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Home > Archive: October, 2009

Archive for October, 2009

27 Oct: Car won't start

October 26th, 2009 at 10:09 pm

The only thing that I must finish today is the IRONING (I hate doing the ironing!)...(DONE!!) I also managed to clean the toilet and fridge. The house is now mighty clean Smile

DH couldn't get the car started yesterday afternoon, he was at work trying to get home. He had to get the roadside service assistant, which cost $280 but at least this means we are now a member for the next 12 months. Next year the membership should be a lot cheaper. The guy said that it there is something wrong with the fuel pump or something. He managed to get the car started to get home. Today he will need to take the car to the shop again, I didn't know that last week they didn't actually service the entire car, they only looked at the brakes and the radiator, not enough time. I guess our car is 10 years old now and we will probably be expecting more car repairs from now on. We really need to beef up the car fund sooner than later.

26 Oct

October 26th, 2009 at 05:55 am

Things that I've done today and things that still need to do:

1. 2 load of washing (DONE)
2. Vacuuming (DONE)
3. Swiping the garage floor (DONE)
4. Empty out the dishwasher (DONE)
5. Ironing
6. Cooking (DONE)
7. Scrub the shower (DONE)

25 Oct

October 25th, 2009 at 07:04 am

Didn't quite finish my to do list yesterday, we got distracted. It was such a beautiful day yesterday, that we decided to go out instead. We went for a walk around a park near the city and also drove to the beach for more walk. All up I think we did about 5km walk.





The tallest building in the background is called the Eureka Tower and it is the tallest building in Australia.

Today we've painted the waterproofing stuff (2 coats)on the floor, it will need 48hrs before we can do anything else to it.

Today I've also done the following:
- Shopping
- Cleaned up the dining table
- Cleaned the kitchen
- Cleaned the lounge room
- Cleaned the family room

Yet to do today:
1. Cooking (DONE)
2. Ironing (half done)

22-24 Oct

October 24th, 2009 at 12:47 am

I couldn't log on here for the last couple of days. It wouldn't sign me in at all. Anyway, the last two days I just been working a lot, I haven't done anything around the house (I can't remember what I've done now, I just did whatever needed to be done around - nothing much). So, today (Sat, 24 Oct)I intend to do a lot of work around the house.

1. A load of washing (DONE)
2. Dusting (DONE)
3. Moping
4. Waterproofing a floor
5. Water the plants (DONE - DH did it)

21 Oct - Hoping to finish painting

October 21st, 2009 at 06:20 am

I got one main thing to do tonight and that is to finish my painting job. Also

1. Need to cook dinner (DONE)
2. Clean up the kitchen (DONE)

That's it.

Today is a NSD...yipee.(hmmm...I prematurely celebrated)

Painting (DONE)

NSD was actually spoilt by DH. He came home early today with vanilla essence. He decided to make a carrot cake. The last time he made a cake he finished the vanilla essence, so he had to get one today. But for some reason it was only worth 80cents. It is normally around $3.80 and according to DH that was the price that it actually showed on the shelf. DH thought he misheard the lady and actually gave her $4, but he was given $3.20 change. So, I guess I'm not really that upset about him spoiling the NSD coz it was a steal.

Probably should also mention that it was really DH that did most of the cleaning in the kitchen after he made the cake.

20 Oct - Car Service

October 20th, 2009 at 06:45 am

Right now DH is picking up the car from the shop. We got it serviced today, the main thing they did to it was changed the front brake. All up it should cost around $500. DH told me they apparently found 3 holes in the radiator and this will cost around $1,000 to replace but it can't be done today. We will need to bring it in again some other time. This will all come out of the car fund.

Tonight I will try to get the following done:

1. Wash bath mats and other rugs (DONE)
2. Cook dinner (DONE)
3. Do some more painting (DONE)
4. Tidy up one of spare room (DONE)


Good news, the car repair wasn't as much as they first quoted. It was only $360.80 in the end.

19 Oct - More painting.

October 19th, 2009 at 01:19 am

We actually end up getting the milk yesterday, while we were out getting some stuff at the hardware store.

Today I intend to do the following:

1. A load of washing (bed sheets) - already on (DONE)
2. Painting a final coat onto the door frames (DONE)
3. I've also decided to paint other stuff - a window frame and some other timber boards that I been meaning to paint (half-way)
4. Ironing (DONE)
5. Vacuuming - if I have enough energy to do this (DONE)
6. Cooking Dinner (DONE)

Damn, I should just go to work today then I won't have to work so hard!





18 Oct - Day Trip to a Winery

October 18th, 2009 at 03:05 am

It's Sunday here, and it has been a lazy Sunday so far. Got up late and just been chatting online all morning. Still recovering from yesterday, we went for a drive to nice winery yesterday afternoon. This winery is surrounded with reserve wildlifes and wetlands. We had lunch at the cafe and then took a 2 hour walk around the property. It was very nice.
I will put photos later.

Things to do today:
1. Change beddings (DONE)
2. Finish painting door frame (Done but I think it needs a 3rd coat, I will reasses when it is dry)

Some photos from our day trip yesterday:



Bridge


Wild Ducks


Grape Vines

16-17 Oct

October 17th, 2009 at 12:22 am

I didn't get anything done at all yesterday, not even the dishes! We went out for dinner after work yesterday and didn't get home until 9:30pm. I watch a bit of tv and actually felt asleep on the couch. When I woke up it was already after mid-night, too late to do the dishes.

I just got up, today I got a bit of cleaning up to do:

1. Wash dishes and clean the kitchen sink (DONE)
2. Do a load of washing (DONE)
3. Change beddings (DONE)
4. Update my financial spreadsheets Oops this is DONE)
5. Might also do some shopping - not crucial but we are running out of milk (not this one - DH will get this after work tomorrow). Decided to get this while we were out at the hardware store.

15 Oct

October 15th, 2009 at 10:20 am

Didn't finish everything I set out to do yesterday.

Today I've done some online banking, so it was a spendy day. Just realised we had 4 NSDs in a row before today.

Things to do tonight:
1. Cook (DONE)
2. Clean the microwave (DONE)
3. Clean the Stovetop spotless (DONE)

14 Oct - Thinking about Christmas

October 14th, 2009 at 01:20 am

I actually managed to finish all my to do list yesterday.

I got up this morning thinking about Christmas. I am pretty much done with my christmas shopping, except with a couple of things. I know what to get, I just can't get them yet because they will have a used by date. I don't want to get them too early. So today I want to:

1. Gift wrap at least half of the christmas gifts (DONE)
2. Dusting (DONE)
3. Polishing the furnitures (DONE)
4. Maybe spend 1/2 hour in the garden, if the weather gets better (Weather was horrible but I did water some plants that don't get rain on)
5. Sand and Paint 2 door frames (Need second coat)
6. Check online banking (DONE)

12-13 Oct

October 13th, 2009 at 02:12 am

After cleaning the bathrooms the other day my back got really sore. I didn't get much done after that. And I pretty much just rested my back yesterday.

So far today, I've done some tidy up in the garage. Today I still need to:

1. finish the ironing (DONE)
2. patching up a small wall, above the sink. It will need light sanding and painting (DONE)
3. really need to do the vacuuming today (DONE)
4. shampoo one of the rug (DONE)
5. update my personal finance spreadsheets (DONE)

9-11 Oct

October 11th, 2009 at 01:41 am

Friday I did absolutely nothing but went to work. I went to bed really early, I've been really tired lately.

Yesterday we did the grocery shopping and we also went to check out some new fridges, we are looking at getting a new one soonish. We were just trying to get an idea on what is out there, we probably won't get one for another year but it's good to start looking into it.

These are the things I've done so far this weekend apart from shopping:

1. 2 loads of laundry.
2. A lot of cooking - I think half of my cooking for the coming week is already done.
3. Cleaned the kitchen benches.
4. Watered the garden.

I'm aiming to still do the following today:
1. Ironing (Half-way through)
2. Clean the bathrooms (DONE)
3. Do some cleaning in the garage.
4. Vaccuming
5. Mopping the kitchen floor (DONE)

--------------------------------

Stock Talk:

It's company reporting season at the moment here, which means dividends are being paid. I think all up I got about $300 worth of dividends, and DH got more than $500. A lot of it has been reinvested via DRP or will soon be used to buy more shares.

Our stock market is still going up. Our economy have now recovered, they even increased our interest rate by 25 basis points few days ago, which means our mortgage payments will start to go up again (I've always known that the low rate will not last that long, it was nice though but I've always made sure that we didn't get used to it). The recent employment numbers were a lot better than expected too. People here are seeing a lot of positives in our economy which is being reflected in the stock market. DH and I already got our plans set up for when this opportunity were to come up.

7 - 8 Oct

October 8th, 2009 at 11:34 am

I haven't done anything but work, it has been really busy. Been coming home late and just dog tired. I can't wait for the weekend to come. I've got a lot of things to do. Financial wise, I need:

1. to get my tax organise (DOne some)
2. do some research on my current stocks (read all the company reports that have accumulated on my desk)- (So boring)
3. to pay bills (DONE)
4. to check Bank accounts (DONE)

6 Oct - To Do:

October 5th, 2009 at 11:33 pm

I got the day off today, so I'm planning to do a lot around the hourse today.

1. Do a load of washing (DONE)
2. Cook stew for dinner and some for the freezer (DONE)
3. Vaccuming (DONE)
4. Clean Dining table (DONE)
5. Filing (DONE)
6. Organise DH's suits and winter coats so it can be taken to the dry cleaners sometime this week. (DONE)
7. Dusting (DONE)

I was also going to water the garden but it rained this morning so that's one thing I don't have to do today.


4-5 Oct

October 5th, 2009 at 10:46 am

Was out all day on the 4th of Oct but I did cleaned out the fridge and all the rubbish bin for collection.

Today was spent all day at work. But tonight I will:
1. Pay couple of bills (DONE)
2. Clean the kitchen sink spotless (DONE)

3 Oct - To Do:

October 3rd, 2009 at 12:26 am

I actually managed to finish all my to do list yesterday. The ironing got done late last night.

Today I want to do:
1. Clean the freezer (DONE)
2. Do about an hour gardening (DONE)
3. Grocery Shopping (DONE)
4. Go to the bank to deposit a dividend cheque (DONE)
5. Do some cooking for sunday night because we will be away all day tomorrow. (Didn't need to do it coz mum gave us some leftovers when we went to her place for lunch so - kind of DONE)
6. Make coriander pesto - to use up all the remaining coriander herbs. (DONE - turned out really good, I freeze some of it and will use it in a week or two).


Got to run to the bank now, it's going to be a busy Saturday.

2 Oct - To Do:

October 2nd, 2009 at 03:30 am

I got more than 5 things to do today.

1. Menu Planning for Oct (have started)(DONE)
2. Grocery List for Oct (DONE)
3. Ironing (DONE)
4. Sewing- fixing a dress (DONE)
5. Clean closet (DONE)
6. Clean study desk (DONE)
7. Mop kitchen floor (DONE)

Things that I've done so far today:
- Check online bank account (DONE)
A load of washing (DONE - it's now drying outside)
- Finalise Sept numbers (DONE)
- Blog about Sept numbers and update sidebar(DONE)

Oct Goals

October 2nd, 2009 at 02:50 am

1. Grocery bill under $200, by sticking to the Menu Plan and by only buying what is in the Grocery List.

2. Entertainment exp no more than $100

3. Living expenses under $1,100

4. Spring Cleaning

5. Blog more often to stay motivated.

Ugly September

October 2nd, 2009 at 02:28 am

As can be seen on my side bar our Sept Exp was through the roof. A lot of our expenses are due in Sept and because it is the start of the warmer season everyone wants to go out. There are a lot of birthdays and celebrations that happens in Sept too. Christmas and New year babies.

We are now in the red with our Entertainment budget for the year and there are still 3 months to go. We really got to do better this month or we will never make our $19K challenge this year. Spent a bit more on groceries but a lot of it will use in Oct. So I expect to have a very low grocery bill this month but we might be getting visitors so who knows how well we will go.

Good news was that we still managed to have 8 NSDs last month.