I love being at home and not having to rush off to meet deadlines for other people. I can just make heaps of progress on the things I want to achieve. Today I started by doing a pile of ironing. I have not finished but am making some headway. Then after breakfast we went to a local market and got enough fruit and vegies for the week - after I had done a menu plan.
The meals for the week (Saturday to Friday) are (in not particular order):
Mushroom and bacon quiche with salad - we had this toinght and there are enough leftovers for lunches.
Nachos
Sweet & sour meatballs with rice
Pumpkin soup
Tuna patties and vegies
Stir-fry beef and broccoli with rice
Mexican bean pie and salad
I have made this list from the what I already have plus the fruit and vegetables I bought this morning as it is not payday till Tuesday.
We spent the rest of the day in the garden. 2 garden beds are weeded. The large branch off the silky oak which came down in some wild weather before Christmas has been removed from its resting place on the chook house roof and through the patch of heliconias. It is now cut up and all of the smaller pieces mulched. We tidied up some other piles of branches and mulched lots of that as well. The area near the chook-house looks much tidier as a result and we can actually walk along the path to the avocado and other trees at the back.
Then we turned our attention the the workshop/shed which has really got out of control over the last 6 - 12 months while we have been busy doing things for other people. The metal shelving which came from my Mum's place is now fully assembled and positioned in the corner by the door. All of the tins of paint have been checked and those with next to nothing in them are open and drying out prior to dicarding them. The rest of the tins are sorted and stacked in the shelves under the windows (re-purposed kitchen cupboards from the kitchen renovations last year). We discovered a few things that we had been keeping 'just in case' were really only fit for the bin so out they went. All of the cardboard boxes are flattened and stacked, ready to use for the base of our raised garden bed. A cupboard whcih we had acquired ages ago has been cleaned and we will put that on the verandah tomorrow. It will house all of the equipment and accessories for the BBQ and the top will be where we place the Mr K's (the cat) bed. He likes to be up high so he can survey his domain.
Since we have had the solar panels installed I am trying to use our power at night to maximise the amount which is returned to the grid during the day. So, once it was dark I turned my attention to cooking. I made the quiche, roasted some garlic and also made a muesli slice for snacks during the week. The roasted garlic went into the slow-cooker with the rest of the ingredients to make refried beans. That will simmer overnight and be ready to process in the blender in the morning. I will then freeze it in 500g portions. Some will be used in the nachos and also the Mexican Bean Pie.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Welcome to the Weekend
It is Friday evening and the beginning of a great weekend. Since I work full-time I often feel like the weekend is spent chasing my tail and just getting the bare essentials done ready for the next working week.
Thanks to a public holiday mid-week we have been able to get a bit of a headstart. Most of the grass is mowed, the house is reasonably tidy and the washing is mostly up to date.
This weekend we plan to build a new vegie garden and weed some of the others.
I will do a menu plan, some meal preparation and baking. Of course, there is always the ironing and hopefully I will do some sewing and make a bit more progress on decluttering and tidying my sewing room. I did give Z (younger daughter) some cushions, a large wooden tray and some skirt hangers from that room. There is a large upholstered box couch which will be going to C's house next time we are taking the ute down there.
Perhaps this will be the week when I get things sorted and post some photos on my blog posts. It will liven things up and hopefully add some interest.
Thanks to a public holiday mid-week we have been able to get a bit of a headstart. Most of the grass is mowed, the house is reasonably tidy and the washing is mostly up to date.
This weekend we plan to build a new vegie garden and weed some of the others.
I will do a menu plan, some meal preparation and baking. Of course, there is always the ironing and hopefully I will do some sewing and make a bit more progress on decluttering and tidying my sewing room. I did give Z (younger daughter) some cushions, a large wooden tray and some skirt hangers from that room. There is a large upholstered box couch which will be going to C's house next time we are taking the ute down there.
Perhaps this will be the week when I get things sorted and post some photos on my blog posts. It will liven things up and hopefully add some interest.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Electricity - Good and Bad
Back from my our holiday and two bits of electricity news.
First, the bad news...........
We generally turn off all appliances at the wall when not in use apart from the computer, fridge, freezer and clock radio/alarm. All are necessary apart from the computer, which is just laziness. Before we went away last week for 9 days G turned off all of the computer stuff but did not realise that the small freezer is also plugged into that powerboard!!
So...........we came home to a freezer of thawed food - luckily it was not full, but we have had to throw out the following:
Ice-cream 2 litres
Grapefruit juice 1.5 litres
Chicken stock 1.5 litres
Chicken breast fillets x 3
Banana cake 24 slices
Rice 1 serve
Shepherd's pie 2 serves
Chilli con carne 6 serves
Pumpkin soup 5 serves
Bolognaise sauce 2 serves
Refried beans 4 x 500g
One of my jobs for tomorrow is to put red duct tape on the cord where it plugs in with a reminder tag "DO NOT SWITCH OFF".
The good news is that for the first time since we had our solar panels installed about 10 weeks ago we have had a day of full sunshine and I was here to note that we generated 24kWh today from our 20 panels. I am really pleased as our average daily usage is about 10kWh so this is definitely going to make money over the long term. We knew that after doing our sums and discussions with the solar company but it is fantastic to actually be able to see it on the meter.
First, the bad news...........
We generally turn off all appliances at the wall when not in use apart from the computer, fridge, freezer and clock radio/alarm. All are necessary apart from the computer, which is just laziness. Before we went away last week for 9 days G turned off all of the computer stuff but did not realise that the small freezer is also plugged into that powerboard!!
So...........we came home to a freezer of thawed food - luckily it was not full, but we have had to throw out the following:
Ice-cream 2 litres
Grapefruit juice 1.5 litres
Chicken stock 1.5 litres
Chicken breast fillets x 3
Banana cake 24 slices
Rice 1 serve
Shepherd's pie 2 serves
Chilli con carne 6 serves
Pumpkin soup 5 serves
Bolognaise sauce 2 serves
Refried beans 4 x 500g
One of my jobs for tomorrow is to put red duct tape on the cord where it plugs in with a reminder tag "DO NOT SWITCH OFF".
The good news is that for the first time since we had our solar panels installed about 10 weeks ago we have had a day of full sunshine and I was here to note that we generated 24kWh today from our 20 panels. I am really pleased as our average daily usage is about 10kWh so this is definitely going to make money over the long term. We knew that after doing our sums and discussions with the solar company but it is fantastic to actually be able to see it on the meter.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Blog Takes a Holiday
The title says it all. There may be a hiatus for about 9 days. See you when I get back.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Some Good News
Due to the extreme weather events of the past few days in our corner of the world it has been a bit difficult to focus on anything else, including writing this blog.
It has been a challenge to find much that is good news lately but we do need to try to find some positives in all of this mess.My family are all unscathed from this disaster. Even my mother's unit which seemed at risk was spared by a small margin, thanks to the flood peak being lower than expected.
Mum and I have had a bit of a debriefing session on the telephone and identified some things that we could have planned better and also some things to do which will makeleaving the unit in an emergency situation a bit more streamlined. I intend to implement some of these strategies myself. More details later.
The other project I am planning is to make an index of things in our home. As I have decluttered and sorted our stuff I have realised that I do not always know exactly where things are. Sometimes I have to try wardrobes in 2 or 3 rooms as well as the linen cupboard, pantry or downstairs storage before I can locate a particular item. This a work in progress but I will report back on my progress over time.
It has been a challenge to find much that is good news lately but we do need to try to find some positives in all of this mess.My family are all unscathed from this disaster. Even my mother's unit which seemed at risk was spared by a small margin, thanks to the flood peak being lower than expected.
Mum and I have had a bit of a debriefing session on the telephone and identified some things that we could have planned better and also some things to do which will makeleaving the unit in an emergency situation a bit more streamlined. I intend to implement some of these strategies myself. More details later.
The other project I am planning is to make an index of things in our home. As I have decluttered and sorted our stuff I have realised that I do not always know exactly where things are. Sometimes I have to try wardrobes in 2 or 3 rooms as well as the linen cupboard, pantry or downstairs storage before I can locate a particular item. This a work in progress but I will report back on my progress over time.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
So Upset.............
People have lost their lives. Homes and livelihoods have been destroyed and there is much more devastation to come as the floodwaters make their way through Ipswich and into the Brisbane metropolitan area.
After a extraordinarily torrential downpour this afternoon our yard was more flooded than before, full-sized Besser blocks had been washed metres from where they had been under the gate and the lower end of the driveway was awash. As the rain eased to drizzle I donned a full-length Driza-Bone and set off down the road to see how badly the water was coming over the embankment on the vacant block below us. I was met by a neighbour coming up the road from the other direction and then subjected to a tirade during which I was virtually accused of causing the problem of the water flowing over. It is rushing down the road and then crossing the road and rushing down the mountain but in the process destroying their garden (acreage). It was also suggested that I would be sent a bill for the damage. I was shell-shocked and after the bearer of this news retreated to their own home I just stood by the side of the road in the pouring rain bawling my eyes out.
How thoughtless, rude and callous can one person be?
After a extraordinarily torrential downpour this afternoon our yard was more flooded than before, full-sized Besser blocks had been washed metres from where they had been under the gate and the lower end of the driveway was awash. As the rain eased to drizzle I donned a full-length Driza-Bone and set off down the road to see how badly the water was coming over the embankment on the vacant block below us. I was met by a neighbour coming up the road from the other direction and then subjected to a tirade during which I was virtually accused of causing the problem of the water flowing over. It is rushing down the road and then crossing the road and rushing down the mountain but in the process destroying their garden (acreage). It was also suggested that I would be sent a bill for the damage. I was shell-shocked and after the bearer of this news retreated to their own home I just stood by the side of the road in the pouring rain bawling my eyes out.
How thoughtless, rude and callous can one person be?
Prayers to All
I didn't post last night - I was too shocked at the devastation in Toowoomba. This link was the first I saw and there is so much other video footage and photos on the internet.
The thunderstorms, torrential rain and small landslides in our area are nothing compared to what people in Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley are surrounding areas have suffered.
There are now warnings of serious flooding in the Ipswich area and Brisbane.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is suffering from this extreme event. Let us not forget those battling bushfires on the other side of the country, south of Perth.
The thunderstorms, torrential rain and small landslides in our area are nothing compared to what people in Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley are surrounding areas have suffered.
There are now warnings of serious flooding in the Ipswich area and Brisbane.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is suffering from this extreme event. Let us not forget those battling bushfires on the other side of the country, south of Perth.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Castle has a Moat!!
We have had torrential rain here overnight and continued all day today. Here is the result. The water is really only around 2 sides (at the back and the eastern end of the yard) and well away from the house and we are in absolutely no danger of flooding since once it reaches the level of the embankment near the road on the vacant land it simply flows over it and down the road. This is the first time since we have been here (5 years) that the water has got to that level. That is the bonus of living almost at the top of a mountain.
This morning we bought some essentials for the animals and a new sparkplug for the ride-on mower, although it is not going to be used for a while with this weather.
Apart from that we have stayed indoors and I used the time to cook up some meals using what we have in the cupboard, fridge and freezer. We now have tuna patties, pumpkin soup, shepherd pie and mini meat pies as well as pancake batter ready to make chicken and mushroom pancakes.
This morning we bought some essentials for the animals and a new sparkplug for the ride-on mower, although it is not going to be used for a while with this weather.
Apart from that we have stayed indoors and I used the time to cook up some meals using what we have in the cupboard, fridge and freezer. We now have tuna patties, pumpkin soup, shepherd pie and mini meat pies as well as pancake batter ready to make chicken and mushroom pancakes.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
A Helping Hand
Today we have been out and about so other than doing the dishes before we left and putting the dehumidifier on in the living area we have not done anything at home. The rain and humidity continues unabated so everything feels damp - even the bedsheets. In the list of revolting sensations, getting into a bed with damp sheets is up there with putting on damp bathers!! We find that by putting dehumidifier on in our bedroom for a couple of hours we we head to bed everything feels warm and dry.
We headed to Brisbane and G mowed the lawn (read jungle) at our daughter's place. I helped her with some decluttering and cleaning and she seemed very pleased with the result. It is often easier to manage when there are 2 of you. It is also easier without 2 little ones underfoot. We then helped our other daughter hang a large framed print in her bedroom and finally visited my mother and were grateful for the afternoon tea she offered.
The No Spend challenge took a bit of a beating today with $110 for fuel (ute and mower) as well as some lunch and a trip to Bunnings. The fuel in the ute should last until the end of the month, especially since we will be away for a week. At Bunnings we bought a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher for each of the girls. What price safety? We also got some picture wire and hooks as well as some cup hooks so it was all productive spending (apart from lunch).
z
We headed to Brisbane and G mowed the lawn (read jungle) at our daughter's place. I helped her with some decluttering and cleaning and she seemed very pleased with the result. It is often easier to manage when there are 2 of you. It is also easier without 2 little ones underfoot. We then helped our other daughter hang a large framed print in her bedroom and finally visited my mother and were grateful for the afternoon tea she offered.
The No Spend challenge took a bit of a beating today with $110 for fuel (ute and mower) as well as some lunch and a trip to Bunnings. The fuel in the ute should last until the end of the month, especially since we will be away for a week. At Bunnings we bought a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher for each of the girls. What price safety? We also got some picture wire and hooks as well as some cup hooks so it was all productive spending (apart from lunch).
z
Friday, January 7, 2011
Spending Choices
The whole topic of what we choose to spend our money on is massive. Two things have reminded me of this in the last day or so. Firstly, I found this link - thanks, Pat. The level of minimalism is a bit beyond me as I love my collection of books and artwork far too much. However, the text reminds of a lot of the things I do, particularly with regard to buying food.
The only non-recyclable packaging which we routinely generate is the plastic wrappers from cheese,lids from bottles of milk and juice as well packets from dried pasta and frozen peas. I look forward to the day when I am able to make all of our own pasta and grow enough peas for our own needs. Cheese is a little more problematic although I expect I could buy it cut from a block.
I should also mention the things I buy without any packaging. I take containers to the butcher who puts the meat directly into them, tulle bags (that I made) for fruit and vegetables and paper bags (constantly re-used) for bulk dry goods. Refillable bottles/jars for honey, peanut paste, oil, shampoo and conditioner from the local co-op. I do buy packaged products but try to make sure they are in glass or paper/cardboard. I only use my calico and silk bags for carry bags. Remember, the 'green' bags are still made from a plastic compound (which is oil-based).
The other choice I made was this afternoon when I went to the shop because I needed some vegetables - we had nothing except an abundance of home-grown pumpkin and some frozen peas. I spent over $9 to get some mushrooms and broccoli! Then I remembered the sweet potato vine growing over an enormous area so came home and got out in my gumboots and in 10 minutes managed to dig about 2kg of white sweet potatoes. I also picked a big bundle of young leaves. I have never used the leaves but everything I read makes me confident that they will be good.
I plan to boil and mash the tubers - they are yummy with garlic added to the mash. The excess can be successfully frozen for later use. The leaves will be used in a stir-fry with a small quantity of beef as well as finely sliced broccoli stalks and a few of the mushrooms but tonight will be salmon on garlic mash with pumpkin, peas and broccoli. I plan to use the rest of the mushrooms in beef stroganoff and chicken & mushroom pancakes.
Fruit and vegetables are only going to become more expensive in the light of the extreme weather events we are experiencing all around the country so we need to be as smart as we can with what is available. I like to grow at least some of our own but unfortunately my garden has suffered a similar fate to that of many commercial growers - waterlogged. In the meantime the next best thing is to eat seasonal produce (less expensive and more nutritional value) and not to waste a scrap of what we have got.
Perhaps it is time to take a leaf from the book of our ancestors who lived through the shortages of wars and the Great Depression. That sounds like a topic for another day.
The only non-recyclable packaging which we routinely generate is the plastic wrappers from cheese,lids from bottles of milk and juice as well packets from dried pasta and frozen peas. I look forward to the day when I am able to make all of our own pasta and grow enough peas for our own needs. Cheese is a little more problematic although I expect I could buy it cut from a block.
I should also mention the things I buy without any packaging. I take containers to the butcher who puts the meat directly into them, tulle bags (that I made) for fruit and vegetables and paper bags (constantly re-used) for bulk dry goods. Refillable bottles/jars for honey, peanut paste, oil, shampoo and conditioner from the local co-op. I do buy packaged products but try to make sure they are in glass or paper/cardboard. I only use my calico and silk bags for carry bags. Remember, the 'green' bags are still made from a plastic compound (which is oil-based).
The other choice I made was this afternoon when I went to the shop because I needed some vegetables - we had nothing except an abundance of home-grown pumpkin and some frozen peas. I spent over $9 to get some mushrooms and broccoli! Then I remembered the sweet potato vine growing over an enormous area so came home and got out in my gumboots and in 10 minutes managed to dig about 2kg of white sweet potatoes. I also picked a big bundle of young leaves. I have never used the leaves but everything I read makes me confident that they will be good.
I plan to boil and mash the tubers - they are yummy with garlic added to the mash. The excess can be successfully frozen for later use. The leaves will be used in a stir-fry with a small quantity of beef as well as finely sliced broccoli stalks and a few of the mushrooms but tonight will be salmon on garlic mash with pumpkin, peas and broccoli. I plan to use the rest of the mushrooms in beef stroganoff and chicken & mushroom pancakes.
Fruit and vegetables are only going to become more expensive in the light of the extreme weather events we are experiencing all around the country so we need to be as smart as we can with what is available. I like to grow at least some of our own but unfortunately my garden has suffered a similar fate to that of many commercial growers - waterlogged. In the meantime the next best thing is to eat seasonal produce (less expensive and more nutritional value) and not to waste a scrap of what we have got.
Perhaps it is time to take a leaf from the book of our ancestors who lived through the shortages of wars and the Great Depression. That sounds like a topic for another day.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Take the Sting Out of Spending with Gift Cards
After a busy day at work we went to Officeworks. I needed to buy a proper office chair so that it meets the OH&S requirements for working from home. I also bought a diary (essential) and DH got a refillable pencil that he wanted. It was $158 which we paid for completely using an assortment of Coles Myer gift cards that have been given to us (mostly from DH's work) over the past year. The cashier did not seem pleased at the prospect but I just smiled and said I was happy to wait while she entered all of the amounts. We still have $21 left on the cards.
The No Spend Challenge suffered a bit of a setback as we decided to stop and have pizza for dinner ($31) or otherwise I would have been starting to cook dinner at about 8pm. This was exacerbated due to nothing being out of the freezer as I had stayed in town last night. The pizza will be our only treat until we go away in 9 days.
The No Spend Challenge suffered a bit of a setback as we decided to stop and have pizza for dinner ($31) or otherwise I would have been starting to cook dinner at about 8pm. This was exacerbated due to nothing being out of the freezer as I had stayed in town last night. The pizza will be our only treat until we go away in 9 days.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
No Spending - No Nothing
Today I went to work and tonight I am staying in Brisbane. Tomorrow I will go to work. I spent nothing today. I will spend nothing tomorrow - that is the plan, anyway.
I gave the things to my daughter as planned.
There is nothing else to report.
I gave the things to my daughter as planned.
There is nothing else to report.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Back to Work
After 10 days of mostly being at home and just pleasing ourselves today I was launched back into the reality of the corporate world. I survived but of course I was glad to retreat back home when the day was done. G and Ibought a fire blanket and fire extinguisher to improve the safety of our home. It is also a necessity for me as I am applying to work remotely 1 day each fortnight and it is an Occupational Health & Safety requirement.
Dinner was a simple affair of chilli con carne and rice which thawed while I was at work. Due to commuting times I really need to have meals during the week that are ready to heat and eat.
After dinner I did a load of washing and hemmed a dress for my daughter. I will meet her in the city tomorrow and give her the dress, some eggs from our chickens and some CDs that belong to her (decluttering = returning things to their rightful owners).
Dinner was a simple affair of chilli con carne and rice which thawed while I was at work. Due to commuting times I really need to have meals during the week that are ready to heat and eat.
After dinner I did a load of washing and hemmed a dress for my daughter. I will meet her in the city tomorrow and give her the dress, some eggs from our chickens and some CDs that belong to her (decluttering = returning things to their rightful owners).
Monday, January 3, 2011
No Spend Weekend (almost)
I have joined the No/Low Spend Challenge on Simple Savings and have been pretty successful this weekend. We had no definite plans but on Saturday morning headed off to get fuel for the mower (even though it was raining) and we popped into the IGA and bought 2 litres of milk and a handful of beans for the stir-fry. Yesterday was spent at home doing cleaning and cooking (me) and mowing etc (G).
Today our friends came to clip the dog which involved money but much less than the vet bill if he was to get a paralysis tick. We are in a high-risk tick area and our gorgeous Border Collie has already had 2 ticks in the 5 years we have been here. The cost is usually in excess of $400, not to mention the risk to our dog.
I made the pikelets so after the dog-clipping we all had morning tea out on the verandah - coffee, fresh pikelets and home-made rosella jam. They asked how often the tea-rooms are open!! We all enjoyed them so much that they were all eaten so the snacks for this week will be muesli slice and banana cake.
After lunch we went for a drive to collect some items I had been offered through Freecycle I now have a bag in which to store my Christmas tree (no more struggling to get it back in the box it came in), a brand new fitted single bed fitted sheet and pillowcase and about 12 novels. Once G and I have read those which interest us we will pass them on again either through Freecycle or our local op shop.
Our final job for the day was to cut up and move the damaged tree back into our yard for mulching. We got all of it done except for about 6 large pieces which need to be cut again but the chain on the chainsaw broke yesterday.
Today our friends came to clip the dog which involved money but much less than the vet bill if he was to get a paralysis tick. We are in a high-risk tick area and our gorgeous Border Collie has already had 2 ticks in the 5 years we have been here. The cost is usually in excess of $400, not to mention the risk to our dog.
I made the pikelets so after the dog-clipping we all had morning tea out on the verandah - coffee, fresh pikelets and home-made rosella jam. They asked how often the tea-rooms are open!! We all enjoyed them so much that they were all eaten so the snacks for this week will be muesli slice and banana cake.
After lunch we went for a drive to collect some items I had been offered through Freecycle I now have a bag in which to store my Christmas tree (no more struggling to get it back in the box it came in), a brand new fitted single bed fitted sheet and pillowcase and about 12 novels. Once G and I have read those which interest us we will pass them on again either through Freecycle or our local op shop.
 |
| All chopped up and stacked on our side of the fence |
A Bit of Housekeeping
Just like you hear at the beginning of conferences, meetings etc this post is exactly that - 'blog housekeeping' - essential stuff about the blog itself.
After 2 days I have finally worked out how to change the date and time to reflect the time zone that I live in so now the posts will have a title rather than the date. The title may be self-explanatory, witty or downright corny depending on my mood but hopefully somewhat relevant to the information in the body of the post.
Secondly, I am still trying to work out how to post photos because as we all know 'a picture paints a thousand words'. I hope that before long photos on my blog will become a reality.
After 2 days I have finally worked out how to change the date and time to reflect the time zone that I live in so now the posts will have a title rather than the date. The title may be self-explanatory, witty or downright corny depending on my mood but hopefully somewhat relevant to the information in the body of the post.
Secondly, I am still trying to work out how to post photos because as we all know 'a picture paints a thousand words'. I hope that before long photos on my blog will become a reality.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2nd Jan 2011
 |
| Poinciana tree - down and across the fence |
Plans were meant to be broken - correct?? One day and already the menu plan has been slightly revised. It is for the better though. Another thing that I found in the freezer was a raw chicken carcass and 2 wings from when the local butcher had deboned and filleted the breast meat for me to make a stuffed chicken roll for our Christmas in July family dinner. So.......nearly 6 months later I 'find' it! I put it all in the slow cooker yesterday with a few bay leaves from the tree in the front yard. This morning I drained the stock off and will use that to make soup at some time. I picked the remaining meat out from the bones etc and had about 3/4 cup shredded chicken. I cooked some pasta, mixed in the shredded chicken, about 1 cup of refried beans (leftover from the nachos), 5 marinated olives (leftover from Christmas savoury platter) chopped up, some salsa lurking in a jar in the fridge and placed in a small casserole dish. Tonight I will top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs and heat under the grill. The pumpkin soup will be saved for another day.
Today's project includes cleaning some more windows and maybe sorting out the pantry.
We have had no rain all day..........so the grass (it would be outrageous of my to call it lawn) is mowed, tree mostly cut up, dog is washed and I have cleaned all of the louvres (74 of them) in the living room. I did not get near the pantry but I am not worried, it can wait till another day. The chain on the chainsaw broke so that will be a necessary (but unexpected) expense. Life is full of unexpected expenses!! I may be able to get a new one on Thursday if I work from home and that way it will be ready for G to use next weekend.
My girlfriend is coming to tomorrow to clip the dog, hence the necessity for a bath today. He did not enjoy being tied up for a couple of hours until he was somewhat drier.
I think I will make some pikelets tomorrow morning so that we can have some for morning tea (after the dog clipping) and there will be some left to add to the selection of choices for work lunches next week. The Mexican Chicken Bake turned out nicely and was well-received by G. We had it with some salad and there is enough left for me to take for lunch on Tuesday.
Now after 2 days of writing I think I should put some detail into my profile and introduce myself. To those of you who have chosen to follow this blog, I thank you for your interest in my ramblings. Please comment as often as you like. It will help to keep me inspired and any tips or suggestions are appreciated.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
1st Jan 2011
Happy New Year!! I have decided to return to my blog after a challenging 18 months or so. I am not going to try to be fancy or smart - just my thoughts each and every day.
Today is the first day of a new year so here goes. This year we are going to be organised leading to more money to plough into holiday savings and paying off some debt. I am off to clean out the fridge and freezer and discover what meals I can make. I need to menu plan for the next 2 weeks until we go on holidays. I have already made muesli slice and banana cake for packed lunches at work.
GOAL: No eating out or takeaway before we go to Melbourne in 2 weeks.
I have emptied both freezers and checked all of the contents. Also, defrosted the small freezer. I found some minestrone soup which we had for lunch.
Based on what I found I have made a menu plan for the next 2 weeks until we go away. We went and got some fuel for the mower ($25) and also 2l of milk and a few beans.
Here is the menu plan – it may provide some inspiration. I am not feeding a family but just 2 adults.
Saturday – Beef stir fry and rice – beef in freezer
Sunday – Pumpkin soup – soup pre-made from freezer
Monday – Pumpkin and bacon risotto – bacon in freezer and home-grown pumpkin
Tuesday – Chilli con carne and rice – chilli in freezer
Wednesday – Grilled salmon and vegies – salmon in freezer
Thursday – Beef stroganoff – beef in freezer
Friday – Nachos – Aldi corn chips, Mimi’s refried beans (in freezer), Aldi salsa and grated cheese
Saturday – Chicken and mushroom crepes – chicken in freezer
Sunday – Pizza – make dough in breadmaker
Monday – Pasta with mushroom bolognaise sauce – bolognaise sauce in freezer
Tuesday – Tuna patties and vegies – use home-grown sweet potato in patties
Wednesday – Chicken and pasta bake – chicken in freezer
Thursday – Beef stir fry – beef in freezer
Friday – Scrambled eggs and bacon on Turkish bread
We live in a rural area and are not particularly isolated, but takeaway is not really an option as it is 10-15 minutes from the nearest shop to home and it would be cold by the time we got home. The downside to this is that if we do not want to cook it results in eating out which is generally more expensive than takeaway. I try to avoid this a) planning and b) factoring some ‘treat’ meals such as the pizza and nachos.
I generally only menu plan our evening meal. We both work full-time and tend to take left-overs for lunches. I have an abundance of home-grown cucumbers at the moment so I will be having cheese and cucumber sandwiches. There is muesli slice and banana cake in the freezer which I will use for snacks. I will need to buy some more vegetables during the week but that should be the only expense.
Today is the first day of a new year so here goes. This year we are going to be organised leading to more money to plough into holiday savings and paying off some debt. I am off to clean out the fridge and freezer and discover what meals I can make. I need to menu plan for the next 2 weeks until we go on holidays. I have already made muesli slice and banana cake for packed lunches at work.
GOAL: No eating out or takeaway before we go to Melbourne in 2 weeks.
I have emptied both freezers and checked all of the contents. Also, defrosted the small freezer. I found some minestrone soup which we had for lunch.
Based on what I found I have made a menu plan for the next 2 weeks until we go away. We went and got some fuel for the mower ($25) and also 2l of milk and a few beans.
Here is the menu plan – it may provide some inspiration. I am not feeding a family but just 2 adults.
Saturday – Beef stir fry and rice – beef in freezer
Sunday – Pumpkin soup – soup pre-made from freezer
Monday – Pumpkin and bacon risotto – bacon in freezer and home-grown pumpkin
Tuesday – Chilli con carne and rice – chilli in freezer
Wednesday – Grilled salmon and vegies – salmon in freezer
Thursday – Beef stroganoff – beef in freezer
Friday – Nachos – Aldi corn chips, Mimi’s refried beans (in freezer), Aldi salsa and grated cheese
Saturday – Chicken and mushroom crepes – chicken in freezer
Sunday – Pizza – make dough in breadmaker
Monday – Pasta with mushroom bolognaise sauce – bolognaise sauce in freezer
Tuesday – Tuna patties and vegies – use home-grown sweet potato in patties
Wednesday – Chicken and pasta bake – chicken in freezer
Thursday – Beef stir fry – beef in freezer
Friday – Scrambled eggs and bacon on Turkish bread
We live in a rural area and are not particularly isolated, but takeaway is not really an option as it is 10-15 minutes from the nearest shop to home and it would be cold by the time we got home. The downside to this is that if we do not want to cook it results in eating out which is generally more expensive than takeaway. I try to avoid this a) planning and b) factoring some ‘treat’ meals such as the pizza and nachos.
I generally only menu plan our evening meal. We both work full-time and tend to take left-overs for lunches. I have an abundance of home-grown cucumbers at the moment so I will be having cheese and cucumber sandwiches. There is muesli slice and banana cake in the freezer which I will use for snacks. I will need to buy some more vegetables during the week but that should be the only expense.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)