Summer ramblings of a hot woman!!!

Phew – gosh it’s been so hot!!!

My poor little plants that I planted in my herb garden got frizzled, so we had to get out there with some shadecloth and help them along...  they’re doing well now, and the added bonus of putting them under the shadecloth is that the chickens haven’t been able to get in there and dig, dig, dig as chickens do!  The plants haven’t needed as much water either, as the evaporation is much less...

I can hear the ground almost screaming out for rain... the grass is dying, big trees are dying, and the birds and other animals are also suffering.  I’ve put out some grain for the birds, and I have a large bowl of cold water under the back patio for the chooks when they visit.  We seem to be the visiting spot for all the chooks in the neighbourhood, as they all get under the patio to shelter from the heat of the day. 

On the other hand, when the rains do finally come, I am looking forward to seeing the garden burst forth into life.  The garden out from the front door/ensuite is now looking fantastic, and the rest I’m sure will be just as beautiful when it gets some rain into it.  Going to need to buy some more plants sometime soon...

Ken is doing well, he’s back at work and operating effectively.  Can’t wait for his brain to spring into gear and him to start remembering stuff....  it’s difficult when you have a grown adult who needs supervision like a small child at times...  But – we’re getting there and that’s the main thing!!!

Heading off this weekend to the coast – it’s Lindsay’s baby shower on Sunday!!!  Should be loads of fun – I’m looking forward to it.  I might even be able to catch up with another couple of friends, Tracy at the Psychic Fair, and Lesley from SS who is visiting from up north...

Ahhhhh....  gotta love a weekend!  Particularly seeing as last weekend I did nothing.  Zilch, zippo, nada, nothing.  I lay on the couch under the aircon and snoozed.... not very practical!  Good for the soul though...

I enjoy Facebook, but some days....

Boy – are there some interesting people out there!  Let’s just take today....  Actually – let’s just take the past hour or so!!! 

A young friend has posted some things on her page which are written WAY beyond her years.  To me, it’s really obvious that it’s her mother that’s writing these things in the hopes of stirring up the father...  They separated about 18 months ago and the mother seems to be delighting in using the children as pawns.

One friend is upset because their Centrelink wasn’t paid as they were overseas.  They have to prove they are back in the country in order to get it reinstated.  One person comments that “most people on welfare don’t go overseas”, just saying.  Person replies back “it’s not welfare – it’s child care payment”, and has to be reminded that child care payment IS welfare.

Pizza Hut is advertising “the search for the next stuffed crust pizza filling”.  Sausage rolls v’s chicken nuggets....  now – that’s healthy!!!

A friend’s status:  “My 70cm flatty (Flathead Fish) caught and released this arvo” – complete with picture of her kissing it (I loved this one!!)

Mozzie traps on Grass Roots’ status, a young relative who’s had a great morning out with his girl, another friend with a picture of her cardinal vine flowers that a Blue Faced Honeyeater is enjoying, yet another friend whose cat is waiting patiently on the table for his dinner, a recipe for Jelly Cakes from Stay At Home Mum. 

ABC News Radio is advertising that the QLD Government are considering electoral reforms, including scrapping of compulsory voting, and finally, from a friend who loves to try and win stuff, an advertisement for a new site “bloodybargains.com.au”, and finally, the piece de resistance.... “not everything that pops into your head needs to be shared on Facebook”. 

What is it about social media that encourages people to spew forth every thought that ever popped into their mind?  What is it that makes them type before they think?  Or, far worse than that, post every imaginable detail about their life online, laid out bare for the entire world to see???

Don’t get me wrong – I love Facebook....  but it’s so, well, “out there”.  So many people can share what you post, and so quickly, that your chances of any sort of anonymity are almost zilch.  Even blogging puts it out there, although in a much less “open” way. 

What is it that allows people to use terrible language, swear, carry on and put other people down? 

Have you ever pondered this?  Or am I being too deep today???

2013 – wow, it’s here already???

It’s funny – I can remember sitting down to write my review of 2011...  now I’m thinking back on what I’ve done in 2012!!!  (FYI – the review of 2011 is not a post that is up on my blog any more, I have it hidden now).

So – what have I accomplished in 2012?

·         I’ve done a bit of decluttering...

·         I’ve changed the way I do things around the home – more quality, home made things rather than buying what I need

·         I understand what it’s like to have someone who can’t look after themselves in the house, and learnt that it’s okay to call on others for help

·         I’ve spent a lot of time on myself...  crochet, sewing, cooking – all the things I love doing.  It’s been worth every minute!

·         We’ve spent a bit of time away camping and enjoying our neighbours’ company

·         I’ve been true to myself

The last one has been the hardest, but also the most rewarding.  I haven’t done anything I truly didn’t want to, or that went against my values.  Of course, I haven’t wanted to do lots of stuff, like cleaning the bathrooms, changing the beds, doing the washing etc., that doesn’t count!!!  You know – it’s the inside your heart stuff, those things that you just KNOW if you do them, you’ll regret...

For 2013, I am going to set just a few goals... 

1.       Continue my decluttering journey.  People, things, stuff... you know!

2.       Ensure I spend time doing the things I love.  Crochet, sewing, perhaps knitting.

3.       Pay down debt.  This leads me towards my next large goal – “Goal 2020” which I’ll talk about next.  I haven’t got an idea yet of a realistic goal – let’s say $10,000 off the principal of all my debt (not joint debt) – I’ll revise it when I see if it’s realistic... 

4.       Lose weight.  10kg will be good... 

That’s it – just 4 goals at this point.  I did have “stick to my budget” in there, but if I stick to point 3, that’s really a superfluous goal, as I will have stuck to it very well!!!

So – what’s this 2020 goal stuff all about....

Last time I did this, it was Goal 2010, and I started it when I lived in Sydney.  I wanted 4 investment properties, and I wanted shares – at least 10 different companies.  I must have started that in about 2003 or maybe it was 2004?  No, I’m sure it was 2003 when I bought my first Investment Property.

Well, I’d blitzed that goal by 2007, although I only had 3 investment properties and one house that Ken and I bought together.  I figured I was happy with that...

Fast forward to now, and I’ve stagnated a bit.  Sure, we’ve bought and done lots of things, but now it’s time to really start thinking about the future, working less hours, having debt paid off, having the ability to travel for longer than a long weekend. 

So – Goal 2020 is about paying down debt.  Are you ready???

By 2020, ALL of MY non-tax deductible debt will be gone from my life.  I’m okay with the tax deductible stuff, which are the mortgages on my investment properties.  The rent will be enough to cover those properties well and truly by then anyway, and they will be well and truly positively geared by then.  I say “my” non-tax deductible debt as Ken and I own the house together, and at this point I don’t have a plan for getting rid of that debt.  I will make one though!!!

Goal 2020

Zero non-tax deductible personal debt