Bread Machine 2

I bought the bread machine, and made my first lovely loaf with it.  I love the smell of bread baking.  However, I messed up my calculations yesterday.  The shop had two machines, one was my lovely Panasonic for $279, yes $100 more than I posted, still that's only another 40 days to pay it off by not buying bread.  So I bought it, the other one, for $190 was a Sunbeam with the same silly spring thing as the old Sanyo, so no way I was I going to buy it.  Also when I take into account making pizza for tea once a week, the savings on pizza bases is about $6, so that really cuts the days down to 83 days till its paid for itself.  Not bad when I plan on using it daily for another 5 years or so.

Bread Machine

For the past 16 years I have had a Panasonic Bread Machine.  Actually that's not strictly accurate, i've had 2 of them, they aren't designed to last forever.  In that whole time I've found that home made bread costs about half of bought bread.  My second machine died last year, since then I've been using a Sanyo that was given to me by Mum.

It isn't as good as the Panasonic, the bread doesn't have the right texture, but even worse it has a serious design fault.  The bread pan is held in by a couple of bits of bent metal at the top of the machine.  Each time I put the pan in or remove it I have to push or pull it past these bits of metal.  The first time I saw it I could tell this was a mistake, and last week I was proven right.  The bits of metal have gradually weakened and no longer hold the pan in place.  The machine works perfectly if I am prepared to stand there and hold the pan in place, but that kind of defeats the purpose, I might as well make it by hand, but sadly I just don't have the time.  Note the woosy little hooks holding the pan in, also note the dried dough, I had to take the last dough out and cook in manually

It's been costing me $5 a day to keep the family in bread.  That's two loaves of bakery bread.  I just calculated that it costs about $2.5 to make home made bread, so half the cost.  I checked out a new bread machine and it will cost me $179, which works out to be 71.6 day's bread.  So within 3 months the new machine will have paid itself off.  So guess what I'm buying today?  You guessed it, a new Panasonic bread machine.  No more bought bread.  Fresh bread all the way.

I love that hat

I love this hat pattern so much I made two.  One out of mohair for Amber, I made it last year, then this year I needed a hat myself, so I made this one out of wool.  I just love it, so warm and comfy, and it looks great too.  I'm making a matching mobeus scarf, knitting is so much fun.

Helpline

Today I did my regular fortnightly helpline shift.  Every second Sunday from 10 - 2 I make sure I'm home and available to answer the phone.  Mums from all over Australia ring the helpline number for breastfeeding help.  I am one of approximately 900 counsellors in Australia, we take turns to take phone calls. I really enjoy it, it is great to be able to help people.

It was an interesting shift today, usually on a Sunday the phone rings hot for the first how and then slows down.  I usually have a call at 10am on the dot.  Today I hadn't had one by 10:15, so I rang the number to check that I really was on.  I had one call before 11 and then it sped up until 1 and then calmed down again.  I usually have about 12 calls on a shift, so todays 11 was pretty much normal.   Just interesting that they come in fits and starts.

I also do email counselling, where people enter their query onto our website and its gets sent to one of about 7 counsellors rostered on for a few days.  It is interesting the number of people who email that they couldn't get through on the phone and after some questioning I discover it is because they haven't read the information properly.  A lot of VOIP phones won't connect because there is an extra number on the end, so if you are having trouble getting through drop off the extra 6 and you should get through no problems.  This is written on all of the literature, yet many people don't notice it.  I hope the VOIP providers fix the glitch soon as we aren't the only organisation with an extra number :)

Sheep

Friday 20 May 2011

Amber, Possum and I head out to check the sheep today. I know there is no way I can handle our recalcitrant ewe on my own. She’s in the yard, fit and healthy with the two lambs still alive. Well done ewe for keeping them alive on a cold night. Amber and I open the little gate and out she goes like a Bondi tram. She heads for the gate we had shut and runs into it three times, third time lucky over she goes. Disaster, I’m looking at rearing these lambs, night time feeds, torture, I’ve already done it with four kids, don’t need to do it with two lambs.

We run to the ute and chase the ewe around the paddock. Amber and I jump out and run her down, Amber sits on her while I drive the ute up beside her. We lift her onto the ute, she weighs a tonne, quite a struggle. We get her up and pause for breath, big mistake. She’s up on her feet, runs across the back of the ute and off the other side. Off across the paddock she goes, we ring Hubby to tell him the good news, but don’t worry we’ll sort it. Great! Amber and I head her off again, but she’s in the middle of the rocks, no way I can get the ute up beside her. Amber and I wonder what to do, Possum hops out of the ute and the ewe jumps up and runs straight past him. Back in the ute again, we follow her across the paddock, she heads towards the flock, so we cut her off and head her back towards the shed. Eventually she collapses. Amber sits on her again while I bring the ute up beside her. This time we consider hobbling her while she is on the ground, but then we realise we can’t lift her up with her legs tied together, its all we can do to lift her as it is. Still I have the hobbles in my pocket and the moment we get her on the back of the ute the hobbles go on, before we even put the side up.

We head back to the shed, we’ve been chasing her for over half an hour, we are hoping the lambs are still there. As we drive into the shed yard I spot one lamb still in the sheep yards, Amber spots the other near the water trough. I pull up as close as possible to the yard, as I’m reversing into place Amber panics “Stop mum!” I stop, the lamb has headed our way and is under the back of the ute. Close call. We gently lower the ewe over the side and force her back into the little yard. We put the lambs in with her, check her water and head back to the inlaws for a quick drink and to give the keys back.

Surprise, Hubby pulls in just after us. Apparently Father in Law had gone to check on us because we took so long, but couldn’t find us. Amazing, it is only 1000 acres, not the Simpson desert. Still we did it ourselves, justly proud. Hubby suggests we head back and check the ewe, she can’t be too bad she kept the lambs alive all night. At the yard we open the other gates and allow the ewe a long slow walk to the paddock, she goes a short way and waits for the littlest lamb. Hubby and I agree that I’ll come back after school to check on them. We head home, Hubby goes back to work, I stop off to find out the cost of lamb formula, jaw drop it costs $80 for enough for 2 lambs for six weeks. That ewe better get it right.

After school Lily, Possum and I head out to the farm to check on the ewe and her lamb. We can’t see here when we get there. We check the yards, no lambs, we follow the path she had to take to get the lambs into the paddock, no lambs. Thankfully no sign of ewe or lambs. I pack the oats and buckets back into the shed, hopefully we won’t have to do that again.

Sheep

Monday 16 May

I checked the sheep, they were all in the front paddock, about 20 lambs, maybe more, they are very hard to count, all hiding in the stubble.

Wednesday 18 May

The sheep are hiding in the back paddock, they move around a lot! One ewe looks a bit unwell, but the rest are healthy and happy, I counted about 23 lambs. FIL tells me about the disaster of his day, finding a ewe with the lamb dead inside, and trying to get it out, legs come but no lamb. I really don’t want that with my sheep.

Thursday 19 May

The sheep have moved again, they are fast on their feet. They are in the damn paddock. I check the back paddock just to be on the safe side, there are a couple of ewes with 3 lambs between them trailing the flock, still travelling to the damn paddock. I keep going, and there in the back paddock is a lump that wasn’t there the day before, my first problem ewe. I drive up and find a ewe on the ground, laying on her side, sheep don’t lay on their side unless something is going wrong. She has two lambs, one is healthy the other isn’t so good. It looks like the first one fed while the second was being born, and then the ewe lay down, for some reason they won’t feed while she is laying down, even though they can see the udder. I try to lift her up, but she weights a tonne. Have I mentioned that these ewes are in really good condition, 72 sheep on 1000 acres way too much food to go round. Eventually I ring Hubby to come and help, the in laws are in town shopping so its up to him. While I’m waiting I check the rest of the flock, I count 27 lambs including the two with the sick ewe. Hubby heads out to help me, and lifts the ewe who promptly races off to the other end of the paddock. We put the lambs in the ute and head off after her, racing around. Eventually we pick her up and put the three of them in the sheep yards with some water and oats. The lambs are feeding when we head off. Good going for the day.

Sheep

and the odd kangaroo

In August we replaced our car with a better one, we also bought a farm ute and we purchased 72 elderly ewes from my father in law. We chose the older ewes because they are descended from better rams, than the younger ones. We went halves in four reasonable quality rams, from a high quality stud. These 76 sheep were the seed of our sheep flock.

Over the next few months we checked our sheep a couple of times a week, and lost two ewes. We put the rams in with the ewes and took them out again a couple of months later. We continued checking them a couple of times a week and watched their wool grow longer and they tummies grow fatter. Things were going well.

Sunday 8 May 21

We visited the inlaws for our regular Sunday visit and check of the sheep, Father in Law commented that his lambs had started dropping and he’d been out to our farm the day before and noticed we had 3 lambs, one set twins. So we planned for checking the sheep daily during lambing. Father in Law agreed to check them on Saturday and Tuesday, as those days we are too busy to go to the farm. I would do Monday and Thursday, Hubby would do Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

This worked for a week, then Hubby changed his work team and they needed him at work ontime, no more visiting the farm before lunch and starting work at 12, he had to be there by 9, so I got to visit the farm every day except Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Joy

Last night was Amber's School Ball.

It was such a delight to watch her playing up to the camera before going, wearing the dress that I sewed for her.

Absolute delight and joy to watch my girl who is growing up so wonderfully.

I was also rather proud of how my sewing turned out. It actually looked like it was meant to and fitted her. The fact that I only finished the dress at 10am the day of the ball was a bit of a worry, because there was no room for errors. I had planned to do the work over the school holidays, but with two trips to Perth and family visiting it just didn't happen. Then I had an essay due a week before the ball, so I'm very happy that it worked out and she looked so beautiful in it.

Joy

The squishy feeling of biscuit dough as you shape it to bake it.

The scent of freshly baked biscuits

The speed with which they disappear from the plate

Phone sock

Yes, I know, who knits a sock for a phone? Answer someone who doesn't wear pockets. I quite often head out with just my keys and the phone, the keys are on a lanyard but the phone is in my hand. It is very annoying. So I made myself a phone sock, I'm happy with it.

Here's how I did it

8 ply wool

2 4mm circular needles

Cable pattern

Rows 1 & 2: P1, K8, P1

Row 3: P 1, K2, C4F, K2, P1

Rows 4 & 5: row 1

Row 6: P1, C4B, C4B, P1

Row 7 & 8 Row 1

Row 9: Row 3

Row 10: Row 1

Phone sock

Cast on 12 (min of 10st even number) on each needle using Judy Becker’s Magic Sock Cast on http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html

Start cable pattern from row 1

Increase to 20 (or whatever your phone needs), following cable pattern.

Continue following cable pattern until sock is big enough for your phone.

Cast off, but don’t finish off.

Change to crochet hook, slip sti into first cast of stitch to neaten end.

Chain 40 cm

Slip stitch to other side of sock top.

DC all the way back around the chain.

Slip stitch, finish off.

Joy

An evening walk with the family through the quiet streets of the town. I look up at the sky and the stars are so bright, I almost imagine I can reach up and touch them. The sky is so clear we can see so far, and so many stars. Such joy.

Queensland Flood

My heart goes out to all the victims of the Queensland floods. All those who are homeless, those who are flooded in, those who are flooded out. My heart also goes out to those affected by floods in NSW, Vic and Tas, what a terribly wet summer. My heart especially goes out to those with small children, trying to explain what is happening to them, why they can't go home, why they can't go to visit friends, why they can't do so many things. Even worse, how to feed them, why is there none of their favourite food, why can't we go shopping. And then for those of small babies, how to feed them, yes many mums breastfeed and that is such a relief because they know that no matter where they are, no matter what happens, they have food for the baby or even the toddler. No matter what happens, Mum's milk is there for bub. However, for those who are formula feeding, there are a range of problems, firstly is there enough formula available, and then they need water to mix it with, water to clean all the equipment, and they need power to heat the water. I really feel for these mums, I spent two years in a similar situation, when Possum was a baby he could not breastfeed, with my first three kids I never had to worry about this, they could feed anywhere, and I always knew I had milk for them, with Possum it was different. I expressed for him, and I spent the whole two years worries that I would run out of power, and not be able to express, or the milk in the freezer would thaw or I wouldn't be able to wash my bottles. It is so much harder when you can't breastfeed. Again all my thoughts go out to the Mums and bubs of Queensland, I hope someone is making sure you all have enough milk.

On the topic of Queensland floods, I know everyone wants to help out. If you want to help out, please listen to the requests from the Queenslanders. They have asked that we send them money not things, if you want to help, here is the link to the Government appeal, please send money this way, rather than goods other ways: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

And the rain ....

Came tumbling down

I know it is nothing like the rain they have been having over east, and nothing like the flooding they have been having. In fact it definitely isn't anything like that, because this was fun. The kids had an absolute ball playing in all the water that was all over the street.

However, it was more than just the street, the Highway was covered in water, and cars had to be very careful going through. Traffic was restricted and all the drains were blocked by garden soil. It didn't go down till the next day. Why so much flooding, because we had 58mls in 2 hours, so the drains just couldn't cope with it. Its great though because our dams are full, our sheep will not go thirsty. I love the rain.

Joy

The other morning I was listening to the radio and they were interviewing this bloke who writes a blog about awesomeness. It seemed like such a wonderful idea, posting about all the things that go right in your day and that make you feel great. So I’m going to give it a try. However, I’m not really into the word Awesome, it just doesn’t flow with me, so I thought about it for a while, and then I was chatting with the kids about Joyfulness and it struck me, Joy is the word for me.

As ‘Abdu’l-Baha says:

Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But when sadness visits us we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of life seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings.

Joy is so important and all around us. Hard things seem easier and good things seem better when we are feeling joy. So I am now looking for joy all around.

Rain's coming

I love the smell of rain.

Just popped outside and the air smells sweet, it is going to rain soon.

Big Boy Bed

Yesterday we finally organised a big boy bed for Possum. When you have 6 people living in a 3 bedroom house it can take time to find space for the youngest to have his own bed. He's spent the last 3 years either in our bed (all our babies bed share with us) and then in a small bed touching ours. We used to have bookshelves taking up the end of our bedroom, during the holiday we moved the books, they are now along the passage, in the lounge and a lot of them are being donated to the library. This made room for a big boy bed and some personal space for Possum. yes he is still in our room, but as he is 9 years younger than Techno Boy it doesn't really feel right to have a 3 year old sharing with a 12 year old. He slept happily in his bed last night so hopefully it is a sign of things to come.