Cutting costly corners - and cutting weeds!

An American friend living here in Oz, (it seems like we're everywhere!) recently sent me this information - comparing prices from one city to another, or I think you can even do it "country to country". (but since prices can vary from one city in a country to another, what's high in one city, may be lower just a few miles away)

I mean, I knew that things were much more expensive here where I live... but I sure as heck didn't realize by just how much!

Cost of Living comparison Between Sacramento,California USA, and Melbourne Victoria AU

Consumer Prices in Melbourne are 51.12% higher than in Sacramento, CA
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Melbourne are 56.42% higher than in Sacramento, CA
Rent Prices in Melbourne are 77.17% higher than in Sacramento, CA
Restaurant Prices in Melbourne are 67.23% higher than in Sacramento, CA
Groceries Prices in Melbourne are 28.48% higher than in Sacramento, CA

Restaurants

Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant, CA - $9.33 ... Australia - $15.35

+64.41 % higher
Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course CA - $35.00 ... Australia $67.01

+91.45 % higher
Combo Meal at McDonalds or Similar CA -$5.60 ... Australia - $7.67 $

+36.94 % higher

Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) CA - $2.62 - Australia - $5.71

+117.36 % higher
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) CA - $3.38 ... Australia $6.78

+101.00 % higher
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) CA - $1.34 ... Australia $2.88

+115.32 % higher
Water (0.33 liter bottle) CA - $1.20 ... Australia $2.47

+105.66 % higher


Clothing and Shoes

1 Pair of Levis 501 (Or Equivalent) CA - $38.75 ... Australia $90.11

+132.54 % higher
1 Summer Dress / Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) CA - $33.33 ... Australia $84.42

+153.26 % higher
1 Pair of Nike Shoes CA - $69.75 ... Australia $141.84

+103.36 % higher
1 Pair of Men Leather Shoes CA- $65.00 ... Australia $172.18

+164.89 % higher

Food

Eggs (12) CA - $2.62 ... Australia $3.85

+46.57 % higher
Potatoes (1kg) CA -$1.55 ... Australia $2.47

+58.70 % higher
Lettuce (1 head) CA - $1.95 ... Australia $2.46

+26.14 % higher

So, when I saw Arugula greens in the grocery store for almost 5 bucks a bunch, a light bulb went off in my head.

I decided to go for the much cheaper option, and to simply go out and weed my yard. Unfortunately, we're only eating one plant at a time, but at the rate we're going we'll will eventually get 'er done!

This way, I can live high off the hog... and at the same time, I'm saving bucket-loads of money!

Which kind of leaves my yard looking like an overgrown jungle, but hey... in the end, it's all good eats!!

Now you may think that dandelions are just your pesky garden-variety weed, but dandelion
greens have become so popular nowadays, that many grocery stores and greengrocers now stock cultivated varieties. I think it's probably because it's less labor-intensive than running around and digging up peoples yards. And chances are, if you've ever had an Arugula Salad in some high-priced fancy-schmancy restaurant... you were actually eating dandelions and didn't even know it.

This one is Purslane - or known by some people as "little hogweed" It's tart and lemony, with a slight peppery kick... and the Old Guy loves it fresh, although you can cook 'er up too.
I throughly investigated it before even trying it,( I recommend investigating anything out in the wild - or in your yard... before putting it in your mouth or on your plate) so I had to laugh at this description:

Known formally as portulaca oleracea, and informally as little hogweed, purslane
is a succulent herb that looks, as one Baltimore chef put it, like a miniature
jade plant. A more colorful description can be found in seed catalogs, which
note that in Malawi, the name for the fleshy, round-leafed plant translates to
"the buttocks of the wife of a chief."

Now the Old Guy has trouble remembering the name purslane or even "the buttocks of the wife of a chief", so he simply calls it "Chiefs Arse".

Honey? Can we eat some of the Chiefs Arse tonight?

Sure dear, go cut some off...

Necessity is the mother of invention...

I have 2 freezers still partially full of food, so I figure that if the stuff in there doesn't get eaten by the time I leave for good... well hell, it will just go to waste. And I sure as heck didn't want that to happen.

So tonight's dinner is going to consist of Stagg canned Chili, Glicks frozen "bake and eat" Bagels and a lovely Sara Lee Cheesecake for dessert.

I know that "bagels and chili" kind of sound like a strange combination, but I think that they'll go surprisingly well together.
You know... Bagels and cream cheese / chili and sour cream?
I mean, why not mix it up a little bit? And serve chili and bagels with sour cream? At least the freezer's will be cleared out a little bit more, and the stacks of canned goods will be getting used up too.
And that's a win / win in my book!!

Even if it gives me The Old Guy wind!

Bon Appetit!

Packing my bags...

Ayup... I'm packing my bags here, because I"M COMING HOME!! Well, not for good at this 'exact' point in time, but we are going 'home' for a few short weeks in May, to get details and finances sorted out, prior to me getting home for good - hopefully by mid-to late summer.
The house here is ready to put on the market (except for replacing that damn vomit-pink pedestal sink in the bathroom) and all the mess and clutter from months of carpentry and painting is well and truly done and dusted.
My stuff has been (mostly) sorted through, tossed out, set aside for the Salvation Army, given away to friends or sold... and I'm kind of enjoying this 'clutter-free' existence!

In the past, when we've gone home we've only worried about taking a small-ish carry on bag each... but this time we're taking the small bags plus two huge 70 lb bags as well. Stuffed with things that I want to keep and think at this point, that can't live without... but Lord knows what the airport security people are going to think of some of it!
Wind chimes and photos, bird feeders and linens & laces, and even a couple of ancient and well-loved cast iron skillets.
Oh... and a book or two that I just can't bear to part with.
And my cookbooks...
And that cool vegetable peeler that's shaped like a carrot... the one with the cushy orange handle.
And... and... well heck... whatever else I can fit in the suitcases!

I thought at one point that I would find a moving company to move most of my stuff, but as my son pointed out, with the exhorbitant cost of shipping, I can buy "new furniture" cheaper over there, and then fill in the gaps with garage and yard sale finds.. And that will also give me the pleasure of picking out 'new stuff' as well - something I haven't been able to afford to do, in all the years I've been here!

I just want to get this all over and done with, so I can settle down and start living my life again... instead of feeling like I'm on a never ending roller coaster. Leaving The Old Guy is going to be one of the hardest things about it all, but I have his sworn promise that he'll be coming over a couple of times a year for a month or two at a time.

And if he doesn't, I'll be coming back to whoop his arse...

Baby Steps...

Okay folks.... I'm just letting you know that I'm still counted among the living here, and I am doing my darnedest to write a semi-legible blog post. A blog post that will get you semi-caught up on what's been going on in my life - even though you've probably all but forgotten my name by now. Which is fair enough.... considering my extreme slackness. But I do have an excuse. Really I do...

So hold on to yer hats, because there's Good Stuff to come ... ie: I'm coming HOME baby! In just a matter of months!!

There's Bad Stuff ... The Lad is no longer here, which is technically "good" stuff, considering the hell he put me through last November. And I'll fill you in on the the thieving and aggravated assaulting that he did... And you know what? I might even think about changing the name "The Lad" for something a little far more descriptive.
IF I can think of something that doesn't involve swear words and the entire top row of the keyboard, that is.

And then there's the Ugly Stuff... because I'm looking at some serious surgery - not too far down the road... to repair the damage that "The Lad" did to me.
He's got a court date set for March 28th that I wouldn't miss for the life of me... even if Sam Elliot rode up on a horse - nekkid as the day he was born!
Which I guess if you take out the surgery part, it would really be considered to be "good stuff".
The court date, as well as the thought of a birthday-suited Sam... Ahhhhh!!!

Well, to tell you the honest truth, the thought of both of those things really get me grinnin' like a possum eatin' briars!

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition!!

THIS IS A GREAT IDEA! And wouldn’t it be great if everyone would participate?!

As the Christmas holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with humongous piles of cheaply produced goods... merchandise that has been produced at the expense of our very own American or Australian labor.
This year Christmas will be different around here - and I hope it will be different at your house too.

This year, Americans will be giving the gift of genuine concern for other Americans.
There is no longer an excuse that at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands.

Because YES there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people.
Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone ~ and I mean EVERYONE gets their hair cut.
How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?
How about massages or manicures?
Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages - and who isn't thinking about some
health improvement?

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates - and that helps keep our money in our local community.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamin's on a Chinese made flat-screen?
Perhaps that lucky/grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed...or lawn mowed for the summer... or their driveway plowed all winter... or maybe even a few games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants around your area ... most offering gift certificates or vouchers.
And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort of person, what about half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint?

Remember, folks this is NOT about helping your big National chains get richer -- this is about supporting your home town Americans.
Americans with their businesses, jobs and homes on the line... and when it comes right down to it, this simple little idea can help them keep their doors open... and so that they don't go under.

I mean, for Pete's sake.... how many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, one done at a local shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would probably LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW that I can find some young guy who's struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK... so you were looking for something a little more personal?
Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Check out the local craft markets/flea markets or market gardens.

Plan your holiday or family outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip.

And how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre?
Do we really need to see "professional" actors, when it's even more fun watching the Bob the local butcher play Romeo... or the little girl down the street dancing to "The Nutcracker"?
And musicians need love too... so find a venue showcasing local bands, and rock the house down!

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese
lights for the house?
Sadly, when you buy a five dollar string of lights, only about fifty cents stays in the community. FIFTY CENTS!!
That's just beyond wrong!

Our parents and grandparents celebrated Christmas just fine without the lights and tawdry decorations and expensive gifts... so let's make this the year we get back to the REAL meaning of Christmas!
If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, at least please leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip in their Christmas card!

You see, Christmas should no longer about draining American pockets, so that China can build another glittering city.
Christmas is now about us caring about each other... and us encouraging our local American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams and keep this country strong!
When we care about other Americans, we care about our own communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't even begin to imagine.
This seriously needs to be the new American Christmas tradition.

So go ahead...Feel free to copy this and forward it to everyone on your mailing list
Post it to discussion groups.
Throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city.
Send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments.

This needs to be a revolution of caring about each other...
And after all, isn't that really what Christmas is about?
So c'mon people...let's start putting our own people first, and let's start thinking outside the square.

That said, I would be more than happy for any of you to offer to clean my house for me, or maybe even weed the backyard...
(Hey, I just thought I would save you the trouble of asking. *wink wink*)



(Note: I recieved this is a forwarded email, and even though it specifies "Americans"... as far as I'm concerned, it applies to ALL of us... No matter where we come from.
Just think "local"!!
Let's make this year the year that we TRULY make a difference!)

Tamale Pie... nom nom!

Trust me to have things backwards...
Yeah... it may be "springtime" here in Australia, but to old American me... October means cooler weather, and good ol' "stick-to-your-ribs" kind of meals.

Which is why I said that I have things backwards... All you have to do is say the word "October" to me, and I'm suddenly yearning and salivating for my favorite Autumn foods. Or maybe that's "Autumnal"? Hey, I'm sure I don't know...
All I know for sure is that I get all organized, and go searching for the rubber boots and gloves and woolen scarves, and then I want to bake gingerbread men, and Almond Thumbprint cookies. In 80 degree heat.
Which is proof that I'm messed up.

So even though I've been here in Australia for 15+ years now, I still do the whole back ass-wards thing each and every year.
Like clockwork.
And... for the last few weeks, I've had a serious, serious hankering for spicy casserole type meals - but I've had a special craving for Tamales.
Which are impossible to find ready-made here, as are corn husks for making my own.

I will say that I did make some killer Chimichangas last week, (the Old Guy is addicted to them, and would happily eat them every night for a month - which is okay with me, just as long as he goes home to his own bed every night. Just sayin'...) but for tonight, I wanted something a little easier and less labor-intensive.

So I decided to fall back on that old Fall (springtime?) favorite... Tamale Pie.

Tamale Pie

Ingredients

~ 2 T. oil
~ 1 onion
~ 1 pepper
~ 2 cloves garlic, or more if preferred (which I do)
~ 1/4 cup chopped jalapeño pepper (optional for some, maybe... but not for me)
~ 1 pound ground beef,
~ 2 cups tomato pieces, canned or fresh, with juice
~ 2 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned or frozen (Iuse canned)

~1/2 cup of sliced olives (with a little more for garnish)
~ 1/2 cup beef broth or water
~ 1 t. chili powder, or to taste (which in my case means about a tablespoon)
~ 1 cup corn meal
~ 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, jack, or Mexican Blend)
~ salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Chop onion, garlic and peppers.
Heat oil, and cook onion, garlic and pepper until softened ~ about 5 minutes or so.
Mix meat with 3/4 teaspoon salt, crumble and add to pan.
Cook and stir until the meat is done.
Add tomatoes, corn, olives, broth and chile powder.
Simmer together while preparing the corn meal.
Bring 2 cups water to a boil; slowly add corn meal, stirring vigorously to prevent lumping. (Mixture will be a little thick and gluggy.)
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste.
Stir corn meal mixture into other ingredients and then place in a casserole dish or baking pan.
Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake for about 30 minutes.

And this is what you end up with:

Disclaimer: Not my pic - I have to admit that I found it online somewhere. I also have to admit that it looks a whole lot less messy than mine does, but you get the gist...

Nothing much to say...

Other than I miss blogging, and I seriously miss catching up with y'all!!

I really don't know why it is, but even though I'm not working near as hard as I was a year ago, I seem to have less and less time to myself anymore... and even less time for blogging or reading blogs.
I guess a lot of it has to do with trying to get one household up and running from a long, long distance... and trying to shut one down, right here at home.

The renovations here are taking a lot longer than I had initially planned, but to tell you the truth, back when I started this journey of " heading home", I had a lot more $$'s coming in, and they were sure as hell coming in on a much more regular basis.
Nowadays, it's a matter of trying to decide if I want to buy paint or materials... or if I want to buy food.
Or maybe even some sanity. Which would be utterly lovely, I think.

And if it were just me, I know which option I would go for.
And which option my well padded butt would probably highly recommend.
But unfortunately for me at the present time, I have a teenager who seems to be pretty partial to eating at least 2 square meals a day.
And if you've ever had teenagers (or if you've ever been one yourself, I guess) I bet you know that they're pretty much bottom-less pits at times, and they sure as tooting aren't cheap to keep!
And those inevitable "growth spurts" when they try and cram a weeks worth of food into just a couple of short hours? Well.... all I can say is: Oi vey! That's enough growing, already!

I honestly feel like I've been to hell and back the last few months, with one thing or another... and I can't wait until everything settles down once again, and I can at least feel like I at least have some semblance of control in my life again.
Even if I don't really.

There's just been so much happening in my life lately - good, bad and indifferent - but most of it on the "middlin' to bad" side - that even though I know that I need to talk about it and get the weight of some of it off my chest, so to speak.... I also know that I just can't do it right now. I just don't have the energy.

Like these old shoes, I feel just plumb worn out at the present moment...

But I'm not ready for the scrap heap quite yet...

Anyone got Q-Tips?

I seriously need to get my hearing checked I think... or else call the Roto-Rooter man to come clean the ear wax out!

See, it was The Lad's 17th birthday yesterday, and although I'm still mad at him and I don't know if things will ever truly get back to normal between us, I'm not a nasty enough biotch to let his birthday go by without celebrating it in some fashion. And last year (his 16th birthday) he was still living in a group home - and not one of the finest in the state, either... so little or nothing was done to "celebrate" the milestone. His records show that they took him to McDonald's... and that was it.
Whoop-ti-do, eh?

And add the fact that his mother basically couldn't be stuffed with planning anything to celebrate his birthday, (she had him for 2 hours access earlier in the week - and then handed him $20 bucks) and I felt kind of "emotionally and morally obligated" to do something at least marginally memorable... ya know?

So I asked him what he would like to do for his birthday, giving him a couple of options... and he opted for a lunch time barbecue with a couple of his mates around. Easy peasy.

I asked him clearly how many people he wanted to invite, and he told me 19... so I went to Costco on Friday to buy the place out. Sausages, party pies, sausage rolls, chips, drinks, chips and even a couple of killer size bags of lollies (candy) because no matter how old he may think he is, he's still a kid - and so are his friends.
And a cake. Can't forget the cake.
A humongous cake because I knew that 19 kids would polish it off, lick the plates and then ask for more.
Because I'm smart that way.

At the end of the shopping trip, I had stuff in the fridge, The Old Guy's fridge, and I even hit up the next door neighbor, asking her if she could store some of it for me.
I was organized, let me tell you what!

So yesterday rolls around, and I was up bright and early, getting pans ready, tomatoes and onions sliced, bowls ready for the chips and candy, ice for the soft drinks, and I even used my favorite bedspread as an emergency tablecloth on the big table.
Everything was perfect.

11:30 comes... and so far we have a couple of kids here (okay, maybe 5 or 6) and they're outside stuffing their faces with junk food, listening to and semi-dancing to some kinda crap on CD's... So I asked The Lad again how many kids were due - and again he told me 19.

So I waited to put stuff in the already ready-and-waiting oven, keeping myself busy slicing even more tomatoes and onions... and in the meantime a few more kids arrive and they go right into stuffing their faces and gyrating to the semi-music. If you can call that stuff "music". (Lordy, I've turned into my parents, I think!!)
But since we were still low on numbers, I continued to wait for more kids to arrive... and I kept busy preparing replacement platters and bowls of food to feed the hungry hoard and running non-stop in and out the back door.

1 o'clock comes, and The Lad comes in and asks if we can start the barbecue now, because everyone is starting to get hungry.

"Okay, well we'll start now, and maybe by the time the meat's done everyone else will have arrived."

"Everyone else, who? Everybody is here already! Who did you invite?"

"I didn't invite anyone - it's your party and you were told that you could choose who to invite. I only meant the other kids that haven't arrived yet. Since there are only 9 of you so far, we still have another 10 coming."

"TEN more? But this is everyone that I invited - and we're hungry now!"

"Noooo.... you told me 19, and we only have 9 kids here right now."

What??? I never said 19! "

"Yes you did.... you said 19 kids were invited!"

No I didn't!

Yes you did.

No I didn't!!!

Yes you DID, you said that 19 were coming!

No I didn't say that 19 kids were coming...I said NINE TEENAGERS are coming!

Oh bloody hell... I thought you said nineteen - and why in the name of all that's holy, would you even say nine "teenagers"? Nobody in their right mind says "nine teenagers are coming to my party"!

Well, because now that I'm 17 and more mature, (yes folks, he assumes that it happens that easily and quickly) I wanted you to know that all the kids I invited are all grown up teenagers... and that there were no little kids invited to my party, so you wouldn't buy balloons or want us to do pin-the-tail-on-the donkey games and stuff!!

Now this is what I was envisioning:

But what isn't what I got.
Which serves me right for "envisioning" anything when teenagers are concerned.

The end result is that I have enough food left over to feed an army.
I have enough sausages and party pies and pasta salad and potato salad left over to choke a horse - Hell... there's enough left to choke a whole herd of wild mustangs. Maybe 2 or 3 herds.


And then what does The Lad decide to ask at the end of the day, when I've got counter tops and tables and fridges full of leftover food?

Can I spend the night at Tom's house tonight?

Omigosh....YESSSS! Help me clean up, and I'll tell you what. If you'll stay for 2 or 3 nights, as a "special one time only deal", you can even supply the food to cover their meals for the next 2 or 3 days! And since there are 6 of 'em, don't forget to take half that monstrous cake with you!!!

But I've still got enough sausages and hot dogs left, that I almost want to break down in tears... I'm thinking Sausages in wraps with leftover lettuce and tomatoes, Toad in the Hole, Italian Rice and Sausages with Pasta... and a gazillion other things that can be done using cooked leftover sausages.

And even then, I think I'll still have cooked and frozen sausages and frankfurters coming out of my ears for another week or so... at least!

Now, the cats are fussy, and I know that they won't touch most of it, but after the next few nights, I think the dogs are gonna think they died and have gone to sausage and party pie heaven!

I just wonder if they'll clean the wax out of my ears, while they're at it?