Hello

 Does anybody still get this? 

Winter wonders

Everyone is complaining about how cold Melbourne is ....not in my eyrie...very cosy...the indoor temperature is fairly consistent. Only have had to put heater on about 4 times since I moved in, otherwise it is OFF. Definitely do not miss the constant battle to keep the wood fires burning , the scrounging for pine cones and sticks , the dirt and ash dust, etc etc.   

Pantry 101

Saw this little trolley at a local liquidation sale and thought it would be great for underbench storage in my pantry.  Now it is my new baking station.  I can wheel it into the kitchen and stop the back and forth to the pantry at the start and finish of baking!  One of the plastic tubs contains cake decorating tuff, the other all of those little opened packets.  The rest you can see for yourself!

Spring Cleaning

Starting with the Kitchen!
First up the fridge freezer.

 Check out A bowl full of Lemons blog for great ideas and motivation.
                                     click here to visit

Ballarat Yesterday and Today

Yesterday, before my morning walk......

And here is the lake veiw today....

I shaved an extra 5 minutes off my walk, compared to yesterday, largly due to the windchill factor! Bye Karen

$30 a day for 30 days

Day  4.....A day of rest...well sewing actually!

I just stayed at home..which meant I did not spend a cent!  Dinner was provided for from the freezer and fridge.
So I have a surplus!
Total today is $20.45
Day  5...Monday Monday,

Do you remember these..every mother and granny had one until the 70's...in fact I'm sure my mother still uses hers!

 This is mine..I keep it in the car to hold coins for the parking meters that are everywhere in town.
Now I am using it for my $30 a day stash.

Just think, sometime over the past few decades we have switched to wallets to hold our cash and our plastic bank cards.  We've all become so used to paying for things by debit or credit cards, that I have become a bit 'distant' from my money.  I'm paperless at the net bank...and its so easy to just buy something I want rather than ask myself...'do I really need this'?

Having a purse and seeing the money leave it......being able to see what money is left, has been a useful experience for me!

Money wise, today I had a $97 dollar dentist bill, $5 grocery for fresh vegetables for dinner....and $5 fast food for V as she had to go back to school after ballet for the VCE fashion display.

 Balance for today is minus$ 56.55!!!!!

Day 6.....tightwad Tuesday,

today was only bread and milk and that totalled $7...

So I am still  minus!  Now total is minus $33.55!!!


here is a Fabulous and Frugal tip to finish with....

I love this shampoo and conditioner...I love how clean it gets my hair with just application of shampoo....I love how shiny my hair looks after it has been washed......I love the smell......but.... at $15 a bottle it is an expensive shampoo and conditioner!  

As I have long hair..I use twice as much conditioner so run out of that more often....see the plastic cup at the back?  I found 2 what I thought were empty conditioner bottles in the bottom of the cabinet......empty being defined as unable to shake and squeeze anything out of the bottle in the shower!  By upending these 2 bottles like this I have gotten an extra 2 'condtions' out of them......I'm hoping to get more!  Usually I fill the bottle with hot water and accept a watery  condition and then toss the bottle!  By giving it time I've gained!

Regards, Karen

the best laid plans!

Day 3.....

I woke up in a grumpy mood......not the best way to start a Saturday.......to find out that we, or rather my dear children ( I did have to remind myself!) had over due hire DVDs..........I had planned to spend most of today's budget on LPG gas!
......I had been looking for these DVDs for a couple of days......found the disc's no problem!  Couldn't find the covers anywhere.......F finally mentioned that he had confiscated them for " being left around".  I had words with F...along  the lines of " could you not have noticed that they were hire DVDs both short term rentals!!!!!"
     I got the $30 for Day 4 and put it into my purse.......then went and took the DVDs back and got gas for the car. ( DVD fine $20, gas $20) ....then I went to get some perspective....outdoor window browsing

the farmer's market by the lake

then as it looked like it was going to "bucket" down with rain.....I went to a new community market.....not much there to tempt me.....except....for ...this bargain book for $2

My mood improved considerably by stitching this little flower......and I joined my husband for a drink at our local pub ( he was buying).  We had been watching dark thunder clouds roll across Ballarat from our windows at home.  I was tucked up stitching by the fire and really only noticed a bit of heavy rain.
     When we went for our drink, our local had been epicenter of a severe hail storm that had hit Ballarat.  The hail was 12-18 inches deep by the local" FairDinkum fish and chips" shop across the road. .......and I did not have my camera!!!!!

     This is a sight I saw earlier in the day when my camera and I were together.

Regards Karen.