down to earth

Dear friends, I've opened the Simple, Green Frugal Co-op blog again. I started the blog back in 2008 with a group of bloggers I invited to join me. When things got busy, I retired it but now it's back with its unique take on simple life. Click here to go there.

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I unintentionally fell into retirement when I stopped working because my head was about to explode. When I tried to reorganise my world so I spent less, one thing lead to another, everything started getting better and I never returned to work; I was in my mid-50s. Even though my retirement wasn't planned, it's been the most wonderful time for me with my family. I don't think I really thought about retirement before I realised I'd retired but I have to say, it's the golden treasure at the end of the working rainbow. Hanno planned his retirement and we'd paid of our debts before he retired but after retirement, he was bored so he bought a little shop in Montville and worked another six years.

This isn't where you'll be most of the time. : - )

Being self-employed all those years, I only had a small superannuation package because there was always something else to spend the money on. Had we not been debt-free, there would have been no way I could have thought about retiring when I did. Now we're both on the pension and because we don't pay rent, have paid off the mortgage and have no other debt, we save a couple of hundred dollars every fortnight. And we live well. Our friends think we should travel but we're content being here and doing what we do. We might go for a trip to Tasmania and Victoria next year after the new book is out but that will be it. There will be no flying holidays and no extravagance.

We taught ourselves to be frugal because we could see that if we cut our living expenses, we would have a good life using our time wisely. I suppose we swapped working for a living for working for a life. We became much more productive at home and made a lot of the things we used to buy, and that made all the difference. That's one of the wonderful things about retirement, you have time. Your time to do as you wish. So if it is your wish to cut expenses, look for bargains and be more productive at home, you'll have the time it takes to do all it. And instead of being one of the people who feel useless in retirement, you can take control of your life and lead it to places unexpected.

There is a trap a lot of us fall into, and I fell too. And that is not taking retirement seriously, not making a retirement plan and not making your own estimate of how much money you'll need. The way we live doesn't fit into the mainstream estimates because a lot of our value and assets is in the work we do. And that's extremely difficult to plan for because you don't know how fit you'll be and how much you'll be able to take on yourself. My only advice is to judge your future in part on how you are today. If you've been healthy most of your life and plan to live the way we do, be optimistic and believe you can do the work. If there's some doubt, be more cautious.

You need to be doing this from when you first start working and although I don't think you need the amount of money our governments tell us we need, you do need enough to cover the kind of lifestyle you wish to live in retirement. So if you want to travel, you'll have to factor that in to your retirement estimate but if you're content to travel locally, then stay at home, you'll need much less. Don't forget, if you are very young now, you might not have the benefit of a pension so this long term planning is vital for you.

So what are the other things that can be planned along the way?

Pay down your debt as quickly as you can. Once you've done that, you can start saving or adding more to your retirement fund. Don't put all your eggs in one basket either. I know a couple of people who lost half their retirement savings during the GFC because all their investments were in real estate. Diversify, use your common sense and treat this money like it's your lifeline, because it is.
If you think you'll move before you retire, do it well before hand. There are a lot of things you can do in your own home to help you stay fit and healthy long into your old age. Things like fences, solar panels, vegetable gardens, chickens and bee hives. So if you need to move or you want to make those modifications to help you when you've retired, do it beforehand, not afterwards. You'll have the money for it and the energy to do the work yourself.
Learn how to cook, sew, mend, recycle, garden, ferment, knit, fish, and as much about the maintenance on your house and car as you possibly can.
Make a budget that you can live on and put your savings to work. Then menu plan, stockpile, shop for bargains, bake and do as much for yourself as you can before you retire. If you're using those skills when they're not essential, you'll adjust to retirement more easily.
Try to live near your family or connect with your community so you have a support system around you. Stay healthy and fit and in your own home for as long as possible. Despite the scaremongering, most people live out their lives in their own homes, not in retirement homes. The more you can prepare for a long life at home, the more successful you will be.
Remain interested and involved and don't believe that older people can't do much. There isn't much respect for older folk now but don't ever let that stop you doing what you want, when you want to do it.
Make your own rules.

This is a question for all the stay at home mums and dads out there: Do you have a retirement plan that includes savings or insurance? I think most people will say no but it's an important part of our life's planning. The unexpected does happen and you have to be prepared for it. If you are working at home and have made plans for your financial future, please share how you've done that.

There is some excellent information here about retirement for Australians. Even if you're 30, it's essential reading. Information about getting ready for retirement. And here is a retirement planner, it's an Australian government product so don't worry about investment people harassing you after you fill it in. It's confidential and very helpful. Again, for every age and even if you don't live in Australia, it will give you some good ideas.

During the week as I was ironing I came across a pillow case that was frayed and very thin in a few places. It came in a set of a fitted sheet, top sheet and two pillow cases and to the best of my knowledge it's about ten years old. A lovely pair of blue and white check sheets that I always enjoyed using and thought looked lovely and fresh on the bed. Oh well, all good things must end, the rest of the set survived. I got four good sized rags from that one pillow case and they will probably last for another year, working for a different purpose. I love doing those little things that help me save money and lighten our foot print here. Such a short amount of time to make a difference.

As the fabric was so thin, I decided to make the rags double thickness so after I cut it into four, I stitched the perimeter to keep it together, then pinked the frayed ends off. The pinking will ensure the edges don't fray again and when I'm cleaning, I won't leave threads of cotton behind.

I haven't bought any sort of cleaning or washing up cloth for about 12 years now and have been very happy with how I can extend the life of worn out fabrics simply by cutting them to shape and tidying up the edges. I smile when I think of young Rhonda buying cleaning cloths and throwing out useful old towels to landfill. Such an innocent I was, working for the enemy. I think in those 12 years I probably saved close to $500 just on cleaning cloths. Amazing eh? Here are the current cleaning cloth prices at my local shop: Chux original 10 pack $3.99, Chux super giant 5 pack $3.99, Jif Ballerina cloth @ $1.70 each, Woolworths cleaning cloth domestic wipes extra $3.29, Chux kitchen scrubs non-scratch 4 pack $2.54. On the other side of the coin, a recycled pillow case, towels and sheets: zero, maybe five cents for the electricity. And it has the added advantage of not sending more rubbish to the tip - not the old commercial cloth when it's short life is over and not the packaging that it comes in. I wonder what a ballerina cloth is.

And speaking of dish and cleaning cloths, Faye's post on The Blessed Hearth about loving your kitchen struck a cord with me. I took Faye's lead and decided to make up a couple of fabric cleaning cloths to see if I liked them. The answer is a resounding YES! I love using them for washing up, wiping down the bench tops and general cleaning. So I made up a few more to test over the coming months.

Right sides together on the inside when they're sewn.

Cut off the inside corner so it doesn't bulk up when you turn it out and form the corner.

When the sides are sewn together and the cloth is turned out to the right side, edge the border with zig zag stitch.

This is the most basic of sewing so if you've never attempted anything on the sewing machine before, this is your project. Simply cut out a square as big as you want it to be, mine are about 10 inches square. I think you need two layers for absorbency, and they have to be sewn together.

Turn them so the right sides are facing inwards, then stitch around three sides.
Cut the right angle corner off fairly close to the stitch line so it will sit properly.
Turn the cloth right side out, turn the hem of the fourth side under and pin it, then zigzag stitch around the border of the cloth.
Finished, but don't forget to wash the cloths before you use them. Many fabrics are dressed with chemicals and it needs to be washed off.

I made two cloths with flannel one side and recycled terry towelling on the other for heavier cleaning. They don't dry as fast as the knitted cloths, but it's not a problem if I hang them to dry in between uses or on the side of the laundry hamper when they need a wash.

I made seven cloths in about 25 minutes. So if you aren't a knitter, here is a good way of making cleaning and washing up cloths that provide a good cleaning tool and cost next to nothing. Believe in yourself, you can do this.

If you've ever been to Nundle NSW, you'll know it's an old gold mining area. Tucked into the rolling hills between the coast and Tamworth, it's a beautiful area with a lot to offer driving tourists. If you're looking for something to do on Easter Saturday and Sunday, look no further than Nundle. That is the weekend of the Nundle Go For Gold Festival.

While you're there, pop in and treat yourself by looking through the wonderful Odgers and McClelland Exchange Stores, one of my favourite stores. Megan and Duncan have been to Sydney buying at the wholesale fairs and the shop is full. "We always aim to have the store looking fantastic for the festival. We prepare a special traditional boiled lolly stall out the front of our shop with tall glass jars filled with Red Backs, Butter Balls, Aniseed Balls, Raspberry Drops, made in South Australia," Megan said.

Megan sorting through lollies at the front of their store.

The Nundle Go For Gold Festival, started as a Nundle and District Lions Club activity about 18 years ago, is now the second largest festival in north west NSW, after the Tamworth Country Music Festival. And it is hosted by a small community of 300 people and organised by half a dozen volunteers.

The Chinese theme was introduced to highlight the population of Chinese migrants attracted to the goldfields after gold was first discovered at Hanging Rock in 1852. The Chinese made up the majority of the population at that time.

Over the Easter weekend the quiet streets of Nundle are transformed with the noisy percussion, colourful costumes and acrobatic movement of the Chinese Lion and Dragon Dances. Performed by the Australian Yau Kung Mu Association from Sydney, the troupe of about 40 dancers and support crew perform twice daily and put a LED light show on Saturday evening.

Panning for gold.

Another highlight of the weekend is the gold panning. If you need evidence that gold fever is alive and well you'll find it at Nundle at Easter. At last year's festival more than 600 people panned for gold in tubs filled with gravel and peppered with gold, including four nuggets, worth more than $1000.

The street market attracts about 100 market stalls selling fresh produce, preserves, honey, homemade cakes, clothing, food, toys, plants and the ubiquitous takeaway espresso. Live music will feature the Sax Summit, Dylan Hartas, the Blues Martyrs, Nundle musician Jeff Gibson, and traditional Chinese music by David Wei and Eva Timms.

If you're inclined to stay overnight or for the weekend, there is a range of accommodation such as tent and caravan camping, motel, bed and breakfast, cabins and a self-contained cottage. More details are available here. It looks like a great weekend.

I was talking to a friend the other day and told her that I'd never been so busy in my life. It's true, I am busier now with family, friends, work, creative projects and a life that makes me feel such gratitude and peace that every day feels like a magnificent gift. Most people think simple life is quiet and steady, and while it has those periods, it also has times like those we're going through now that are hectic and full of life. There are so many things happening here. You'd think that having two weeks off the blog I'd have a few posts lined up to share with you, but no, time has not allowed me to do that so instead, I want to update you on some of the things going on around our place with a few photos.

Sunny and Jamie are going to Korea today so they can be at Sunny's sister's wedding. Kerry is running the sushi shop while she's away. It's been wonderful having Jamie here every afternoon for the past couple of weeks. He comes in full of stories about what happened at kindy and while I make him a snack and a drink, it takes me back 30 years when I did the same thing for my boys. How time flies.

I've been tested with my cooking skills lately because Hanno has had a tooth out on one side, then next week he has one out on the other side. Weeks of soft food have left me wondering if we'll ever return to the freedom of selecting whatever we want to eat and not what we have to eat. I've been fiddling around with lemons too, it feels good to see plenty of ripening lemons on the tree. Our new lemon tree is in fruit too this year. There is no such thing as having too many lemon here at our place. I'll show you what I did with them next week.

Pork meatballs with herb gravy, steamed cauliflower and potatoes.

I'm having a love affair with Medjool dates at the moment. Here they are baked in a bar cake with walnuts.

Homemade potato and sweet potato wedges ready to go into the oven. I forgot to take a photo when they came out.

Above and below is the front verandah now. It's been like that for a week. There was concrete cancer in several spots near the front door so we got a tradesman in to get rid of it and tile over the top. I would have liked to tile the entire verandah but we can't afford that so this little area will provide a safe entrance to our home and when everything is back in place, I hope it still looks like an inviting and relaxing place.

And the first of the raspberries crept up on us. Jamie brought in a small handful during the week. They're Heritage raspberries, the first time we've grown them here, and they look like being a good cropper. We haven't done any planting in our garden yet. We usually plant up in March, and we will do that, but we're slower now and planting has to wait until we have the time for it. I hope we have seedlings in the ground by the end of the month and even with our smaller garden we hope to produce enough herbs, lettuce, tomatoes and possibly potatoes to keep us happy for a while.

So there it is in a nutshell. I'll stop here and instead of talking about work, I'll do some of it. I'm sure you get the picture, it's probably the same at your place. It's just life expanding to fill the space provided for it. I hope you have a lovely day.