10 Quick Tips – To update your space

Spring is not far away – here are some cheap tips to freshen up your living spaces.

1. Paint a wall
2. Get a nice sofa throw, or just wash the old one
3. Buy some new cushions or sew some new covers
4. Swap your pictures and/or photos around, or put up some new ones
5. Move your furniture around
6. Pick some fresh flowers and put them in a spot for all to see
7. Rearrange your book case, donate books you don’t LOVE anymore
8. Check out some creative ways to organise your space
9. Add a mirror to open up a space
10. Give your home a thorough spring clean. A clean home always makes things look better.

PS - Throws, cushions, mirrors and frames are all available, often at bargain prices, at Briscoes :-)

It's wet

and windy and stormy.

There is a Civil Emergency in Picton - some houses are being evacuated. The weather will be getting worse throughout the night.

Some roads are flooded and closed, the river where we walk the dogs is bank to bank water. I'm only hoping we don't lose power - we are an all electric home, and I don't do COLD!

Have been on the phone to Ricki tonight - the rain has just started in Christchurch.

This storm, which is apparently the size of the Tasman Sea, is moving its way down the country. The news is showing pictures of uprooted trees, roofs flying off buildings and telling of loss of life in one area up north.

Keep safe, everyone.

Bed tales

A quick stop to say hi. I really need to be redoing my budget because our waterbed has come to the end of it's much punctured life and we've had to buy a new bed. So now I have to find an extra $20 a week.
Can't wait for the new bed to arrive - hopefully by the end of the week. I bought an electric blanket that was on special at Briscoes yesterday, too. Have never had one before, but after the warmth of the waterbed, I think we’re going to need it. So no more rocking and rolling every time one of us gets in or out of bed (baffles in the bed were knackered, too). The new one has ‘pocket springs for no partner disturbance’!! Oh, the bliss . . .

The week by bullet point.

• First Budget client on Monday. I was VERY nervous, but it all went really, really well. I have a Supervisor with me for the first few times.
• Parent Teacher meetings – both boys have work to catch up on – as per usual.
• Worked Briscoes Thursday and Friday nights. Had Sunday off.
• Saturday – I changed our computers over to wireless. Work wasn't getting done because it was too cold in the computer room – it's on the south side of the house. Now the main computer is sitting in my dining room. Not the most aesthetically pleasing . . . but a damn sight warmer! Oh, and I'm rather pleased with myself that I actually managed to achieve it!
• Watched the rugby on Saturday night. Go All Blacks!
• Mail run with the Courier on Sunday. Then groceries and some housework.
• Monday – yesterday – 8 – 5 at the Lab. Haven't been in there for a while – but most of it came back really easily – thank goodness. Ended up picking up a few extra hours next month.
• Tertiary Evening for the boys last night. Dallas took them along. They came home with a couple of new ideas for the future. Goodness knows Liam needs to sort himself out. He's only got a few months left of school!
• Today – BOS 8.30-1.00 Second meeting with budget client.
• Dallas came home tonight – with a truck full of hail!! The cold front has hit full force. Two weeks ago Ricki sent a text home – saying “it's snowing, it's snowing”. Snow in downtown Christchurch! Josh is hoping that it snows here – unlikely, but you just never know. I think the last time it did would have been back in the mid 60s. I have vague recollections of being very little, living at Marshlands and having snow on the ground.

What I'm reading . . .

Suze Orman has many devout followers of her approach to handling finances, including talk show host Oprah Winfrey. In this book, Orman covers the basics, such as the importance of paying off all credit card debt as soon as possible. Different retirement funds are also discussed. Orman even addresses the psychological aspects of money and spending. She asks readers to try and recall their earliest experiences with money, believing that many childhood experiences can negatively affect how people handle money as adults. She says that many people still associate shame and guilt with money without realizing it. Those seeking specific advice on a widely diverse set of personal finance topics may need to look elsewhere for supplemental information.

Another week

Has just flown by. I've had a list of things to get done, and most of them have been achieved.

I spent Thursday cleaning out the computer room. I can actually work on both desks now. Just hope it stays that way.

Josh played soccer on Saturday. The team got a licking - again. But he is still enthusiastic - he has been out running with Sam the past two nights.

May - a month of family - new and old

May was a busy month – and not just for me!

The biggest news in May was a new baby in the family. Jaykob Rex was born to Nicola on May 14^th weighing in at a healthy 9lb 12oz! And a wee sweetie he is, too. There is absolutely nothing to beat the sweet smell of a baby :)

I got some interesting emails from Linda, too. She found some information online regarding our ancesters. In particular the two that were shipped out from England to Australia as convicts, George and Martha. Now we knew they were both convicts, and we knew that what George had been tried for – stealing:

George BEST aged 33, convicted at Kent Sent Assizes 30th Geo 3d 1790 at Maidstone of Stealing goods value £5-0-3 of William Cheesman the Elder in his dwelling house ......

Martha Chamberlain was tried Middlesex Gaol Delivery of Newgate 01 Jul 1795 Found guilty of stealing goods value 39 shillings, but not guilty of breaking and entering. Sentence 7 years , age 21 occ: singlewoman ,Native Place: Parish St Giles, Middlesex. Arr NSW "Indispensible" 30 Apr 1796.

What we didn't know was that Martha was previously a prostitute! When she arrived in Australia she was employed by George to be his servant woman. Eleven months later their first baby was born.

Linda and Pamela went to a Cemetary in Parramatta and found their graves.

I have man flu. You know how it goes . . I'm sick; I have a cold; I don't feel well; my nose is runny, blocked, runny, blocked, I ache, etc, etc, etc.

Yep, my eyes and nose are streaming. The coughing has started. I don't imagine I'll get much sleep tonight.

I'm hoping I've got some of these in the cupboard, and that Liam didn't use them all last week:

One month ago

I said that the new computer system at the Lab was about to go 'live'. It still hasn't. That means I get some unexpected days off. Which is good in one way . . . I get to catch up around the house and try and match all those Flyladies on MSE. My list today is long, but I have started already. Dinner is in a pot on the stove, and I haven't yet cleaned up from breakfast!

I really, really need to get end of year accounts to the accountant. That must be my main focus today . . after taking the dogs for a walk. This is what the riverbank looked like last week:

I waiting for the sun to get a bit more warmth in it before I venture out today.

Other things to do: generally have a good tidy up. I don't think I'll focus on anything in particular - but will do a couple of flings and may be a HHI (half hour ironing). Oh the joy . . .

My memory isn't what it used to be

I blame depression. I really, really do blame depression.

I've found a really simple answer to a lot of problems that a poor memory brings about.

A notebook.

That's it. A notebook.

I have one here at my computer desk. I have one at work.

The one at home I write down things I need to do - usually to do with transferring money, paying bills, anything mowing related.

The one at the Lab I record all phone calls I take in. All messages I have to pass on. Things that I need to remember to do. If I don't, I forget. I have forgotten before. At work that's not a good thing.

Try it - you might like it!