Ann Leach

You know...  all those UnFinished Objects.  The ones we are so inspired to make so we start them, and then run out of steam before they're completed. But we can't throw them away, certain at another time we'll be inspired to pick up the pieces and finish. And I promised myself that when we got back to the US, I would have no more UFOs.  None.  Nada.  Either finish it, tear it apart to make into something else, or hand it off to somebody else to finish.  And it's a good plan, but what I didn't expect to find when I unpacked the boxes left here in storage was the UFOs that I packed away.  :( An infinity scarf -- now in my defense, I actually didn't start this one until after we came back.  It was the yarn itself which I found packed in a box...  full of yarn.  Happily, I am making good time and progress on this particular project and expect to have it done in the next few days. Oh boy...  this is the beginnings ...

Oh, finally.  We're back on our property (Fountainhead) in the US, mostly unpacked, and settling back into our routines.  Husband has gotten a job already and I am getting our home set up, slowly but surely. In the unpacking, I came across my collection of "The Tightwad Gazette" books and have started reading them again.  For those who aren't familiar with them, Amy Dacyczyn published "The Tightwad Gazette" newsletters during the 1990s, which later became three published books and then finally one complete edition.   The third book of the series starts out with an article titled:  Drowning in Rising Expectations; which is spot-on even 20 years later, and I'd like to share it with you here: The idea that baby-boom generation has fewer opportunities and most struggle harder than previous generations is believed by millions of Americans.  Specifically, they believe that it's almost impossible to afford kids on a middle class income anymore...

The final days are flying by.  But this story started 2 weeks ago on a Tuesday.  Husband was home not feeling well, and somehow we both got to poking around the immigration website to find out what we needed to do next for me to get permanent residency in Australia. It didn't take long until we reached a point where we looked at each other and said we need to go to the office.  So in the span of a half hour, we went from pajamas to fully dressed and snacks packed.  We headed over to the kindy to pick up our daughter and hit the road down to Brisbane (3 hours) to meet with an agent at the immigration office. We were stunned to learn our best bet for getting my permanent residency approved was for the paperwork to be filed back in the states, and it would take 8 - 9 months for it to be processed.  We weren't expecting that.  Not even a little bit. Should I go back by myself?  Take our daughter?  How would we manage being apart so long?  W...

French Bread -- hot right out of the oven Do you love crusty bread with a soft crumb on the inside?  I know I do and today, I ventured into the world of baking it at home. Baking bread is not as difficult and time-consuming as I want to think it is.  The biggest chunks of time go to rising which I don't need to be present for!  So join with me and we'll make french bread together. My set-up for bread-making:  mixer with large bowl, flour, yeast, salt, water, egg, whisk, rubber spatula, metal bowl for rising, and the breadbox. This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. French Bread 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour 2 packages active dry yeast 2 tsp salt 2 cups warm water (115F to 120F) cornmeal 1 slightly beaten egg white (optional) 1 TBSP water (optional) Close-up of the ingredients In a large mixer bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, yeast, and salt.  Add warm water. Beat at low speed of electric mixer f...

The Sustainable living group is off to a good start with the number attending meetings increasing.  This month we had a lively discussion about household budgeting which is so much bigger than just crunching numbers. People have different goals in budgeting.  Some do it to save money and to stretch their dollars further.  Others are discovering new, better, more economical ways to live. It takes discipline to set goals and stick to the plan to meet those goals.  And getting the whole family on board with a new system can be one of the biggest challenges of all. Some folks have a vision of a budget, but nothing on paper.  Some have no plan, but are in a reactionary mode to the bills as they come in.  And still others are keeping track right down to the penny. Is there a right way and wrong way to budget?  Is one way better than another?  What is a budget?  And why don't they teach us about this in school? There is definitely a righ...

....  to make a tablecloth and an apron. I've had it in my mind for a while to make a housekeeping apron for myself and more recently I decided I wanted a tablecloth for our dining table.  These are wants, not needs, so not a high priority, but just something I browse for when I'm at the thrift store. A couple days ago, it happened.  Looking through the buy/sell/swap page, there was a listing for 2 king size flat sheets and a super single fitted sheet for $7.  Two solids and a geometric print.  That'll do!  Sold!! This afternoon, with a movie playing to keep me company, I've been cutting and hemming the red geometric print to be a table cloth.  We have a round dining table, but I've decided to cut it square for more versatility.  And I'll shop for some clear vinyl to put over it so it doesn't have to go into the washer after each and every meal. (You know how it is eating with a little one at the table.  :) ) I'm qu...

Tomorrow morning, if all goes to plan (DD has been home with croup this week.), will be time for me to do the weekly update on the budget.  Yes, I said it, the B word...  budget. Some people thing budgeting is a bad thing.  "It limits my spending."  "I won't be controlled by a budget."  "Nobody is going to tell me how to spend my money." Well, I guess you're right.  No one is going to tell you how to spend your money. Only you can do that.  A budget is a plan for how you're going to spend your money so when it comes time to make a purchase, the money is there.  Without a plan, money just disappears -- $5 for a coffee, $2 for a newspaper, $10 for a lunch. And by the end of the week, where did it all go? In our family, I do the book work, but K and I made the plan together.  It's not up to me to tell him how much pocket money he gets.  We decided that together, when we decided how much to allocate in each of our categories.  But he's ...

A part ofSustainable Living that doesn't get much attention is Routines.  For some of us, it's because they're so routine that we don't give them any thought (Yea!)  But for me, it's something that I didn't learn at my mother's knee, and so it's been a challenge. When I first had children and moved from my days being dictated by my work schedule to staying home, I struggled with my home time -- how to fill it, and at the same time, how to get everything done that needed to be done.  And then one day I stumbled across Flylady (www.flylady.net) and the world of routines opened up to me. I learned about Morning Routines and Bedtime Routines.  I learned about Cleaning Routines and Meal Planning Routines.  And honestly, I cried.  Because up until that time, I thought I was the only one struggling.  And then I dove in to learn my routines.  It was hard learning these new habits, I mean I wasn't totally unhappy with wearing my pjs until 10am!  B...

I am reading "The Self-Sufficiency Handbook" by Alan & Gill Bridgewater and am getting so much from it. The chapter on self-sufficient houses has this list for improvements: 1 -- Fit good heavy curtains to all the windows and exterior doors.  Open the windows during the day and close close them at night to keep the heat in.  Wear layered clothes when the weather is cold. 2 -- Replace all single-pane windows with double- or even triple-glazed units. 3 -- Reduce the number of exterior doors. 4 -- Insulate the roof space and all cavity walls.  If you have solid walls, add insulation to the inside or outside faces. 5 -- In the northern hemisphere, reduce the number or size of north-facing windows and increase the size and number of south-facing windows; vice versa if you live in the southern hemisphere. 6 -- Install a woodburning stove, and remove items like electric gas and electric fires.  Fit vents and ducts so that you can channel excess around the house....