Our Frugal Lifestyle

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Passionate about eco-frugality. I used to party hard, clubbing my way from pay-packet to pay-packet. Never getting ahead, just getting by. Then came our much wanted baby with no savings in the bank - only an old car. Changes were made to our lifestyle and we didn't turn back. In the past 6yrs we purchased a flat, found employment, lived below our means, built an emergency fund, purchased a reliable car and saw the financial benefits of our frugal lifestyle. Our only debt is our mortgage. Our aim is to manage our cash flow wisely, pay off our home quickly and eventually work for pleasure, not necessity. Join us on our journey, share insights, tips and tricks to help us and others to get ahead while having a good time.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Frogs, Cyclones and A Christmas Dash.

The Green Tree Frogs are croaking happily. There are about 20 or so outside. It's pouring which gives relief from the humid tropical heat. Here are some pics for you all to enjoy my loud company.

Beautiful, Bold and Loud.
Leaning Against My Happy Orchid
Another One Hidden Amongst Plants and Junk.

Eco-Frugal as I try to be, I am harvesting some of the rain water to water plants that are not in the direct path of raindrops. I also keep small buckets of rain water for Green Tree Frogs to lay eggs and encourage their reproduction success. We love to look at the tadpoles and give them lettuce to eat.

Harvesting Water. 2 Buckets in Background Full of Tadpoles.

As for the cyclone, it headed west and then changed direction and is now heading east. We may be lucky here in Darwin as it looks like it might skip it's visit to us after all. My louvers might end up intact and now on my urgent TO DO LIST. (Louvers are small glass windows that protect our tropical homes from the elements. If I remove them we are not longer protected. It's like you removing your windows from your home.)

Ceiling to Floor Louvers In Need of Replacing. These are Very Old and Dangerous.

Dolly came to my work building today and saw an area loaded and decorated with children's christmas letters to Santa and old toys. On our way out, she very sadly told me she did not see the tutu she wanted. I then realised she thought this was Santa's storage area and that she was upset she had not seen her name on the list of nice children. My sweet little girl has her heart set on that ugly badly and cheaply made tutu and now thought Santa was not happy with her!!!! I told her Santa has many storage areas and keeps most of his nice kids lists in his pocket and that I was 100% sure she was on it.

We were given an early mark at work so I tried 1 more time to find that out of stock elusive ugly tutu. It was not to be found. So I opted for a sweet and simple $14 tutu and will spend some time tonight sewing ribbons and flowers to liven it up. And maybe it will pass the test... I have held daily discussions that Santa does not always bring that wished for gift as he may have another gift that he really wants to give instead.

This Santa business (lying) is very complicated as my daughter picks me up on any conflicting information I give. 2 more days and it's over. Christmas is just not something I enjoy or want to encourage. But my daughters happiness and believing in the magic is beautiful and for this I will continue to make the effort. Childhood is so short.

How are you doing?

6 comments:

  1. Wow, glad you're ok! I'm sure Dolly will love it!!!

    P.S. I WANT TREE FROGS OUTSIDE MY HOUSE!! I have toads, that's about it! :D

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  2. So glad you're out of the storm's way and that you (and the frogs...my, they are huge!) are getting some relief in the form of rain.

    Santa lasted for 9 years at our house and I was glad when my son gave him up, because then I didn't have to have presents wrapped up from us for him to open AND presents that Santa left under the tree.

    If you don't mind my asking, what is your faith background? Christmas is a lot more enjoyable without the made-up story of Santa, but with the true story of Jesus' birth and his whole reason for being born here on earth, so that we might know him, believe in him and live forever with him.

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  3. Oh, I am so glad you are all ok. I was praying for you.

    Dolly will love her tutu! What a great mother you are but I know what you mean about the 'lying' I feel the same at school.

    One year a very eccentric 5 year old, who was treated as an adult by his parents announced that his parents said there was no santa. OMG! The children looked at him coldly as if he was mad.

    My teaching assistant removed him for a chat outside the classroom and I talked to the others about how I know Santa will forgive him and still bring him some presents.

    Not sure what my teaching assistant said but he kept his mouth shut after that!

    Love the tree frogs, I saw great examples in Costa Rica, they are just beautiful and I'm so glad you are helping their conservation.

    My beautiful Nat Geog Magazine arrived today. Guess what I'll be snuggling up with later!
    Thank you so much for my wonderful prize.

    Sft x

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  4. Christmas is complicated! LOL I don't consider it lying anymore than your pretending to drink tea out of her empty cups or pretending that puppets can really talk. It's make believe. (Read something on Early Child Development. Chisdren believe their toys can talk. They believe things that are not true at all.) Make believe! Nothing more. Magic! Even after my children knew better, they were not privy to all Santa had in mind. They still got surprises and not always what they wanted, but something better.

    If she mentions she did not get the right tutu, just tell her Santa thought this suited her better. Yeah, that is the truth...lol.When she wears it to school, no one will have one like it. My granddaughter loved wearing hers to school. I think tutus are adorable.

    Didn't you refer to your louvers as shutters? Otherwise, I would not have suggested removing them! People here in Florida and Southern US use plywood to keep windows intact.We call those jalousie windows in the US.

    Do you have mosquito larvae growing in the buckets along with tadpoles?

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  5. Fairy from Organised CastleDecember 23, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    So glad for that it looks like the cyclone will give Darwin a miss. I am hoping that everyone in the Top End is safe from it.

    I understand you on the lying about Santa - it just does not seem right but not to do it seems almost grinch-like, particularly for a 5 year old. I know that you have done the best you can with a hand-crafted tutu that will be a "designer original".

    Best wishes to you and your family and may you find happiness and peace in 2012.

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  6. The frogs are one of my favourite things about living here as well. For some reason when we moved into our current residence there were no frogs around, a couple of ponds later though we are slowly drawing them in

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