Menu Planning

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I read a post on grocery shopping at Frugal Downunder and the question that was posed at the end was, “Is menu planning on your ‘To Do’ list?”

I have always menu planned to some degree but never actually thought of it by name until the last few years.  Now that there is only The Duke and I at home and we are away from the house for long hours each day during the week I have to be really organised.

We don’t get home until after 7pm so I need to have meals that I can have on the table with 30 minutes of arriving home.

I have fallen into a pattern of doing a plan for a week at a time usually on Friday evening or Saturday morning so that I can buy groceries accordingly.  My biggest failing over the years has probably been waste of fresh produce so I try very hard to only buy what I need.  It is easy to fall into the trap of just buying things and finding that they do not get used.  Some fruit and vegetables have a longer shelf life than others so I take this into consideration when planning meals and try to use the most perishable items early in the week.

I usually only plan our evening meals but this week have decided to plan lunches as well.  I take into account any extra activities, or appointments as well as seasonal produce from the garden.

I have a well-stocked pantry and freezer and mostly cook from scratch so shopping is usually restocking the pantry and some fresh fruit and vegetables.  We do not eat a lot of meat but I tend to buy 2 kilos of a particular item at a time and freeze in meal-sized portions.

Here is our menu plan for 7 days for 2 adults.

Menu Plan-Breakfast

Sat – Scrambled eggs
Sun – Baked beans
Mon-Fri Cereal & Juice (F), Grapefruit (TD)

Menu Plan-Lunch

Sat – Grilled cheese & avocado on toast
Sun – Chicken & salad rolls
Mon – Quiche & salad
Tues – Refried beans & rice (F), tuna & rice (TD)
Wed – Shepherd’s pie (TD), baked beans (F)
Thurs – Risotto (F), not required (TD)
Fri – Tuna & rice

Menu Plan-Dinner

Sat – Bean tacos and salad
Sun – Mushroom soup and grilled cheese on Turkish bread
Mon – Chicken & avocado pancakes with veg
Tues –  Shepherd’s Pie & veg
Wed – Pumpkin, spinach & bacon risotto with avocado
Thurs – Pasta with tomato, bacon & veg
Fri – Steak & prune casserole & veg

Menu planning saves me money but more importantly time and my sanity.

So, I pose the question again – Do you menu plan?  How effective do you find it?

Laundry Tips (Part 2)

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Following the comments on yesterday’s post I thought I would do a bit more research and here is what I have found.

Despite much googling (is that a word?) I was unable to locate any reference to a gadget to hang sweaters/delicate tops to dry.  I did, however, find this article on re-using pantyhose which mentions the method I described ie:  threading the legs of the patyhose through the sleeves of the sweater and pegging the pantyhose to the line in 3 places – beyond each sleeve and within the neckline.

  • Sweater Protector: Avoid getting clothespin marks on your newly washed sweater by putting an old pair of pantyhose through the neck and running the legs out through the arms. Then hang the sweater to dry on your clothesline by clipping the clothespins onto the pantyhose instead of the wool, or whatever material the sweater’s made from.

The quote above came from here.

This has served to remind me to take care of the hangers that I have but if they ever become unusable I can always go back to using pantyhose.  I don’t have many pairs of pantyhose but I will save any once they are worn out.

I had a little more success with the soap saver/shaker

It does seem to be a peculiarly Australian invention and I found the following references.

Here is one made from a tobacco tin.

And another in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

There is an illustration of a slightly more modern version about halfway down this page.

And you can buy a soap shaker here on TradeMe – a New Zealand site so the ‘technology’ of the soap shaker has made it across the Tasman.

From what I can see I am lucky to have inherited the soap shaker.

What do you have or use that is no longer made?

Laundry Tips and Tricks

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I have previously shown you my organised laundry cupboard so today I wanted to share a few tips from the laundry.

Our laundry sink doubles as a handbasin as the toilet is off the laundry.  I keep a bar of soap in a soap dish I made from the base of a 2 litre milk bottle.

Speaking of soap, I also use a soap saver for pieces of soap.  This is then shaken in a bucket of warm water and produces lots of suds which I use when handwashing.  Although we do not need to save water in our current location the habit is such that I always do the handwashing in a plastic bucket.

The soap saver hangs just above the laundry tub on a suction hook.

This is what it looks like when opened out.

My soap saver came from my mother-in-law.  It is plastic, although the ones I remember from my childhood were wire mesh.  I have never seen one for sale in a shop despite looking on numerous occasions.  Have you seen one or do you have a soap saver?  A handyperson could make one, I am sure.  Remember the saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention”.  Perhaps there needs to be more of that in our society today.

The other thing I use often is hangers for woollen jumpers and cardigans.  I have had 3 of these for a number of years and like most plastic-coated wire products they will last almost indefinitely if they are not left out in the weather.

And here they are in use……….

These are also an upgrade of an old idea.  In years gone by people hung their woollen garments on old stockings by threading the legs through the sleeves and pegging stocking to the line beyond the sleeves and at the neckline which is the principle upon which these hangers are based.

Gumboots and a Gerni

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How we achieved Challenges 22 & 26 from the list…………..

On Sunday The Duke cleaned the long southern wall of the house.  I assisted/supervised, held the ladder, moved the scaffold and turned the tap on and off as required.

After that I then cleaned all of the paths at the back of the house.  Because this area is south-facing it is very shaded and the paths become mouldy and quite slippery.

Here is a shot showing the ‘before’ and ‘after’ on the path.

The first pre-requisite for this job is a pair of gumboots.

I never thought I would say that I love a pair of gumboots but they are perfect in this weather.  With a pair of thick socks on inside them my feet and legs stay warm, dry and comfortable no matter what I am working on outdoors.

Here is the Gerni high-pressure sprayer that we used.

Some of you will be appalled at what you would regard as a terrible waste of water.  I have lived in an area of 20″ annual rainfall with only tank water supply so understand this line of thinking.  However, we live in a high rainfall area of 72″ (or more) per year.  We also have a huge storage capacity which we barely touch.

I would much rather use a quantity of water than nasty chemicals to clean these surfaces.

I did not take any photos of the house as it simply does not show up on the picture but here is the end result of the path.

Next weekend I hope to finish the job by cleaning the patio and also the outdoor steps made from pavers.  They are very mouldy and unsightly.

Weekly Challenge – Week 7

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6 weeks of the challenge now completed so it is time to review the list and how I am going.

The countdown is on – 17 weeks till our New Zealand trip.

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

15. Clean kitchen windows

16. Book train trip  for New Zealand holiday

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

18. Assemble the required paperwork for our tax appointment

19. Finish pinafore for Izz – DONE

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

21. Clean patio using high-pressure cleaner

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

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

Gradually making progress on the list.  It is good to see what I have actually achieved.

Meanwhile the sorting, decluttering, sewing and general housework continues unabated.

Please feel free to join in.  What jobs do you keep putting off?

Crisp, Clean Sheets

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There is nothing I like better than to slide into a bed freshly made with crisp, cotton sheets.  No matter how cold it gets I cannot bear the thought of flannelette sheets.  ‘Squiffy’ is my description for flannelette sheets.

I bought 2 new sets of bed linen from Blessed Earth yesterday.  They are organic cotton and just wonderful to sleep on.  We already have one set so when I saw that the 50% sale was happening it was a great opportunity to get some more.  I think that most of their business is online but I am spoiled as the shop is right here in Maleny.

There is no excess packaging either.  The flat sheet is folded around a piece of plain cardboard and they come in a cotton bag made from the same fabric as the sheets.  Each purchase is packed in a cotton carrier bag with ‘Blessed Earth’ printed on the side.  I will be proud to add this bag to my collection which I use for my shopping.

Here are the new sheets freshly washed and hanging on the line.

Then folded up and ready to go in the linen cupboard.

Now, with 3 sets of linen for our bed it will be quite a while before I need to buy any more.

The Verdict

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Off we went to the Maleny Community Centre with many others to vote on the fate of the Maleny Credit Union.

The hall was filled to capacity and the meeting became a little heated at times.  Some of the speakers were heavy on emotion and light on facts but that is what a democracy is all about.  Everyone who wished to, was given an opportunity to speak.

There were several television crews so I expect the issue will receive plenty of coverage.

Here is a view of some of the crowd.

And then it was time to vote.  The Chairman of the Board of Directors announced the proxies that he held and it was evident that the ‘NO’ campaign was sniffing success.

There was still the casting and counting of votes.

Then it was all over, the votes counted and results declared.  A ‘YES’ vote of 75% was required for the merger to proceed but this did not occur.  The ‘YES’ vote was only 42% which was well short of the required figure.

When summing up the Chairman of the Board of Directors announced that it would be business as usual on Monday at Maleny Credit Union.  Click here to read the media release from the website.

It was back out into the sunshine….

Time to celebrate, reflect and plan the next strategic move, perhaps?

At the Upfront Club, another Maleny co-operative.

I am pleased with the result but know that like many battles this is just the first round.  Whether Maleny Credit Union continues in its current form in the long-term is still a debateable point.

What I do know is that the chance of it disappearing completely with barely a whimper from the local community is not going to happen.  I feel that the Directors misread the strength of community sentiment about this institution and were not pro-active in engaging community participation and consultation if there is to be a significant change to the structure of Maleny Credit Union.

As a footnote:  Acknowledgement should be given to the legacy of Jill Jordan who was instrumental in setting up the Maleny Credit Union as well as many of the other co-operative ventures in this town.  Jill passed away in early 2010.  You can read more here and here.

Save It, Don’t Sell It!

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Tomorrow The Duke and I will be attending a Special General Meeting of the Maleny Credit Union.  This local financial institution is at risk of being swallowed up by a bigger credit union.

MCU was formed in 1984 in a town where co-operatives have a long and successful history.  With 5,000 members, MCU has a strong focus on ethical and sustainable investment along with a commitment to loans for environmental initiatives.

Maleny is a town where people have strong opinions and are not afraid to voice them so I expect it to be a very lively meeting.

This article on crikey.com tells the story so far.  Will this be another Woolworths battle?

Exercise & Electricity

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I have been trying hard to keep up my daily steps for the Global Challenge.  I am averaging about 9,000 steps per day which isn’t too bad, especially considering that it is dark when I leave home and dark when I get home.  Walking on our unlit rural road at night is unthinkable so I try to get out for a walk each day at lunch-time.  I vary my route but one of my favourites is the Roma Street Parklands.  It is about 5 minutes from my office and is an oasis in the middle of the city.  This area was once railway yards and then for many years just an eyesore.  The transformation is amazing and many residents and visitors take the time to visit.

I am pleased that we have now passed the shortest day of the year so can look forward to more daylight hours.

Despite the short days we have still managed to generate plenty of power from our solar panels thanks to some clear, cloudless days.  I have yet to resolve my issues with our billing cycle from Origin so I won’t bore you with the details at the moment.  Suffice to say, I am waiting for a couple more weeks and then lodging a complaint about the process and service with the Energy & Water Ombudsman.

Sewing Stuff

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Today I want to share a few organising tips from my sewing/craft room. Generally, this room is anything but organised – in fact it is the untidiest room in the house.  Part of the reason for this is that I really want to sort things out properly after too many years of having things just shoved willy-nilly into boxes. Here is a mobile set of drawers which I bought from Officeworks a few years ago for work-related papers but it has since been re-purposed for some of my sewing things.

2011-06-22 01The drawers fit nicely in the corner spot between the door and the built-in wardrobe with my cutting mat slipped in between the drawers and the wall. The top 3 drawers hold containers of buttons, bobbins, thread, pins, needles, safety pins, elastic and bias binding as well as my scissors, tape measures and quick unpicks. Drawer 4 has interfacing and the bottom 2 drawers have small to medium sized pieces of fabric. I do not usually buy storage containers for things as I can find boxes or jars to use. Here is a box I salvaged from work (about 20 years ago) and covered in some leftover contact.

2011-06-22 02I store my knitting needles in it.

2011-06-22 03Finally, here is some of my button collection.

2011-06-22 04This is a container that came from my mother’s place so I have put it to use sorting some of the buttons by colour.  These are ones where there are several the same and they may actually be used on a garment that I make.  The others are loose in a jar for when I need a random replacement button or something like eyes for a sock puppet. Now I am inspired to go and organise some more things in the sewing room.  One day it will be in a state that I will be able to show you the whole room rather than a few random pieces.