Perfect Weather...
I was just in awe today of the weather... there was a lovely breeze, the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky and it wasn't stifling! There was no sweat in sight! I was even able to open the car up after a day in the sun and not have an automatic sheen after sitting in there!!!
It's the perfect time to start our camping weekends away.. First one is planned for 17 & 18th April, and then again on the Mothers Day weekend like last year. Anything after May is a little cold... (especially for someone who can't sleep through without getting up for a pee!)
We're going to try and fit as many in as possible and then we'll be back out there August - October!!!
Lots of pics to come!
Mmmmm... Campfire!
Marshmallows
Potato's in Foil
Corn in the Fire
Alcohol!
Doing nothing!!!!
HEAVEN!
(I wonder, if in a weekend, I would be able to get through all 4 of the Twilight Saga??? Hrmmm... should set myself a challenge!)
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
New Back Yard
Well... that's what it feels like!
We worked solid from 9 yesterday to about 3.30.. and it's like we have a new yard!
We removed the Mango Tree... One HUGE limb from the Jacaranda... an uncountable number of palm fronds... and one of those funky fir tree things with the little blue berry things on them...
I really wish I had taken before photo's to go with some after photo's.. but wasn't really thinking about that! All the leaves, weeds, well... everything is gone! Including our weird ground cover plant which will grow back within the week!
We are hoping that the lack of green-waste in the backyard will reduce the number of mozzies that are out there... haven't tested it yet... might do that later! Have to do the washing and clean the inside of the house first!
The house washing has been pushed to this coming Friday... cause they don't take payment via credit card... what company doesn't??? We don't generally have large amounts of cash on us... oh well.. it will get done next week and with that... create more work for us to do! Bring on the house painting!!!!!
We worked solid from 9 yesterday to about 3.30.. and it's like we have a new yard!
We removed the Mango Tree... One HUGE limb from the Jacaranda... an uncountable number of palm fronds... and one of those funky fir tree things with the little blue berry things on them...
I really wish I had taken before photo's to go with some after photo's.. but wasn't really thinking about that! All the leaves, weeds, well... everything is gone! Including our weird ground cover plant which will grow back within the week!
We are hoping that the lack of green-waste in the backyard will reduce the number of mozzies that are out there... haven't tested it yet... might do that later! Have to do the washing and clean the inside of the house first!
The house washing has been pushed to this coming Friday... cause they don't take payment via credit card... what company doesn't??? We don't generally have large amounts of cash on us... oh well.. it will get done next week and with that... create more work for us to do! Bring on the house painting!!!!!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Change of Pay Dates
In a large corporation, if your pay date was changing you would get more than 4 days notice... wouldn't you??? Seems to not be the case in the little mans world. The reason for the date change is so that our fortnights don't end on Public Holidays meaning pays can be late... Is that so that the Scheme doesn't have to do more work on those weeks or so we don't have to wait an extra day for our pay to appear in the account... I haven't quite decided yet! What I have figured out is that it's made a hell of a mess in our budget, cause we did have money coming in every week which worked really well with the money we had going out every week.. so now I've had to change payments, and amounts so that we don't continually overdraw the account... nice hey! Good thing I do check my email regularly, otherwise the end of the week would have come and gone and I would be missing out on a weeks payment next week.... Don't you just love it?!?
That added to the little man today only sleeping for 1 1/2 hours, when he usually sleeps for around 5 (across the day) lots of tears and grumbling which couldn't be consoled... made for a happy Jess this afternoon!
Seriously hope that tomorrow is better!!!!
Quick congrats to my cousin Sarah, who had a little girl at 1.33pm this afternoon. They have called her Lily (an ever popular name at the moment!) I think everything went well...
News for the next week!
Got house cleaners coming on Friday to wash the house down.. make it look a bit better, and so we can do some prepping for painting. (I think that's what we'll be asking for for our birthdays... Paint!!!) I'm going to do some cleaning down in Brisbane to pull in some extra dosh, and then, weather pending, we are doing the rest of the yard work this weekend. Maybe it will reduce the number of Mozzies out there so that we could go out and spend time with Puppy occasionally without getting eaten!
That added to the little man today only sleeping for 1 1/2 hours, when he usually sleeps for around 5 (across the day) lots of tears and grumbling which couldn't be consoled... made for a happy Jess this afternoon!
Seriously hope that tomorrow is better!!!!
Quick congrats to my cousin Sarah, who had a little girl at 1.33pm this afternoon. They have called her Lily (an ever popular name at the moment!) I think everything went well...
News for the next week!
Got house cleaners coming on Friday to wash the house down.. make it look a bit better, and so we can do some prepping for painting. (I think that's what we'll be asking for for our birthdays... Paint!!!) I'm going to do some cleaning down in Brisbane to pull in some extra dosh, and then, weather pending, we are doing the rest of the yard work this weekend. Maybe it will reduce the number of Mozzies out there so that we could go out and spend time with Puppy occasionally without getting eaten!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
I don't want a mortgage anymore....
In the mail today arrived our 6 monthly statement from our Mortgage holder.
It's made me rather cranky actually because in the last 6 months, we have made $12853.75 in payments... $988.75 every fortnight without fail! In that same 6 months, we have been charged $11959.61 in interest. In total.. we have paid $894.14 off our mortgage... How good does that make you feel!
If we were renting... at $320 a week - which would afford us a nice 4 bed, 2 bath, brick and tile house with a new kitchen, double lockup garage... it would only have cost us $8320. Now.. with that $4533.75 we could have had a two-three week holiday in Thailand, Restored the Terrano to almost new. It would have been money that we could have paid off our credit cards, instead of using them to buy food as we had no other means... (I like the three week holiday in Thailand better than all the options!)
I know that having a home of your own is the dream of all Australians... Not paying off someone else's mortgage is better than paying off your own.. but from where I am sitting at the moment, earning my wonderful $287.50 a week from doing home day care, the extra $190 a week in my pocket would have made our last six months so much easier.
Bring on the Rudd bonus payment, cause that's what we are relying on to get the car on the road, and a new job for me - so that we can start to enjoy life again... actually go out for a meal occasionally instead of me saying "just let me check the budget first...."
It's made me rather cranky actually because in the last 6 months, we have made $12853.75 in payments... $988.75 every fortnight without fail! In that same 6 months, we have been charged $11959.61 in interest. In total.. we have paid $894.14 off our mortgage... How good does that make you feel!
If we were renting... at $320 a week - which would afford us a nice 4 bed, 2 bath, brick and tile house with a new kitchen, double lockup garage... it would only have cost us $8320. Now.. with that $4533.75 we could have had a two-three week holiday in Thailand, Restored the Terrano to almost new. It would have been money that we could have paid off our credit cards, instead of using them to buy food as we had no other means... (I like the three week holiday in Thailand better than all the options!)
I know that having a home of your own is the dream of all Australians... Not paying off someone else's mortgage is better than paying off your own.. but from where I am sitting at the moment, earning my wonderful $287.50 a week from doing home day care, the extra $190 a week in my pocket would have made our last six months so much easier.
Bring on the Rudd bonus payment, cause that's what we are relying on to get the car on the road, and a new job for me - so that we can start to enjoy life again... actually go out for a meal occasionally instead of me saying "just let me check the budget first...."
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Job Interview
I have a job interview on Friday with a consulting company who does work for.. guess who... Telstra!!!! I just can't seem to get away from the Big T's monopoly! Sometimes I think I should have just stayed working for them.. oh how different my life would be right now!!
I would be ultra stressed, hate work, miserable and causing marital problems cause of my own mood swings.. on the flip side, we would have money, I'd still have my ute... we'd be able to start a family straight away instead of waiting for like 3 years.
I wouldn't be great friends with Hayley like I am now, because I would never have had the excuse to go and meet her as I did with the day care starting and needing support. I would not have had the chance to work with both good and bad children and to work out in my head what I am and not going to do when my own little precious ones come along. I also have been able to purchase some of the items that will be required for my own child (all at a Tax Deductible Rate!!)
With that, the little one is now awake and wanting some grub... He's the only reason that I want to continue doing this - such a pleasure to look after!
Wish me luck!
I would be ultra stressed, hate work, miserable and causing marital problems cause of my own mood swings.. on the flip side, we would have money, I'd still have my ute... we'd be able to start a family straight away instead of waiting for like 3 years.
I wouldn't be great friends with Hayley like I am now, because I would never have had the excuse to go and meet her as I did with the day care starting and needing support. I would not have had the chance to work with both good and bad children and to work out in my head what I am and not going to do when my own little precious ones come along. I also have been able to purchase some of the items that will be required for my own child (all at a Tax Deductible Rate!!)
With that, the little one is now awake and wanting some grub... He's the only reason that I want to continue doing this - such a pleasure to look after!
Wish me luck!
Friday, March 6, 2009
What's been happening.... Hrmmm!
Our lives have been rather hectic of late. Both Stu and I are looking forward to a nice weekend, mostly at home, just to be together...
I kicked the biter.. I just couldn't deal with the constant stress of watching the child every single second. I have also had one of my children drop to one day a week cause they've moved, which isn't working well for our finances. Hence, we are trying to find someone to take our spare room, not having much luck so far!
I had to turn to the diary to try and remember everything else we'd done in the past month or so!!!
On the weekend of the 14th Feb, we were going to have a relax at home, but were informed that the roof had caved in in the second bedroom of the Dicky Beach house. Sometime during the week, the heavy rain had come through and not been able to drain out as it should... as a result some soaked plasterboard and numerous leaves fell on the bed... Thank God that there was no one staying there at the time cause it wouldn't have been pleasant.
All sorted now. Work being done next week or something to have it fixed up. On the coast front, both houses up there are now Permanent Rentals.. seems no one has the money to go on Holidays any more and a more permanent need has arisen. Means no more weekends up the coast though which is sad!
On Saturday 21st Feb.. Stu finally jumped out of the plane! It was supposed to happen at 8am in the morning but due to the overcast weather they postponed. They finally got up in the air around 2.30! He had a blast and we have video footage!! (Stu's head wrinkles!!!!) Not something that will be done again any time soon though!
To follow up those two rather busy weekends we spent last weekend (28th Feb) at my brothers house at Springfield. His tenants had moved out and the house was put on the market... They had left it in such a mess... It was two days of hard work, but it seriously paid off...
It's already under contract for the asking price and due to settle at the end of the month... I'm doing the conveyancing for Dee (trying to remember what I'm doing along the way!!) in return for a night away up the coast first week of April for Jem's birthday! Going to be lots of fun. I think I'll be the first to line up and ask for a loan once I see how much money he has again!!! :) (kidding!) Oh.. and I drove the Prado.. geese the speed of those things creep up on you.. but I was not a fan of the visibility! When (and if) our turn comes to buy a bigger 4wd.. it will have to be a Landcruiser... Bigger is better!!!
We had dinner last night at a place called Mario's in Hendra.. very nice... very posh... and very expensive (thank God we didn't have to pay!) It was Rod's birthday dinner! He got a number of gifts, a new watch from Soni, some DVD's of Top Gear, and accommodation to go with the flights to Cairns we gave them for Christmas... Hopefully the Denghi issues up there will be sorted by May!
On that front, Stu may be going to Cairns for two weeks to help with the relief efforts, I think it will be a great opportunity for him, if and when it comes about. One thing I have noticed about Caboolture is that they are kinda slack! He is acting senior (or team leader, as they call them here) for the next 5 weeks. The extra dollars will come in handy but I'm not sure whether the added work and stress will be worth it in the end.. I keep telling him to put in for some holidays!!!
From next week I have three kids on a Monday, One on a Tuesday & Wednesday, Two on a Thursday and none on a Friday... I'll be earning somewhere around $300 a week... if I'm lucky! Bleak times ahead. I have applied for a few positions here and there, and if I am successful, I'll take them, as much as I don't want to go back to work... We need the financial security at the moment. It will be nice to have a Friday off for a while though, considering I have not had any time off since July last year.
Our plans for the next few weekends - doing some much needed maintenance and cleaning up around our monstrous yard... I've lost count of the palm fronds we have sitting ready to be taken away! Lots of trimming to do cause you can barely see the shed up the back at the moment! The gardens have just taken off with all the rain that's been around. I have dinner with Jasmine (from nib) on Saturday night at Blackjacks in the Casino.. YUM YUM.. She's headed back to Newcastle... she's ready to go home! Then all of Michelle's wedding stuff starts in April and May... Need to start getting back onto the weight loss wagon! It's slowly going back on!
Being part of a Flu Shot trial next week, $250 for a jab and possible blood test. Then the Rudd Gov't payment in April... which will hopefully, fingers crossed, get the Terrano on the road. Then we'll have two cars.. for the first time since we were living at the coast in 2006!
We've been in this house for two years this year... how fast does time fly!
Cheers all!
Will try to not be as slack... but I will be!!!
PS: I picked up my layby copies of the Twilight series... Proud to report that in three days I'm mid way through number 3! I love reading them. They way that Stephenie Meyer describes things creates such wonderful mental pictures... It's just great!
I kicked the biter.. I just couldn't deal with the constant stress of watching the child every single second. I have also had one of my children drop to one day a week cause they've moved, which isn't working well for our finances. Hence, we are trying to find someone to take our spare room, not having much luck so far!
I had to turn to the diary to try and remember everything else we'd done in the past month or so!!!
On the weekend of the 14th Feb, we were going to have a relax at home, but were informed that the roof had caved in in the second bedroom of the Dicky Beach house. Sometime during the week, the heavy rain had come through and not been able to drain out as it should... as a result some soaked plasterboard and numerous leaves fell on the bed... Thank God that there was no one staying there at the time cause it wouldn't have been pleasant.
All sorted now. Work being done next week or something to have it fixed up. On the coast front, both houses up there are now Permanent Rentals.. seems no one has the money to go on Holidays any more and a more permanent need has arisen. Means no more weekends up the coast though which is sad!On Saturday 21st Feb.. Stu finally jumped out of the plane! It was supposed to happen at 8am in the morning but due to the overcast weather they postponed. They finally got up in the air around 2.30! He had a blast and we have video footage!! (Stu's head wrinkles!!!!) Not something that will be done again any time soon though!
To follow up those two rather busy weekends we spent last weekend (28th Feb) at my brothers house at Springfield. His tenants had moved out and the house was put on the market... They had left it in such a mess... It was two days of hard work, but it seriously paid off...
It's already under contract for the asking price and due to settle at the end of the month... I'm doing the conveyancing for Dee (trying to remember what I'm doing along the way!!) in return for a night away up the coast first week of April for Jem's birthday! Going to be lots of fun. I think I'll be the first to line up and ask for a loan once I see how much money he has again!!! :) (kidding!) Oh.. and I drove the Prado.. geese the speed of those things creep up on you.. but I was not a fan of the visibility! When (and if) our turn comes to buy a bigger 4wd.. it will have to be a Landcruiser... Bigger is better!!!
We had dinner last night at a place called Mario's in Hendra.. very nice... very posh... and very expensive (thank God we didn't have to pay!) It was Rod's birthday dinner! He got a number of gifts, a new watch from Soni, some DVD's of Top Gear, and accommodation to go with the flights to Cairns we gave them for Christmas... Hopefully the Denghi issues up there will be sorted by May!
On that front, Stu may be going to Cairns for two weeks to help with the relief efforts, I think it will be a great opportunity for him, if and when it comes about. One thing I have noticed about Caboolture is that they are kinda slack! He is acting senior (or team leader, as they call them here) for the next 5 weeks. The extra dollars will come in handy but I'm not sure whether the added work and stress will be worth it in the end.. I keep telling him to put in for some holidays!!!
From next week I have three kids on a Monday, One on a Tuesday & Wednesday, Two on a Thursday and none on a Friday... I'll be earning somewhere around $300 a week... if I'm lucky! Bleak times ahead. I have applied for a few positions here and there, and if I am successful, I'll take them, as much as I don't want to go back to work... We need the financial security at the moment. It will be nice to have a Friday off for a while though, considering I have not had any time off since July last year.
Our plans for the next few weekends - doing some much needed maintenance and cleaning up around our monstrous yard... I've lost count of the palm fronds we have sitting ready to be taken away! Lots of trimming to do cause you can barely see the shed up the back at the moment! The gardens have just taken off with all the rain that's been around. I have dinner with Jasmine (from nib) on Saturday night at Blackjacks in the Casino.. YUM YUM.. She's headed back to Newcastle... she's ready to go home! Then all of Michelle's wedding stuff starts in April and May... Need to start getting back onto the weight loss wagon! It's slowly going back on!
Being part of a Flu Shot trial next week, $250 for a jab and possible blood test. Then the Rudd Gov't payment in April... which will hopefully, fingers crossed, get the Terrano on the road. Then we'll have two cars.. for the first time since we were living at the coast in 2006!
We've been in this house for two years this year... how fast does time fly!
Cheers all!
Will try to not be as slack... but I will be!!!
PS: I picked up my layby copies of the Twilight series... Proud to report that in three days I'm mid way through number 3! I love reading them. They way that Stephenie Meyer describes things creates such wonderful mental pictures... It's just great!
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