Seven things challenge Wk 3

IN
security screw set. (dick smith)
Steady sticks (the shopping sherpa)
3 glass jars (gift)
shorts (vinnies)
tupperware (gifts/donations)
Socks (2 pair)
magazine (subscription)

OUT
Hip flask (rusty, metal recycling)
6 glass jars (donations)
plastic container (gifts/donations)
2 t-shirts (gifts/donations)
1 pair underwear (gifts/donations)
Magazine (recycling) 4 cds

In 10
Out: 15

Total for 2009
Total in 20
Total out 32

Seven things challenge Wk 2

in
Shirt vinnies
Tupperware vinnies
book vinnies
Tupperware zen collection (second chance)
Tupperware Jug
Tupperware slice tray

out.
Computer monitor x2 (charety computers)
compuer internet camera. (charety computers)
keyboard x2mouse x2
dog jacket (vinnes)
fairy floss maker (broken, landfill)
boxer shorts (vinnies)
shorts (Vinnies)
Jug (gifts and donations)

I am still not up to seven things per week yet, but six in and 10 out is a net out for the week of 4 items, and a total out of 5

Vale Muffin

Vale to Muffin, the notorious sock stealer.

Those that know me know that the "Old Flame Junior" has a couple of pet Carpet Sharks (aka Ferrets). We started off with one Carpet Shark, the bossy little Sammy, and shortly after we discovered that Carpets Sharks are a social animal, and you should not keep just one, but at a minimum you need two. This is because the have sharp claws and even sharper teeth and the love to play. They do this with each other, and failing that with any thing else in the house that moves.

So for several years we had a business of just two Carpet Sharks until Nutters passed away. It was after this that we acquired Muffin, the brazen little sock stealer. She was brazen enough to try and steal you socks as you were putting them on. and there was no sitting in the house wearing just socks as she would claim these are her own and try to remove them from your feet, and stash them somewhere.

In August a friend rang and asked if we could look after a couple more. So we have six carpet sharks roaming the house, and Muffin found herself last in the household pecking order. Her personality changed, and she stopped being a sock stealer, and started just hiding around the house more.

For the past few week she has been very lethargic (well it has been hot) and when i left for work this morning she came out and ate some breakfast, along with the other Sharks.

However during lunch, i got a call from Old Flame Junior, to say that Muffin was dead. She had not moved far from her breakfast.

The Old flame Junior with the six Carpet sharks. They are l-r Muffen, Jack, Boof, Lola (smiling), Sammy and Chelsea,

The Seven Things Challenge

I have decided to do the Seven things challenge. The rules i will be following are that items will be thoughtfully dealt with. Just throwing stuff out isn't part of the deal. Mindful consumption and thoughtful disposal are tenets of this particular faith.

I will report each Saturday in three categories : In, Out and Shake-it-All-About. The aim is that "Out" minus "In" will be greater than or equal to 7.

In

The stuff we bring in to our homes. This includes:

• Stash items of ANY kind
• Other forms of entertainment such as books, magazines, cds etc.
• Items received by subscription, for example, magazines are to be counted.
• Clothes and accessories are to be counted.
• Homewares are to be counted.
• Gifts received are to be counted.
• Exempt are consumables such as food and other groceries and items borrowed from the library (but not items borrowed from the library and copied for keeping because that is (a) illegal and (b) not in the spirit of the challenge).

Out

Items deliberately weeded from the house. Consumables do not count. Completely worn out and non-fixable/transformable clothing, household items etc do.

Shake-it-All-About

This category is about transformation. It important to acknowledge the creative transformation of items already in the home. This might be as simple as the use of stash buttons on an old jacket to revamp it instead of buying a new one or other transformation of clothes. It might be the creation of something new for ourselves or others from stash. Some items from this category will become "outs" which is perfectly fine.

Seven Things

In
2 x Tupperware
ice tray.
Stanly knife
universal remote control



Out
2 x microwave food trays (vinnies)
2 x Microwave plate covers (vinnies)
ice tray (broken - landfill)
TV remote control (broken - landfill)

Total in 5
Total out 6

Ok so it is a start. not quite the negative 7 things that we aim for, but negative 1 thing is a good start.

I am going to need a new joke.

If you have not heard the the Canberra W-league team is in the final this weekend 17 January. If they win i will no longer be able to use this joke. Rocky, Wobbly and myself have been using this joke for years, mostly while at Super 14 games in April / May, which in Canberra usually means a sub zero night game, while sitting in the grandstand with other mad Canberra fans.

So here is (maybe) its last airing.

Canberrans are Tough!

10 degC
Melbournians turn on the heat.
People in Canberra plant gardens.

4 degC
Sydney residents shiver uncontrollably.
People in Canberra sunbathe.

2 degC
Italian cars won't start.
People in Canberra drive with the windows down.


0 degC
Distilled water freezes.
Canberra water gets thicker.


-7 degC
Sydney people wear coats, gloves, and wool hats.
People in Canberra throw on a T-shirt.


-9 degC
Queenslanders begin to evacuate the state.
People in Canberra go swimming.


-18 degC
Melbourne landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Canberra have a last bbq before it gets cold.


-23 degC
People in Perth cease to exist.
People in Canberra lick flagpoles.


-29 degC
Sydney people fly away to South Pacific islands.
People in Canberra throw on a light jacket.


-40 degC
Darwin disintegrates.
People in Canberra rent videos.


-51 degC
Mt. Hotham freezes.
Canberra Girl Guides begin selling Guide biscuits door to door.


-62 degC
Polar bears begin to evacuate the Arctic. Penguins leave Antarctica.
Canberra Scouts postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.


-73 degC
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
People in Canberra put on a coat.


-114 degC
Ethyl alcohol freezes.
People in Canberra get frustrated when they can't thaw their kegs.


-183 degC
Microbial life start to disappear.
Canberra cows complain of farmers with cold hands.


-273 degC
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Canberra start saying "Cold 'nuff for ya?"


-296 degC
Hell freezes over.
Canberra wins the soccer.

updated 17/1
well the girls lost so Rocky, Wobbley and myself can continue to use this joke while standing at the night brumbies games in April and May.

Things to do with fallen fruit

Taph and TSS invited me to join them on the great apricot adventure of 2008. The problem was that there had been a major storm the day before and this had caused a great number of apricots to fall from the tree and start to rot on the ground.

Taph and TSS were happy to leave these on the ground, and just rake them up for compost, but I could see a much better use for them.



If we were to collect them, ferment them in a beer brewing kit, and then use a pressure cooker to form part of a still (just do not tell the customs and excise department), attach some copper tube as a condenser to the pressure release nozzle and I could make my own brandy, and then use the left overs as compost.

I even found this pressure cooker at Salvos, Mitchell, and the only wanted $8 for it. Just think, for an outlay of under $10, I could make my own brandy and vodka. I left it behind as i did not think the rubber seal was in the best condition.

That is the easy part. The hard part would be keeping the still at a constant 78 degrees. Actually after spending a night doing jam, i am so sick of apricots in my house that i have now given up on this and we have used them as compost.