Gifts that keep giving

I've just received the most wonderful gift from a new to gardening person (you know who you are). A packet of purple haze carrots seeds. I haven't planted any carrots this season and I have the most perfect spot - where my rocket has just gone to seed. My kids love eating them and it's something a bit interesting. They are, I understand, incredibly healthy with loads of anti oxidants. So, into the garden I go to pop them in - time in the garden is a gift in itself. So thanks! Happy gardening :).

Btw my daughter received a gardening kit today - her own little trowels and diggers in a bag with a watering can. We've just spent the most delightful afternoon together in the garden. A gift that keeps giving - indeed!

Group Personal Training

What is Group PT - how is it different to Group Exercise?

Good question. One word - YOU – your goals, your needs, your abilities – while group exercise you have no input into what the session might be like, in Group PT you do – because we are working towards a goal. With Group PT you are provided with a home program, so you get a tailor made program to work through at home, with moves I am certain you can do unsupervised, with gear you have at home, or gear I lend to you free of charge. With Group PT there is more emphasis on measuring results – so you know you are heading in the right direction. You might be wanting to do your first fun run, or sort out a niggling injury that is holding you back, or just get strong or lean.

Sessions will be 1 hour long. Maximum of 4 people, minimum 2. Sessions will take place at Lindisfarne Oval – the rear oval. Its a lovely quite spot, and we can hook up the TRX, use weights, run, use the swiss balls.

Could you please let me know if you are interested - email Jo at activesolutions@netspace.net.au

What days? I am totally free through the week until 30 min Booty restarts Feb 5, and Sundays 9.30 or 10.30 are the slots I work. I have clients ready to start early in the new year.

What time? weekdays start 6.15 or 7 am (have another idea? Please share), Sundays 9.30 or 10.30 Happy to start a little earlier on a Sunday – state your preference. Alternatively happy to work Saturdays, but not Sundays as well – girl needs a day of rest – don’t we all

The tricky bit is we all have to agree, and commit.

I already have peoples ready to start on a Sunday and through the week - you just need to commit - do it, or not.

So if you are thinking this is for you, if we can make a commitment before the new year and pre-pay – everyone gets a $5 discount for each and every session!

Pest free garden construction begins

Today we bought the 5 posts that we will need for construction of our fully enclosed garden. We have 1 damaged street sign, 1 clothes lines (fully adjustable but minus the horizontals), 1 post for sports nets minus the nets, 1 metal down pipe, and 1 mystery post with holes every 15 cm. gotta love recycling!!

Dec 7 - construction begins at 9am. By 10.25 we have the central post in

By 1 pm we had all posts in. Then we used clothes line to create the frame

Now I need to splice the netting together. Tomorrow I'll add it to the frame :)

So excited!

Here is the final piece - the netting. I still have to tie it down but it's almost done

I've put this off for years - in the end it took $15 for the posts, $60 cement, $$30 for the clothes lines wire and a day of work from Andrew the "Andyman" ( www.theandyman.com.au, or www.facebook.com/andyman.hobart.)

I couldn't be happier.
Do you like the picture of me in my gay gardening hat? I have pink sparkly boots to match. :)

Cous cous salad for busy lives

Ive just made a really nice salad that will keep for a few days in the fridge and is a quick and healthy 'grab' for on the go lifestyles

Combine chopped tomato, capsicum, coriander, mint leaves, spring onion, cucumber - add as much as you like of each - my total amount equalled about a cup.

3/4 uncooked cous cous - add a chicken stock cube, 1 cup hot water, 1/2 teasp butter - leave to 'fluff' and stir occasionally.

Once the cous cous cools add the chopped vegies, stir through.

Add 1 tabs lemon juice, 1 1/2 tabs olive oil, 1 teas red wine vinegar - shake up and stir through the lot.  Its ready to eat at this point or pop in in the fridge the flavours will infuse and it will be yummy for days to come!

To complete the meal add a hard boilded egg, or a can of tuna or salmon and you've got a well rounded, tasty, healthy meal.

Ok raspberries, you win!!

Ok raspberries you win!! I've tried to keep you restrained but you seem to love it here and nothing else seems to. Can you ever have too many raspberries??

Spring has sprung - nov 2012

6 weeks after our red dirt experience and our garden is almost under control. Spuds are starting to poke through and we hope to have fresh spuds for Xmas ( top left). Top right is last years no dig spud patch - rich soil planted out with spinach and broccoli. Last years onions can be seen and a r random spud or 2. Left bottom side has peas planted, some garlic almost ready and the apricot tree has been pruned by the possums again. Bottom right side has last years leeks and freshly planted zucchini seeds and radish and beetroot. Beetroot leaves are extraordinarily good for you so eat them young. Peach tree somehow is not attached by possums. Anyone who why?

Pearl barley and kidney bean soup

1/2 cup pearl barley and kidney beans. Soak over night and bubble gently for 20 mins or so - until soft
Gently fry 3 tabsp leek, onion, celery and sweet potato. Add 2 teas garlic 3 teas veg stock , 3 cups water, herbs that take your fancy and 2 teas polenta. Boil gently for 20 mins or so and your house smells amazing!! So now you have lunches for the week, add a little chopped tomato after you have reheated, and the tops of some spring onions or chives for more oniony flavor! Each serve has around 8 grams of protein, 1 gram fat, 20 grams carbs, 3 grams fibre

Mildura madness

We'd got a tip off that the Mildura country music festival was in town, so not a camping spot was to be found. We did infact find possibly the last camping spot, however it's far from flash. Cold showers, blocked fetid drains, and the backpacker hostel full of single local men - it doesn't really have a happy holiday feel. Never mind it's only for 3 nights!

Today we did the essential paddle boat ride up and down The Murray - its a relaxing hypnotic way to travel - it would be fun to hire a house boat at some stage! Haduks bakery won hands down for a spot of lunch (2nd day running). Sumo salad got my business though (Brooke looked at the options and said 'nothing for kids here'). I disagree but when the alternative is a meringue bug there is no competition

Orange world completed our afternoon - this was the quirkiest family appropriate tour I've ever done! Brian sang as a song about Mildura and recited his life story in verse! We learned heaps about oranges and other citrus - where else might you learn about the 3 p's of growing citrus - peel, poo and pee? Orange world is a must see!

Quiet night - popped the heater on in the tent - last night at 2 am it was 30! Not so tonight.

Marshmallow bliss

Our family have voted these Rocky Mountain marshmallows number 1!! They are large and almost juicy - if you toast them on the fire you'll get 3 layers - or more!! We will try them in hot chocolate soon - and will give you a full report!!

Coober Pedy to Coober Pedy, and all that came inbetween

We enjoyed Coober Pedy last time we were here, 2 weeks ago, and we've been to lots of places since then.  A long days drive to Alice and we book into a resort after 7 hours of driving - the kids have been amazing - not complaining once - and even I am amazed by how engrossed I am by the constantly changing landscape.  My eldest lad asks when we get to the real desert - rolling hills of red - I cant quite remember.  It turns out that due to an amount of rain that can not be remembered in anyones lifetime - there are no rolling red hills.  Eldest child is disappointed.  Never mind.

We eat out at The Saloon Bar in Todd St (very good) and stay at the Desert Palms (a little tired).  Next day we roll up to the most expensive camping ever - $70 per night - BIG 4 at Alice is well worth it.  BUT WHAT IS IT WITH THE POOLS?  It's into the 30's and there are solar panels everywhere - but pools less than 20 degrees.  Cools you down in 30 seconds or less!

A day of washing, shopping, relaxing and we meet up with friends that we havent seen for 5 years or so.  They havent changed at all!  Their kids and ours mix easily - its an interesting night - I'm pleased to hear their opinions on life in Alice.  They are leaving soon, as most / many do.

A visit to the Cultural Precinct and museum was interesting.  Another day spent at the public pool (lots of fun there and finally I can get some exercise in water - and the kids need some normal play time too).  Another day is spent at Desert Park, which really demonstrates how diverse the desert is even over just 1 km!  The bird show there was awesome - lots of fun and the bush tucker session was worthwhile too. 

I am feeling I am learning a lot about the desert, but hardly anything at all about the Aboriginal people.  I am looking back writing this, and have determined that you just cant sum them up in one paragraph - their cultures are very diverse, and their current lifestyles vary from highly disfunctional to university educated.  Such a difficult situation.  Charlie nearly died (fainted) when a women pulled a broken bottle on an man (and the language, oh the language).  Such a public display of aggression, my kids have seen nothing like it.  Our friends who lived their for 5 years hadnt seen anything like it either, so I am thinking we were unlucky.

Our last 2 days in Alice were indeed wonderful - visiting an array of gorges and natural features that I had visited as a young backpacker.  I've written a blog on this (This one is from the heart).  It is interesting how memory works - a gate here, and waterhole there and I am remembering things that I havent thought of since I cant tell you when.

 But it is 24 years since I was last here and I must say a whole range of emotions and memories returned.  I look forward to rereading my 1988 diary and looking at photos - I've gone to places I was sure I hadnt been before . . . but then again!

The Reptile Park is well worth a look for an up close experience!

This one is from the heart

This one is from the heart.

Its been 24 years since I was in the outback – I was 20 then, a carefree backpacker – bulletproof with health and youth and everything ahead of me.  I’m not complaining how I’ve spent the last 24 years, I certainly am not complaining.  But motherhood and compromise are interchangeable – and I am loving my time in Alice and Coober Pedy, and the East and West Mac Donnel Ranges, but I cannot help but look back. 

Now I keep catching views of myself, the not so supple skin hits the most – I glance at my hands – eekk!  Aging hands, sagging neck, puffy knees – gravity is setting in.  I watched an episode of Catalyst and find there is no skin cream that can turn back time – botox might help, fat injections, laser . . . I’m not sure that’s a path I want to tread – so embrace this aging I must.  It’s hard not to look back.  24 years since I was last here – and even with (so it seemed) all the time in the world I didn’t circumnavigate Kings Canyon or Uluru, I didn’t do all the little walks that are there to be done.  And now I’m travelling with a 4 year old and it has its concessions.  No walks longer than 30 minutes or ‘she’ must be carried.  Dont get me wrong, I love looking at things through a child’s eyes, but as I revisit these places that I went to 24 years ago, and again cant find the opportunity to walk the circuit, I’m wondering will I ever?  If its another 24 years, I’ll be 68.

I’m not happy about missing these opportunities – I love walking, exploring, exerting myself – and I feel like this has all been ‘on hold’ since motherhood.  But wait, I look at my oldest child.  He’s 11 now and quite capable.  I ask him “would you like to do the Kings Canyon circuit”?  I’m aware its 38 degrees.  “Yes, I would” he says, “but it’s very hot”.  “Well”  I say, “We will take plenty of water, and maybe not do the whole 4 hour circuit, maybe just an hour in and an hour out”.  “Yes” he says, “I think I’m up for that”.  I feel excited at this new potential.  The first 15 minutes nearly kills him, but we take it easy and after the initial climb it’s hot but easy walking.  Husband is so easy going as says he will come back after 2 hours, and if we don’t show he’ll come back after 4.  So there is no pressure on us.  My son is confused by this, ”why can’t we ring Dad when we need a lift”?  “No signal” I say (and have said in many different ways as we have travelled outback in and out of mobile phone range – its a concept he really struggles to grasp). 

40 minutes into the walk and we have all but drained our first bottle of water.  It is hot like Bikrum, I can manage, my boy needs lots of rests – no problem – I cannot risk turning him off taking on a challenge.  Then he admits he did not fill his extra water bottle, so we have no choice but to turn back 1 hour in.  I am slightly pissed off about this – he was told to fill both – but he had no idea, had no experience of what this might be like.  It’s not all bad, I got to see part of Kings Canyon that I hadn’t seen before.  I forgot my camera.  So I took a picture with my memory, and stored it in my heart.  It is, indeed spectacular.  I found a new hiking buddy, infact grew him myself.

2 days later and we are at Uluru, and again, that feeling, that I’m not going to do anything more exciting than the wheelchair access options, the family friendly walk.  The walk up the rock is closed at any opportunity, and morally its not really the go, so the circumnavigation is what I’m wanting.  Husband is keen to ‘do it’ and move on.  I’m not sure what the rush is!  There is so much to do, why cant anyone else see that?  Hamstrung by the littleun.  Again I look to my eldest, “fancy a stroll around the rock mate?”.  “It’s 38 degrees mum” he points out.  “Same rules buddy, we go til we are sick of it and then Dad can pick us up at the other car parks”  He thinks he might, but in the heat of the day decides no, it’s too much.  And it probably is.  But, I’m up for it.  So I get dropped off and have the most memorable afternoon in a long time.  I feel energised, renewed, challenged – a bit like my old back packer self.  It was hot, and hard, and long, but heat I can do and splendid it was.  I got to read all the info stations – that in itself is a treat.   I must say that everyone of my photos (camera remembered this time) is disappointing – it does not capture the enormity, glory or spectacular site before me.  Never mind, I capture it in my heart and in my mind and so it is there forever.

5 ways to use your flat tyre

1. Instead of tent pegs - the ground is so hard at Kings Canyon, even harder than Coober Pedy where you live underground in an unreinforced house - why not use your flat tyre to tie your tent down :)

2. As a tricep dips bench - sit on it - now bend the elbows up down up down

3. Also thinking fitness here - but it's a portable step up bench - isn't it?

4. Tyre removed leave your rim in the sun and you have an extra skillet. Cook eggs and bacon on it - it's hot enough

5. As a small table for your 4 year old. She can sit on the ground and the flat tyre makes an excellent if not dusty portable table

We were on the road to Kings Canyon when we blew our tyre. That was 3 days ago and it will be another 5 days before we get another and I can't imagine what this will cost. Until then we drive under 80 kph - 350 km down today - if we blow another we are screwed. Apparently Captiva spares are hard to come by. No Oonadatta Track, we won't drive the southern end of Lake Eyre - we've been told you can blow a tyre or 2 on these tracks and they are just too hard to come by. Never mind, I am still hoping to fly over Lake Eyre. We r at Uluru now and it is magic. I thrive in the heat and it's 9 pm and still 33! Husband does not thrive in the heat. Ying and yang are we.

The Breakaways - east of Coober Pedy

If you go to the Breakaways you will see this.  You will not hear a sound.  I think this is the place I need to be, for a month.

 This is the moon plane - it is the site of many movies, Mad Max 3 to name just one.  It is like the moon, mud like, with shiney gypsom glistening in the sun.  Petrified wood features there too.

 This is the Castle.  Feel the serenity . . .

 This place is Crocodile Harry's.  I went here in 1988!  It also featured in Mad Max 3 - gotta watch that movie again!

There is something about Coober Pedy that feels like home.  But it couldnt be more different. You've gotta go there!

on the 12th day of road trip, my true love gave to me . . .

On the 12th day of road trip my true love gave to me

• 12 disowned tyres
• 11 buggered kanga's
• 10 lonely cattle
• 9 barking dogs
• 8 Winnebago's
• 7 long legged emus
• 6 unknown squishy things
• 5 ice cream cones
• 4 wedge tail eagles
• 3 lucky lizards
• 2 dead sheep
• and a burnt out, rusty old van

                                                                                                                           Lots of memories :)

Red dirt - Adelaide, Melrose to Coober Pedy, and Glendambo inbetween

Day 4 in Adelaide and it’s time to head off, washing completed – but alas I am not sleeping again.  Not sure why.  Today is a big drive – about 400 km to a place called Melrose.  Its a mountain biking mecca with a quaint, pretty little town.  Caravan Park is inexpensive, has a camp kitchen, a creek and swing bridge close by and access to the school play ground.  All boxes ticked.  There’s a funky little shop called Joes – a real surprise – do yourself a favour and pop in (but not with a 4 year old miss with a eye for pink sparkly things).  She almost insisted on high heel thongs, but as the dinosaur ones were too little settled on some pretty blue thongs with flowers on them!  And I got some chocolate and kahlua chocolate sauce.  We booked in for 1 night but stayed for 2 – it’s really pretty here and there’s nice family walks and a slow pace that we crave.  We are starting to see red dirt.  We are starting to find towns with no shop.  We found 1 town called Georgetown with a couple of fun and friendly local gems behind the counter.  At Laura there was a statue dedicated to C J Dennis – author of The Sentimental Bloke – sentimental to me as I performed this play with a local theatre troupe when I was about 16!

Fried rice for tea tonight we are low on supplies, and if the wind stays down a fire to toast our marshmallows by!  We’ve been holding onto these truly excellent marshmallows for about 6 weeks now – well done kids – they were worth the wait weren’t they!

We now know our tent can withstand gale force winds.  We have 3 nights of experiencing this, and we are one tired and grumpy family (except Charlie and Brooke who seem to sleep through everything).  We had a day of travel and made it to Glendambo – who knows who else goes there but the weary traveller.  For us we had nothing but wind and dust and the lack of camp kitchen meant really no choice but to eat in the restaurant.  A fellow traveller pulled up beside us and we thought, excellent – a bit of a wind break.  But they bought their dog, which barked all night as a big red fox kept stirring it up.  It’s a double V day for sure.

It was a long but exciting days travel – the road count goes something like this

12 dead kangaroos, 10 dead cows, 2 dead sheep, 1 dead emu, 4 dead squishy things, 4 burnt out rusted cars and a road train full of camels and one blown up trailer load of 44 gallon drums.

We stopped in at Woomera for the rocket museum (closed) and wondered how the asylum seekers were hidden.  The land is barren, salt bush, acacia, survive in this place.  Not much else.

On to Coober Pedy – this place really doesn’t look much different since I saw it in 1988.  Actually everything is a nice surprise – you shop entrance tells nothing of what is behind – under ground shops are the norm – homes too.  Bit of a lazy afternoon after a 2 hour drive from Glendambo.  The kids were excited to be here and use the pool.  Me too, except it was only 16 degrees.  More like an ice plunge.  I so need a swim and some exercise – but it isn’t going to be here.  I walked to the Big Winch and essentially broke in to the place, along a dirt path, over a fence – 2 more fences to jump to get out of there!  Slept well.  Finally.

Today we did a mine tour at Tom’s – it was so interesting – we learned so much and had the tour guide to ourselves.  Looked also at Fayes underground house – 3 women dug out a house, by pick and shovel!!  Did some noodling, Charlie found something oval like, otherwise we found lots of samples of gypsum.  This avro we have planned a trip to the breakaways – so breathtaking scenery for tomorrow.  We are staying an extra day as my mum is on the way!  Arriving late tomorrow after driving from Port Augusta.

2,000 km and going strong :)

Part of the reason we rushed KI was we have friends in Adelaide, and we wanted to spend the weekend with them.  First social event – Master Lucas turned 1!  We were made very welcome by locals Liz and Chris, and their friends at the party.  It was good for our friends too who hadn’t socialised with other kids all week, and now they ran around throwing balls to and at each other – a big giggle fest!  It’s lovely to see your kids mixing easily with new kids. 


Next day – off to the beach and manmade caves at Port Willoughby.  The kids made pick axes from the rocks and pretended they were cave men!  “Want to go or stay boys?”.  “Stay” they chorused.  Later in the day we had great adventures at the locally known “wooden park”.  Huge!  The kids loved it!  Swings in a circle, bongo drums, lots of spinning things for butts to sit in, and hide and seek – their favourite!  The kids are winding down nicely.

Day 3 in Adelaide – lazy day at China Town – exploring delicious cheap eats (tempted but not trying the chicken feet).  The dumplings and sushi were fresh and yummy.  Off to the botanical garden next – more cave man play and the first bit of skin time – kids running around giggling with tops off.  My prediction – if we are not careful Brooke with have dreadlocks, Charlie a tan and perpetual bare feet and Fraser will not raise his eyes for a book! 

Success on many levels.  Do not miss the Haigh's chocolate outlet store in Adelaide.  Do not miss.

Pools for every kind of health!

Here I am at the Alice Springs community pool and around I see the health benefits of pools

First, you can't help but get clean

Second - its fun, constructive play - a great use of recreation time

It bonds families - you must supervise kids and if you get abit casual about this the lifeguards remind you

Fun aside - you might just learn a skill - like swimming

You've got to respect the rules, stay safe, look after yourself and others around you

Can't deny it's exercise too!

I'm just loving watching all the families, hearing all the different languages, and seeing the many ways communities connect and share the same resource!

Kangaroo Island - 2nd 1,000 km

It’s the third time I’ve been to Adelaide and finally we have the means to visit Kangaroo Island!  The $2,500 one day tour for the 5 of us a little out of reach – but the self drive day trip a possibility!

 Up early, drive 80km from Goolwa through lush, scenic farming land, past Victor Harbour and on the 9 am ferry at Cape Jervis.  A quick boat trip (no one feeding the fish this time) and like a dream we were there.  “Not like it used to be” said a local – “they hit you in the hip pocket every where you go”.  And they were right.  Even entry to a National Park, a self guided tour – added $9 to the entry price for the 4 year old.  She was only a week past being 3!  KI is well worth the stop – but stay longer than the 1 day we did – we managed Seal Point, Kelly’s Caves and Flinders Chase National Park, and the rest was driving.  It’s bigger than you think and worth a longer stay, even a few weeks.  That is, if you are into bush walks, wildlife and gourmet food.

Seal Point – if I’d seen nothing else, made the trip worthwhile.  From the viewing boardwalk we got to see seal pups feeding from their mums and the skeleton of a hump back whale.  Apparently 85% of Australian Fur Seals call this coast home.  They are plentiful.

Kelly’s cave – named after a horse that possibly fell into a cave ... somewhere . . . This cave is steeped in history and although we only saw a little of it, I’ve never seen one so white. 

Flinders Chase National park – walk right to the bottom, and right to the end said the park ranger – you wont be disappointed – and we weren’t!  More seals, arches, stunning and wild coastline, more stories of ship wreck – you can see why.

I wish we had longer for KI but we will be back.

Red Dirt Experience - first 1,000 km - Part 2

Ok, Mt Gambier - only stayed overnight despite inviting walks and caves to explore.  The weather was ordinary, and we are wanting to be in Adelaide for the weekend to stay with friends.  The Blue Lake was shining blue, and we visited "the sinkhole".  Property owner James Umpherston converted this sunken cave ceiling into a garden in the 19th Century - its a really interesting site - again - it was a site I hadnt seen before.  There are heaps of other caves and walks to do - but time did not permit!

Stayed at the Big 4 - pool closed for the winter.  Groan.  Great camp kitchen.

Next day - big drive day - the weather was ordinary and if we could put some km behind us the next few days would be cruisey.  We drove for most of the day (not that we set out early) and made it to Goowla - on the Fleurieu Penninsula where we could explore the Coorong.  We lunched at Kingston and discovered this big guy . . .

We spotted a flock of birds - they weren't flying like ducks in a uniform V, they kept rotating who took the lead but more in a line formation.  We were quite mesmerised by them - what type of birds were they????  Pelicans!!  Mr Percival no less!

Its worth knowing if you are heading to the Coorong via Goolwa that by taking a free punt at Wellington you shave about 50 km off the trip - the Murray is narrow here and its a quick 5 minute trip that saves time after a long drive.

Goolwa is a lovely little town and we decided to stay at the Goolwa Caravan Park a few km's out because it had had good reviews, had a pool and spa, mini golf, playground, canoe hire . . . . it sounded great for the family.  What we found was the park was not staffed, no camp kitchen (at all), BBQ's could just melt butter, and everything else antiquated.  We stayed regardless after tent rangling, but it remains a bit of a joke that we paid $45 a night to park our tent and use the loo!

Pool closed due to winter - groan!  I'm starting to see a pattern here - all pools are outdoor!

During the night . . . . . rip!!!!!  Middle child's camping stretcher ripped and he fell through the middle!  He said with a smile 'I felt a difference'.  Ha ha I bet!  Found the canvas repairer first thing - all fixed for $20!

The Coorong tour was amazing!  We heard about the need for barrages to stop the flow of salt water up stream - this happened during the depression as a work development initiative - already we were taking too much water out of the Murray - salt water was travelling as far north as Murray Bridge - SA land was seriously being affected.  The guide talked of the science behind it - so interesting - and so much thought behind these barrages so long ago - they got it right though.

Here is a seal - NZ fur seal - relaxing in the sun at the Goolwa barrage

The Murray Mouth had heaps of Pelicans and seals, other birds too

We also walked to the other side - the Southern Ocean - wild and ferocious - met us as we crossed the dunes.  We worked out that the high number of dead carp on the coastline were due to them finding salt water after slipping through the barrages.  They litter the shore.

We all finished the day feeling pretty happy with ourselves!!

Red dirt experience - first 1,000 km

Ian doesnt get paid enough.  I know he is just doing his job, but when your job is cleaning up blocked sinks - blocked with your kids vomit - he just isnt paid enough.  And, to his credit he showed up with only a pair of rubber gloves.  The Spirit of Tasmania  trip was not kind to either son or husband, and discussions about whether we holiday on a South Pacific Cruise will be held later . . . . .

Day 1 and we head for Lorne - the land is rich and fertile, no sign of any drought - infact "to tell you the truth we are bloody sick of the rain" said the lady at our first stop.  Our tent is waterproof and we were pretty tired - and Lorne is so beautiful!!  We visited Erskine Falls (a lot like Liffey Falls in Tassie) and Teddy's Lookout - we really appreciated the views, rainbows and forward thinking of the post WW1 veterans who with pick and wheelbarrow, carved a road through this coastline.  Kids excited, and holding up well.

Day 2 we travel to Port Campbell and stay in their amazing holiday accomodation - nice camping spots, wonderful camping kitchen (heated with all facilities) lounge, games room, austar, all the comforts a family require!  Port Campbell is a stunning place, wild, and fierce - battered by storms from the Southern Ocean.  Amazing that it is a port as its a really narrow gorge.  It has a lovely river flowing to one side that you can walk along and find lots of dead things . . . . .

there's a walk you can do up onto the headland - but you have to cross the river first - a little warmer and we'd have done it!

Day 3 and we back track to the 12 Apostles - what an awesome coastline with an interesting history.

Middle son discovers that it takes thousands of years for sand to be made from rock - a good thing too i say or the Australian coast would be at Alice Springs by now . . . . middle child does not get my sense of humour.  We also head over to Woollongong and go to their truely amazing museum (holidaying in the school term has its advantages - we were the only family there over 3 hours!!)  Seeing the Loch Ard peacock - now that is a history worth investivating - but in a nutshell the Loch Ard was one of 200 ship wrecks on this coast, this one had one 2 survivors (the museum centres around the story) and we see the Loch Ard peacock - some 6 feet tall ceramic piece of work that sunk with the Loch Ard only to wash up on the shore 3 days later, with the smallest chip on its beak.  Its quite remarkable.  What is also remarkable is the light and lazer show at the same museum - a fountain of water making the screen with a truely fantastic re-telling of the Loch Ard sinking - I've never seen anything like it!

Day 4 we pack up and move on to Mount Gambier - but thats for the next blog :) 

How to save $3,000 - final chapter - not what we wanted to share

Well its a couple of months since I finished this part of my blog - it took about 6 months to find savings in our family budget to pay for my dear little cats surgery, to save her life.

Despite an excellent prognosis she died last Friday of secondary cancer.  The end was pretty swift.  I had her for 14 years, almost a third of my life.

Am I regretful that we spent such a large amount of money given she didnt last that long?  No.  I am regretful that she is gone.  Miserable in fact.  Cats are just so loveable.  They are always pleased to see you and although they can be a little moody they are a great source of comfort and I miss her terribly.

That is all

Bring on the spring - chicken pie and pea shoots for tea?

Well I'm bang on for timing, but a little late given I'm heading off in 4 weeks for an extended break.  Today I popped some seeds into seed raising mix and they are now ready to germinate under a plastic shopping bag that is operating as a frost resistant hothouse.

I've used seed gathered from broccoli that went to seed.  Unfortunately I dont know the type of broccoli so I have not idea if the plants will be true to plant I got them from, or revert to some spindly species that is quite simply a waste of time and space.

There was a lot of varience in the quality of the seed.  I'd left them to dry in their pods and some had dried and obviously had no life in them.  Others were black and firm and 'plump', as plump as a broccoli seed can be anyway.

So its a bit of an experiment.  They've got 4 weeks to germinate and then I'll pop them in the ground (under glass for the lucky ones).  I will dig over their patch in the next week or 2 as I have green manure plants in them.  I'm probably a little early, but hey, the seasons are pretty screwed up and this is seeming to be a mild winter.

Iceburg lettuce have also gone in as seeds, but not seed I've collected.  I have to say I am totally experimental in the seed saving business - as I learn more I'll write more.

Happy gardening!!

BTW - its pretty heart breaking to get all the timing right, the plants are growing beautifully (my peas), and the chooks get in and rip it all to shreds!!  Chicken pie for tea??

Whoo hoo! I've saved $3,000 since Feb and it didnt affect our standard of living!!

Well I've done it - I've saved back the money spent on my pets surgery - $3,000 in 5 months!  The plan was to now go ahead and get the bathroom renovated but as we are about to take an extended holiday . . . . well lets see how much extra $$ are in the 'kitty' at the end of the trip.

So here we go, I promised my self I wasnt going to do another entry until the final $496.50 had been saved - so I will start with the modest savings, and keep going on all that's been saved in the last 2 and a half weeks.  Here we go . . .

#71 - $10 saved on hiring DVD's from the State library rather than Video City.  I dont think I'll send Video City broke, but there are some good finds in the State library - and they are totally free

#72 - the spring flowers are now in - even though we are into the thick of winter and every other person seems stricken with the flu.  The mornings are chilly with frost in the yard and snow on the mountain - but the spring flowers - daffodils, eggs and bacon, camilias are optomistic reminders that the spring is coming!  I've saved $25 over the last 2 weeks by finding flowers in the garden, and around the neighbourhood (over the fence).

#73 - I'm still avoiding the bakery - the kids dont even ask anymore - this saves around $15 / week, so $30

#74 - early pickups from childcare over the last week have saved around $25 (picking up 1 minute after 5 costs an extra 30 minutes than 1 minute before 1 x 2 kids - it all adds up!)

#75 - reduced BIKRUM classes again - I've been really enjoying spin classes and bike riding in general - I've missed 3 classes in the last 2 weeks, but 1 was because I was away - so 2 missed classes = $32

#76 - sold some clutter - 1 unused cot (unused for 8 months or so), and 1 bassinet (unused for 3 and half years!!!!)  I was offered less than my asking price, but I help firm and now have $210 in my pocket and more space in the house

#77 - compared business insurance and saved $80 over 2 years (and feel I got a better policy more importantly)

#78 - soft drinks - prepurchased in can form - saves $3 / day instead of buying from the shop - over 3 weeks thats $42

#79 - I went to Melbourne for a business seminar.  I find any kind of jaunt away from home can really blow a load of cash, but with a bit of planning you can save hundreds.  This is what I saved - and these are real savings, because I'm comparing things to they way I used to do things before I decided to claw this money back
I used to taxi to accom - now I bus - saved $33 each way - $66
I used to buy breakfast - now I take muslea with me  saved $10 / day - $20
I'd usually eat out somewhere nice - I got a more than satisfactory dinner for less than $20, so I probably saved $20
(I travelled late, to save 1 meal altogether)
I took my own tea and travel mug - saving $4 / day $8
(and I won $11 at Crown Casino - but I wont count that :))
                                                                                                  $$114 - over 2 days!
Ironically saving money was one of the topics covered at the course - the pay for the next course . . . . I told the presenter I had been blogging ways to save $$ for months now.  He looked at me as if I was nuts!!


NUTS I MIGHT BE BUT I HAVE DONE IT!!  I'VE SAVED OVER $3,000 IN 5 MONTHS, WHICH I MIGHT ADD WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO PAYING FOR THE NEXT COURSE, A NEW BATHROOM, AN AWESOME ADDITION TO A BRILLIANT HOLIDAY, OR SURGERY FOR YOUR BELOVED PET.  The choice is ours, the money is there!

As I sit hear I can hear the contented purr of my 3 legged cat - I really can.  She has a wonderful life, she is much more pampered now - we baby her, brush her, buy her favorite food (which happens to be chicken necks which is great for her health) and generally enjoy her alot more than before she got sick.  I hate my old bathroom, but I love my cat!

Vegetarian Fritatta and rye bread

In the spirit of "eating down the larder" I have cooked this delish fritatta and rye bread.  I dont know how long I've had that rye flour, but I had lovely rye bread in a resturant last night and it has motivated me to cook it up!

This fritatta basically the recipe on the back of the Sanitarium Nutolene product that is a great source of protein should you be a flesh free type

I was going to just add the link to the Sanitarium website - knowing that copyright is an issue when you pop up recipes that are not your own, but the site didn't have the recipe, but the back of the can did.  It's a fairly generic recipe anyway - and you can change the vegies added to grated carrot, zucchini, tomato, mushies, what ever you like, but heres the recipe I used

500 gm sweet potato and 300 gram potato - sliced, chopped and steamed
add to 6 eggs, beaten
cup of spinach (I used asian greens)
1/4 cup grated cheese
small red onion chopped
1/2 can on nutolene chopped

cook in  pie dish or cake tin for about 30 mins

This is enough to feed a family or do you for lunches for a week.

Here is the link to the rye bread recipe I am making

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22375/rye+bread

Its the second time I've made rye bread and last time it turned out really heavy - this dough seems lovely and light, so I am optomistic it will be delish!

EMPTY THE LARDER!! Save $$

I mentioned last week that as part of my money saving regime and in the lead up to an extended holdiay I was going to try to empty the larder - there's lots of bits and pieces in the pantry that could do with using up - they are not family favorites, so they tend to just sit there . . . . waiting until they expire.  Well its 7 weeks until we go away so I thought I'd have a look through and come up with a 'different' that is, irregular meal for 1 meal / week.  This way we will:

• save $$
• try some new
• waste less and
• emptry the larder

Here's my meal plan.  Incidentally I think the biggest saver of $$ is meal planning.  Dont buy what you dont need over the next week - it reduces waste - particularly of things with short expiry dates, and it means you are always eating fresh food.  All I do is forward plan the main meal for 7 days, and this saves time too as I can forward cook on the weekend, and make sure we have the ingrediants - no last minutes menu changes

Here's what I came up with:
week 1 - cannelloni - I've had these pasta shells for ages - it's time to cook them!
week 2 - gnocchi - likewise - sitting in the cupboard . . . waiting to be eaten
week 3 - dahl - its a tough sell with a carnovoric husband, but once over 7 weeks is do-able
week 4 - something with green lentils.  Hubby bought green lentils when I went flesh free over Feb - I've never used green lentils, ever, so I'll have to find a recipe
week 5 - falafel - Falafel has its origins in  . . . .(forgive me if I'm wrong - Lebanon??)  Its a delicious chick pea based ball, you can have them in a roll up kebab with salad, cheese, yogurt + garlic dip - that'll be popular.  You can buy the mix boxed up, add water, roll into a ball, lightly fry.  YUM!
week 6 - Vegetarian Frittata - also a leftover from my flesh free Feb, a can of soy based product that can be turned into a Frittata.  I Might even cook that up for lunches one week
week 7 - spring rolls - we have the casings - and some vermacelli, - it'll make for a fun dinner as you can lightly fry them, or not.  I also have a box of prawn crackers - they can be friend up for a special treat too.

I'll post up each recipe in the "KITCHEN" page.

How to save $3,000 . . . . so close!!

With $650 to save before I meet my target I wanted to think up a few new ways over the next few weeks.  Here's what I came up with.

#66 - dont you love fresh flowers!  I decided it would be a lovely thing to have in the house so I popped around the garden, into the bush, over the fence (not stealing) and came up with a lovely bunch of native flowers that are bright and cheerful and havent set off anyone's hay fever
Saved $13 last week, and I'll do it again this week - so thats $26

#67  -  I'm off on a 2 day conference in a few weeks time and as I bought my discount tickets a few things happened - the price kept going up - extra baggage i didnt want, extra insurance i didnt want . . . it added up to an extra $30 / flight.  So that's $60 saved, because I didnt want / or need it.  I also saved $8.50 by using direct debit rather that credit.  But when the direct debit info did not come through I used my credit card before my flight on 'hold' was released - and yipee for me - no $8.50 charge :).  $8.50 just to use my credit card on an $85 flight!!  Seriously!  so that's $68.50!

#68 - another made lunch on a mega busy day - Saved $10

#69 - bypass the bakery, dont buy any takeway drinks - $27

#70 - more than anything I'm far too busy - missed bikrum x 2 this week - saved $32 - but did make it to spin x2 @ no charge cos that membership is given to me as part of my job  :)

So this week I saved $163.50  -   off my balance of $650  -  $$496.50 to go

Using up the spuds - potato pie

This week is use up the spuds week - they were dug up in Feb and despite proper storage in a dark dry space they are starting to shoot and wrinkle.  So this week instead of spag bol, its potato pie

You need
1 onion
1/2 kilo mince
a few vegies suitable for a pie (I used mushroos, silver beet and tomato)
enough spuds to cover the pie - once mashed
1 beef stock cube
gravey
relish
garlic - if you like garlic

Lightly fry onion, add the garlic (about 1 tabs), add mince and fry until brown.  Add vegies as you go, choped nice and small.  Add gravey (I used 4 tabs and about 1 1/2 cups water mixed first, then added.  At this point to me it didnt really taste yum, so I added 1 stock cube and empied some older relish jars (about 1/2 cup or relish all up) and now its very tastey.

Cook spuds, drain and mash, add some milk and cheese. (dont let the pot boil dry :))

Pop the meat in a pie dish that has been lightly basted with oil.  Spread the spud mix on top and lightly grill so it browns off.  Eat with vegies!

How to save $3,000 . . . . almost there!!

Over the last week there has been absolutely no new strategies to save money, but with $707 to go I am starting to think - lets get this job finished.  As mentioned before we have shifted away from re-vamping the bathroom as we are about to head off on a red dirt experience. They money we have saved is put away, and maybe we will spend it while away, maybe it will be there when we get back.  I am still keen on a new bathroom by xmas, but an awesome holiday rich with experiences is the priority now.

So how have I saved over the last week:

#65 - the strategies of being super organised when it comes to lunches and snacks is still a major $$ saver.  On my largest work day I literally dont have time to even drive through a drive through - so being organised is essential.
Last week I think I saved about $15 avoiding the bakery
$12 on being organised with drinks
$20 on avoiding the Friday takeaway for the kids
$10 on picking the kids up from care, just before the o'clock, rather than just after

So that makes about $57.

So that brings my balance down to $650.

Over the next few weeks we are going to 'eat down' the larder.  Is this a saving?  The food has already been bought - surely it is not a saving.  I would argue that it is!  We will try new meals, from the ingrediants that we have, and 'make do' more than we usually do.  Previously I said that one of my strategies for saving money was just not going in the supermarket - I always spent more than intended - the specials always got me in - always!

Anyway - this week is potato week - the spuds I dug earlier in the year are starting to seed - so eat them or throw them out - that's gotta save $$!

a pot of vegetable curry - for a week of lunches

I dont know too many people who got fat eating too many vegies - this way, atleast!

1 cup cubed potato and pumkin (or sweet potato)
1 cup cauli, 2 big leaves of silver beet
green beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 onion
2 tabs curry paste (i used red curry paste today)
1 cup beef stock
yogurt - 1/3 cup
1/3 cup sultanas if you like them in your curry

1:  peel and cube potato and pumpkin, boil 4 mins, add cauli, silver beet, beans - cook a further 2 mins - drain.
2:  gently fry chooped onion 1 min, add curry paste, stri and cook a min or 2.  Add tomatoes and stock.  Cook 1 or 2 mins, add the other vegies. 
3:  Pop the lid on and cook a few more mins.  Add yogurt and sultanas and it is ready to eat!!

sweet potato soup - with magic secret ingrediant . . . .

It took me a week of eating every day to get through the minestrone, so now I am on to my lovely sweet potato soup (with magic secret ingrediant)

1 fresh leek from the gardem (he he the leeks are magnificent right now)
about a half kilo of sweet potato
3 or 4 little spuds - or 1 biggie & about the same amount of pumpkin
2 teas garlic
2 teas vegie or chicken stock
a little red chilli - like a teas (pref rescued from the hothouse in the vacant house next door)
and the secret magic ingrediant . . . .

lightly fry leek and garlic in a little oil, add the spuds, pumpkin and sweet potato, 3/4 cover with water, add stock and chilli - and cook til soft - 20-30 mins.  Now the house smells awesome!

turn off heat and leave to sit / infuse

Later, wiz it (I usually mash but the leek and chilli need wizzing) in a blender or food processor.  Back to the pot - add the magic ingredient - 100-200 mls of low fat (or regular if you dont give a rat's . . . )coconut milk or coconut cream.  Greek yogurt is an excellent option, or sour cream.  Try the coconut milk though - it really is delish!  Season (salt and pepper).  Add a little parmeson if it needs more soul.

Then, take all the vegie scraps and peelings, clean out the fridge and add food scraps that ought to have been eaten by now - old biscuits, cooked rice, wednesdays pikelets (its friday as I write this), crusts that wont be eaten, vegies left over when Brooke fell asleep before eating her tea.  Put it all in a big pot and gently boil and then leave it on the stove top  with the lid on.  Feed it to the chooks tomorrow morning.

How to save $3,000 . . . sooooo close to the end!

As I mentioned before, it's getting hard to keep adding new and innovative ways to save money, but instead now I have some firmly intrenched habits that are keeping us within budget - and saving in ways we never did before

So here's a bit of a recap:
Tip #61 - each and every week I save money by not going into the bakery with kids, I cook our own bakery delights, and this saves = well it varies - I'd say $20 a week is fair.  By buying bulk cans of fizzy I save $3 a day - most days - this week I was out and about a bit more - I think its fair to say I saved $15 by buying and taking with me fizzy drinks (gotta love a bit of fizz).  I sold a doz eggs, $4 (what a bargain) - total week savings $39

Tip #62
I hate closing down sales - I really do - especially when its a shop in your local community, and they have supported your kids school through various fundraising ventures.  But closing down they are, and I have purchased the netting for my desired netted area in the garden at half price - so I saved $60.

Tip #63
Bought 2 kilos of meat - usually $15 / kilo for $10 - its winter and therefore slow cooker time.  Saved $10.  Incidentally - I had a massive work week and hubby came home with hungry kids 3 times this week, late, with nothing for tea prepared - we both left too early to put the slow cooker on!!  This week we will be better organised!  A friend and fellow foody has suggested that we both do a slow cooker meal and swap half for half, so we both have something different and equivalently yummy for those kind of nights - for next week.  I think its a great idea and I'll share more about this down the track.  Tonight we had slow cooked ginger beef (thanks for the recipe Sonia)

Tip #64
Hubby rings on his way home - "I'm exhausted - can we have takeaway" - "Nope I say - tea is a cooking" - Saved half of what the takeaway would be - maybe $12

So that's another week gone and another $121 saved - $707 to go - soooooo close!

Jo's hearty minestrone- and the hero of the dish is . . . . .

You need
a few carrots
2 onions
2 cloves / teas garlic
3 sticks celery
3 med spuds
2 small zucchini
a handful of green beans
1/8 cabbage
a little oil
2 tabs butter
5 cups water
3 beef stock cubes
canned tomatoes (2 x 400gr)
310 g can cannellini beans
salt and pepper to season
fresh shaved parmeson cheese (the hero of the dish)
chop all vegies

lightly fry in this order, onions and garlic, carrots, celery, zucchin, spuds (diced), beans, shredded cabbage.  Add at 1-2 min intervals.  Add water and stock and canned tomatoes (undrained).  Boil, then reduce by covering and simmering 1+1/2 - 2 hours - it should now be a bit thick.  15 mins before serving add the cannellini beans.  Add shaved parmeson on serving.

This will make heaps!! - like serves 6

How to create a 'no dig' potato patch

June 18 2012 (that's winter where we are)

Today I put the spuds in, they'll be ready by xmas, perhaps a bit before!  We are still eating last years spuds - they are all out of the ground and stored in a dark dry box in the kitchen.

Step 1 - find a patch - it can be lawn, or weedy, or in this case I let the chooks get into it and they have scratched most of the weeds away.

You will also need sheep poo, and cardboard or newspaper to lay across the weeds, and a few bails of hay (and seed potatoes).  My cardboard is party broken down as its been sitting out side for months.  If it isnt its not the best thing to use as it wont drain as well as newspaper.  This will probably result in rotten spuds - not your intention!  I had a bag of seaweed collected ages ago, and some half composted garden refuse that has been heaped against the rear fence for about a month.  I am ready - first I cleared the half broken down garden waste that was against the fence.

Now lay down the cardboard (saved since xmas - everything gets used . . . eventually), and wet it down and spread the spuds about 60 cm apart - this patch is almost 3m x 3m.

Cover with straw - it drains well - I used 2 bails and they were fairly sodden (forgot to cover them when we bought them).  It ended up about 40 cm tall - at this point I added 1 bag of sheep poo and the sea weed, and then the half mulched garden refuse.  I put old sleepers around 2 sides and the fence and some wire around the other sides - to keep it contained (should the chooks get it).  Then I added a second bag of sheep poo.  Much of the garden waste had horse poo mixed into it.  Hose poo isnt a great manure for the garden - but if its on offer it's one of the many things I add to the mix.

It should be watered in - but rain is no doubt only days away so I'll wait.

You can see how high the straw is by looking at the rear fence - its quite deep.  Now there's nothing to do but wait until they grow - they dont need extra watering or they are likely to rot.  Once they have been dug up (Feb / March) this patch will be loaded with earth worms and the soil will be magnificent and ready for the next crop.  Here's what the patch looked like after last years no dig potato patch - just loaded with worms

Charlie learns about his rear and front bike brakes

Here's Charlie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS3PnN1jits&feature=youtu.be

5 cheap things to do with kids in the holidays - ages 3-11

My kids get on pretty well together, but still how does one keep them all entertained - here's what we've been up to that has kept every one happy

1:  New Norfolk park (Tyndwald) - a big safe space to ride bikes, kick a ball, roll in the autumn leaves, swing on the swings - there is something for everybody!  My kids spent almost an hour timing themselves around a track - on the bike, walking, running, silly walks - we also had MapMyRun app on my phone so they could see their distance, speed, course and calopries burned!!  It all made for interesting discussion!

2:  Total Movie Experience - DVD's out, pop corn machine on, surround sound up, room darkened, feet up and everyone comfy - we even managed to find DVD's that held everyones interest!

3:  make it - break it - wood + nails + hammer - go for it - why does everything have to look like a gun - even for your 3 year old sister!

4:  play date - kind of obvious - but when I asked the kids what they could think of that they wanted to do in the holidays that was cheap - they said play dates and sleep overs (and mum and dad if you get rid of all of us you can have some time to yourselves!!)  So thoughtful!

5:  Cooking - there is always a job for everyone - even if it is just tasting!!  Charlies effort icing a cake in front of my friend whose husband is an incredibly talented cake decorater left her laughing and on a sugar high!!  How thick can you make sprinkles!!??

So what have your kids been up to??

How to save $3,000 - I'm on the home stretch!!

Alrighty, we are on the business end of this saving $$ mission - after last week which was the beginning of the school holidays I thought this always blows out - but not this time - for one thing my regular casual job meant no big excursions, and I've got the kids doing the maths on how much it costs just to buy one take away drink a day (or more to the point how much we save if we dont).  They are good little mathematicians - added up the numbers / day / week / month OMG they exclaimed - all that money just on a drink!

Here's my efforts over the last 10 days

tip # 56 - I bought 3 second hand school uniform items - in great condition - but a third of the cost, so saved around $100!  maybe even more!

tip #57 - filled the cupboards with yummy cooking - biscuits, muffins - it gave the kids something to do and meant we never needed to waste money on expensive takeaways - saved $50

tip #58 - bribed the boys to sit quietly while I took an exercise class instead of going into care for one hour - saved $8.80.  Then we went swimming and usually we'd buy lunch there - fortunately or unfortunately the car park man wont give you a minute over 3 hours - so instead of having a lunch at the canteen (which I was more than happy to do - except for the drinks bit) we had to run like blue arsed flies to move the car before we got a $50 fine!!  It was a great day for exercise, and no hot chippies this time - and the kids didnt even complain! - Saved another $12 I reacon!

tip #59 - skipped some yoga in stead I did swimming - which is free for me - saved $16

tip #60 - started saving seeds for the summer garden.  So far I have pumpkin, broccoli, marigold, and another bright and cheery annual.   Hopefully this will be fruitful and save $20 or so - seeds arent cheap!

So thats $206 of savings added to the $1966 already saved - making a total of $$2172

$828 to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

How to save $3,000 - almost $2,000 saved in 4 months!!

2 weeks since my last blog - and four months into the process of saving $3,000. So far I have saved $1657.20 - and there's been a few things I havent really kept a tab on - so I'll try to catch up on my savings record today!

Savings tip:
#51 - Savings from routinely cutting softdrinks - or buying slabs of cans instead of from takeaway shops  - I think I have saved about $15 a week - so thats $60 over the last month - I kid you not!

#52 - Here's a beauty - Brooke was getting swimming lessons, and due to a whole range of issues she really isnt progressing.  So we will cut those lessons until the summer, and just go swimming with mummy.  No as it turns out my work arrangements get me into a pretty awesome family friendly aquatic centre for nix, and Brooke at 3 costs me $1.60.  Now if I can just wean her off the expectation that going there means a serve of hot chips and a milkshake, I'll be saving $13.40 each and every week.  I usually sign up for a 10 week block, so in the next 10 weeks I'll save $134.00!!  Sweet!

#53 Bakery bipass - still managing to only buy bread 2-3 times a week with no extra lunch box snacks, and I am cooking regularly to replace bread.  I reacon I am still saving about $30 a week, $60 over the last 2 weeks!

#54 - my lovely neice who is training to be a beautician did my eyebrows, I paid a reduced rate saving me about $7, I caught up with my neice, and gave her some experience in dealing with really hairy eyebrows (men go and see her for a full body wax if that's your thing - tell her I sent you :))

#55 - have been missing my bikrum classes due to an injury - every class I miss saves $16, and I've saved 3 over the last week - $48.

So the balance of savings was $1657.20, and this fortnight I saved $309 = $1966.20!!!

How to save your own pumpkin seed

 

Here's a photo of some pumpkin seeds I am saving from a pumpkin I bought from the farmers market.  I've removed the bulk of the pumpkin flesh, discarded any seeds that aren't plump or feeling full of potential!  They are now covered with more absorbing paper and will sit on a sunny window sill for about a week.  Any that start to mould will be thrown out.  After that I'll bag them up, date and name the (golden nuggets I believe) and store them somewhere dry and dark. 

Seeds sure are going up in price - and I love pumpkin but only have space for 1 or 2 plants so I am always throwing seeds out that become years old before they are used.

Jo's incredibly delicious pumpkin soup

I love cooking soup and I'm good at it - its a shame that no-one appreciates it in this house - still . . . sometimes its the journey that brings the most pleasure!

Look out for the secret ingrediant

1 home grown leek - chopped
teas each ginger, garlic, lemon grass
lightly fry

add 2 cups of water (or so)
chuck in some pumpkin - it should be covered by water - thats roughly 1 kilo before you've seeded and skinned it
I am using the remainder of a golden nugget, and and 1/2 kilo of sweet grey pumpkin

lightly boil for half hour or until mashable

Now, here's the secret ingrediant
red curry paste - add a teas or two, or three

This will taste amazing - AMAZING

so mash it, add cream if you must, I prefer plain yoghurt plopped on top a its is a nice contrast to the heat.

ENJOY - and like all secrets that are worth sharing, share!!

Magda's Chicken Impossible pie

Magda’s Chicken Impossible pie
 
THIS IS DOUBLE THE RECIPE, THIS IS DOUBLE THE RECIPE, THIS IS DOUBLE!!!

 4 cups milk
8 eggs
180 g melted butter
1 C plain flour
2 C grated cheese
400 g can creamed corn
2 T chopped parsley
3 chicken breast fillets boiled & finely chopped

1- Pre heat oven moderate 180 degrees C
2- In a large bowl whisk eggs ,milk & melted butter together with salt & pepper
3- Sift flour into bowl. Make a well in the centre & gradually mix in milk mixture.
4- Mix in half the cheese, chicken ,creamed corn & parsley. Put mixture into prepared dish
5- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 40 to 50 min until firm.

The first time I followed the recipe exactly, 2nd time I used ½ the amount of butter but used Nuttelex instead. Next time I’m going to try it with no butter. I don’t think it needs it.

This is not my recipe and I dont know who Magda is - but 8 eggs!!  for anyone who keeps chickens this is an excellent recipe - partic if you eat the girls too!  I dont eat my girls, or anyone else with a name :)

Kids sick of sandwiches? Here's 5 alternatives

My kids are sick of sandwiches and I am not paying out for expensive alternatives - here's 5 cheap favorites of kids aged 3-11

1:  Pizza bread - make an amount of pizza dough, stretch it out and add all the usual things - cut it up and it usually does 2-3 days x 3 kids.  My kids particularly love it simple - ham, pineapple and cheese

2:  cheese and bacon rolls - either using bread or pizza dough - makes between 9-12 little rolls - sprinkle with cheese and bacon or ham - this rarely lasts longer than 2 days as the kids gobble them up!

3:  pikelets - here's my recipe 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk mixed together, add 1/2 cup plain flour and 1/2 cup wholemeal flour - mix up and cook - max 2 days - the sooner they ar eaten the better otherwise they tend to get a bit hard - perhaps a little baking powder might lighten them up - I will try and get back to you on that

4:  scrolls - again - stretch out the trusty pizza dough - lather it with whatever, roll it up like one big sausage, let it rise again, and cut it into 2.5 cm scrolls, lay them flat and let them rise and cook.  Inside I have used:

• vegemite or promote and cheese,
• nutella,
• garlic with tomato paste and cheese and you can also add a little ham

5:  wraps - fill with what ever they like, roll it up and cut like sushi, or dont cut it - its up to you .  Will it fall to pieces if you cut it up too much??  That's all there is to it.  Things that are good as wraps are mountain bread, burrito wraps, anything flat really, but my personal favorite is rolling out a piece of bread and filling it with cheese, ham, mayo, lettuce and cutting it up like sushi - and that is probably a better sandwhich than they would usully eat!

Happy lunch time :)

French Toast - 4 ways

Plenty of eggs in our house and here's our favorite Sat morning breakfast.  We change it from time to time, just for fun!

#1  Basic French toast

You need 2 eggs, a little milk and butter, spray oil, a little sugar
3-4 slices of bread

2 eggs, mixed up with a little milk in a flat based container

Soak bread in it - I usually cut each slice into 2

fry gently in butter, a little oil (a spray) first in the pan reduces the chance of butter burning

turn when brown - my kids always reject soggy french toast, so fry it on a fairly hot hotplate

sprinkle with a little sugar, it MUST BE EATEN HOT!

#2  Basic French toast recipe - draped in

Cheese!!  So you follow the basic recipe, and just before you pop it in the frypan drape it over cheese - parmeson is perfect, and then fry it - it is supurbly cruchy and a little salty.  Kids love it!

#3 Basic French Toast with a twist

add a half teaspoon of vanilla - it really does add something to the flavour!

#4  French toast - with a Brazilian twist

We've enjoyed the company of many Brazilian students over the years - one gave us a brazilian cookbook and this is an Aussie take on Brazilian recipe

Use the basic recipe, but add more milk to the eggs, like about 1/4-1/2 a cup.  Also use more butter - its a real fry up.

Put cheese between two slices of bread and squash it together - what kind of cheese?  Something that will melt nicely - I used a basic coon.

So now you have essentially a squashed cheese sandwhich - cut it into quarters, soak in the milky egg mix, and fry in butter.  Its a heart attach waiting to happen, but for a treat, like when camping - its pretty YUM!

Enormous egg layed on our patch!

May 2012

This month 1 of our free range chooks layed an enormous egg - 104 grams.  When I googled around we were looking like being close to a world record, with 107 grams being the largest I found.  But on closer investigation a chook layed a 170 gram egg - I cant even imagine the size of that!  A week later a tiny 52 gram egg was layed - I wonder if that was from the same chook.

Here is a picture of e ggs, the 52 gram, a regular egg in the middle and the 104 gram egg.  Notice the white on the middle egg?  This chook needs some shell grit in her diet - they all do - the egg shells are very thin - my daughter cried the other day because one broke in her hand.  You can buy shell grit or you can get it at the beach - what is shell grit?  It's ground up shells - so you might find it at beachers with large waves and rocks - so the shells are pounded into grit - but sometimes its the really calm beaches - less sandy, but typically gritty.  I'm off to find some today.
 Below is the video of the large egg - eaten on mothers day - like Nanny said - its a double yolker!