Bits and Pieces. Floods. Soap. What eva!

Slade Point Lookout.

It's cool. It's cloudy with a lovely breeze blowing.  Just the right day for making a new batch of soap with the gorgeous colours I ordered on line from Heirloom Cosmetics.   If I want to sell my soaps at the markets I need to make lots of stock so that it has time to cure.    If I don't run out of steam, I can make a few batches.

older batches of home made soap.

I would take photos to show you BUT.   My 3 month old camera has now gone back to Nikon to get fixed or Nikon will probably  say it was dropped, it had sand in it, grass in it, your fault!  
The guys from the retailer warned me that this is Nikon's usual stance.   What a mob of bastards!!!   I'll wait and see.  
To make matters worse, could not buy a charger for my other camera at 2 big retail outlets.      Also, couldn't buy a phone battery from where we bought the phones!  The world is going down the tubes to Agenda 21.

Another lot of very yummy Mango Chutney was made here.  It is so nice that we could eat it by the spoonful!  I put a little extra mixed spice in and a little more garlic too and this has given it that extra hit of flavour.  Let me know if you would like the recipe posted.

   This is my first attempt at  sealing the jars in a simmering hotwater bath.  It worked and each of the jar's lids popped in.  I'm going to get out the Fowlers Vacola stuff and do it properly for the  next lot of jam making.       Storage is a huge problem for me due to the smallness of the home and my lovely collection habits!

We have had horrendous flooding in Australia, AGAIN!!  

The wonderful local  Coates Hire in Mackay, QLD  is taking their tilt  tray truck with 2 containers of donated goods and clothing etc,   down to Bundaberg to be there for any one in need. 

Believe me... that's a lot of people.   We took our donations in.  The containers were filled within a few days!!!    I love kind and generous people.   I had made a heap of kids clothes from fabric that a friend had given me a year ago and   I was going to sell it very cheap on my market stall.     Nah.... this is a far better use for them all.  Now, I can sew up some more and diminish that stash.



Also dropped my car off to get the damage fixed from the October incident!   Hell no.. don't want to rush these things...

Dieting sucks. I really have to eat BEFORE I'm hungry so that I don't empty the fridge...just joking!

The Shrinking Violet!

 I'm still going well and still  motivated and   I am sneaking up on my Animal Brain!!   Just a steady, steady loss so that the internal monster doesn't know what I'm doing!

Once we use up all the fattening foods in the fridge and pantry I will only be buying fruit, vegetables and healthy bits.  It is not in my best interests to go shopping when I'm hungry.  Extras like chips and chocolate end up in the trolley! That doesn't happen too often.  I very, very seldom buy biscuits, cakes or sweets so I don't have to retrain myself there.
I'm juicing most mornings using all kinds of plants and fruit or vegetables.  It is an easy way to get the vitamins into you without the cooking and bulky, full feeling.  The exercise thing is happening from the gardening and I am finding long forgotten muscles.

I feel bloody knackered today as a result of waking too early. Too early being around 4am!    Hate that.       It puts me out for the rest of the day!

  I had planned on sewing all day.   I'm finishing off a top for myself that I've had half done for six months.  That's if I find the sleeves.   I have so much "stuff" in my sewing room,  it's hard to remember which plastic roller case holds what.  I really am going to label them......     

I don't like sewing for myself.   It reckon it's the bloody low self esteem thing again.

 Easy sewing..... I have some wadding that came from 6 patio chairs that I've taken out of the old covers and plan to place on top of each other unfolded, then cover to make a light mattress thingy to go under the cushions of the downstairs sofa. Washed them to  freshen first.   Photos coming up!

I am so fortunate that we can't get television reception here along with bad mobile phone coverage. Why?  I hear you ask.  Because I spend the time I would spend watching TV on the Internets reading blogs and researching about  what I need to know.  This also takes up my reading time.  I really miss getting right into a good murder mystery.  I've been connected to the Internet since September 2000.  You would think that I would have had my fill by now.      Nuh... Last night I fine tuned my knowledge of canning/bottling the harvest on the fabulous You Tube.
  I was given a complete electric Fowlers Vacola preserving outfit some time ago by a lovely gent.  I am very appreciative.  I'll experiment with preserving tomatoes first.  Not from the garden but I'll buy a 10kg box for $15/20 from the local highway stall and make  spaghetti sauce, tomato relish and just plain tomatoes first up.
 OK..... coffee time and more blog reading, not to mention Facebook  then I'll sew!