The Art of Decluttering...

I admit it ~ I have no talent when it comes to decluttering. I am a hoarder. But this too must change - - now!

When we first moved into our house, we promised that we'd be doing this, that and everything including a you-beaut garage sale. Well, the back dramas put a wee bit of a hold on most things, including the garage sale. Many times we've started to prepare ~~ and just as many times stopped.

SO - inspired by a Simple Savings challenge to de-clutter and get rid of 100 items - I'm going to start clearing out some stuff. Ultimately I'd like to see the GN250 gone, same as the station wagon - neither work but the bike is probably easier & cheaper to get back on the road.

Anyway ~ I'm going to run a list of things as I sell them and see how much can be raised over 100 items. First job tomorrow is going to be get a box of 'stuff' that don't have an assigned home. Heard a great line to help get the ol' clean up under way.

If IT is not where IT belongs - put IT where it goes.
If IT does not have a home - find IT a place to belong.
If IT has no where to go - then IT must go...

Melting ~ we're melting...

Damn nations it's been hot!! Fred's down the beach for the week with a mate's family ~ we chatted tonight and congratulated him on his self-proclaimed prowess on the boogie board. *grins* So long as he is happy, we're happy.

So been up in the 40c temperatures for a few days until it plummeted down to a lovely 26 around lunchtime ~ currently a bitterly cold 14c but again we say thanks for our decision to buy brick over timber as the house has definitely remained nice and in the high 20s throughout!

On the financial front...

It's not been a terrible expensive start to the year ~ we've set ourselves a budget for food; fuel & fares; savings. Rather than shop willy-nilly as had become the habit, we've joined the Simple Savings $100 per week shopping challenge as well as getting the $21 Challenge book.



So we are still sitting at:
January Grocery Budget: $400

Wk 1: Jan 1 - 6: Little Shop - Budget: $50 - Spent: $0 (only needed milk, GF picked up)
Wk 2: Jan 7 - 13: Big Shop - Budget: $150 - Spent:
Wk 3: Jan 14 - 20: Little Shop - Budget: $50 - Spent:
Wk 4 Jan 21 - 27: Big Shop - Budget: $150 - Spent:

Spent to date: $Nil
Still available: $400


Only sheer and utter laziness has aided in the lack of outgoings. The heat exacerbates the pain patches, so sleep is what I have been managing best. Stalling & procrastinating every thought or notion that required actually leaving the house played a huge part but upshot is $50 free & clear into the savings account already. I must re-set the counter...

We will, by hook or by crook, be shopping tomorrow as MyMan is back to work Thursday, Fred is home Friday and normality & responsibility return. That IS the plan. *grins*

Yahoo ~ We've got the F&V delivery starting up again - sharing produce with another family but it will mean $25pw each fortnight until the end of spring. Let me tell you about this one - for us its local produce, low travel, organic and yummo!!


Meats are needed, and must get to the cannery for tomatoes.

2010 ~ It all starts again...

Yes ~ it did all slide last year. Recuperation is a long, lonely, strenuous and tiresome journey ~ but we on the up-hill battle of recovery getting stronger and more able each week.

HA!! No wheelchair for me! I still remember my osteo Michael saying 'if something didn't happen, you'll be in a wheelchair in the next 8-10 years'. That was in 1999 ~ ten years later that's where the choices were ~ thankfully the only wheelchair use has been at the QLD theme parks in Aug 09, post op, taking the holiday I won online.

Over the coming days, I'll be recording hopes, dreams, plans and goals. I need also to note a few of the things that happened during the past 6-7 months ~ our holiday for one; the veggie bed; on the recovery front; friends, family & revelations ~ plus whatever other crap filters in. :D

A life less ordinary

Reflecting a little, life changed for us in June 07 when, simultaneously, my role became redundant after a business restructure, Nan passed away, MudGuts went off the deep end and the answer for the five plus years of back pain was found to be 6 little fractures on vertebrae in my spine...

T'was a pretty big year! It was also a time when Fred enjoyed having a mum at home, the garden was giving us bountiful crops of veg and I didn't work for the first time in about 20yrs (give or take for baby absences). Learning to stop was difficult!! Slow down & relax were words that I hoped to understand as, until now, the idea was a little foreign for this spring-loaded, highly strung workaholic! And while I disliked the 'clique' nature of the work environments, I loved my team and my role in it while at Ambulance. But the place destroyed me. Wrecked me physically & emotionally ~ a last lesson before the relax.

More waffle to disperse ~ more waffle to drivvel ~ leavin you with images of the most decious Ice-cream Christmas pudding cakes, pavalova, fruit salad and fruit-tingel cocktails. MMmmmmm


Ice Cream Christmas Pudding cake