My man of much wisdom told me recently that I just need to realise that I can do most of the things I want to do right now. I don't need a farm to do them. You know what? He's right. Maybe before in my tiny little flat I would have had a bit of trouble plucking pheasants in the bathtub (well I didn't have a bathtub fo a start) and making soap and cheese, and cripes, who knows were I would have put the chickens!? But now that I'm out in the 'burbs in this great big house, I have plenty of room.
We spent a weekend in Pihia recently where I met my Great Aunt and Uncle. To be fair I had met my aunt once before when I was about 9 but I don't really remember. They were fantastic, with such a 'can-do' attitude. They were out there, up to mischief, moving into a woolshed after selling their house. They were quite an inspiration. I hope I can get the same reaction when I tell people what I am up to at that age :)
We stopped in at the Kerikeri markets, to get some ideas. Again I was inspired by all the things that people produce from their land. Then on the way home we stopped in at a cheese making place that as it turns out, the people had been at the market. I was told we were going to find out about cheesemaking.
We were a bit shy at first, and the lady behind the counter a bit reseved, but as she warmed to our questioning we ended up having quite a good discussion. She explained to us the best way to start was to make Quark, and got us a spoonful each to try. With mounting enthusiasm, we wrote down instructions and went away with some rennet, some culture, and some Cumin Cheddar - mmmmmm. So now I just need to trawl trademe for a pot, a thermometer and some disinfectant, and its Quark making time!
But really, that is all that is holding me back frm most things. I just need a couple of cheap ingreedients or tools and I'm away. My wise advisor suggested I put aside $100 a week to get things to further my little experiments. That is not a silly idea. A lot of the things are one-off costs (like pots). I think in the past I have always thought its more important to pay off that card, but I've done that now so its time to start living. Every step is one closer to the farm anyway. Its all baby steps anyway round here!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Knitting Circle
I tend to have a lot of ideas that slowly tick over, and I think that a lot of people who know me well quietly think I'm a little bit crazy. But this idea was brilliant in so many ways and it is about to be realised this weekend with the beginning of our family knitting circle.
I have been a bit erratic with my blogging both because of my technology issues and because my Grandad passed away. One thing that happens when a family member passes on is that you reassess your realtionship with your family. I have a very close relationship with my Mum and three brothers, and a fairly close relationship with my Gran and aunts and uncles on Mum's side to varying degrees. I consider family to be very important to me, but I really don't see any of them enough. On my Dad's side, aside from Dad, I haven't really had contact with anyone since I was about 13. The funeral was both a celebration of Grandad's life and a goodbye, but also a reonnection within the family. It highlighted to me the importance of initiating contact and not letting my fairly distant relationship with my Dad cut me off from that side of the family. One thing about slowing down and simplifying isunderstanding the importance of family and community. I think I need to focus on family a bit more and work on keeping in touch with my family on the paternal side.
So when the knitting circle idea popped into my head it seemed like a brilliant way to keep connected with my family and share something with them. We were at my Gran's place and a conversation about knitting sprung up after I apologised to my Gran for asking her to knit me some socks, making her hand swell up and her have to get her ring cut off... well, actually I asked Mum and she pawned it off to Gran... long story. Anyway, my brother's partner mentioned she wanted to learn to knit, and I know Mum is doing some knitting, and I guess I'll need to learn to knit my own socks now, so, viola, the knitting circle was born. Well, actually I suggested it and I think everyone else thought I was joking but I got so excited about it they just went along with me. Either way, the knitting circle is all go.
With my usual burst of enthusiasm I got in touch with my two other brother's partners, and they were keen, and we organised it for this coming Sunday. The idea is to get together fortnightly to learn/practice/teach knitting, and have a ladies luncheon. We are all going to bring a plate of lady-like lunch treats, like scones, cucumber sandwiches, asparagus rolls and that sort of thing. Its a great way to make sure we all see each other regularly, and people can come whenever they can make it. I'm very excitied, and hopefully I'll learn how to knit my own socks too!
I have been a bit erratic with my blogging both because of my technology issues and because my Grandad passed away. One thing that happens when a family member passes on is that you reassess your realtionship with your family. I have a very close relationship with my Mum and three brothers, and a fairly close relationship with my Gran and aunts and uncles on Mum's side to varying degrees. I consider family to be very important to me, but I really don't see any of them enough. On my Dad's side, aside from Dad, I haven't really had contact with anyone since I was about 13. The funeral was both a celebration of Grandad's life and a goodbye, but also a reonnection within the family. It highlighted to me the importance of initiating contact and not letting my fairly distant relationship with my Dad cut me off from that side of the family. One thing about slowing down and simplifying isunderstanding the importance of family and community. I think I need to focus on family a bit more and work on keeping in touch with my family on the paternal side.
So when the knitting circle idea popped into my head it seemed like a brilliant way to keep connected with my family and share something with them. We were at my Gran's place and a conversation about knitting sprung up after I apologised to my Gran for asking her to knit me some socks, making her hand swell up and her have to get her ring cut off... well, actually I asked Mum and she pawned it off to Gran... long story. Anyway, my brother's partner mentioned she wanted to learn to knit, and I know Mum is doing some knitting, and I guess I'll need to learn to knit my own socks now, so, viola, the knitting circle was born. Well, actually I suggested it and I think everyone else thought I was joking but I got so excited about it they just went along with me. Either way, the knitting circle is all go.
With my usual burst of enthusiasm I got in touch with my two other brother's partners, and they were keen, and we organised it for this coming Sunday. The idea is to get together fortnightly to learn/practice/teach knitting, and have a ladies luncheon. We are all going to bring a plate of lady-like lunch treats, like scones, cucumber sandwiches, asparagus rolls and that sort of thing. Its a great way to make sure we all see each other regularly, and people can come whenever they can make it. I'm very excitied, and hopefully I'll learn how to knit my own socks too!
Technology Issues
Well, in the past week I managed to blow up my computer, stuff my camera, and break my cellphone. Well, that’s not entirely true, each of them were just broken when I turned up. But I get the feeling I may have some kind of technology jinx. The phone was an easy fix, the rollerball had stopped working, and it’s a work phone so I just told our IT chick and she replaced it for me that day. Sorted. The camera was a $100 dollar jobbie, purchased in an emergency situation when I was on holiday and my other one broke. Its lasted a couple of years and it was far from brilliant, so I guess its just time to replace it. That might have to wait a while. The computer is another story. This is the second time it has broken in its lifetime. It’s a big whopper Mac tower, and weighs a ton, so taking it to the shop isn’t fun. Last time its emergency switch thingie was tripping and the computer kept freezing and the fan going onto full speed. Sounded like it was going to take off. They weren’t sure what was wrong with it. They noticed one of the boards inside wasn’t quite sitting in the right place so it could have been that, or it might be some ridiculously expensive thing that basically means you might as well buy another computer. So this time, it was on, I walked out of the room, and when I came back in it was off. Pushing the on button only makes a light flash at me to tease me before it says ‘Nope, sorry luv’ and turns back off.
I guess this can go two ways. I take it in, they fix it, I pay some annoying but affordable amount, life goes on. Or, I could take it in, they tell me its going to cost big bucks. Then I have options. Do I A: Fix it, B: Get my data off it if possible and buy another one, C: Get a mini laptop like this one I am borrowing off a friend in the meantime, D: don’t get one at all.
In simplifying my life, one thing that I have never considered doing without is a computer. The amount of invaluable information available at your fingertips is just too good to give up, and this little episode still hasn’t made me think for a moment that I don’t need one. But ithas made me wonder if right now I need internet at home. I pay around $90 a month for 3 gig of internet surfing and my home phone. My phone doesn’t ring, so I only ever ring out. I have considered dropping the phone out, but the options of internet only aren’t very good, you either pay the same anyway or get a lot less data for not a lot less money.
The options are – surf the net at work after hours. While this is not strictly prohibited, I think I would be stretching the limits of ‘reasonable personal use’. Also a lot of sites are blocked at work for security. Another option is to get a laptop with a wireless modem and go and sit in a café with wi-fi or go hang out in Parnell – the whole area has free wi-fi, but it’s a fair way away from my house. The problem is that its just not that convenient, and convenience is part of the appeal. If I suddenly decide I want to bake a fancy cake, I wont be able to look up a recipe. But for a saving of $90 a month, is that a small price to pay? Perhaps I should just be a bit more organized. Do all my googling and blogging in a burst. I’m going to have to think more about this. Lets see what happens with the computer first.
I guess this can go two ways. I take it in, they fix it, I pay some annoying but affordable amount, life goes on. Or, I could take it in, they tell me its going to cost big bucks. Then I have options. Do I A: Fix it, B: Get my data off it if possible and buy another one, C: Get a mini laptop like this one I am borrowing off a friend in the meantime, D: don’t get one at all.
In simplifying my life, one thing that I have never considered doing without is a computer. The amount of invaluable information available at your fingertips is just too good to give up, and this little episode still hasn’t made me think for a moment that I don’t need one. But ithas made me wonder if right now I need internet at home. I pay around $90 a month for 3 gig of internet surfing and my home phone. My phone doesn’t ring, so I only ever ring out. I have considered dropping the phone out, but the options of internet only aren’t very good, you either pay the same anyway or get a lot less data for not a lot less money.
The options are – surf the net at work after hours. While this is not strictly prohibited, I think I would be stretching the limits of ‘reasonable personal use’. Also a lot of sites are blocked at work for security. Another option is to get a laptop with a wireless modem and go and sit in a café with wi-fi or go hang out in Parnell – the whole area has free wi-fi, but it’s a fair way away from my house. The problem is that its just not that convenient, and convenience is part of the appeal. If I suddenly decide I want to bake a fancy cake, I wont be able to look up a recipe. But for a saving of $90 a month, is that a small price to pay? Perhaps I should just be a bit more organized. Do all my googling and blogging in a burst. I’m going to have to think more about this. Lets see what happens with the computer first.
Busy in the garden
A lot has been happening in the garden in the past few weeks. The first lot of early seed sowing included Scarlet runner beans, Cabbage ‘Copenhagen’, Baxter Early Bush tomatoes, Pumpkins ‘Jack be little’, ‘White Scallop’ and ‘Kumikumi’, Onions crystal white wax, Purple basil, and lettuce ‘Paris Island Cos’. These all went into seed trays as it still a bit cold for direct sowing. But that didn’t stop some things being planted out in the ground, so the NZ spinach, bok choi, and some more spinach was sown outside. I picked up a few seedlings too to help get a head start of great lakes, red oakleaf and lollo rossa lettuces, and more broad beans to top up my meager patch where only 3 seeds came up.
I’ve acquired a few other plants along the way, I got some rhubarb plants from my Gran, bought some Jerusalem artichokes from the kerikeri growers market, and picked up some maori potato seeds from Koanga Gardens. My great aunt also gave me some heirloom tomato seeds to try, they are seeds she saved from some of her favourites that she grows every year. I’m going to wait until it warms up a bit more before I sow those because I don’t want to waste the seed.
I have also done a bit of preparation work out in the garden for the ever nearing spring. Today I started a new compost heap, as the current one was put together before I got here and isn’t doing too well. I think the contents are a bit too chunky. So I just made another heap beside the last< and used the compost building as an incentive to do a bit of tidying up. I collected armloads of green material from the abundant weeds that are starting to take off as it warms up, and collected brown matter from a heap of tree trimmings piled behind the grapefruit tree. It was a good opportunity to start tidying up that pile too. I think the resultant heap should do well, and to help it keep warm I covered it with a pile of newspaper and a piece of old carpet I found in the wood heap.
I’m also starting to reclaim some of the area that used to be vegetable garden, but was retired and covered over with shadecloth before I came here. The shadecloth hasn’t stopped the weed growth but at least it is minimized and what is there is easy to pull out. The ground is nice and soft too for digging over, but still fairly wet and very clayey. I hope my compost cooks quickly because I could sure use some!
I have to hurry up and get myself a new camera so I can post some pictures, my old one seems to have given up the ghost.
I’ve acquired a few other plants along the way, I got some rhubarb plants from my Gran, bought some Jerusalem artichokes from the kerikeri growers market, and picked up some maori potato seeds from Koanga Gardens. My great aunt also gave me some heirloom tomato seeds to try, they are seeds she saved from some of her favourites that she grows every year. I’m going to wait until it warms up a bit more before I sow those because I don’t want to waste the seed.
I have also done a bit of preparation work out in the garden for the ever nearing spring. Today I started a new compost heap, as the current one was put together before I got here and isn’t doing too well. I think the contents are a bit too chunky. So I just made another heap beside the last< and used the compost building as an incentive to do a bit of tidying up. I collected armloads of green material from the abundant weeds that are starting to take off as it warms up, and collected brown matter from a heap of tree trimmings piled behind the grapefruit tree. It was a good opportunity to start tidying up that pile too. I think the resultant heap should do well, and to help it keep warm I covered it with a pile of newspaper and a piece of old carpet I found in the wood heap.
I’m also starting to reclaim some of the area that used to be vegetable garden, but was retired and covered over with shadecloth before I came here. The shadecloth hasn’t stopped the weed growth but at least it is minimized and what is there is easy to pull out. The ground is nice and soft too for digging over, but still fairly wet and very clayey. I hope my compost cooks quickly because I could sure use some!
I have to hurry up and get myself a new camera so I can post some pictures, my old one seems to have given up the ghost.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Menu Planning
Its hard fighting the culture of eating out and the escape from the office it provides during a tedious work day. Most meetings are held in a cafe (unless you are telling someone off or being told off), and you can't really sit in a cafe without buying something. Yes, it is generally put on expenses, but it also goes on the waistline, and creates a habit that you continue at your own expense.
When lunch comes around, the act of going to buy your lunch gets you out of your chair, down the lift and outside, and its a great way to catch up with people away from work. Lunch becomes a de-stress session which I think is really important, especially in the tough times we are trolling through at the moment.
So how can you get the same benefit, while bringing your own lunch? Here are the issues:
When lunch comes around, the act of going to buy your lunch gets you out of your chair, down the lift and outside, and its a great way to catch up with people away from work. Lunch becomes a de-stress session which I think is really important, especially in the tough times we are trolling through at the moment.
So how can you get the same benefit, while bringing your own lunch? Here are the issues:
- Eating in the 'cafe area' at work is a straight out no. What's the point? You might as well eat at your desk.
- You can't sit in a cafe without buying something.
- Its really cold at the moment, and usually raining. Besides, there aren't a lot of nice outdoor spaces around my end of the CBD to eat your lunch in.
- You cant eat in the library.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Farm Shopping
I had a really exciting day on Saturday, I went farm shopping. Well, it was actually farm window shopping, but still pretty exciting. We looked at four little farmlets around the Whatawhata area with a very trying real estate agent. Aside from having to try and ignore her steady stream of irrelevant chatter, a good time was had by all. It really opens your eyes to the possibilities when you start to look at properties and get a feel for the size of places and the potential for improvements or business opportunities.
My theory (probably coming form my training) is that you always start with the land and go from there. That means that you look at what you have got and make the most of the opportunities that it presents. Hilly? How about goats? Wet? Duck ponds and flax for weaving. You get the picture. So it is a bit of a chicken and egg situation, but I guess that is part of the fun.
The weekend has definitely presented a lot of food for thought. Family farm-buying syndicate? Good house on run down land, or run down house on good land? How much land? and for that matter, how much house? Lots of things to think over, and definitely a plan in the making. Because at the end of it, it all comes down to money - how much you can get, where its coming from, and how much you need to pay. Mortgages aren't cheap. They are saying its a buyers market. They are also saying house prices are likely to continue to drop. But what if they aren't? Should I just close my eyes, buy a lotto ticket, and hope for the best?
My theory (probably coming form my training) is that you always start with the land and go from there. That means that you look at what you have got and make the most of the opportunities that it presents. Hilly? How about goats? Wet? Duck ponds and flax for weaving. You get the picture. So it is a bit of a chicken and egg situation, but I guess that is part of the fun.
The weekend has definitely presented a lot of food for thought. Family farm-buying syndicate? Good house on run down land, or run down house on good land? How much land? and for that matter, how much house? Lots of things to think over, and definitely a plan in the making. Because at the end of it, it all comes down to money - how much you can get, where its coming from, and how much you need to pay. Mortgages aren't cheap. They are saying its a buyers market. They are also saying house prices are likely to continue to drop. But what if they aren't? Should I just close my eyes, buy a lotto ticket, and hope for the best?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Future Planning
I had one of those 'I feel trapped in a little glass box' days today where you don't feel like you are going anywhere and you are just stuck there watching the world go by. So I went and had a chat to one of my favourite mental-health-coffee-catchup friends. He listened to me for a while and then offered some advice. 'You don't know what you want. You need a direction. You need a plan'.
Now I love to plan. I usually have about four on the go at any one time. But in this case we were talking particularly about my work and it just so happens that due to several factors at the moment I don't have a plan. In fact, I don't really have any idea what I want to do with my career. There are so many paths I can see in front of me, so many opportunities. Each has its own challenges and rewards that need considering. But they are almost so diverse, so numerous and so ill-defined that I am still cowering inside my glass box not sure which way to go.
So my wise and understanding friend told me to write it down, draw a diagram, whatever, just get it out of my head onto some paper. He then offered his services and that of his wife as sounding boards for me to test my thoughts on. Knowing me as well as he does he recognised I need to talk myself around to what I want to do. What a wonderful friend!
So now I am off to dump all of my thoughts onto paper. I am armed with post-it notes, paper, pens, and coloring pencils, so I can follow whatever whim helps me to purge myself of all the thoughts whizzing around in my head. One thing I know is as long as I am still walking, and not just hiding in my box, I am getting somewhere, and it is never too late to change direction.
Now I love to plan. I usually have about four on the go at any one time. But in this case we were talking particularly about my work and it just so happens that due to several factors at the moment I don't have a plan. In fact, I don't really have any idea what I want to do with my career. There are so many paths I can see in front of me, so many opportunities. Each has its own challenges and rewards that need considering. But they are almost so diverse, so numerous and so ill-defined that I am still cowering inside my glass box not sure which way to go.
So my wise and understanding friend told me to write it down, draw a diagram, whatever, just get it out of my head onto some paper. He then offered his services and that of his wife as sounding boards for me to test my thoughts on. Knowing me as well as he does he recognised I need to talk myself around to what I want to do. What a wonderful friend!
So now I am off to dump all of my thoughts onto paper. I am armed with post-it notes, paper, pens, and coloring pencils, so I can follow whatever whim helps me to purge myself of all the thoughts whizzing around in my head. One thing I know is as long as I am still walking, and not just hiding in my box, I am getting somewhere, and it is never too late to change direction.
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