Jar of small change buys ....

Well what do ya know, the small change challenge I set myself has finally paid for a new Chef LPG Gas stove. I bought a new stove this afternoon on the spur of the moment, for Lavender Cottage.



Been saving for sometime now, every thursday evening I empty my purse of any coin in there into a big money tin. The tin can't be opened without distroying it completely, so you can't pinch any money from it. I was still $200 short so put it on layby giving me 2 weeks to pay the rest. Checked out the prices and found one shop to be $799 and right next door they wanted $599 for the same stove on special. Guess where I went ... does that explain my impulse buying.

Now there were plenty nice stainless steel stoves to choose from for megabucks starting from $1499 to $3699 but really do I need such a fancy stove? Imagine a little banana loaf getting lost in that huge oven. No I did the right thing and got the cheaper and smaller stove. This one works on LPG Gas even for the grill and oven, it will do the job nicely thank you. Now I am sorted with applicances for the kitchen ... gas fridge and stove ... the two most important items taken care of when your not on the grid.

BTW my power bill has just arrived today and yes it's high $654 for the quarter. And they talking of price increases again. Imagine how much it will cost then.

Do you have some thing special to save for, maybe getting a challenge like this could help you getting one step closer to your goal.

Small change ... gas stove ... goals

I have been doing a lot of blog hopping lately, think I need a little inspiration. I don't feel like cooking meals lately and we just grabbing a bite here and there and then when I am forced to cook a proper meal, it's the dishes afterwards. might have something to do with only having one plate that is working and another thats just on full all the time. Owner has promised to look into getting a replacement cooktop but getting one to fit the benchtop without replacing that as well. It's in good nick.

If it was me I just go out and buy a nice new freestanding gas stove 4 burners and a wok burner in the centre, and a double oven.What do you do with all your small change, have you got a special goal your working towards ... well my change goes into a huge tin, one from the $2 dollar shop, every thursday I empty my purse and it all goes in the tin. Two guesses what I am saving up for ... my gas stove for the farm. We don't have power on our block unless I find a spare $20 000 for a transformer. So a gas/electric fridge has already been ticked off my list for 2010 goals.

Talking about Goals for the year, I have blogged about that already, I am working on getting information from the council for building, though it would probably be better if I just make an appointment to see them. That means taking a week off work, drive the 6hrs there and spend sometime at the farm. So we might just do that soon. The past 3 years I kept delaying it but we come to a point now where we (I mean me) have to do it otherwise we will be retireing and still not have a home to live in.

Today has turned out to be warm (hot) and sunny, we have been working on the eastwing of the chookhouse. (still no photo's sorry.)

Goals for 2010

Now would you believe it but it been raining all morning, a very fine rain but it's raining. The temp has dropped from 42 Yesterday to 20 today. A Bush fire has be burning North West of Sydney distroying sheds and a few homes and killing sheep in it's path. Lucky most of the homes so far were saved. It's 40km+ away from us but you can smell it. This rain has just come in time.

I strongly believe in goal setting for myself and really try to get things done accordingly. But sometime things happen and you just don't have any control over, throwing you world upside down. Then you just need to do the best you can. Here is a list of stuff I would like to do next year.



The first list is for Mulgoa Farm.



1. I decided to sell Nelson and 2 ewes, he has fathered 4 ewes this year so I can't use him to cover them when they get a little older. So a new unrelated ram is needed. Feed is a problem and I need to cut down numbers and recoop some money as well. 2 old ewes will be butchered in Febuary. That only leaves Miss Lashers who could still have a lamb next year. Our 2 baby Rams will have a nice year getting big and fat for slaughter later in the year. That leaves me with 5 ewes and 1 new ram for 2011



2. Breed more Orpingtons for selling to recoop some money, they need to start paying towards their feed. Build another chook house and run where they can free range all day, but it needs to be secure from foxes and the cats, and it needs to be further away from the house cause Harry is very noisy (crowing) Still looking for a nice Pekin rooster for Ginger.



3. Rotary hoe more paddocks and plant grasses and seeds for fodder.



4. Put guttering up on the sheep shed to catch rain (that's if it rains) It seems to rain all around but not in Mulgoa. Set up a few 45 gallon drums to hold the water in.



Now For Lavender Hill at Bellbrook. The list is very different.

1. Need to buy a Gas refridgerator, I just made an offer on one on Ebay, so I might still have one this Christmas.
DONE. George built a platform to accommodate the wheel hub of the caravan and we fitted the fridge on top of it. where it just fitted in nicely. A slap of white paint to freshen up the van inside. Job welldone.

2. Build retaining walls with besser blocks holding soil back next to the pergola and also where the polytank will be. Concrete slab for tank to sit on. Redo the paving under the pergola. connect the tank. (I bought 2 x 4500 ltr polytanks last year and some besser blocks not enough to finish the job)

3. Build more retaining walls with besser block where the chook house will be. (only 3 rows high) I might have a builder lined up for this job.

4. Remove more trees and lantana, cut for firewood and burn rubbish off in winter.

5. Move prickly pears to permanent position. (urgent)

6. Plant fruit trees Lemon, Peaches, Olives, Pecans, and Cherries. I would love a perssimom tree too.

7. Start getting council requirements and application forms in too start building.

8. Get soil test done.

9. Put plans in for a shed, cottage, dam and concrete water tank. Let's not forget the access from the road, now if the road was there in the first place, there would be no need for this one. I better start working overtime to pay for all this stuff.

10. Pour slab for shed and cottage.

11. Put in the concrete tank.

12. Get dam dug.

13. Septic Tank.

This is a long list of things that need to be done. I really don't expect to get everything done but then Rome was not built in one day. So we will just try our best.

Seasons Greeting to all and have a great New Year.

Until nexttime
Rina