tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30088890703395742442024-03-14T14:29:18.398+11:00Patchwork EconomicsDianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-79224299138109187482014-04-20T09:07:00.000+10:002014-04-20T09:08:13.708+10:00Getting back to basics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Life has been a bit of a whirlwind lately. Getting the new office setup and putting the inside of my house back together has kept me busy, but has also encouraged me to accept what I've been ignoring for a while - I've let a lot of things slide. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The garden is a prime example. We had a very dry and hotter than usual summer this year which made growing vegies problematic to say the least. With that in mind, I kept it to just one bed of tomatoes and capsicum and a couple of pumpkin plants that I let run wild. Once they were in, they got very little in the way of tender loving care from me, except [fairly] regular watering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Even in the midst of that neglect, there's still an abundance of fruit to pick. Rather than see another season end without preserving part of my tomato crop, I got organised.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCodeBL-uNc/U1L7XcYnP_I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/GycDfF_-NZ4/s1600/Tomatoes+ready+to+cook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCodeBL-uNc/U1L7XcYnP_I/AAAAAAAAAZQ/GycDfF_-NZ4/s1600/Tomatoes+ready+to+cook.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Tomatoes - Ready to cook</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I use a simple method of preserving tomatoes, I cook them, put them through a food mill to remove the skins and the larger seeds, then bottle and process in a water bath. Nothing fancy, no added anything. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2Hj9KY_W9o/U1L_a6u7WRI/AAAAAAAAAZc/cnHiDGViIqU/s1600/tomatoes+-+jars+of+puree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2Hj9KY_W9o/U1L_a6u7WRI/AAAAAAAAAZc/cnHiDGViIqU/s1600/tomatoes+-+jars+of+puree.jpg" height="286" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Tomatoes - jars of puree</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If all goes well, I'll get another couple of tomato preserving sessions in before the plants need to be removed which will put a few more jars of organically grown, pure tomato puree into the cupboard for 'later'. Not to mention a fulfilling sense of accomplishment, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Cheers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Diane</span><br />
<br /></div>
Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-81558306511112468052014-04-09T07:27:00.001+10:002014-04-20T09:08:37.753+10:00{Studio Office Renovation} Almost done!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The renovation of an old 'shed' into my new office has been a long, long, and frustrating saga. Several times, I thought I'd secured a builder to do the work but it seems my job wasn't big enough to warrant their skills so, disappointment invariably followed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was serendipity that brought a young builder to my notice earlier this year and he jumped at the opportunity. So, nearly a year after stripping the shed and being excited that work was about to begin, I can finally say, "It's done!". Or, at least it's as done as it needs to be to be put to use. Nothing has been done to finish the interior but, after waiting so long, I don't care! Prettying up the inside is a luxury for some other time. Right now, the priority is to get my house back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The outside is still being painted but here it is:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C56IgQI25mU/U0RnwxKJiWI/AAAAAAAAAYY/rnvfec-P3NE/s1600/100_5984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C56IgQI25mU/U0RnwxKJiWI/AAAAAAAAAYY/rnvfec-P3NE/s1600/100_5984.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">New studio/office</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's an incredible relief to have this space finished. Now I can separate work and home and hopefully, be better at both. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cheers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Diane</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-55260122047040144522014-01-11T10:25:00.000+11:002014-04-20T09:08:37.749+10:00Learning to be Self-Employed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The last 12 months have been an extraordinary learning experience. Even though I've run my online business as a moonlight job for a number of years, in reality I've been a salary earner my whole adult life. Walking away from that apparent security has been tough but incredibly liberating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I readily admit I squandered a great deal of the first six months of 2013. Some of that time was devoted to 'decompressing' but an awful lot of it was also, although hard to admit, lost to floundering aimlessly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">By the second half of the year I was beginning to get a feel for working for myself and working from home. I started thinking about goals, revisiting dreams, taking stock of my life and making the time to appreciate everything for which I am grateful. It's amazing the impact this change in mindset had on everything around me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Unfortunately, the brakes were slammed on some of my plans when I tore the cartilage in my left knee. Thankfully not badly enough to need surgery but it certainly slowed me down considerably. However, this enforced inactivity gave me an opportunity to read and listen to audio books on time management, motivation and similar subjects so the time definitely wasn't wasted.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Eat-That-Frog-Brian-Tracy/9781576754221/?a_aid=patchworkeconomics" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x89huzEwZPY/UtCBBUzfglI/AAAAAAAAAW0/JlNjT1_s-bA/s1600/Eat+That+Frog+9781576754221.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Eat-That-Frog-Brian-Tracy/9781576754221/?a_aid=patchworkeconomics" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">One of the books that helped get me back on track.</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once I was able to, I started walking in the mornings. My morning stroll takes around 40mins and is sufficient to get the blood circulating but not overtax my still temperamental knee. Other than helping with physical well-being and stress management, I find my morning walk fires up my motivation and imagination. I walk in silence and just let the thoughts wander in and out as they choose. On my return, I know, as I walk through my front gate, I'm ready to tackle anything!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As 2014 begins, that's me, ready to tackle anything! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you too are self-employed or a small business owner, please feel free to share any hints and tips for beginners.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Cheers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />Diane</span></div>
Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-64197585176169968472013-06-03T09:10:00.000+10:002014-04-20T09:09:31.413+10:00Lemons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In older Australian suburbs, lemon trees are (or at least were) a standard feature in most backyards. If you're like me, living in a small town in regional Victoria - you'll have two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lemons are, at various times, a bane or a boon. They're a bane when the tree is laden to the point they're falling on the ground and I'm too busy to even bag them to sell at my front gate. They're a boon when I'm making lemon cordial or I need a squeeze of lemon in the raspberry jam.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XXRI1gdcSwI/UavN6LYTA6I/AAAAAAAAATo/deinx4rb8a4/s1600/Lemons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XXRI1gdcSwI/UavN6LYTA6I/AAAAAAAAATo/deinx4rb8a4/s320/Lemons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripe lemons ready to pick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are lots of other uses for lemons and I'm going to start trying a few. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are just two of the great ideas I found on www.whydontyoutrythis.com. See the whole post <a href="http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/05/45-uses-for-lemons-that-will-blow-your-socks-off.html" target="_blank">here</a></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Boost Laundry Detergent</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For more powerful cleaning action, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap stains and remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs and will leave your clothes smelling fresh. Your clothes will turn out brighter and also come out smelling lemon-fresh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><b>Keep Insects Out of the Kitchen</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Can you add any more uses to the list?</span></div>
Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-49464273223656940272013-05-25T13:22:00.000+10:002013-05-26T10:26:49.739+10:00Fugalista - Home Baked Cinnamon Rolls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's no surprise to most of us that cooking and baking from scratch is so much cheaper than buying a similar product ready made.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the spirit of keeping costs to a minimum while still enjoying the finer things in life, I fired up the oven and baked some cinnamon rolls.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5HXOADnWdEo/UaAqlTgnzRI/AAAAAAAAATU/kfgdJpc9Z-E/s1600/Patchwork+Economics+Cinnamon+Rolls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5HXOADnWdEo/UaAqlTgnzRI/AAAAAAAAATU/kfgdJpc9Z-E/s320/Patchwork+Economics+Cinnamon+Rolls.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Home Baked Cinnamon Rolls</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I found the recipe <a href="http://www.theculinaryvampire.com/2010/07/cinnamon-rolls.html" target="_blank">here</a> and used it as is however, in the future I'll make a lot less icing as I had a heap left over. It wont go to waste though, it's in an air-tight jar in the fridge awaiting the next batch of cinnamon rolls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I haven't purchased a cinnamon roll for a while but I'm guessing a mass produced commercial one would cost between A$2.50 - $3.00. I'd estimate my total ingredient costs to be not much more than that (Aldi flour, bulk cinnamon, etc.) and in return I produced a dozen good sized rolls. The rolls froze really well, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being frugal isn't about being 'cheap' it's about spending your money (and time) wisely. </span><br />
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Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-17312310002439036382013-05-23T11:34:00.000+10:002013-05-23T11:34:27.565+10:00Studio / Office Renovation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I'm now working from home exclusively, I ran out of excuses for not getting the old dilapidated outbuilding (circa 'around the same time as Stonehenge') on my property spruced up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The goal is to use this outbuilding as my office, warehouse and studio. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, in order to rebuild one has to tear down. And, that my friends has been a herculean task. Partly because I can <i>always</i> find something other than hard work to occupy my time and partly because it really is <i>hard</i> work! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luckily, wrecking stuff takes very little skill, just determination and as you can see from these images, I am getting there.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x6fRK4nJ3kw/UZ1u5jFCCxI/AAAAAAAAAS0/1bvgU_fnxlE/s1600/100_4482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x6fRK4nJ3kw/UZ1u5jFCCxI/AAAAAAAAAS0/1bvgU_fnxlE/s320/100_4482.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outbuilding Interior - North/East</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rB_iexxKZLk/UZ1vAcPDKwI/AAAAAAAAAS8/atSDBDTAYUE/s1600/100_4481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rB_iexxKZLk/UZ1vAcPDKwI/AAAAAAAAAS8/atSDBDTAYUE/s320/100_4481.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outbuilding Interior - North/West</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DowCk9KLjeI/UZ1vSO5y0VI/AAAAAAAAATE/M0HI0mL_yzo/s1600/100_4480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DowCk9KLjeI/UZ1vSO5y0VI/AAAAAAAAATE/M0HI0mL_yzo/s320/100_4480.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outbuilding Interior - West</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now that I can see real progress, I'm getting excited about having a dedicated area in which to work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What a luxury it will be to be able to shut the door on work at the end of the day rather than being surrounded by it 24/7.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Better get back out there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Diane</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-19694998699696854392013-04-28T10:01:00.000+10:002013-04-28T10:01:23.167+10:00Feet on the ground... Finally!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been four months since finishing up my last IT contract and officially relying on my business as my only income. And, it's been one heck of a roller-coaster ride.<br />
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Nothing has really turned out the way I planned. No empty nest and it's taken me a distressingly long time to recover from the very hectic and stressful previous year or so.<br />
<br />
In order to ensure my health and happiness (and bank balance!) are on the right track again, I'm planning on a Makeover May! I figure the bank balance bit will be the bonus flow on effect of health and happiness, because when you've got those two things working for you, you don't need take-away dinners because you're too exhausted to cook and you don't need retail therapy to distract you, going for a walk or sitting in the garden provide all the distraction you need.<br />
<br />
The three key objectives of my Makeover May are:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>One hour walk each day (stress relief and fitness)</li>
<li>Two litres of filtered water each day</li>
<li>Three cups (minimum) of vegetables each day.</li>
</ul>
<div>
My goal is to complete each of these objectives every day for the 31 days of May. I'm hoping for lots of beneficial outcomes but my focus and my goal is to add each of these tasks, if you will, to my day.</div>
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Should be an interesting month ahead!</div>
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Why not plan your own Makeover May?</div>
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<div>
Diane</div>
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Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-85090925295915838842012-12-07T16:57:00.000+11:002012-12-07T17:06:14.564+11:00A New Phase Beckons...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The last year or so has been stressful, chaotic and crazy-busy. But, a new phase beckons... with two weeks of my work contract remaining and high school finished for my daughter, I'm looking forward to a new phase of my life beginning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Life, as I currently know it, will end on December 21, 2012. So... the Mayans were right! At least in my case.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The next phase of my life will be as a self-employed business owner. Very scary and yet very exciting! </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm also looking forward to being an empty nester, although there's a good chance of my daughter taking a 'gap year' before heading off to university.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, while I haven't had as many opportunities to apply patchwork economic theory to my life this year, I have been very focussed on debt reduction - knowing that there was little chance of seeing my work contract extended again was a great motivator!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We'll need to learn to live on much less than we have been lately but in a somewhat perverse way, I'm looking forward to it. Looking forward to living slowly and mindfully. Looking forward to getting my hands dirty in the garden. Looking forward to using less, buying less and living more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The future is an uncertain thing, but certainly nothing to be feared.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I intend to, again, share the lessons I learn along the way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Cheers,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br />Diane</span></div>
Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-4747327313775756412012-06-16T08:20:00.000+10:002012-06-16T08:22:48.208+10:00Small Achievements<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's been another busy week with cold dark starts and long days but... this week I have definitely made progress in realigning my activity with my goals.</div>
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My business was a little slower this week which, while a concern, freed up some time and energy for other things like, baking. I baked a loaf of bread for the first time in a very long time. Definitely out of practice but it tasted great and smelled... awesome!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mxtVsogrIM/T9uwkQF5LuI/AAAAAAAAAOI/QEFj4_AcFYo/s1600/Ready+for+the+oven.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mxtVsogrIM/T9uwkQF5LuI/AAAAAAAAAOI/QEFj4_AcFYo/s320/Ready+for+the+oven.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the oven...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E1XMxv2gVmw/T9uwlV41gGI/AAAAAAAAAOM/XcpEIhFh0HY/s1600/Ready+to+eat%21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E1XMxv2gVmw/T9uwlV41gGI/AAAAAAAAAOM/XcpEIhFh0HY/s320/Ready+to+eat%21.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ready to eat!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I also, put the carcase and remaining meat of the organic chicken we roasted to good use by making stock and creating a chicken and vegie soup. I portioned the soup to freeze; ready to take to work for cheap and nourishing lunches.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hvsaw71906w/T9uyG_sQBKI/AAAAAAAAAOY/CwnxZjkRB2k/s1600/Chicken+and+Vegie+Soup+with+Rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hvsaw71906w/T9uyG_sQBKI/AAAAAAAAAOY/CwnxZjkRB2k/s320/Chicken+and+Vegie+Soup+with+Rice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Chicken and Vegie Soup</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Fridays are normally completely dedicated to the business but due to very low volumes this week, I had a day that looked very much like a day off! A rare beast in recent times. To make this miracle complete it was a gorgeous sunny winter day, so I spent a couple of hours in the garden, too. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
Today, I will set some more small achievable goals for the coming week. Measurable achievements are not only satisfying, they are motivating, too.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If all goes well, I'll be adding a scrumptious home made apple pie to the list of achievements next week... </span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-91332114421435822732012-06-09T07:19:00.002+10:002012-06-16T08:22:27.712+10:00Line in the Sand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;">My concept of 'patchwork economics' has always been about creating a financial 'blanket' that didn't rely solely on one source of revenue or benefit. So, earning money from multiple sources is one aspect of its construction and finding ways to reduce expenditure another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Over the last eight months, I've been busy. So busy working on the first part of the equation that the second (reducing expenditure) had gone to hell in a hand-cart! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Working four days a week in an IT company, plus running my online retail <a href="http://www.marleyhillcottage.com.au/" target="_blank">party supply business</a> and supporting my daughter in her final year of high school left very little time for art of creative non-spending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we move into winter, my vegetable garden is overgrown with weed, stray cherry tomatoes and a self-seeded pumpkin that looks as though it has only produced two stripy green pumpkins. There's more grass in the garden beds than the lawn and the gravel paths are looking quite jungle-ish... The only highlights of my garden are the lawn (because someone else mows it!) and the fruit trees although the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Rosella" target="_blank">Eastern Rosellas </a>have enjoyed most of the apples this season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Again I'm reminded of the adage about time and money; you usually have a surplus of one or the other. The trouble is (for me at least) it's very hard to ignore the allure of convenience when you're working 60+ hours a week. I've found takeaways have become common place for us. Food I used to always cook from scratch like bread, soups or desserts now come from the supermarket in shiny plastic packaging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Other than the extraordinary cost financially, I've noticed physical effects, too. We've both put on weight and feel sluggish most of the time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This then, is my line in the sand. It's time to go cold turkey on convenience. I know I have another seven months of IT work but beyond that, I'm not sure. So, there's no time to waste. I have to get myself back in the swing of spending (and living) consciously. Not just for my financial well-being but physical and probably psychological, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Wish me luck!</span></div>
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<br /></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-29149486187771748432011-10-19T06:00:00.002+11:002011-10-19T06:00:01.493+11:00A Wander Through The Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While the sun was shining I took the opportunity to wander around the garden - camera in hand this time instead of a cup of tea! The productive aspects of the garden are developing nicely. Most of the fruit trees are only a few years old so are only just beginning to produce fruit but it looks like this year's crop will be a good one.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yYAGvQILc6s/TpoaEeemIOI/AAAAAAAAAJk/DK5e3s8CW_w/s1600/Apricots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yYAGvQILc6s/TpoaEeemIOI/AAAAAAAAAJk/DK5e3s8CW_w/s320/Apricots.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This year I'll get the fruit off the apricot trees a little early as last year a large proportion of the crop exploded in the humidity - they were still tasty though.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kEFFlEOatMo/TpoaEy0OLCI/AAAAAAAAAJs/QdErOiIEJ5w/s1600/Avocado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kEFFlEOatMo/TpoaEy0OLCI/AAAAAAAAAJs/QdErOiIEJ5w/s320/Avocado.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the second year of flowers on the avocado. Fingers crossed for fruit this year.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HhPHaq9a09E/TpoaFoptNZI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/sPYx5mbDXLs/s1600/Cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HhPHaq9a09E/TpoaFoptNZI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/sPYx5mbDXLs/s320/Cherries.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The birds enjoyed the cherries last year - this year we will! I'll be netting the tree!!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Xa1ozJwjXU/TpoaGbFW2fI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/VhXkn2nHXNM/s1600/Lemons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Xa1ozJwjXU/TpoaGbFW2fI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/VhXkn2nHXNM/s320/Lemons.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There are always loads of lemons on the two ancient trees in our yard.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0kj86rOCt4I/TpoaHDoh1PI/AAAAAAAAAKE/1wRMLSlKfA4/s1600/Mandarin+-+Dwarf+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0kj86rOCt4I/TpoaHDoh1PI/AAAAAAAAAKE/1wRMLSlKfA4/s320/Mandarin+-+Dwarf+Tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Plenty of blossom on the dwarf Imperial Mandarin.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SE8l8_jPDp8/TpoaHi0ZbsI/AAAAAAAAAKM/caub7CQOu1E/s1600/Nectarines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SE8l8_jPDp8/TpoaHi0ZbsI/AAAAAAAAAKM/caub7CQOu1E/s320/Nectarines.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nectarines</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aVSrRsm7cOo/TpoaIWFw4MI/AAAAAAAAAKU/xtvcjWPskyg/s1600/Pears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aVSrRsm7cOo/TpoaIWFw4MI/AAAAAAAAAKU/xtvcjWPskyg/s320/Pears.jpg" width="276" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hopefully we'll see a nice first crop off the Packham pear.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2iKBBjqV1ZM/TpoaIlS_nuI/AAAAAAAAAKc/PZwcOnJMq9U/s1600/Strawberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2iKBBjqV1ZM/TpoaIlS_nuI/AAAAAAAAAKc/PZwcOnJMq9U/s320/Strawberries.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The strawberries are still producing... this is their fourth year!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If all this potential abundance comes to fruition, it will mean a busy time in the kitchen preserving a wonderful harvest. And, hopefully plenty to give away, too!</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-33569106654964523442011-10-16T10:03:00.002+11:002011-10-16T10:06:38.540+11:00Home Made Lemon Cordial<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now that we're half way through spring, we're starting to indulge in cold drinks again. While water is always the best choice in cold drinks... sometimes bubbles and sweetness are needed, too. So this weekend I've made use of a bucket load of lemons from our trees and made lemon cordial. We can then use this cordial to flavour plain old tap water or for a bubbly treat, soda water. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I used <a href="http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/cordial-recipes.html">this</a> recipe from <a href="http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/">www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com</a>. I'm very pleased with the result and will use it again next time.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UL8MoE4_CK4/TpoOhsZkilI/AAAAAAAAAJM/vtYVvRQjlrc/s1600/Lemon+Cordial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UL8MoE4_CK4/TpoOhsZkilI/AAAAAAAAAJM/vtYVvRQjlrc/s320/Lemon+Cordial.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The 'hard work' - squeezing lemons</span>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQ3PCbFQ6Co/TpoOjR3yxaI/AAAAAAAAAJU/PoMCX1p1vWs/s1600/Lemon+Cordial+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQ3PCbFQ6Co/TpoOjR3yxaI/AAAAAAAAAJU/PoMCX1p1vWs/s320/Lemon+Cordial+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Simmering the sugar syrup and lemon zest .</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HEqbIcmiYuQ/TpoOlLbQ0CI/AAAAAAAAAJc/7pBCZbeGGd4/s1600/Lemon+Cordial+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HEqbIcmiYuQ/TpoOlLbQ0CI/AAAAAAAAAJc/7pBCZbeGGd4/s320/Lemon+Cordial+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The finished product!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners and no added preservatives, just sugar, water and lemon juice. And, cheap! Just $2.19 for 2kg of 'plain label' sugar!!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you have access to some lemons, give it a go.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I'm looking forward to the raspberry crop so I can try making raspberry cordial. Recipe recommendations gratefully accepted!</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-78954613278974185152011-08-28T13:43:00.003+10:002011-08-28T16:06:36.272+10:00Freezers, Doorways and Silver Linings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My freezer died.<br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes, I know... it's something we'll all have to deal with at some time in our lives. But, the freezer is the appliance that we probably take for granted the most - until it dies. And, of course, they never seem to cark it when they're empty.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, in the midst of my freezer grief I had to decide if:</span><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'd live without one (tempting until I remembered the wonderful berry sorbets we made last summer)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Get a chest freezer (better for tall people)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Get an identical upright freezer to match the fridge (and then, no doubt, watch the fridge die a year later)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Get a fridge and freezer in one unit and retire the old fridge to the shed for parties (this was the winner).</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After parting with a hefty sum of money, I took delivery of a space-age, stainless steel, side by side, fridge/freezer. Totally gorgeous and swish and... too big to fit through the doorway into the lean-to kitchen. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apparently when they were building houses 130 years ago they didn't consider refrigerators... who knew?!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, after much squishing, squeezing and a decent dose of lateral thinking the delivery guy and I gave up. Now we're back to the fridge and freezer being tucked away in what is currently the dining room, waiting for the time that the room is renovated and becomes the kitchen. Which is exactly where the fridge and freezer were before the <a href="http://patchworkeconomics.blogspot.com/2011/01/kitchen-renovation-update.html">temporary kitchen</a> was constructed.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The silver lining though, is this: I am now fully committed to getting the next stage of the renovations started. That means, saving in earnest AND expanding my means. The most shocking bit of all? I'm actually excited about it!!!</span><br />
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</div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-79301970167493192562011-08-18T09:32:00.000+10:002011-08-18T09:32:45.931+10:00Creative Projects - Knitted Patchwork BlanketThis project has turned into a MONSTER. My original intention was to make a throw rug until... it needed another column for balance, another shade to add depth and texture and cream strips to add definition. Now, it's closer in size to a bedspread!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EJfUBQLxpVA/TkxO_x5oiWI/AAAAAAAAAHU/eyWCi3ImW6Y/s1600/Knitted+Patchwork+Blanket.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EJfUBQLxpVA/TkxO_x5oiWI/AAAAAAAAAHU/eyWCi3ImW6Y/s320/Knitted+Patchwork+Blanket.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Created from pure wool, it will be very cosy - on a couch or a bed. Riley likes it already and I haven't finished putting it together yet!Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-21577414485654630982011-08-12T08:00:00.001+10:002011-08-12T08:00:03.827+10:00De-cluttering – One Area Done – 17 to go!<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Remember the out of control book case I wrote about in <a href="http://patchworkeconomics.blogspot.com/2011/07/de-cluttering-still.html">De-cluttering, still...</a>? Well here it is. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3cgQQGAUYWQ/Tj9BZ-GM5TI/AAAAAAAAAHA/4DWNXjmrNAI/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3cgQQGAUYWQ/Tj9BZ-GM5TI/AAAAAAAAAHA/4DWNXjmrNAI/s320/011.JPG" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not perfect, but considerably tidier.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It took hours to sort through all the old papers, magazines, photos and junk that had been shoved into any and all available spaces on the bookshelf. There was a sizable box load that got dumped into the recycling bin, too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">De-cluttering really is seriously cathartic. Choosing to let go of stuff that no longer serves you is empowering. I’ve always had a problem throwing out photographs. Not sure why, but there you go! During this sort out I found a couple of envelopes of photos from a long, LONG time ago... and a heap of them were truly awful. Blurry, over(or under)-exposed, chopped off heads... why was I keeping them? I’ve given it a lot of thought and I still can’t come up with a good reason. Actually, I can’t even come up with a bad reason. So, into the bin they went. Talk about liberating!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now the question is, what’s next on the de-clutter schedule?</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-51302608527261424152011-08-10T08:00:00.001+10:002011-08-10T08:00:00.755+10:00Global Warming in My Backyard<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Around the middle of July, three or 4 blossoms appeared on one of my apricot trees. That’s blossom in mid-winter! I guess this could be dismissed as a freak occurrence and I did dismiss it as such, until I was looking at the tree the other day and noticed that fruit had set. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOn4XTYA1-Y/Tj82jMfgjTI/AAAAAAAAAG4/qg3Df-QEBg4/s1600/Apricots+in+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOn4XTYA1-Y/Tj82jMfgjTI/AAAAAAAAAG4/qg3Df-QEBg4/s320/Apricots+in+winter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Global Warming - Winter apricots!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It’s easy to dismiss the so-called debate in the mainstream media about our changing climate but as a gardener, it’s pretty clear to me that something is going on with our weather and it’s probably not going to end well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The real questions we need to ask ourselves are: “How much will it change, and how much will we need to adapt the way we live and grow our food in order to prosper under the new conditions?”</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-20916386597541196942011-08-08T11:59:00.004+10:002011-08-08T11:59:00.181+10:00Rambunctious Raspberries<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Who knew raspberries were trying to take over the planet? Not me... I had no idea my raspberries would turn into triffids and attempt to take over my entire yard.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To be honest, I was completely naive to the tenacity of raspberries. Their cousins, the blackberries, seem to get all the publicity on that score. So it was a bit of a shock to find that raspberry shoots were appearing outside the area I’d allotted them. And, that the area itself had become a tangle of old canes, rampant grass and the odd self seeded flat leaf parsley. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cleaning up this area quickly became a priority task and I’m on the clock, because spring is not far away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One of the first things I did was remove some of the smaller shoots and put them in pots. The plan is to sell them from my garden gate once they’re nicely established. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The next task was to put down a heavy mat to stop any grass or weeds reappearing - I’m guessing it won’t stop the raspberries. I used thick layers of wet newspaper to smother the grass and weeds then put a thick layer of mulch over the top. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k3BrWwXStfY/Tj8_2kn-GQI/AAAAAAAAAG8/OmH2GFDKeFA/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k3BrWwXStfY/Tj8_2kn-GQI/AAAAAAAAAG8/OmH2GFDKeFA/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly mulched raspberry patch</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The area looks a lot neater now and I’m pretty sure I’ll still get a good crop of lovely bright red, juicy raspberries this season; perfect for the fresh jam that goes so well with lovely light scones, still warm from the oven. Something to look forward to!</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0Drysdale VIC 3222, Australia-38.1735477 144.56995129999996-38.2021382 144.51404979999995 -38.1449572 144.62585279999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-80428907582073536482011-07-18T09:17:00.000+10:002011-07-18T09:17:11.407+10:00De-cluttering... still...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The de-cluttering is still under way. It really is a BIG task and it’s SO easy to get distracted, procrastinate or simply find something else to do... anything else! The major motivation though, is that I know it will be so much easier to keep the house tidy once all the superfluous stuff is gone. The other motivation is that clearing out the unnecessary means there'll be more room available for the important stuff; like pantry supplies and other stockpile items.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There’s even a chance my life in general might be a bit more orderly, too! At least that’s what the experts say. I could certainly do with a good dose of ‘orderly’!!! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's the next project: One of my bookcases.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O8OJuM6T5l4/TiNrTr_zweI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Gt9Xs96vLzw/s1600/Bookshelf+-+Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O8OJuM6T5l4/TiNrTr_zweI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Gt9Xs96vLzw/s320/Bookshelf+-+Before.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Stay tuned for the 'after' picture...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The next choice is: donate the items worth donating or try to recoup some money by selling them on eBay or a garage (yard) sale. I’m not exactly sure which way to go yet so the ‘good’ stuff is being boxed up. The less than ‘good’ stuff is being donated immediately and the junk is going out in the garbage.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The big trick will be making sure we don't end up in the same situation in a year's time!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-59859864781613694382011-07-15T08:12:00.000+10:002011-07-15T08:12:58.874+10:00Self-Reliance<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Self-reliance is about finding ways to live life without always looking to outside sources for what you need. I prefer the term self-reliance to self-sufficiency because it really is impractical to be truly self-sufficient. Not many of us are in the position to provide for ALL of our needs. It’s one thing to make your own laundry powder but can you also produce the raw ingredients to make that product? Probably not, but in order to be self-sufficient, that’s what you’d need to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, by purchasing the raw ingredients I can make my own laundry powder and not only cut out the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>extra ‘nasties’ in the ingredient list but also the corporate layer that makes the most profit from the laundry powder. Meaning it costs me a whole lot less. Less money going into the coffers of the corporate world means more money in mine. Making your own laundry powder is just one example of how being self-reliant can also save you money. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When you choose to use your own time and skills to provide for your family, you’ll save more money and experience a greater sense of accomplishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, it’s not rocket science. Often the most important skill you need to begin your self-reliance journey is the willingness to ‘give it a go’. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Each success; yeast doughnuts from scratch or a plant grown from cutting or seed builds your confidence. Each task you accomplish enables you to take greater control of your money and your life.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iER-1g-OFdQ/Th9o1MDnE3I/AAAAAAAAAGw/23zGA1uDK4I/s1600/Homemade+%2527Bread+Machine%2527+Dougnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iER-1g-OFdQ/Th9o1MDnE3I/AAAAAAAAAGw/23zGA1uDK4I/s320/Homemade+%2527Bread+Machine%2527+Dougnuts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The important thing to remember is that being self-reliant takes time and not everyone has a lot, so choose one thing that you believe you can do for yourself, do it regularly and then build on that. That’s what ‘Patchwork Economics’ is all about, finding small changes you can make so you can create a new financial fabric for your life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here’s the recipe I use for home-made laundry powder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>Laundry Powder Recipe</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4 cups grated laundry soap (Velvet) or homemade soap</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 cups borax</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 cups washing soda</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mix all ingredients together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Use just two tablespoons of this powder for each wash. Suitable for both top and front loading machines as this mix is low suds. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I use my kitchen whiz to grate the soap and mix the ingredients – quick and easy.</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-47845622538526902552011-07-13T07:21:00.000+10:002011-07-13T07:21:10.226+10:00Learning to Love Legumes<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you’re like me, your stockpile contains an assortment of dried beans. It’s easy to see why, they are cheap, easy to store and nutritious. Trouble is, they’ll go to waste if you don’t actually eat them!</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Which is a timely reminder of the number one rule of stockpiling: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Only store what you normally eat</i>. There’s no point in stockpiling either dried beans or tins of baked beans if you don’t like them and/or don’t normally eat them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, if you’re new to legumes (beans) then now is a great time to learn to love them. Start small and work your way up. Don’t try to get your family to eat beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner right from the start. Try adding small amounts of beans to meals you already make, then as your family becomes accustomed to them, you can get a little more adventurous.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Beans are the friend of the frugalista because they are also a great filler for a variety of dishes, for example, you can super charge a basic vegetable soup by adding beans or you can flesh out a meat dish like lasagne by adding red lentils to the meat sauce. These are frugal ways of increasing the volume of the dish for very little cost.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Are beans a big part of your diet? Do you have a favourite bean based recipe? </span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-49209430302580033642011-07-11T07:29:00.000+10:002011-07-11T07:29:27.339+10:00Energy Audit<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Energy is a commodity very much on everyone’s mind; between the proposed pricing of carbon emissions and the ever increasing cost of all forms of energy, we’re facing an ongoing challenge paying for our high energy lifestyles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One thing we can be sure of is that the price of all fossil fuel based energy will get more expensive. Even if there’s no ‘carbon tax’, if the form of energy we rely on requires oil as an input, it will get more expensive as the competition for oil supplies heats up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, what are our options? Well, unless you’re in a position to put a photovoltaic array on your roof, (which I’m not) then you’re going to have to learn to live with a lot less electricity. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I’ve kept an eye on my electricity use (Kilowatt Hours not $$) for a number of years and for most of that time, it’s averaged around 7 kilowatt hours per day. It has recently climbed to a little over 8 per day. The time has come to find out where the ‘leak’ is and fix it but not only that, I’m setting myself the challenge of reducing my usage by at least 25%.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In my home, electricity is used for heat, light and small appliances. I use natural gas for hot water and most cooking. I also have a wood burning combustion heater in the main living area. That means I have a few options for reducing usage but nothing that will show a sizeable reduction, quickly. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Over the next few weeks I’ll be tracking my usage via the meter and taking note of which appliances are being used and for how long. Hopefully that will point out any obvious power drainers and also, if there are some bad habits that have snuck into our daily routines. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It also means I’d better get the block splitter out and get some more firewood sorted!</span></div>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-46278983159519061362011-06-01T07:00:00.001+10:002011-06-04T09:13:09.448+10:00Vertical Gardening - Aerial Pumpkins<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I mentioned in my <a href="http://patchworkeconomics.blogspot.com/2011/05/keeping-it-simple-pumpkin-soup.html">pumpkin soup</a> post that this summer I had rogue pumpkins everywhere: here's the photo to prove it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L0fTGJhfZ5M/TeVVIV2e0LI/AAAAAAAAAGk/CEo75lhmu-M/s1600/Aerial+Pumpkins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L0fTGJhfZ5M/TeVVIV2e0LI/AAAAAAAAAGk/CEo75lhmu-M/s320/Aerial+Pumpkins.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkins growing in a stand of silver birches</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The vines made their way into my silver birch 'wood' and set fruit that I've called my aerial pumpkins. Actually, I think the real variety is a hybridised version of a Queensland Blue.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If nothing else, this shows you don't always need vast expanses of ground available to grow vine type vegetables, there are a lot that can be grown vertically, too. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Food for thought!</span>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-61483459552437584532011-05-31T07:10:00.000+10:002011-05-31T07:10:08.430+10:00More Stuff...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A while back I read two books that really touched a nerve with me; Peter Walsh's <i>It's All Too Much</i> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough</i> by Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss. Both books explore our seemingly insatiable desire to acquire 'stuff'. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLwXX6VfqeU/TeQEBtUp1KI/AAAAAAAAAGg/LsgCqaWPs9Y/s1600/Clutter+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hLwXX6VfqeU/TeQEBtUp1KI/AAAAAAAAAGg/LsgCqaWPs9Y/s320/Clutter+01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The growing 'Donate' pile</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The 'donate' pile growing in my hallway shows that I'm not immune to the impulse buy... A large garbage bag has already gone out with the weekly garbage collection. I had a full bin for the first time in months!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The aspect of this exercise that I find most confronting is thinking about the amount of money spent on these things that could have been put to better use.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The purge will continue this coming weekend. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/99780743292658/?a_aid=patchworkeconomics"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JqYLAwetj2s/TeQD_MRIwoI/AAAAAAAAAGc/mpWrXLtkZT0/s200/9780743292658.jpg" width="186" /></a><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781741146714/?a_aid=patchworkeconomics"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mIYdyeRy85Q/TeQD9CeQKPI/AAAAAAAAAGY/Cb3ZHAYRjFk/s200/9781741146714.jpg" width="185" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-62541609425382209092011-05-27T06:06:00.000+10:002011-05-27T06:06:23.379+10:00Stuff...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lately, the chore of keeping my little house tidy has reached Herculean classification and it comes down to one reason: too much stuff.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know I'm not the only one in this predicament. Self storage businesses seem to be popping up everywhere. And, the crazy thing is, I don't remember solving clutter problems being a serious business proposition twenty years ago, so what's changed? Why do we all have so much stuff?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm sure there are multiple reasons and they'll differ depending on who you ask but I know that sometimes, just sometimes, a little bit of retail therapy sneaks into my life. Especially in stationery stores...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, today I'm setting aside some time to do some serious de-cluttering. I'm also going to watch <a href="http://www.storyofstuff.com/">The Story of Stuff</a> again to remind myself why I need to make conscious purchase choices not impulse ones.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't expect I'll get it all done today but I do expect to get A LOT done today.</span>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3008889070339574244.post-11231108761851171642011-05-09T06:31:00.001+10:002011-05-09T06:31:00.104+10:00Keeping It Simple - Pumpkin Soup<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I never plant pumpkins but I always seem to end up with a garden swathed in pumpkin vines. This year they've even climbed my silver birches and produced 'aerial pumpkins'!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One of my favourite ways to cook these freebie pumpkins is Pumpkin Soup.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-YzUathe2E/TcXZAKk4KBI/AAAAAAAAAFw/iLxz4DgqZWI/s1600/Pumpkin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-YzUathe2E/TcXZAKk4KBI/AAAAAAAAAFw/iLxz4DgqZWI/s320/Pumpkin.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopped Golden Nugget Pumpkin</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My recipe is simple:</span><br />
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<ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Saute onions in the fat/oil of your choice. I prefer either lard or chicken fat but if neither is available I use butter.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add chopped pumpkin and cook for about 5 mins.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add enough chicken stock to more than cover the vegies.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add a chopped potato or two.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add a tablespoon or two of tomato concentrate (homemade or commercial)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Simmer until pumpkin and potato are completely cooked.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add salt and pepper to your own taste.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Puree.</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d85e83-Fc9M/TcXZBiMiHFI/AAAAAAAAAF0/XrBxcJ6_0OA/s1600/Pumpkin+Soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d85e83-Fc9M/TcXZBiMiHFI/AAAAAAAAAF0/XrBxcJ6_0OA/s320/Pumpkin+Soup.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin Soup with fresh baked Wholemeal Bread</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Serve with freshly baked bread for simple yet luxurious meal.</span><br />
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</span>Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02306644732943474788noreply@blogger.com0