Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Grocery shopping

Have been doing our grocery shopping online recently. I'm aware of the costs being higher, but right now, it seems worth it to spend that little bit extra, and to have that time instead. It's a bit of column a and column b theory; balance and all that.

Alternating between Coles and Safeway, and honestly am only sticking with Coles cos they give you the petrol voucher and we get the flybuys. Safeway's delivery costs are always lower and they seem to have a better system. Still, as a fortnightly expenditure, it's not too bad a deal.

Pick up the things we can't get via this sort of shopping from either a lunchtime walk at the local-to-work supermarket, or fresh fruit and veg from the market or local grocer on a weekend. It's not so hard to do a small shop on my own (I walk every lunchtime, so to stop at Coles for 10 mins for a single bag pick up isn't a hassle) or a small-ish shop with kids in tow.

I found it a struggle in the beginning with the extra expenditure, but now have made peace and figure I'm better off making curtains, cleaning the kitchen, cooking up meals on the weekend for the weekday dinners, or playing and reading with the kids, instead of spending precious weekend time in the supermarket and queues.

I also admit we probably save a little, as I don't impulse shop this way. I don't overspend on things we 'might' use or eat. My diet is also working, as chocolate isn't on the normal list!

How are you handling it? Are you shopping the regular way? If you have kids, do you wangle? Do you have the time? And lastly - which do you prefer of Coles and Safeway?

I admit if we were shopping normally, I'd go Aldi, then top up at the Coles in the same complex, then get FnV from the grocer in the same complex, or at the market in a separate shop. Meat would be from the bulk "Tasman Meats", which is something I've stuck to. Have to get a big freezer to be able to do more of that bulk meat shopping, and bulk weekend cooking.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Don't get it

13 years old. I know teens are thoughtless and selfish, but seriously, this is over the top. No lessons are learnt, no sense is gained, no change is seen. I can't explain it, and nobody outside myself and my husband appears to see this.

It's both killing us as individuals and it's starting to put a wall between us as we try to sort out how to deal with this child. Yes, 13, but still a child.

We'll get there. She'll finally grow up and gain some sense and some empathy and some abillity to learn a lesson. Right now it feels like this is going to go on forever and it's draining.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Jean Hunt

So, this is not the life for me. If i could do it all again, I'd snub the beatches in High School and have learnt a trade. My 13 yo daughter is thinking about carpentry and she'll get nothing but praise and support from me. I have a feeling she's more like me than she thinks. Not necessarily in the bad ways too!

So. What to do. Mid to late 30s is not too late to start again, but being the person who everyone relies upon to bring steady money home is a difficult starting point. So knowing that I need to study to gain a different job is a good thing, but knowing that I have to do it part time and it'll take an age to complete shortens some of my options.

If a magical mystical world was available, I'd travel back to the 70's and become a cop. I'd make a good Gene/Jean Hunt.

Like this morning when a bloke in a magna swerved over the line a little too close to my car. I'd have noticed he was steering with one elbow, while one hand held the bottom of a bags of chips and the other was grabbing food and shoveling it into his gob. Then I noticed his numberplate was hand written with texta on a piece of particleboard strapped onto his boot. Later when I got ahead of him in traffic, I noticed he had the matching set.

Now... how would it go....

*insert dreamy music here, as I travel back in time*

"Sir what is the meaning of this numberplate set? It's illegal and you must pay this fine."
"But I didn't..."
"And what is the meaning of you swerving across lanes as you drive along a freeway, you must keep both of your hands on the steering wheel, at 10 and 2 on the clock."
"Sorry, I...."
And of course, let's remember this is the 70's, so me hitting him upside the head wouldn't be out of place.
"Oh dear. Did you slip sir? Must be that oil on the ground. So when was the last time you had this car serviced" I ask as I pull out my fine book.

Yeah, I could do that. If some magical mystical world were true.

It's not. So I need to sort out options. I'm off to look into careers counselling. Maybe someone can tell me what is out there, and what I can do with my life.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Nothing much in bits

Why is it when i think of something to write here, I'm nowhere near here, and when I am here, I've forgotten all about that most important item of information....

I want to go and see Chicago on stage. Gina Riley is in it, but that isn't putting me off. She'd probably be pretty good as Matron Mama Morton. However the real drawcard for me is Caroline O'Connor, she would be awesome in the role of Velma Kelly.

Watched "Merlin" tonight. Eh. Was ok. Not terrible to have it on when the kids are around. With a couple sword stabbing deaths, not great for the kids either! Touted as PG rated, and it was pretty tame, but was a little rougher than what I'd class as Disney PG.

Mothers Day today, and a lovely day is wished to all, but really, come on, it's a Hallmark day. You know what that means. Still, I was given a lovely 'lecky blanket for a gift, and a couple little things, so I guess I'm a part of the Hallmark world.

We won our footy game today. Yay! Dogs are back on track. Would love to see the game, but I doubt they'll be showing it. That bites. An interstate game should be played on free to air, and games played in my local area should be on pay telly. I know it's all aimed at people like us in buying in for pay telly, but we refuse on that point.

Now there is a blog post I could write; Pay telly and why we refuse to get it. But eh, it's late and time to have some milk and head to bed, and I've now got a new thing to forget to write about.