Take the Electricity Challenge with me!

I am currently doing an Electricity Challenge at Down To Earth with Rhonda Jean. I have got myself a little book and am checking the meter every day. I'm turning off all the appliances we don't need. For instance we have 2 hand held phones that are constantly charging but we really only need the one - so 1 has been switched off. Lights! My goodness we have a lot - all have the energy saving globes but still, the front porch does not need to be on when we are all inside. I have gas for cooking but I used the frypan the other night and realised it would have been better to use the cooker and just as easy.

Check out the Rhonda Jeans explanation on How to Read Your Meter - very insightful! I never had a clue!

Camping and Clubs

Well this has got to be the wettest week so far since we moved here! It was fantastic to see all the water in the creeks and the river came up but no flooding to stop me from going to work :((

Very sad.

I am determined that I am going to have a holiday but looking at the price of a unit to rent for a week is just too expensive so..... we're going camping!! Haven't done it since I was a kid but I do remember we had a lot of fun - except when it rained which is why mum and dad got this little tiny black and white TV that ran of a battery - it kept us entertained and we stopped annoying them.

So - I've purchased a tent - an Oztrail Sportiva Villa 9.

This is it - we got it of Ebay - or rather we are picking it up today. Very excited. The blurb...

Villa 9 Sleeps up to nine + three. The Villa is an extremely practical tent. The Portico Screen Room extension to the central living area negates the need for extra tarps or structures. The perfect family tent with 2 bedrooms separated by the living area.

So we're off down to Newcastle today to pick it up from the lady.

So I had to shop for other stuff - cause all we have is 1 sleeping bag. Kmart has a great sale on at the moment with a buy 1 sleeping bag get 1 free, so saved myself a bit there. Graeme wasn't too happy when I came home with it all - mainly cause I'd spent money.

Anyway, the other news is - we went to the club last night and did a trifecta on the raffles - Meat Tray, Veggie Tray and a Fruit Tray!!! I've just joined the club and they told me to come down on a Friday night - the special at the restaurant is Kids eat free with every adult meal - and they have a special - roast and dessert. So for $30 we all ate a great meal. $10 of raffle tickets saw us walk away with about $40 worth of goodies. Graeme was very pleased - made me take a photo of it all when we got home LOL!! Here are our spoils ...

Also - eldest daughter has found work! She has found a job at a newsagency in Sydney, its on call at the moment but she enjoys it (which is a little surprising) I just hope she stays at it.

Middle daughter is getting an award from school an Excellence award - she doesn't know for which subject as yet. We got the letter yesterday so will have to now organise to take some time off to go.

Youngest daughter had school photo's this week, half her class was flooded in so won't be in the photo's.

Hope you all had a great week! I'm off to get my tent .... how exciting!!!! And tonight we're off to a Trivia Night - maybe some more prizes!

BTW - Hello Mum and Dad - just got your email that your at Narrabri at the moment.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.

The novel starts in 1964 and follows the life of Dr David Henry and his wife Norah who gives birth to twins, a boy Paul and their daughter Pheobe who he recognises has Down sydnrome. He makes a quick decision to sent his daughter with his nurse Caroline to an instiution. He tells his wife that their daughter Pheobe has died during the birth. Caroline takes the little girl to the instiution but is unable to leave her there and makes the decision that she will keep her and raise her as her own, packs up her things and moves to another city. The book then follows the next 25 years of their lives based on this lie.

I enjoyed this book but found it very sad, at one point putting it down and almost deciding not to finish it. It called me back however and I finished it with relish. The saddest part is that the father dies without the truth ever coming out with him to explain his decision and his regret. This I guess made me think about how we often think we have time to sort some things out in our lives, busy with life we never get the chance and then there is no more opportunities. Lost. Forever.

I feel more inspired by this book to not make the decisions that you will regret for the rest of your life.

PS This book is one of the 2007 Books Alive

The weekend!

Well it's the weekend already. For once this week has gone fast. My mum and dad have visited us for a few days, very nice to come home to the house clean, ironing done and dinner cooked. Although DH does the cooking he never does the ironing and the house is never spotless - but hey I can live with that. Anyway they are off now and on their trek - first to Tamworth, Lightening Ridge and then Queensland to some lakes, not sure where exactly. Will see them again just before Christmas - ah the grey nomads, what a life.

Middle DD has been sick with the flu which got worse Thursday - the day my parents left and I got a call from the school to come and pick her up - ended up having to have Friday off as well.

DH has just arrived back from his work in Sydney with more stuff he has found lurking in the cupboards of our old house. Good news on that score - finally have sold it! We will start looking for our new place at the end of the year. It feels very strange, maybe because we still have the keys for a while but I don't feel sad about leaving it.

I have been very slack updating this blog but will try and put some more effort into it.

I was inspired by Kez's Blog with her list of things to do after she finishes work. I used to have a lot of hobbies but I'm not really sure what happened to it all, reading and internet are my only real outlets as well at the moment - so I'm going to have a think about it and come up with a list of my own.

One lovely bright part of my week was speaking to M in Qld who tells me that we are having a girly weekend with K from Sydney in October and they're coming to me! Now I just have to find somewhere lovely to stay??? Umm will have to investigate. Last time we went to QLD and had a ball. Will have to start saving now.

I'm putting in some photo's I've taken while I've been up here - need to get out and do some more.

In My BackYard a vegetable growing plot!

A great way to get children gardening is to con them! That's the word from In My BackYard.
In My BackYard (IMBY) is a project to encourage, cajole, trick, or use any other means to make the backyard vegetable garden a centrepiece of our urban landscape!

To encourage children into gardening IMBY has created the "Pocket Money Bean" - a special bean seed that kids can use to turn beans into money. They make an agreement with Mum or Dad to grow the beans in the backyard and in return they will be paid pocket money for the beans.

IMBY's founder, Andy Carnahan of Bowral in the Southern Highlands of NSW (pictured above with beans ready for students to shuck into 'Pocket Money Beans'), readily admits that the central concept is based on a playful "scam".

For the kids, they are getting one over Mum and Dad. Getting paid for easy work! For Mum and Dad, of course, the kids are tricked into a healthy activity, and will be more likely to eat their own home-grown produce.

Pocket Money Beans have been road tested for two years, branching out into Pocket Money Vegetables after Yates donated 2,000 packets of seeds to support the project. The beans and vegetables have been distributed at local environment day fairs, an eco show and small farms expo.

Light-hearted Incentive
Children and parents both the love the concept and it provides a wonderful light-hearted incentive to put a small garden in the backyard. Upper primary children (Years 4 to 6) seem to grasp the concept most strongly.
IMBY is based on a simple mission statement: to reconnect children and families to food gardening - one backyard at a time.
It is hard to find anything to criticise about backyard vegetable gardens. They provide food, gentle exercise, botany lessons, a richer eco-system, waste disposal, appreciation of the environment, the value of consistent effort, and of delayed gratification.
Andy hopes one day soon, a backyard vegetable garden will be held in the same high esteem as a daily walk.
'It is ironic in these days of high technology and medical discovery that something as basic as a half hour walk is now the first and best prescription for just about any ailment. I think food gardening will be 'medically proven' to have the same benefits - but my prescription is not to wait!'
IMBY is a simple project - the IMBY website (at www.imby.org.au) contains more details about the project, and details the pocket money beans in more detail. You can ask for a sample packet of beans and download literature and templates to create your own pocket money vegetables.
"I see the website in the same way as I see my garden. The ideas on the website have been 'grown' by me but they are not mine. Everyone is welcome to take their own 'cuttings' and use them to develop their own ideas for encouraging gardening. In return I would love to hear how others have gone in getting the gardens growing".

Exposing IMBY

Andy is hoping to get IMBY 'exposed' on a current affairs show as a good news scam in Spring 2007. "Parents fleeced by their own kids" or "Unscrupulous parents resort to dirty tricks to force vegetables on their unsuspecting children". Hopefully the shows have a sense of humour!
IMBY will continue to give away and promote the Pocket Money Beans and Vegetable idea. For teachers and others wanting to start a project in their area Andy is happy to help. You can email him at andy@imby.org.au or write to IMBY, PO Box 54, Mittagong NSW 2575.

From Sustaintable Gardening Australia

2007 Books Alive

Books Alive is an Australian Government initiative that aims to encourage all Australians to experience the joys of reading. Every year, Books Alive runs a nationwide campaign to ignite the country’s passion for books and make it easier to choose a really great ‘read’.
The 2007 Books Alive Great Read Guide: your guide to 50 books so good everyone will want to read them
Whatever you’re into you’re assured of finding a truly great book with The 2007 Books Alive Great Read Guide. Our independent panel of book industry experts from right around Australia has done all the hard work for you, selecting 50 remarkable books across a huge range of genres and styles: biography, crime, fantasy, history, science, children’s books and much more. They’re 50 books so good everyone will want to read them!
Click here to view The 2007 Books Alive Great Read Guide. You’ll also find a hard copy in the August issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly or inside your local bookseller throughout August.

FREE limited edition book
The Ballad of Les Darcy, a biography of the legendary Australian boxer, is the latest book from Australia’s bestselling author Peter FitzSimons and is exclusive to Books Alive. It’s yours FREE when you buy any book from The 2007 Books Alive Great Read Guide.
Click here to learn more about the book.
The Books Alive campaign period begins on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 and finishes on Friday, 31 August 2007. The free book offer is only available from participating booksellers and only while stocks last.

The Big Book Club

The Big Book Club Incorporated is a not for profit arts organization.

Our mission is to promote reading, the discussion of books and the promotion of Australian authors.
The Big Book Club Incorporated manages two major projects:
The Big Book Club for adults
The Little Big Book Club for parents of children aged between 0 – 5 years
The Big Book Club Incorporated links with other major organizations to connect readers no matter their age or where they live.
The Big Book Club
At the end of 2002, a group of like-minded individuals met to discuss how reading and literature could be promoted in South Australia. The outcome, The Big Book Club, was launched in April 2003.
Not an earth shattering new concept – book clubs had existed for years. But there are elements that make The Big Book Club unique.
Firstly, the sheer scale of the project. The ‘club’ is open to everyone! There are no joining fees and it’s up to you as to whether your register or not. You can participate when and how you wish.
Secondly, the author of each month’s selected book visits South Australia and Queensland and travels to various regional areas to meet their readers. The ‘club’ brings people together.
The Big Book Club has now coordinated over 300 author events, including high school and tertiary visits, and travelled over 21,000kms around South Australia.
Thirdly, The Big Book Club has developed strong business and community partnerships with the media, in both states, public libraries, publishers and booksellers.
These partnerships have received state and national acknowledgement:
Winner: Australian Business and Arts Foundation Australia Council Media Arts Award (2003)
State Winner: Prime Minister’s Community and Business Partnership (2005)
STOP THE PRESS.....The Big Book Club launched into Queensland March 2007 with The Unknown Terrorist by well respected Australian author Mr Richard Flanagan.
The Little Big Book Club has developed an exciting Rhyme Time DVD and Booklet available FREE from all public libraries (whilst stocks last) in Queensland. click here for more details.

Plastic Bags

Aug. 10, 2007 OAKLAND, Calif. -- On a foggy Tuesday morning, kids out of school for summer break are learning to sail on the waters of Lake Merritt. A great egret hunts for fish, while dozens of cormorants perch, drying their wings. But we're not here to bird-watch or go boating. Twice a week volunteers with the Lake Merritt Institute gather on these shores of the nation's oldest national wildlife refuge to fish trash out of the water, and one of their prime targets is plastic bags. Armed with gloves and nets with long handles, like the kind you'd use to fish leaves out of a backyard swimming pool, we take to the shores to seek our watery prey.
Dr. Richard Bailey, executive director of the institute, is most concerned about the bags that get waterlogged and sink to the bottom. "We have a lot of animals that live on the bottom: shrimp, shellfish, sponges," he says. "It's like you're eating at your dinner table and somebody comes along and throws a plastic tarp over your dinner table and you."



This morning, a turtle feeds serenely next to a half submerged Walgreens bag. The bag looks ghostly, ethereal even, floating, as if in some kind of purgatory suspended between its briefly useful past and its none-too-promising future. A bright blue bags floats just out of reach, while a duck cruises by. Here's a Ziploc bag, there a Safeway bag. In a couple of hours, I fish more than two dozen plastic bags out of the lake with my net, along with cigarette butts, candy wrappers and a soccer ball. As we work, numerous passersby on the popular trail that circles the urban lake shout their thanks, which is an undeniable boost. Yet I can't help being struck that our efforts represent a tiny drop in the ocean. If there's one thing we know about these plastic bags, it's that there are billions and billions more where they came from.
The plastic bag is an icon of convenience culture, by some estimates the single most ubiquitous consumer item on Earth, numbering in the trillions. They're made from petroleum or natural gas with all the attendant environmental impacts of harvesting fossil fuels. One recent study found that the inks and colorants used on some bags contain lead, a toxin. Every year, Americans throw away some 100 billion plastic bags after they've been used to transport a prescription home from the drugstore or a quart of milk from the grocery store. It's equivalent to dumping nearly 12 million barrels of oil.
Only 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled worldwide -- about 2 percent in the U.S. -- and the rest, when discarded, can persist for centuries. They can spend eternity in landfills, but that's not always the case. "They're so aerodynamic that even when they're properly disposed of in a trash can they can still blow away and become litter," says Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste. It's as litter that plastic bags have the most baleful effect. And we're not talking about your everyday eyesore.


Once aloft, stray bags cartwheel down city streets, alight in trees, billow from fences like flags, clog storm drains, wash into rivers and bays and even end up in the ocean, washed out to sea. Bits of plastic bags have been found in the nests of albatrosses in the remote Midway Islands. Floating bags can look all too much like tasty jellyfish to hungry marine critters. According to the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic. The conservation group estimates that 50 percent of all marine litter is some form of plastic. There are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of ocean, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. In the Northern Pacific Gyre, a great vortex of ocean currents, there's now a swirling mass of plastic trash about 1,000 miles off the coast of California, which spans an area that's twice the size of Texas, including fragments of plastic bags. There's six times as much plastic as biomass, including plankton and jellyfish, in the gyre. "It's an endless stream of incessant plastic particles everywhere you look," says Dr. Marcus Eriksen, director of education and research for the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, which studies plastics in the marine environment. "Fifty or 60 years ago, there was no plastic out there."
Following the lead of countries like Ireland, Bangladesh, South Africa, Thailand and Taiwan, some U.S. cities are striking back against what they see as an expensive, wasteful and unnecessary mess. This year, San Francisco and Oakland outlawed the use of plastic bags in large grocery stores and pharmacies, permitting only paper bags with at least 40 percent recycled content or otherwise compostable bags. The bans have not taken effect yet, but already the city of Oakland is being sued by an association of plastic bag manufacturers calling itself the Coalition to Support Plastic Bag Recycling. Meanwhile, other communities across the country, including Santa Monica, Calif., New Haven, Conn., Annapolis, Md., and Portland, Ore., are considering taking drastic legislative action against the bags. In Ireland, a now 22-cent tax on plastic bags has slashed their use by more than 90 percent since 2002. In flood-prone Bangladesh, where plastic bags choked drainage systems, the bags have been banned since 2002.
The problem with plastic bags isn't just where they end up, it's that they never seem to end. "All the plastic that has been made is still around in smaller and smaller pieces," says Stephanie Barger, executive director of the Earth Resource Foundation, which has undertaken a Campaign Against the Plastic Plague. Plastic doesn't biodegrade. That means unless they've been incinerated -- a noxious proposition -- every plastic bag you've ever used in your entire life, including all those bags that the newspaper arrives in on your doorstep, even on cloudless days when there isn't a sliver of a chance of rain, still exists in some form, even fragmented bits, and will exist long after you're dead.