Early morning gardening

We just had to go to Bunnings this morning. Not happy with our reading lights in the bedroom. Warren had made some nice compact fluro lights several years ago but they had fallen apart and so went in the bin. I had grabbed the two bed lights from the guest room but find to use them properly, one had to lean over on one side.

We decided to go to Bunnings to "see" what they had, Warren's, I fully intended to buy something better than what we were using. We ended up with pretty much the same as we had had. Quite happy with the way they worked so why change.

I had said to Warren a couple of weeks ago that next time we are at Bunnings, I wanted an eggplant plant, we had had a couple sometime ago and it was great to be able to go and pick one from the garden. It was hot even though we went early and there were heaps of people there.

Well, we got our lights and I went to the garden centre, saw some basil and some capsicum, then I saw the eggplants. Opps came home with all three. Warren had said that if I bought them, they couldnt sit around for a few days until they dried out and then died. No, no, I assured him, I would plant them.

Trimmed the existing basil which had gone to seed and was blocking the sun from the solar panel, then I planted the rest. Each punnet had six plants in them, eighteen little holes I had to dig! They are in and watered. I feel exhausted and its only 10.30 in the morning. Thank goodness the Olympics are on so we can relax and watch them.

Out to dinner in Victoria BC

We met up with two other couples and visited Frankies for dinner last night. Four got the tri menu which meant they had soup or salad, a main and dessert for 193/4, that was how the menu put it not $19.75.

That was going to be too much food for me so I ordered a chicken parma for $18.

This was some of the scenery walking back.

Four carriages lit up, $55 for a fifteen minute ride, saw a few out and about.

The lights on the buildings were great, lit up like a Christmas tree but jts only September.

Come on Lights

Due to certain circumstances our youngest grandson is spending the night with us tonight. I picked him up after school where he asked if I could take him to Coles to get something to eat. Coles is just across the road but I would have had to move the car etc etc and I wanted to start for home so I suggested that we stop at the next township. He agreed which was lucky as he really didn't have a choice, it was my way or none.

Half way there, he asks if it was where he went to kinder and I said yes whereupon he said, "There's a nice bakery there" see, definitely our grand kid.

He directed me to the bakery and we bought cheese and bacon rolls and a drink, then he sees a croissant.  and asked if he could have one of those instead, I said yes and we bought both. last week I had bought him a croissant at a coffee shop and he really liked it. We set off for home and there is this sigh from the car seat and an exclamation, "There's no ham in here!" "No" I told him "Its a plain croissant" "But I wanted ham and cheese like last time" "Too bad, you asked for a croissant and that's what you got, so eat it please." Grudgingly I got an "okay"

All was quiet for a while and then a voice said, "Nanna, I've finished can I play on your phone please" "No, I'm driving so cant get it for you" "When you stop?" "Won't be stopping until we get home" Silence! Should have just said no but six year olds can twist things to suit.

Heading to lights and the same voice says 'yes,yes, come on" What are you talking about/" "Nothing!" the lights change and I sailed through them. heading for a turn to the left again I didn't have to stop. "Why did we turn?Nana" "Because this is the way to go home." Then it dawned on me what he was doing, he was trying to will the lights to go red so that I would have to stop!

Four more lights and I didn't have to stop, the voice tone went from Come on (pleadingly) to a very strong Come on (as in you have to be joking) on the sixth set of lights, he was in luck and I had to stop, so I grabbed my phone out of my bag and passed it over the back. The rest of the way home it was quiet except for shooting noises and the occasional Arrhg, when he missed one.  Maybe I should try "willing" lights to stay green when I am in a hurry, I cant remember the last time I got six lights in a row when I didn't need to stop.

$2000 a year to be saved off your electricity bill

This was a news item that was on the ads on TV a couple of night ago. Warren wanted to change channels and look at something else but I persuaded him to wait to see what they had to say about saving on electricity.

A professor had made this statement and had the figures to back it up, hummmm, how? I wondered.

First up was turn off the pool in winter saving s $200, we don't have one.
Next turn off second fridge another $200 saved, we don't have one.
That second TV, get rid of it and save $150, we don't have one.

There were a few other things such as the above so bit pointless for us. The last two things we could do and one was, instead of ten minute showers restrict them to four minutes and save $150 and turn off appliances at the wall for a savings of $80 a year.

I did set myself a challenge and that was to cut our electricity bill by 25% (even I thought it was high but figured it was just a ball park figure). Our three monthly account came in sometime in March and it was $382, wow! for just two of us and we have solar panels! Some times I speak without thinking (I know that's hard to believe!) and after, I did think 25% was way too much.  

Anyway, I started washing earlier and turning off lights, cooking two things in the oven at once, even had a few days of filling the flask with hot water for cuppas during the day rather than boil the jug again. This week the second electricity arrived and it was for a small sum of $237 a whooping $145 off the first bill.

I did a happy dance but I don't think I can lay claim for all of it, after all the weather has turned cooler and therefore we are not using the A/C at all but whatever a $237 account is far better than $382. I wonder if I can get it lower for the next bill, hummmm something to work on.

Some quick renovs.

I like cats and have had cats in the past but I don't like the one that visits at night at our place. Its lazy and noisy. I was watering the garden, my new sweet corn that are growing well, when I noticed an extra clod of dirt. That's funny I thought, going closer for a better look, then the smell hit me! It was cat poo! Yuck, in my garden. Warren picked it up on the shovel and disposed on it, cats are supposed to cover their mess but this one must away from lessons that day. We have found other evidence in other parts of the garden and sometimes the cats fight on top of our shed which is just outside our bedroom window.

The last couple of nights cats have been jumping up on our screen door,we assume to catch the geckos who are waiting there for moths and insects, a fine food chain but flipping frightening at 2.30am when sound asleep, until realising it oh, its just those cats again. We have a glass panel in the front door and even when all the lights are off, there just enough moon or street lights to come through to draw the insects, then the geckos and finally the basted cats.

When we first moved in, the sunlight was too bright and so I taped some thick paper behind the panel, it cut the brightness down but not all the light.

Today,Warren has decided to block the light in the door by putting in a plywood panel, so hopefully the cats wont visit any more, this is his handy work.

Front door from the outside

Front door from the inside