Our New Adventure

this is looking out the sunroom/dinning/family room window on the Friday we got the keys to our new home, this is only a small part of our yard it goes a fair way past that big pine tree in the middle of the photo

mmm where to begin, its been more than a month since i last posted
crazy busy with packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking & not to forget work, boy am i tired
we moved into our new Blue Mountains Home last Saturday. with a lot of help from friends & family it all went pretty smooth.
i spent the whole day at our Linden House packing cars\trucks/trailers & cleaning
our brother in law came up with a car trailer & all the boys lifted the chicken house up onto it & off the girls went up the highway to our new home. i think it would have been a pretty funny sight driving past a chook house. {if anyone saw my Green & Red Chook House traveling along the highway id love to hear about it}
by about 3.30 i was up at our new home, { not to far from Jacqui at Life In The Dome} it was very overwhelming. stuff everywhere
A's sister & mum came up & they directed the furniture & boxes to the right rooms, helped J & S put up the beds & did some unpacking. everyone asking {where do you want this, is this in the right spot} grrr i was drop dead tired, i just didn't care where anything went, as long as i could fall into bed it was all good.
Sunday i layed a brick floor in the existing chook shed { the girls new home} & by later that afternoon they were happily scratching around in their new shed.


with all the lifting & the brick laying i have hurt my left elbow & fore arm, thank goodness i took Monday off. i have been on light duties at work no lifting at all, it was starting to feel a lot better by Thursday but today i have been using it too much & its aching pretty bad tonight, tomorrow i am only on foreman duties no using my arm at all.

today we put in a 4 bay compost, did some mulching & the boys mowed some of the lawn. tomorrow we will finish off the chook yard fence & maybe mark out the fence line for the veggie garden.
there are just so many things to do its unreal.

Miss Sally is very happy with her new yard, she wears her self out running around all day then spends the night asleep on her bed in front of the fire or on the lounge in the sunroom. she thinks she's good because she can come in & out when ever she wants.
since coming back from training she now sleeps in our room, well until the sunroom is cleaned up that is. she came home with kennel cough & was pretty sick for a week or so, on antibiotics & BBQ chickens for a week. thank goodness she's all better.

until next time at ............
looking for a name for our new place, any ideas?

First Home Buyers

We purchased a home :o)


we had not looked for very long when we found the house we wanted, all the other stuff has taken for ever, real estates, solicitors, brokers, banks, RTA, births deaths & marriages, bad tenants. it has been a very stressful roller coaster ride or in my mind a night mare.

A & the boys lov the house but for me its all about the land, rows of fruit trees a chicken run & a humongous pine tree & not the straight up kind that reaches to the sky but the kind with the sprawling branches, that says sit beneath me with a good book lazing away a summers afternoon or my arms are strong hang a swing from me so you may feel the wind in your hair.
the land is large & the possibilities are endless, all the things i have dreamed of & more will come true, it just takes time oh & the dreaded money you always need & there is never quite enough of.

all the things that are swirling around in my head every day
the new kitchen A & i have designed, the second toilet, water tanks, veggie gardens, ducks, post & rail clothes line, green house, fully enclosed chicken yard, i know all of these things will happen :o)

at the moment its all like a dream to me, yes i am surrounded by boxes & cupboards are becoming empty. the time is ticking slowly by even tho i am at work 4 days {yes you heard right i am now working 4 days a week}.

by the first week in May the excitement will have hit me, it will be full steam ahead. we will settle on Tuesday 12, then with keys in hand, our new adventure will begin as home owners.

Property Summary: SOLD

Category: House

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 1

Garage: Single

Land: 2289.00sqm (approx)

part of the yard looking back towards the house

in other news
Sally is getting big, in 2 weeks she will be 6 months old & going in to be desexed & then not long after off to training school, i will miss her when she is gone. i had no idea i would lov her so much when we brought her home but she has a place in all of our hearts even when she chews stuff & is naughty.

taken January 3rd

taken 5th April

taken Easter Sunday 12th April

we also had some drama in the hen house, one of the Australorps died, she was flapping around in the run & then just dropped dead, the rooster came over & pecked her on the eye & then strutted off. no idea what happened or why she died but thats life i guess, also Mr rooster is gone & i wont say any more about that.
one of the RIR was broody for a few weeks but she has left the nest & the silver has taken over, i picked her up yesterday to find she is molting & has no feathers on her belly.
i do have 2 more silver Wyandottes on order just waiting till they are big enough to bring home.

Earth Hour

Will you switch off your lights?

if you do this every year or if your new please leave me a comment, id lov to know where your from & what you will do with your family & friends to celebrate Earth Hour.

in honour of saving our planet i will be giving away
some organic vegetable seeds


http://www.earthhourau.org/

Something New

THAI Deodorant Stone

i ordered them from New Zealand & they arrived on friday. for those who dont know what these are here is a bit of info

300%" more effective than commercial deodorants, it is 100% pure and natural. No chemicals, perfumes, oils, emulsified alcohol or propellants. It is made from potassium sulfate and other mineral salts which are crystallized over a period of months, then shaped and smoothed. It contains no aluminum chlorohydrate. It is not sticky or greasy. It won't stain clothing, leave white marks, irritate your skin, or leak in your suitcase.

HOW IT WORKS - The Deodorant Stone is not a cover-up nor does it clog pores. The Deodorant Stone actually inhibits bacterial growth on your body - attacking the problem rather than covering up the results of the problem. Pure & Natural Deodorant Stones do not have perfume that only covers one odour with another artificial odour. Instead it leaves an invisible layer of protection that prevents odour-causing bacteria from forming and leaves you feeling fresh and clean all through the day.

HOW TO USE - Wet either your armpits or the stone, & rub the Deodorant Stone on in the same manner you would use a roll on or stick deodorant.

Both A & i are sold on these, there really is no smell, which means no arm pit smell on your clothes that you sometimes get after hard work in the yard etc.
i will no longer be purchasing deodorants to cover up smells. & at around the $10 mark + being guaranteed to last a year the savings are quite large.

on todays list of things to do was this Egg Basket
& as of today we are getting 3 eggs a day
i followed the tutorial over at Pink Penguin
http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2008/05/tutorial-fabric-basket.html

















also finished up this monster that i started yesterday

|Eggs

we have EGGS
one of my girls layed me an egg on Sunday the 8th :o)
this week i have had a total of 6 eggs, they may be small like bantam eggs but they taste Devinne i had forgotten how good fresh free range eggs taste.
the first two i had as soft boiled with soldier toast
& the other 4 as scrambled eggs
it is only 2 of the hens that have started laying, one of the Rhode Island Reds & one of the Austrolopes, they are both sporting bright red combs.





























how sweet is our Miss Sally, this was after her nice warm bath on wednesday morning before we went to the vet for her last needles.

Water Saving & Reusing

HOT HOT HOT Weather dont like it one bit for the last 3 weeks its been 43 & above at work we dont have air con, we do have fans but they really dont do much to combat the heat they do however blow all our paper work around the place.

but enough about that today i am here to talk about WATER & how i am working towards saving & reusing as much as possible.

1 to 6 are things i already do 7 to 10 are things i am working towards

1. Buckets in the shower, they get filled while the water is heating up & then they are tipped in the water barrels & used on my gardens.

2. Water Barrels are filled by the shower water & rain coming off the roof {mmm rain havent seen that in quite a while}

3. square bucket in the kitchen sink to wash all my veggies, also gets tipped into the water barrel's.

4. Water saver shower heads, water savers on the kitchen & bathroom sink spouts.

5. 2 plastic bottles out of the recycle bin, filled with sand & put into the toilet cistern, we already have dual flush but this makes them use less water again.

6. Front load 4 star water rating washing machine.

7. hose from washing machine to back yard to keep things watered {lawn, flower gardens etc at the moment these get little to no water}

8. CaromaToilet Suite with Integrated Hand Basin, these are awesome, wash your hands above the toilet cistern, then the soapy water goes to fill the tank to flush the toilet.

9. Water Tanks

10. Water from Tanks to use for the toilet, washing machine & laundry sink {well if it ever rains that is}



Why should i replace my single flush toilet
By Sydney Water
http://www.sydneywater.com.au/

Let Sydney Water's qualified plumbers replace your single-flush toilet with a new 4-star, water-efficient dual-flush toilet. With this all-inclusive service you can save up to $200 on the price of the toilet and installation.

Single-flush toilets are one of the biggest users of water in homes - using 12 litres of drinking water with every flush. By switching to a 4-star dual-flush toilet, you can save about 25,000 litres of water every year.

Sydney Water's Toilet Replacement Service includes:

• choosing between three different 4-star, water-efficient, dual-flush toilets
• removing your old single-flush toilet
• installing a new 4-star, dual-flush water-efficient toilet plus a 10-year warranty
• cleaning up afterwards
• choosing between a single payment or spreading the cost over four water bills.

a standard toilet costing $330 installed i think would pay for itself in no time at all. i think this is something to think about if you still have a single flush toilet.

see also the Sydney Water link for rebates for new water saver washing machines.

Rainwater Tank Rebate

The Rainwater Tank Rebate provides up to $1500 for rainwater tanks connected to toilets and washing machines.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/rebates/ccfrtw.htm

The Rainwater Tank Rebate is available for the installation of any new rainwater storage system in residential properties in NSW.

Eligibility

• The tank(s) must have a minimum 2000-litre capacity and be purchased in full and installed between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2009.
  
• Households not connected to the mains supply are eligible for a rebate for the purchase of the tank only.
  
• Rainwater tanks installed to comply with BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index) for new homes, major renovations or a pool installation are not eligible for a rebate.

How much is the rebate?

The rebate is based on the size of the tank and whether it is plumbed into your toilet or washing machine.

Tank(s) capacity	Tank Rebate	Connection to toilet(s)	Connection to washing machine(s)	Maximum total
2000-3999 litres	$150	$500	$500	$1150
4000-6999 litres	$400	$500	$500	$1400
7000 litres and above	$500	$500	$500	$1500

if anyone else has any water saving tips leave me a comment or a link to your post.

Rooster

well the time has come for Big Bertha to either find a new home or become our sunday night roast
he is a pure breed Blue Laced Wyandotte Rooster
not fully grown yet
he was vaccinated before i got him (when we thought he was just one of the girls}
if anyone is interested he is $25
if not then off will come his head & into the oven for tea, which would be a shame as he is very handsome.
if you want to know exactly how old he is you can look back at previous posts
i could do it for you but im just too lazy
if your interested just send me an email :o)

The Casino Theme

Saturday night we went to my niece's 21st B'Day with a casino theme {don't ya just love themes & dressing up its heaps of fun}.
we had a great time :o) i went as a show girl





& to continue the Casino theme A & i went into the city yesterday {track work, so was a combination of buses & trains}. caught the ferry over to Darling Harbour, lov traveling on Ferries But not on the Cats they just arnt the same. the water was quite choppy so made for a fun journey.
walked over to Star City gambled a bit then went up to Sean's Kitchen for some lunch, wow what a meal, A had a Rabbit Pie with Green Beans & i had a 400g Rib Eye Steak, hot crusty rolls & to drink a Matador. we will be going there again :o)
went back down to the casino floor for a bit more gambling, came home $50 richer :o)
wondered around Darling Harbour for a bit then walked up to the Apple store so A could get some new ear phones {got an ipod touch for Christmas}. then over to David Jones for a new wooden spoon :o)


to get home it was either a bus from Central first stop Penrith {no where near enough buses for the amount of people & only run every hour it was pathetic} then a train home or the option we took was a train to Granville then a bus to St Marys, train to Penrith & then a train up the mountains, going this way was heaps better, plenty of room & heaps of buses running & the train was just about empty. running 2 buses every hour for an 8 carriage train is just ridiculous & they expect you to buy a ticket.

thank you for all my B'day wishes, & id like to say a late Happy B'day to Deb who has hers a few days before mine :o)

B'Day

well its Happy Birthday to me 37 , wow do the years fly by
today will be spent just like any other day, feeding people & animals, doing the washing, a bit a house work, 40 mins on the Wii Fit. haven't had a Birthday Party since i was 18, it might be nice to have one again but i don't want to have to organise my own party so don't think it will happen.
my boys really are not organised when it comes to these things i am the one who usually reminds them / nags them to go shopping for gifts & stuff. the good thing about today is i don't have to make tea tonight :o)
well that's it for now, the washing machine is beeping to let me know its finished & Sally is crying at the door

New Gates

we did not have a back gate so all the kangaroos & other wildlife would come in & eat all my veggies so i put up to pieces of iron in September. it has worked pretty well.



now that we have Sally it just wasn't good enough so yesterday we purchased 2 farm gates.
the ground is nowhere near level so one is a bit higher than the other & there was a bit of a gap but we solved that with some iron attached to one of the gates & chicken wire over the mesh down to the ground, so little Sally can not wiggle through.




while working on the gates a neighbour who we have not met but who has a great veggie garden out the back {i am always walking down to have a look at their garden} popped down to ask we would like some cucumbers as they had way too many, smiling i said yes please & he handed over 4 large green cucumbers. cucumbers are my fav salad food i pretty much eat them every day. i think his name was Brian {im not good with names, so it will be Brian unless i find out other wise} asked if we would like some corn for the chooks as it was not good enough for the kitchen & of course said yes. he came back with a bag full of sweet corn & at lease a dozen sunflower heads. we chatted about his garden & my chooks for a bit & i offered him some eggs when the girls start to lay, then he was on his way back to his gardening.

i hope this is the beginning of new friends & new things to learn.
oh & last nights cucumber had a very mellow taste mmmm {dont ya just hate bitter cucumbers}

New Years

Resolutions?
do you make them?
do you keep them?
are they reachable?
or are they unrealistic?

Resolutions?
i don't make them & never will, it just seems ridiculous to me.
i do how ever have goals.
whats the difference you may ask,

well for one, i don't set a time limit, that way i am not disappointed when other things/life gets in the way

some may be a struggle to reach but they are never imposable

i never set myself up to fail

life is a journey & just because you have goals does not mean you cant have fun & break the rules along the way, after all you only live once

goals may be added too or taken away as things change, you just never know whats around the corner

Goal Starter List

as of today i am back on my Tony Ferguson Diet {boy is it easy to put the weight back on :-/}

i am also going to not buy unnecessary electrical items, i am not really a gadget person so my aim is to try & talk A out of buying said items {mmm wish me luck} an air conditioner is at the top of his list. my argument is we only get about 3 or 4 really hot days a year so it really will be a waste of money.

i only buy Australian food products as well as other items found at the grocery store so now
i am also going to try buy other products that are made in Australia & stay away from any products that come from over seas in particular China, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find items made in Australia from Australian products. China seems to have a big foot hold here & it is very worrying, their items are cheaper but the quality is disgraceful but even so people buy them & in doing so put our local companies out of business.

to buy land & build a home, this goal is not just mine it is also A's
as i am now working this goal could become a reality & not just a dream :o)

& as always to be the best person that i can be

Mustang Sally

our new family member now has a name
Mustang Sally
well that's what will be on her kennel,
but she will be known to one & all as Sally

Family

January 1st 2009 saw us come home with a new member to our family







she belongs to our youngest son, as of yet she dosent have a name but hopefully by the end of today she will. she is a boxer X & quite well behaved for 8 weeks old.
she slept all night last night & was playing happily at 6.30 this morning when i came out.

Rooster in the house

well its official Big Bertha is a rooster
& doesn't he act like one, strutting around the yard, fluffing up his neck feathers
he is twice the size of the others & hes not fully grown
& at 5am this morning he started crowing
i am hoping to swap him over in a week or so
which is a pity as he is very handsome. if he didn't crow then he would stay but i don't want the neighbours to complain to the council.

Days of Skirts

before Christmas i cut up my $3 secondhand sheet & made a skirt {still quite a bit let over} its an easy pattern with just 2 pieces. all straight stitching, & i added a lining. Kwik Sew Pattern 2805


yesterday between family visiting i ran up 3 more skirts using 2 different patterns.


this one is the shortest skirt on the above pattern {Kwik Sew Pattern 2805}
again with a petticoat, i added blue cotton lace & it hangs below the skirt hem.




this one is a wraparound
i found the pattern on the net at http://fitzpatterns.myshopify.com/collections/free
its the 211 Dana A-Line Wrap Skirt. just printed it out in the size i wanted, cut out & taped together.
supper easy just over a hour to run up
lov the fabric, soft cotton starts with a yellow/green, fades into aqua then to navy blue
very summery & has beach feel




this one is also the Dana 2211
this time i used a heavier cotton & added a contrast waist band & extra piece down the finished opening in Red with White spots
also just over an hour to run up.

Time Flies

well the time does fly when your busy.
i would just like to say thank you to everyone for your Christmas Wishes
sorry i haven't gotten back to everyone, just haven't had enough time to sit & say hello.
i hope everyone had an Awesome Christmas with family & friends.
we had a quiet Christmas day with just my boys { the most relaxing day i have had in quite a while}. Boxing day saw me cooking up a storm for the extended family of an early tea.
new recipes
Banana Cream Pie
Mango Pavlova with Orange Cream
Pistachio & Banana Pavlova
if anyone would like the recipes, let me know.
more family over yesterday for lunch {don't ya just love leftovers}

Father Christmas brought me a
Wheelbarrow


Ratchet Loppers


Ratchet secateurs

Sewing

Sunday i did a bit of sewing
sewed the PJ pants & Skirt i had sitting on my desk for way too long
also made a couple of things for the http://goinggreenlife.blogspot.com/
shop. i will be adding a couple more things over the next week.

a quick sew {1 hour}
i am also going to make a longer version

Zero Footprint Week

more on that when i get home :o)
http://www.zerofootprintweek.org.au/



so zero foot print week for me was all about trying harder

walking to & from the station
the train to & from work
didnt use the oven, only the gas cook top
fruit & veg from work
blanket on the couch when it got cool, instead of the fire
every thing turned off at the power point
only 1 bucket of rubbish
everything else either recycled or eaten by the chickies

Quick Tip Recipe

Shaving Cream
1/2 cup Lux Flakes
300ml boiling Water
1 dessertspoon Olive Oil {i used sunflower oil}
a few drops of Lavender or Rose Oil

in a screw top jar shake soap & water until soap is dissolved
add oil & rose oil
shake to a thick & creamy consistency

add more or less of the soap & water to get the right consistency for you