Home of Slightly Cracked Dreams

I knew I would be. Here’s a snapshot of what I’ve been up to since I last posted.

• Hubby has moved to our new location and started his job leaving me home with 3 kids.
• I have run the club final of the Youth of the Year for our Lions Club (which went awesomely well and totally rocked and it was totally because of me. Well, at least in spite of me).
• I have found us a house to move to - wahoo!
• Did I mention Hubby is away?  That would be 3 children and a dog who make constant demands on my time.
• I have almost sorted the uni situation. More news to come.
• I have joined an online mastermind group. I’m leaning heaps and I love getting to know new people.
• I met up with Snoskred and her other half as they passed through town last night.
• The car has been serviced and a tow bar booked to get put on.
• The cornice in the kitchen has fallen down, so trying to co-ordinate with the plasterers for them to come and get it put back up.
• The dog has been clipped and looks like a new dog. Much less shaggy.
• The removalists, cleaner, carpet cleaner and pest dude are all booked for our move.
• My phone line has had not one, but two faults in the last week - one lasting 3 days (oh yes, and that would be the 3 days before the youth of the year, you know, when everyone needed to call me!!!), which has also resulted in loss of internet (I know! The horror!!!).

That’s about it really.

I’m off today to our new home to sort out schools and other such riveting topics, and then when I get back it’s go go go with the move until things settle down.

So I guess what I’m saying is, don’t hold your breath expecting another post anytime soon.

As you may or may not be aware, our region has been affected by floods for the better part of the last month. Fortunately, due to our location, our homes generally don’t flood, and we can still get around town. It’s getting out of town that can be a problem (or getting to schools even)

Area’s further north of us have been cut off for weeks. And it is this that’s caused our biggest problem.

You see, I live somewhere between Mackay and Townsville. For those whose knowledge of Queensland geography is a little sketchy, here’s a map:

Now the problem has been our food supplies - in particular fresh produce and perishable items such as meat, dairy and frozen goods.

It amazed me when I first moved here to learn that the majority of our food arrived from Brisbane by rail. But what I didn’t realise was that the warehouse for our food was located in Townsville.

And don’t go thinking it was as simple as putting the food on a train up to Townsville either. Oh no.

Our food, apparently, is sent by train, from Brisbane to Mackay, where it is taken off the train and put on the back of trucks for the 4 - 5 hour drive to the Townsville warehouse. From there it is sorted and placed back on the same trucks and delivered back to us, somewhere between the two centres.

Is that not the most rediculous thing you’ve ever heard?

With all this rain and Townsville isolated by floodwaters to the north, south and west (and now that I think about it - on the east as well) food has been both unable to reach Townsville, or be delivered from Townsville, leaving large parts of North Queensland without food supplies. Including us.

Not for the first time have I been glad of my obsessive bargain buying as we have been fine with a freezer full of meat and frozen vegetables and a pantry full of tinned foods and powdered milk that has enabled me to continue feeding the family on our usual fare without much drama.

I wonder if this years floods will change the distribution chains of the major retailers? Or if this will continue to be a process that boggles the mind in its complexity for years to come?

Menu Plan Monday

Since we’re moving out of here in less than 3 weeks, I am on a mission to empty the freezer, and whatever is left will be passed on to neighbours and family.

Meals may be somewhat boring or alternatively creative as I also try to empty the pantry while at the same time feeding the children something they will eat.

Monday: Chicken pieces - with some varient of sauce that I find in the pantry, served with pasta and vegetables

Tuesday: Dinner out for a meeting

Wednesday: Sausage Casserole

Thursday: Roast Chicken - done in the slowcooker with roast vegetables

Friday: Fish & Chips (from the freezer)

Saturday: Sausage sizzle

Sunday: Meatloaf - served with mashed potato & vegetables

Judging by the food in my freezer I anticipate repeating this menu plan next week. What’s on your menu plan this week? Do you have a menu plan? If not, check out myHow to Menu Plan post and then head over to Orgnaizing Junkie and post your menu and see what everyone else is eating this week.

It’s amazing how little it actually takes to get back on top of things these days.

I have spent a liesurely morning pottering in the kitchen and around the house.  The kitchen is spotless, the rest of the house is looking much better, and the washing piles (clean and dirty) are reducing in size for once, not increasing.

It is helping that today I have two willing helpers who have been promised a visit next door to play the new Wii when the house is tidy. It’s very motivating, not only for them, but me too.

I’m still amazed at how little it actually takes to keep the place tidy, and wonder why the hell I don’t do it all the time?

I’ve alluded to a lot of things in the last couple of months. Those who’ve been keeping up with my incredibly sporadic posting at Kin’s Money will know that Hubby lost his job in December when the company he was working for went into administration.

The last two months have been tough. Even our bare bones budget left us slightly short each week, dipping into our savings and wondering when it would end.

Thankfully it ended last week.

Hubby was offered several jobs. In Gladsone, Mackay, Townsville, and finally the Sunshine Coast. Long time readers may remember our planned move to The Big Smoke (aka Brisbane) early last year that was delayed due to the offer of a job too good to refuse.

While on the surface this hasn’t turned out to be the greatest decision we’ve made, it has worked somewhat in our favour now, as Hubby has some new skills and experience to add to his resume that allowed him to apply for a larger range of jobs.

So when the job on the Sunshine Coast became a possibility, our interest was spiked. It has turned out to be a great job for Hubby, an excellent career move, financially beneficial for the family, and ultimately moving us closer to our goal of returning to South East Queensland.

It is said things happen for a reason.

I’m certainly not doubting that now.

But as you can imagine this presents new challenges. Finding a home, a school. Organising the move.

On top of the continuing floods here (we have been ok, but our food supplies in town got dangerously low as first the city that supply’s our food was cut off, then when that road reopened we were cut off) and M&M starting school, well, it’s no wonder I’m feeling a little flustered.

And in addition to all these challenges, Hubby is off to start the new job on Monday, leaving me to organise things from this end.

But it doesn’t matter. New beginings are always exciting.

I’ve been trying to write a post for days now. Probably weeks.

Life is crazy. Just, crazy.

We’ve been slowly settling into the school routine, although today I was late. Bad Mummy Moment for the day. Fortunately the teacher is well adept at handling these things, and had my poor baby who was the last one left helping her prepare for tomorrow when I arrived. I’m sure I was only a few minutes late, but it’s tough for the poor thing.

I alluded in my last post about some big news. This is officially coming to pass, but things are moving very slowly. This does not mean I’m sitting around doing nothing. Quite the opposite.

Preparations are well underway for the Youth of the Year function in less than 2 weeks. That is taking up a lot of my “spare” time.

I’m trying to prepare logistically for all the upcoming events, but to be honest not doing it very well.

Actually, now that I think about it, I have lots of big news to share, but I’m a little too overwhelmed with it all at the moment. I’m still processing a few things and getting my head around it.

And as a result things like washing and cooking and stuff just aren’t up to standard. I think it’s time to revisit my routines and see where it’s all falling apart.

Menu Plan Monday

I know I’ve been very scarce of late, and my two volunteers for interview questions are patiently waiting for them, but there is lots going on around the place at the moment.

I won’t say anything yet, but stay tuned for some big news.

As for the menu this week, it’s full of red meat to try and boost my iron - exhaustion has been my worst enemy of late.

Monday - out at a meeting

Tuesday - Lasagne & salad

Wednesday - Sausage Casserole

Thursday - Rissoles, pasta & vegetables

Friday - BBQ - Steak, Snags, Salad

Saturday - Fish & Chips

Sunday - Toasted Sandwiches

What’s on your menu plan this week? Do you have a menu plan? If not, check out my How to Menu Plan post and then head over to Orgnaizing Junkie and post your menu and see what everyone else is eating this week.