Fiscal Fast Day Thirty: All over for another year

Day Thirty:

Breakfast: Tea. Wholemeal toast with ginger, lemon and lime marmalade. Plain yoghurt.

Morning Tea: Crispbreads and cheese.

Lunch: Lentil and vegetable curry from the freezer with rice, poppadoms and yoghurt.

Afternoon tea: Wholemeal toast with butter and honey.

Dinner: Leftover pumpkin and spinach risotto from the freezer.

Finished today:
* Poppadoms (but who cares?!)

Total spent since June 1: $156.59 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house.)

Well, not really. I did spend on other things that weren't counted on a day-to-day level.

Here's the final tally for June 2008 (excluding rent and car loan payments):

Transport: $42.50 ($40 petrol, $2.50 parking)
Car insurance: $61.53
Food: $150.89 (the daily tally above included parking and the domes for Princess B's stole, which I removed for final accounting. I spent an average of $5.02 per day on food. A whole 1 cent more per day than last month. Which is quite surprising as I've been buying cat food this year instead of having a stash to work with. And then there was the matter of the cheese, which I thought would blow the budget... Then again, I did get given a lot of food (most of which I haven't actually touched yet!))
Books & stationery: $18.00 (automatic quarterly payment for my Marie Claire subscription)
Gifts: $3.20 (Princess B's domes)
Entertainment: $159.10 (dolls house and internet for the month)
Utilities: $27.74 (phone bill)
Other: $179.25 (an ouchy amount which includes annual credit card fees and interest charges. I'm working hard on getting rid of both very very soon)

Total: $642.21 (Last year's total: $579.88)

Day Thirty One:

Spent today:
* Smoked salmon, crumpets, milk and cat biscuits (a celebrationary breakfast for me and him): $19.75
* Book (for exhibition): $14.66 including postage
* Return bus fare to Sydney for Modern Times symposium and first weekend of Sydney Design (including Krispin K tour) in August: $30.00
* Thai Garden lunch box: $8.50 (eaten sharing the dining table with a little something that arrived in this morning's post...) * A month's worth of magazines picked up from the newsagents: $48.44
* Long overdue haircut (with latte, chocolate and a read of July 2008's Australian Vogue included): $78.00

Total: $199.34

Good thing I got paid today, isn't it?

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty Nine: I ran out of time

Once again the list of things I wanted to achieve today was longer than the number of hours in the day. I hate it when that happens, especially when it means Sunday turns into a mad day of hitting the deadlines rather than what it should be which is rather more like this: But I brought it on myself so I really can't complain.Priorities had to be shuffled this weekend as I got an email on Friday from CMAG telling me that "Ben, our Amazing Marketing Helper, will be doing your flier in Monday and will use the images you've suggested" so this morning my office turned into a photographic studio (with a little help from a roll of Mala drawing paper I picked up from IKEA in Melbourne, planning to use it for pattern cutting...)Add to that 4 loads of washing (thus using up the last of my washing powder), a visit from Taph (always a welcome diversion) plus some major dusting and cleaning of the next house to be showcased and packed tomorrow (which included the creation of a replacement chimney piece plus trying to work out the electrics) and I'm pooped.And feeling guilty that I still have 15 half finished bags sitting waiting for attention a week after I last looked at them (including a special order). Plus a pair of wristwarmers still unfinished for a birthday last week. And the final touch on another birthday present which needs to hit the mail on Tuesday not only unfinished but unstarted. And a friend I promised to call this weekend. Sigh....

Day Twenty Nine:

Breakfast: Tea. Oaty hotcakes with sugar and lemon juice.

Lunch: Mexican chili beans (the final lot from the freezer stash) which included half a giant mushroom (chopped), spinach from the freezer and grated cheese. On rice.

Dinner: Wine. Penne cheese with parsley (posh macaroni cheese: I need comfort food)

Finished today:
* Washing powder (having done 4 loads today I think I can last without doing any washing til Tuesday)
* Mexican chili beans (I'll buy another tin next time they're on special)
* Mushrooms

Bought today:
* Organic milk: $2.49
* Cat food: $1.19

Total spent since June 1: $156.59 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty Eight: Accounting for Saturday

It's almost the end of the financial year so once again it was all accounts all the time around here yesterday. Sadly, I rather enjoy the twice yearly sort out: climbing up to the top cupboard in The Room of Shame and pulling down the folders of accounts old enough to get rid of. Emptying out this financial year's bills and statements into another folder to go up to the top cupboard once I've got my tax done. Working out how much I spent on my regular bills over the last year and locking in my budget for the bill paying account for the next six months.

And making decisions like:
* Will I keep my two sponsored kids next financial year? (yes)
* Do I finally want to switch to Greenchoice power? (yes)
* Is there anywhere in my budget I can shave off a few dollars? (not really)
* Am I going to be able to spend a weekend in Brisbane next month like I wanted to? (alas no)

There was also a little bit of bread baking (mainly wholemeal this week as I only had quarter of a cup of white flour left), a tiny bit of housework, and, in the evening, a trip to see Romulus my Father at ANU Film Group with the gang. The Home Song Stories was on afterwards but we decided it would be too depressing staying on for it.

Day Twenty Eight:

Breakfast: Tea. Half a giant mushroom (chopped), a tomato (chopped) and parsley (chopped) on the last slices of last week's bread, toasted.

Lunch: Freshly baked wholemeal bread and cheese with the leftover coleslaw from last night.

Afternoon tea: Crispbreads and the last of the chargrilled veges.

Dinner: Reheated leftover pumpkin and spinach risotto from the freezer.

Supper (at Film Group): Tea and chocolate courtesy of J. Oaty ginger biscuit courtesy of S.

Finished today:
* Bread (I was baking more as I ate it)
* Plain flour (I think I can make it through to Tuesday with just wholemeal and self raising)
* Chargrilled veges (a gift so not something I usually have on hand anyway)
* Milk (bought more this morning)
* Cat food (ditto)

Total spent since June 1: $152.91 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty Seven: When life gives you lemons...

and a (giant organic) onion...and a cask of wine...and a giant Freddo frog (which, oddly enough, didn't last very long)...and a selection of wheaty goodies (from a friend who has gone gluten free)...you decide that either the Gods are smiling on you, or that you're lucky enough to have fabulously generous workmates.

Day Twenty Seven:

Breakfast: Tea. Toast & strawberry jam. Plain yoghurt.

Morning Tea: Water crackers & cheese.

Lunch (my turn at Lunch Club): Homemade tomato soup with gluten-free cheese scones.

Afternoon tea: Apple. Ginger biscuit.

Dinner: Wine. Salmon cake, wedges, coleslaw. Giant Freddo frog.

Finished today:
* Tinned tomatoes.
* M&S ginger biscuits.

* Giant Freddo frog.

Total spent since June 1: $152.91 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty Six: with a big cheesy grin

As promised, a photo of my belated birthday gifty from Taph (although I did try and tell her that since she brings me gifts all the time maybe a suitable way to mark my birthday was to NOT give me anything. But did she listen? Of course not, thank goodness!):It's a custom made pear from Olivia. In just the right colours to go with the rest of the pear collection (and the rest of the lounge in general). Loving it. So much I almost wanted to take it to bed (in the three-year-old-I-have-new-shoes-which-I-can't-bear-to-be-apart-from way just in case you're confused...)

And what goes better with pears than cheese (OK, maybe ginger but that wouldn't help my segue at all would it?). I bought cheese yesterday. I felt like I was cheating just a little bit by buying it but making sure it was Australian organic made me feel better (as did having it grated on dinner!) Plus I used it to make the gluten free cheese scones for Lunch Club today, which I'll be serving with freshly made tomato soup. Feeling less guilty by the minute...

Day Twenty Six:

Breakfast: Tea. Porridge with sultanas, wheatgerm, golden syrup and milk.

Morning Tea: Water crackers and chargrilled veges.

Lunch: Mushroom olive omelette. Bread and tahini.

Afternoon tea: Caramel corn.

Dinner: Penne pasta with pasta sauce, tuna frozen spinach (reheated, obviously) and grated cheese. Ginger biscuits

Finished today:
* Mushrooms (replaced in the afternoon)
* Eggs (ditto)
* Butter (yep, that too)
* Pasta sauce (it's been in the freezer for ages and will be replaced next time fresh pasta is on low enough special to make it worth buying and freezing)

Bought today:
* Butter: $1.46
* Cheese (organic): $5.48
* Eggs: $2.50
* Lemons, potatoes, apples, parsley, onions, red pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and a very large mushroom: $14.90.

Total spent since June 1: $152.91 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty Five: Feeling well looked after

So I took the muffins in to work yesterday. They didn't last long at all (double batch next time, I think!) And the Karma Bank paid out big time: Unexpected mid-week Lunch Club provided by Helen who got all inspired by her new steamer the night before. She brought in enough food to feed five of us round the kitchen table at noon plus two or three late stragglers as spaces became available. Lovely steamed vegetables. Two sorts of dahl and a madras sauce plus chicken for the meat eaters.

Back in my cubicle I just might have happened mentioned that it was all too healthy and I had the need to eat chocolate and chips to round it off and this vision appeared out of my cubicle mate's bag:
No, I didn't get to eat it all but one piece was enough to make me very happy all afternoon:
(I wonder if that's my lucky finding unexpected chocolate during a Fiscal Fast dress?)

And to round a wonderful day off I spent the evening at Taph's watching the first series of Black Books (which I'd borrowed off Aunty A months ago) and eating Indian takeaway and wine.She gave me a fabulous belated birthday present which I'll show you later when the light is better.

Day Twenty Five:

Breakfast: Tea. Fruit toast with ginger, lemon and lime marmalade. Plain yoghurt.

Morning Tea: Cheese, sundried tomato and parsley scone reheated from the freezer.

Lunch (Lunch Club): Steamed carrot, broccoli, zucchini and kumera. Dahl. Madras sauce. Piece of Toblerone.

Afternoon tea: Iced Vovos from the work biscuit jar

Dinner (out): Wine. Crackers and hummus. Fish curry and rice with garlic naan. Apple pie and soy icecream.

Finished today:
* Fruit bread.

Total spent since June 1: $128.57 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty Four: Simple pleasures.

One of the things I appreciate (eventually) during the fiscal fasting process is a growing sense of... I don't quite know how to describe it: stillness? contentment? quietness?

And an appreciation of the small pleasures in life...
Today, for instance, I realised it was time to finally bin my three-years-old-really-can't-deny-they're-well-past-it slippers and shop the top cupboard for new ones. Ohhh, they're so soft and fluffy and warm...

I also brought down some new knickers, which (obviously!) you don't get to see.Baking apple sultana honey muffins at lunchtime and deciding to take them into the office tomorrow to share rather than freeze them for later.Hot tea in the afternoon. Drunk out of my favorite mug. While wearing my favorite jumper.Cleaning the kitchen. Mini style!

Having the Parental Units ring to confirm they'll be here for my opening.

And deciding to have the evening off from the pile of bags I have half sewn and instead spend it lazing on the couch in front of the heater with a candyfloss-for-the-brain book. If only I had some wine...

Day Twenty Four:

Breakfast: Tea. Toast with peanut butter and apple slices (I noticed one of the apples had a rotten bit in it so decided to fast track the eating of them)

Morning Tea: Coffee (work related so not counted) M&S ginger biscuits later when I got home.

Lunch: The last of the leftover Mediterranean bean soup from the freezer with the last skerrick of pre-grated parmesan. Served with toast and pesto.

Afternoon tea: Tea. Apple sultana honey muffin.

Dinner: Leftover lentil and vegetable curry with rice (from the freezer). Poppadoms. Yoghurt.

Finished today:
* Milk (I bought more almost immediately)
* Parmesan cheese (that's the last of my cheese gone. No cheese until next week...)
* Apples (on the list for the next visit to Choku Bai Jo)

Bought today:
* Milk: $1.55 (still no organic at Woolies)
* Plain biodynamic yoghurt: $3.78
* Cat food: $1.19

Total spent since June 1: $128.57 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast: Days Twenty Two and Twenty Three

The ol' Fiscal Fast is chugging towards the end quite happily. Rather boring, really. Perhaps I can spice things up over the final week...

In the meantime you might want to go visit Small Things, who is undertaking a Month of Moderation, and cheer her on.

Day Twenty Two:

Breakfast: Tea. Toast with wilted spinach, poached egg and nasty pre-grated parmesan.

Morning Tea: The last of the hummus with water crackers.

Lunch: Salmon "burger" (two slices of toasted bread with tartaire sauce, fried leek, sliced tomato and a salmon pattie balanced between them). Served with wedges made using the last potato.

Afternoon tea: Tea. The last M&S Dark chocolate ginger biscuits.

Dinner (out at The Jane Austen TV Club): Wine. Crackers with lima bean and lemon myrtle dip. Dolmades. Home made asparagus and mushroom quiche with salad. Lemon semolina pudding. Dark Lindor ball.

Finished today:
* Hummus (I could buy enough chickpeas to make some more. Or I could just wait a week)
* Potatoes (on the list for the next vege shop)
* Dark chocolate ginger biscuits. *sniff*

Day Twenty Three:

Breakfast: Tea. Cinnamon french toast (I poured the extra egg mixture over the bread pieces and then finished it off under the grill like a bready frittatta. Which caramelised the sugar cinnamon mixture. Heaven!):

Morning Tea: M&S Ginger biscuits.

Lunch: Lentil, spinach & coriander soup from the freezer.

Afternoon tea: The last piece of leftover mango danish from the freezer. Tea.

Dinner: Oven baked pumpkin & spinach risotto.

Finished today:
* Yoghurt (used the last lot in the french toast, will buy more at the same time as I buy the next lot of milk)
* Pumpkin (but I can get more any time from J&M's huge pile of pumpkins)
* Onions (on the list for the next vege run)
* Baby spinach (ditto)

Total spent since June 1: $$122.05 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Day Twenty One: fifteen dollars and twenty cents

That's how much a Fiscal Fast Get out of jail free card is worth around here. I was sorely tempted to throw caution to the wind yesterday (especially when we found ourselves in Landspeed Records, which had both the new Moby and the new Portishead for around $20 each) but after a stern talking to myself I held steady.

I bought domes and finished Princess B's stole, which she wore all day.

We had lunch at Babar. M and I shared a jungle pizza and fries. I passed up the option of wine. Princess B paid for us all (as she is wont to do, being a generous soul.)

Afternoon tea was back at the Hyatt, where they were staying. Not the full-on Tea Lounge experience but coffee and cake in Speakers' Corner next door. In terms of value we were probably better off going for the full thirty something dollar experience in the Tea Lounge. M and I split the cost.

And that was my day of wanton spending for the month.

Day Twenty One:

Breakfast: Tea. Apple Drop Biscuit from the freezer.

Morning Tea: Freshly baked bread with home made hummus, lettuce and sliced tomato.

Lunch (out): Half a Jungle pizza (pumpkin, cashew nut and spinach) and fries at Babar.

Afternoon tea (out): Latte and fruit tart at The Hyatt.

Dinner: Tea. Dark chocolate and ginger biscuits courtesy of Princess B, who bought them for me at Marks and Spencer Dubai and delivered them in a suitably exotic M&S bag:Found today:
* A whole new packet of rice crackers in the top cupboard, discovered when I pulled out the bag of basmati rice and kilo of penne pasta to drape over the roof of my dolls house to weigh it down while the glue holding it onto the house dried.

Bought today:
* Domes for Princess B's stole: $3.20
* Lunch and afternoon tea (see above): $12

Total spent since June 1: $122.05 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Twenty: I had a dream

Is it a sign when you start to dream about shopping?

Seriously though, I was very lucky yesterday with colleagues covering all the important food groups: runny cheese, smoked salmon and chocolate, all of which I ran out of days ago.

And today Princess B is in town so I get to use my Get Out of Jail Free card... The first thing I plan to buy (finally) is the giant domes I need to to finish her stole.

Day Twenty:

Breakfast: Tea. Fruit toast and strawberry jam.

Morning Tea: Zucchini and sundried tomato muffin, courtesy of a colleague who brought baking in. Hummus and the leftover chips from last night.

Lunch: (Helen's turn at Friday Lunch Club) Corn thins, Camembert, salad, mung bean sprouts, cherry tomatoes and smoked salmon. Crackers and carrot dip. Orange and apple segments. Pistachios.

Afternoon Tea: Coconut Rough from a colleague's bag.

Dinner: Cheese and crackers. Chips and hummus.

Finished today:
* Chips (but they weren't part of the original store cupboard anyway)

Total spent since June 1: $106.85 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Nineteen: I need(ed) a house

I just discovered this video (sorry about the lack of sync with the picture and soundtrack - if it's driving you nuts go watch a better version here which has embedding disabled) Anyone know of any other music videos which use dolls house furniture?

So yes. I bought a house. Lucky number thirteen. It's a Tomy Smaller Homes from the 70s and looks like this: It should be here in about two weeks but I won't count my chickens.

Moving right along...

Day Nineteen:

Breakfast: Tea. The last crumpets, toasted, with butter and honey,

Morning Tea: Water crackers and the last of the tzatsiki.

Lunch: Foraged in the freezer and found leek and potato casserole.

Dinner: (with S The Sock Queen and C, newly returned from 3 years overseas) Chips, thanks to C, with freshly made hummus. Red lentil and vegetable curry with basmati rice, yoghurt and poppadoms. Leftover self saucing caramel puddings from last night.

Finished today:
* Toilet paper (I bought more)
* Crumpets (non replaceable)
* Red lentils (can buy more but I'll see if I can use up some other things from the bean cupboard first)
* Frozen peas (that's it for the month)
* Carrots (on the list for the next vege run)
* Red pepper (ditto)

Bought today:
* Toilet paper: $3.38
* Cat food: $1.19 (still cheaper than feeding him my tuna)
* Milk: $1.57 (cheap because they were out of organic and I was desperate for a cuppa)

Total spent since June 1: $106.85 (plus $116.84 on a dolls house)

Fiscal Fast Day Eighteen: Sick for toys

Ohh! Look! I finally have photos of Choku Bai Jo!

From the outside: doesn't look like much but inside...green signs mean organic (you might not know that)all signs have kms on them (except for the far back corner which has stuff like "QLD" and "TAS". I try to buy as little as possible from this corner...)

And who grew them:Every week there are new things to chose from:Day Eighteen:

Breakfast: Tea. Porridge with sultanas, brown sugar, wheatgerm and milk.

Morning Tea: The last of the rice crackers with tzatsiki

Lunch: Lentil, spinach and coriander soup. Toast with (donated) hummus.

Afternoon tea: Cheese, sundried tomato and parsley scone. Apple.

Dinner: Oven roasted pumpkin, garlic and feta cheese with fettuccine. Self-saucing caramel pudding (recipe courtesy of the latest Madison magazine)

Finished today:
* Milk (will buy more tomorrow)

* Cat food (ditto - or my life won't be worth living)

* Rice crackers (will have to wait)

* Feta cheese (I'd been saving it for the pumpkin)

* Brown sugar (will try to do without it...)

Bought today:
* Dolls house: $116.84

Ohhh! Look! Choku Bai Jo does flowers now!! Total spent since June 1: $217.55

Fiscal Fast Day Seventeen: Hey, big spender!

No, not Rae Harvey, shown here presenting her Lucite Queen floortalk at CMAG this afternoon. I'm talking about me. I went wild and crazy today!

Well OK, probably not really wild and crazy in generally accepted terms, as I spent a whopping $35.43. But it seemed pretty full on for someone who's spent so little this month. And I sort of failed the challenge as I spent $10 at Coles on 10 tins of tuna. Saving $7.15 so I feel quite justified as that sort of price is pretty rare these days...

But I'm ahead of myself. Where was I? Oh yes, CMAG. I had a meeting with the Senior Curator this morning to iron a pile of stuff out and set some plans in motion for the next 13 weeks before they mount my exhibition. Then I went to Rae's floortalk to get a feeling for what's actually involved in giving one. Took copious notes. I feel much more prepared.

Would you like some dates for your diaries?

The exhibition runs from Saturday 4th October 2008 (Labour Day long weekend) to 26th January 2009 (Australia Day long weekend. How handy is that?)

The opening will be held on Saturday 4th October at 2:30pm for 3pm. I've been asked to supply a guest list so if you'd like an invite please email me (over there on the side bar - feel free to email Trudy if you'd prefer but I'm afraid she won't be answering you...) At this stage it'll just be afternoon tea but there are plans afoot to turn it into a rooly trooly knees-up grog filled event that will stagger off into the evening with us in tow when CMAG throw us out at 4pm.

Depending on how many people are coming from out of town (or the country!) I'm thinking of arranging a visit to Cockington Green the next day. Then again I might be completely buggered and want to spend the day in bed with the doona pulled over my head!

The floortalks will be Thursday 16th October 2008, 12:30pm - 1:30pm and again Saturday 18th October 2008 2pm-3pm. Bookings essential (call 6207 3968)

The temptation: Is to leap onto eBay and try and fill some collection gaps. But I'm being strong (for now - this missing link is sorely tempting me, though...)

Day Seventeen:

Breakfast: Tea. Fruit toast with ginger lemon and lime marmalade. Plain yoghurt.

Morning Tea: Cheese and crackers. Chargrilled vegetables.

Lunch: The final container of leftover smoked salmon, broccoli, red pepper and blue brie pasta from the freezer.

Afternoon tea: Freshly made tzatsiki and rice crackers. I had half a cucumber that had to be magiced into something edible before it died completely...

Dinner: Potato and leek casserole courtesy of Digby Law's classic cookbook.

Finished today:
* Cucumber (and I forgot to buy any more)
* Salad leaves (alas not really finished but beyond eating. It was only a handful so I don't feel terribly bad)
* Coriander bunch (also into the compost bucket)

Bought today:
* Cat biscuits: $4.09 (full price! Ouch!!)
* Biodynamic plain yoghurt: $3.75
* 10 tins of tuna on a "ten for ten" deal: $10
* Eggs, potatoes, garlic, mushrooms, baby spinach, salad leaves, tomatoes, lemons and apples at Choku Bai Jo (pictures tomorrow): $17.44
* 2 hours' parking at Canberra Centre: $2.50 (I didn't have much choice unless I wanted to risk the free customer parking underneath Officeworks in Mort Street and race to the other side of town for my meeting)

Total spent since June 1: $100.71

Fiscal Fast Day Sixteen: a top day all round, really.

Today I got top mail from Happy Spider: (Ohh... what's in that mysterious parcel on the right?
cables and smellies - a perfect mix!)

Today I had a top lunch after getting a bit desperate as I was sick to death of soup and other options in the fridge were few and far between.So I made cheese, sundried tomato and parsley scones (thus also sorting out what to do with the last of the almost past it parsley) They were very very yummy and the leftovers are heading into the freezer.

Tonight I had a top time at J&M's. I only went over to get a statutory declaration signed by M but ended up staying for dinner and was sent home with the first chunk of home grown pumpkin for the season. In return they have a lovely warm hand knitted beanie each.

Tonight I watched Top Gear on their very big and very new TV and saw a very small and very old car which I decided I want desperately:

Day Sixteen:

Breakfast: Tea. My last Oat Temptation (Apple and sultana) with milk. It's back to plain old porridge from now on...

Morning Tea: Cheese and crackers, chargrilled veges from the jar Tania brought over on Saturday.

Lunch: Cheese, sundried tomato and parsley scones.

Dinner (out): Wine. Brie and crackers. Stir fried veges, tofu and noodles. Tea and chocolate.

Finished today:
* Oat temptations
* Parsley

Total spent since June 1: $62.93

Fiscal Fast Day Fifteen: It's not easy being green.

On the To Do List this morning was a trip to the Lyneham Laundromat/ Post Office to post a couple of eBay parcels and a Made It order (work related so not counted).

It was a beautiful crisp but sunny morning and so I decided it was the perfect opportunity to finally dust off my trusty bike, pull my new helmet out of its packaging and ride for a change, especially as the trip in only about 3 km each way. I felt green and frugal and oh so virtuous as I filled the basket and carrier with mail and found my bike lock. Then I noticed I had a flat front tyre. And my bicycle pump didn't seem to be having any effect. So the bike went back in the garage and I ended up using the car after all. Rats!

Day Fifteen:

Breakfast: Tea. Toast and strawberry jam.

Lunch: Leftovers from Friday - penne pasta with zucchini and sundried tomatoes (plus the leftover kalamata olives J left behind mixed in) and grated parmesan. Apple, pear and ginger crumble.

Afternoon tea: The last of the Lindor balls. I'm once again without chocolate in the house... *sniff*

Dinner: Salmon cake with mashed potato and broccoli.

Finished today:
* Lindor balls. You think I can replace them?
* Broccoli. On the list for Tuesday's run to Choku Bai Jo.

Total spent since June 1: $62.93

Fiscal Fast Day Fourteen: Mirror mirror on the wall, let me show my old toilet to you all!

Way back in the mists of time (and in a country far far away) I bought a small wooden-framed mirror for maybe $20 at a craft fair in Upper Hutt. It was very useful in our mirrorless bathroom in Wallace Street:and moved with me to our (also mirrorless) bathroom in Austin Street - you can just see the edge of it to the right of the bathroom door:before it made the trip to Sydney, Australia and finally to my laundry in Canberra (my bathroom here had a mirror already. What a civilised city!)

It's hung in my laundry for 9 and a half years, bugging me ever so slightly every time I look at it as it's now the wrong colour to go with the rest of my flat.

But no more. This morning I suddenly had the urge to pull it off the wall and attack it with my trusty wenge gel wood stain and voila! The other excitement for the day involved a care parcel Tania brought with her when she came to lunch:Stuff from her cupboard that she decided she'd never eat, now living in my cupboard. The brown paper bag contains mushroom pasta and the red pouch is red capsicum pasta sauce. What fun I'll have coming up with ways to use them all...

She also took pity on my lack of op shopping in the last 2 weeks and did a Show and Tell of the goodies she'd picked up this morning so I could admire and drool and stroke wistfully all the while telling myself I'm almost halfway through my Fiscal Fast and aren't I proud of myself?

Day Fourteen:

Breakfast: Tea. Egg white omelette with the last of the mushrooms, silverbeet from Taph's garden and cheese.

Morning Tea: Leftover apple pear ginger crumble from last night.

Lunch: Mediterranean bean soup with parmesan curls, toasted turkish bread and pesto - promised for Lunch Club yesterday but moved back 24 hours as Tania wasn't at work.

Afternoon tea: Lindor balls!

Dinner: Will be stirfried tofu, broccoli and red pepper with udon noodles.

Finished today:
* Egg whites ( and thus eggs in general)
* Mushrooms (definitely on the list for my next run to Choku Bai Jo)
* Sliverbeet
* Turkish bread (not replaceable unless I head to Old Bus Depot Markets tomorrow)

Total spent since June 1: $62.93

Fiscal Fast Day Thirteen: It all turned to custard...

What's that? You're missing the food photos?! Well sit back, relax and read on...

Day Thirteen:

Breakfast: Tea. Mixed berry oat temptations and milk.

Morning Tea: Mandarin, crackers and cheese plus one single Iced Vovo from the work biscuit jar (just because it went so well with the book I've finally come to the top of the reserve list for at the Library):

Lunch: Vegetable soup from the freezer with bread and the last of the butter.

Afternoon tea: Tea. Mango danish.

Dinner: J rang inviting me to drinks at Tilleys. I explained I couldn't go because of my Fiscal Fast. She said they didn't mind paying. "Against the rules" I said. So I invited them all to dinner instead. As you do on a Friday morning before you remember the state of the kitchen...

They brought: Wine, Water crackers, brie, kalamata olives, mini samosas and yoghurt to dip.

I made: Penne pasta with zucchini and semi dried tomatoes. Apple pear ginger crumble and custard.Home made from scratch custard. Not like this time last year. Thanks to Dad's comment last year and The Destitute Gourmet's cookbook I am no longer a custard virgin. J, M & S The Sock Queen were well impressed. (And so was I but I couldn't say that at the time - I just grinned contentedly and flitted round in my apron looking suitably domestic)They also brought: Dark Lindor balls.S the Sock Queen gave me permission to hide them before anyone else turned up if I needed to but I was good and shared. And I still have some left over!

Finished today:
* Butter (I bought more almost immediately)
* Egg yolks (I have three whites sitting in the fridge. I suspect there'll be omelette for brunch tomorrow...)
* Garlic (can't live without it so it'll be replaced ASAP)
* Zucchini (on the list for the next vege run)
* Apples (ditto)
* Pear (ditto ditto)

Bought today:
* Butter: $2.25

Total spent since June 1: $62.93
(Thanks for the support in deciding to move the car towing bill back to last month and not feel like I'm cheating!)

Fiscal Fast Day Twelve: Electricity (or lack thereof), interesting mail, more hankies and a conundrum

Electricity:

My theme songs for today:

(as ActewAGL turned off the power just as I hit the shower this morning and it remained off until after 3pm.)

Day Twelve:

Breakfast: Tea. Toast with ginger and lime marmalade.

Morning Tea: The last fruit finger biscuits and a fruit snack pack.

Lunch: The "still no electricity, tempted to go buy a Thai lunchbox, but convinced myself I could cope with opening the fridge twice" lunch: Bitsa plate (bitsa this and bitsa that) comprising cheese, cucumber, tuna, the last of the cherry tomatoes (best before 5/6/08 but still OK), sliced olives, carrot sticks and lettuce. Served with a slice of bread and tahini.

Afternoon tea: A cup of tea to celebrate return of power with a piece of mango danish from the freezer, nicely warmed in the microwave.

Dinner: From the freezer: Mediterranean bean soup with parmesan curls, toasted turkish bread and pesto (lunch club isn't happening tomorrow so I can eat the last of the block parmesan and turkish bread. Hurrah!)

Finished today:
* Fruit finger biscuits
* Fruit snack packs (I'll eat fresh fruit for the rest of the month)
* Cherry tomatoes (I'll see what Choku Bai Jo has when I go next)
* Tuna (Uh oh...)
* Parmesan cheese block (I still have pre-grated to tide me over. For now...)
* Milk

Bought today:
* Milk $5.00 (they only had 2 litre containers)

Total spent since June 1: $60.68* (see below)

Interesting mail:

Telling me I get paid to do my floortalks at CMAG! Who woulda thunk it?! (I wonder if they'd like to book one in each week the exhibition runs??)

(Six) More hankies (and a box to keep them in):


Courtesy of Janet. After I suggested the napkins she showed me the other day looked a lot like hankies, and then told her how much I bought my last black and white hankies for, I may have just helped create a hankie making monster...

A conundrum:

I finally took Miss Daisy down to Braddon Smash Repairs today to get the quotes to sort her out. And it turns out the quote for getting her front end fixed plus the Albury tow truck and emergency repair come to less than the excess on my insurance. Which is good. Except that meant I had to call my insurance company and cancel the claim and pay them the $113.19 they paid Albury Auto Body last month.

Yep, I spent money. I was tempted to do a fiscal sleight of hand and safely tuck the expense into last month's accounts which is when it would have been paid had I paid upfront at the time. I'm still tempted to do that. What do you think? Should I do that or count it this month?

Fiscal Fast Day Eleven: Tim Tams, jelly frogs, a lovely meal and a new hankie for the collection (and me feeling too crap to appreciate any of it...)

It was a good day yesterday. It would have been a better day if I'd been well enough to appreciate it...

I went to work where I discovered an office full of sneezing and coughing ie: people just like me. It's nice to feel part of the team, isn't it? Actually, I've hatched a new theory: starting work in an office is like starting childcare. You'll spend the first three months catching everything that your kind colleagues share with you.

Things weren't all bad though. I got to eat Tim Tams and Iced Vovos from the biscuit jar and jelly frogs from the lolly bowl. Ah, sweets, I've missed you so. Homemade toffee just isn't the same, is it?

After work I went to Taph's for dinner. And what a dinner it was - but alas I was fading fast and probably didn't appreciate it as much as I could have. Sorrry Taph, but thanks for the hankie to add to the collection:I was out of clean ones...

Day Eleven:

Breakfast: Tea. Date oat temptations and milk.

Morning Tea: Apple, crackers and cheese.

Lunch: From the freezer: Smoked salmon, broccoli, red pepper and blue brie penne. Tim Tam and Iced Vovo (not from the freezer!)

Afternoon tea: Anzac biscuits.

Dinner (out): Wine. Silverbeet wrapped salmon steaks with olive, caper and lemon sauce. Zucchini, broccoli, carrots and beans. Cake and icecream.

Finished today:
* Anzac biscuits.

Total spent since June 1: $55.68.

Fiscal Fast Day Ten: In which I had a nose like a tap but was immensely cheered up by some new arrivals

So I've been feeling pretty crap since last Thursday. Taking things easy. Sleeping a lot. That sort of mature and sensible stuff. So why, 5 days later do I feel worse, not better?

Bugger. Maybe I should have been out sculling cheap booze and dancing on tables in skimpy outfits instead and thus miraculously feel fine by now. On the bright side I've got to use pretty much all my collection of black and white hankies this weekend.

Also on the bright side, at Stitch 'n' Bitch last night Rachel pulled out a black row counter! After I calmed down enough to make sense she said she didn't really like it and before she could change her mind I swapped her for a boring blue one from my kit. And now it's mine. ALL MINE!!!! Oh yes, that's another secret squirrel birthday present in the background. (Note to self: must start knitting project I can actually show on my blog.) It's made from some lovely wool I picked up in Wangaratta Salvos. Originally from New Zealand, of course...

More woolly goodness arrived this morning in the form of a package from the Parental Units. It included a lovely warm merino possum hat and gloves. Mmmmmmm.... merino possum...
And since I'm having op shop withdrawals I thought I'd include a photo of the fabric I picked up on my road trip last month. The plains are IKEA, the patterned pieces are vintage. They're now all nicely washed and folded and ready to mature in the stash:
Day Ten:

Breakfast: Tea. Toast and strawberry jam. Cereal and milk.

Morning Tea: Crackers and cheese. Apple.

Lunch: Baked tofu with vegetables, udon noodles and satay sauce.

Afternoon tea: Anzac biscuits. The last of the Ski D'lite yoghurt.

Dinner: Leftover ratatouille from the freezer with penne pasta and grated cheese. In my PJs. In bed. In about ten minute's time!

Finished today:
* Yoghurt pottles (I can buy plain biodynamic next time I'm shopping or borrow back the yoghurt maker I gave to Taph last year. I think the first option is safer as my track record with making yoghurt is rather, shall we say, curdled?)

Bought today:
* Cat food: $2.00

Total spent since June 1: $55.68.