Planning is the Key

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As I sat down at my desk on Saturday morning to write a menu plan for the week, I started to think about how much planning goes into keeping our lives running smoothly.

Menu plan
I have always menu-planned to some degree but I have now developed a routine which works for us.  Every Saturday morning I write a plan for the next  7 – 10 days.  I keep in mind what food I have in the refrigerator as well as what is available in the garden.  From that I then write a shopping list.  This generally a few basic groceries such as milk and cheese as well as fruit and vegetables.  I buy meat every couple of months and pantry staples about every 3 months.

We have big plans, such as our overseas trip but also small, day-to-day plans that ensure things run smoothly and we work towards achieving our goals.  If this sounds like our lives are totally structured and regimented, think again as nothing could be further from the truth.

Over breakfast on a Saturday morning, either The Duke or I are often heard to say, “So, what are your plans for today?”  Then follows a discussion about what we have individually considered that we need to get done.  It usually centres around shopping, washing, lawn mowing and the like.  The next step is to plan.

On Saturday morning we had to take the dog to the vet at 8.30am so we decided to leave the shopping until Sunday morning and do some outdoor work.  We needed to finish by 4.30pm so we could be cleaned up and head off to dinner and the movies by 6pm.  We planned our outdoor work and achieved a real sense of satisfaction when the jobs were done.  All of the piles of mulch were collected from various spots around the yard, we weeded and mulched the garden bed beside the front steps.  The Duke lightly pruned the roses and we planted 5 more pineapple tops.  The remainder of the mulch was spread under the native shrubs on the front verge.

Since it was drizzling with rain most of the day we then adjourned under the house to start on one of the other jobs on the master list – covering the area which is bare dirt under the verandah with pebbles.  The original plan was to build 3 more low retaining walls to create stepped levels to hold the pebbles in place, however, we have decided to retain the sections using some timber sleepers.  We will also place some along the outside edge to separate the pebbled area from the garden bed outside.  We have calculated how many sleepers, how much weed mat and the volume of pebbles that we will need to complete the job.  The ground has been dug out and is almost at the levels we need so I hope we can get this finished over the next few weeks.

Wall and lattice - finished
Sunday was a different story.  I did the ironing early, before we went to do the shopping in a couple of different locations and came home with the intention of more outdoor work.  One simple message on the answering machine changed that.  A friend had left a message to ask us to come for drinks at 4pm, so I amended the menu plan as I knew we would have plenty of late afternoon/evening nibbles.  I then spent the rest of the day in the kitchen.  I made pizza bases, wraps for our lunches and a chocolate cake (all gluten-free).  I made 1 pizza and took that and the chocolate cake with us that afternoon.  The remainder of the pizza bases are partly pre-cooked and in the freezer.

So, to round off a fairly long-winded story, I think it is important to have a plan, otherwise things can turn into a disorganised jumble and you end up wasting a lot of time.  The organisation that results from these plans allows you the flexibility to change those plans to accommodate things that arise out of the blue.  What do you think?

Foodie Friday – An Introduction

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I have thought long and hard about this post as I did not want to start something that I could not sustain.  A couple of years ago I ran a series of posts called, “Friday Favourites” which featured tried and true recipes.  Some of them were ones that I had loved for many years and these posts continue to be some of the most enduring and popular posts on this blog.

A little over 18 months ago I chose to pursue a gluten-free diet which has proved beneficial for my health.  I tried a separate blog to document my recipes but that has not been maintained.

Dessert
My plan is that each Friday will be a food-related post.  It may be a recipe for anything from a main meal to special occasion treats or about food storage, food preparation or new products.  The focus will be on affordable eating, simple recipes, menu planning and fresh, seasonal produce.  I will add links to the recipes in the ‘Recipe’ tab at the top of the blog.  This will help to find anything mentioned previously.  Please let me know if there is anything in particular that you like me to include.

Dinner

What to Write

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Some days my head is exploding with ideas for blog posts and I am overwhelmed with things I want to tell you.  Tonight is not one of those days.  I feel completely devoid of things to write about.  This set me to thinking about where I get the inspiration for the topics I write about.

2014-02-20 01I write about what I have done that day – today I was at work in an office environment all day.  I was focused on masses of spreadsheets and reports which are hardly the stuff of riveting posts.  This week has been almost entirely about work so you are lucky that the posts of the past few days were roughed out on the weekend because since then I have been almost totally immersed in my work.

Things that I read can sometimes be the basis for a post – it can be a book, another blog or a news item.  Nothing comes to mind.

It can be something as simple as an overheard comment or phrase that triggers the creative juices and gets me writing for you.

Perhaps it is a case of the saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

What would you write about tonight?  Do you have a story to share?

Bare Necessities

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I am constantly astounded by the size of the handbags which many women carry.  On one hand, I read about travelling overseas with only carry-on luggage, yet in real life I see handbags that look as though they could be used to travel  – at least for a weekend.

I often ponder about what they carry in those huge bags.  Have we been conned by yet another bizarre fashion trend which dictates that we carry these bags?  What is so important that it has to go everywhere with us?

My bag bucks the general trend entirely.  I bought it recently in an attempt to consciously downsize what I carry.  I even went so far as to buy a smaller purse/wallet that would take up less space in the bag.

My bag
The bag has a single strap which I have at its longest length so that I can wear it across my body.  Everything that is in the bag has a purpose and is used regularly and mostly every day.

Contents:

Main compartment – wallet, eco shopping bag, sunglasses in case, pen, handkerchief

Main compartment contents
Secondary compartment – small notebook, extra loyalty cards

Secondary compartment contents
Inside pocket 1 – car keys
Inside pocket 2 – mobile phone, railpass and access pass (work)
Inside compartment (zippered) – internet stick, USB drive, other essential keys, lipstick, migraine medication

Contents of inner pockets
Outside compartment (zippered) – iPod and USB charger, USB phone charger

Outside zippered compartment contents
That is it.  I have made a conscious decision to only carry exactly what I need.   Each item has a specific place so I easily know that I have everything that I need.

This is the bag I use every day.  The only exception is a small evening bag which I use a couple of times per year.

What is in your bag?  Do you have a large bag?

My Life Laid Bare

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On Sunday we cleaned and sorted the open concreted area under the house.  This is a large space and The Duke unwittingly took a leaf out of Francine Jay’s book, “The Joy of Less”.  You can read more about the principle of ‘Starting Over’ here.

Everything, and I mean every single thing, was moved and put out in the backyard.  Hence, the rather dramatic title to this post.

Stuff in the backyard

We set about sweeping up the leaves, dirt and other debris then The Duke used the high pressure cleaner.  This process managed to remove all of the paint drips and splatters from when we had painted the fenceposts.  Some people would be appalled at the waste of water but we knew that we had plenty of tank water so that was not a problem.

Under the house
In true decluttering fashion, we wanted to make sure that only things that had good reason to be under the house went back there so we critically assessed the various piles.  It was very easy to see those things that did not deserve to stay.  We actually both made our decisions independently and then when we compared notes it was no surprise that we agreed on what needed to go.

The final step was to rearrange the items that were to be put back.  Since we have finished painting fenceposts, we relocated the scaffold up the the back area and have stacked the posts, rolls of wire and the old kitchen sink on it.  Don’t laugh – we are planning to use the sink.  The plan is to have the sink set up close to the vegetable garden so that we can use it for washing fruit and vegetables.  We cleaned the hanging chairs and once they are rehung we will be able to relax in our refreshed space.

As well as cleaning the area and decluttering a few things, we have been able to identify the things for which we have a planned use.  This has led to new enthusiasm to get some projects done and the materials used rather than stored.

Too Hot to Declutter?

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It is easy to make excuses as to why you should not do things.  After not achieving much last weekend, we were keen to make some inroads this weekend.  It was hot yesterday and we managed to fritter most of the day away until late in the afternoon when we did a few jobs in the garden.  I will show you that in another post.  Today was actually predicted to be hotter with a forecast maximum of 36C so we adjourned to the coolest part of the house.  We call this area a cellar although it is not in the true sense of the word.  It is the space underneath the internal staircase, is partially below ground level and 2 walls are concrete block.  All all these things work together to keep the space reasonably cool.

The Duke removed everything from this space so I don’t actually have a before photo.  We dismantled the low shelving which we had placed there when we first moved here.  It was 3 planks of wood and several concrete blocks.  It was the concrete blocks that were the catalyst for this flurry of activity.  We will need them for building more of the low retaining walls under the verandah.  You can see the first one we built here.  The others will not be as high, no will they have the screening on top of the bocks.  More about that another day.

Once everything was out of the cellar we swept it thoroughly and then decided what would actually go back in.  We replaced the dismantled shelving with the shelf unit we built from old explosives boxes.  Next, we repositioned the wine rack from one wall to the other.  This entailed removing all of the bottles so it was a good opportunity to reassess what we have and replace the bottles in a logical order.

Cellar
Finally, there are a few things stacked under the very low part of the stairs.  Card table, boogie board, folding chairs etc.  We did get rid of/move a few things that had been on the old shelving.  We still have plenty of space on the shelf unit to store other things that we find in the workshop that would be better located here.

In the meantime, we are very happy that the cellar is clean and tidy.  It was great to be able to finish this job on a day when it was really too hot to tackle much else.

Do you struggle with getting things done if it is too hot or too cold?  Is it a form of procrastination to blame the weather?

Project 333 – Planning Ahead

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The forecast here is for temperatures to be in the low to mid 30’s (Celsius) for the next week but already my thoughts are turning to my autumn wardrobe.

This photo comes from the original Project 333 post from Courtney Carver.

White shirts

One of the things I would really like is a white shirt, probably linen.  It would be a really useful addition to my existing collection of clothing.  “White shirt” sounds fairly simple but it will need to be just right before I consider adding it to my wardrobe.  In fact I am contemplating making one if I can find/draft the perfect pattern.

What is on your wishlist?

Tragedy

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Today we hear of another life snuffed out.

Candles

Luke Batty died at his father’s hand.  He joins Darcey Freeman who was thrown to her death from the Westgate Bridge 5 years ago.  Daniel Morcombe was snatched from his family a little over 10 years ago and now his parents are facing all of the memories as his alleged killer stands trial.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families.  I know there are others but these 3 are in my mind today.

Rest in peace.

Do It On Your Day Off

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The title was once part of an advertising slogan when 9 day fortnights were being introduced in some workplaces.

Well, yesterday was a day off for me and I did all sorts of things.  Belle had asked if we could look after the children for an hour or so from 5pm as there was an information session for the Year 1 parents which she wanted to attend.  I originally planned to leave work early to go to her place but then decided that a day off seemed like a better option.

I left home early in the morning and dropped of some mangoes and frozen mango puree to Belle.  The next stop was Albion Glass & Mirror to pick up the new mirror for the restored dressing table.  We had originally planned to have it re-silvered but that is an obsolete process as they can replicate any glass or mirror.  We chose to spend the extra money and have the bevel just inside the frame rather than a perfectly flat piece.  This is authentic and maintains the integrity of the piece.  I will post a photo once we have re-assembled the mirror on the dressing table.

Then I headed off to see my mother for the day.  We did not do anything startling.  The time was spent chatting, looking at some old photos and seeing her latest craft work.  We shared a simple meal for lunch and went to the local shops to pick up a few groceries.  It was lovely to have the time to spend together.

Picking up and caring for my granddaughters was a complete change of pace but also very enjoyable.  I heard all about their respective days, cooked dinner for them and have started teaching Miss O, aged 6, how to tie a bow.  She does not have shoes with laces but what prompted the lesson was her shorts.  She changed out of her school uniform and came downstairs in shorts and a t-shirt but these new shorts have a drawstring as well as elastic so we spent some time learning how to tie a single knot which she mastered almost immediately and then a bow which she has grasped the general concept.

I had an enjoyable day and it was great to connect with family.

On another note, I wanted to share this post from Frugal Queen who hails from Cornwall.  Cornwall has been battered by the wild winter storms of the past few week but in her post she shares many of the wonders of Cornwall and why the tourists should visit.  Not only Cornwall but many areas both at home and overseas really struggle for visitors after a disaster.