Census Night

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Here in Australia a census is held every 5 years.  Tonight is the night to stand up and be counted. A ‘snapshot’ of our country and its citizens will be taken on this Tuesday in August.

Census or musters have been held all over the world since before the time of Jesus’ birth.  Unlike Mary and Joseph we do not have to travel by donkey to a designated town.  We can sit in the comfort of our own home and even submit the information online.

I am grateful that I live in a country where I have the opportunity to complete this survey.

So, why is there so much angst about filling in the details?  I have heard people ask why they should do it when the information is readily available to governments.  People question their safety and security.  I don’t know whether my short-term memory is failing but I do not recall the same level of angst at previous census .  Are we feeling particularly vulnerable at the moment?

Here is your chance to have your say.

Weekly Challenge – Week 13

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Week 13 – I have decided to remove all the tasks that have been completed.  The list now will just be the ones I haven’t done from previous weeks 😦 and the 4 new ones that I have added for the coming week.  They will retain their existing numbering so you will be able to gauge how long I have been procrastinating over some of them.  I have put notes in italics by way of explanation below some items.

What I have done so far.  Scroll to the end of the list to so the new additions for this week.

3. Create a spreadsheet for future holiday packing needs

10. Upload music to my iPod

17. Follow up what I need to do to change my superannuation

23. Organise quote to have poinciana tree lopped and mulched

We have almost decided that we can do it ourselves.

25. Clean windows on southern side of house

I have done more than half of these

32. Thin out and re-pot bok choy seedlings

Not quite established enough yet to do

35. Make a vinyl cover for the newly-created day bed

36. Buy birthday gift for Izz

I am making an outfit which is almost finished and need to go to the shops to buy a wooden puzzle as well.

37. Sew 5 souvenir badges on a blanket

38.Look at accommodation options for weekend in Melbourne

39.Arrange to close a bank account that is no longer required

44. Defrost small freezer

47. Take glass jars to op shop

I will give them to a specific person who would like them but can’t be done till next month.

49. Finish painting the chest of drawers and mirror frame

50. Finish reading and re-homing books/magazines

51. Add more notes to my Christmas letter draft

52. Complete the census

Til next week. 🙂

 

Busy Days & A Birthday

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Yesterday was The Duke’s birthday so we had a celebration lunch today.  Belle, her Man, Miss O and Izz came for lunch.  Missy had intended to come, however, she has succumbed to a nasty cold and decided that she would be better off at home in bed.  I think that was a wise decision.

It was a lovely, sunny day and we had a BBQ lunch outdoors.  The salad included coleslaw which I made using the very first of our home-grown cabbages.  Special request from The Duke was apple pie and ice-cream for dessert.

Over at Simple Savings, ClutterCath’s challenge for the week was “Journey to Forgotten Places” in order to encourage cleaning and organising the spots in our home that slip through the cracks.

Yesterday I stripped the bed and in the spirit of the challenge, The Duke and I removed the mattress and base from our bed so that I could clean behind the bed.  I did the windowsill, skirting board, bedframe and also vacuumed  as the bedbase is so low I cannot get the vacuum underneath it.

Here is the photo to prove that I did it.

The other day I bought a small chest of drawers on Gumtree for $15.  They are chipboard but quite sturdy and unpainted.  So, this afternoon I painted them with undercoat.  I will finish them with 2 coats of gloss white paint.

And the drawers.

When they are finished they will go in the sewing room which doubles as a guest bedroom for Miss O and Izz.  I have also dismantled a pine-framed mirror and am painting the frame of that white as well.  This will then make a small dressing table and mirror for the girls and I can store some of my sewing things in the drawers.

I have continued sorting, re-organising and decluttering things from wardrobe in the sewing room.  I moved the bags and suitcases into the wardrobe in the guest room.

Now my ironing board can be put away in the sewing room when I am not using it.  I also moved the small drawer unit from beside the doorway into this space.  The cutting mat, ruler and various measuring guides also fit in here.

Just so you don’t think everything is that tidy, here is a shot of some of the rest of that room.

This is some of the stuff that I am gradually sorting my way through.  The chest of drawers will go in the corner where the red box is at the moment.

One day I will be finished and will show you the whole room in all its glory but that is a little way off yet.

For Sale – Clothes

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In my constant quest to declutter some of my stuff I give a lot of things away via Freecycle or the various op shops.  I do not use Ebay and have used Gumtree a couple of times.

So, dear reader, I have decided to put these 4 items I wish to sell here on my blog.  If you are interested or need more information please leave a comment and I will contact you or email me directly.

1.  Size 10 Crossroads fully lined, fitted sleeveless dress in very dark navy
100% polyester fabric – handwash.

2.  Size 10 tailored jacket, full lined with pockets and single button.
Handwash.
3.  Size 10 pure silk, fully lined Table Eight sleeveless dress in turquoise
colour – dryclean only.


4.  Size 10 jacket, paisley patterned polyester fabric in turquoise,black and
silver with single button and loop fastening. Handwash.
Photo of silk dress with jacket
These items are all in perfect condition and have only been worn a handful of
times. I am re-homing them as they no longer fit. I am asking $10 per item
plus the cost of posting them if required.

I am happy to separate the items, although the silk dress and paisley jacket are
designed to be worn as a set.

I live in Maleny, Qld and can arrange pick-up/delivery in south-east Qld. I
will also be travelling to Sydney CBD, Melbourne CBD, Adelaide CBD, Ballarat and
Bendigo in the next 2 months if you wish to arrange pick-up.

I really hope I can find new homes for these garments as they are quality items.
Please let me know if you are interested or need any further information.

Organising Passwords, Log-ins & User Names

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I have trouble keeping track of all of the user names and passwords for all of my online activities.  These range from things as diverse as my superannuation, Facebook, event ticketing and rewards programs.

It is annoying when I can’t figure out my password for something but I was thinking the other day, what if I was to no longer want or be able to access these various sites due to death or disability?  Will they be de-activated after a period of non-use or will they always be accessible once someone has the password?  What if The Duke and both died?  Should we have a way of passing this information on to our children with our instructions for managing such a scenario?

I know this sounds quite morbid but I think they are questions I need to address.  While I am not going to put the details of what I plan to do into the public arena of the internet, I will say that I have come up with some ideas of how I am going to handle this.

I do not want anyone giving away specific information but I am interested to know if anyone has given this topic any thought or implemented any processes for their situation.

Clove Oil

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I have mentioned clove oil a couple of times in posts, particularly in regard to eliminating mould from your home.

In response to a question from African Aussie after my post about the disinfectant disaster and cleaning I have decided to put all of the information together in one post.

As people who have been following my blog posts will know, we live in an area which has high humidity and rainfall for at least 6 months of the year.  Last summer was particularly bad with our hygrometer consistently measuring the humidity in our living area at above 85% for about 5 months.  The only time I could reduce it was by running the portable dehumidifier.  It was so bad that I slipped and fell because our vinyl flooring was so wet, the sheets felt damp when we got into bed and mould grew on everything that was not constantly moving – ceiling, walls,furniture, clothes, shoes, belts and bags.

I do not generally use toxic cleaners and I had tried vinegar and even bleach and although the appearance improved the mould would be back again in next to no time.

I had heard of clove oil but was unsure of how effective it would be.  A work colleague who had similar problems had researched where to buy clove oil and found that the best option was Oil of Cloves.  Check the site for all of the information on clove oil and its mould inhibiting properties.  We bought it in 1 litre quantities and split the cost between several people.  This is a good option if you are interested because if you are having problems with mould, it is almost inevitable that your neighbours are as well.

I bought 200ml which I think will be plenty for a considerable length of time for me.  I decided that $70 was a small price to pay to see if I could get rid of the mould.  I am pleased to say it has been very effective.  I cleaned all of my shoes using the recommended dilution and the other day I took a pair of shoes from my cupboard that had not been worn for 6 months, yet there was no sign of any mould on them.  Previously any shoes that were left in the cupboard for more than a fortnight would start to be affected.

2011-08-04 03If you are serious about getting rid of the mould I would also recommend a dehumidifier and also these eggs which are excellent for small, enclosed spaces such as wardrobes and linen cupboards.  They are readily available.  Mould cannot grow in a humidity of less than 60%.

2011-08-04 04I hope this information is beneficial to you as the health risks of mould in your home make it definitely worth doing everything you can to eliminate it.

I am interested to hear other people’s experiences with clove oil, dehumidifiers and battling mould.

SMS – Saving My Slippers

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I have a pair of slippers that I bought from the Australian Geographic shop about 12 years ago.  They are polar fleece with ribbing around the ankle and a heavy-duty synthetic fabric sole.  They are only really suitable for indoor wear.

I wash my slippers from time to time and when I was hanging them on the line yesterday I noticed that there was a split in the sole.  The polar fleece lining was still intact but I decided that I would try to mend them to prolong the life of my slippers.

Here is the slipper showing split in the sole.

It took a bit of fiddling but I managed to use my sewing machine with a zigzag stitch to repair and reinforce the sole.  I am hopeful that these will now last a few more years yet.

You can see the zigzag stitching below.

While I was turning the slipper inside-out I decided that perhaps I will be able to make something similar.  Polar fleece fabric and ribbing are readily available.  It will just be a matter of looking for something suitable to use for the soles.

And this shows the stitching from the inside.

I will add making slippers to my list of possible projects for ‘one day in the future’.  Meanwhile, the existing slippers should be OK for another few years.

Disinfectant Disaster & Other Cleaning Tales

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On the weekend I was picking up a couple of things at the local supermarket and I noticed that they had small bottles of disinfectant concentrate.  My current bottle (that I have had for a few years) is nearly finished so I decided to buy some more.  I do not routinely use disinfectant but I usually use a couple of drops when I am cleaning the compost bucket and the kitchen bin.

I was putting the new bottle away in the laundry cupboard and managed to drop it with catastrophic consequences.  The hard plastic bottle cracked when it hit the tiled floor and quickly began to leak.  I grabbed the bottle and put it in the bowl I use for handwashing, which happened to be on the laundry bench.  Nevertheless, there was an amount of disinfectant concentrate on the laundry floor.

Rather than waste it, I got a bucket of very hot water and decided to mop the floor of the laundry and toilet .  The fumes were dreadful, the floor ended up spotless and I had a debilitating headache for 48 hours.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.

I decanted the remaining disinfectant from the bowl into the almost empty bottle so I have enough for another few years but I know I will be VERY careful when I am handling it.

I was reading this post on Frugal Downunder yesterday and noticed that the first comment mentioned using tea tree oil.  Why didn’t I think of that?  In the future that is what I will be using instead of disinfectant.

Most of my cleaning consists of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.  I buy the cleaning vinegar from the supermarket and put 1 litre in in a 2 litre bottle then top-up with water and allow to stand for a couple of weeks.  This way you get twice as much for the price.  I found this savings tip on Simple Savings.  The bicarb is bought in bulk from Simply Good so no packaging is generated.

I have a selection of re-usable cloths, some are microfibre and some are cotton.

I use beeswax furniture polish which I buy locally at a market.

The main problem we have is mould as we live in a high rainfall area with very high humidity during the summer months.  Clove oil kills the mould spores and I was able to buy some this year in bulk.  It is expensive but you need very little (5mls in 500ml of water) in a spray bottle.  I am gradually treating all of the walls, ceilings, furniture and even shoes and it certainly has made a huge difference.  The syringe is so that I can accurately measure out 5ml.

I do not have a lot of chemicals and the disinfectant disaster reminded me of the reasons why we are better off without these chemicals in our homes.  In almost all cases there is a less toxic option.

Weekly Challenge – Week 12

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Week 12 – I am getting heartily sick of this challenge, or to be more precise, writing about it.  However, since it is a challenge I guess it is not meant to be easy.  So here we go for another week.

What I have done so far.  Scroll to the end of the list to so the new additions for this week.

1. Clean car inside and out -DONE

2. Finish making sandwich wraps for Miss O and Izz – DONE

3. Create a spreadsheet for future holiday packing needs

4. Make trackpants for Miss O and Izz – DONE

5. Send emails to book accommodation for New Zealand trip – DONE

6. Buy and plant seedlings for winter vegetables – DONE

7. Email friend to arrange to meet for lunch – DONE

8. Finish knitting dishcloth and sew ends in on first two – DONE

9. Make dressing gown for Miss O – DONE

10. Upload music to my iPod

11. Declutter and clean bathroom cupboard – DONE

12. Plan birthday celebration for Missy – DONE

13. Make an appointment to have our tax done – DONE

14. List 2 items on Freecycle – DONE

15. Clean kitchen windows – DONE

16. Book train trip  for New Zealand holiday – DONE

17. Follow up what I need to do to change my superannuation

18. Assemble the required paperwork for our tax appointment – DONE

19. Finish pinafore for Izz – DONE

20. Discuss 80th birthday celebration plans with my mother – DONE

21. Clean patio using high-pressure cleaner – DONE

22. Clean back wall of the house using high-pressure cleaner – DONE

23. Organise quote to have poinciana tree lopped and mulched

24. Plant seeds in seed-raising mix – DONE

25. Clean windows on southern side of house

26. Clean paths using high-pressure cleaner – DONE

27. Trace sewing patterns for my mother – DONE

28. Read 5 outstanding magazines & file or re-home – DONE

29. Clean out bottom drawer in the kitchen – DONE

30.Dust furniture in the front entry – DONE

31. Read  and re-home 5 more magazines – DONE

32. Thin out and re-pot bok choy seedlings

33. Sand and paint window frames in laundry and bathroom – DONE

34. Clean fronts of kitchen cupboards – DONE

35. Make a vinyl cover for the newly-created day bed

36. Buy birthday gift for Izz

37. Sew 5 souvenir badges on a blanket

38.Look at accommodation options for weekend in Melbourne

39.Arrange to close a bank account that is no longer required

40. Read and re-home 5 more magazines/articles/booklets

41. See accountant re tax returns – DONE

42. Book a massage – DONE

43. Make food for shared morning tea – DONE

44. Defrost small freezer

45. Clean all of the screens – TV, computer, laptop, Kindles

46. Try to find a small chest of drawers on Gumtree/Freecycle etc

47. Take glass jars to op shop

48. Take boots to be re-heeled

………..and of course I must keep plugging away with the UFO’s from further up the list.

Tomorrow I will be back with a cautionary tale from my traumatic weekend with the disinfectant.


The (Semi) Neglected Garden and A Menu Plan

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Although our fruit trees and vegie gardens are not totally neglected, we do not spend much more than an hour/week on them.  For this meagre investment of time we are fortunate with the harvest we reap.

This afternoon I went downstairs to water the vegetables as it has been particularly dry for the past month with almost no rain.  We have an annual average rainfall of 1800mm (72 inches) and the past 2 years have been well above that average.

I came in with broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, chillies, snow peas, pumpkin, sweet potato and cherry tomatoes as well as grapefruit and avocadoes.

The first of the snow peas.  There will be many more if the flowers are any indication.

Every time I think the broccoli is finished some more side shoots appear.

The mushrooms look like they have been on steroids.  These came up in the garden bed where some of the spent mushroom compost was put.

The bell chillies are not too hot so make a good substitute for capsicums which is good since the latter are as much as $8.95/kg.

There are also lemons, oranges, limes and bok choy ready to pick but I did not need any today.

I have been picking bok choy by cutting it off at the base and leaving the remnant in the hope that it would re-shoot.  Only a week or so after cutting them I have discovered new growth on 2 of the bok choy roots so I am very pleased with that.

Since home-grown vegetables have a much shorter shelf life than bought produce I have put my thinking cap on to come up with some meal ideas.  I have yet to sort them into a proper plan but here they are.

Pizza – using pumpkin, chilli, mushrooms and spinach (plus the salami that is in the freezer).

Beef stir-fry with snow peas and broccoli

Broccoli and cauliflower bake

Broccoli with tuna and tomato sauce

Salmon on sweet potato mash with balsamic roast pumpkin and stir-fried bok choy

Vegetable casserole – using sweet potato, pumpkin and broccoli stalks

Mushroom, bacon and spinach quiche – the pastry is in the freezer from the last batch I made.

The eggs that we collect from our chickens, a vegie garden and not too much effort certainly makes a difference to our grocery bills.

Do you grow any produce?

Now it is time to make the pizza for dinner.