Thursday, April 28, 2016

A New Blog!

Okay... I'm a serial blogger - you all know this. I mean, just look at how many blogs I manage!!

Well, I went and deleted 'Charlie's Whispers' and then within minutes created a new blog... no not on that subject that 'Charlie's Whispers' was about. I created a new one about gardening. I love to garden and I work with container gardens the best.

So, if you'd like to have a look at it, feel free to and enjoy the first few posts - there's 3 so far about gardening. I've posted a link to a photo on Pinterest where I have a board there all about gardening.

Well, just thought to plug my new blog - that's all.

There's other blogs on a blog roll. I'll be putting up a list of books you can have a look for... I'll be talking about how to make terrariums, repotting Jades of all types, how to work a container garden into any type of space and make your garden look good... and what will work instead of lawn seed too. You'd be surprised what I use to make lawn grow. Well, there you are... I hope you pop in and have a look at My Private Little Garden. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Repotting Madness

It's not so much madness - per sae - but I'm getting into the habit of buying bigger pots for the garden and repotting the plants that badly need it.

Yesterday, I bought my first larger pot and today I potted the first plant that was becoming too big for its tiny pot. It feels good to get out there into the garden and make it look better - even if it's just one plant. 

But I didn't buy the planter from Bunnings - as I normally do - I went to Masters at Browns Plains to see what selection they had and found they didn't really have a lot of planters to pick from... well, they did but they weren't exactly what you'd call packed to the roof with gardening things - not like Bunnings. I did find a nice pot to put my Cardboard Palm in, and that was the main thing - the only thing - I was there for, to find a planter for that plant. 

Otherwise, I'm looking at buying more potting mix in the next week - two more bags - and putting away more money to make sure I have enough money for new pots for out the front. These ones have to match each other otherwise, it just won't look good... and the ones from out there will be reused in the back yard for other plants there (not the Frangipanni's - they need pots with open lips, not rose planters). 

As the weather has become cooler (which I really do love so much), I can look at my garden more and get in and work on it. It's so much fun to plan on what I can do with it in the time when the plants are sleeping and dormant over the next few months... and so much easier to repot them, organise them and make my garden into something bigger and better than before. 

And that's just the thing. As the years have passed by here, my garden has gone from weeds and lawn, to a vegetable and herb patch and turned into a place filled with flowers, plants and greenery. It's grown so much and I've enjoyed every minute of it; watching it grow. But it's not just watching it that makes it fun, it's putting the hard work into it that makes it worthwhile. I love getting in and working on it and seeing how the plants grow so much when the weather starts to warm up - knowing that I've done the right things for them to grow so well. 

If you have a garden, what have you done to make if flourish? Have you got any secrets to share that may make a difference in other people's gardens? Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Long Weekend Ahead

This weekend is a long one - a three-dayer - where ANZAC Day is included. So much has gone on this week, I might just take it easy and get in and do some artwork, reading and tidying up of the yard; the latter of which I started on the other day.

But this week has been non-stop since Wednesday, which was a busy shopping day for me. I got out of here just around 10am and arrived home just after midday with all my groceries, goodies and bits'n'pieces just before the rubbish truck arrived. I filled that bin up on time too.

Thursday was a day where I took my time going out, as my day was going to be busy, but I wanted to make sure I had everything ready for when I did go out. When I go out, I hate to leave things at home; because if I have to return it's a pain in the butt to get back into the unit complex for just one little thing. 
Anyway, it was a busy few hours out and about around the place before I returned home. It included me going to Woody's to collect 4 vinyls I had bought from one of the employees there - and they're great vinyls too! I brought those home after going to Bunnings and picking up a bag of potting mix in preparation for this Winter and then checking the mail. 
At around 2pm, I brought the slow cooker down off the fridge and got in and put together a soup and put it on for that night. Then, washed up the yoghurt container for that night to make more later on (which I did at around 9pm). When I put the scraps into a bowl and took them out to the compost bin, I found I had a termite nest in the bin! Oh crap! So, instead of wasting my time with the scraps in there, I threw them into my regular bin and Googled how to get rid of termites in my compost bin. There were two ways: heat up the bin with green waste and garden lime (which is the slow way) or get a wheel barrow and get rid of the whole lot of the nest into a green waste bin and cart it away. I chose for the latter as it was a faster way to to it... not easier, but faster. It took an hour and three barrow loads to get rid of the nest - and the leg on the wheel barrow gave out on the last load (it was rusty as hell - that's what the caretaker gets for leaving the damned thing outside all the time). 

On Friday, I was woken by a text to tell me that Prince had died. My brother had told me and I knew he was shattered as he's a big fan of the singer. I was hoping to sleep in a little seeing what a big afternoon the day before had turned into. 
I was only supposed to be out for an hour or so from here and I ended up arriving home at around lunch time. I had left home at around 11am and it was well past 1pm by the time I came home. I had been to Bunnings - again - Super Cheap and then Mum and Dad's house to pick up something for them and then off to Aunty Narelle's and Uncle Iain's place to drop off what Mum and Dad needed... then I drove home. 

Now, I need to sell the compost bin. It's of no use to me. Dad doesn't want it either - he's got one - and so I'm hoping to sell it. Dad won't like it that I'm selling it; but I'd like to make a bit of money out of it seeing there's nothing wrong with it and no charity will take if off my hands; as it's too big for them to carry it.

Anyway, today, I'm hoping to chill out, do some reading (yep, catch up on that) and get in and do some serious tidying up. I have laundry to put away, the car to wash, washing up to catch up on, the lounge room to tidy up and my vinyls to catagorise. This is just for the weekend. I hope to get it all done by Monday. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember I'm always here. 

Friday, April 15, 2016

Big Plans

Over the last two years, I haven't done much; not since I fixed up the gardens. Okay, I did the markets, but I haven't changed anything in the house.

I still have most of the furniture I moved in with - besides the bedroom suite I bought myself for my 40th Birthday - and I have been wanting a change over the past few months. I've wanted a new dining room table and the need to get back into my garden again this Winter (which is just a matter of getting in and repotting plants that have outgrown their pots). 

The sad fact of the matter is that 95% of my furniture was once owned by somebody who's passed away or doesn't need it anymore - yes, my house hold furniture is all second-hand. All of it, except my office desk, my bedroom suite and the standing desk I built, is all second-hand or scrounged from around my unit complex or the family in some way. I don't like it that for a good part of my life, I've been living with this kind of stuff in my life; and wish to be rid of some of it. 
I've had a word with Mum about selling the kitchen table - as my late-Grandma owned it for over 40 years - and she said it would be okay to sell it. You see, it's a retro-1960's, 5-sided table with 4 burnt orange swivel chairs. I'm not just going to dump it, I'm hoping to sell it for a good amount of money and use that money to buy another dining suite almost immediately. 

Other things I need to work on is the office. There's a bookcase I really need to get in and replace with a bigger bookcase - yes it's a matter of getting one that's tall enough, big enough and will take on the weight of the books I own as well. This is so when I move house, I can just take with me the four bookcase I own and they are bookcases I use in my next place without any worries of having something fall apart in transit. This is going to take time, though, as it's a matter of saving up the money and then buying the bookcase and getting it home. Then, ditching the old one.

During this time - of about 4 months - I'll be looking at how much my stall next year will change. I'm currently working on making new things for it - like book-bags (which were things I thought would be great for kids and high school students to enjoy) and handbags, which I'm hoping to find a pattern for a simple one to make soon. But this is all just 'blueprint' stuff right now... however the stall is going to change in a way that nobody's going to see; and I'll have to make a hat stand to house the new bags I'm hoping get into - or buy one... or... well, like I said, it's still something I'm working on right now.

As I mentioned in the beginning of the post, I'm looking at my garden. I've already started buying potting mix in readiness for June/July to get myself into the saving mode to buy large pots for the garden. I need 3 large pots - which I'll buy one at a time - to repot the two plants out the front and the third one will be for the Frangipanni out in the garden; as it didn't flower this Summer past. 

Yes, there's plenty of plans I'm hoping to get done over the next few months - including a major decluttering of my house as well. This means I have to be brutal when it comes to seeing what I want and what I need in this place. It's coming to the pointy end of the whole decluttering thing - you know, the devilishly detaily part - but I'm sailing along well. The bathroom was cleaned out and and cleaned up all in two days in the last week, and I'm very pleased with that. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Out & About With The Green Beastie

I've been out and about today with Mum's car - the big Green Pajero - and while I was, I got a lot done; even if none of it was for me.

First it was off to the post office to check the mail. There wasn't much for me - but no bills thankfully. Then, I drove to Browns Plains Smart Tip where I dropped off Mum and Dad's old microwave oven. This was their first one from when I was a kid. It really was something big when we first got that thing in the kitchen back in the 80's to have a microwave - it was big technology at the time. Now, every house hold has one; and man are they heavy! 
But when I arrived there, the man said they may not be able to sell it; even if it does work. I said that it does, and that Mum and Dad upgraded to another, newer model that's all.He still said that people rarely buy old microwaves anymore; and if I wouldn't buy a second-hand one, they won't. I said that I would, if it's looked after; and that one was. 

After I dropped that off, I drove back to Springwood and dropped off the box of charity stuff Mum decluttered from her home. It was her first box and I'm proud of her to getting in and doing this. I looked at it all to see if there was any small thing I wanted but I didn't (fortunately) and I left it there, waiting for the box. While I was at the counter, I spotted two lovely glasses and loved them immediately, so took them from their spot, asking the lady to put them to one side for me while I looked around. While I was in the kitchen-ware area, I found a light fitting which would fit my neighbour's house and bought that. It was brand new and still in its box! When I came home, I dropped in on them and gave it to them to use in their laundry. Vanessa was stoked. She thanked me very much and said it was the only one which didn't have a cover. I said it was probably because it had been broken at some point - or stolen - and those light fittings are hard to come by, not to mention expensive. So, finding one at a charity store was lucky! 

Well, that was my day out today. I still have some things to go through in my place, but they can wait until tomorrow. I still have to pick up my car from the mechanic's. I had to return it there because the seals busted on it again and there's a clunking noise on the side they fixed the brake caliper. So, this is why I've been driving Mum's car today. I can't wait to get my Little Green Machine home again. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Back To Decluttering Fun!

Over the last week, I've had some major time on my hands; and it's been damned depressing over that time as well. I didn't have my internet and used a Hotspot Device that my Mum loaned me - so I wasn't online for as long as I wanted to be, because I didn't want to chew through the money on that.

So, once I got myself back online, I started back into the decluttering again. The top part of my wardrobe has been cleaned out and I gave away a tiny bookcase I have been using as shelves for my tiny handbags. In its place I put a basket where my tiny handbags can stay and put my 3 craft baskets up there along with 2 spare pillows that are strangely-shaped (a body pillow and a boomerang pillow). 

Then I have gotten into the habit of throwing out the rubbish in the kitchen on a daily basis and making sure I try to wash up once a day (after dinner). It's making life a lot easier for me now when I wake up in the mornings and the kitchen is so much tidier to work in. And speaking of which, I have had the kitchen pantry, fridge and under the kitchen sink all organised since January and they've stayed that way. I'm so pleased with myself that I haven't let them get messy again! 

Yesterday, I mowed the lawn, watered the garden out the front - as it's been so dry here - and out the back yard just as the sun went down, and was inside after dark and just before 'Neighbours' started (man, that show is going through so many changes... I seriously don't know if I want to see any more people leave it). 

Today, I washed the car for the first time in weeks and sorted out the vinyls collection under my stereo system. I found so many things there I didn't know where to start; but starting somewhere instead of giving up was better than nothing at all, right? Well, I found some certificates of my late-Grandpa's tests for his mouth organ exams out at Warwick inside a book for one of the 'Reader's Digest' Album Collections. They were left there by either my Grandmother or my Uncle Allan. Just as well I went through all the music album books and didn't just toss them into the box thinking they weren't worth anything... and just as well I wanted to try out one of the vinyls too, otherwise I would never have found the certificates.

Well, I called Mum and told her about them (as she's the one doing the family history and needs to know) and I put them away in a folder I've got of all his music certificates - so far - I know there's more somewhere around here. I have inherited a lot of books and things that have these hidden inside them; I just have to go through them all before giving them away.
Once I got the vinyls I didn't want anymore into the car, asked a friend online if he wanted any of them, and thought to take them to Mum and Dad's tomorrow... I packed away everything else into the space under the stereo again. There's a gap behind them, but I'll see what to do with that yet.

Well, that's my few days of cleaning up and cleaning out done for now. Two bags of Christmas Decorations are off to Vinnies on Monday. And tomorrow I'm sorting through my bathroom towels - as I have far too many for just one person. There's some there which are too tatty to be hair towels; so they're going to be stored in the shed for when I need them around the house. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Crazy-Busy

I had a horribly stressed-out week last week - and got absolutely nowhere with Optus. They called yesterday, and I called back twice but they haven't been in contact since; even though I gave out my home and mobile numbers. 

So, I'm still stuck without my internet and I'm using my Mum's Telstra Hotspot device... it's a little slow, but it works. Something is better than nothing, right?

This past weekend, has been so busy! I was a my folks' place to use their wi-fi and then on Sunday, I was at Geoff and Vivienne's place to get out of Logan for a bit to work on a self-portrait I began. It was fun as little Zoe and was wonderful entertainment while I was working on it.

Then, on Monday, I had my craft day. But before that, I received a phone call from an old friend who I was just thinking about over breakfast: Bobby Bhana. When he called, I told him I was thinking about where he was and what he was up to, and he said it was fate! Well, we chatted for almost an hour and he suggested we catch up as soon as possible.

And we did yesterday. 

We were supposed to go to the Logan Art Gallery, but the place was closed for installation of a new exhibition. So, Bobby suggested I go to his place to see some of his new work. I had my needlepoint with me (as I got the dates wrong to take it to the gallery and had to explain to Jillian that my internet crapped out on me. Michael asked if I was with Optus, and when I said yes, he said, 'Yeah, another one... see a lot of people have been dumped by them.' I said I'm trying to get it back on, but it's like talking to a brick wall). Anyway, you all know what's been going on by the post below. 
Well, I got to Bobby's house and he said he had been living there for over 3 years; and I have been past that place a few times without realising I passed his house and his street over the past year. He said it was strange to see me pull into his driveway in a car - as he's never seen me drive before - but it's good to see me. We talked for over 3 hours and he showed me what he's been working on and looked at my needlepoint. He'd never seen one up close like this and was amazed at how much work had gone into it. I told him there was around 6 hours a day for about a month went into it, but the background just did itself pretty much... it was the flower itself that took a long time. He loved the frame - which I had polished up on Monday night with bees-wax furniture polish - telling me it's worthwhile doing that to it as it'll give it a great shine. 
At around 2pm, we both had to take off. He had work to get to, and I had to get home. We really do need to hang out again and talk; over some food next time (he forgot I was vegetarian - oh well, doesn't matter - it's been a long time between seen each other). 

Last night, I was feeling really burnt out. I was in bed by around 10:30pm - yep, very early for me. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light. Even when I woke at 1am, I was still feeling burnt out, but after that I didn't wake until my alarm went off at 6am; and I was feeling better. And today was shopping day... a lot was done: vitamins were bought, a layby was partly paid for, fruit and veggies were bought at the Rochedale Fruit and Veggie Market... I got home before midday and the rubbish truck had already been - darn! - I was hoping to beat it home so I could throw out my boxes and last bag of rubbish. Oh well, can't win them all! Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.