Reusable?

I'm a big fan of freecycle. In a nutshell, freecycle is an online community you join to give and gain usable items no longer wanted/needed. So imagine you open your cupboards and think "This breadmaker taking up space in my cupboard is no longer needed by me. It still works fine, so it would be a waste to toss it into landfill." You can offer it out on freecycle. Person who does want it comes and picks it up from you. No cost to you, them (other than their transport) and more importantly - the earth.

All good.

Recently I've seen a couple people offering out bassinette mattresses. Now this is all good and fine, but the guidelines on bassinette mattresses is that they shouldn't be used for more than one baby. No idea what this is about, the reasoning behind it (SIDS maybe?) but then got to thinking, if there isn't a real reason behind it, why is it known? Why is it I bought new ones for each of my little ones?

Is there a real reason to buy a new bassinette mattress with each baby, or is it simply some sort of scare tactics to make parents buy new each time. Generally you would be looking at $10-$50 for a suitable piece of foam mattress, so not a huge outlay (esp if you are cheap like me and go the $10 version) but really... is there a reason?

I'm off to google hoaxes etc and find out why. If indeed it can be found out online. If you know why a new mattress should be used, please tell me in the comments. And also, if the same holds true for a cot/bed mattress.

** Just thought - bassinette mattresses are generally foam, where cot and bed mattresses are generally innersprung. Hmmm..... Off to snopes/google!

Hopeless

I'm a bit hopeless at updating this, but hey, it's my 'get that crap off your chest, so you don't explode at people' place, so I'll keep going for now. Don't know for how long.

Just thought I'd mention I'm not normally this grumpy. As stated above, this is where I have a bit of a hissy fit/whinge/rant/etc, so I may sound like a really grumpy ole woman, but I think I can be seen with a smile or cheeky grin on my face more often than a frown.

I'd like to think so anyway!

Anyway, you can think what you like I suppose. I don't know you, you don't know me, you sometimes read something that I write and that is as far as our relationship goes. :P

Losing myself

Happy to follow up from 14th Sept post; 1.5kg down. For a person who drifts up and down the scales to see a definite drop each week to get to a solid 1.5kg down in 4 weeks is ok. Not bad.

If I was being 'exceptionally' good, I reckon I'd be double that down, but hey, I'm still enjoying life, I'm still having pizza for dinner when T cooks it, enjoying some chippies with the kids when we open a bag, but the thing is, I'm having less slices of pizza and a smaller bowl for my share of the chippies. It's just being sensible.

I've also lessened the alcohol intake. But again, if I'm at a 'do' or somewhere to relax and enjoy a drink, I will. If we have friends over, I'll relax with a beer or wine.

I'm more likely to have a drink of water at my desk and drink during the day, have been known to buy a 2 litre bottle of soda water (so much easier to drink when water has bubbles in it) and drink it while at work that day. I think my local-to-work Coles is running low on their $1.11 Homebrand 2 litre bottles. My fault and I'm glad of that!!

I have had some white chocolate with the hubby and our evening cuppa warm (lite) milk, but sticking to the one row per sitting, as opposed to my past 3 rows, then going back for more.

So we'll plod on. Hopefully in 4 more weeks time, I'll be recording another 1.5kg drop.

Freeway driving

Driving on a freeway, you see some crazy characters. Some make you laugh, others make your heart thump. Today I saw a thumper.

A little blue "Accent" travelling down the Westgate bridge. Nothing much there. Not til you looked in the read window and saw a little yellow hat wearing head looking out the back window.

Yes, in full view of everyone behind.

No car seat, no restraint, just kid's head bobbing up between adults in the back seat.

They got off the freeway at Millers Road. I almost followed them, but got a bit worried about road rage laws and all. Instead I had my passenger use my phone to take a photo. Pic includes car, window with head, and number plate.

Now how do I report this, and who to?

Room decor

3 bedrooms for the kids. At the moment we have eldest in one room on her own, oldest boy in his own room, and the twins in the smallest room together. Eventually the plan is to have the boys in together and the girls in their own rooms. The main reasoning behind this is the boys are close in age (almost 2 years between them) and the girls have a big difference in age (13yo and 2yo). Big Miss will remain in the one big room on her own. Small Miss will remain in the smallest room on her own.

Have started decor in the boys room. Going with Disney's Cars. We have curtains and a framed print on the wall. More to come at some point.

Big Miss has some bits and pieces on her walls. She's into decorating her own space herself. I'd like to do it up in purple, like the bed set we got her, but she's so tomboy, it's just too difficult to arrange. I'm now leaving it to her.

Little Miss. Very much a little "Miss". Loves pink. My girly girl. Had been thinking to go mainstream, like Pooh bear or Disney Princess or something, mostly cos it's easy to find pieces to go with everything, but I had a good idea today.

I have always loved the book "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. I thought it would be easy to find things to go with that sort of decor, maybe some framed pictures on the wall, or wallpaper of some sort, but nada. Looks like if I want that theme, I'm going to have to get creative and make some things. Or check out this link from a friend for more ideas.

Or come up with a different theme....

It's time

I did something on the weekend I've never willingly do before; I asked a friend who is an awesome photographer, to take my picture. I had a specific reason for it, so it needed to be done, and she did exactly what I asked, and did so perfectly. The results were a good head shot and a well framed full body shot.

Problem was, I'd never seen me like that. I mean, I've looked in the mirror; I know what I look like, but seriously, this was a wake up call and a half.

Having had twins a little more than 2 years ago, I can no longer use them as an excuse. I can no longer say, "oh it's ok, I've just had twins, I don't expect to look great after that", as it was more than two years ago - I have had plenty of time to have done something about the weight since then.

I've been wanting to do something for a while now, but this photo has really made me think twice about being so slack in my effort. I've jumped on the scales this morn and I fully intend taking measurements this week, if not this evening. I plan to do this properly, and to hit my short term target of 10% by Christmas. After that, I intend on pushing on.

My goal weight is horrendously far off. I'm almost as heavy now as I was after having my first child. And being 13 years younger, I was of the mindset back then that it wasn't a big deal, it would drop off when I put in a little effort and when I did get in the right frame of mind, I was right, it did fall off pretty effortlessly. I was at my goal weight when she hit 2. Thing is, it's taken 11 years to creep back on. Sure, I've had 2 pregnancies in that time, but again, that really is no excuse.

I did well today, for a first day; I stuck to eating well, when putting bickies out for a meeting, I remembered that photo and didn't scoff one for myself, and at lunch I walked a little over 3 kms. So let's see how this goes.

I've found when I "out" myself and don't keep the diet and exercise a secret, I succeed way better than when I don't tell people, and don't create witnesses. So thanks any readers out there. Feel free to drop me a line every now and then to ensure I stay on the right track.

BTW I don't expect to be perfect and eat no chocolate or exercise every day, but I do expect to try my best and if I fall off the good track, that I do get back on there. Let's see, eh?

Junk man

Haven't spilled the beans yet, but T and I have vastly different opinions on the issue he raised on his blog yesterday - see here to read more.

Here is the scenario. Once a year our local council has a 'hard garbage collection'. This is basically where you can leave junk too big for the garbage bin on your nature strip and the council truck turns up (eventually) to pick it up and take it to the tip for you. Good for people like us who don't have access to a trailer, nor a tip.

Now, having just had the front yard cleared and cleaned up, we hired some big skips and dumped all the garbage we could find. So we had nothing on our nature strip on Sunday night.

But the neighbours did. And people drive by, see something they think might be good or useful, pick it up and off they go. Now, just so you know, this is illegal. You aren't allowed to take the stuff from the nature strip - once it's put out there, it becomes the Council's property, so by taking it, you are taking Council property (stealing).

The discussion then leads to: The person who takes the stuff - is he merely breaking the law, or is he recycling useful things? What do you think? I'd be interested to hear!