Hello to a new start.

 I'm just testing to see if I am still able to publish here. Maybe I will get back into writing. Time will tell.

💚

 Just testing to see if this blog still works 

Wow, wondering if this blog still works. If so, I will resurrect it and put my words out into the universe. 

I am now 60 years of age. Just returned from the Cook Islands which is beautiful. Yes, I broke my right big toe (and no I wasn't drunk 😁) and Brad came down with a terrible cold/virus but we still had fun. Going to publish now and see what happens.

First Day of Lock-down - August 13, 2021

 Well hello,

Today was our first day of lock-down here in Canberra. Apparently Canberra will be in lock-down for seven days however I think it will be for a bit longer as today there were six cases (it is only the first day). Tomorrow will be interesting for the number of cases. I hope everyone is OK. I don't think it will bother me if we are in lock-down as I don't currently work and stay at home most days. Hubby is working from home and it is nice to have him in the house (even though we don't speak much during the day). I am also happy to stay at home to be safe for myself, my family and for other people. My youngest child is very anxious as he just started at university again doing face to face which he loves and have accepted the fact that he can not do his course on-line. He may need to defer his studies until next year which has him very upset. Hopefully after the lock-down he will a job.

I know there are some people who disagree with this lock-downs but it is for the whole of community's safety. These people either don't think that Covid 19 is real (it is just the flu) and don't accept that it is a pandemic therefore will not follow instructions about the lock-down (such as staying at home and only go out for essential shopping and wearing a mask when out shopping). Let's hope these people don't get sick and pass it on to others in the community.

In these times, some people do find it hard. I always look for things I am grateful for and try and find positive 'vibes' from my life. Some things I am grateful are:

· I have a home which has warmth, love and laughter with plenty of food for at least two weeks. I will only need to go to the shops either on Wednesday or Thursday for milk and a few vegetables.

· I'm lucky that I don't have to work, my wonderful husband works very hard for us. 

· I really enjoy cooking, I made home-made bread to go with our pumpkin soup for dinner tonight.

Hopefully, everyone stays well. 

Hello Dear World,
 I'm back. Not sure how many times a week I will blog but I'm hoping to write on here at least three times a week.
What a crazy time this is. Isolating at home can be difficult and worrying for many people. I'm one of the lucky ones, I still travel into work most days and get to interact with other people in the office. My lovely hubby is working from home and is finding it a little bit difficult as he realises that he does need to be around some other people than just me and the youngest child (if you can count this child at home as he sleeps until about 2:00 pm, oh the joys of university). This has has surprised both him and me as he is a bit of a loner. We both of thought (in the past) that he could live as a hermit but this has proven not so. The only time he goes out is to go shopping (with me) on a Saturday morning and if I go for a walk (which is usually only on the weekend). We all need to do our little bit. People apparently however, have started hoarding toilet paper again. Not sure why, but I read it somewhere. Below is a picture my husband of the empty shelf where the toilet paper usually are. This photo is a few weeks old. Yesterday there were some toilet paper on the shelf (not a lot though) which was lucky for us as we really needed some toilet paper as we were down to our last two rolls. I hope everyone is doing OK and remember we can do this.

Every morning I look out of my front window and think of three things I'm grateful for. Usually this is after I have gone to the fridge to get some cold water. This morning the following three things are:

this amazing sun rise, it is so peaceful and quiet:

having this amazing cat in our lives (love this photo I took this morning and it appears that Kiki is meditating: 

and finally, Crumpets, not too sure how long they have been there. I didn't buy any yesterday or last weekend but I am thinking I will need to wait for my husband to get out of bed and check with him about when they were bought. Hopefully they are still good to eat (I hate wasting food).

The bonus of isolation for my husband and myself is that we are not spending a great deal of money. I always thought we did really well (before isolation) and really saved a lot but we have been saving at least 50% of my wage and all of my husband. Is it because we don't go to the shops as often. We are so lucky that we both of jobs for now but husband's contract finishes at the end of May and mine at the end of June. So only time will tell what will happen after these two months but we are good if we don't have jobs after June as we have plenty of money saved. Obviously we are not going out to restaurants and I am cooking a lot more at home. We both are eating so much more being at home. I am cooking dinner from scratch and a lots of things other things such as cakes and biscuits. Negative side of these is that I am putting on lots of weight (which I really can't afford). 

Well that is enough today. Take care and be kind to yourself.

Love

Pauline

xxx

3 and 4 June - new beginnings

This morning sky was much better than yesterday (see below). Clear around 3 degrees and windy. Many areas around received snow overnight. Winter is truly here.

Yesterday, (3 June, 6:45am), the morning began very foggy about 2 degrees and then rain came in. It was very icy and cold. Glad I stayed indoors for most of the day. Only went out for my last physio appointment for my back. All good now.

I'm currently have decided to take a few months off work. I probably try and get another contract mid August to begin in September and work until December but we wait and see. I'm going to try and get the house into some sort of order. Wish me luck.

Happy 2019 year

Happy New Year - 2019

Well, 2019 is here and I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year. Here is Kiki lying within the Christmas tree. I put the Christmas tree away as she enjoys climbing it.

Here at home, I had a very quiet Christmas and even a quieter New Year. No one even had a drink yesterday. 

So what has 2019 planned for me:

• I will begin to learn how to speak French with Brad. It is only a 10 week course but hopefully we both will enjoy it.
• Planning to get fitter, lose weight (I will try, I promise :) ).
• Work for at least for nine months and hopefully save enough money to have three months off towards the end of this year.
• Paint the kitchen and family room.
• Get new garage doors.
• Declutter as much as possible.
• Spend more time with people who care about me (not the ones who only ring when they want something).
• Look at my finances (yikes) and save for our trip overseas.
• Go to see the Great Barrier Reef (before it is too late plus this will be our holiday for the year).
• Get the garden in order and put in the decking that I want.
• Try to mediate more this year.
• Be kinder to myself.
• Stick to the weekly meal plan (at least 80% of the time)

Wow, the list is really long, hopefully I will achieve most off the list. 

I hope everyone has a good year and it will be filled with laughter, hugs and love.

Love

Pauline

This week's meals

Hello again,

I am going to try and get this blog going again. At this moment in my life, I am working full-time whereas hubby isn't working but is hopeful to start again in December. Hubby had five months off as he has continually has worked from the age of 20. Although he hadn't completed any of the tasks he wanted to complete but hey, he did have a nice break which is good.

I am trying really hard to stay on a budget but it isn't working too well at the moment. All our bills come in at this time of the year and the three cars needed services as well as having rego due. So are savings has taken a bit of a beating.

Hubby has been do the cooking and he has been doing a good job however he doesn't plan the meals so often it is adhoc and he needs to go to the shops on a daily basis which isn't good for the budget.

So I have done a plan for our next seven meals

Tonight and tomorrow night - baked meatballs with cheesy tomato sauce, green salad and garlic bread

Monday and Tuesday - Chicken, Cashew and coconut indian dish with rice

Wednesday - steak and pumpkin and sweet potato salad

Thursday and Friday - chicken enchiladas and mexican rice

Hopefully, we can stay on track with this week's meals which should help with the budget.

For snacks we will have cheese (hubby loves his cheese), fruit, nuts (cashews and peanuts) and I plan to make scones tomorrow with a new recipes. Hopefully I will post a photo with the recipe and they turn out nice.

Wishing you a great week.

xxx

Hello again

Hello, I am thinking of starting this blog up again.

Singapore here we come

Just starting to get ready for the trip however feeling very sick still but I won't be going back to the doctors. This is just a test post. Will post more later.

Bonjour from Paris - 23 September 2013.

The first real day in Paris. We both woke so early (around 5:30 am) after a fitful night sleep. It was very warm in our apartment and if you opened the window you would here the noises from the nearby apartments. The bed however was the most comfortable bed I had slept in.

I got up around 6:30 am and had a shower (the shower head was amazing, so big). Then Brad had a quick shower and then we went for a walk around to find some breakfast. We both had a croissant each (mine had chocolate in it, of course). This was about 9:00 am. There was hardly anyone around, few parents walking their little ones to school. The kids are so cute here in Paris.

Brad and I walk to Notre Dame which was only 15 minutes away. There was no line up, so we both went in and looked around. It is so beautiful. When we finished, we went outside and was shocked to see how long the line was to get into the church. We didn't go up into the bell tower as the line was so long.

Brad and I outside Notre Dame

Inside Notre Dame

Lighting a candle for Bella

We then hopped onto a tour open-top bus and was taken around to all the major sites in Paris. We then walked to the Latin Quartier and then went to the Le Musee de Cluny (the museum of Middle Ages). This museum was amazing. Only down size was that our camera misbehaved and we don't have many photos (insert unhappy face). Would thoroughly recommend this place. To see so many things that was around many, many years ago is so amazing. We walked home from here which took about 30 minutes.

We arrived back at our apartment, tired and hungry. We just had a light dinner and went to bed around 8:30 pm.

There are a lot more photos to post but you probably bit bored with these already.

Bye from the 23 September.

Pauline

Life

Today is a beautiful Saturday in the nation's capital. The sun is shining, birds are singing and the temperature right now is 4 degrees. 

This weekend will be busy for the family and myself. Not that we have to go anywhere but the house needs cleaning, the yard needs attending to and lots of cooking will need to get done for next week as I am extremely busy at work. I must admit that I find it really funny when some people hear they are cutting jobs in the public service they think you will lose your job the next day. It doesn't matter work like that but I really can't be bothered explaining.

Anyway, this week menu:

Saturday        meatballs and spaghetti with homemade garlic bread (yummo)

Sunday           Beef wellington and vegetables

Monday          chicken and vegetable pie

Tuesday           Toad in the hole (sausages in batter)

Wednesday      Spaghetti bol

Have a great week.

Pauline

p.s. Hubby and I need to get a run this week-end so I will wait it is a bit warmer.

Improvement in Life

Such a long time for an update, no excuses sorry.

Recently, I have been thinking about how to improve my life (and my family). My family eat too much junk food. Not only does it costs money, I realised that I was wasting a lot of food. My new challenge is to write here what I plan to cook for the upcoming week. I starting from a Wednesday as this is the day that I receive my fruit and vegetables from Aussie Farmers. I can recommend them as the produce is very good, they do cost a bit more than in the supermarkets but I am hoping if I cook each week I will save money as I won't be wasting the food. Keep turn, I will let you know how I am going.

It is ok to have some junk food every now and then but we were buying it at least once a week.

Also, I have to remember NOT to take my husband shopping. I just needed to get a few things from Aldi and Coles or Woolworths. I had planned that the shopping should be only around the $70 for the week (remember this doesn't include vegetables and meat as I buy things from Aussie Farmers) but the amount was $70 at Aldi. He came shopping and 'needed' muesli bars (I can make these), few other things, including a fire extinguisher. I think he will be 'banned' over the next few weeks.

Recently I have started taking some fruit into work as I was didn't want to throw away the fruit in a few weeks. It has been a great hit. My co-workers and I have the fruit platter in the afternoon and have a quick impromptu meeting about what is going on. At the moment, my workplace is so busy, it is a great break in the afternoon, even though it is just 10 minutes. Trust me, a lot is discussed in this 10 minutes (good and bad) and really seems to help everyone. I think every work place should offer this.








My list for the next week's dinners:

Wednesday - Feta and lemon chicken breasts with mashed vegetables

Thursday - Beef stir-fry

Friday - Potato and leek soup with crusty bread

Saturday - Home made pizza (one meat lovers and one vegetarian)

Sunday - Roast Lamb and vegetables

Monday - Left over lamb and vegetables pie

Tuesday - Chicken schnitzels and vegetables

My bathroom is slowing getting renovated (it is taking so long and stressful). It is looking ok, better than before but it is taking so long. So far, it has been 8 weeks and still has a fare way to go. They are blaming the carpenter who in turn is blaming us about the doors on 1 cupboard. The tiling still needs to be completed (how this is being held up from the carpenter, I don't know), the shower and taps needs to be connected and few other things. When we was given the quote, the person working on it said it would take only 4 weeks. Boy, don't believe them, also don't be like us and pay most of the money before the job is completed. Will post photos once it has been completed. Hopefully this will be soon.

It is getting cold here in Canberra, not a fan of the cold weather but I am trying to keep an open mind this year and do more walks as I love the leaves changing colour.  I will post photos from our walk we have planned for this weekend.

Have a great day.

Bonjour from France 21-22 September

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the delay in posting but I finally have started.

21 SEPTEMBER

Around 1:30 pm on the Friday before we were due to fly out of Sydney, we received a text (and an email) from British Airways advising us that our flight was being delayed by 5 hours. Having this delay from Sydney meant that we would miss all our connecting flights in Singapore and London.
Thank goodness for Leesa at Flight centre in the Canberra centre. Leesa managed to change our flights to Qantas for the next day which left from Sydney, flew to Dubai then London and then to Paris.

Declan and Liam dropped Brad and I off at Jolimont Centre. Some tears (ok, a lot of tears from me). Caught the bus and waited for about 4 hours until our flight to Dubai. It was a great flight, the air hostesses were fantastic. They couldn't do enough for us.

On the bus to Sydney (after having a few tears)

We waited in Dubai airport for about 2 hours and then boarded our flight to London. Arrived at London and had about a four hour wait in Heathrow Airport. It was long and we didn't have any English money and we were so tired. The flight from London to Paris was quick and very short (about the same from Canberra to Sydney).

Our plane, double decker (we were on the top deck)

22 SEPTEMBER
Arrived in Paris and had no trouble going through customs.

Caught the RER train to near our apartment and walked for about 25 minutes (it would have taken about 15 minutes but we got lost a few times). We turned up our street, OMG, there were so many people in our street. It turned out that it was some Jewish celebration and our apartment was in the middle of the Jewish area.

Our street - Rue de Rosiers

We were met by a lovely lady who could speak English very well and showed us to our apartment. There was scaffolding around our apartment as they are 'updating' the outside which was a bit disappointing. Then we had to carry our bags up four flights of stairs. Now these stairs are very steep and narrow. It was very hard with our bags. We arrived at our apartment, which was very small but nice.

Brad is on the stairs above where our apartment is. Look down and you can see the ground.

It was about 3:30pm, once we had settled in for about half an hour we decided to go for a walk to see what attractions there were nearby. We walked and found some many amazing places. We went to Saint Paul-Saint Louis church which was only about 10 minutes away. It was beautiful.

Inside St Paul-St Louis church

St Paul-St Louis

There are so many yummy pâtisseries in Paris. Here is one with lots of macrons in the front windows. YUMMO! I tried to have a chocolate eclair a day, it was a difficult task but I did succeed.

yummo

We also walked around and found we were only 10 minutes (the other way) from the Pompidou.

Paris is amazing. I have realised several things about people who live in Paris:

• they like to ride bicycles and motor scooters (not at the same time of course)
• it appears they smoke (alot)

Brad and I had dinner at a small cafe (crepes) and then came back to the apartment and went to bed around 8:00pm (we both didn't sleep much on the plane). The bed was so comfortable and there wasn't much noise around (the windows are double glazed and we faced a court yard). 

That is all for the 21-22 September.

Pauline

Challenges

It has been a long time between posts. Nothing exciting has happened just been very lazy.

I have decided to set this family a very hard challenge for June. I am planning to budget $80 per week for groceries. I will be cheating a bit with some of the already in the cupboard but I am trying to prove to myself that I don't need to buy everything that is on sale.

Also, my husband and I are saving like mad for our trip for our 25th wedding anniversary. We are planning a trip to France for 4 weeks.

Budgets, Budgets, Budgets

Hi,

Have been feeling unwell for about two weeks and ended up in hospital for a few hours today. Really bad pain in my left  arm, nothing to worry about (thank goodness) apparently just muscle pain.


My biggest issue at the moment is trying to keep to a budget, not really me but my DH is finding it very hard. For example, I sent him to Aldi to buy a few items that we needed (eggs, milk and bacon), he came back with so much stuff (different vegetables, nails, a container, baked beans), the cost was around $73. OMG!!!! That is almost what I spend there for the weekly shop.

http://savingissexy.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/How-to-Cut-Your-Budget.gif

I remember reading Rhonda's book, Down to Earth, (worth to be bought, great book) that it took a little while for her husband to 'come around' to her ideas. She just kept going, making the small changes and her husband started seeing the benefits. Fingers crossed that my DH will eventually 'come around'. I keep leaving Rhonda's book lying around and hope that he will pick it up and start reading. Please, please purchase this book it is a book that I believe every house should have.

http://www.penguin.com.au/covers/catalog/9780670075928.jpg

I know it will take sometime to change our habits, especially as we both are spenders.

There has been some many tomatoes coming off our vine, it is amazing. I have made loads of tomato sauces for our pasta. I really get a kick out of cooking things fresh from our garden. Also, I bought a goji berry plant about four years ago and it has never produced anything fruit, well I has started flowering and now has four red berries on it. I am so excited.

Have a great night and happy valentine's day.
xxx

Productivity

Good morning,

The last few days I have not been too well but I am feeling so much better today, probably because it is Saturday.

I love the productivity from the vegetable garden at this time of the year. Although it has been very hot, I have been picking many vegetables and they keep coming. Just this morning I have picked tomatoes and capsicums, which I proudly paraded in front of my family. There are still so much more to come.

Last night I decided to do my grocery shopping after I ate dinner. I needed to buy lots of meat and several other items (tandoor paste, rice wine vinegar etc) as I have planned out my menu for the next two weeks. I was really surprised how little it costed for so much food as I always budget $210 per week for food (I have two teenagers in the house, both boys). For the all the groceries I got it only have cost me $210 so in theory I have another $210 left over and I am sure I won't use that much for the essentials (bread, milk etc).

As it is much cooler here in Canberra today, I plan to do so much cooking so that there is food in the freezer and I can get it out in the morning and don't need to do much when I get home.

As this is the year for me to really curb my spending, I am tweaking my budget really. Come February, I will really look hard at what I am spending my money on and what I have been saving. With the $50 per week for my spending on lunches, I didn't use any of it this week except another colleague had her baby (I have three more colleagues due in the next two months) so I gave $5 towards some flowers. I think I have $81.50 left in the kitty, I haven't checked.

Will post photos of my lovely overgrown vegetable garden very soon.

Have a great day.

xxx

Fruits of Labour

Hi everyone, especially the ones that have come from Rhonda's blog,

This morning I have been outside picking carrots, squash, capsicums and tomatoes before it gets too hot  (around 37 degrees). I plan to make a pasta sauce out of the tomatoes and capsicums, not too sure what to make with the squashes, any ideas? My garden is getting so overgrown, I really need to make another garden bed for more yummy vegetables.

My biggest problem in my garden are earwigs.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Earwig_on_white_background.jpg

I put scrunched up newspapers every night and each morning I put the newspaper into a bucket of soapy water. I do get some earwigs but not too many. If anyone has a great idea how to get rid of them I would be grateful. I really don't like them.

With my $50 a week challenge, I only spent $13.50, one day I bought my lunch for $8.50 (I didn't make lunch the night before and was running late the next morning) and I put $5 towards some flowers/gift for a colleague who just had a baby. I am now left with $36.50.

The reason I why I am challenging myself is I would just go to the atm and get $20 nearly everyday. I know it was wasting money but I am changing these habits. Yes, my friends would understand if I didn't go to lunch with them however, my biggest problem is I have many friends who are not in the same group therefore lunchtime is usually very busy for me. I am hoping that within two months I have really settled down to bringing lunch in and are saving heaps.

I hope everyone is ok and keeping well.

Keep cool (for those in the hot weather).

love

Pauline
xxx

Challenges and budgets

Today I read a wonderful, Rhonda's, her wise words and helpful hints really helps me with my desire to be more self-sufficent. This is why I have decided to really stick to a budget as well as challenging myself with saving more money. Rhonda's blog, Down to Earth can be found here: http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au

Brad and I have decided to save his wage and live off mine. OK, he does earn over double what I earn however being a contractor he could be out of a job tomorrow. If we can live off my wage, I know that we would be ok.

With my fortnightly pay, I have decided to have $200 to be transferred to another bank account as savings. I am hoping that eventually I can increase this savings but at the moment I am erring on the side of caution. Also, we need to learn to live on one wage.

http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2011/03/14/1226021/379598-pay-packet.jpg

I have decided to challenge myself by only giving me $50 for lunches.

http://currencyguide.eu/aud-en/aud50front.jpg

Yes, I know that is $10 per working day and it seems a lot but sometimes I go for lunch with friends and it can cost me $20. Sometimes I go out two or three times a week. I am starting to take lunch with me on a regular basis and will save what I have left over at the end of the week. Hopefully I will be able to save more money this way.

Have a great day and please have a look at Rhonda's blog, it is an amazing blog.

xxx

Fires

Hoping everyone is safe where there are fires. Thinking of you.

The wind is very strong here and we have small fires which were quickly put out.

Take care.

xxx

2013

Take two (or three)

Happy New Year everyone. I have tried at least three times to post this post but something has happened to my computer.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and are enjoying the new year.

My Christmas was very quiet, friends came to visit on Christmas eve with some of their boys. Christmas day was good, I had to wake the three boys to open their presents. Breakfast was the usual affair, then lunch and then went to other friends home for Christmas afternoon. Was very nice.

New year eve was also very quiet, DS1 went out (being 19 he went to a friend's house to bring in the New Year). The rest of us spent it at home, DS2 in his bedroom, DH playing a video game and me just watching TV. We did watch the fireworks together.

I had a few extra days off over the Christmas/New Year period, only went back to work today. I did go to Jervis Bay to visits some amazing people. Really enjoyed it.

That is enough for today. Will come back to write about what my plans are for this year.