And suddenly there were only two more sleeps until Christmas...

This will ramble, and it is also an experiement in editing my own posts and getting info in (while I am thinking about it) and then translating it later for all (with the pics and colour...)

Today, as I lay here in bed, feeling very sore and sorry for myself ~ I have had many highlights! Millie and Molly, a girlfriends goats, have been offered and delivered as our lawnmower, weed removalists and clearerers of those areas we cant get into to. Hopefully she does come back for pizza & champagne later ~ wee notorious for accepting then texting an excuse. Usually not a worry, I KNOW how busy it can get ~ but I just need people a little at the moment.

Lots of hurting and paining and moaning and groaning. Had the MRI, noisy thing but I swear the lovely lass doing it all was a dead ringer for the 'bend it like beckham' actress who is now in ER ~ the face, voice, tone - she was lovely (and I guess when charging $499.65; you can afford the best)

Have had lots of rain ~ we could see it coming for a few hours, but boy . . . when it arrived, it certainly let us know!! Drought? ~ what drought?!?!?! Well it was torrential and required a few visits from SES, CFA, civic compliance and council infratructure due to flooding three times - last one into the house. Have pics of those, trechnes and brickwork moved/done in a hurry and poor Hubby stuck in Sydney (or poss on a plane, we weren;t sure). Yeah for school holidays - at least I knew where the kids were!! It doesn't show up that well, but my gumboots are underwater!

Had been emailing with a lovely lady, discovered to be literally 30 houses up from us and we just did a seed/seedling swap and info share. She was impressed with what we have.

The garden is a hive of activity - lettuce going to seed, already getting the new self seeders up; same with the asians (boy/pak choys), tomato plants have run wild.... will get in there, soon. Pea time is just about up, might throw in a handful and see if we get a late crop. Only2 successfull cauli, but looks like there are a few more just peeping through - I've so so not been able to get in there yet.

Strawberries, leeks, beans, peas, onion, spring onion, chives, corriander, lettuce, broc, carrots, OH and our first cucumber.

Pain killers have kicked in, againbackspace (and spacebar) seem to be getting as muddled as I so I will return to edit, add pics and emplain more.

Hmmm . . . Time flies when you're having fun?

Well, I do remember September.

Popped past in October and thought, I wonder if you can put in piccies...
Thought ~ nil action

November - Yes, I will devote a whole update page to November but

December - where the blazes did that creep in from?
So, as of today, I vow, swear and delcare to post at least one item of interest every second (or third ~ complete with written excuse/note/alibi? from MOTH! DH! We'll get him a pseudonym of suitable affection and description. My spunky love monkey???

But - snap shot few months - 3 SES/CFA flood call outs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eating from veggie patch, fract spine appears on CT, MRI booked, Centrelink is another story, meds, Mudguts - grrr, Fred is now 8, one chook down, but lemon tree enjoying the fertalisation of a start and my 15 min pc time is up!

SO - lets see if I can get at least a few pics in - ideally a gardeny shot, the chooks, the fruits of the garden (no, supermarket meat....) and who knows what else....


Synchronized dancing chicken team rehersals


First Cauli


Cats and chooks - was nbetter but they moved :(


Out of the oven.....



And on to the plate! All ours, garden & freezer supplies (bar the meat - on special at the super) This entire meal for 4 A & 1 C, plus meat for Shep Pie the next cost $7 in total - not per person, in all~~ Thank you Simple Savings!!

Until the weekend.... I shall meander on ~ Mands! :o)

What is all the hype ~ My Shopping List ~ cut your shopping bill in half ! !

This is a little long ~ if you know about My Shopping List - an easy spreadsheet from the Simple Savings website ~ scroll all the way to the bottom of the post and you will find the link.

If you don't know excel terribly well - take the time to look through the information and instructions below.

Over the past six months, more than 600 people have requested and are using this sheet via the members only Simple Savings forum. Man ~ to even just get $1 for every filled requests ~ thats a mortgage payment!!

In true ~Mands! form - it is long, descriptive and so many simple savers will have read some of this many times before - just never actually ASKED for it on the site. People are shy, feeling like it is imposing or for privacy. While I dont keep details, I understand that ~ so thought this might help people get access.

Anyways - it is a really helpful spreadsheet ~ got a cuppa?? Good ~ get comfy and read through so you know just what all the hype is about ~ and how it can help you out in the pantry and keep the purse strings drawn a little tighter, and save 'quick trips' to the shop. . .

Takes a deep breath and...

I've made a spreadsheet ~I called it My Shopping List. And I'd like to share it!!

I made it for me, and then for Hubby and MudGuts to shop when I couldn't (with my back and more) so it is simple.

Using menu planning, bugetting, shopping lists, LOTS of info from SSers and changing from weekly to fortnightly (and stretching for an extra week when we can!!) we've cut our groceries' bill in half, $300pw to $300pf ~ sometimes even less... seriously!

It is an Excel spreadsheet. If you know Excel, this is mega simple. Even if you're not totally up to speed - it is really easy. You just type an x in the column beside the item you want. Hope that sounds easy and doesn't deter you!!

I am sure it will be of enourmous help - and if you are doing the Simple Savings 2008 DIY Christmas Hamper, you can add an extra worksheet/page and make up your list there ~ might even get around to adding it in for future requests!!! It is also a fantastic pantry stocktake list - list what you've got, tape it to the door and cross items off as you use them ~ oh, so multi-functional!

Originally this was just a list, then as the boys began taking on more the shopping responsibilites, I started to add ball-park prices, 'don't go over' , 'this place usually has the best' - and made it simple! All going well, when you get to the bottom of the post - the link will work and take you to the document server and you down load - all this technology.

DOWNLOAD THE DOCUMENT

I am not totally sure how Google Docs works, but when you click on the link to open, the best way is to go FIRST THING to the menu list at the top, go file and export at the top (see pic below) Select the version .xls - and save it directly to your computer. Please, Please, Please ~ do not work in the spreadsheet in the download window - you should not be able to save and if you edit it, well it wont be there next time. If you save a copy from Google Docs to your computer, any changes you make stay in your computer.

Below is instructions and pictures - if you know Excel, this is mega simple. If you're not totally up to speed - it is really easy. I have computer-challenged friends using this with ease. You also can then write on it if you need to add something, or specify a brand on this shop. ~ KWIM?

I have left some items checked in the spreadsheet so you can have a look at what it does with/without information in the list. Just delete what you dont want - but it is there in the instructions!!

Any hassles, pop a comment and I will answer - hopefully. I'm not technical by any stretch, but I waffle a bit ('really?' - I hear the sarcasm!! LOL ;)

Enjoy - hope it can help you! Remember - It is a super tool for stocktaking the pantry too!!

THE INSTRUCTIONS

(or Destructions - read through, then download)

Each time you save the spreadsheet, it can look different

To add a new item, use Insert / New Row
If there is something you don't use here in the list, delete the row or type over the top
I always make sure there are no blank lines
I had fun doing this - it suit my house and you can change it to suit yours!!

If you click the little button in the A column, all the items will show
When you mark an item, use x
Remember, if you pick an item under a bold heading to have an x there too

When it comes time to print your list click the button again and select x
It will show up only the items you have selected under the heading
The printer should be set to print two pages per page at the widest margin
Then when printed, you just fold the page in half.

I've popped prices on some things, so if I am not doing the shopping or not sure of good prices, it has an price reference ~ You can change this to suit your state/knowledge

CLICK HERE for your downloadable copy of the My Shopping List - an easy spreadsheet :
my shopping list - meanderings - Google Docs

I would LOVE your feedback in the comments ~ please, be nice and gentle ~ this is a first time experience for me and I so hope the downloading process is not painful....

How Many People Have Downloaded MY SHOPPING LIST:

Free Counter

What I plan to do...

Very very clearly - this is a work in progress. Of the slowest progressions.

At the moment SO much is going on, but ~Mands! Meanderings is ideally going to have a few sections.

1. Gardening - predominately the veggies, but as the rest of the property develops there will be flowers, there will be trees!!
2. Lifestyle - budgets, saving, cooking, working, the balance and the blowouts! I am a Simple Saver; frugal - not feral; natural not chemicals.
3. Striving for Self-Sufficiency - as it says. Absolutely nowhere near there - but we are just starting to eat from the garden (see No 1 - photos will come once I know how...
4. Anything else I fancy - Diary gone mad??

I need to work out how to add documents and pictures and make this spiffy! I have found a few exciting things, and I think I've worked out the photo side - hmm, can I link a document? I've got a spreadsheet called My Shopping List which I made and want to share....

Again, this is going to be a slow journey to start OOoo Look colours and styles...

~ Mands!

Hello ~ Welcome Inn

10 September 2007

And so it starts...

Welcome to the first entry from sunny Ballarat (seriously, it is sunny for all you sitting there scoffing, 17 degrees, blue skies).

I shall return.......