Just a little 'break'

He is fine...

However SmallBoy decided to give us a bit of a scare on Wednesday night - gosh, that's only yesterday! He was ambling across the beams of the fernery which connects to the roof, as 11yo indestructible boys are known to do and, navigating the edge beam, lost his balance and fell. Like a cat, he landed on his feet. 

Unlike a cat, humans should not land on their feet from distances, especially those higher than the 2+ metres he did. So, after many many hours in hospital - from 6pm to midnight - it's good to know he has no compression spinal or neck injuries. He does, however, have a broken talus - a type 1 fracture so it is a clean, straight break - but not the typical childhood fracture and one bone which may require wiring or pins as it is still growing. 

We won't know if surgery is definite until Monday as the swelling is too severe at this stage to confirm whether it is aligned by good fortune or the swelling is what is holding the bone in place. He is not allowed to weightbare at all - he must lie with his ankle raised above his heart for the next four days. 

Please don't think we are making light of his accident ~ but that is what we see it as - an accident. Surprisingly for us, one doctor did make us all feel 'this big' with his opinion of having a little boy playing on the roof. Roof - tree - trampoline ~ for us it was wonderful to see SmallBoy trying to do something adventurous outside, away from 'screens' and with a confidence he does not often display. Kids are so wrapped up in a proverbial cotton-wool, when they do act 'naturally' condemning them is not appreciated. Especially when the act didn't pan-out as planned! 

Poor boy was a mess of distress. 'Scuse the 'French' but shit happens - kids fall, scrape and break things - then they mend, get up and carry on! Do you rush them inside when it rains so they can't get wet? $10 someone said yes - but the correct answer is NO. Let them play - rain wets, it doesn't kill! Mud gets them dirty, it doesn't kill. Falling doesn't hurt ~ its the sudden stop on a hard surface which hurts, breaks even - so does coming off a horse, scooters or roller-skates.  

Ironically I did the first part of my cert 2 first aid Wednesday afternoon, breaks and sprains and bandaging and less than an hour later there is need for practical application of the theory. The instructor said one would know if there was a break - and I did know it was broken. Even better, I knew what to do - and that was ignore Husband's opinion it was ok, maybe a strain and wait until tomorrow. Did the 'support and immobilise the limb', using a magazine and bandage. More frightening for me was when SmallBoy went into shock, but I also knew what to do and that helped keep the calm. Oi vie!!

So - Fingers crossed it all stays in place and he escapes with no surgery - I'm not confident this is going to be the case but we'll know more Monday if he doesn't end up back in before then. We've got some specific signs to look for - if any arise we need to be straight back. Already he is complaining of some additional neck pain but I am not going to panic unless when I check again in the morning the same area is hurting. Part of me says it is nothing, the other says its a strained muscle. I do not feel there is a greater issue than that but - if it is still painful in the morning, straight into the car - we'll head up to get it checked further. 

Less than 24hrs post accident, he is tired of laying on his back doing very little. He is 'sending me to school' tomorrow to pick up his NetBook, homework and some library books. Bored, sore and a little vague due to pain killers - only paracetamol and ibuprofen but he's never really had anything like that before, aside from as a baby with a high temperature. As everything here was out of date (and usually is the next time we have to use it for a second time), we've had to buy them - again... 

Because there was the chance SmallBoy was going to theatre - no food was given while he lay in Bay13 *irony* and 'everything' in Ballarat selling decent food closes by 830pm on a weeknight. Chemists here stay open later than restaurants mid-week! What's more, only TWO take-away outlets are open past 11pm - both displaying the same golden arches - and only the two in the centre of town. The 'account' went:

Hospital care - free 

Paracetamol - $3.90

Ibuprofen - $5.35

McDonalds - $35.80

Able to bring SmallBoy home - priceless

I am rambling now ~ so very very tired. The care SmallBoy received was brilliant - the nursing staff were caring, the orthopaedic surgeon had a brilliant bedside manner and ensured SmallBoy did not become any more anxious about the likely need for an operation. He decided it was better to send him home rather than stay in overnight, as was going to happen. We didn't get home and settled into bed until after 2am, SmallBoy woke me moaning a few times, needed water at 5am (thank you Husband) and I had to get to the second day of First Aid by 930am - it was a struggle on such little sleep. OK - must go, sleep - tired - rambling - yawning uncontrollably and making silly typos  - thank goodness for spell check! 

Yes - he was posing for a picture to send to school...

Night all - chat over the weekend - catch up then :D

This Week Marks Changes

SmallBoy in the newly discovered creek - pic by Husband

I think life is settling into a semblance of order.

There is a flow I've not experienced before ~ and I think I am liking it a lot. When MudGuts was little and it was just me and him, three weekends of the month were spent cooking and playing board games as I worked while I was a single mum. MudGuts only had home made meals - as far as he knew McDonalds only served chips on special occasions and you had to be invited. Worked for years. SmallBoy thought the only drinks offered were fizzy so McDonalds held no interest - until he discovered you could get juice and thick shakes.

This weekend clothes were washed, dried and put away. A big hunt for eggs was conducted, no - not early easter eggs! Chook eggs - and I found a dozen in the blackberries - however these were very VERY old eggs and all ended up in the bin or over the fence. Somewhere on this property are another dozen recently laid. The lounge room got a tidy up and SmallBoy cleaned his room (as much as any 10year old can) so when his friend invited himself over there was no issue. Pie was made, lights went out for Earth Hour and on Sunday we explored nearby and found the creek pictured above. It looks beautiful and ideal for summer splashing or picnics.

We've got enough MrCentrelink income to pay the mortgage, bills and diddly squat for food. As you probably know by now, I put an ad up to trade eggs for fruit & veg. Brilliant idea really - been getting some great home grown goodies - stewed up apples, pears and about to do more. Plus with a huge bag of tomatoes picked up this weekend, I need to make up some chunky tomato salsa for nachos or pasta or something :D

What to do with an eggplant? I'm going to do an Simple Savings recipe search and let you know what I find. Remember if you join Simple Savings - mention I referred you so I get $10 through the affiliate link. I put it on the LOC.  And I've just got a heap of mint - some with roots to put in the ground so I plan to be making the zucchini & mint soup during the week. Must note that having so much more veggies in the diet has made us the greatest stinky bums *pee-eew* - Husband blames the spinach and pumpkin... and beans and spicy marked down sausages! I can't say its not me ~ because those have made me choke! Oh the joy of farts!!  SmallBoy blames the cats but I don't know how that will fly at school *laughs* 

The last shop was 2 March - there are few things we will need but I just got called to do a mystery shop so picked up some fish, flour, juice, yoghurt, sour cream and - oh too excitement - two blocks of Cadbury chocolate (on special for $5). That was a total splurge, but it was a bonus urgent shop with $20 to spend and we are due for a reward. There is no better reward than chocolate!!

I reckon I will get by with a month of $21 shops for the bare basics of milk and water. Yes - we must buy water. You try drinking the tap water here *blergh* and the council has shut off the spring tap due to e-coli or something. Its probably a bit of cow poop has run into the waters with recent rain - its happened before so I hope it gets reopened soon. Otherwise I need to find a new water supply.

Actually, that no spend is a bit of a furphy - I did get a great deal from an online butcher on chicken breasts fillets ($5.99pk - 4kg) and mince beef ($5.99pk - 2kg) and some chicken keiv (2 for $8) and spending over $50 meant free delivery. As breast fillets have been over $12pk here the past few months we've only been getting thigh fillets when marked down by 33% or more. Even drumsticks have been on the pricey side lately and I just cant do wings unless really cheap. As it gets colder, marylands and pieces are great in the casserole - got some already in the freezer.

Yes, it was a little 'frivolous' when there are other meats in the freezer at the moment. Still I believe this a really good deal which will last for a few months. One breast fillet will feed us all when made into a stir fry or other such meal as I am one for putting in double the vegetables and using rice or a noodle to keep the meal filling. Honestly, changing the balance of meat to vegetable is not only better for the purse, I think its better for our health. I'm pleased SmallBoy is beginning to try different veggies and enjoy them.

SCORPIO (28 March NZ/Australia) ~ Move into your day aware that there is pressure and of the need to respect and work with it. Where it’s likely to be affecting you is where there is a conflict between a need to be busy and get things done and your body or circumstances disagreeing with you. Jupiter and Saturn are now in opposition, with one wanting you to speed up and play the super hero while the other wants you to slow down, pace yourself and take time to hear yourself think.

Now to strive for simplicity. I must get rid of the 'stuff' we have accumulated. There is just SO much and I've been struggling to get things gone. It's hard for a hoarder to just stop and get rid of years of 'things'. Might deal with that - tomorrow or Wednesday depending on how I go. And deal with procrastination at the same time :D

Last night's pork pie :D

This Week's Menu

I found some pepper pate in the freezer, so I thought Beef Wellington would be a nice change. I've got three lovely pieces of steak that were under $1 each, spread on some pate, fill with silver beet and wrap in pastry. How swish does it sound - and for once there is a nice selection of meat and vegetables we can use.

Monday - Fish, cous cous and salad

Tuesday - Pasta carbonara

Wednesday - Chicken kebabs and salad

Thursday - Beef Wellington

Friday - Home made pizza

Saturday - not sure yet

Sunday - Chicken Keiv, chips and salad

I'm off to Melbourne tomorrow ~ physio, scans in the morning, catching up with other bloggers and staying with my dear Mother in Law in the evening - which will mean I can collect the meat too. I  hope to catch up with a girlfriend on Wednesday for a $10 counter lunch before heading back home. Because the main appointment is medical - the train ticket is provided although I could have taken the NEPT ambulance or got a driver through medical services. I just feel there are others who could better use the services and I can sit on the train, enjoy the sights, arrive without having had to be up by 630 when the pick-ups occur and sit in a waiting room for hours.

Don't forget to have a look at the Mands on a Mission Bosisto's give away ~ the give away page is here and we've had some great tips in the blog comments and on FaceBook. I am truly impressed with all of your ideas!

Weekly Finance Review

Earth Hour ~ lights out, candles on, board games played.

Friday - was pay day. OK this is poor week so the 'pay' is $309 for the family payments and carer supplement. The mortgage was paid ($596) and next fortnight's payment is sitting waiting ~ add to that repayments on the line of credit - down by $1200. Plus the NIVA has no debt, is fully paid and does not have any stress attached to it. *cheers*

The water bill is paid, the insurances are paid - there's even an extra $200 which has been paid onto the VISA credit card. $150 is the budget for groceries, which we didn't spend thanks to bartering and using only the stuff we have in the house already - $50 is because one of my therapy sessions was cancelled due to the therapist being ill, so I figured that's where the payment was going to make the greatest difference. I would have had to pay it on therapy fees, so I decided it was going to do better on the VISA than in my wallet waiting for the next appointment and running the risk being spent first. 

Finally we have hit the next $1000 drop on the credit card ~ so its back under $5k and should be down to $4000 before mid year.  The gas account is paid up and $50 ahead, the electricity is even with $100 on it so the account never gets out of hand again. Ideally we could put a little more on the personal loan, however as the interest is fixed it makes sense to get the VISA and other interest accruing debts dealt with first of all. 

Being 'poor week', this week's food budget is $50 and we need to get juice because SmallBoy is pining for juice and we don't have a juicer for anything other than oranges, by hand. As there are only a few oranges, its not going to result in much juice. But we are pushing out for one more week of no spending and going to make do with what we have. Its going to be porridge for breakfast and, in a moment of inspiration, Husband decided to make chocolate fudge brownies with walnuts using ingredients in the pantry. Totally delicious!

However, three dozen eggs has got us some more silver beet, pears, apples, zucchini plus we also received two punnet of pea seedlings, mint and sage, button squash, tomatoes, broccoli, two limes, cucumber, spring onions, eggplant and a big bag of popcorn for the chooks to enjoy. The manufacturer of popcorn for cinemas send the small scraps out to stock yards. SmallBoy was a bit excited to see what 40kg of popcorn looks like! He had a few handfuls declaring it delicious but nicer when hot!

It's been a tough few months but we are finally seeing the results ~ it's not massive, but having credit on the Line Of Credit is a big plus - not to use of course although it does ensure the mortgage is paid. We've received notification we have been pre-approved for an increase on our VISA card - do you not find that ridiculous. No wonder debt is so easy to obtain! The bank has said we can have $11500 by simply clicking on a button. That's scary - do banks no longer check to confirm a persons financial situation? How would we be expected to repay another $5000 or more credit card debt??

I've got a bit of a day of cooking set for tomorrow - there are organic tomatoes to make into sauce, pears to stew, a heap of veggies to get into the freezer and I'll need to cook up the eggplant.


Giveaway Reminder
We've had some great entries for The Green Giveaway. Have a look at the comments received and see if you'd like to win one of three Bosisto's packs, tailored just for the readers of Mands On A Mission.

I hope you'll all link up to the FaceBook page and get friends and family following, press those 'like' buttons. The more the merrier - and it helps get great prizes to giveaway on a regular basis. It would be sensational to see 200 faces on FaceBook by the end of the month - can we do it? And please go nuts pressing the 'like' button.

Anything that's going to help fight debt and create a caring, sharing community is worth giving away to everyone! And when its good for the environment - it deserves promotion. Get your entry in - and please pass on the chance to others.

A Green Giveaway

While parked across the road, I made it look like a toy!

I promised a giveaway - and here it is. The added bonus it is a product I love to use and believe in encouraging others to use themselves. It should be in every Australian home cleaning kit.

I've been using eucalyptus oil as part of our cleaning kit for years now ~ even sharing my recipe with readers back last year in the post, Mystical Vinegar Fairies...  Eucalyptus oil is brilliant added to a carrier oil, even baby oil and rubbed on the body for muscle aches and pain relief, and added to the bath for a good old relieving soak.

Another product I like is the Bosistos eucalyptus spray ~ especially when winters' colds have taken hold. Spraying the bedroom not only helps clear the blocked nose, it also disinfects and freshens up the sickies room without disturbing sleep. It's easy to spray on the pillow, doona and mattress plus I recently found it kills off bed mites. That might explain why I've never seen any in our homes over the years.

It was a bit of a buzz to discover Bosistos has a laundry powder range ~ EucoFresh ~ using 100% pure eucalyptus oil. Knowing the blue mallee trees used in Bosisto's oil are grown in Victoria and harvested sustainably to allow the root to regenerate after each harvest with no pestisides, weed killers, manufactured fertilisers or irrigation, to discover there was a laundry powder formulated to provide a fresh, clean and green wash.

EucoFresh is a brilliant cleaner, environmentally friendly plus it cleans soils from clothes without being harsh on the materials. It leaves a clean, fresh fragrance of gum trees on towels and sheets ~ and definitely removes the odour of smelly pre-teen boys from school uniforms. If you've nodding, because you know 'that' smell - its well worth using. And you don't get that white powder residue on black uniforms.

Even though the drought is 'officially' over, we've set ourselves up to be water wise and have a grey water system running from the washing machine. The detergents we use need to be low in fillers (that white film or powder sometimes left on the wash), be fine for a septic system and ideally with no bleach or SLS.  Bosisto’s EucoFresh Laundry Powder is grey water friendly, containing no fillers, fertiliser grade phosphate and low sodium levels to ensure it is kind to plants and soil. It is suitable for the septic, so big tick there - and it lets us redirect the water used in the washing machine to the garden to help keep it green and healthy all year round while keeping the water bill down.

The best bit is when you've got tough stains, with a squirt of the eucalyptus spray on the mark, using the EucoFresh powder means you don't end up with a clash of fragrances. The eucalyptus is just so much nicer through the wash over some of those full on fragrant perfumed jobbies. I used one laundry powder that had such a perfume it lasted three washes with un-perfumed soap nuts. Pee-eww!

It's like I've got all I want in the Bosisto's range ~ and it comes from an Australian company, using an indigenous plant to produce, its  grown sustainably and its a natural cleaner, germ killer and antiseptic. SmallBoy is going to do the ‘Beaker Test' over the weekend by putting a teaspoon of our current laundry powder in a glass of water and a teaspoon of EucoFresh in another glass. We've been told EucoFresh should dissolve completely in 5 minutes while the other will still contain insoluble particles.  Can't wait to get the pictures up.

The Giveaway

FGB Natural Products ~ the manufacturer of Bosisto's eucalyptus oil and eucalyptus oil based products ~ has been so very very generous and is offering not one but THREE packs to give away to Mands on a Mission readers. Each pack has a retail value of $25 and contains 3 products of my favourite products - Bosisto's Eucalyptus Oil 200mL, Bosisto's Eucalyptus Spray 200g and Bosisto's Laundry powder 1.5kg, plus a handy hints brochure.

To enter to win one of three Bosisto's Eucalyptus packs:
1. Make sure you are following Mands on a Mission - either the blog or facebook
2. Leave your environmentally friendly cleaning or outdoor tip or hint in a comment on this post
3. For an extra entry - twitter the following message : I entered to win a Bosisto's Pack from @MandsMission ~ follow the blog - http://networkedblogs.com/fSoQ6 - post your hint and you can too

I'll be updating this post to list all entrants daily - so if you don't see your name in the list, please let me know. Make sure you tell friends and family about Mands On A Mission ~ the more we share the more we can learn!!

 

For the next few weeks I want to hear how you use any of the three products to clean and freshen your place. Naturally, I'll be writing about some of my favourite uses of Bosisto's eucalyptus throughout the week. 

Entries close on Friday 15 April and the winners will be listed on Sunday 17 April.

Entry is open to Australian residents who follow Mands on a Mission ~ and I am so not getting paid to write about the Bosisto's product. I really do find it an awesome product and hope to get others using a natural product from an Australian Company. Find Bosisto's products at Coles, Woolworths, BigW, Priceline, independent supermarkets and chemist across the country.

Current Entrants:
Kim Halpin
Kym - Mumma's Mini Me
Trish - two entries for a hint and a tweet
DanniiBeauty - two entries for a hint and a tweet
nellbe
Jan
Kimmie - two entries for a hint and a tweet
Tania
Dannie (a dose of) - a retweet entry
Carina Rimon
Kath Rogers
Me and the Monkeys
Barb
Michelle Payne
Scather - two entries for a hint and a tweet
zkjmum
rkagermann

Thursday Thinking about

I think too much.
And I probably try to put too much into every post.

But at least I am actually doing things as well. Today SmallBoy and I peeled a heap of apples and pears together, then I cooked them up so we will have some yummy desserts and toppings on porridge or cereal. It is so easy to do. Plus we had a lot of fun talking and doing something so simple together. . There are still about a dozen apples left - many will go into the lunch box and SmallBoy has decided he is going to make the 'stuffed' apples made on camp. That was how he got a sliced finger from the apple corer while on camp. We don't have an apple corer - that would be me with a knife. I'm excited to see him interested in cooking too.

I have been given an award and I am chuffed!!
Scather - from the blog Scathing Weekly nominated Mands On A Mission for "One Lovely Blog Award". I think for all the certificates and such received over the years, this award was one to value because it was given to me by someone who has enjoyed what we are doing without seeking something in return.

The requirements of accepting this award are as follows:

1. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award.
2. I have to tell you seven facts about me you might not know.
3. Pass the awards along to as many as fifteen blogs you have found recently.
4. Notify the bloggers of their awards.

The link back to Scathers blog is above, and here are the seven facts about me:

1. I wrote for international magazines while still at school
2. I can pick up mice, snakes, crickets, worms and lizards but not spiders
3. I have never left Australia
4. It's taken 30yrs, but I like mashed potatoes
5. I write songs, sing and play piano
6. I played pool with bands like U2, The Cure and 
7. I gave it all up for my son

Now, here are ten lovely blogs that I have found - there are heaps more but I could be here for hours:
Man vs Debt : That's Serendipity : Bad Mummy : The Happiness Institute : The Serendipity Cafe : Reinventing Rosemary  : GoodGoog  : Woogs World  :  The Simple Dollar  : A Dose of Dannie


Just Stuff

I don't write political well. It does feel to me, the little person in the bush in a teeny continent away from the rest of world, for all the technologies and advancements - we not really doing so good on the whole are we? I just can't see where we are going as a race - humans in 'control' seem to have no idea. Watch the ABC's coverage of Question Time with our government and you will wonder what is really going on with our country. I'm not a greenie, I'm not overtly materialistic, I'm not into brand name stuff at the prices attached...

No matter how hard I am trying, what I am writing here right now is not what I really mean. It's like if you're not doing a zillion things with oodles of groups and earning or multitasking to the point of exhaustion - there is something wrong with you. Nah - still not getting the right message out - so here it is in a bit of a song.

Is This Really It?

We started out on hands and knees

Learning to walk, our life was free

Took a bat and hit a ball

Back then the grass it seemed so tall

Lit a fire to keep us warm

Built a shelter from the storm

Traded food with friend and foe

Then we watched things start to grow

Made a tower that touched the sky

Found a way to make us fly

They set up rules to keep us safe

Now the world's a dangerous place

Why burn it - when there's no air left to breath

Why use it - there's no life left here to see

You fight it - but its the children left to pay

Doesn't matter - when we're all dead any way

Picked an apple from a tree

Threw a rod out to the sea

Some thought it smart to use a net

There are a few fish left to get

Stripped the coal out from the earth

Won't use the sun for what its worth

Why burn it - when there's no air left to breath

Why use it - there's no life left here to see

You fight it - but its the children left to pay

Doesn't matter - when we're all dead any way

Turned to blaming, then to war

You'd think we'd learned that one before

No more talking face to face

Its all FaceBook or MySpace

But we leave it all to be

Do you say It won't affect me

Why burn it - when there's no air left to breath

Why use it - there's no life left here to see

You fight it - but its the children left to pay

Doesn't matter - when we're all dead any way

Fight the farmers for their crops

To make no profit is their lot

That's for business not for man

Business holds the upper hand

See a chance to make a buck

Create a fine to charge - that sucks

It is time to stand together

To push for change whatever

There's more to life than work and pain

What have our children learnt to gain

For whatever life you choose

You've lost the right - you lose

Why burn it - when there's no air left to breath

Why use it - there's no life left here to see

You fight it - but its the children left to pay

Doesn't matter - when we're all dead any way

Tomorrow is a future we won't have to play

Who cares really any way...?

Still not quite right - but it will do. *sighs*

Back to the debt tomorrow ~ yes, regular blogging will resume and we can move on from this feeling society is going down the toilet ~ Oh and another give away. This time there will be three winners so you need to get your cleaning gloves on and aim for the laundry or the kitchen and bring out your hints and tips.  More tomorrow...

Wednesday Waffle

Why would you pay more??
When you can effectively pay nothing at all? Or ensure you buy Australian Made (especially if you are in Australia!)  This past week has enlightened me to a few 'hello what the..' concepts which really are beyond ridiculous. The first one is apples ~ $12pkg. That is the first 'What the...' - but when you take into consideration these are in season and locally grown (for me at least) how can a supermarket charge this much?

There is news about a blockade outside McCains because the potato farmers, who have had less produce grown this year are being told they are going to be paid less for their potatoes. Before passing judgement on the farmers greed for more money for spuds, know this:

Western Victoria had about 200 growers in 1990, 90 growers in 2000 and 43 growers in 2011 - who will be growing our potatoes in 2020?? 

January floods reduced crop levels by about 20 to 30 per cent.  Many farmers have 1000-5000 tonnes LESS potatoes than last year. What will fund the new years crop??

McCains wants local producers to compete with overseas producers. Simplot (BirdsEye) is paying its Tasmanian producers MORE to ensure the local economy, community and farmers benefit.

The Ballarat potato industry is worth about $20 million, most of which is poured back into the local community. Lower prices mean corners get cut, potato quality and quantity suffers. Local families will suffer, so will the schools, the sporting group and then the overall quality of life. 

There is more information at the Herald-Sun with an article and please know I do not know anything about the business dealings, the costs of manufacture or the costs of potato production. Heck, I'm hardly what you'd call politically minded - I still confuse which party is which (and haven't really ever known except for Pauline Hanson and the One Nation Party, only because of Pauline Pants-Down's "I Don't Like It").

All I know is if ALL Australian produce was to be managed this way, why would farmers of crops, orchards, beasts, wool or any other item bother to put in the effort, time and devotion on the land to earn nothing but bankruptcy? If you must know - yes - I have done something about it. We buy our potatoes direct from one of the grower/packers because $3.50 for 5kg of brushed potatoes is a great price. I can only assume this is still more than what the manufacturers pay - so its a pittance. 

Then comes the news a chap in Melbourne has been charged on summons to appear in court for 'stealing' roadside rubbish - a vacuum cleaner, possibly broken. If that isn't a "What The.." I don't know what is.  Oh how I WISH for hard rubbish collections where I live. Apparantly the (by-)law is the items on the nature strip become the property of council. Um - what? Does council send out a mowing crew to mow its property? No - it sends the home owner a fine for failing to maintain the area. When strangers dump items on the nature-strip, it is the home owner who receives notification to dispose of the rubbish or risk a penalty. True dinks! And tell me, what does council do with its 'new' property after leaving it on kerbs for weeks on end? Clean it and sell it? Use it to help those struggling within its community? No - it trashes it - breaks it and piffs it.

It got me thinking about those people who cultivate kerbside gardens - do those plants belong to council and what about the drive to encourage nature-strip veggie beds for the community? What mixed messages are being sent? I get the police felt the chap was behaving suspiciously, and they did the right thing to stop, check and suss it out - but surely it could have been settled quickly & appropriately without the fuss of alleging theft. Yes there are those who rummage and make a mess, yes there are those who take to profit - but I'd suspect this is the minority. Those who trade from hard rubbish need a license, well that's how I understand it. Does this mean if you put something out with a 'for free' sign you need to have a traders license? It's just crazy how we are unable to just be..?

Back to Normal Waffle
About the bartering - I am really impressed with how well advertising through some local forums really pulled a result which will enable us to have good, healthy food without the associated costs - especially when we can't afford them at a retail level. Knowing we have $10 per week for food this month could have been a disaster had we not had the staples in the pantry. Husband just said we need to do a shop soon. I asked what did we need to get? Thinking for a moment he replied there was nothing he could think of, it "just seems so long since we've done any shopping"... I think this is why many set a budget to shop each week out of habit ~ rather than shopping each week for what is required.

There is the challenge ~ see if you can work out what you NEED rather than get those items you purchase out of habit. I am sure milk, bread, pet food, nappies, juice are some items which end up as regular needs - but do you buy tuna each week out of habit (I did), or baked beans and spaghetti. I really do suggest giving a week to try a $21 Challenge and only use what you already have in the pantry and forego one shop.

Now I need to get a few things done so it doesn't go to waste. I've been scouring Simple Savings, blah and other such blogs/forums for recipes and ideas. We've had a rhubarb and apple crumble dessert fest - made a crumble mix which is now in the fridge so all I need to do is get it and sprinkle on the fruit - that's making dessert easier to prepare and will go down a treat now its getting cold. Stoopid weather...

It's raining - SmallBoy is back from camp - bruised and cuts on each arm and leg indicating he has a great, wild time in the bush. He was licked by a dingo called Huey, had two serves of chocolate pudding one night, ate porridge for breakfast and then bacon and eggs. He climbed a mountain, trekked through the bush at night spotting possums, bats, frogs but sadly no one saw the elusive puma! War wounds came from the rock climbing wall, a rope ladder and the apple coring machine. Day at home tomorrow is permitted for all - or go to school for a movie marathon. Oh the dilemma of choices!!

Dinner tonight is was sage, pork and veal sausages, mashed potato, silver beet with ham and nuts ~ total cost $3.03 for the snags, rest is bartered produce or leftover bits loitering in the fridge. Loving it!

Chat tomorrow ~ oh ~ and if you've got a few bob spare, happy for you to chuck it in our Spare Change Jar or the Treasure Chest at the top of the page *hint*

The Bounty of Barter

Hello chickens ~ sorry for being quiet.

I have been so busy after a super week of bartering, scuppering and trading - now stewing, freezing and bottling the 'fruits' of my adventures.  Oh - and eating them!  And I thought we were going to struggle not being able to budget for any food shopping this week. Heck - we had enough to go and get the chookies some grain today! $20 for 30kg of grain and 5kg of grit to help keep us in eggs to barter with! 

Because we have not had to spend (say) $50 on the fruit and veggies we've received, we free'd up cash to spend on items we can't trade through a retailer. And put money on the VISA to bring that monkey down even further. Along with the marked down meat and staples I've been buying, I've worked out we are feeding ourselves on about $1 per head per day and it's not 2-minute noodles! We've enjoyed eggs on toast (funny that!), a Chorizo, Zucchini strudel, Banana Bread, Apple and Rhubarb crumble and will have Chow Mien, Tuna Mornay and Pepper Steak as part of this weeks menu. Here are some of the yummy scrummy good food we have enjoyed, along with an approximate costing of the entire dish.

The Zucchini-Chorizo Strudel

Serves 4 - cost us $2.50

1/2 a whopper zucchini - Free 

(or 3 supermarket zucchs)

1 onion, chopped/diced - Free

2 gloves garlic, finely chopped - free

1/3 cup brown rice (makes one cup cooked) - 40c

1 cup grated cheese (I used 2/3 tasty cheddar, 1/3 parmesan) - $1ish

1/3 cup chopped chives - Free

3-4 chorizo sausages, cooked and sliced - $1.51 (or 100g pkt slices)

3 hard boiled eggs, halved - Free

1 egg, beaten - Free

Poppy or sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

2 sheets shortcrust pastry - 50c

Oven at 200C or 180C fan-forced

Greased, lined baking tray

Grate zucchini and squeeze out all excess liquid.

Heat pan with a little oil, soften onion and garlic

Add zucchini, cook and soften/wilt

Take off heat and stand to cool - drain off excess liquid

Add cooked rice, cheese and chives

Combine and add salt/pepper if required

Put the pastry sheets on the tray, over lapping by 2-3cms for length

Place sliced chorizo down the centre of the pastry - leave an 8cm border all around

Spread half the zucchini mix over the sausages

Lay the boiled eggs down the centre of the mix

Cover with remaining zucchini mix

Bring pastry up to cover - a bit like a strudel or sausage roll

If going for fancy, first cut the pastry at 2-3cm gaps on each long side

Fold the ends up over the mix and then criss-cross the side pieces over the mix to enclose it

Brush the pastry with beaten egg

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30mins, or until golden brown

Stand for a few minutes, slice and serve

The Apple and Rhubarb crumble

Served 4 - cost us about 90c

Crumble ingredients

1/2 cup plain flour - 50c

1/3 cup brown sugar - 50c

1/2 cup oats - 50c

1/2 cup coconut - 50c

50g butter - 25c

Combine the first four ingredients

Rub through butter until like bread crumbs

Store in container in refrigerator for use

Will be enough for 4 x 4 servings of crumble

Stewed Rhubarb and Apples

2-3 apples, peeled and chopped - Free

3-5 rhubarb stalks, cut in 2cm pieces (NO leaves) - Free

1/4 cup brown sugar - 35c

1/2 cup juice (squeezed an orange) - free

splash of vanilla - 10c

sprinkle of cinnamon - 10c

Put it all in the pot, bring to boil and simmer until the fruit is mushy

Pour the fruit mix into a baking tin - I just used a loaf tin

Top with crumble mix (not all of it - about a quarter of the mix)

Bake in a med/hot oven for 15-20mins

Serve with cream, ice cream or custard

I've put the Banana Bread recipe on Facebook - just to share the love - but this is what it looked like. We had it for dessert one night, after school munchies, take to school munchies and I had a breakfast or two with this and a shake or coffee. All up - we got about 12 big slices. And I had requests to make it again!

A little about ME

I must say I do feel a little better than I have the past few days. Pain levels are definitely higher than I've felt for a while, but its not controlling me for once, the brain is a little clearer today and holding thoughts is a little easier. Sort of ~ I think I am out of practice on that side of things *laughs* I have a new found understanding, tolerance and admiration even for those on narcotic recreation drugs who choose to stop using ~ prescribed narcotic and opiates as pain killers are not much different and the withdrawal experience is really crap.

In the days of old, I would have been prescribed a pain medication called heroin. Because of its addictive properties and adverse effects, heroin stopped being used for medicinal pain relief. When I was in hospital post op, tripping off my nut on ketamine - often referred to as horse tranquiliser - the nursing staff commented a few times how much easier it would be if I could have heroin for a few days instead of other chemicals. Regardless, it was not available, and now I am experiencing the same type of withdrawal and hating every moment. Too often I have just wanted to say bugger this, put a patch back on, pop a few pills and relax in the foggy bliss ~ I can see why this is so hard.

My very clever friends have been reiterating to me just how strong they believe I am - how hard this must be to go through on top of other life struggles and today I think I can believe them. I am truly blessed to have the support and care and understanding of such people ~ no 'pseudo-professional' know-it-alls bringing me down, no-one making me guilty for focusing on me, suffering injustices through jealousy and making it all about them any more. Some losses hurt more than the back pain, but this too may heal - in time.

A good friend, Haych, sent me a little note saying: "You're stronger than what you think you are." In the past, I would have pooh pooh-ed that ~ today I reckon she's right. Thanks Luff - you rock!

And now I shall scoot and get dinner underway ~ peppered steak, steamed broccoli, honey'd carrots and something with silverbeet! Feeding friends tonight - should be about $6-$7 for the four of us. Beat that Mickey Dees - four for less than the price of a McValue Meal!!

Chat soon xx

Food Glorious Food

I am feeling very pleased and proud of myself!

Yesterday I was up nice and early - a great change from most of this week - able to get lunch made while eating breakfast, feed the chooks, take MudGuts to appointments and bake banana bread. Bit of a big day on the activity front, especially considering Wednesday's canteen fun had me wrecked! But it didn't stop with that!

Had a call from school to say he is fine, however SmallBoy has had an accident on the playground. After the heart settled, I was told he was sitting on a stair railing and fell backwards. Once I picked my stomach up from the floor, I learned he had missed the bitumen, missed the tree stakes and landed on the tan bark - on his head! He's grazed his arm, his back and his leg - and while everyone's concern was for his head, his main issue is the guaze bandage stuck to his underpants. Boys!! Still he is hurting but with a mate over for a sleep over and the school fete on, he's been a trooper.

The school fete was a blast ~ caught up with so many mums I've not seen for the past 2-3 years. Well, I might have on the odd occasion, however I've not got a huge recollection of specifics from the past few years and actually found it hard to remember names to faces to children. A few helped me along ~ some were great in noticing that I stand upright now!

Friday's Bartered Delights
Bartering eggs for fruit and vegetables has not only supplied us with some beautiful cherry tomatoes, celery, silverbeet, zucchini, squash, oranges, walnuts, rhubarb, parsley, cabbage, potatoes, onions - it's also allowed me to meet a very like-minded couple who mourn the loss of neighbourhood friendships and interaction. SmallBoy and I explored their delightful garden - meeting the rabbits and guinea pigs (who provide manure), the cats and dogs (who catch rodents), the worm farm's occupants, a cockatoo - and the amount of variety of vegetables they have and the abundance is truly magnificent!

F+G also share with their neighbours - exchanging between each other there is seasonal fruits and the box of goodies we received was mind-blowing. I said as much and almost felt two dozen eggs was not enough ~ especially knowing apples are up at the $12pkg mark, cabbage almost as ridiculous in price. I've only been looking at marked down produce when I do shop and have been truly stunned by the dramatic increase. It's ludicrous ~ and only reinforces my desire to have our garden producing and able to contribute to the local 'co-op'. I'd so love to share garden on our block - strangely others seem to feel they would be ripped off putting in effort with someone else.

We reminisced about the times when people kept an eye out for each other and the kids, knew each others' names and which child belonged to whom. Where the rule was be home by the time the street lights come on. Gone are the days a kid could walk out his drive with a cricket bat in hand, meet another kid with a tennis ball and find another group of smiley faces to pool together a haphazard cricket match in the side street or down someone's driveway. With a bin at one end for stumps and a garage door to aim at - who needed a wicket keeper!  Remember 'over the fence, you're out'? And then the batter had to get the ball if it did go over the fence.

Bigger, Better, Faster seems to be the desire of so many ~ all I desire is Appropriate, Operational and Cruise-y. *sighs* While standing in their wild, meandering vegetable backyard ~ we all reminisced and felt decidedly old...



Free Stuff 


Free YATES Vegetables
http://www.yates.com.au/vegie-challenge/autumn-2011
YATES is having a great competition and challenging everyone to plant some veggies, report how they grow and receive votes to win a share of $2000!  Sign up, register to enter the challenge and pick a packet of free seeds to get going. There's heaps to choose from - carrots, peas, cauliflower,

SmallBoy is mad keen on the idea and has selected Brussels sprouts and cauliflower to grow - this IS the child who requested lambs fry for his 'special' birthday dinner so this is as I expected. He did justify his choice with "well you've got carrot and pea seeds, you've got beetroot growing, I don't like beans and we haven't had Brussels sprouts for AGES!" Whatever floats his boat!!

Free NESTLE Baby Food
https://www.nestle.au.simplicitycrm.com/editors/content.aspx?config=sample-request-form-cerelac
Infant Cereals are the ideal foundation of a weaning diet. Each serving provides important nutrients needed to support baby's growth and development. Awesome to try - if you've got a baby. Or maybe even for the animals...

40% off at Spotlight
http://www.spotlight.com.au/exclusive-coupons/e14-spend100/
Spend $100 or more storewide and get 40% off ~ for all those Spotlight addicts (and I know there are heaps out there), this should get your haberdashery juices flowing!! It's even including items already on sale! Got to the link and print out the voucher ~ this one ends on Tuesday 22nd March 2011

Rossi had a secret

Scungie Bananas and Wormy Apples

 Make for awesome cakes and muffins!
I've been a bit of a scupper these past few days. Found a pear tree at the side of the road, the discovered an apple tree near our home so guess what I've picked *grins* Be assured I've checked the laws ~ so long as the tree grows on common land such as a road side, it's legal to pick the fruit. I even collected some of the manky fruit on the ground for the chooks to enjoy. They did! WIth apples in season and supermarkets charging - wait for it - $12pkg at the moment (how much!!?? Ridiculous!!) I think scupper sourcing our fruit is the only way we will afford it - even with a higher income, that is an astronomical price for in-season in-state fruit!

Those chooks truly have 'scored' with a visit to the supermarket - no not to buy up, although there were some lovely meat specials to grab, I stayed strong - just for milk but the fruit and veg lady was doing a clean up along the shelves and tubs so I asked if there was any chance of scraps for the chooks. Well - the box was just full to the brim with lettuce leaves, what looks like cabbage leaves, a few broccoli and possible cauliflower greens and two lovely looking bananas. Sure, one had a wee black line on the skin, and the sugar banana was going dark on the skin but nothing wrong on the inside *whispers* blackened skins on sugar bananas actually means it is ripe for eating, they just don't look pretty when ripe ~ now that was a score!!

I already have one scungie banana with plans to make a cake or banana bread with, only really I needed more than one so time was needed to defrost a few others. Now I've got two lovely fresh ones to eat as is! Although I had hoped to get that made today, yesterday even, it will wait until tomorrow and be used for lunches and the like over the weekend and next week. SmallBoy has a mate over tomorrow night so we will have an apple and pear crumble for dessert and I've no idea what for dinner - home made pizza if there is ham in the freezer - home made KFC and chips if I have energy.

Oh ~ I spent some money ~ I bought white oil! The little lemon tree and lime tree are being attacked by a bug, and getting a little yellow leaf so its a necessary purchase if we want to get fruit.  Used a $10 Bunnings voucher so only spent $1.95! *grins* "Worked" yesterday at the school canteen - came home with scraps for the chooks, four blueberry & poppy seed muffins, a giant sausage roll and some chicken nuggets ~ had a blast. Ache like the be-jebbus when we got home so it was snags & chips for dinner, nothing too energetic and almost what was planned according to the menu planner at the start of the week - just without the veg *laughs*.

SmallBoy helped cook. He's going to be living away from home in about eight years, might as well get some practice in early *chuckles* Most a supervisory role ensuring the deep fryer stayed safe while I dragged myself to the stove to cook the sausages. Actually you could say we had veg using a tomato salsa and sour cream on the chippies - mmmm. Sure it changed today's menu because I chose the quick and easy pasta boglonese using one of the packets from the freezer, saving a little for a Breville sandwich for lunch tomorrow. I can barely move still after yesterdays school fun - yes - ultimately it was worth it, just for the getting away from the same old.

A little ingenuity...

Goes a long long way. And I am terribly pleased with myself on many levels. One lovely reader suggested I contact school about selling eggs to the teachers. Unfortunately, the teachers already do that themselves and the office advised me there were often discrepancies with moneys and this would not help get SmallBoy's camp fees paid - that was how I was trying to 'sell' the concept. So I put a message up on the Trade Centre 'Buy, Swap, Sell' board to exchange eggs for home grown produce and have had wonderful success!

Tomorrow I will pick up zucchini, squash, pumpkin and silverbeet from one chap, other home grown fruit and veg from his neighbour for a dozen eggs each ~ plus another couple has lots of different produce to offer for collection over the weekend. I am so happy to know I can divert funds onto the debt and not toward groceries for the next few weeks - with 6 or so dozen eggs more than we can possibly use or give to friends, this is a life and variety saver. Plus the environmental savings were not lost on SmallBoy. I can't wait!  I'm wondering if there is any corn or beans available - fingers crossed *cheers*


The past few days have seen me absent due to the next, and hopefully final, stage of withdrawal from the opiate/narcotic pain medications I've been prescribed for the past few years. It's not been fun ~ barely functioning to be honest. I truly hate this whole experience at the moment ~ it's so not an enjoyable one. As I said to a friend in England via internet once the headaches, nausea and screaming pain reduces I'll open my eyes and hopefully see the light at the end of that proverbial tunnel. Until then, keep me in the dark and feed me chocolate. Sadly, we have no chocolate...

Getting there - it will be worth it ~ just a right poop and pain at the moment. Soon Husband will be able to work and I will be managing the house but until I am safe and guaranteed to be able to drive and function each day, we must just be patient and wait . . .

Until tomorrow xx

Cross off the shop...

We'll waste and want not...

I have decided I need to follow a strict regime of 'Waste Not, Want Not' and push it to the point of ridiculous. This is one way to not just save money and lower costs for a period of time, its a way to prove  to myself, my family we have some silly frivolities taking up funds when we don't need them to be and show our ability to utilise the resources we have, be it the stock on hand and financially. 

Under no circumstance whatsoever will we be going into a supermarket for the remainder of March. Nil, nada, zip. Regardless of can or can't afford to, of which it is the latter for the most part, there has to be a way to make the most of everything, reducing waste and increasing our financial achievements. Oh what a venting post does for the soul ~ yesterdays misery guts moan allowed me to download, get a few things out of my head and on to paper - and over with. Many thanks to those who commented - it helps to get the blah out of the system sometimes. Picking up myself and moving onward and upward.

Today for example - instead of adding milk to my smoothie, I added a heaped teaspoon of powdered milk and icy cold water with the frozne banana, egg, vanilla, choc sustegan and wheat-germ. With no sustegan left, tomorrow I will have coffee, or nothing. SmallBoy has milk on his cereal and everyone is happy. We had toasted sandwiches with cheese and salami which has been in the freezer forever. All sealed up, no moisture or freezer burn and delicious! A huge pot of Spag Bog has been made up (and I mean 1.3kg of mince from March 10, 2L of tinned tomatoes, an old bottle of tomato sauce, bay leaves, stock and herbs) so that's for dinner tonight and at least 7-8 further meals - more if I add veggies or beans or whatever later down the track to add variety to the basic bog mix! 

So, this week's menu plan is going to include baking requirements and all three meals. Breakfasts will be reasonably the same daily ~ SmallBoy is a weetbix kid (even if it is the no-name variety). Husband is too, if he decides to have breakfast. I usually have muesli, porridge or a choc-banana egg flip smoothie *grins* As I plan to use up those gnawed apples, half chewed pears or whatever fruits and make muffins or biscuits, I might have these for breakfast as an alternative. Lunch will vary, as will dinner. But every skerrick will be used, utilised and eaten.

Monday ~ spag bog (funny that)

Tuesday ~ Omelettes

Wednesday ~ Sausages and veg

Thursday ~ Zucchini, rice and chizoro parcels (been busting to make this, got everything)

Friday ~ Tuna mornay

Saturday ~ Chilli con carne - bog with beans

Sunday ~ Lamb Shanks (roasted with potatoes and carrots)

By rights ~ nothing extra is needed to make each of these dinners come to life. I will also make some savoury scones - using the last of those salami slices, herbs and cheese and these can go to school or be for our lunch at home when the loaf of bread runs out. I've made up some 'freezer cookie' dough and will bake some tomorrow for afternoon tea and lunchbox snacks. Can't wait to show pics - all sorts will emerge over time! Lunch tomorrow will be scrambled eggs on a grainy bread roll ~ just need to find those in the freezer. I know they are in there - somewhere...

Just as the sun is setting in this picture, so is it now time for bed. I'd hope to beat pumpkin o'clock - only late by a few minutes so I shall say good night - sleep tight - hope to god I wake up bright!!

Cheers xx