_g8T_QNzxg7-883LH1ZXwVEMTBy2qm7IcosXXdq4GMq16bEnnCM/s630/4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="630" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhT7dHDb6_EjQk2bpvlmCOcG3fF4VXMZc1NkIg-bhQ56uxtJKGE0P5JY3WvOOeLkcjEN42qXGMNlo6Ii4YsyBnhYNIvFRuaZF7dbNwfXEtLiImwaycaiWtri-UK3Y70xyy7qsu_g8T_QNzxg7-883LH1ZXwVEMTBy2qm7IcosXXdq4GMq16bEnnCM/w640-h426/4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the recipes here are for four servings. I used to serve two portions for Hanno and I and either freeze the other two portions or eat them the following day. Cooking this way helps you build up a stockpile of frozen home-cooked meals to eat on the days you're busy or too tired to cook. If, like me, you're cooking for one now, you'll either halve these recipes before you cook, then eat one portion and freeze one. Again this helps by building a small stockpile of home-cooked meals. Work out which spices you'll need to have on hand when you're cooking. If you're eating mainly European food - German, Italian, French etc., you'll need salt, pepper, paprika, and herbs, either fresh or dried. Asian food requires soy sauce, chilli paste or flakes, cumin, curry paste or powder, coriander/cilantro, turmeric, ginger etc. You'll probably find the meals you like will use the same or similar seasonings. Grow your own herbs, it's easily done in containers and it will save you a lot of money over the year. Currently a bunch of herbs is between $3 and $4.90, depending on if you buy organic herbs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wzYdbe54xSmlcCsYfHlqPaCvyQgRUamI2ZhYd7BbyloSnnckfhEyTnLEz3gv8-dEwa8h1SOd-i3UaYoprNk2wqJ2Nf2Zx-jCXGk61ZoSUERG02z3JDtMrGpLy4QMaQyh69twv40m1VKJsDdK3PJegvTtGtuvBi1L0hYGGiIMGX1-_ajmM-0yZwzI/s630/5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wzYdbe54xSmlcCsYfHlqPaCvyQgRUamI2ZhYd7BbyloSnnckfhEyTnLEz3gv8-dEwa8h1SOd-i3UaYoprNk2wqJ2Nf2Zx-jCXGk61ZoSUERG02z3JDtMrGpLy4QMaQyh69twv40m1VKJsDdK3PJegvTtGtuvBi1L0hYGGiIMGX1-_ajmM-0yZwzI/w640-h480/5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you're a solo cook, it might be better for you to buy your meat at the local butcher shop instead of the supermarket. The supermarket has only trays of meat and apart from $70 per kilo fillet steak, generally the trays are too big for a solo cook. However, if you want to buy a bulk tray of meat, that will save you money as long as you repack it into meal sized portions to freeze at home. A butcher will give you what you ask for - 2 sausages, 200 grams minced beef, two chops, a small piece of corned beef, a small whole chicken or a rack of 4 prepared chops suitable for roasting. They also have a range of bones for stock.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_ZvCP63g8ZpFwtxzeHoGJ6kD7AcvHgztHiM044d46XUiVlUJrqTcd-RKoyfi_GMMz5czuux70ngI_XdR1vYAlWuG4hD93nlMPM1Ay42KpWsbpanqom9AGSDSWyFhEUWF2-09SqPCO-ire74BSBh_NJEBTu_HxVlpFtH76_E3qkB0MJvsbdZGduaC/s630/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="630" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_ZvCP63g8ZpFwtxzeHoGJ6kD7AcvHgztHiM044d46XUiVlUJrqTcd-RKoyfi_GMMz5czuux70ngI_XdR1vYAlWuG4hD93nlMPM1Ay42KpWsbpanqom9AGSDSWyFhEUWF2-09SqPCO-ire74BSBh_NJEBTu_HxVlpFtH76_E3qkB0MJvsbdZGduaC/w640-h480/3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you're new to this kind of cooking, set up your systems first because it is having a stockpile with a variety of food, having your kitchen well organised, and your list of meals that will support your cooking and make things easier for you. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2013/08/two-thrifty-meals-to-help-with-budget.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here is some extra reading all about home cooking and providing nutrition.</span></a> It also contains my own list of 40 meals I cook on a regular basis. If you're serious about home cooking, it's helpful to build your own list. It will provide constant and long-term inspiration. </p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-winter-kitchen.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Beef casserole</span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2014/05/ive-been-cooking-cottage-pie-and-magic.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cottage Pie </span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2011/06/frugal-favourites-lasagne-and-not-so.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lasagne</span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2009/08/roast-chicken-with-herb-stuffing-and.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Roast chicken with herb stuffing and gravy</span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2019/06/saturday-at-hetzel-house.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">KFC - Korean Fried Chicken</span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2013/08/two-thrifty-meals-to-help-with-budget.html" target="_blank">Bangers and mash and curried sausages </a></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2011/10/stuffed-cabbage-rolls.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stuffed cabbage rolls</span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2017/01/making-best-meatballs.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meatballs</span></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2008/06/spinach-pie.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spinach Pie</span></a></li></ul><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2019/02/cooking-from-scratch.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kartoffel Puffer</span></a></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">To find more recipes on my blog, go to the side bar under my photo and search for simple terms such as chicken, not roast chicken, or just click on Home Cooking in the list of topics on the bottom of the page. Good luck with this. If you can organise a list of favourite and easy meals, get your kitchen ready and create a small stockpile or pantry, cooking will be easier for you. Don't forget to delegate jobs too. Kids and partners love to cook, peel, chop and test taste. 😉</p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-20383047150482112792023-01-28T13:55:00.006+10:002024-02-18T11:50:40.234+10:00Food storage - stop wasting food<div style="text-align: justify;">This is the first post in a short series on cooking for one. If you're in a larger family, search in my right side bar, under my photo, and that will give you recipes and information about family food for two, four, or larger. But before we get into cooking, we need to have our systems in place so we don't waste food. Food prices are still rising and it's wise to look at how you store food so you don't throw food (money) out every week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When my kids left home, I fell into shopping and cooking for two quite easily. The shopping trolleys full of groceries were gone, I was cooking smaller meals and it was convenient to cook for four, eat two of those meals, then freeze two for later. When I'd done that for a couple of months, I had a very healthy stockpile of frozen homemade meals ready to go for the days I didn't feel like cooking. That system worked for Hanno and I for many years and I never had a reason to change. But when you're solo, cooking for four isn't such an attractive option. It's better to cook for one. And you have to set up a system that will help you do that and not waste food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-simple-art-of-stockpiling.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: red;">The simple art of stockpiling</span></i></a> </b>- a previous post on stockpiling </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://food52.com/blog/24948-how-to-grocery-shop-for-one" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: red;">How to grocery shop for one</span></i></a> - a good article on grocery shopping </b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm0hUm1JkbR2_aIA-MDgkDltauboI4juBn-e8pDRgk-2uTHnLiAmoppREhg-S_vqrq-ADjfds8ErWanqkLRWJ3I6byK_p7KVILYe9EgoQWUOq7rponeW1eQADIP6A4NhmmpHxWIiVa5q3qwbsYoIrHn6gcs17R2d_fX6dkAZ_JljMOQF3QMkCGLaK/s1134/1%20(4).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm0hUm1JkbR2_aIA-MDgkDltauboI4juBn-e8pDRgk-2uTHnLiAmoppREhg-S_vqrq-ADjfds8ErWanqkLRWJ3I6byK_p7KVILYe9EgoQWUOq7rponeW1eQADIP6A4NhmmpHxWIiVa5q3qwbsYoIrHn6gcs17R2d_fX6dkAZ_JljMOQF3QMkCGLaK/w480-h640/1%20(4).jpeg" width="480" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>This is the stockpile we created in March 2020 when we realised that the Corona virus wasn't the short-term virus we all hoped it was. It seems that no one saw Covid coming - there were rumours coming out of China in December 2019, then within a couple of months we were all locked down. Back then, no one thought we'd still be dealing with it in 2023. You never know what's in the future but with a stockpile, at least you'll be able to safely stay in your home and feed yourself and your family. Take every opportunity to increase your skills because at some point, you'll need them.</i></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before we cook food, we have to buy and store it first. I no longer have a vegetable garden but I do grow all the herbs I eat and I have a fruit trees and passionfruit vines, so I have occasional fruit. I buy the rest of my food. If you're trying to work out a way of cooking for one, first work out how you'll store your food. When Hanno got sick my sister stayed with me for a couple of months so I continued shopping, storing and cooking the way I had for the previous 20 years but when Tricia went home, I started wasting food and that was what triggered most of my current changes. Almost every week I threw out a half-eaten lettuce, a collapsed cucumber, a mouldy wedge of pumpkin or something else that died before I had a chance to use it. One of the problems with buying fresh food is that you don't know how fresh it actually is. Most food at the supermarket looks fresh but you don't know if it really is fresh or if it's been sitting in a cold room for a month or two. If it's the latter, it will wilt when you put it in the crisper of your domestic fridge and probably won't last a week. If you're growing your own vegetables, they should last for weeks before you notice any problems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most of us have a fridge and freezer, most have a pantry where we store all the open packets or jars of food currently in use. If you can add a small stockpile it will help you a lot - by cutting down on the trips to the supermarket and money saved, as well as the knowledge that you can feed your family well into the future if you lose your job, someone in the family is sick or any weather-related catastrophe hits. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had all those storage options - the fridge, freezer, pantry and stockpile cupboard, what I added last year was a Zwilling vacuum sealer unit. I saw a vacuum sealer on sale at Aldi but I wanted reusable bags, and that's what Zwilling gave me. I've worked with it for a few months now and I love it. Even though I tried hard, I was wasting food every week but now I've gone back to almost zero food waste. It's particularly good for storing fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, cold cuts, cheese, left over meals. The starter pack I got comes with bags for flat storage and two containers - one is glass, one a plastic lunchbox. I've had coleslaw in the glass container and it's lasted almost a month so far. You can store soup and other liquids as well as dried foods. I bought my starter set from amazon.com.au. I've just bought another set of bags, they're bags are strong and can be washed and dried after use and be reused many times.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiSkbv9bAiJ-gKtra3ZU8ZOP9KsTagp6p9z_3of9tA9JBMip3wsG_0gulj6YrDpz3OCH12qglL5l_Qe5vI8WavzR5wR9iSXCczuiewxNX74JOT5vv0P-aPEIOcqm9VynP8N_w21a5CY50X-vVnsePFQlNx3OjhiHGb0lugJdZ85ONHHA5geeZS6Jt/s850/1%20(5).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiSkbv9bAiJ-gKtra3ZU8ZOP9KsTagp6p9z_3of9tA9JBMip3wsG_0gulj6YrDpz3OCH12qglL5l_Qe5vI8WavzR5wR9iSXCczuiewxNX74JOT5vv0P-aPEIOcqm9VynP8N_w21a5CY50X-vVnsePFQlNx3OjhiHGb0lugJdZ85ONHHA5geeZS6Jt/w640-h640/1%20(5).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I love cauliflower and now I can buy a larger one and know it will remain edible.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyv2AiVmg4TmcfV806kmFQIR7O8ToV8JXMq-9-aoV3UMa4yyXxqQ41gYehd-hsBzD-V8qviHRvNOFnViI3C9dwjeTosSJ_rA0H82vCfFUFyAvMJxbix5mASlfb-patY-zd4GEr1REuX3JK9Tqho7REvorIcelWtryktRAJBydJEszGTHS8U3lZUuF/s850/1%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyv2AiVmg4TmcfV806kmFQIR7O8ToV8JXMq-9-aoV3UMa4yyXxqQ41gYehd-hsBzD-V8qviHRvNOFnViI3C9dwjeTosSJ_rA0H82vCfFUFyAvMJxbix5mASlfb-patY-zd4GEr1REuX3JK9Tqho7REvorIcelWtryktRAJBydJEszGTHS8U3lZUuF/w640-h640/1%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Here are the three Zwilling bag sizes, with a box of tissues so you can work out the size.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7ghRXud-FTgLtQE0Me5I84OrlMMS8klMRCVWZOouGfS09M6s9SMpjV1nlBZA90Q-usED1q-HaWyxudEOjUaB8jmD7_i5XaOASiaMGEoNH5Ne8mT2kgVJvYFDBxa72izkg1-J5gNmGcc29Q5eTb-ynNc7bgmhPjlRaoaLxAZdRL6xND2n2XwFNj-z/s850/1%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7ghRXud-FTgLtQE0Me5I84OrlMMS8klMRCVWZOouGfS09M6s9SMpjV1nlBZA90Q-usED1q-HaWyxudEOjUaB8jmD7_i5XaOASiaMGEoNH5Ne8mT2kgVJvYFDBxa72izkg1-J5gNmGcc29Q5eTb-ynNc7bgmhPjlRaoaLxAZdRL6xND2n2XwFNj-z/w640-h640/1%20(7).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><i><div><i><br /></i></div>I bought this Iceberg lettuce for $1.90 on Thursday. Now it's in the bag, I know it will remain crisp and delicious until I finish the last leaf. And no, the vacuum pack doesn't crush it. </i><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPZJSaYybyufjOK3v_q5-AjNfFa1T71RixTIHPQuu1Lo63Y51bK183ho8K2L1WG7YszgdduMJPftjmfHYv9tNsKdrpU8keUlRtLtBzF3SyWt-eO7Gb_DT-ZYebyeR3Wt0BFI_T6leeDVOorAxAZw8tQABFTlKDtKQU2q8caX6bOpysVgG__n5eDyQ/s850/1%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPZJSaYybyufjOK3v_q5-AjNfFa1T71RixTIHPQuu1Lo63Y51bK183ho8K2L1WG7YszgdduMJPftjmfHYv9tNsKdrpU8keUlRtLtBzF3SyWt-eO7Gb_DT-ZYebyeR3Wt0BFI_T6leeDVOorAxAZw8tQABFTlKDtKQU2q8caX6bOpysVgG__n5eDyQ/w640-h640/1%20(8).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>I had to put the lettuce in the larger bag because it didn't fit through the opening of the smaller bag. I made sure it was at the bottom of the bag before I packed it so I could neatly fold the bag in two for storage.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXJElFhH6akQ2M7d5lTtqE_3wOnnYSfUoVz2tu3IObBO_n7HcSGFO1iU1IPIrUxmyL_JVhi9xyZPuEI2rW0-v9sGBRFAllObqdVm7lK74iFiMRf9nJUvkXE00zTbmUHX1-4P9LcvBr71301CJy-zpZ5jS9zlrLMfBWrt9twssmXbmL4_leXlvI1pQ/s850/1%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXJElFhH6akQ2M7d5lTtqE_3wOnnYSfUoVz2tu3IObBO_n7HcSGFO1iU1IPIrUxmyL_JVhi9xyZPuEI2rW0-v9sGBRFAllObqdVm7lK74iFiMRf9nJUvkXE00zTbmUHX1-4P9LcvBr71301CJy-zpZ5jS9zlrLMfBWrt9twssmXbmL4_leXlvI1pQ/w640-h640/1%20(9).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><i><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Corned beef cold cuts. I cooked this meat and enjoyed it during the week with cauliflower, cheese sauce and sweet potato. Now I have one pack in the fridge for sandwiches or a quick salad meal and one in the freezer for eating next month or the month after.</i></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you're a meat eater and you have a freezer, it's wise to buy small bulk packs of meat or chicken because they're a cheaper price for the same amount of meat on a flat tray. Repackage them at home and freeze them in meal-sized portions - for one or ten, depending on the size of your family. Zwilling makes this type of freezing, efficient and convenient. When you have your bags full and vacuum sealed, you can store then in a drawer or container like in a filing cabinet. Standing them on their sides so you can flip through them, allows you to see exactly what you have. When vacuum sealed in Zwilling bags and stored in the fridge, your food will last five times longer than in a plastic bag or container.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Watch this! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GFBdbJ9cDw" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: red;">A good demonstration of the Zwilling units</span></i></a></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopRAs1bFvB-DFXWD2O9bcZNe3Lzyq9IO6QG6arKu8e8IWVJWjf8okc1eyYDQsLXXEU7yOof4KplXhr5KbwJnXrYHMS-JR1Yfy31zvmBcwoBJXOrfvZDP-RZ2qodIS7Qs3KcUsxaQq_r6puoUY6m6oy9UIK_33r7Sz0_OpxVacpUvCNzkIH5J77NOS/s800/1%20(10).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopRAs1bFvB-DFXWD2O9bcZNe3Lzyq9IO6QG6arKu8e8IWVJWjf8okc1eyYDQsLXXEU7yOof4KplXhr5KbwJnXrYHMS-JR1Yfy31zvmBcwoBJXOrfvZDP-RZ2qodIS7Qs3KcUsxaQq_r6puoUY6m6oy9UIK_33r7Sz0_OpxVacpUvCNzkIH5J77NOS/w640-h640/1%20(10).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The food I eat now is mainly the food I grew up eating - it's the old fashioned casseroles, curries, stews, soups and salads that most people had in those days. It's nourishing, easy to cook and delicious. If that's the food you want to eat, I have plenty of recipes here on my blog. Just search for "beef casserole", "curry", "soup" etc in the right-side search bar and they should come up. Most of those recipes will be for four servings, so freeze or vacuum pack two serves, eat one serve straight away and store the other in the fridge to eat tomorrow or the next day. Or if you have a Zwilling unit, eat one serve and vacuum pack three serves to add to your fridge or freezer filing cabinet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For those days when I want to try something different, there are plenty of websites for cooking for one. <b><a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/meals-one-recipes" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: red;">I've chosen this one</span></i> </a></b>because their recipes look nutritious and satisfying and there's a vegetarian section at the bottom of the page. <a href="https://greatist.com/health/healthy-single-serving-meals#dinner" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;"><i>I like this one as well</i></span></b></a> because it shows how quick and easy it is to cook tasty food at home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my next post, I'll have some recipes for you - some are what I eat, some I've found on the internet and am happy to recommend. Of course, we'll also talk about storage again, specifically how to store any leftovers from the recipes I share. I'll also talk about prepping food - this is for carers, working folk and parents with kids who may benefit from new ways of getting through housework. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope you'll have time to change your food systems if they need changing and if you have any questions about your changes, ask questions in the comments and I'll see if I, or the other readers, can help you sort out any problems you have. So get stuck in because if we all stop wasting food and the money it costs, we can move onto tweaking other areas in the home that will make life better.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-12532654003456936632023-01-14T16:50:00.004+10:002023-01-15T07:38:31.720+10:00My chest freezer died<p style="text-align: justify;">I am so grateful to have such a wonderful group of readers. I don't say this often but your comments really do keep me blogging. When they drop off, I do too. So thank you for being here with me and thanks for the thoughts and prayers you send me. It's such a lovely thing to be thought of by people near aand far. I think of you too. Every time you comment, I build up a picture in my mind of what you're like - how you talk and wear your hair, how you make a cup of tea and harvest flowers or tomatoes. I carry those picture with me and sometimes when I sit on the front verandah, someone from here sits in my brain for a while and makes me smile. So thank you all for that and for giving me the time it takes to visit and comment. </p><p style="text-align: center;"> 💛 ~ 💜 ~ 🧡 <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the beginning of the week there was a bad smell in the house. At first I wondered if Gracie had found a mouse and killed it but mice in the house in summer is very rare so I searched for another cause. My nose lead me to the bathroom, the bathroom I don't use. It used to be the main bathroom but when we added another bedroom with en suite, that became our main bathroom. The old bathroom is used by visitors and if they use the toilet, that is where they wash their hands. The room also contains an old freezer, a cleaning cupboard and a shower. As soon as I walked in I knew I'd hit pay dirt - the smell was very strong and I could see the freezer light was off. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">🫢 </span>Then I remembered, I'd used my robo mop at the end of last week. That one electrical switch in the room has a dual purpose. It charges the battery on the mop and it runs the freezer and has done for over 20 years. I must have forgotten to turn the switch on again when I removed the mop cord.<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">😑<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosFExMQ6CQHg3aPgTZVkUd3Vs10XI93sH8DzjBQIKKky4ah_iVWnbJX0sWn5FLbq40N0lvKobt4gOX55WbDY7O95U2KidtQe86d-Q39_-JbPFJYC-eJ9EI4nIt2Blqd4xhp2fQpInZuw19DISfuizyO7BRAkFZXTdAYrzarikn1NDB_c2V7JtWwcO/s850/bathroom.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosFExMQ6CQHg3aPgTZVkUd3Vs10XI93sH8DzjBQIKKky4ah_iVWnbJX0sWn5FLbq40N0lvKobt4gOX55WbDY7O95U2KidtQe86d-Q39_-JbPFJYC-eJ9EI4nIt2Blqd4xhp2fQpInZuw19DISfuizyO7BRAkFZXTdAYrzarikn1NDB_c2V7JtWwcO/w640-h640/bathroom.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">When I opened the door on the freezer my head nearly lifted from my shoulders. <span style="font-size: large;">😵💫 </span>I put it down again but I could see rotting steaks, mince, two roasts, homegrown chard, a large bag of fresh ginger and chillies picked from the backyard. There was also two litres of lemon juice ready to be made into cordial for the second half of summer and about 5 kilos of bread flour I'd been storing in there. Funnily enough, the loss of the food was a distant second place to worrying about the smell. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">This freezer was bought the first year we lived here. It was a medium sized freezer that served us well all that time and never caused any problems. It had started to rust in a few places and enamel paint chips on the outside wall fell off sometimes in the last year, so I knew it was on the way out. I didn't want to replace it but I knew I had to start thinking about getting rid of it. I don't live a freezer lifestyle anymore - no live-in family, no bulk meat purchases, no bread making and no garden to harvest from anymore.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">When I tried to move it, it wouldn't budge an inch. So I rang my son Shane. He told me not to worry and he'd be here the following day to get rid of it. And that's exactly what he did. He moved the freezer out of the house and onto the trailer hooked up to his car and took it to the dump. It was like losing an old friend. But when I thought about it, it was another decluttering exercise. Yes it happened out of the blue, yes, I couldn't rescue any of the food it contained, yes, it made a mess but if it hadn't happened like that I would have had to slowly use the food in the freezer, turn it off for the final time, cleaned it out and ask Shane to take it to the dump for me. In this instance, I think the faster option was better.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When Shane removed the freezer it was clear by some stains on the floor that it had been leaking for a while. I cleaned the corner of the bathroom with bleach, then with disinfectant and washing up liquid in almost boiling water, finished it off with dry rags and set up a drying rack in the space. I have to admit, I miss that old freezer. It was such an important part of our first year living in our home and one of the first appliances I bought with visions of home productivity in mind. After I bought it, I set up a stockpile cupboard and a pantry and those three things - the freezer, stockpile cupboard and pantry helped me think in creative ways about home cooking, baking, fermenting, creating a food budget, food storage and cutting back on food waste. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll miss the old girl but in the future she'll help me remember what life was like for the Hetzels when we picked her up from the shop and brought her home. I didn't fully realise her potential at first but she helped me answer a lot of the food questions I'd started thinking about. She allowed me to buy bulk meat from a local farmer for a fraction of the supermarket price and she provided space to place newly purchased dry goods - flour, oats, rice etc. - so that if they contained any insect larvae, it would be killed in the freezer.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I guess it's strange feeling sentimental about a freezer but it really did kick start how I changed my thoughts about food production. And I'm pleased the end came fast and that Shane was there for me when I needed help. It's a pity about the smell though. <span style="font-size: large;">😵💫</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fkNWIkLbTb0MXq20PXYGFSnmN0-gwTRz36f34rG8F1Th4iDeSC4e6ZLtgUfy7KzS2qmAUoYOwwX3_ffzwRRsbbRazyeT4nz5ovev02DE5h2Jw5Z84EbIMrfv_4YOySpZgINUJXkEKf3jzgCq4XEwkHY_ns3vF2UDjxhhY_EcZOvOihZsuByyNplh/s850/1%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fkNWIkLbTb0MXq20PXYGFSnmN0-gwTRz36f34rG8F1Th4iDeSC4e6ZLtgUfy7KzS2qmAUoYOwwX3_ffzwRRsbbRazyeT4nz5ovev02DE5h2Jw5Z84EbIMrfv_4YOySpZgINUJXkEKf3jzgCq4XEwkHY_ns3vF2UDjxhhY_EcZOvOihZsuByyNplh/w640-h640/1%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Kerry, Sunny and Jamie gave me a Cuckoo rice cooker for Christmas. I used it for the first time today because I made chicken curry for my main meal. It's a pressure cooker so it makes rice in 6.5 minutes. All I had to do was wash the rice until the water was not milky, add the rice and water to the cooker and turn it on. It worked out its own cooking time according to the weight of the pan and it kept the rice warm until I used it. Made in South Korea, I expect creative technology and I can see myself making more rice dishes because the rice it makes is much better than the rice I used to make. 😁<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-Fj26O0WESJpA7x1YOLXcVyU50XDG7D2FGR11Pettm3c_RWdNCjHjKrSr-iu8sMCg4gL-tl5j8ntnE-oeCNB4MmeDLT4Q6Bfmh_1P_gdF9fhtAKhMVn-FkOu4U5U3iRG8m0bEoP0PNsSXL2W3xOvUrRGEe50LLUc4Hz4-dnsFFR_1FrZoSPxLUfr/s850/1%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-Fj26O0WESJpA7x1YOLXcVyU50XDG7D2FGR11Pettm3c_RWdNCjHjKrSr-iu8sMCg4gL-tl5j8ntnE-oeCNB4MmeDLT4Q6Bfmh_1P_gdF9fhtAKhMVn-FkOu4U5U3iRG8m0bEoP0PNsSXL2W3xOvUrRGEe50LLUc4Hz4-dnsFFR_1FrZoSPxLUfr/w640-h640/1%20(2).jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Many of you know my good friend Grandma Donna who blogs at <b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;"><a href="https://gdonna.com/" target="_blank">Generations Before Us</a></span></i></b>. Her blog is full of wise ideas about living simply as well as wonderfully nostalgic photos of her home. Recently Donna started a forum and I told her I'd tell you about it. This year she and her husband are conducting a study into 1930s living - you can read about that on her blog. The forum is a way for the people doing the study with her to swap ideas and get support. There's also a general chat area so you can socialise with like-minded people, everyone is welcome. If you click the link to Donna's blog, look at the top of the page and click on Forum to go there. You have to join but there's no hidden agenda. Donna's not well at the moment so it may take a little while to be welcomed into the forum, but it won't take too long. I'll be there to greet you. <span style="font-size: large;">🥰</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com107tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-9275117207774296482023-01-04T10:33:00.016+10:002023-01-05T15:10:01.288+10:00A general review of how things are now<div style="text-align: justify;">When I took a break from my blog I spent a short amount of time online but I didn't do much communicating; it was just a way of filling in time. I hope I'm never in that situation again. Staring at a screen isn't a healthy way to live. I'm happy to tell you that it was productivity and housework that got me back on track and brought me closer to an understanding so familiar to me - that doing, creating, moving, organising and planning are just as important as breathing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJergLze1cqoFzx-fGTcsAJJ7jXih0jGEcxhI0Eb-JCK3b5dw-jTW1hyn-ZIZstrIvqCCrf3T1cjYULbjpuKuw7uN_RDnp3MP8s_WmriJvMSHMtWx0halG7m_Tag-XKXgeTQsI3Yzpu1GgicXFMxRYy4jSajqaa0CaKSXImqRjAOE0hyrftnTwSWcW/s3024/IMG_5844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2450" data-original-width="3024" height="519" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJergLze1cqoFzx-fGTcsAJJ7jXih0jGEcxhI0Eb-JCK3b5dw-jTW1hyn-ZIZstrIvqCCrf3T1cjYULbjpuKuw7uN_RDnp3MP8s_WmriJvMSHMtWx0halG7m_Tag-XKXgeTQsI3Yzpu1GgicXFMxRYy4jSajqaa0CaKSXImqRjAOE0hyrftnTwSWcW/w640-h519/IMG_5844.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Christmas lunch at home with my family. We had ham, prawns, salads and pavlova. I bought beer and no one drank any of it, and champagne to toast Hanno and the bottle wasn't finished. I guess we're post-alcohol now.<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I never thought of life after Hanno and the huge changes I
faced as one thing. I got through it all by sitting on the verandah with a note book then breaking it into smaller
pieces and focusing on the next thing I had to do. That's worked really
well for me. Even if something is a huge task, breaking into smaller
bits and doing it piece by piece makes it feel doable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj5AsvSPE5JaG30csTyHxBFEVDpwgDW6c7lXhhOq4kAtG1Q4EX3FB9C4TxQyjD4bGCxd5dP-WYjztWu2yqPnEAtY58bHDTtHAQJzV-PpgffCfB0xhrFp0LmUQuU1fGjMtIsATIDXP-ltxfP6oBdkiZjaOtT-fZlVcQ88emPr8LWJ6Su5vJZtf1blX/s3024/IMG_5782.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj5AsvSPE5JaG30csTyHxBFEVDpwgDW6c7lXhhOq4kAtG1Q4EX3FB9C4TxQyjD4bGCxd5dP-WYjztWu2yqPnEAtY58bHDTtHAQJzV-PpgffCfB0xhrFp0LmUQuU1fGjMtIsATIDXP-ltxfP6oBdkiZjaOtT-fZlVcQ88emPr8LWJ6Su5vJZtf1blX/w640-h640/IMG_5782.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Gracie
and I have a good routine worked out. She went through a period of
searching for Hanno but I think she's given up on that. Now she doesn't
like being alone. She loves being outside and I held the door open for
her many mornings but she won't step out unless I’m with her. So she
patiently waits for me to have my breakfast and after I put my plate in
the sink, I make another cup of tea and we both go on to the front
verandah and greet the morning sun. She inspects the entire verandah,
drinks out of every water container, looks for lizards and March flies,
stands at the gate and looks up the street, checks the boundary fence and finally settles down to closely monitor
the neighbourhood from her surveillance position on the verandah. She
won't let any black and white bird land in the yard now but ignores
those feathered fiends, the native minors. Grrrr. They have been
feasting on the capsicums I'm growing in the container garden near the
bins. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeubGqhVfmug3jcAOKAA-quf8tqcadjaGvhRylXLhpnTBmmYng1PFKNczdhChLIciPer3PxCnungDA49gW00qEqEMGs5KqmMm78SvUfNpmPf_i5AtAm6e6CuzMyLOdVTLUEUEuoKAM1Nbhji3pcvLaVspLv_1zV_TyEf2YVLLSBU1d0Lx4JGoPwADv/s3024/IMG_5810.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeubGqhVfmug3jcAOKAA-quf8tqcadjaGvhRylXLhpnTBmmYng1PFKNczdhChLIciPer3PxCnungDA49gW00qEqEMGs5KqmMm78SvUfNpmPf_i5AtAm6e6CuzMyLOdVTLUEUEuoKAM1Nbhji3pcvLaVspLv_1zV_TyEf2YVLLSBU1d0Lx4JGoPwADv/w640-h640/IMG_5810.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigmGnMmvs1FGR4brwuJ6Ura1N0jjlg6MMCmkbtu4zvW32gH6SZqE60U7ySW22S3Bzdu6RzG61gA6LlP0q3t5CH3bU8WbBO174Gdy1zO30e7kxIprIaHXNWBrrAadX3dFYkyWKvnoC3YY0fAGrYbFwkRoQiwhEkFfq1pHHRyqp7yo-tUeL90nLqJZk/s850/1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigmGnMmvs1FGR4brwuJ6Ura1N0jjlg6MMCmkbtu4zvW32gH6SZqE60U7ySW22S3Bzdu6RzG61gA6LlP0q3t5CH3bU8WbBO174Gdy1zO30e7kxIprIaHXNWBrrAadX3dFYkyWKvnoC3YY0fAGrYbFwkRoQiwhEkFfq1pHHRyqp7yo-tUeL90nLqJZk/w640-h640/1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gracie was following the Korean robot mop around as it cleaned the floor. She's very suspicious of it. It was a gift from Sunny, Kerry and Jamie a few years ago. For Christmas they gave me a little Korean Cuckoo rice cooker. I'll write about that when I use it.</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Hanno died I spent a lot of time working out what I'd do. There were a lot of options but there was only one thing I knew for sure - I wanted to stay here in my home. But that provided problems too, mainly that I couldn't do the work Hanno used to do maintaining the house and mowing the lawn. I had to apply to the government for a Home Care Plan. I got one which started in December. For those of you unfamiliar with Home Care Plans - in Australia, our governments have a bipartisan policy to support older Australians who want to continue living in their own homes, even well into older age. There are four levels - level one is for basic care needs: $9,179 a year, level two is for low care needs at $16,147 a year, this is what I have; level three is for intermediate needs care $34,500, level four is for high level care at $54,000. There are strict rules for what the money can be used for. Once approved, the monthly funds are sent to an approved community care facility of your choice and they administer the funds on your behalf. They also provide records to the government to prove you spent the funds according to the rules. So I will never see the money, will never have to pay the bills to have the lawns mowed or the roof fixed and never have to provide documentation regarding the use of the money. So it's a win/win for me and so far it's working well. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpj8IYTZELUv_RMvGKZqCmo3ZkNr8l68zxiBWwl9Ow8ds-uabcI2iyCQqUd2zClvldGAgpo5f6WqyI7mELwYfmlmdxlBRHQt4zi7SwGW71JHhZ_kG0afWiV_G4r-GpwlnqlcAomILxQq79_M_-TuE1BBc8E5NbPYovkVq0JLaUj-qmh34Ujx3OQdu/s3024/IMG_5786.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpj8IYTZELUv_RMvGKZqCmo3ZkNr8l68zxiBWwl9Ow8ds-uabcI2iyCQqUd2zClvldGAgpo5f6WqyI7mELwYfmlmdxlBRHQt4zi7SwGW71JHhZ_kG0afWiV_G4r-GpwlnqlcAomILxQq79_M_-TuE1BBc8E5NbPYovkVq0JLaUj-qmh34Ujx3OQdu/w640-h640/IMG_5786.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The ever-changing fruit bowl.</i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's that time of year when I review my finances and negotiate prices for insurance, internet, phone and utility bills. Yesterday I spend quite a bit of time phoning my providers to see what they're charging this year and what I get for my money. Oh my! The cost of home and contents insurance is skyrocketing and I'm guessing it will be the same for car insurance, I'll check that in March. Last year my home and contents insurance cost $1713 and this year I got a renewal notice for $4695!!! I phoned around and all of them have big cost increases. I finally stumbled on to Australian Seniors insurance. They were good to deal with, are recommended by Choice and Product Review and they're charging me $2116. If you're over 50, check them out if you're renewing your insurance.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNE1iZSU3NyiOuijCqWGi3hlqnjm86cnScavILDHGiHhNt9-JBu152-I3Tgtr1MO-aLRdiPN8QCGdg07uFjD4owSXF5WrprDYzRl6gXgA__stuIQI1CIVKJa02cXytF67HfEnIZwXJMOF76ZtMa6D4hDrdNZ9eDPdC81P5bnTDN1FFUpEBu1xD6RR/s3024/IMG_5796.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNE1iZSU3NyiOuijCqWGi3hlqnjm86cnScavILDHGiHhNt9-JBu152-I3Tgtr1MO-aLRdiPN8QCGdg07uFjD4owSXF5WrprDYzRl6gXgA__stuIQI1CIVKJa02cXytF67HfEnIZwXJMOF76ZtMa6D4hDrdNZ9eDPdC81P5bnTDN1FFUpEBu1xD6RR/w640-h640/IMG_5796.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Another batch of homemade, three ingredient laundry liquid. It costs about three to four dollars for 10 litres and does and excellent job. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2018/05/laundry-liquid-and-general-cleaning.html" target="_blank">Here is the link to my recipe for laundry liquid.</a><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm continuing to reshape my home to suit me and not we. What you choose to surround yourself with in your home will help define the person you are. Those same items also have the power to nurture and soothe you or to take away your strength and ability. When we first came to live here 25 years ago, I decluttered to get rid of things I no longer had a use for. My main goal was to have a productive home with the tools, utensils and appliances that made that happen and to use the production of the home to nurture and strengthen my family and guests. After Hanno died and with the help of my sister, I removed Hanno's clothes and the things he loved but I kept a few small items he treasured. Now when I declutter, I'm choosing what I treasure and don't want to live without. It's not an enjoyable job, but it does improve life. You have less to look after and clean and it seems a weight is lifted with every bit you let go of.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LTNm88tI1M1mcYXbDlMSf9rlBA3hntlnMwmtNst0q-J6KY6Vu9WbCdwoK7ReUzBFPzqnXui3i3cNKjNMxCQk3k6jbHeqg1nncqd5LXEpGeGIcRjdeH2D7kwGvXbA0roj0jSj4pd8ktC56x9KdODB4lyQoFlHl5myrZ4HtT-fkrwLqIdv_VON0MrI/s850/1%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LTNm88tI1M1mcYXbDlMSf9rlBA3hntlnMwmtNst0q-J6KY6Vu9WbCdwoK7ReUzBFPzqnXui3i3cNKjNMxCQk3k6jbHeqg1nncqd5LXEpGeGIcRjdeH2D7kwGvXbA0roj0jSj4pd8ktC56x9KdODB4lyQoFlHl5myrZ4HtT-fkrwLqIdv_VON0MrI/w640-h640/1%20copy.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is how long my hair is now. I was thinking of growing it longer so I could plait/braid it around my head but as it grows, I'm losing the feeling for it. It's a pain to wash it, which I do twice a week and I can see myself rushing over to the hairdresser soon. I haven't been there for two years.</i><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope you like the changes I've brought to the blog. I simplified it all and if I wasn't sure if I should keep something, I got rid of it. LOL I will continue to write here. Many of you have told me that you enjoy my writing and look forward to each post. But I won't commit to a regular post because now when I make those commitments they have not worked out. What I will say though is that I enjoy writing here as much as you seem to enjoy reading it, so that's a good start. I'll work out a new routine for myself for taking photos and making notes and I hope that will result in a regular post being here. Sometimes that will be a full post, sometimes a single photo with a note attached, or a recipe, and at other times, something else. I hope you stick around and see what these days present for you and for me. And thank you for being here today. xx<br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18065351501121521762022-11-30T13:36:00.003+10:002023-01-03T10:07:15.766+10:00I'm having trouble writing another blog post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGBLK2mbjE82T46f5EsvzVYdFuUtgpaYnhhWFKDlwP0P6eRnLqUyLC4oRRITqKAPSZ0-RoDvXwRGucMd7uwt74XmPK_v6yVzL0gUatqG4m6jw6WOkdDc3d7G8QpHolxFg4f_Ae1U0QlNforkW9m_ENMbrz36UAHXXfPwMEe1qTYsocfIzb_iVQfnp/s850/IMG_5772.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGBLK2mbjE82T46f5EsvzVYdFuUtgpaYnhhWFKDlwP0P6eRnLqUyLC4oRRITqKAPSZ0-RoDvXwRGucMd7uwt74XmPK_v6yVzL0gUatqG4m6jw6WOkdDc3d7G8QpHolxFg4f_Ae1U0QlNforkW9m_ENMbrz36UAHXXfPwMEe1qTYsocfIzb_iVQfnp/w640-h640/IMG_5772.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Queen Anne's Lace cut from a ten foot high plant in the back yard.</i></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although I'm feeling okay overall, I'm having trouble writing another blog post. The ideas I have in my head don't become the words and sentences I want to write so I've decided to take a break until the new year. I'm sorry to disappoint you but I have to look after myself.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm looking forward to Friday when we're celebrating Jamie's last day of primary school with a family lunch. I'll spend Christmas here with my family coming over for lunch and, of course, the cricket started today. So along with my daily chores and sewing a set of new aprons, I'll have plenty of slow work to keep me out of trouble.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you for your kindness and comments during what has been a life-changing year for me. I hope you enjoy the holidays and can spend time with your loved ones.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-72591735582270907502022-11-14T16:28:00.006+10:002022-11-24T09:07:07.504+10:00 Make the most of what you've got in front of you<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHrJYQdB7ojsEiSH9WzIUk2lzulT2606E5znUv4-HsUZA-FUfaTjh2efBph1DCF3Rhhupnv5NRQfPDvQGGa1QBja34pC5a2vImUhdqUXczc_bcX4HbQFEjFmjg_9A9hihrnQ0nLRDblxePvuC2mMC4KQO_RvTU7YwDJoHYqMvNnPrdHjX-m6UW5VP/s850/IMG_5739.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHrJYQdB7ojsEiSH9WzIUk2lzulT2606E5znUv4-HsUZA-FUfaTjh2efBph1DCF3Rhhupnv5NRQfPDvQGGa1QBja34pC5a2vImUhdqUXczc_bcX4HbQFEjFmjg_9A9hihrnQ0nLRDblxePvuC2mMC4KQO_RvTU7YwDJoHYqMvNnPrdHjX-m6UW5VP/s16000/IMG_5739.jpeg" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I believed we should all make the most of what we've got. If you haven't got what your family or friends have and you envy them, it's wasted time and emotion; you can't change it, you can only change yourself. Look at what you DO have and then make plans to make a beautiful life built around what you've already got right in front of you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You probably know that Hanno and I have been gardeners for a long time, probably about 40 years. We started off small and taught ourselves by reading books and observing what happened in our various gardens. I also asked neighbour-gardeners what they were planting and how to do things that pushed the envelope a bit, like growing fruit, nuts, potatoes and garlic. It's all pretty easy after the first harvests have been gathered but it always take time, effort and persistence. I've loved all my gardens. It was a way of being outside in the fresh air surrounded by nature, birds and wildlife. The vegetables and flowers were a wonderful bonus!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmje20w3-RBQ95WOMTW9T9FC-KfcFhas12nWm960pNVhO_mu-ILxhCAYLZv-oYN-DtaGTJTrpWGLcou3N2AH5YGR4qElLEzMevRGKo8u4Vb96rT3jLhP_SaV8usVBW2V8qaS1hSZwiQxofwwM13RoXAHNW4BVyqbnPK4qN6pnzushV3oqwjSXdST6/s850/IMG_5740.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmje20w3-RBQ95WOMTW9T9FC-KfcFhas12nWm960pNVhO_mu-ILxhCAYLZv-oYN-DtaGTJTrpWGLcou3N2AH5YGR4qElLEzMevRGKo8u4Vb96rT3jLhP_SaV8usVBW2V8qaS1hSZwiQxofwwM13RoXAHNW4BVyqbnPK4qN6pnzushV3oqwjSXdST6/s16000/IMG_5740.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is where I sit every day. I have a radio, mosquito coils, books, Kindle and Gracie to keep me company.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2-LbKR5C4B8tpNkmZ_x0EA91U-3d7Bd_97-fj9nc_TGvQ00BTXogpTcHMO6iLnrNuBnIEvNOYKtzz5smW-4LxNMYGxT08uGI8kcLJVttk7aas6lvvnFMBLUMZHVNPlz4oTI_ghb220hD2kGqq7GILJZAzva0ag82OrAU1waoJtV7cnlp0Dwhteqw/s850/IMG_5742.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2-LbKR5C4B8tpNkmZ_x0EA91U-3d7Bd_97-fj9nc_TGvQ00BTXogpTcHMO6iLnrNuBnIEvNOYKtzz5smW-4LxNMYGxT08uGI8kcLJVttk7aas6lvvnFMBLUMZHVNPlz4oTI_ghb220hD2kGqq7GILJZAzva0ag82OrAU1waoJtV7cnlp0Dwhteqw/s16000/IMG_5742.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>My work bench with the Black Cherry tomato and chives. They'll be potted in the next day or two.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwHN3Zm1-2YOZ-1Xlti1HR-V7DG_437CI7_du_ph3I8HqFqxLQmX0iWVKlafvs4218gnvjxL7Wcw6QsJfSYc0UsHuAriE0RWJ87Kt_z-nSX1JkjEXt47uWCfe_EFM9KC_yOTsA8EgRARbpQSIFuIX0xQnjPxZLgxkDE71PkgvRK7eLM6uKa9E1ayz/s850/IMG_5746.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwHN3Zm1-2YOZ-1Xlti1HR-V7DG_437CI7_du_ph3I8HqFqxLQmX0iWVKlafvs4218gnvjxL7Wcw6QsJfSYc0UsHuAriE0RWJ87Kt_z-nSX1JkjEXt47uWCfe_EFM9KC_yOTsA8EgRARbpQSIFuIX0xQnjPxZLgxkDE71PkgvRK7eLM6uKa9E1ayz/s16000/IMG_5746.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i>Here is the new fountain - I bought this new pot because Gracie kept drinking from the smaller pot, even though she had a bowl of water there, and I had to keep filling it up.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5A84GaAGOsqZZHOfGR-woMGqDiscmRekTunSfBoX1ZDCj_XLplFpc8O2GSqiwz67_oQonwd47VT2MMTpnIN5pLP6WQSbbEtcXtQWNjo7ZWyYHa-i2bl5Q5EU5d5eXckbXHqDz3zV9eqyKjogTGrdz6m8xCgzk4HNCYZKDpwJ5tvmrA-lETHJavF3/s850/IMG_5747.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5A84GaAGOsqZZHOfGR-woMGqDiscmRekTunSfBoX1ZDCj_XLplFpc8O2GSqiwz67_oQonwd47VT2MMTpnIN5pLP6WQSbbEtcXtQWNjo7ZWyYHa-i2bl5Q5EU5d5eXckbXHqDz3zV9eqyKjogTGrdz6m8xCgzk4HNCYZKDpwJ5tvmrA-lETHJavF3/s16000/IMG_5747.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This capsicum/pepper is called Sweet Mama. I usually buy two capsicums a week. I like them in coleslaw, salads and pickled vegetables, so growing my own gives me the freshest and the cheapest.</i></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1FkYh2S-dPTheL9_hwrMj_DD3EOIl3_-KAKNBQHFV-pWrN2XzJYRLvYd3pNBWRCBP8LBIBEXjRc8XLj5P-y9_OQSsdUAjSHu5giEfPLxcK8OuB29bxB1Hpb2oB0COzB5oXOOkVBRe9PKlwFFgFTdJplP5PGdpBefHb3Xl1oJejOwfB7MB4alO144/s850/IMG_5751.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1FkYh2S-dPTheL9_hwrMj_DD3EOIl3_-KAKNBQHFV-pWrN2XzJYRLvYd3pNBWRCBP8LBIBEXjRc8XLj5P-y9_OQSsdUAjSHu5giEfPLxcK8OuB29bxB1Hpb2oB0COzB5oXOOkVBRe9PKlwFFgFTdJplP5PGdpBefHb3Xl1oJejOwfB7MB4alO144/s16000/IMG_5751.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>You can see the Roma tomatoes peeking through here. They've been growing for about 3 weeks, they were on the verge of flowering when I potted them.</i></div></i><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcMEye1y-Y2ag6WemRvJh3ynrqWOwQIf65FFenuxB-QCgU2FW8gyo1lu7F1uANtLkojXLoB7Dj_XAg6HUwvgX8nw4hXOqAGxksedqL_nTL6wJHdh4fiDx1ttHp4r0BYe1SuOzqccFn23KSXi3k2ijhFhMzjs4NhcOuDHccLOCaGsKRWyH-EkZ-LHj/s850/IMG_5752.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcMEye1y-Y2ag6WemRvJh3ynrqWOwQIf65FFenuxB-QCgU2FW8gyo1lu7F1uANtLkojXLoB7Dj_XAg6HUwvgX8nw4hXOqAGxksedqL_nTL6wJHdh4fiDx1ttHp4r0BYe1SuOzqccFn23KSXi3k2ijhFhMzjs4NhcOuDHccLOCaGsKRWyH-EkZ-LHj/s16000/IMG_5752.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Angelonias and lavender.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxExy1QO3Rth238VJoQuZqsV3tnt7Sfgjg041_llx_a_LWZTh5zKkHpJLXuGuy4oBcpgomOYWOpWaez5-NLiVa731Ggea3MnnUM3e8fse1b3Tbl1s9K2ThFQbOqFQ49UvjpTfM2lz-sslBVGOypg0siMbHMvcT0Q8V1GMhvfV__gQdGyJNITIfYKRQ/s850/IMG_5696.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxExy1QO3Rth238VJoQuZqsV3tnt7Sfgjg041_llx_a_LWZTh5zKkHpJLXuGuy4oBcpgomOYWOpWaez5-NLiVa731Ggea3MnnUM3e8fse1b3Tbl1s9K2ThFQbOqFQ49UvjpTfM2lz-sslBVGOypg0siMbHMvcT0Q8V1GMhvfV__gQdGyJNITIfYKRQ/s16000/IMG_5696.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This is a Digiplexis called Berry Canary. It's a foxglove.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>When Hanno got sick at the end of last year, I walked away from my garden and didn't return until after he died. It was so overgrown that it made me realise then and there that I couldn't continue it. Back then I felt weak and defeated but gardens have a way of getting under your skin. After sitting on the front verandah and thinking about my future life, I just couldn't imagine it without a garden being there somewhere. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I did have to take into account was my brain tumour and my age. I have a non-malignant meningioma and I'll be 75 next birthday, so starting a new garden wasn't as easy as it once was. I already had a few things growing in containers and they were easier for me because bending down and standing up again makes me lose my balance. So I decided I'd make a container garden of flowers and a bit of food and I'd put it right beside where I sit so I could see it, tend it and love it every single day. And it would be next to my three bins - rubbish, recycling and garden waste. How convenient and the real gift was that it brought beauty to that area that had always been the bin corner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5n_nHIXDHpRPs5AFT4BFq1G63tVPRIhCcW7fytGdktZgY4LtHbjfpcWafa_iErpLwXjL17hhnhb2d4WciElAJVDsOOgZyYz-k30Xh7zswA1w4MllUu1WI1u8DJMqsp_q50RT9TBKSE1r1uUzitxk2l50D4piGlIapSNcmL2gNPq5-x1HIDdRTdYh/s850/IMG_5754.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5n_nHIXDHpRPs5AFT4BFq1G63tVPRIhCcW7fytGdktZgY4LtHbjfpcWafa_iErpLwXjL17hhnhb2d4WciElAJVDsOOgZyYz-k30Xh7zswA1w4MllUu1WI1u8DJMqsp_q50RT9TBKSE1r1uUzitxk2l50D4piGlIapSNcmL2gNPq5-x1HIDdRTdYh/s16000/IMG_5754.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is along the neighbour's fence. It's next to the bins at the garage entrance. Here I have the Montville Rose, gaura, parsley, another Digiplexis and The Fairy rose in the big pot surrounded by recently planted alyssum.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVSfxIAneFbSndg0XD8XZNAp8mp2IeiPvFCqcVBzdfVB5c1ppDRSp51yRTKPbzjNFZDLbRfhE242eVoQsqZRxreK8vkW0K-GRvuECgVTbtfYuP1MgUPG_KF54_B0h2aYo5RgSle8m7gqzzb9g6PqYBdkIoZMpbjJC2F2GK0tpux1uMQR2HykfsDlF/s850/IMG_5756.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVSfxIAneFbSndg0XD8XZNAp8mp2IeiPvFCqcVBzdfVB5c1ppDRSp51yRTKPbzjNFZDLbRfhE242eVoQsqZRxreK8vkW0K-GRvuECgVTbtfYuP1MgUPG_KF54_B0h2aYo5RgSle8m7gqzzb9g6PqYBdkIoZMpbjJC2F2GK0tpux1uMQR2HykfsDlF/s16000/IMG_5756.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Yes, there they are ... the bins. I'm sure it's not everyone's idea of a good spot for planting but my down to earth heart loves it.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>In the food selection I have, one determinate Roma miniature tomato called Little Napoli as well as an indeterminate heirloom tomato called Black Cherry. I haven't planted that out yet because I'll have to rig up a support on the trellis. Already planted are onion chives, Italian parsley, capsicum/pepper Sweet Mama, rainbow chard (in shade of the bush house), a foxglove that regrew from last year, a digiplexis which also regrew, a new digiplexis called Berry Canary, a gaura called Sparkle Pink which is mostly white 🙄, yarrow, Japanese anemone, penstemons grown from cuttings, and lavender. There are also four potted roses - The Fairy which is a miniature shrub rose with masses of small pink double flowers and repeat flowering, the Montville Rose/Duchesse de Brabant - an old French heirloom, and two standards - Mary Rose and Munstead Wood - both heirlooms and brought from the back garden and now potted. Mary Rose and Munstead Wood are standing at the middle entrance to the verandah, you've seen them before in the last post.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvxwid-IZyxd5AoYYySsWodMvp6soSUDHGthTH4pv6qdpd-uZqc68FAGAJZtvM0XAoVsYilmlvDe6ttA25v2OmKhpsqYsN0FjGTd48OPtl1-9asxi4cF_dpiPomzNi00SHVM5oijkdx8fc9-EpsS4BYkfW_-OSlZ9z7X-G3JrXpm4EJHhrPl5S7Oi/s850/IMG_5763.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvxwid-IZyxd5AoYYySsWodMvp6soSUDHGthTH4pv6qdpd-uZqc68FAGAJZtvM0XAoVsYilmlvDe6ttA25v2OmKhpsqYsN0FjGTd48OPtl1-9asxi4cF_dpiPomzNi00SHVM5oijkdx8fc9-EpsS4BYkfW_-OSlZ9z7X-G3JrXpm4EJHhrPl5S7Oi/s16000/IMG_5763.jpeg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>And here is my shadow. She knows when I want to take a a photo of her and she turns her head. I waited but she kept looking away. LOL</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">I won't go on too much about it, I have the photos here so you can see for yourself. It won't be everyone's cup of tea but it's not everyone garden, it's a garden for my wellbeing and I feel grateful to have it. It will give me something to work on, it gives me flowers to look at and it's relaxing. I like how it connects to the fernery garden we already had on the verandah and the whole thing makes a lovely entrance to my home.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aWtUgYsvT4x47UI9QrTrBli_MBy4eTW78CidgHQykjYrIbU6RrwiaMn0-wM0B4zBqZPZH8s4prDJWgVrBBaK6iszZVdWoWzYha7RiX_bnUi8nsUn0hCRKcssWEvc5Mgb1sdF9Obd13yIVhgt70xSd9DqvIzkLfEjXnrQuvPNg1_m-1PR-DIfHhZi/s850/IMG_5764.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aWtUgYsvT4x47UI9QrTrBli_MBy4eTW78CidgHQykjYrIbU6RrwiaMn0-wM0B4zBqZPZH8s4prDJWgVrBBaK6iszZVdWoWzYha7RiX_bnUi8nsUn0hCRKcssWEvc5Mgb1sdF9Obd13yIVhgt70xSd9DqvIzkLfEjXnrQuvPNg1_m-1PR-DIfHhZi/s16000/IMG_5764.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQy0cMMxHiFZU73sHJ7L5xEK09YrTNgmVNwT-NBzxtZ2WmTkdxO2Y7cuGBYfJaV97hbSCKEOmsgUnHH1O26RDS2_RGQeGsvptfMaaUlZdZcX__2ZeksQ4vDGiSrWOG4Gtm5uREu-iGmYON0QtDCZjon5glPvp30h9gzLPhxF2LxiGSV-RDRf6s302p/s850/IMG_5766.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQy0cMMxHiFZU73sHJ7L5xEK09YrTNgmVNwT-NBzxtZ2WmTkdxO2Y7cuGBYfJaV97hbSCKEOmsgUnHH1O26RDS2_RGQeGsvptfMaaUlZdZcX__2ZeksQ4vDGiSrWOG4Gtm5uREu-iGmYON0QtDCZjon5glPvp30h9gzLPhxF2LxiGSV-RDRf6s302p/s16000/IMG_5766.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzG2c14Zt1kFzLreizJa4GgqI-yvGxBz2JjN3BT4X-3Hi5Z-_NmKpfMyQPZasHanKLMRMl65axGLUWQxatanD-Hd3gO58qXLst8dhwK76R2dj2bnBqbrKf_jdia7c7FLBfZvCoRgKgjQwcFi2U_Xa4jz-1ZpZmieJSV6xSNQ3Q4O6TMzt_1FR8feI/s850/IMG_5737.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzG2c14Zt1kFzLreizJa4GgqI-yvGxBz2JjN3BT4X-3Hi5Z-_NmKpfMyQPZasHanKLMRMl65axGLUWQxatanD-Hd3gO58qXLst8dhwK76R2dj2bnBqbrKf_jdia7c7FLBfZvCoRgKgjQwcFi2U_Xa4jz-1ZpZmieJSV6xSNQ3Q4O6TMzt_1FR8feI/s16000/IMG_5737.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i>This is a Federation Daisy that I'll pot soon.</i></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thank you for the delightful comments you leave. I don't spend a lot of time on the computer now so I don't reply to all comments but I read every one of them and I feel grateful that you take the time. I'm continuing my busy schedule here with decluttering, helping my family, reading, cleaning, cooking, gardening and being Gracie's best friend. In the next couple of days I'll start my next post in which I'll write about how I clean my house now. It's changed a lot to what I used to do, it's faster, takes less energy and is all done with steam or homemade cleaners. So until then, enjoy what you do - stay cool or warm, depending on where you are and be kind to each other. xx</div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60426648507829817042022-11-04T08:59:00.010+10:002022-11-04T18:04:46.199+10:00Beauty and practicality, I rate them equally<p style="text-align: justify;">This post is about a few small things that I've wanted to write about for a while but larger topics overtook me. My life is full of small things that are a part of something much bigger. I'm constantly reminded that not all people live as I do and usually it's the small things that people are interested in. I get that because without time set aside preparing for the bigger things, nothing runs smoothly. For instance, <b>food</b> - shopping list, cleaning out the fridge, checking the pantry etc.; <b>cooking</b> - peeling and cutting vegetables, defrosting meat or fish, menu plan so we know for sure we have what we need during the week; <b>washing</b> - soaking, stain removal, making laundry liquid etc.; <b>gardening</b> - saving kitchen scraps and making compost, sowing seeds etc.; <b>maintaining relationships</b> - keeping up with family and friends' messages, making time for occasional online, face-to-face talks, keeping a calendar with birthdays and important days, invitations for meals and morning teas. You have to put time and effort into relationships. Life is made up of the big things, but without the small things, the big things fall apart. So here goes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1Q5AaeE_JkQeZNtcKculvspydcqi3j-IajF0_-G4SVvCC0p7jCNAMk-quHvbSkE_vzedjG7TjtYNOFe7NxtqEKE-a7OhC3HtvEmsusRNMIdlekiDxghOTpyIyfH5Wn2hn9f4V-KL-5kCi-KOC7t6hfscD6Rdj1f0E0evXqS-QKz71mgvd7K8aGUw/s650/IMG_5673.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1Q5AaeE_JkQeZNtcKculvspydcqi3j-IajF0_-G4SVvCC0p7jCNAMk-quHvbSkE_vzedjG7TjtYNOFe7NxtqEKE-a7OhC3HtvEmsusRNMIdlekiDxghOTpyIyfH5Wn2hn9f4V-KL-5kCi-KOC7t6hfscD6Rdj1f0E0evXqS-QKz71mgvd7K8aGUw/s16000/IMG_5673.jpeg" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday I visited my friend <a href="https://www.nicolelutze.com/" target="_blank">Nicole Lutze</a> in her gorgeous new home. We'd not seen each other for a long while so it was good to spend time catching up over tea, delicious cake and pikelets. Both of us have undergone significant life changes so we had a lot to talk about and as I drove home I realised that talking with Nicole did me a lot of good. Nicole's blog and Instagram links are in my sidebar so do yourself a favour and check her out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As you can see in the photo, I haven't been to the hairdresser for almost two years. My hair is usually in a ponytail now to keep it relatively neat and off my neck during summer. I decided not to get it cut short again and to wear it in plaits/braids in a circle around my head. I used to wear it like that when I lived in Germany in the 1970s and it always felt comfortable. I think I'll be able to plait/braid it early in the new year.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrRgSF4Jx-k8T501rK7jeUO4NuGV-WZ6kWMIVjWsRMZYRcDJmr7gDUQ8ocSe_okOlLf57WMKBlBlU6FQFIcA7QSpAbUyXserAxTu748iUdFRfKoe0YVvyoHP-YU--BuY99zgGuUKYKV0BqUKplIM0Y8WOoQz-lLu1-q--8J3jrdTa5HwaMQoHemXu/s650/IMG_5676.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrRgSF4Jx-k8T501rK7jeUO4NuGV-WZ6kWMIVjWsRMZYRcDJmr7gDUQ8ocSe_okOlLf57WMKBlBlU6FQFIcA7QSpAbUyXserAxTu748iUdFRfKoe0YVvyoHP-YU--BuY99zgGuUKYKV0BqUKplIM0Y8WOoQz-lLu1-q--8J3jrdTa5HwaMQoHemXu/s16000/IMG_5676.jpeg" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>As usual there was washing to do which had built up over some rainy days we've had here.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouXTDP0AtF2N_kWg40jcH1r4vbhSn_VHrwTpZmMsT16uLctpDFIgChQyDhltrrXllh-llHaERmYaamB14FD_-ZdFKQiLBzwC5T1Qawbs37nDllShVyCHfOCels7QlkV3Ae8_-PBhsDX1jlpmLfHZIpoiQ6MX9tOHi4UjFYogVm0SZG-VZODghQOdI/s650/IMG_5674.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouXTDP0AtF2N_kWg40jcH1r4vbhSn_VHrwTpZmMsT16uLctpDFIgChQyDhltrrXllh-llHaERmYaamB14FD_-ZdFKQiLBzwC5T1Qawbs37nDllShVyCHfOCels7QlkV3Ae8_-PBhsDX1jlpmLfHZIpoiQ6MX9tOHi4UjFYogVm0SZG-VZODghQOdI/s16000/IMG_5674.jpeg" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Munstead Wood standard rose. You can see where this rose is standing in the next photo.</i></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The weather is surprisingly cool at the moment so I hope to get the garden finished this week and all I'll have to do when it heats up again is water the plants and harvest. I'll write about the garden when I finish fiddling with it and show the photos I've taken. It's nothing fancy but it fills my heart up and makes me happy. The garden is on the edge of the verandah and spills out on both sides of the garage door. The rubbish bins are there too - beauty and practicality, I rate them equally. I would never have thought such a space was garden-worthy but now it makes complete sense to me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPvoUeM566BpUEPYwSjRu9uw9J3U2GCETirVt4BhNvylMF8V9Yd8rDzpWbeCJovpzQ7e1RGfVrYekh-z0mybZnptPLCSqdu3nwzPFApAuB4Kup2moRhictgAGPjp-cnlhNbiBrMCh-Y4UA-mhMrTUR7jAbOkvoHNFxrtnnQufJ2F5pqZaiB-lI-5R/s650/IMG_5644.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPvoUeM566BpUEPYwSjRu9uw9J3U2GCETirVt4BhNvylMF8V9Yd8rDzpWbeCJovpzQ7e1RGfVrYekh-z0mybZnptPLCSqdu3nwzPFApAuB4Kup2moRhictgAGPjp-cnlhNbiBrMCh-Y4UA-mhMrTUR7jAbOkvoHNFxrtnnQufJ2F5pqZaiB-lI-5R/s16000/IMG_5644.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8_p4N39NFC_4XHWcH1JnhuzVm0Bi6mv8k6Hv3_9QZokBYITwvjoB86KuQ4H11Bx6QNPCe4xBPGuKfYeW20BFex_wAhszBXwMCm2nWw3EdDGAhlMhiuv11s-bQLBOUhgOtB2baDtVmMKJtRy8OotaeOTihaG1U4ocBIykG_2GkzquUPPTBS51s2op/s650/IMG_5648.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8_p4N39NFC_4XHWcH1JnhuzVm0Bi6mv8k6Hv3_9QZokBYITwvjoB86KuQ4H11Bx6QNPCe4xBPGuKfYeW20BFex_wAhszBXwMCm2nWw3EdDGAhlMhiuv11s-bQLBOUhgOtB2baDtVmMKJtRy8OotaeOTihaG1U4ocBIykG_2GkzquUPPTBS51s2op/s16000/IMG_5648.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I finally got someone to mow the lawn, it cost $210. I didn't want to get a teenager in to mow because I wanted someone who had insurance, just in case. I'm very happy with the work he did and I'll get him back again. I wish the grass didn't grow so fast. 😳</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoJA5P6_f5iYEIDWkduSL3NektQvXIf2Jcfp1n9PxBNwW2KU9ymAgexFbm_AqL-5yvwLjXIhjAPtihjvpDoLPRRBwXW2Vbu62B6w4xv1r7yS0tlCnI8lrZFD0DcxT6_iu1hns6ldOx6gn-j4P2hT4zT7txGaxxfSLr2PvcfNkAE8lL8APYjvPCanm/s16000/IMG_5620.jpeg" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In my previous post I had a photo of some pastries I made recently. They're very tasty, don't take much time and they'll give you a quick and easy change from your usually baking. You'll need:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li>1 or 2 sheets frozen puff pastry</li><li>1 egg yolk + teaspoon water</li><li>jam - I used apricot jam</li><li>tinned fruit or homemade stewed fruit - I used apricot halves</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Before you start assembling the pastry, preheat the oven to 230C/445F - the pastry needs high heat to puff up. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I cut the pastry into four portions but they were two big and when I ate the first one, I cut it in two. Next time, I'll use one sheet and have three rectangles instead of the four large squares I made with two sheets. Work out the size you want and cut the pastry accordingly. Each pastry has a double layer so cut all the pastry the sa<span style="text-align: left;">me size so you can double up. Cut a hole in the top layer, (see photo above) that's where you place the jam and fruit. Brush the egg wash in between the two layers and add the pastry with the hole in it on top of another piece of pastry without a hole - that's the base. Use whatever jam and fruit you have on hand.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">When the pastries are made, brush them with egg wash - that's egg yolk with a teaspoon of water in it. That creates the golden colour. Put the pastries in the oven and bring them out when they're golden and puffy. When they're cool, you can drizzle water icing on them but I think they're sweet enough without it. They can be frozen and reheated in the oven on a low temperature.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKa44quNDaDq7zcA0GTR7vwj2TG6O3UbCJPbiLPTIAL8irkXVkx_Rf-RO4KVpuMe_1BbWtrkKsHL6wpfHJNGe3zEr8n-qdfD1oXEy7EqXEcp_lrLEBlbeFO-kIwVVQRwTEL96LealZYo3OO02d_mJftDUv9PaNSbo8aAK17sMWAh_z8a28Jztwzsh/s650/IMG_5683.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKa44quNDaDq7zcA0GTR7vwj2TG6O3UbCJPbiLPTIAL8irkXVkx_Rf-RO4KVpuMe_1BbWtrkKsHL6wpfHJNGe3zEr8n-qdfD1oXEy7EqXEcp_lrLEBlbeFO-kIwVVQRwTEL96LealZYo3OO02d_mJftDUv9PaNSbo8aAK17sMWAh_z8a28Jztwzsh/s16000/IMG_5683.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MqWYGcBAVcZljOxw6Ndo5wmI64KMOyxehH2upf7Pj3Fu0CgIK7flXM6biDFLJuS3e5TQ2q4fXYnJne59yeEuOmMLFAHFgQ-QnWr7ZOu81IpA_9JsACu0HlaHUKzOXBinX788EamoWiLKydevbeQ6fr1yFIiESzwA9GrkXzqO-tIcJZD9BHccIfzY/s659/IMG_5680.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MqWYGcBAVcZljOxw6Ndo5wmI64KMOyxehH2upf7Pj3Fu0CgIK7flXM6biDFLJuS3e5TQ2q4fXYnJne59yeEuOmMLFAHFgQ-QnWr7ZOu81IpA_9JsACu0HlaHUKzOXBinX788EamoWiLKydevbeQ6fr1yFIiESzwA9GrkXzqO-tIcJZD9BHccIfzY/s16000/IMG_5680.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been meaning to tell you about this kitchen brush I've been using lately. This isn't a paid promotion, I bought my brush and it does a great job. I use it for my frying pan, saucepans and sometimes I clean the sink with it. It's the German Redecker dish brush ($29.95) and <a href="https://www.saison.com.au/products/redecker-dish-brush-with-xl-head">I bought mine here. </a> Although I've used mine a lot, it's kept its shape, no bristles have fallen out and the handle doesn't seem to stain. If you're looking for a good kitchen brush for a reasonable price, I recommend this to you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-QvbzKzscwhQG2BvptuJM_wDVPpkceEzpvZzVeC-3gZTTM1D6FpbYAUhXoyYR5xm9qVvAyi9-e0O0K-4kkMCaAdK-foLTQ1r3YED6wJVOrwheQXA1HUQ_m1_Tdu49YPbo1s7b_TdGPGllqIVK5Njl4cnNXDQqUniV7HyfZqwDeM-w9gbzb_BiTQv/s650/IMG_5686.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-QvbzKzscwhQG2BvptuJM_wDVPpkceEzpvZzVeC-3gZTTM1D6FpbYAUhXoyYR5xm9qVvAyi9-e0O0K-4kkMCaAdK-foLTQ1r3YED6wJVOrwheQXA1HUQ_m1_Tdu49YPbo1s7b_TdGPGllqIVK5Njl4cnNXDQqUniV7HyfZqwDeM-w9gbzb_BiTQv/s16000/IMG_5686.jpeg" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When I had spare time this week, I worked on my replacement aprons. I like to have several aprons in the cupboard so I have a clean one to work in every day of the week. I've worn out most of my aprons that I've used for the past ten years so I thought I'd replace all of them in one go. Aprons do a wonderful job keeping your clothes clean while you work in your home and if you put a big pocket on your apron, you can collect eggs, put pegs in the pocket when you hang out the washing, or just collect bits and pieces that you find around the place. Just don't put scissors in your pocket because if you fall, it could cause a serious injury. Aprons are so easy to make so if you're not a sewer yet, it's a fantastic first project. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGfc6osaOTI" target="_blank">Here is a YouTube apron tutorial</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfKM6yMS82A" target="_blank">here's another</a>. I hope you give it a go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Thank you for the lovely comments on my last post. It really makes a difference when you comment, not just for me but for all bloggers. I appreciate the time you take to connect with me. xx</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-67881306995912037062022-10-27T17:35:00.001+10:002022-10-27T21:09:16.188+10:00Creating a safe haven<div style="text-align: justify;">For the past 25 years, I've lived here in a very slow lane. I've often written about closing the gate on the outside world so we could remain oblivious to what was happening out there. On our side of the gate every day brought challenges on how to fix the soil, work with compost and think about how many chickens make the ideal flock. We planted fruit, herbs and vegetables, collected eggs and shared what we had with others. We were always less concerned with what was happening 'outside' because on our side of the gate, days were full of interesting and unusual projects and the promise of that continuing tomorrow.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nUNjDscThxmcfZw2UjL-eL126-59QbQcbpj7CT6rBiRwLSBNV0wG4ebq9IhTqmzS32WZHHQCHoiTzhCR-9eUzxk8T5UzAYRdsbm2h6dcjts6U-JKqimmKpWwY9JyyNqBaCUE8w4skGHAmPt4VjnPBVwmnme7rN4rNxaT7QF-JV9xkwM4V4BDQKQK/s650/IMG_5355.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nUNjDscThxmcfZw2UjL-eL126-59QbQcbpj7CT6rBiRwLSBNV0wG4ebq9IhTqmzS32WZHHQCHoiTzhCR-9eUzxk8T5UzAYRdsbm2h6dcjts6U-JKqimmKpWwY9JyyNqBaCUE8w4skGHAmPt4VjnPBVwmnme7rN4rNxaT7QF-JV9xkwM4V4BDQKQK/s16000/IMG_5355.jpeg" /></a></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wrote about feeling safe and secure, of having
time to enjoy what I'm doing and a growing appreciation of being able to learn traditional skills to help me carry out my work here. And sometimes I wrote about the quietness of my home, hearing the neighbourhood sounds, a train in the distance, welcoming migrating birds back each year. It was such a peaceful and enriching life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9iryvDQlFkT8WeVYgolA8J07CxzY6JdWJM-GVYrS310dw5FdsJvqRA6llqqcQyrA6WXqUKXecn-yLQpU-jQ4vqu7kwhQSgHpv5AV8aoSXa-u_LsyH2EMgDjdApd5ggxcDzK0n2kZjoM7cKyCZ_faiqLFCk3ekji4NA_to3GA175Etxr9F5Gzs_ZK/s650/IMG_5569.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9iryvDQlFkT8WeVYgolA8J07CxzY6JdWJM-GVYrS310dw5FdsJvqRA6llqqcQyrA6WXqUKXecn-yLQpU-jQ4vqu7kwhQSgHpv5AV8aoSXa-u_LsyH2EMgDjdApd5ggxcDzK0n2kZjoM7cKyCZ_faiqLFCk3ekji4NA_to3GA175Etxr9F5Gzs_ZK/s16000/IMG_5569.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My dish cloth and tea towel drawer. </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">You may be surprised to learn I was quite chaotic when I was younger but over the years I discovered the benefits of being slower and more mindful. I mellowed a lot and relaxed into home life and what it gave me. Eventually, everything flowed and I had time to enjoy the process, ignore what was happening online or on TV and to make plans to live a more traditional and bespoke life. I smiled a lot, especially when I was alone. <br /> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaJNK-gBzKZRToBbxAa9k-2ToW6feNK7Vrq5vbU1Jl-ROQxYmnQB3vPPlj5BNnUD9STrIh5ctVFDIdHvl0Ba8_bBdASyn23CRZfE4T3GpitTO-VnU-U2hYPqfqlbqAw9f5z4gNEfvhNGfeXLn6U-uETdT9-ifncC0zsZCu3OBVNeWuAvSRzp4q2Ob/s650/IMG_5599.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaJNK-gBzKZRToBbxAa9k-2ToW6feNK7Vrq5vbU1Jl-ROQxYmnQB3vPPlj5BNnUD9STrIh5ctVFDIdHvl0Ba8_bBdASyn23CRZfE4T3GpitTO-VnU-U2hYPqfqlbqAw9f5z4gNEfvhNGfeXLn6U-uETdT9-ifncC0zsZCu3OBVNeWuAvSRzp4q2Ob/s16000/IMG_5599.jpeg" /></a></div><p> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It felt like that existence shattered when Hanno died and I wasn't sure if I would still feel that my home was a safe haven. Last week, I turned that corner. I've been working in my home every day since Hanno died. With no real plan or definite ideas about what the future holds for me, I've been establishing new routines, organising things to suit me and not 'us' and I slowly worked to put life back together, piece by piece. I'm happy to tell you I feel I'm almost there. Of course, there is a deep sadness I feel every day and I doubt that will go but I also feel optimistic, strong and independent.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18KWwfKQ4MvJTybS-gy6ezRQrokI4bpsCVyf5y-aVfa-UOlaxisOiwL9kGafB0NzfhC6_Ej_-KmAR58OZoGmEdnAZzglVLKCjTPthDbUmrQcB_PlCCZZzMkUU7jb8dozFehXpEa5rCptUV6I5IelY1HqMQWTY1jPOBcA5hb-308MeAREe88WQw-8F/s650/IMG_5620.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18KWwfKQ4MvJTybS-gy6ezRQrokI4bpsCVyf5y-aVfa-UOlaxisOiwL9kGafB0NzfhC6_Ej_-KmAR58OZoGmEdnAZzglVLKCjTPthDbUmrQcB_PlCCZZzMkUU7jb8dozFehXpEa5rCptUV6I5IelY1HqMQWTY1jPOBcA5hb-308MeAREe88WQw-8F/s16000/IMG_5620.jpeg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>These pastries are the easiest you'll ever make. I'll show you how in a future post. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">And I think that for me, although I had those initial doubts about the veracity of my safe haven, I've proven that home does have the ability to nurture and restore. My home wrapped itself around me well before Hanno died. It welcomed me back every day I visited him and it made me feel comfortable and safe, even with him gone. Over the years I've put a lot into my home. I wanted it to look after us and everyone who visited us and it's safe to say now that it's paid me back for every repair we ever did here, every floor I moped, every toilet I cleaned, every painted wall, solar panel and water tank we added. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQr930N_ZX7onBeHu9GO71kWlCOZloTmnwgc0__g5C63HFBcCoZBlPvLx5ZZjJrjpVzE7Im6d3OGtL9p4GUhNl5i-aJAcDNiB4ZRE1eglcK3aoubM3IdffHPQ1PGQ469Y_ul7A4fGFWPB1K1jjkA3_-w9b6CEAFt_pqrISFpzVya_qL4V0R2XLX8G/s650/IMG_5587.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQr930N_ZX7onBeHu9GO71kWlCOZloTmnwgc0__g5C63HFBcCoZBlPvLx5ZZjJrjpVzE7Im6d3OGtL9p4GUhNl5i-aJAcDNiB4ZRE1eglcK3aoubM3IdffHPQ1PGQ469Y_ul7A4fGFWPB1K1jjkA3_-w9b6CEAFt_pqrISFpzVya_qL4V0R2XLX8G/s16000/IMG_5587.jpeg" /></a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Circa 1980s and 90s - a collection of old recipes I'd collected were among the many things that rode out of here in the rubbish bin.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This has been the worst year of my life but I'm pleased to say that even though I'll be 75 years old next April, I feel stronger and more determined than I ever have before. I have plans to paint, write, tend my garden, cook, rest and think out there, on the verandah, with Gracie. I don't know what I'll do tomorrow, but it will be very similar to what I did today because that is what life is all about - rituals, routines and repetition. I'll cook food, make the bed, clean up, make a batch of laundry liquid, put things in place and whether these things are done for necessity or love, it is all a part of homemaking that over the years helped create a safe haven that was here when I needed it most.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-62252638613975601672022-10-19T16:48:00.006+10:002022-10-21T16:34:54.254+10:00Cutting down on food prep time<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I think there are two main areas of concern for families and homemakers today - providing healthy food for the family and reducing the cost of living. I wrote about reducing the cost of living recently. If you didn't catch that post, <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2022/09/lets-reduce-cost-of-living.html">here's the link to it.</a> So today, I'm writing about healthy family food that is from scratch and can be prepared in 30 minutes when everyone comes home from school and work. This also works for the parents who work at home - either continuing their roles as stay at home mum/dad or for those who are choosing to work at home after Covid. Let's face it, when you've got small children who can't prepare their own meals, everyone needs a bit of help. It's tough to get those plates on the table so that the kids have plenty of time to do their homework, play, talk to their parents and siblings or relax before bed. When they go to bed, everyone relaxes.<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Before we go any further, I'm not giving you recipes for meals - everyone knows how to roast a chicken, BBQ steak and chops, fry fish, boil, poach and fry eggs or load up the slow cooker with the makings for a casserole. No, this is more about ways to get homemade food ready quickly - the food prepared ahead of time, stored in the fridge and then served with some form of protein. If you've got a small selection of side dishes in the fridge, you can get them ready while you cook your protein. Instead of making the same old salad you always serve or peel vegetables to boil or stir fry. Side dishes provide variety, new tastes and excitement. And if you've taken some time earlier in the week or on the weekend to prepare your side dishes, they're fast, convenient and waiting for you in the fridge. Goodbye monotony, hello diversity.<br /><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYWXmBZWDvdb53uKyZHhEiVEiuE23PxJUFy7966p9CEWLfk60qJ7BU_g6zsplk2LyZwI3g2cEhAWCCouY0Llkm1o6lBKztcRUz5AAWpeHMSPJ_izguE2PHA0B9eb5ZCwcHz7a1YcbU-k6hbCn-IihyDGgQsAY_7zFkiO74U4NRwjoVSfY9HQQfVm-/s650/IMG_5606.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYWXmBZWDvdb53uKyZHhEiVEiuE23PxJUFy7966p9CEWLfk60qJ7BU_g6zsplk2LyZwI3g2cEhAWCCouY0Llkm1o6lBKztcRUz5AAWpeHMSPJ_izguE2PHA0B9eb5ZCwcHz7a1YcbU-k6hbCn-IihyDGgQsAY_7zFkiO74U4NRwjoVSfY9HQQfVm-/s16000/IMG_5606.jpeg" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">You'll need storage containers. I use glass containers with plastic lids or bamboo lids, (above). You can see what's inside without taking them out of the fridge, they seal fairly well and will keep food fresh for a few days. I've just ordered some <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Rubbermaid-Brilliance-Storage-Container-4-7-Cups/dp/B08B7DT91L" target="_blank">Rubbermaid containers </a>which are 100% airtight and leak proof. They'll be much better than the older containers I've been using. My general rule is to store for four - five days. Some things can go longer but I feel comfortable with a shorter period because I want to eat what I make and not waste anything. So far, that's served me well. Be careful with rice, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/bacillus-cereus-in-rice-can-make-you-sick-if-not-stored-right/11324446">read about that here.</a><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">PICKLED MIXED VEGETABLES<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I
have this a few times a week now and I love it. Peel and slice your
chosen vegetables, put them in a large bowl and pour over one tablespoon
of salt. About an hour later, when the vegetables have wilted, wash all
the salt off and allow the vegetables to sit in a colander to drain. Then make your spiced vinegar. You'll need a large glass
jar and the following ingredients. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz_VPrxfGDx9DflPolAPH-Dadwyd3xjIYmta2ZYPRgt9d4RBexec9qEWmYgfua1QbEr7pw-Qf258UaA3A_qytENDl95-4DqXU7lmbl0Bh1QNik4PTS6M8Y314G2p3XC-pMK_WPz9gDatCPPnZcdXCuch2KiwTIFB8d9AMcH0qGilQ1Nww_oLiiBrP/s1000/IMG_5589.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz_VPrxfGDx9DflPolAPH-Dadwyd3xjIYmta2ZYPRgt9d4RBexec9qEWmYgfua1QbEr7pw-Qf258UaA3A_qytENDl95-4DqXU7lmbl0Bh1QNik4PTS6M8Y314G2p3XC-pMK_WPz9gDatCPPnZcdXCuch2KiwTIFB8d9AMcH0qGilQ1Nww_oLiiBrP/w640-h640/IMG_5589.jpeg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlB6oWyX9ySLWyEyL7ueC08r83DpmI5NfxqneCIf35_QXmuUC1YB756cbCSxKxZG9dnzsb_NIRNPUyrBLBOJmEkm4XNFmO5h57sJeKtQxnmAyuq5ilpNRO4yfVMaN5zsyUqAvZwnZCFFSZjZSmiCXxVSUO-EfG5fMG9laWe3B8yQ0KDWv4eqSjoaG/s1000/IMG_5592.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlB6oWyX9ySLWyEyL7ueC08r83DpmI5NfxqneCIf35_QXmuUC1YB756cbCSxKxZG9dnzsb_NIRNPUyrBLBOJmEkm4XNFmO5h57sJeKtQxnmAyuq5ilpNRO4yfVMaN5zsyUqAvZwnZCFFSZjZSmiCXxVSUO-EfG5fMG9laWe3B8yQ0KDWv4eqSjoaG/w640-h640/IMG_5592.jpeg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7uZojW1MOkNnPvRDqFPICupvRXj2tVCjttw2kIj9azi4kdYXPIU7KGkdmN5YOepXDvCacw0vozzRjfZa73t0cnq8Rgk11yr3C56g_hOf4AniNduJ34RePxNsKiVMbbk8pZia2dFW-43mFWlkdT_ihj8bAjjNs77fknx5kFfB9HIiFAccyjkbkgU4/s1000/IMG_5596.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7uZojW1MOkNnPvRDqFPICupvRXj2tVCjttw2kIj9azi4kdYXPIU7KGkdmN5YOepXDvCacw0vozzRjfZa73t0cnq8Rgk11yr3C56g_hOf4AniNduJ34RePxNsKiVMbbk8pZia2dFW-43mFWlkdT_ihj8bAjjNs77fknx5kFfB9HIiFAccyjkbkgU4/w640-h640/IMG_5596.jpeg" /></a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">This
is not preserving/canning, it's refrigerator pickles that will be eaten
during the following week so your jars don't need to be sterilised but
they must be clean.<br /> <br />Following is the pickling liquid I use. It
won't be to everyone's taste, I love vinegar, but I want you to start
with this recipes and modify it to your taste. I don't add the water to
mine, I want the full vinegar taste - I drink the left-over vinegar
😍. You may add more or less sugar, different vegetables or spices or no
spices at all. Just play around with it till you find what you like.
It's a delicious addition to grilled or barbequed meat, chicken or fish
meal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />PICKLING LIQUID<br /><ul><li>2 cups white or apple cider vinegar</li><li>1/2 cup water</li><li>1/2 cup sugar</li><li>pickling spices (optional)</li><li>Bay leaf </li></ul><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Place
all ingredients in a saucepan and heat on the stove. Bring to the boil,
then simmer for ten minutes. When it's ready, allow it to sit and brew
for an hour or so. I sieve out the spice mix as I'm adding everything
to the jar. Cover the vegetables with the liquid and put the lid on.
Store in the fridge for a week. These are delicious served with any
meat, eggs, fish or on sandwiches. <br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrXKKFf4G9vbze5m8S7DZnF8kK5pZxMgNwflWnkaW3cPYoHVIly_AjLDghn5Bh00ooBZYG_jsDYVAr15Y8eOtrnWFnLisyV5gSYjo0Jpm05W_W76X0BpTvXztjqf8Hh7dHUG368saw1k/s1600/3.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrXKKFf4G9vbze5m8S7DZnF8kK5pZxMgNwflWnkaW3cPYoHVIly_AjLDghn5Bh00ooBZYG_jsDYVAr15Y8eOtrnWFnLisyV5gSYjo0Jpm05W_W76X0BpTvXztjqf8Hh7dHUG368saw1k/s1600/3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />This German meal is a filling and delicious recipe that everyone will love. It's great for vegetarians or served with a salad, makes a delicious meal.<br /><br /><br />KARTOFFEL PUFFERS<br />Serves 4</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>6 large potatoes</li><li>2 large onions</li><li>3 eggs</li><li>¼ cup flour</li><li>salt and pepper</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Grate the potatoes and finely dice the onions, add to a colander and allow to stand for 30 minutes while the juices drip. Add the potatoes and onions to a bowl, squeezing them to remove most of the juices. Add the eggs, flour, salt and pepper and mix well.<br /><br /><br />Put about ½ cup of oil in a frying pan, heat to medium heat then add ¼ - ½ cup circles of the potato mix. When the first side is golden brown, turn it over and cook the other side. Each one takes about 5 or 6 minutes and you can usually fit 4 into the pan at one time. If you're making a large amount, use two pans.<br /><br /><br />Drain on a clean cotton cloth or paper towel and use a new paper towel or clean cotton cloth on the base of the glass box for best storage. Leftover cooked puffers
can be stored in the fridge for three or four days and eaten with a
variety of salads or sausages. Reheat in the microwave or in a dry frying pan on low heat.<br /><br /><br />SAUERKRAUT<br />I used to grow cabbages in winter and then make enough sauerkraut from them to last about nine months.This is great as a side dish to mix in with salads and for cooked meats. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2007/08/making-sauerkraut-from-scratch.html">The post I wrote about it is here.</a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i-NkBHDfsrhWSQKAG49AxQUJSQ4JPMhqD5ryD1hszf1r1VXbRhHyfLFwDjtLRcqgKvESqakpMXOsRCTUgDg4mkZgQH1mNwYlaRo5bqh0ahq3ESqTOGvfLkIApWbZM1bzcNm7B_RNRNHAGkpcx5jEq6h-Fr7FJrBi-lA4AOKD9lnuL6wS9n1KqIYV/s356/sauerkraut.jpeg"><img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i-NkBHDfsrhWSQKAG49AxQUJSQ4JPMhqD5ryD1hszf1r1VXbRhHyfLFwDjtLRcqgKvESqakpMXOsRCTUgDg4mkZgQH1mNwYlaRo5bqh0ahq3ESqTOGvfLkIApWbZM1bzcNm7B_RNRNHAGkpcx5jEq6h-Fr7FJrBi-lA4AOKD9lnuL6wS9n1KqIYV/w403-h540/sauerkraut.jpeg" width="403" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><br /> <br />KIMCHI DEVILLED EGGS<br />If you have chickens in the backyard, <a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-kimchi-deviled-eggs-recipes-from-the-kitchn-207062">this is a handy recipe for making batches of devilled eggs,</a> a great side dish. <a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2014/08/making-kimchi-with-sunny.html"> And here is a blog post of me making Kimchi with Sunny.</a> My daughter-in-law, Sunny, is a Korean chef.<br /><br /><br />KOREAN BANCHAN<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkgkEAUb_Zc">These are quick and easy to prepare side dishes</a>. Asian pickles make a very good side dish. They last well in the fridge, they're a healthy option and they taste great with all sorts of meat, chicken or fish.<br /><br /><br />TEN EASY JAPANESE PICKLES<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrTkUuHqnZA">These make great side dishes and don't take much time to prepare.</a><br /><br /><br />LEFTOVERS FROM SUNDAY ROAST<br />When you have a roast, make double the vegetables so you have plenty to serve as side dishes later in the week.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdO1v9cDp6w">Bubble and Squeak</a><br />Fried vegetables<br /> <br />FINNISH OVEN PANCAKE<br /><a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/finnish-oven-pancake-pannukakku-2952838">A snack or dessert but certainly worth the time to make it. </a><br /> <br /> <br />APPLE PANCAKE <br /><br />This is a quick dessert or snack that can be made as a batch and stored in the fridge. The batter will last three days in the fridge, make sure it's well sealed.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Make up your favourite pancake batter, mine is here:<ul><li>2 cups plain/all-purpose flour</li><li>2 teaspoons baking powder (fresh)<br /></li><li>2 tablespoons sugar</li><li>¼ teaspoon salt</li><li>1 egg </li><li>2 cups buttermilk</li><li>3 tablespoons melted butter </li><li>1 peeled and grated apple </li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until it's a smooth batter with no lumps. Add the grated apple. Allow to stand for 1 hour before cooking. Leftover batter can be stored in the fridge for another day. I cook one large round pancake then cut it into triangles because I can't be bothered fiddling with the small round shapes.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZKEpKDp-T7Xeoz64bUeMft3w6zNnDBUjQqgLUPSqcw_r_RIir9knoHbZByUgsqmYVvyl-4tEouy5qawr98ZefdwG9hloZ_XtJFxKJu6pI-tczwDTWPveVXRNEwRji7v_N2brJUpc9OWT5oFSM47d1EqRdZfCraMbmP-n_Ckxe9FejLJ34nPSVCZ2/s650/IMG_5552.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZKEpKDp-T7Xeoz64bUeMft3w6zNnDBUjQqgLUPSqcw_r_RIir9knoHbZByUgsqmYVvyl-4tEouy5qawr98ZefdwG9hloZ_XtJFxKJu6pI-tczwDTWPveVXRNEwRji7v_N2brJUpc9OWT5oFSM47d1EqRdZfCraMbmP-n_Ckxe9FejLJ34nPSVCZ2/s16000/IMG_5552.jpeg" /></a> <br /><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;">CHICKEN AND CHICKEN BROTH<br />You can pre-cook the chicken on the weekend or during the week as you prepare that night's meal. It will take five minutes to start it cooking and just remember to remove it from the heat about an hour later. <br /><br />Boil a chicken in water, a bay leaf and parsley according to it's size. About an hour will do most chickens. When it's cooked, remove it from the broth and when it's cooled a little, portion the flesh according to your taste - shredded or larger portions, and store it in a sealed container. Pour the broth into a container and store in the fridge. During the week you can make <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-chicken-curry">chicken curry</a>, <a href="https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/chicken-cacciatore-pasta-bake-recipe/39ortwg8">hunter's chicken</a>, chicken tacos or plain chicken with vegetables. Use the chicken broth for your sauces or make a simple soup by adding sliced vegetables and either rice or small pasta and cook for a further 30 minutes.<br /><br />DRINKS ETC.<br /><br />And don't forget your drinks, snacks, sauces, chutneys and desserts. I always have a jar of lemons or limes in the fridge over summer. When I have a drink I can add a slice of sweetened lemon to the iced water. It's suitable for iced tap water or carbonated water from a Soda Stream. When you get to the end of the slices, add the syrup to your drinks too, by then it will have a wonderful sharp lemon taste. A one litre jar will take three large lemons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All you need to do is to add sugar syrup to your lemon slices. Sugar syrup is usually equal parts water to sugar. However, I use light syrup which is 2 cups tap water to 1 cup white sugar. Mix together in a saucepan and heat it on the stove. As soon as the sugar dissolves, add it to the lemon, seal and store in the fridge.<br /></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lnCt_Nv5KBEghoP36mOQMIkQps8ati09ovx3ke5_1k2c2jmgvxdZ2DIXUGsBtWrepCrRfuBu2EQboLVlSf02DixAIbn9jw_wDHpGp9M0h1yXb61rxYMM_0VzgLNTDfx5Vo7nLVuGAUD4rBr-K3n-QDDfGEEx_vMo3wQjJqaA2IBRKmYiS-m8lzFA/s650/IMG_5575.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lnCt_Nv5KBEghoP36mOQMIkQps8ati09ovx3ke5_1k2c2jmgvxdZ2DIXUGsBtWrepCrRfuBu2EQboLVlSf02DixAIbn9jw_wDHpGp9M0h1yXb61rxYMM_0VzgLNTDfx5Vo7nLVuGAUD4rBr-K3n-QDDfGEEx_vMo3wQjJqaA2IBRKmYiS-m8lzFA/s16000/IMG_5575.jpeg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_vuxSs1LZuovNBWBSFQ4oaDoYRpsxZ7Gluyx-1coInaRgAs6CuWsud-9mIiHPuViIY4gTgrth5Jb1VcFXI9nMwk7O6NS11DROeJbM7gMgZUCF7JaYqGDzdy4A0XHgxvPCuo5UTdiIgAf1h0MXltMkWenp1Z0ntoJyxcdbjGbfzhYn3Cg04ldm-L3/s650/IMG_5583.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_vuxSs1LZuovNBWBSFQ4oaDoYRpsxZ7Gluyx-1coInaRgAs6CuWsud-9mIiHPuViIY4gTgrth5Jb1VcFXI9nMwk7O6NS11DROeJbM7gMgZUCF7JaYqGDzdy4A0XHgxvPCuo5UTdiIgAf1h0MXltMkWenp1Z0ntoJyxcdbjGbfzhYn3Cg04ldm-L3/s16000/IMG_5583.jpeg" /></a><br /> <br />I also should add that if you have your own vacuum sealing system (I don't but I wish I had one) you could peel and slice your vegetables and store them in the fridge. Put all the mixed vegies in one bag, don't bother separating them. That would cut down a lot of time in overall meal prep. <br /><br /> <br />HOMEMADE SAUCES AND JAMS<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfG5WY9KKITlHSRcumgqnyPcumwgjTrlUn9KpMNEXIN2lFUPGaiRhk9xRIH3mO82MyGmOECracfrsXT5RpZO0MriK4LY1Zchc7-M4qdD83Qr69TU_JiXfjJY3G7gJks74b5_80hnxYTSu7EDrEGxlm08RW9rpAt0EzCpLeJNP39ZaI-zydsCtUyPGP/s650/clock%20-%201%20(12).jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfG5WY9KKITlHSRcumgqnyPcumwgjTrlUn9KpMNEXIN2lFUPGaiRhk9xRIH3mO82MyGmOECracfrsXT5RpZO0MriK4LY1Zchc7-M4qdD83Qr69TU_JiXfjJY3G7gJks74b5_80hnxYTSu7EDrEGxlm08RW9rpAt0EzCpLeJNP39ZaI-zydsCtUyPGP/s16000/clock%20-%201%20(12).jpeg" /></a> <br /> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I have this gravy mix made up and sitting next to my stove. It's so easy to make gravy or sauce after I finish cooking the meat. No more going to the pantry to find the seasonings, flour, spices etc. All you do is add the mix, stir and add water. It's a real winner.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2016/07/gravy-mix-from-scratch.html#comment-form">Gravy mix from scratch </a><br /><a href="https://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2012/11/homemade-chilli-jam.html">Chilli jam from scratch </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I know cooking from scratch everyday can be difficult especially if you're out working or you're looking after small children or caring for loved ones, but it is healthier and cheaper than the alternatives. I hope you try a couple of these ideas and hopefully they'll help you cut down your prep time during those busy after work and school hours. If you can't do two, do one. Slowly, add another one and work out things that will help you cook from scratch. And if you've got any ideas that work for you, share them with us. It might be just the thing someone is waiting to find. xx<br /><br /></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com21