Layout:
Home > Archive: August, 2011

Archive for August, 2011

Maybe???

August 24th, 2011 at 01:11 pm

I applied for a job today that I'm a little excited about. I am really trying to not get my hopes up - having applied for a lot of jobs already (at last count, 33...) with absolutely ZERO interviews. But, it can't hurt to hope, right???
Anyway. Im posting about it because I don't want to tell anyone in real life (other than DH), because there's probably only a 0.0001% chance I'll get a shot at it.
It's a full-time, entry level (read: teller) job at a bank branch IN MY TOWN. Now the best part: a close friend whom I use as a personal reference works at a higher up position at this bank, in the city. I use him on my resume. (& he will call me if he ever gets calls from what could be a potential employer). He went to school with DH, and has tried to get me to apply for jobs at his bank before (when I was happy at my job...).
Could this be my lucky break? Do I dare to dream? Keep me in your thoughts over the next week or so... Please!

my favourite porridge recipe

August 21st, 2011 at 06:24 am

I have had a weekend of studying and have caught up mostly. I didn't get as much done as I wanted to... but I am nearly ahead of what we're supposed to be doing. I still have about three hours until I plan to stop though, so hopefully I'll get there!

In saying that, I thought I'd take a break. Big Grin

I decided not to do the grocery shopping for a couple more days. DH bought some milk which is all we really need at the moment, we will survive a few days with what we have.

Last night we had Indian takeaway for dinner, but both still have enough left over for each of us to have it for dinner tonight Smile

Today I was sitting at my desk listening to a presentation for one of my subjects, eating a bowl of porridge for lunch, when I realised how screwed up my eating patterns are. Not that I mind. I just don't get around to having a big breakfast and on the weekends it usually gets to midday before I am hungry. I like sweet food as opposed to savoury, and in my mind, porridge is a lot healthier than, say, a slice of cake for lunch! Big Grin During the week I take muesli and low-fat berry yoghurt for my mid-morning/lunch snack. Wednesdays I usually have a salad for lunch.

Anyway, the main point of my post was to share my favourite porridge recipe (I think it's called oatmeal in the states???). This is usually what I have (for lunch, but you can ignore that bit...)


1/4 cup rolled oats
pinch salt
tsp desicated coconut
pinch cinnamon
handful sultanas
(combine in a saucepan with 2/3 cup cold water and bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for a few minutes until cooked)

in a bowl, combine:

2 dried pitted prunes, sliced thinly and
3-4 dried apricots, sliced thinly

add the cooked oat mixture to the bowl and stir to combine the other dried fruit. add some honey if wanted.

update time (& cute dog pics)

August 20th, 2011 at 01:34 am

After a late Friday night (full of laughing and talking with our tattooist... well, we were laughing and talking and DH just grimaced for most of it Big Grin it was in a painful spot on his arm...) I'm up late after a nice sleep in (til nearly 9am!!)and about to start a weekend chock full of study!
Thought I would update, first though... Big Grin

The guy who bought the tyres has just picked them up and given us the $60 he owes us. The lady who bought the cabinet dropped by on Thursday to pay $50 off and buy 10 cupcakes she asked me to make for her. She asked if she could pay for the rest of the cabinet next week, as she is a bit short of money this week due to unexpected kids expenses (totally understand - my mum deals with this all the time), I told her it was fine. She is a lovely lady, single with two kids and I think she is doing it tough (obviously not too tough as she can buy cupcakes!). I have her address and phone number, and she has already given us $60 toward it. We could sell it again for no hassles if she changed her mind.

Also, she asked if I made birthday cakes Big Grin I doubt my abilities with cake decorating, even though that is what I am employed to do. (BTW, 'cake-decorating' as a term, when I use it anyway, actually means: making the cake, and then decorating it... in case people are confused!) I don't like making things for people I know, or people who seek me out as an individual. I am afraid they won't like what I do. I need to get over this, as I realise I can make some pretty good-looking and great-tasting cakes most of the time. (sometimes... most times... better than my boss Big Grin shh, don't tell him I said that...)

I just don't have any of the supplies or equipment to make them at my house. DH is always encouraging me to 'invest' in these things and I think it's an unneeded expense. Maybe not. I don't know? I could probably make some good side-money, and even if I just bought the decorating equipment and left the actual cake-baking to be done at work, in my own time and paid for the scratch ingredients from my boss. Things to think about, I guess.

Heard back from one of the jobs, unsuccessful. (what a surprise... not). I suppose I will not hear from the other ones. I do not always get an email saying I was unsuccesful, they usually just leave you hanging. Nice.

I have begun taking some pre-conception vitamins Big Grin (holy dooly, are they expensive! I don't take vitamins as our diet is varied and healthy, but I figured I probably should for this as it's recommended... even at a discount chemist a months supply is $20) DH had a doctors appointment on Thursday and has to get some blood tests done next week. I also have to find a doctor, and get a check up. And go to the dentist. Sigh. Next week...

Work update:
My best friend quit. It was the day after she had that guilt-trip from my boss's wife, and after I had that horrible phone conversation with her too. I did not work that day (worked at my other job), but the next day (thursday) I went in and my boss was SUPER nice to me. Almost too nice. I guess he is afraid that I will up and leave too, because of his wife. You know... even though he is a really nice guy (apart from the lying and obsession with his social status) I wish I was offered a job right now, just so I could ring up his wife and say 'I quit, and it's because of you and your unprofessionalism'.
I know, it's a bit low and immature. But look at what I have had to put up with! Would you really blame me??
My boss would survive. He's worked very long days before. Perhaps his wife will have to help out at the shop a bit more than her token once-a-month visit? Big Grin

DH has some work this week which is great. Even though he's had a few weeks off, our bank account is still looking healthy.

We have been doing the weekly grocery shop on Saturdays or Sundays, together. It is easier for me this way and saves time with DH coming. (Even though he usually wanders around looking at other stuff). This week looks like it will be a really small shop: we have so much stuff in our pantry it's ridiculous, even though I have not bought a lot of stuff over the past couple of weeks either.

We're doing the shop tomorrow (Sunday) and I am going to make our meal plan off what we have in the pantry, and just nip into town for the essentials, and fresh fruit and veges.

I'm thinking our meal plan will go something like this:
sweet & sour tofu with egg noodles
pumpkin & cashew stirfry with basmati rice
minestrone soup
vegetarian pasta
baked fish, salad & sweet potato
mexican beans & rice
steamed vegetables, tofu & rice

We ate our first bananas since January, last week!!! It was very exciting for us. Since the floods in January bananas have been about $15-$20 a kilogram. Doesn't matter if they are organic or not, price is the same. Well, shopping at our local organic grocer we spied them at $9.99 a kilogram so we bought four little golden, beautiful, sweet cavendish. They were lovely! The oranges have been delicious lately too...

DH is having sellers remorse on some of the items we sold at the garage sale Big Grin oh well. He sold a PS1 for $7 with a whole heap of games, a chip, two guns etc. His uncle rang him the next day to see if he still had it, and said he would have given him $40! Even still, last night our tattooist said he would have given us $60! What are the chances?! (But, it went to a young high school girl who is no doubt going to have a lot of fun with it... I personally think it went to a good home). In the end, we made $450 and I think the reason we made that much was because our prices indicated we wanted to sell the stuff, not have people umm and aah over the price, but instead go 'hey! I'm going to buy that! Right now!'.

The coffee table (the one I didn't want him to sell! lol!) he sold for $40. Then two people came back that had been in the morning to ask about it, and asked how much he sold it for. LOL. But like the PS1, it has a nice selling-story to it too: the guy bought it because he wants to teach his grand-daughter to play chess. I mean, could you ask for it to go to a better home?!

And lastly, my poor baby Banjo!!! Earlier this week, he kept licking his face and seemed to not be closing his mouth. (He is a dog that pants half the time... so I wasn't especially worried at first, but then it got to a stage where I was a little worried). We tried looking at his gums and teeth, nothing. His breath was a lot smellier than normal. I took him to the vet on Thursday. The vet looked at his gums and teeth (as DH and I did), couldn't find anything, suggested maybe he had a sore throat and got a flashlight to inspect the inside of his mouth. Opens Banjo's mouth and what do we find, but a piece of a stick jammed in the roof of his mouth, horizontally between the molars on the left and right side! (hard to describe...) The vet said 'ahh, this is your problem!' quickly reached in and pulled it out. Our poor Banjo must have had it in for a few days, two great big holes on the inner side right next to his teeth and huge cut across the roof of his mouth (and blood!). The vet gave us some painkillers and antibiotics to clear up the infection. He asked if Banjo had trouble eating or drinking. Nope! I had even given him a bone the day before. Our vet laughed and said 'This ones a tought nut!'

On the trip home he sat in the front seat and when I looked over, he was curled up in a little ball with his paws on his snout. Fresh pain after getting it pulled out... ouch. He was a brave little fellow. I feel so bad that I didn't know, but the vet said unless you knew what to look for you wouldn't have known - he said he didn't expect to find that at all, he just thought Banjo had a sore throat, and that you wouldn't have been able to see without a light, as the roof of Banjo's mouth is speckled anyway, the stick was pretty much camoflaged. Poor Banjo!!! Total cost $70.25 for short vet visit, A/B & pain meds. (worth every penny I should add!!!!)

Here are some pictures of the last time we took them out, to my little sisters birthday picnic in the park:

Banjo:



Jed:

end of the line

August 17th, 2011 at 01:54 am

It is nearing breaking point at my workplace with everyone. I don't like to whinge too much about my job here (because well, I know I do it a lot, so every extra post is another whine that no one wants to hear about). But I can't really anywhere else... sorry guys!

My best friend quit this morning. She has been off sick a few times lately. First with a broken arm - tripped over something at her house in the dark getting ready for work (works night shifts). Second time, she had salmonella poisoning. Third time, which she is off work right now from, a bulging disc in her back is pressing against a nerve. She is on extreme painkillers, spends all day and night lying on a mattress in her parents loungeroom. Is only allowed to get up for roughly 5 minutes, three or four times a day (basically... to go to the toilet). Will be like this for a week.

These things are not her fault, but even so, she made the painful journey to work yesterday, to talk to our boss and his wife. My boss has no balls (excuse the crass language) and did not talk to her. Let his wife do the talking. And did she talk! And, within earshot of everyone at the workplace, which I thought was very unproffesional.

She talked to my friend (who is a 26 year old woman) like a naughty child. I have heard her talk to her children, and that is how she talked to my friend. She went on to say that her husband has to get up off his deathbed (no, he's not dying. not even sick) to work for her and that they can't rely on her. If they still had the other baker (who left, 9 months ago) she would have been fired by now. Also that she needs to take better care of herself, and if she has any time off after this, she is getting fired. She also went on to say that this is extremely stressful for her because her and her husband have not had a holiday in years, and now she feels like she can't go away for a week without stressing that no one will show up for work.

First of all, she's being a drama queen about it all. Secondly, her personal aspects of running a business have nothing to do with the staff she employs. And lastly, it's a small family business, what exactly does she expect if she employs the bare minimum of staff with the lowest amount of hours possible? Of COURSE her husband is going to have to work extra if someone is sick. If that's the way you operate, that's what you get when it all goes kaphooey. Idiot.

Anyway, my friend quit. She sais she's saving everyone the hassle of firing her and doing it to herself. She has a car that's about to stop working because it needs a new gearbox, she booked and paid for a holiday a year ago that's due in a month and is freaking out about that. She told me if she could get her money back she would do it in an instant - but she can't, not even half.

On top of that, which is enough to make my blood boil, the boss's wife, shall we call her J, asked me yesterday if I wanted extra hours while people take holidays later this month. I said sure. She then went on to talk about me working afternoon shifts, which is something I don't do normally, and I wouldn't be able to organise uni around. I said to her (nicely) that if it meant extra hours but doing afternoon shifts, then no to worry about it, as I couldn't do it. She got in a huff, said 'Fine! Don't Worry about it!' and stormed off. A few minutes later came up to me and started on about needing to know if I could EVER work afternoons and if they could RELY on me and whether I wasn't FLEXIBLE anymore. I initially started to explain but when I saw that it was more about her talking at me rather than listening to what I had to say, I ignored her and carried on with my work. Later on when I had gotten home, I sent her a text message. It read:
'I don't expect my studies to be important to you, but they are important to me. I started them because even though I asked, there is no possibility of advancement in my current job. To change my schedule, I need a lot of notice as I plan my semesters' assessments and tutorials based on times I will be available to do them. I don't expect you to know several months in advance when you will need me, and I don't expect you to care about my workload either. I just wanted you to understand this is why it is difficult for me to tell you if I am available for afternoon work.'

This is the way she talks to people, she is blunt and unapologetic. I can be blunt. I usually am a little nicer but I figured this is what she gets. She rang me to tell me 'accusing her of not caring is being catty'. I told her I didn't say she didn't care, I said I didn't expect her to. (she is always talking about how hard her life is because she has two young children, and no one would understand how little time she has unless they have children too. And run a business)
She went on to say that I ahve been hostile and resentful to her lately, and that she feels like I would not give her the time of day. I said 'actually, you're right. I wouldn't. I don't appreciate the way you talk to me, and other people, and I know I am not the only one who feels this way.' Other things were said as well. I didn't lose my temper, I just got everything out in the open.
As usual though, she didn't take anything in at all. She turned it all around on me and the other staff ('We have given you SO much, more than any other business would. Who else gives you birthday presents? Engagement presents? Huh? And I spend all this time defending you against other staff because you didn't lose as many hours as them.')
And when I brought up the incident a few months ago to do with my sister, she turned it, as usual, on me. ('I know you must have been stressed out, and that is why the conversation ended up as it did'). I said, 'You come across as though you don't care at all about what's going on in people's lives at all. We all hear about how the business is affecting you and how cutting staff hours affects you and your husband, but you do not care, do not want to listen and don't give anyone the time to talk about how losing shifts affects them. You don't ask how anyone is going and then you get angry when you hear people complain.'. She went on to say I was contradicting myself, because when I called about my sister, I didn't want to discuss why she couldn't work. Excuse me? That is a completely personal matter - all that she needed to know was that she could not work - there is no reason for her to know why a 15 year old junior casual staff member can't work a four hour shift. When I mentioned that she yelled at me after I told her my sister was in hospital she said 'that's not the way I remember the conversation'. She said she sent me a text the next day because she felt the conversation didn't sit well with her (oh? really?). I interupted her at that point, and mentioned that the text meant nothing, as she had never apologised for her actions, even now. She completely ignored me.

Anyway. At the end of the conversation, she said all she needs to know is that I will turn up to work, do my shift with 100% effort, and that she understands 'our relationship'.

Also - I think she recorded my conversation, or, that I was on loudspeaker the whole time and my boss was also listening. I could hear a funny echo. My friend said she heard the same thing, and thought it odd that J asked her several times 'Now, I need to know if you are NOT going to go for workers compensation and that you DID NOT do this injury at work'. She asked my friend to repeat it several times, so it's highly likely they recorded it. I should make it a point to mention to her one day that it is illegal to do that without consent...

I after that conversation, I emailed my dad about it, and applied for five jobs online. My dad sent me a late email telling me that if my heart wasn't in it anymore and the workplace had gone sour, that I should leave soon and not let it drag me down. Something will turn up, he said. You just have to look.

I am planning on spending the weekend studying, and will set aside an hour to print resumes, track down a lovely old couple who employed me a few years ago to use as a reference, and spend a few afternoons next week visiting businesses in the area to find SOMETHING. I can't work for someone who can't admit even one fault about herself.

A whole day to study!

August 14th, 2011 at 12:10 am

I have cancelled going to a friends birthday to catch up on my studies. DH is still going though, and leaves in about an hour. Hes going early to spend a day catching up with friends and is picking up a piece of art we bought a few weeks ago. He's also giving a friend some items to sell in his shop, fingers crossed that goes well!
Yesterday I learnt quite a few people dropped out of one of the courses I'm doing (sta2300 - data analysis). I'm determined NOT to fail. It is a hard course, but I only need 50% to pass. I have found that the ones who have dropped out and complain about how hard it is, how far they are behind, how Italy it is they have to learn ALL the info in ONE semester... Are also the ones that spend the most time on the university course forum, and the Facebook study page one of them set up. I feel like saying 'maybe if you didn't waste so much time you might be up to date on your studies???' argh. People are so frustrating.

garage sale success

August 13th, 2011 at 10:55 am

Whew! What a day! The garage sale is over. We were up and selling very early, first customer arrived at 6am and continued on until roughly midday. We made just over $440 in total. The guy who bought the tires owe us $60 (paid a $20 dep), and a single mum with kids owes $90 for a tv cabinet. She paid $10 deposit and is also paying us $15 if we can deliver it to her house on Wednesday when she gets more money. I made cupcakes to sell as well (sold about 12 for $2 ea) and she has asked me to make 10 more on Wednesday... And wants to order some for a birthday as well, later on. Yay! I am only charging her $1.50 each for the bulk orders. I have to find out how much I can buy the ingredients for from my boss. I don't make a lot on them (they are not cheap ingredients... Cream cheese, strawberries etc) but anything is good really!)
After the garage sale we did our weekly grocery shop and had Mexican for dinner from a new place in town. Naughty having takeaway two nights in a row... Especially after just doing the shopping! But... So tired!

Already made $117!

August 12th, 2011 at 10:44 am

it is the night before our garage sale and we have already made $117 from it! An older guy (I'm assuming hes a collector, one of those that arrive really early to get the good stuff and then resell it elsewhere) asked if he could take a look today as he wouldn't be here on Saturday. We said that was fine. By the time he arrived we had most things already priced. He haggled a little which was fine and in the end he bought an old hat stand for $15, a golf club set for $10, a frame for $2 and a set of Tyres from my old car for $80. :-)

garage sale officially going ahead!

August 10th, 2011 at 03:38 am

I booked an ad in the newspaper today. Hopefully it doesn't work against us, but I booked it with a state wide newspaper rather than the local one. Our local wanted $55 for one day, $75 for two day ad, whereas the statewide papers' ad was $18.54! I know a few people who read the statewide ad so I'm figuring people DO read it in our area, and the woman taking the details said she does list ads regularly for garage sales in our area. I just can't justify paying that much for 8 lines of text (funnily enough, we got 10 lines in the statewide one...!)

We don't even have to buy price stickers because DH has some from his home-brewing kit. He thought it would be a good idea to stamp the stickers with a date and stick it on the top of the bottle - then found out it's just easier to write a number on the cap instead, with pen.

Hopefully we sell some stuff. DH is even letting go of MORE bigger items too, which is extremely exciting. A few tables, like I mentioned in a previous post, plus a snowboard & associated gear, an electric stainless steel oven (my boss actually gave it to me - hoping to get $100 for it, but would be happy with $50 or $40 if someone offers). I'm going to go through my baking-ware drawer too. I have so much stuff I have been given that I don't use. Who needs seven muffin trays??? I have books to sell too, and clothes.

Any tips from fellow SA'ers who have held garage sales? It's been so long since I was involved in one, and even then I was very young.

university: subjects, semesters, ramblings, textbooks etc.

August 9th, 2011 at 06:34 am

I got some marks back for a small assessment piece (one of the first for this semester). Actually, all I've gotten back is my peer marks - but, they were positive, and I got 4/5 & 5/5 for the peer markings. I have three more assessment pieces like this. Still waiting on the marks from the actual course leader.

I have so many assessments this semester I've actually had to write it all down on a wall calender and put notes of when I hope to have completed sections of some of the larger ones, just so I don't fall behind or forget them (already nearly happened...) It's crazy.

For CIS1000 I have 4 presentations, 2 assignments & one 2 hour closed-exam. For STA2300 I have 9 online tests, 3 assignments and a 2 hour restricted exam. Full on compared to my last subject LAW1101, where I had four online tests and a 2 hour exam...

I enrolled in Semester 3 already. I have holidays in a month so I hope to spend a few days trying to track down cheap textbooks for this one. I am doing ACC1102 (financial accounting). I am actually excited about this one because it mainly involves using the MYOB software package... which I already use for work! I'm looking forward to learning neat tricks and new things I can utilise at work, and hopefully by the end of the subject I'll be able to confidently say I'm proficient in MYOB... instead of just mumbling something about 'using it at work sometimes...' Big Grin

It's funny, in this day & age I feel I need a piece of paper to say I know how to do something. (Everyone else is qualified in this or has a degree in that, etc etc). Otherwise I have no confidence in myself at all. I've passed on THREE book-keeping jobs to other people. Yes, THREE. And I KNOW I could do them myself, I'm just terribly afraid of making a mistake and feeling like I'm not qualified to be doing something, so why am I charging someone to do it for them?

The funny thing is, one of the jobs I passed on to a friend of a friend (I must say here, I don't particularly like her much) I have had the opportunity to see her work, as the job I gave her was doing the book work for the butchery who supplies my workplace with meat. And I know she's not doing it properly. Every time I see the invoices... I want to go in there and fix his accounts up! Argh! Anyway. It's not my problem. He has an accountant as well - I'm assuming he fixes it. LOL.

Anyway. I'm rambling. This is a university update post.

Assuming I pass the two subjects I'm doing now... will mean I have done five subjects in a year. I'm doing one over the Summer semester. And then... Not entirely sure. Depending on when (if) we conceive, it's possible that a due date will be around exam dates of Semester 1, 2012. And I'm unsure how I'll go studying whilst being pregnant. Don't people get tired and forget things? I'm already tired all the time! Eeek. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself, as I'm not even remotely pregnant yet. LOL.

But, I do plan on doing two subjects a semester after the birth, anyway, whenever that is. Maybe even three. We will see.

I had to buy my textbooks NEW again this semester, grrrr. Spent $370-ish for two subjects! Got three books, three or four different computer programs... AHHH. So many resources, so little time to utilise them properly! Add onto that my actual course CD that I have to work through as well...

On top of the $370 I also have to buy the Microsoft Access program, as my student version of Microsoft Office Suite only had a trial pack of Access (which has expired). I was able to download another trial version that lasts for two months, and can buy it at a discounted rate for $99 online. I had an idea today though, that PERHAPS I will be able to bribe my little sister into giving me her username and password for her school account email, and letting me download ANOTHER trial version. I only need it for four months... this could actually work! Big Grin (assuming they don't track your IP address, only your email account name...).

When doing my tax return two weeks ago, it became official that I have a HECS debt. I am sure in a few years time I won't be excited to see it, but at the moment it is still a bit of a novelty. I owe $6750.00 so far! Probably a bad thing to get excited about debt - but it is one debt that I don't have to worry about. The interest is minimal, and I am not required to pay a cent back until I earn over a certain amount (I think at the moment it is $47-50k a year... but it goes up every year). If I do choose to pay it back earlier, which, once I graduate and we are earning more, I plan to, whatever I pay back I get an extra 10% paid off as well. (So If I pay $500, $550 actually gets paid off the debt).

Back to the topic of textbooks, I have looked on eBay and some student sites, and I think I may be able to sell the books for roughly what I paid for them, thank goodness. It is good to get some money for them - and with these I won't be marking them in any way either. The only one I have hung onto so far has been my accounting textbook for the first accounting course, ACC1101. I think that they do actually use it in ACC1102 anyway, so I am glad I kept it! Otherwise I'd have to buy it all over again...

Well, time to go and actually do some studying now! Take care gang!

weekly update

August 8th, 2011 at 05:41 am

Another week, and another weekend, gone so fast. I can't believe it's a week into August already.

DH and I had a nice weekend. We went to a local market to check out what they had and whether we'd be able to have a stall there. So far it seems no one else is selling what we want to, which is a good sign.

I bought a skirt while I was there. It was $AU60, handmade, organic cotton, and was able to meet and talk to the lady who made them.

Also bought some curry spice mix ($10).

Due to studying, I've changed our 'grocery shopping day' to Saturday, and now DH comes with me and helps. It's quicker this way, and we get to spend the morning together. Then we go home, I settle into my uni work and DH unpacks and does whatever he wants/needs to (lately, usually car stuff).

DH has been cooking more lately too. We just bought a wok. I know it's something most people have but I've never gotten around to buying one in all the years we've lived by ourselves. Someone usually has one. Anyway, long story short, found the cheapest possible one for $19 and DH is trying it out tonight and making sweet and sour tofu stirfry with egg noodles.

No word on the job front. My current job is annoying as usual. I get to work with my boss's wife tomorrow, which will be interesting, as I haven't really said more than two words to her since the incident involving my little sister.

Looks like we might definately have the garage sale this weekend, if the weather seems like it might be good. Exciting! DH has already made some signs up. The only thing we have to do is put an ad in the paper.

garage sale, keeping & getting rid of things...

August 5th, 2011 at 05:52 am

DH doesn't have a lot of work lined up for the next two weeks (and has already had a week off, save for a small 6 hour job), so for the first time ever he's actually been extremely motivated to hold the garage sale we've talked about having since we moved in (two years ago...).

My DH is a bit of a hoarder. He reckons he's not, but his motto is 'if I can use it at some stage, some day, possibly... then we should keep it, we have room after all!'
Yeah, right. That 'room' we had (the entire basement) is full of crap. Big Grin I'm sorry, I meant useful stuff *cough*. I have a few items to sell as well.

DH wants to sell our coffee table though. He made it about five years ago and I love it. It's solid hardwood with a parquetry top that you can play chess on. When he said he wants to sell it and use another one he has (that's in the basement somewhere) I said I wanted to keep it because everyone always comments on it when they enter our house, it looks nice, and also he MADE it. He says he doesn't want it BECAUSE he made it. Frown

Oh well. I guess we have to learn to let go. And I suppose I shouldn't be trying to make him keep it - after all he does have a bit of a problem with that anyway! Why am I discouraging him!?

I remember when my dad & stepmum had a garage sale years and years ago. I was about 13. My stepmum gently suggested my dad sell a few of his records (he has... oh... a few thousand...). After much thought and sorting he emerged with an entire milk crate, with about 20 he was willing to let go. Big Grin
He told me later, that when someone flicked through the crate and picked up a record for a closer look, my dad felt his stomach clench when he realised he just wasn't that ready to let it go. At that exact moment, the mans daughter threw a tantrum, distracting him. My dad whisked the milk crate away and put it back in the house Big Grin

updates, diets, outings.

August 3rd, 2011 at 03:09 am

I just checked my account and my tax refund has been cleared. Yay! That means DH's will go through tomorrow.

(I had done mine and looked at the pile of reciepts for DH's and decided to post-pone it to the next night. And thank goodness, it took me nearly an hour!)

I have been inspired again reading Ceejays blog to start a short and sweet health kick regime. Even though we *are* much healthier right now than a month ago (and even then - we were much healthier than a lot of people we know!) I have found I haven't budged any weight that I wanted to. Frown I blame winter, studying, lack of energy etc etc. But, I only have about five weeks until TTC and even though some would think it's pointless (seeing as, well, I'll probably be putting on a lot more weight in the 9 months after...!) I still want to be as fit and healthy as I possibly can before pregnancy.

My aim is to take the dogs for a longer than usual walk/run (around an hour) on a different walking track. This one has a few hilly areas and gives me a bit of a workout. I'm hoping to do that five days a week, one day of rest and one day of yoga. Also hoping to slip a few sessions of boxing in there too, but that's only a maybe, depends on the time.

Diet-wise, I have cut out drinking coffee during the week, and only drink one or two cups on the weekend. This is for a few reasons: firstly sometimes I get weird heart palpitations, sweats and shakes when I have a cup of coffee (I haven't gotten them since I stopped, a few months ago). Also, because obviously I won't be drinking coffee while I'm pregnant, so this is me weaning Big Grin. And lastly, because DH had to give up drinking, I figured I'd do something too.

You should have seen us the first night! Sitting down to dinner, It went something like this:
---
DH: Can't I just start this tomorrow? I've had a long hard day working with dad and I want a glass of wine.

Me: What! No! If you do that, then tomorrow you'll say the same thing, then the next day, and the next, then there won't be any point at all. And besides, I haven't had a coffee all day and my head feels like it's about to implode. So you CAN'T have a wine.

---

Continuing on the diet discussion, I haven't quite figured it out actually. But I'm thinking along the lines of a few weeks eating steamed vegetables, brown rice, soups etc. Might have one day in there to relax a little and eat something naughty. But for the most part I want to eat fresh unprocessed organic food, mostly vegetables. Minimal dairy. Extremely reduced sugar intake (probably only my 'free' day). Etc Etc. We'll see how I go. It's so difficult trying to study though, with low energy levels. I find my concentration wanes a lot. Now I understand why my old flatmate used to eat 1kg of lollies every week - the sugar keeps you UP. lol.

We are thinking of going to Greazefest on Sunday ( www.greazefest.com ). It is a 1950's car/fashion/style/hotrod/music themed festival that we've wanted to go to for a few years and finally we have the weekend spare when it's on! Exciting. But, we are still deciding, because the day will probably cost $100+ ($25 each entry, petrol to get there, food etc). And DH is just about to spend a bit of money on some screenprinting paint and a bulk lot of blank tshirts. We have a friend who operates an art studio who has offered to sell some of DH's designs.

Even though we're about to embark on running the flooring business ourselves with less input from DH's dad, I think DH wants to find a way to make money without having to do physically draining work, use chemicals, and deal with pedantic clients. (Unfortunately the clients can't be helped, DH's dad runs a premium flooring business that is unlike the subcontracted ones you hire out from a carpet shop who do a usually sub-par job.)