Good Day, Stuff Got Done.

After a slow start, too many phone calls and too much can't be botheredness I went outside, made a start and managed to make a fair bit of progress.   All the drum gardens along the driveway have been weeded, lots of grass growing up through too many of them.  I pulled the grass out from between them and mowed the area as well.  A quick run-over with the ride-on on the grass out the front of the house and around the trees, pulled more grass out and even managed to uncover some netting that I had let get smothered by grass over the last 6 months.  That took awhile!  There is still a bit to do, another mow around the edges with the push mower, a camping table needs to be put away and I have to pot up some small trees sometime in the morning.  When that is done it should look OK. 

I am dog-sitting again for a few days and he gets dropped of sometime in the morning so I need to put a few things in the sunroom away so he doesn't chew them up when I lock him in there when I go out to book-club.  Otherwise I will need to rewhippersnipper the pigpen and put him out there again, he seemed to not mind that last time he was here...Will see what is easiest tomorrow.  I'll have him until Sunday and seeing as the son has his 4 dogs out here now I will be over-run by dogs and think there will be little chance of me wanting one of my own anymore...Son does keep his kennelled when he is not here though so I will have the one until he gets home...hope they like each other...

Inside has been vacuumed, fan is out, woodbox is in and full, the fire is set ready to go...I haven't lit it tonight though am starting to get cold now so have put one of husbands jackets on.  Have put deepheat and gloves on as my hands are achey and sore and think I'll be going to bed soon as TV is boring and my hands are too achey and sore to be on this thing...HoHumm

This week I am wanting to do something about the bathroom, it has become a dumping ground for all sorts of things, stuff that has nowhere else to go, material that I want to sew, a box of stuff from the barbies we had back at the start of the year...everything is things I want but they have no real place to be stored...I have been wanting to get it organised all month and this week sometime it will be done.   Maybe I will just bag it all up and put it out in the shed, that would be easiest but it wouldn't solve much and will eventually need sorting anyway so I may as well make a start this week.  Most of it could probably be gotten rid of and I probably wouldn't miss much of it...but I wont, I will pack it up and *hide* it somewhere.

A few things on the list for tomorrow, main one being washing...and I am seriously thinking of getting son's automatic washing machine and setting it up in the bathroom.  I know that will make things easier but I don't like them, I think they are wastefull...but it will be better than the way I'm (not) doing the washing now...

One good thing today, daughter T came out and brought me some pumpkin soup and bread so I didn't have to make tea after I came in and showered.  'Twas lovely.  She is quite a good little cook.  Thanks T. 

And now, I am off, it's too hard to type with sore hands and fluffy gloves on...

I Need A New Memory Box.

I have been busy...doing what I cannot remember but I'm sure that I have been busy somewhere, doing something...

April, soon to be May.   I know we went away a couple of times this month and it seems like every weekend had something on.  Had a couple of market days, school holidays so I had a few paid work days in there...Back to being unemployed again now, until next school hols anyway.

Ummm, where did I go, what did I do...thinking here, I really need a daily write-up...or a better memory.

The first weekend was the first market stall that we went to here in Waroona, the second was market day in Pinjarra so Saturdays were getting stuff ready for them and Sundays were an early start and *can't be bothered* afternoons.  Easter weekend was filled with FreeMarkets on the Saturday and Myalup Easter Fair on the Sunday.  I stayed out the caravan Sunday and Monday with the grandkid, home Mon afternoon and work on the Tuesday.  The following weekend, the one just gone we went down to Daughters house in Nannup then the Balingup Field Day on the Sat.  Home all day Sunday where I did not much of anything and work yesterday.  Home today and I have big plans to get the house tidy and the drums along the driveway weeded and replanted if needed.  I know some of them are looking overfilled and pretty sure it is with grass and not food.

Mowing needs doing again, of course but we had rain.  Lots and lots of lovely rain...so no mowing today but maybe a yard tidy-up so it can get done  tomorrow afternoon.  I have bookclub tomorrow and this month we had *homework* with it so that made me think a bit about the book, more than I usually would.

I have done a plant swap with a woman that has been here a couple of times.  She wanted some of our banana suckers and said she had Goji berry and water chestnuts.   The Goji berry is planted in it's half drum but I still have to get the chestnuts in.  I need to look up on how to do that so will do it this afternoon.  Do any of you grow water chestnuts and have some tips for me?

All the seedlings that I planted are doing great, still there though the leaves on a few have holes that weren't there last week.   Cool damp mornings usually mean snails but the few times over the last week that I have gone out early and looked I have only found 1 small one.   Wish the Slaters could be got rid of as easily.

I lit the fire for the first time last night.  Well, we had the fire going anyway. Thought last week that I need to get it ready, take out the fan we use over Summer and bring the woodbox in, clear out the fire box...Didn't though so last night when I was cold and achey and it was getting dark I went out to get some wood and chips to get it going.  Spent 20 minutes trying to get it to light before giving up and thinking to leave it and just put a jacket on.  Went to have a shower and by the time I came out, 5min tops, husband had it going and I could already feel it was warmer.   How that man can light a fire so good is beyond me, he does it with minimal effort, hardly any paper and chips...And gets them going every time.  I think he thinks it funny to watch me struggle with them, using more and more paper, going and getting more small wood, getting cranky with the stupid thing...This morning I cleaned out the bottom of it to allow the air to get to it, will take the fan out soon and bring in the woodbox and then fill it and tonight if I struggle to get it going I will cheat and use some coals soaked in turps.  I don't like doing that though, I prefer to use paper and small twigs and branches then bigger wood.  I do think that over the last few years that the newspaper has changed as it no longer seems to light like it used to.  Not sure why it still lights for the husband though...

So, I started this post early this morning and it is now nearly lunchtime.  I haven't done half of what I planned inside and nothing outside yet...better get a move on.   Coffee first though, haven't even had my second cup for the day yet...unless I did but have forgotten...will have one anyway!

Planted Something, Need To Do More...

Finally got something planted.  We were in Mitre 10 in Pinjarra last week so while there I bought a few punnets of seedlings.  Came home and put the box they were in under a tree...and left it there until yesterday when I remembered them and pulled them out and gave them a drink and put them out the back so I'd see them and get them planted.  Did other stuff but while out there this evening I saw them and thought that I'd better put them into the garden before they died of neglect.  Half of them are planted but I will have to do the rest tomorrow.  

I bought eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower and beans.   The cauli and half the broccoli still need to be planted and hopefully I'll do them first thing tomorrow.  Tomorrow morning I also need to mow, finish some washing, clean out my car, put away the tables that we used at the markets...pack away some more stuff that I have decluttered for the markets, bag up some more stuff for the Freemarkets on Saturday, pack a bag ready for a couple of days out the beach, get food ready for the beach stay...Cleanout chooks water bowls and refill before I go...Freemarkets are Saturday afternoon but I wont get much done here once daughter L and her daughter get here around lunch time.  So tomorrow I will have to get up and have a coffee and NOT TURN THE COMPUTER ON!!   At All!!   Yeah, like that's going to happen.  I mean, I may not turn the computer on but all that other stuff that needs to get done before I go out the beach Sat afternoon or early Sunday...all that might not get done.   The planting, some mowing, chooks water, tidy house, vacuuming, finish washing... I'll be happy with that.

Community Markets.

We had our second market day this morning, this time over in Pinjarra.    A few years ago these markets were huge, sadly, not so recently.  We went for a look a few weeks back and there weren't many stalls and not many people while we were there.  Husband decided that they weren't worth going to again and he probably wont.  I decided that they needed support and decided to have a stall there and did.  

It is sad that these markets, and others in different areas, are not supported by the people of the towns.  They can't grow without our going for a look on the day, maybe buying something small from a couple of stalls, maybe having a stall ourselves.  I think the more people that go and look then the more people might decide to have a stall, the more there is to see so the more people will go.

Like last week in Waroona where the market was small and slow going because of other things going on, it was the same today.  Other bigger events in the area.  A couple of regular stalls from Pinjarra markets weren't there today as they went to one of these bigger events.  And why not, you go where you will make the most money.  But how many people going to the markets today won't go again because of the lack of stalls...

We plan on having a stall here next month and we plan to have a stall next month at the Waroona markets...but if it rains or husband is home and decides that we will go away for a few days...I know that the markets will have 1 less stall.   And during Winter?  Do I want to support them enough to go in the wet and cold knowing that others wont so it might not be worth it for us...Am I just a fair weather supporter?  Is this good enough...Dunno.   Time will tell.   I know I will be miffed if either of these markets close down due to lack of support...

What do you think?  Obviously a sometimes supporter is better than none but how often to not go is too much?  Do you go to markets during Winter?  Do you think that they need your support or do you think they will get the support from enough others?  If they did close down would you know, would you miss them?

Honey Labels.

So  obviously I managed to get the labels sorted so I could sell the honey at the markets.  It took me a long time and I probably made an easy job more complicated than it should have been and I'm blaming my lack of organisation and procrastination habit for it all.  Having no idea how to do them had a lot to do with it too though.   In the end though, I got there and I am happy with the way they look.

It was harder because they needed so much information on them and I had different size containers so needed to resize them and everything kept jumping all over the page.

 

The picture that I had at first was from ClipArt and I read somewhere that they might be copyrighted and I had no idea if that was true or not but decided to be safe not sorry.  Then I had a picture of the letter B that was a bee...I still like that and T did work one out but in the end I came up with this one.  I drew it freehand in Paint, that was hard and he wasn't very neat so T fixed it up for me.  I think she did a good job and I like him.

 

I bought a pack of sticker paper from Officeworks.  100 sheets for 30 something dollars. They are A4 size stickers so I print the page out then cut around them and then stick them on.  It would be easier if I knew how to make proper labels and someone this morning told me how she did hers so if I remember in a day or so I will try what she said.  In the meantime though, these work.

Our Market Stall.

I was late getting there but we still managed to get set up, more or less, before the starting time of 8.    Not everything was unpacked but that saved us having to pack it up again afterwards so all good.  I was a bit surprised when I did get there as there weren't as many stalls as I was expecting.  Our markets are held at the town hall and there are inside and outside areas.  The outside areas are bigger and we liked the idea of being out on the grass under the tree. 

Last week when we sorted through some stuff to take we had 2 tables set up out here and as we priced things they were put on a table.  This morning I only took one of the tables and not everything fit on it.  It looked too crowded and things were hard to see as we had stuff on top of other stuff.  If I had taken the other table it would have been better so next time we need 2 tables or less stuff.   I could have/should have taken the second table as there would have been room for it on our patch.   The tables we have don't fit in either my or T's car so I had to use the van and only put in one big table and a smaller table that I was going to use for the honey. 
Not sure what to do next week when we go out of town to some markets, the van might be OK but it is old and I worry about it conking out when driving it now.

Though my main reason for wanting a stall was to sell my honey I have been saying for months that we should have a stall and try and sell some of the crap things we no longer want.  These markets are called Farmers Markets but most of the stalls have nothing to do with farmers or fresh produce.  Today ours had a bit of both.  
Here is daughter T putting some jars on the honey table.   This table also had some Easter gifts that she had made up to sell.

        
A cute little bear holding a 1kg tub.  I had 1kg tubs, 500gm plastic jars, 400gm glass jars and 100gm glass jars.
                                                              



Last night I wrote up a bit about the honey, where it comes from, how it is processed, printed them out and laminated the sheets.  I had it with a price list on a board.                                              

This is the round table with the honey and all of the Easter things.  It looked good.  We had extra stock under the table and the *system* worked quite well.  Sell a few thing, get more out, sell something else, replace that too...


Notice the tray of Chokos?  Picked in my rush this morning and we sold these plus more from under the table.

Granddaughter had boxes of stuffed toys to sell and made a few dollars to spend next time.

This is us. Are they customers that T is ignoring?  No, just lookers.

Looking down the path.  There are usually a lot more people, both with stall and people wandering through.  A few people said how the day was so quiet and we heard that there were other, bigger things happening. 

 This is looking at us from a different spot.  I think we need to work on setting up an inviting stall.

All in all though we think we did alright.  We can't afford to retire yet but we more than covered our costs and had a good time too.  And have already made plans for next week in Pinjarra.   Hmmm, maybe we I should get a proper float together and work out better tables and make sure the alarm will work and get together everything that we needed today but didn't have at the ready...

Market Day...I Slept In!!!!

I never sleep in, I go to bed early I get up early...This last week, since I have been taking the Magnesium tablets I am still awake near midnight and as a result there have been a few mornings when I have woken up closer to 7 than 6 so last night, knowing I had to be somewhere this morning, I set the alarm.    I set it 15min earlier than I wanted to be up so I'd have time for a coffee before I went.  Sleeping away and ring ring goes the phone this morning.  I had arranged for daughter to ring me when she was leaving home so I didn't keep her waiting too long, I had the tables we needed to set up.  She says she is leaving now.  I say I am still in bed, you woke me up.  Ummm OK be there soon.

I get out of bed, can't find my clothes I had put out for today so grab some I wore last week that were luckily on the floor ready for me, rush out to pick some chokos to take, put the honey in the car, back inside to grab some money as I hadn't done the float yet, back out and van wont start, run out the back looking for a can of airostart, back inside to grab some carrots and apples to eat, get the van going and I am off.  Rushed, flustered and worried about being too late and daughter having to wait around for me.  And no coffee.   Markets are over now and I am having my first coffee but with just the start of a headache coming on so I will have another, then some lunch, the apple and carrot didn't do it for me...then...some other stuff, THEN! a report on how it went.  Stay tuned...

Picture For My Honey Label.

The markets are on Sunday and I still haven't worked out the labels for the honey.  Well I did and thought they looked good but I used a ClipArt logo and have since read that I can't use that as it could be copyrighted.  And it could be, I don't know so figure it is better to not use it and then I wont have to worry.    But making my own idea, what is in my head, come out on the computer is not as easy as I thought it would be.

I went to Paint and drew a bee.  Man, that's hard, drawing things freehand in Paint.  It is a little cutie though it wasn't very neat.  T came out and spent some time making it all neat and pretty.  Thanks T!  Then we put in a B.  I thought we could put a smiley face on it, add some little wings, some colour...I couldn't work it out at all but T persisted and came up with a cute little B-bee.

Now I have 2 pictures and I like them both.  Which to use?  Dunno.  I have looked then gone off and done something else then come back and looked again.   I still like them both.  I need to pick one and stick with it...

I was going to put them up on here and ask what others thought but now I can't even do that! HoHum, off to have a coffee before I try again...

I Will Write Something...

Well it's about time that I wrote something isn't it.  So I will tell you all that I have been doing.    There isn't much and the excitement wont get you out of your chair...Hang-on, maybe it will!  Look at something I did last week.

 

That was pretty darn exciting.  I have written about our trip away on my      I Wanna Wander blog.  Go over there to read all about it.  Go on, you know you want to...

Around here though, not much excitement...I have a new chicken.  Well it's a couple of weeks old now and I kinda thought there might be one as a chook had been sitting on a lone egg for ages, in the main chookhouse too so I'm surprised that others didn't add to her nest.  Anyway, one day I decided that I should give them some poultry mix and went into their pen.  After a bit I could hear this little cheepcheepcheeping...Looked around and there was a little yellow chicken, by itself making  lot of noise.  I cornered it and caught it and looked around to see which chook was getting antsy but none were so I took the chicken out.  That made the mumma come running.  I caught her and put them both in the enclosed chicken pen and they have been there with the others since.  The first 6 black chickens, the ones from different mums and different hatching days, are big enough to go into the main pen now and one day soon I might get around to doing that.  The 6 black chickens from 1 mumma are doing well too.  So a bakers dozen of new chooks coming up to lay us lots of eggs.  Not anytime soon but one day...Unless they are roosters, then it will be soup and not eggs that we eat.

I am trying to sort out labels for my honey so that I can sell it at the markets.  That is taking way too long and is not as easy as I thought it should be but I think I have nearly got it worked out.  Have got them sorted for the bigger 1kg tubs but putting the same information on a smaller label is not as easy.  And when I try and get it on the real small gift jars, that will surely do my head in.  The markets are on this Sunday, so I have this afternoon and tomorrow to work something out.  I did go over to Mandurah and buy a new printer and some sticker paper and will print some out this afternoon.  Photos will come if and when I get it finished.  Daughter T did come out and we priced some second hand stuff that we will also have on the stall but my mess is still out in the yard where we started.  I have had 3 days now to put it away and still haven't. 

The chokos that I want to sell are coming along nicely but I have no idea what price to put on them.  Last year chokos were selling for a min of $1 each and that was mid season when we were feeding ours to the cows!   these ones are smallish and I'm thinking 3 for $2...If they don't sell I will add them to stews so they wont be wasted.  Do you buy/eat chokos?  What do you think they are worth? I haven't seen any in the shops yet but I haven't really looked...will try and remember to go today before I come home.

I'm at Vinnies this morning, not looking forward to it like I usually do, I hate the waste.  They are there to help people in need but so much stuff is sent away for recycling.  Stuff that is in better condition than most of what I wear and nicer than my kids wore when they were little...I think I must of put my CrankyBum pants on, hangon while I go change...

We had a tiny, so cute mouse behind the microwave last week, so cute.  Yesterday I get home and something has chewed through a bag of herbal tea that wasn't put away in the tea-tin.  That little mouse is not so cute now! 

We have had rain so I now have no excuse to not get anything planted.  Except I was going to buy seedlings yesterday when over at Bunnings...and didn't.  Will put some seeds in soon though.  I bought some while down at the Nannup markets so can do that anytime.

Eight o'clock already!  Gosh, it gets late early.  I better get a move on.  Will come back again soon.