down to earth

Yesterday was a day of gardening, cooking and sewing for me. It was quite hot here so before the sun hit the garden I was out there cutting back the pigeon peas. Most of the vegetables are growing well and our nectarines are the sweetest and juiciest we've ever tasted. Sadly there are a lot of fruit fly around and we've had to cover most of the fruit with exclusion bags to keep these tiny flies out. They lay their eggs in the fruit so it all needs to be cut open for checking before we eat it. I'd hate to bite into one and have a mouth full of wrigglers. Ack!

I planted some borlotti beans before I came back inside and I hope they'll give me some more dried beans to store in the stockpile cupboard. Bortolli beans are one of any number of beautiful pink or purple and cream beans that look like jewels until you cook them, then they are a lovely cream colour. They're a really good bean for salads or soups, so a good all round bean for storing. The seeds I planted are a bush variety, so they won't grow too tall.

I made a nice heavy brown loaf yesterday. It's the first time I've used this flour and it's absolutely delicious. The crust was crusty and the crumb was light. The bread was one of my best yet, even if I do say so myself. : )

You can see in the first photo that along with the bread there is also a large pottery crock (the one Tricia gave me) and a Fowlers jar with a cloth cover. I'm becoming increasingly interested in fermented foods and these are two of the fermented foods I commonly make. I'm going to get a book from the library to find other foods that use this ancient method. Bread, cheese, wine, beer, tea, pickles, sauerkraut, vinegar and yogurt all all common foods that use fermentation in their production. The sauerkraut I made in winter was delicious and I'd like to expand my recipe base for fermented foods. I have some vinegar mother here that has developed on my apple cider vinegar and I'm going to see if I can make more vinegar using it.

The picture above is the beginning of my sourdough. I made this starter with one cup bread flour and one cup water. I'll feed it for a few days before using half of it in a loaf, I'll continue feeding the other half for more bread. As the starter ages, the flavours develop more and you get better bread. I hope to keep this start going for a long time.

Unlike the loaf I made yesterday that I added dried yeast to, sourdough relies on collecting the wild yeast in the air. That is why it takes a long time to develop. The wild yeasts need to settle on the flour and water then multiply enough to start fermentation. It's a really interesting process and reminds me how many bacteria, yeasts and microscopic life forms surround us every day in our homes.

So what is in the crock? Ginger beer! I made a plant of ginger powder, sugar and water about seven days ago and have fed it every day since. Yesterday I added some sugar syrup, lemon juice and water to the strained ginger plant and here is the ginger beer. I'm keeping it in the crock for a couple of days to ferment some more and develop more flavour. There are about six litres in the crock, so I also have to find some bottles to store it in. I always have a problem finding plastic bottles from a source I trust. I might have to ring my son and ask him to save me some from his restaurant.

More reading on fermentation.

After a long relaxing lunch, I watched Gardening Australia because they featured the nuns' garden from the TV series, The Abbey. I didn't watch the series, but wanted to. It's on too late for me and we have no way of recording it. So seeing the nuns' garden and the nun who tended the garden was a real treat. She has turned her leaks into perrenials by simply cutting them off at ground level. Doing this she got three harvests of leaks instead of the usual one. Good one, sister!

After lunch was spent talking to Kathleen on the phone and working on my swap aprons. I think I should have them done next weekend. I'm not rushing myself with them as I want to do a good job and I'm thinking of my swap partners while I'm sewing. I'm also thinking of all our swappers and the little community we've built up here. I am really proud to be a part of it.

I'm working at my voluntary job today and tomorrow. My lunch will be a sandwich of my bread with backyard eggs, boiled and mashed, with home grown lettuce, S & P and a little homemade mayo, two nectarines and some organic black tea. : )

I hope you all had a productive weekend and enjoyed time relaxing with loved ones.

As I was doing my work yesterday I realised that our home is very old fashioned. Our kitchen is the centre of our home, it's a place where we all sit and talk, when friends drop by they are entertained in the kitchen or outside on the verandah, when Hanno and I stop for tea every morning we usually sit outside on the verandah. We have a large area around the house for chooks, vegetable and flower gardens, and we have our aquaponics garden and fish, a bush house, garden shed and a large shed where we store hay and where Hanno keeps his tools and repairs broken furniture or appliances. We live on an acre of land but our house takes up a very small portion of that space.

New homes are different. Many new homes are on a small piece of land and the home is built right up to the boundry line, there is very little room for outside activities. There might be an "outdoor kitchen" and a small swimming pool but most of the living is done indoors. And when we're indoors I'm amazed that each person has their own private space. There is an advertisement on TV at the moment where each person is in their own room with their own computer, using the internet. "Princess" has her own pink bedroom and bathroom with her own computer and her own phone, while "Buddy" is down the hall in his blue bedroom, complete with basketball hoop on the back of the door, X Box-internet combo and phone so he can hang out with the boys. In these homes there is an adults lounge and a kids playroom. They are separate so the kids don't disturb their parents.

Am I the only one who thinks this is strange and unhealthy?

Our home has one computer connected to the internet that is in the living room, it has always been like that. We bought our first computer when our kids were 7 and 8. They had a couple of computer games, but they played outside most of the time. I would never have allowed them to isolate themselves with a computer in their rooms. We have a really good relationship with our, now grown, sons. We have that partly because we shared our lives, they grew up in the same space as Hanno and I. They saw how we conducted ourselves when we were in our private spaces and not just when we were out on our best behaviour. We encouraged them to bring their friends home and we'd all share an area where at any given time there would be a radio or music playing, games being played, newspapers read, people talking on the phone or to neighbours who dropped in. I would be cooking, a dog would run through, the kids would have a Lego town built taking up half the floor area, they could lay on the floor on big cushions reading, or make a fort with an old bedsheet over the kitchen table and play under there while I wrote. It was all in together, we all made allowances for each other, we all enjoyed the contact with each other and it helped build us into a solid family unit.

I hate to criticise how others live but I really do think they're got it wrong with these new houses. It seems to me that real estate agents are dictacting how people use their homes by giving everyone their own space, and thereby gain more from the sale of new houses. Bring back family rooms! Allow kids to share rooms with their sisters or brothers until they go to school. Separating everyone stops us building trust and loving bonds. Share one computer and let that be in the family room where everyone can see who is trying to talk to the children on the internet. I'd like to see children expand their horizens outside with cubby houses, swings, gardens, chooks and bikes. Is that too old fashioned? Maybe I'm past it but when I look around and see family life as it is lived now, I can't help but think we need more old fashioned houses.

This is the last lot of routines. I have found them fascinating. We are all trying our best to live simply, we all over the world and yet despite the many differences, our routines seem to me to hold a measure of similarity. I hope you have enjoyed reading how some of our readers live their 'normal' day.

From Margaret in Maryland USA
Get up at 5:15
Make coffee
Read Bible and pray
Take care of the dogs
Put in a load of laundry
Wake up 15 and 19 year old daughters
Drive 15 year old to meet her car pool to Baltimore
Wake up 5 year old son
Take 19 year old to college
Eat breakfast
Son on the bus (it is now 8:45)
Pick up house
Clean for about 30 mins.-whatever needs to be done
About three days per week I bake bread and other goodies
Start dinner, work on laundry
Go on line for a bit
Work on a project (usually knitting)
Eat lunch
Pick 19 year old up from school- Take her to work
3 days a week drive to Baltimore (35mins) to pick up 15 year olds carpool
Meet son's bus
Homework
Dinner
Little guy to bed
Knit and relax
Bed at 10:00

From Keth in Manchester England
12.00 (yes pm) - get up, have multiple coffees while we wake up in front of the computer, reading blogs and whathaveyou
2.00 - breakfast, walk the dog
3.00 - do something for the afternoon (may be baking bread, may be shopping,may be making something - this afternoon i'll be getting the sewing machineout to make a christmas present for a friend)
6.00 - back to the computer, talk to friends who are coming home from work foran hour or so
7.00 - go cook dinner, although i've usually planned it from the night beforeso i have options to spend more or less time on it according to what it needs
8.00 - we sit down to eat dinner
8.00 to about 11.00 - watch the box. If there's nothing on TV i potter around with things that need doing.
11.00 ish - washing up, cleaning up the kitchen and making a quick sandwich if i'm hungry. after that, back to the computer or pottering around (I'm makingchristmas cards at the moment)2.00am - put dog out for final pee in the garden, get ready for bed, snuggledown in bed to read for a couple hoursbetween
3 and 4 am - sleep
neither of us are really morning people, and we don't work (for a living i mean) so our hours tend to be forward of what most other people's are.

Mama K in New Jersey USA
As far as routines go... I'm not so good with sticking to a schedule. On an average day I'd say I get up around 8am. If my son (14mo) is still sleeping I'll check my email and grab a shower. If he's not I'll get him up and feed him breakfast while I check my email. We do some preschool activities, like word flashcards, in the morning. I do some chores like making the bed and straightening up my nightstand. I have some coffee and do the dishes.
Around 11:30am DS goes down for a nap and I go check my email and bloglines. When he wakes up we eat some lunch and if there are any errands to run we do it then. If we stay home, I turn on the soap operas and either fold laundry or do something crafty.
At about 4 I straighten up the living room and start planning for dinner.
At 5 I usually start dinner. DH comes home and we eat around 6pm.
All three of us play together until my son's bath time at 7pm.
From 7-8 is daddy time and I can do whatever I want... ususally get back on the computer! LOL
We watch TV or clean the kitchen or I do some crafts or whatever else until bedtime at 10:30-11pm.

Paula in Ontario Canada
(Paula, I love that you listen to your husband watch TV)
7am - wake up
7:05am - shower and get ready for work, check Meal Plan and make sure there is nothing that needs picking up (ei milk etc)
8:00 - leave for work
8:30 - arrive at work, eat breakfast and have coffee at work
9:00 work
1:00pm Lunch
2:00pm work
5:00pm leave work and drive home
5:30 arrive home (or stop at store if needed something), make coffee and have a cup while winding down for 10 mins.
5:45pm - make dinner and tidy up
7:00pm - eat dinner while watching Coronation Street (not good I know LOL!)
7:30pm - move dishes to kitchen and take dog for a walk
8:15 pm - clean kitchen, put on dishwasher if needed, make lunches, do one cleaning chore, check email
9:00pm - get out sewing or scrapbooking or crocheting and do it while listening to hubby watch TV
10:00pm - make tea and might have a small snack with it
11:00pm - bed

Tam in NH USA
5:30 am wake up, make bed, get dressed
5:45 wake kids up, change baby, do kid's hair (I have girls)
6:00 breakfast for all 3 of us
6:30 start bus (if it's cold, which it is), pretrip etc.
6:40 double check 10 year old's bag, kiss her goodbye and lead baby out to bus
6:45-9 am school bus runs 9-2 various chores, laundry, housekeeping, gardening, errands, barn chores, mixed in with baby's (20 months) play time, walks and Mommy's computer time in between - lunch at noon
2-4:30 afternoon school bus runs
4:30 start right in on dinner prep
5:30 dinner6:00 clean up
6:30 knit (or spin)
7:00 bedtime for baby
8:00 bedtime for 10 year old
9:30 bedtime for Mom
Doesn't look like there's a spouse but there is...he starts work at 3am and is in bed by 7 pm - he does afterschool stuff w/10year old. He's why we eat so early.

Jayedee in Florida USA
make bed
i begin each and every day by sitting outside on the front porch for a few minutes
fire up the computer and download email scan email to see if there is something important
go out to the chicken house and let the girls (and boys) out for the day
check food and water for all the poultry and change the water for the geese
spend a few minutes in the garden
back to the house to feed and water the dogs and my parrot
start first load of laundrybreakfast
get daniel started on school
rinse dishes
read some email
plan dinner and set the bread to rise if i'm baking
tidy dining and living roomswipe down bathrooms
more email if i have timeblog if i have time
errands if i have anyput the poultry up and do my afternoon feeding
start dinner
wash up
final walkthru
watch cooking shows or read while dh showerssleep ( i hope)

Pam in Tennessee USA
8:00 ( I am trying to get up earlier) Wake: get out of bed and make it right away (unless I have to go to the bathroom then I do that first and them make my bed).
Get dressed.
Go into the kitchen and look outside to see what the day looks like.
Take my 3 dogs out for bathroom break
Start a pot of coffee for my husband (I don't drink coffee).
Make myself a glass of Ice water. Take my vitamins.
Go to bathroom and wash my face and brush my teeth, put hair up,
Go to the kitchen and: Put in some toast or bagels. For me and my husband, Eat breakfast
After breakfast:Unload dishwasher from night before and load up morning dishes.
Start a load of laundry. Take out something for my husband to eat for lunch (Dinner) and food to pack his lunch with.
If we have errands to run we do them now.
On Monday, Wed, and Friday we have dump day where we take all our recyclables and garbage to our dump.
Start lunch (Dinner for him) We eat dinner together after eating I pack his lunch and set it by the front door.
Take the dogs out again. My husband and I share this job.
Put in a new load of laundry, put clean load into dryer.
When he leaves I start the cleaning running the vacuum every other day, dusting, sweeping the floors daily.
Once a week I scrub the bathtub and wash the bathroom floor and kitchen floor.
I go through the house wiping walls and picking up things I see on the floor (lint, dog hair). I try to keep up on the dog hair it can get out of hand quickly.
After cleaning is done I relax with my crocheting, or sewing, or reading until the evening. Or blog reading.
Around 10:00 P.M. I shower and get into bed clothes and wait for my husband to get home around 12:00 A.M.
We watch a little TV or play on the computer until around 2:00 A.M. Sometimes it is 3:00 A.M. Then we go to bed

Mary in Oregon USA
7:30ish - get up and shower to get to work by
8:00 AM.I know I should have breakfast, but I generally favorsleep over food. My job is at a computer, and I'mbored out of my mind most days.
Lunch break at 12:00, which I may use to browse the local thrift shops for craft supplies and Winter clothes (amazing what people "throw away"!) but latelyI've been trying to go home and heat up some leftovers for lunch.
Work until 5:00 (and not one minute later ;-)
Home to feed the cats and dog and sit for an hour or so reading or watching TV or just relaxing.
6:00 - 10:00 is my time to clean house or cook or work on various projects if I have no work for Job #2 to do on the computer. Lately it's been sewing aprons and knitting on a sweater.
I try to be in bed by 10:30 with a hot cup of tea and a good book. Lights out at 11:00 at the latest.
Rinse, repeat.

Coleen in PA USA
wake up at 6:00 take pill ( need to do that 1/2 hour before I eat) make bed
get washed, do hair and makeup, get dressed,head downstairs to make lunch
eat breadfast
straighten family room
sweep kitchen floor
put away any dishes from nite before
leave for work at 7:00
arrive at work by 7:25 I'm there till 3:30
4:00head home do any errands that are on the way home
arrive home either clean bathrooms, bedrooms or downstairs depending on the day
do some wash or take down prior days wash and fold and put away read mail fix dinner and clean up
make phone calls if needed sew,read, watch some TV,get bath and go to bed to do it all over again the next day!

Delores who I think is in the USA
First off, I have coffee and read e-mails. Then 15 minutes on treadmill and 5 minutes stretching.
I eat breakfast, (usually hot rice cereal with soy milk) and try to read at least 1 chapter in Bible while eating.
I unload dishwasher, make beds, start load of laundry.
Now I bathe, get dressed for the day and pray a few minutes.
I take something out of freezer to defrost or get ingredients together for whatever I'll have for dinner or that I want to cook.
I walk my daughters dog and take treats to her birds and usually wash any dishes she has in sink. (She lives next door.)

I hang out clothes or dry them in dryer. (Only hang out sheets and heavy things like towels and use dryer for rest.)

I read blogs, check bits in my hometown newspaper online for as long as it takes the clothes to dry and then I either hang them or fold them and put them away.

I try to do some house work everyday such as vac or washing windows or dusting or simply organizing something but if I'm involved in a study or project or good book or in this case reading your blog from beginning to end (I am still reading in August right now) sometimes these things wait except on Fridays (which is today) when it can't wait and I work my butt off cleaning and cooking for sabbath.

I usually have soup for lunch that I have cooked and frozen so no cooking at noon but I do spend an hour or longer cooking dinner. I kinda cook two different meals as my husband eats meat and I stay away from meat, eggs, and dairy products. After dinner I often go visit with my daughter a half hour or so and on Tuesday and Thursday I do watch 2 television shows in sucession that I like ( a total of 2 hours each of those nights.)

I load my dishwasher (dishes soak while I put off doing them) I read on computer or play a game or call my sister or other daughter on nights I don't watch tv. Lastly, I do my facial and brush my teeth and go to bed. I also have 2 dogs and 2 cats that I tend to during the day and before I go to bed I usually open the dishwasher so the dishes will air-dry.

Sometimes I put beans in soak or if ready ( I sprout them before cooking) in crockpot to cook overnight. I, now, since reading your blog, have a garden started...just greens but it is a start.

Melinda in California USA
Wake up
Let the dog (and cat) out
Feed the dog and cat
Harvest some veggies or fruit for breakfast (if I haven't the night before)
Make breakfast
Read the paper and/or blogs
Research and post an entry in my blog
Research and work on various media projects
Take breaks from the computer every couple of hours to work in the garden
Have a bite of late lunch
Tidy up the house, do the dishes
Pick food from the garden for dinner
Feed the dog and cat
Greet my husband (who gets home from work in early evening) and debrief about our days
Make dinner
Eat relaxing dinner and talk about new plans, thoughts Matt cleans up after dinner, then studies while
I work on various media projects
Sometimes we watch a movie together
Get ready for bed
Read in bed

Carla in Idaho USA
get up anywhere from 5am-6am take a shower every other day
get the newspaper off the front stoop
feed kittiesmake coffee
put oatmeal (w/chopped dates) in saucepan w/water on stovetop read newspaper & drink coffee
get partway dress (bottom half) finish cooking oatmeal/make luncheat oatmeal, drink juice, finish newspaper
pack lunch & anything else I'm taking to work (varies -usually some paperwork of some sort)finish dressing, finish hair
after I'm all ready, depending on how soon I have to leave, I'll usually start something to finish in the evening. For example, today I cleaned everything off my bookshelves that was not books, and also took off books that were not standing upright. The project is cleaning off/out bookshelves in preparation for holiday decorating.
put on coat, back car out of garage, lock door, come back through house, grab purse, tell kitties to have a good day& behave, lock door on way out, leave for work.
My garagedoor does not have an automatic opener nor does it lock from the outside.
Saturday - laundry, general house cleaning
Sunday - relax: spend time w/family; get ready for work -oh, and watch NFL football if the (Green Bay) Packers are playing!
.................................................................................................

Well, that's some of us up close and personal. I hope this will help our homemakers who struggle at times with their routines; for the rest I hope it's an interesting read. I really liked noting the similarities in us all, as well as the differences.

I hope you all take some time during your day, no matter how busy you are, for yourself. You need to look after yourself because when the mother and wife is sick, the whole family suffers. This is not slacking off - it's time you need to keep your mental, emotional and physical health in a good state. Having your own time will allow you to relax, think about your life and work through some of the things you want to focus on. We are all here because we are thoughtful people, people who want to make the best life that we can for ourselves and our families. So please be kind to yourself and be guided, and hopefully inspired, by these routines and step one small step at a time towards what you want your life to be.

From Anastasia in USA
5:00am - Get up. Fix DH breakfast and pack his lunch. Visit with him until he leaves at
6:30.6:30am - Read Bible.
7am - Check email, Pay any bills.Get organized for the day! Check a few blogs
8am - shower & get dressed
8:15am - Fix breakfast for kids. Start laundry, Run dishwasher.
9-11am - Homeschool
11am - Fix lunch, Clean kitchen, Get anything out for dinner, More laundry
1pm - Project of some sort. Either cleaning or organizing or maybe sewing or a craft
2pm - Quiet time. Hopefully a short nap.
3pm - Time w/kids. Errands? Maybe library?
5pm - Start dinner6pm - Eat dinner
6:30pm - Family time
7:30pm - Start getting kids ready for bed. Showers etc...
8:30pm - Kids in bed. Time with DH
9-10pm - Bedtime somewhere in there.
If we have a special errand to run or a big grocery shop, we go in the morning instead of schooling and school during the 3-5 time slot...

Hannah from Australia
My new and improved routine is:
5:30 wake get up, have a drink and get dressed
6am go to the gym/or to mentoring meeting Wednesday
7:30 home have breakfast and read an inspiration book or the bible and pray
Do some washing/gardening/sewing
9am Go to work
5:30pm finish work and go to Gym and/or meeting eg volunteer work at church, music practice, seedsavers, food co-op, bible study
Monday and Friday nights I don’t have anything on and sometimes have friends for dinner or go to theirs.
9:30 home tidy/washing/sewing
Sometimes watch some TV
10:30 bed

From Quinne in the USA
7 am up & shower
730 Q quiet time
8 M up & first 5’s
830 S up, breakfast, Bible story
9 school
930 “10 “1030 project outside
11 “1130 playtime
12pm lunch
1230 housework project
1 playtime
130 read alouds
2 MS rest time / Q heavy housework, school prep, etc
230 “3 “330 MQ dishes / S (continue nap)
4 MQ prep supper / S snack
430 housework (training - folding laundry, dusting, etc)
5 playtime / Daddy home
530 supper
6 play or project with Daddy
630 “7 family playtime
730 clean up & baths
8 last 5’s & family Bible time
830 MS bedtime
9 JQ work
930 “10 “1030 “11 JQ date time
1130 JQ bedtime

From Della in Ohia USA
a normal day for me includes;
* let dog out
* make coffee
* get dog, give him water
* check food and water for cats
* coffee while I read email
* breakfast
* shower, dress
* make bed, tidy bedroom and bath
* carry dirty laundry to laundry room
* give dog his meds
* take my meds
* clean one room of house depending on day of week
* lunch
* take dog out
* knit or quilt
* computer time
* watch Dr. Phil
* begin cooking dinner
* watch evening news
* dinner
* dishes, tidy kitchen and sweep
* knit or quilt or tv
* give dog his meds
* take my meds
* take dog out
* bed

From Shaunta in Nevada USA
5:45 a.m. Wake up. Spend half an hour coming alive, checking myemail, reading the news online, etc.
6:15 a.m. Wake up my two teenagers. Spend the next forty-five minutesgetting all of us ready for school (I'm a teacher's aide.) Get stuff ready for my two-year-old for when she wakes up.
7 a.m. Scrape the ice off my windshield, then drive everyone around totheir schools. End up at the high school myself for my job at 8 a.m.
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Work as a special education teacher's aide.
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Deal with afterschool stuff for the big kids. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday we all come home now. On Monday and Wednesday I have class so my hubby comes and picks up the kids and Istay in town to prepare for class.
4:30 to 8:00 p.m. If it's Tuesday, Thursday or Friday: make dinner,play with my baby, hang with my husband until he leaves for work at 6:30 or so.
8:00 p.m. Go lie down with the baby. About half the time I fall asleep with her and wake up sometime in the middle of the night to find that my wonderful big kids have gotten themselves in bed. The half of the time I get up about 9 and spend an hour or so writing.

From Rachel in Tasmania Australia with four kids
Get up
Put the kettle on, make brekkie for 6 of us, of course each kid wants a different brekkie!
Make sandwiches for the older two and if Lachlan is at kinder for that day.
Get kids ready ie - Yell at them to get dressed etc
Go and get the kids to feed the goat and chooks
Put the washing machine on - I do a load a day easily
Get myself ready and Mason the toddler- this may include a shower for me.
Make bed, vaccum, hang up washing and have a quick general tidy up.
Take the kids to school
Go on any errands that need to be done such as playgroup, libraryHome for lunch - put Mason to bed
Gardening - have a big veggie patch - water and harvest or replant
Play with Mason/Lachlan if home, make bikkies for afternoon tea or cake
Bring washing in and put it straight away - dont iron very often
Pick up kids - scoff down afternoon tea.
Start preparing tea
Cook Dinner
Get kids ready for bed
Check menu plan for next nights dinner and get out anything that is needed.
Watch news
Read 3 books to Lachlan, console Zac - my eldest boy is a worry, give Nikki some encouraging words, put Mason to bed.
Ahhhh - another cuppa with Peter and watch some tv or read a book.
Bed usually by 9pm.

Libby in Wollongong Australia
6am Up and dress in gym clothes.
Check e-mails/ read blogs
7 -8am Put on load of washing
Help girls to do morning jobs
Make breakfast
Clean up kitchen
8am Breakfast
Get girls ready for school
Clean up kitchen
8.30am Leave for school/gym
9am – 10am Gym
10am Morning Tea /check e-mail
Shower and get dressed
11am – 12pm Pet care – brush dogs / attend to chooks
Any jobs needing done
12 -12.30pm Lunch
12.30 – 2.30pm Free time – usually try to scrapbook
2.30 – 3.30pm Collect kids from school
3.30pm Make dinner / check e-mail
Afternoon activities for kids
Bring in washing, do any ironing
Water veggie garden
5.30pm Christy Bath Amy homework
6.00pm – 6.30pm Dinner
6.30 -7.00pm Tidy kitchen
Storytime
7.30pm Christy’s bedtime
Watch TV

Karen in Switzerland
Monday - Friday morning routine
Get up 6.35am after listening to the alarm radio of BBC news andlocal Geneva news. Wake children -3 of them. That is their firstcall. Me off to the kitchen. Look at the view of the mountain. In thewinter look at the car lights miandering down the mountain and watchthe snow line fall. In the summer watch the clouds to see where theweather is coming from. Feed 2 cats. Prepare a lemon juice andwater, go to computer, read news headlines and Rhonda's Blog.
7 am Second call for the children. Hope that they all have clothes otherwise panic starts. Do breakfasts. 3 children out of the door at either 7.20 or 7. 50 depending on their bus or train after doing ourcheck list. Comb hair, money, keys, ipod, phones, gym kit, clean teeth. Me, have breakfast with husband. Husband out to work, Me -putload of washing on then shower.
Monday I now have daughter no. 1 at home until either 10 am or 12 noondepending on her schedule so quite housework. Ironing, tidying,washing up, dishwasher, make/change beds, clean kitchen. Lunch for daughter 1 if she goes out late. Son - home at 12. 15. Cook lunch for him.
2 pm go to the Co-op for basics with child no 3. He likes toplay games in Interdiscount whilst I shop. PM more washing andhoover and mop floors through.
3. 15 pm, children start arriving homeso things do do, forms to complete etc. Spend time with children. Prepare and light fire, Cook supper. Eat 7.30 pm when husband gets in. Evening with husband and book or just a fire and peace.
Tuesday - After they have gone, do beds , tidy kitchen, dust house.10.45 am - Me to French class. Pm alternate Tuesdays French Conversation . Otherwise it is more housework, more ironing usually,another load of washing to hang up. Pm same as Monday.
Wednesday -morning routine the same - talk to mother on the phone. Usually 1-2 hours. She likes/ needs to talk. Clean toilets and sinks,
12. 15 child no. 3 home from school, 12.30 pm. Fetch child no. 2 from school. She does Italian as an extra so no bus.
1 pm homeand cook lunch for 3.
Pm more school things, some gardening generalhousework.
4. 24 pm Fetch child no 1 from train, go to dump with paper etc. and then the Co-op for more basics.
Thursday - Clean showers and bathroom, more washing. Pm - me toStitchers, my sewing class with IWCN. International Womens Club of Nyon.
Friday - Bin Bags to go out. Hoover through and mop for weekend. Putwashing machine on. Sometimes coffee with friends. 12 Noon meetdaughter number 1 from train and pm Shop for weekend either in France- 20 minutes away - or at the local Co-op. Cook something nice for Friday weekend tea. Film for evening in front of the fire.
This is my basic routine but there are things like vets, Orthodentistand Opticians etc. to fit in as needed.
Weekend. Saturday Am dump - Wash Gym Kit - 3 lots, Big Rubbish.,shop at local farmers shop or whatever else 'needs' to be bought. Try not to shop as I hate doing it on Saturdays but it is the only chance my husband gets. Lunch usually home-made soup. PM garden, fetch and carry children to their friends or other activities or places, Garden.

Sundays - try to relax, read, garden, go for a walk or in the wintergo to the snow.
I still have to improve on my housework routine but it is madedifficult by the seemingly constant attendance of children in thehouse. Part of the Swiss schooling system.
Our day/week revolves around the three meal times and everythingelse fits in between them. The two unmovable things are the dump onWednesdays only open between 3 and 6 pm and Friday Bin Day.

Brigit in Toowomba Australia
6.00am Get up, let out dog for wee walk, make coffee, put on a load of washing. Make breakfast, eat same. (Not a morning person, so takes a while to get going)
7.00. Check emails, blogs, websites, etc.
7.30 DH leaves for work so, shower, get dressed, make bed.
8.00 Take the dog for a walk
9.00 Back from walk and wash dog's feet from above walk, hang out washing, check vegie garden and pick anything that's ready (this doesn't take long as we have a very small garden, not like yours) Put on second load of washing and do any handwashing.
10.00 Cup of coffee and write out weekly menu plan and shopping list from grocery specials flyers.
10.30 - 11.30 Housework, Monday is vacuuming & dusting lounge and dining room and 2 bedrooms, usually after a weekend when we've had friends to stay there's a bit of extra tidying up to do. Hang second load of washing.
11.30 -12.00 Back to computer to check emails and answer any etc. 12.00 If DH is in town he comes home for lunch, so start making lunch. If its winter its usually soup, so would make that in the morning straight after getting back from my walk.
12.30 Lunch with Don till 1.00pm usually, maybe a bit longer if the cricket is on TV!
1.00 - 4.00 To the shops for weekly groceries. I shop all the specials at each store and fruit and veg at the fruitbarn, so takes me a while. I live in a fairly small town and don't have to drive far to do this and I have the time, so it saves us money doing it this way. Also doing some Christmas shopping as I see things at the moment.
4.00 Take in washing, potter in garden, can't water anything, but use saved shower water on vegies on a rotating basis. Remake beds, sheets get changed on Monday.
4.30 - 5 Put away rest of washing and iron for half an hour
5.00 DH comes home by 5 till 5.30 most days, so our time to catch up and have a glass of wine and check out the garden.
6.00 Start dinner, possibly earlier if something needs longer in the oven, or later if I've made something that lasts two nights (there are only 3 of us). If the oven is on I try and make a slice/muffins/biscuits at the same time, but don't always manage this.
7.00 Eat dinner
7.30 Clean up kitchen and make a cup of coffee and then read whatever I have on the go at the moment, usually more than one book, so whatever I feel like, even recipe books for inspiration! Try and remember to get Andrew's (son) dinner out of fridge in time to heat up for when he finishes work at 9pm (depends how good the book is!)
9.30 Watch Andrew Denton's show, depending on who he has on, my favourite show of the week, he's the best interviewer on TV. I probably watch too much TV at night, something I need to think about.
10.30 Put the dishwasher on and after a quick pick up of the family room and a swish of the bathroom, time for bed.

From Peggy in USA
I don't use a alarm clock but always wake up at 5:45 each morning
Get dressed,brush hair and teeth, wash face grab the milk bucket and any scraps I have for the chickens and head outside
Feed the cats that are waiting on the porch
Stop by the dog lot and give the dogs a treat (they have automatic feeder)
Open the feed room door and get the feed buckets ready for chickens, geese &ducks and rabbits. Check the chickens while I am feeding them, check out the geese and ducks while giving them their feed, and check the rabbits and right now their babies while feeding them and making sure they have dry clean bedding, get the goat feed and milk bucket and head for the goat penmake sure the goats are okay while feeding, get diva and head to the milk stall.
After milking her take her back to pen and get sammi for milking. after milking sammi I pour a little of the milk in the kittens bowl by the feed room.
give the goats some hay and get the feed ready for the momma hens and chicks, the peacock and turkey. Feed them and grab the waterhose to make my rounds giving everyone fresh water.
After watering I give fresh bedding to animals that need it. grab the milk bucket and head into the house.
Strain and put away the milk. clean bucket and straining cloth and put away. Have a bowl of oatmeal and glass of juice while I check my emails for soap sells.
Package soap orders and make trip to post office to mail. Make bed (like to let air for awhile each morning) Fill washtubs for 2 loads of laundry. Get laundry done and hung out. Rake out chicken pen and put rakings on mulch pile. Same with geese and duck pen and decide to do goat and dog pens tomorrow.
Sweep off porches and steps, mix a batch of soaps, make some candles.
Get some tea and a sandwich while I check emails again and read some blogs. Also work on my etsy shop to update.
Work on paperwork, feed the iguana and clean his cage. Sweep the floors and straighten up the house (except kitchen as workman is still in there)
Go visit neighbor and put her new arrived cards in her scrapbook I made for her.
Come home grab the milk bucket and start on evening chores. Same as morning except I gather the days eggs. Make sure everyone has clean fresh water.
Strain put the milk away,
Finish the cheese I started yesterday. Clean up the kitchen from the workman's day.
Bring firewood and stack on porch and build small fire.
Make my evening meal and eat while checking emails and getting soap orders to fill tomorrow. Wash and put away my dishes, take a shower and put on pj's
Relax with a nice cup of hot chocolate while reading today's mail and newspaper and watching a little tv.
After watching the 11 pm news I go out and check on all the animals, make sure everything is put away and cleaned up in the house. Brush my teeth and get in bed around midnight.

Rebekka in Copenhagen Denmark
Got up at 6 am. Took a shower, moisturised, dried my hair, ate breakfast (plain yoghurt with muesli and a cup of coffee), checked my email, did a little bit of makeup. My husband got up at 7:15, right before I left. I'm slow in the morning so I give myself plenty of time to get around.
I rode my bicycle to the hospital where I'm in my clinical placement. It takes about 15 minutes to get there. My placement is a gerontopsychiatric ward (old people). I'm there from 7:30 to 15 most days. Yesterday I had my own patient for the first time, she was very aggressive but she did let me help her be washed in the end. At 10 o'clock I had an evaluation meeting with my clinical advisors. Then at 10 minutes to 12 I ran over to the kiosk and bought a sandwich, ran back to the building and went up to the 3rd floor where there was a lecture and discussion with the other nursing students who are doing psychiatry right now.
At 14:45 we were finished and I rode my bicycle over to the Pharmaceutical Instititute, which is right across the street from where I live. There was an information session for our 6th semester clinical placements, which start in February. It was sort of boring, I've heard most of it before. It started at 15 and was finished at 16:15.
I rode my bicycle down to the closest S-train station and left my bicycle there. I took the train to Frederiksberg, which is a little city like an island in Copenhagen. From the station I walked 10 minutes to Skt. Mariæ Church where I met some people for dinner in the church hall. There is also a convent there and one of our group was one of the sisters, she is so sweet and funny. It was the first time I had been with the group because I just started going there. An old Irish priest came, too. After we had eaten together (potatoes, fried meatballs, homebaked bread, a sort of stewed fruit mix of pears, apples, prunes and bacon--yummy!--and some salad) we cleaned up and then went over to a room under the priest's residence where they have made a sort of mini-church. The ancient priest said Mass (it was All Saints Day yesterday) and then some people went home. The rest of us said a rosary together, and then went home. One of the other people in the group drove me to the train station where I'd left my bicycle, then I biked home from there.
When I got home it was 22:15. My husband was in a bad mood because he had a stomach-ache (he has Crohn's disease). I sat with him for a little while while he watched a police drama on TV, then I washed my face and brushed my teeth and went to bed, where I read a little bit in my library book about a man working as a nurse in Greenland. Then I fell asleep at about 23.

Amy in Pennsylvania
~I get up at 5:45 every morning and get my shower and dress right away.
~I gather laundry to take downstairs,prepare my hubby's and kid's breakfast.
~I start the laundry, then take the kids to the bus stop
~I come back and get a cup of coffee and read the paper for 10 minutes.
~I continue to work on my laundry while I check and read blogs for 30 minutes or less.
~By 8:00, I eat breakfast w/ my 3 yr. old and then get him dressed for the day.
~I do whatever chores are on my daily chore list.
~I then have daily devotions and special time with son before lunch
~Son and I eat together, then he is down for his nap.
~I then either read, sew or catch up on other work while he is sleeping.
~I go to the bus stop again at 3:00
~I spend time with daughter, catching up on her day
~The family is home by 5:45 and we eat at 6:00
~Kitchen is cleaned up and lunches are packed for the next day.
~Son is bathed and get's ready for bed by 8:30
~I can either read or spend time with hubby.
~Off to bed by 10pm.

Jenni in Queensland Australia
5:30 – 6:00am - woken by 3yr old coming into our room
5:45 – 6:15am – DP will get up with 3yr old and make tea, boot up computers and deal with 3yr old.
6:30am – DP brings me tea while I give baby a breastfeed.
7:00 am – Put nappies on to wash. Breakfast, unload dishwasher, check email, make beds, I try to do all this whilst 3yr old is eating otherwise it takes twice as long with his ‘help’.
7:30 – 8:00am – 2nd cup of tea, answer emails, check blogs, organize rest of day. DP has started work (he works at home) so take him cup of tea and check on his plans for the day.
8:30 – 9:00am – hang out nappies and check and water veggie patch. Put 2nd load of washing on. Decide on dinner and get any meat out of freezer.
9:30 – 10:00am – Do housework ie vacuum and mop, or dust or clean bathrooms depending on what I did last and what needs doing….
11:00 – 11:30am – morning tea for 3yr old, DP and self, breastfeed for baby. Hang out washing, tidy up after 3yr old and re-organize his play/toys, help him get his paints or play dough etc.
12:30 – 1:00pm – Lunch for 3yr old and put him down for nap.1:30 pm – Lunch for self and DP plus baby if he is not napping…
2:00 pm – Try to put baby down for nap. Computer time, also crafting time, knitting, cross stitch or I am making appliquéd baby singlets and t-shirts for a friends shop.
3:00 – 3:30pm – If we need to go to the shop for milk or the library we go now. If we don’t need to go we might make biscuits or a cake. The 3yr old will play outside or with his toys and baby and I will join in.. I might even get some more crafting or computer time while they play near me. Bring in washing, sort nappies, fold and put away clothes.
4:30 – 5:00pm - Start dinner prep, if we are all eating together I try to feed us around 6:00, otherwise toddler and baby are fed by 6:00pm.
6:30pm – Bath time for toddler, baby sits with us, story and bed by 7:30pm.
7:30pm – Get baby ready for bed, breastfeed and comfort him. If he doesn’t go to sleep sit on couch with him and DP till he goes to sleep.
8:30pm – Once baby asleep, couple time with DP, we might watch some TV or talk or read, I might do some more sewing or computer time.
10:00 – 10:30pm Bed time for us.
This routine varies a little if the older children are home from school for a weekend or holidays. Also we have regular commitments throughout the week, but this is a fairly typical at home day. I also have to sacrifice an at home day once a mo
nth to do the grocery shopping we live about an hour from a major shopping centre and so only go monthly.

Jeannie in Virginia USA
Through next Wednesday, I’m still working with a litter of Australian Shepherds, so my day starts with getting them to shut up. Before I get dressed or even go to the bathroom I’m shoving puppies out the door and food into their noisy little mouths. Anything to Shut. Them. UP! (I'm sorry Jeannie, but this make me laugh. I can just imagine you dealing with a mad group of Aust Shepheds.)

Normally, though, I get up at 6 a.m., make coffee, feed our usual pack (much more well-behaved and civilized), and start breakfast. Assure that my youngest son is up and supervise him heading to school (he drives himself). Then I pry my husband out of bed (we both work out of our home) and we have breakfast. Then I shower and dress and do whatever cleaning is scheduled for that day (sort of schedule. I don’t clean what isn’t dirty. But I look at it and consider.). That takes an hour or two and, since I do have lots of dogs, always includes vacuuming (though my sons do this on the weekends).
I try to fit a walk in there somewhere, grabbing whatever dog is handy. Then I start whatever for dinner, whether it’s chopping or taking out – whatever I can do to make later in the afternoon go more smoothly.
Then I head upstairs and do some office work or write my column, depending on the day. We all do laundry throughout the day, which is a chore kind of like breathing – constant and automatic. Anyone walking through the laundry room is required to tend to whatever needs to be done at that stage.
After lunch I either continue office work (depending on business) or my column (depending on how inspired I was that morning) or sew or knit or do whatever project. Around four it’s feeding time again for the dogs and time to take dinner to the next step. We don’t eat until 6:30 or 7 p.m. since my son always has an after-school activity and my older son gets home from work around then.
After dinner I’ll sit and do needlework while listening to an audio book or music or read until around 10 or 11 p.m. If there is something on TV – usually an old movie – I’ll watch it, but that hasn’t been the case for awhile. Of course some days I go grocery shopping and we do take a day once a month and travel an hour or so to do bulk shopping at a supply store for stuff like flour and sugar. And that’s it (wake up!).

And I'll finish this post with Kim's very orderly routine from the USA.

Here is the Hedges Homestead routine.

We are a family of 4 adults. MA 18.5 and HM 17.
6:15: Morning routine
bathroom visit (face, medicine, teeth, clean sinks and toilet)
air bed, make bed, vacuum floor, laundry to washer -- start load
breakfast, kitchen cleaned
7:30 School/Garden routine
walk 2 miles or bike 12
school subjects (for HM and the girl I tutor)
KM: clean living room, sweep kitchen, project room, hallway, laundry room, finish washing laundry
first school break: hang laundry, feed and water animals
Garden time: weed beds assigned to that day, plant or harvest assigned bed
KM: computer time (girls back at school work)
12:30 : Afternoon routine
lunch
clean kitchen
Garden time: front herb/flower beds
Check animals water
Sewing, crafts, quiet reading, or radio (HM and I together -- no tutoring in afternoon)
Tea, make bread
Walk 2 miles
5:00: Evening routine
MA: home, shower, take his dog out, clean room, put away laundry, computer time
HM: Feed and water animals, clean barn stalls, computer time
KM: dinner prep, compost heap, running grocery list update, computer time
Walk 1 mile
7:00: Family routine
dinner (kitchen clean up)
family time (movie, game, walk in yard, talk, listen to a book on tape) preparations for next day (men lunches, breakfast prep)
dogs out one final time, quick check of animals
9:00: Bed time
MA and HM pray then to rooms
KM and CK Spanish lesson
Lights out at 9:30.

There are still ten routines to go. I hope you find them as interesting as I do. Back soon with the next lot.

There is no doubt about it, running a home is complicated, and when you add in a partner, children, pets, homeschooling, work, gardens and working animals it can sometimes seem like you're out of control. I have no magic wand that will fix this for everyone - I get a lot of emails asking about routines - but the intention of this post is to show that we all have a full and busy lives, to give you a few resources to research for your particular lifestyle and to, hopefully, gain some inspiration by reading how we all construct our days.

I guess the thing that makes the biggest difference is babies or young children. When you have a baby crying for a feed or a cuddle, everything stops. Toddlers need a lot of supervision and play time with mum or dad. If you have babies, toddlers or young children under school age, you'll already know that you can have a routine, but it's often changed according to what the children are doing.

Many women also fit their lives around their partner. Meals are usually structured so that everyone eats when Dad comes home and often women get up early so they can have time alone with their husband before he goes off to work. Others make time during their day to talk on the phone. This often happens when the husband works away and there are frequent short phone calls to discuss various family and household matters, as well as that special time when the wife and husband have some alone time on the phone and dad talks to the kids and makes sure they're ok and they know he misses them.

Then come the pets and working animals - they all have to be fed and tended to. Cats need cuddles, dogs need walking, dairy cows and goats need milking - often twice a day, and there are eggs to collect and chook pens to clean. And they all need to be fed and watered.

Many of us have gardens that need watering and weeding and hopefully there are vegetables and fruit to be picked each day. But that only comes if the garden has been looked after and time spent planning, sowing, planting, digging, raking, staking, composting, fertilising and mulching.

Add to these common elements things like grocery shopping, cooking, baking, preserving, sewing, crafts and hobbies, reading, talking to your children and other members of the family, friends, exercise, work outside the home, volunteer work, homeschooling, cleaning, driving children around, and all the other things that fill our lives on a day to day basis, and you can see why we sometimes feel frazzled and burnt out.

Changing your attitude to housework may help you with your routine. Instead of it being something that must be done, that you don't want to do, and will have to be done again tomorrow, think of it as making your home comfortable for your family and yourself. Housework is just one of the many things we all do in our day, think of it as fluffing your nest and making your home the one place in the world where you feel comfortable and enjoy being. Be mindful of your tasks, take breaks and we proud of what you've achieved, even if you didn't finish all you set out to do. Think also of the alternative - if you did no housework, would you enjoy living in the environment that would create. Would you like to live in a dirty house, where you had no idea where anything was? You do housework for your family and yourself to help you all live to your full potential. If you can work out a general routine that suits you, adding the special jobs as they need doing each day, you'll probably find that the organisation of it will make it easier to get through.

My tip, the thing that works for me, is to have a loose routine that is almost always the same, but every morning I make a list for myself of what I'll do that day. Yesterday my list was this:

washing
clean laundry
spray seasol on aquaponics plants
start aquaponics article
start aprons

These things were done along with my regular chores. I find that now I have time to do as I wish, making a list each day allows me to think about my day before it starts properly, I can schedule chores according to my energy level that day and I can slot in things not done on the previous day or other bits and pieces that come up.

Be mindful of what you're doing, do one thing at a time and listen to the sounds of your home. This will help you concentrate on your tasks. If you have young children at home, you will be teaching them simply by carrying out your daily tasks, be a good role model and show the positive side of homemaking. And remember, everyone's routine will be different, things don't have to be perfect, they just have to work for you and your family.

There is some interesting reading here, here, here, I am not a Flylady but I know many people have been help by reading this website.

I didn't think I would get as many routines emailed as I did. I've thought about how to fit them all in, but I'm just going to add them. I am sure there will be one that speaks to you. They're all similar, but different, and they all make interesting reading. This might take two posts, so hold on to your hats. : )

This is what I did yesterday:
4am - woke up, showered, clean teeth.
4.20 - 7am - tended blog, answer emails.
7am - feed dogs, cat and fish, one load of washing, made breakfast for Hanno and I, ate breakfast and watched the news.
7.30am - make bread and wash up.
8am - make bed and lightly clean the bathroom.
8.15 - 9.00 - hang out washing, check garden, water plants, spray plants with Seasol, tie up tomatoes, pick and eat blueberries and talk to fish.
9am computer - writing and blog, bake bread.
10am morning tea with Hanno on front verandah.
10.30 - clean laundry.
11.00 start writing aquaponics article for magazine.
12.30 lunch
1.00 start work on my swap aprons and check blog throughout the afternoon.
3.00 sweep front verandah and organise pot plants, cup of tea.
4.00 garden and pick food for dinner.
5.00 make dinner - tuna cakes, potato salad, bean salad and corn on the cob.
6.00 eat dinner, clean kitchen, talk to dogs.
7.00 bed, read for an hour or two and go to sleep.

From Myra in Pittsburg
I get up aroung 7:15am
Get dressed
Feed my animal companions
Eat breakfast
Catch the bus/trolly to town for work
Work as a legal secretary from 8:30 to 5:00
Catch the bus/trolly home
Either prepare and eat dinner or eat if my son has it prepared
Catch up on blog/net reading
Do what needs to be done that day such as pay bills, laundry etc.
Shower
Go to bed and read about an hour
Go to sleep

From Sandra in the USA
get up with the alarm clock around 6a or so
start coffee read newspaper
feed cat
do a little housework - laundry, dishes, whatever
take shower
check out eyebrows
get dressed pick up around the house a little get packed lunch out of fridge drive to work while listening to NPR
look at the river as I walk across the bridge from the parking garage
punch in
speak to all my co workers
check my email throughout the day while doing my job as a nurse manager
punch out at the end of the workday
drive home start dinner unload dishwasher
take out trash and compost material
seat dinner with hubby
straighten up kitchen pack lunch for next day
check email, read blogs
write in blog
knit get ready for bed
read in bed a while
check clock sleep - maybe getting up once to go to bathroom
wake up and have another beautiful day

From Mary in Amarillo Texas
5:00 I wake up and have my quiet time and Bible study
6:00 shower and get dressed
6:45 make breakfast
7:00 my youngest three darlings wake up ready to eat (our 3 older children are grown and gone)
7:30 get children dressed, beds made, and bedrooms straightened
8:00 I clean the kitchen and we pick up, dust, clean bathrooms, etc.9:00 homeschool begins for our 2 kindergarteners
10:00 homeschool ends, the children are free to play while I read the newspaper and check emails
11:00 2-3 mornings a week we run any necessary errands
12:00 lunch
12:30 rest time and reading
1:30 - 3:30 Sewing time for me, outdoor play time for children
3:30 afternoon chores - sweeping patios, feeding the dog, fish, etc..
4:30 I begin preparing our evening meal
5:30 we eat a wonderful family meal together
6:00 game time, book time, riding bikes, etc.
7:00 bath time
8:00 bed time for the little ones
8:30 - 10:00 check emails, read, sew, etc.
10:30 bedtime!

From Polly in Oz
5.00 – Get up and make K’s lunch and our breakfast, wash the dishes and tidy the kitchen
6.00 – Internet to read ALS and blogs for an hour – I also boot up the computer every now and then during the day to check emails and forums.
7.00 – Wash and dress, quick clean of the bathroom and toilet, sort washing and do a load if there is a full load, make bed and tidy bedroom
8.00 – Empty collected water from kitchen sink, bathroom basin and shower onto pot plants or garden. Wash dogs’ bowls and play with the dogs for a short time. Hang washing on the line
9.00 – Sweep the floors and wash floor in kitchen area, talk to my sister on the telephone because she has a week off work and time to spare. She also has a phone plan that allows for a long conversation at a cheap price so we make the most of it while both having an early morning tea.
10.00 – Check the vegetable garden. Pick most of the lemons on my little Meyer lemon tree. Make up three jars of preserved lemons and freeze the juice from the rest of the lemons11.30 – Do some knitting
12.00 – Have some lunch and read for a while
1.00 – Get the bread maker started on the dough for a loaf. Make a kidney bean spread and a batch of biscuits for lunches
2.00 – Pay some bills on the computer, read emails and a couple of forums
3.00 – Do the ironing and some mending
4.30 – Have a cup of coffee and knit. Talk to my DIL on the telephone
5.30 – Feed the dogs. Pick some artichokes then prepare and cook them ready for pizza tomorrow night.
6-00 – Prepare ingredients for dinner while I watch some TV – interrupted by my sister again – she’s a great talker J
7-00 – Cook dinner while watching the news
7.30 – Eat dinner as soon as K is home, then do the dishes and clean the kitchen
8.30 – Get ready for bed, read for a little while, asleep by 9.00pm

From Niki in Ottawa Canada
Wake up 6:30 ishcoffee
computer time
laundry going
cooking and baking for the day
kitchen clean up
house cleaning, different areas on different days on good days a little walk
lunch
rest
check computer
by now it is mid to late afternoon
I usually read, or do some handwork
any last minute supper prep
supper with family
clean kitchen with family
TV books movies games computer time something like that for the evening
bed by 10 - 10:30

From Jessica Chapman in the USA
6am- Get up/Get dressed
6.30- Make coffee/and lunches/and breakfast
6.40- Get baby up, dressed and breakfast
6.45- Leave House
6.45-7.15- Drive to work
7.15-8.30- Office Hours In Classroom/Planning Time
8.30-9.30- First Class Period- Teach 6th Grade
9.30-10.30- Second Class Period- Teach 7th Grade
10.30-11.30- Third Class Period- Teach 8th Grade, First Rotation
11.30-12.00-Teach Fifth Period Reading Class, Round one.
12.00-12.30-Lunch Break
12.30-1.00-Teach Fifth Period Reading Class, Round two.
1.00-2.00-Sixth Class Period- Teach 8th Grade, Second Rotation
2.00-3.00- Meetings, Administrative work, Work in classroom.
3.00-3.30-Drive to son's daycare, pick him up
3.30-4.00-Errands, Drive home
4.00-4.15-Afternoon Snack and Tea
4.15-5.00-Hang out with Camden :)
5.00-6.00-Cook Dinner
6.00-6.30-Eat dinner
6.30-6.45 - Clean up from dinner, Give baby a bath (husband and I switch off one for the other).
6.45-7.00-Story time, Dancing time with baby
7.00-Baby goes to bed
7.00-8.00- Computer time, my bath time.
8.00-10.00- My "me" time-- TV, Crafts, Whatever I want to do!
10.00-Bedtime

There are many more to follow. I'll post them after breakfast, I can smell toast cooking. : )

This photo is completely off today's topic, it's a small view of our front garden. It's spring here so we have all sorts of flowers growing. Incorporating beauty into your life is an important part of living simply. But just so you know I've not gone completely flower crazy in the front garden, those leaves poking into the top right hand corner are avocado leaves and planted next to the avocado are rosellas (a type of hibiscus that we'll use the flowers of to make jam, tea and cordial) and radishes.

SELF DISCOVERY AND REINVENTION
As we mature we all have a certain view of ourselves and the life we live. Now that you’ve decided to change how you live, reassess your personal view of yourself. Look critically at your values and what you think is important to you and your family. Don’t be afraid to reinvent certain parts of your life. Your aspirations might have changed a lot over the last few years and things you’ve always known to be true about yourself and others may have changed.

If you’re in your twenties and don’t yet have a rigid idea of being a particular type of person, you’ll be starting with a clean slate. You are in the ideal position of having your entire adult life ahead and, therefore, would, theoretically, be in a position to gain the most from living simply. What you decide for yourself now could set you up for an interesting life that will not be burdened with credit card payments and the waste that many of us work through during our younger years. You are in the box seat, make the most of it.

But no matter what stage of life you're at, living simply will improve your life. There are many benefits to be discovered in living at a gentler pace and they are there no matter what age you are right now.

If you’ve thought in the past that your success meant living in a big house, driving an expensive car and living the high life, you should reassess that. Your new version of success may include learning about gardening, cooking or preserving. It may be to raise thoughtful children who love the simple life. Your new successes may be in paying off your mortgage years early and living debt-free, or learning how to live well on less.

You might start organising your time to better suit your new life so that you can include some volunteering or community work, you might enlarge your vegetable garden and grow a wider variety of fruit and vegetables to share with family and neighbours. You might learn a new language or teach your grandchildren to read. Whatever your interpretation of success is now, incorporate it into your life with enthusiasm and throw out old negative ideas.

And please be brave in your new life. If you now have different views to those close to you - your family and friends - tell them. Don't lock them out of your new life, try to bring them with you by explaining why you've changed and what you hope your life will become. They may not understand the need for change, they may even try to convince you not to change, but respect yourself and your new life enough to be proud of it.

CHANGING YOUR ATTITUDE
Although this might be one of the most difficult things to do, changing your attitude will help you adjust to your new life and in the long run, will give you real satisfaction. If you want to live simply because you’re not happy living the way you are now and you know things need to change, then a change of attitude will help you slide more easily into your new life. Attitude adjustment will facilitate many of the changes you’re about to make.

By now you probably realise that buying more and bigger things, upgrading to the latest version and being the first with the latest is like being on a never-ending treadmill. If you listen to those voices that tell you to consume, you’ll never be good enough or have enough; it will never end. It will take a conscious effort to get off that cycle of consumption and to be content with who you are and what you have. Change your idea of what success is and what will make you happy. What you see as success will always be just slightly out of reach if it is defined for you by magazines, TV, advertising or people you know.

Success isn’t being surrounded by expensive possessions; genuine achievement has a much more complex character. Success is feeling comfortable in your own skin, being satisfied by what you’ve accomplished, living according to your values and having the confidence to show the type of person you are. Real success is never defined by possessions, no matter how many times you hear that on TV, or from your relatives or friends.

Carrying on with our theme of not wasting food, today I want to talk about auditing your stockpile. We did our monthly shopping yesterday so I did mine then. It's a good habit to get into if you're stockpiling. Remember that when you spend your hard earned money on anything, it should be looked after so it gives you value for your money. Your stockpile is included in that; it needs to be looked after properly.

You should rotate your stock, just like they do in the supermarkets. When you buy new food from the supermarket, always place it at the back of your current stock. Just move everything forward and place your new items at the back. And always take from the front when you use something. That way you should keep your stock rotating and good for eating.

When you audit your stockpile, also check all your produce in packets. Make sure you have no pantry moths or weevils crawling around. If you find anything like that, empty your stockpile cupboard, vacuum the shelves to pick up any tiny eggs, then wipe your shelves over with a terry cloth dipped in hot water and eucalyptus or tea tree oil. Don't make your solution too strong because you don't want the smell to get into your food. You just want to deter the bugs. If possible, keep all your dry goods in air tight containers. If you have an infestation of pantry moths or some other bugs, you'll lose a lot of what you're storing, so protect as much of it as you can. If you don't have storage jars, it's a good idea to buy one every time you do your shopping. If you have enough money buy a large one, if you don't have so much left over, buy a smaller one.

I store all my dried goods like rice, pasta, all my flours, seeds, nuts, couscous and lentils in their packets in a freezer that is full of my stockpiled dried goods. The temperature is turned down to the lowest setting. In my humid climate this keeps our food safe from any sort of bug. If the power goes off, it doesn't matter as there is no perishable food in the freezer. The cost of running it over a full year is very low.

When you're auditing your stockpile, check all your preserved goods too. Make sure there is no mould growing in the jars and that the lids are firmly attached. Line them up again so that you use the oldest first.

Stockpiling groceries is the best way I know of to lower your food bill. It will also help you survive an emergency - both a national emergency and a personal emergency. But remember, it's worth a lot of money and must be looked after. If you do an audit every three months, as well as when you add new stock to your cupboard, you'll reap all the benefits of your stockpile.