robbie williams she's the one (live at knebworth)

My Book Shelf.

Wow.. its been a while since I wrote on my blog. Sorry guys but I have been busy doing other things.  I've finally started writing my first novel so this has kept me occupied in the evenings.

You may have noticed, I've also I've added a thing called a widget to my blog to include a bookshelf of some books I've read. This blogging is still so new to me, I'm never sure of what I'm doing, but hooray it worked. I was very impressed with myself. 

Check out this site if you are an avid reader.  It's a great way to find new books, review books, and has a great community of book lovers ready to give their opinions of books they have read.

As you can see one of my favorite authors is Dan Brown fan. 
I'm also a Robbie Williams fan so if you are too, put on your head phones and listen to the video clip above and enjoy.

Budgeting

Well another day another dollar! Today is pay day woohoo!! sadly though there never seems enough to go around.  I've just updated our annual budget for the second time in 2010 because of all the price rises and I have to say it's getting tougher to make ends meet.

Every bill has risen again and I can't keep up with it even allowing for a 3 percent yearly rise. Then unexpected things crop up just at the most inconvenient times, like when your washing machine packs up or the car breaks down, expensive dentist bills and so on.  Isn't that just like Murphys' Law.  Who is this Murphy guy anyway?

Has anyone else noticed how they have reduced the weight in most of the food products we purchase, yet the prices still keeps rising and we are getting less for our money.  Asking for a wage rise in this economic climate is like getting blood from a stone even though bosses are expecting more productivity from their employees.

We are once again looking for more ways to help reduce costs.  We cut out our once a week takeaway meal in 2000 to once a month, now we have cut it out altogether.  We grow some of our own vegetables which helps.  I'm curently contemplating whether it would be cheaper to bake my own bread.  I'll have to research that, with the cost of power I'm not sure if that would be any cheaper.

If anyone has any suggestions of reducing costs feel free to comment below, all suggestions will be gladly appreciated.

I buy mostly home brand groceries and buy in bulk when items are on special which is a great saving when you work it out over a twelve month period you'd be surprised how much saving it adds up to.
  
I do not go to the big shopping centres so I'm am not tempted to impulse spend,  This is easy for me these days I no longer like to be in crowds.  I much prefer the peace of the beach or a nice walk around the park,  because at my age I have pretty much everything I need. Notice the word need and not wants.

I have plenty of wants but that would be a vacation and who wouldn't like lots of those.
A trip to my birth place England and visit  my relatives, then across to Paris would be nice and sightsee all of Europe.  Hmmm I like my dreams. 

I guess for now I'll just enjoy our drives to our own beautiful spots like Victor Harbor.

My Family

I can't believe I wrote another post and lost the lot because my internet connection dropped out again!!!  Two bloody hours hard work down the drain again, kuput, gone. Believe me when I say hard work, writing is the hardest thing for me to do, collecting my thoughts and feelings then putting it in writing just taxes my brain and emotions.  I struggle with getting in touch with my feelings let alone losing what I've written. If I lose this post I'll grrrrrrr I don't want to give up but!!!! I might just spit the dummy.

I do love my laptop and this great new technology that enables us to surf the net, email, social networks and I love googling recipes for dinner, but at times like this it can be so darn frustrating.

I must say I had a great weekend lazing around reading, something I haven't done since my last holiday with my best friend when we went to Torquay in February for 5 fantastic days.  We stayed at a 5 start resort courtesy of Dominic who is Pats boss. I read Dan Brown latest book called The lost symbol. I thought it was his best work so far it was very hard to put down but enjoyed it immensely.  Over the weekend I read a book by Anne Rule another one of my favorite authors a great page turner if you like true crime stories.  My choice of books are so different from Pat my friend who's taste is historical romances like Catherine Cookson,  Pat thinks what I read is too heavy for her and just not her cup of tea.

Don spent the weekend on one of his favorite hobbies making his home brew, his other favorite pass time is fishing.  Don and I get on amazingly well, we are so compatable.  We've been together since september 1987. 

I have two wonderful daughters Emma and Rachel from my previous marriage, who no longer live at home with us, they are now all grown up, they flew the coop about 13 years ago and I have three beautiful grand children Ethan Cody and Hannah and Brett my step son who lived with us from the age of 8 he has also left home they are in their early thirties.  Don has been a great step dad and friend to my children.

It was really quiet when they all left home, just as well I was working full time so I didn't suffer the empty nest syndrome for too long.  It was a time for Don and I to party and we did.  Meals down the pub regularly and out with friends all the time.  Movies, Casino, Barbeques and parties.  Here are some photo's of my family

                                                         

                                                                               

                                                                                   

My Intent

Well I'm really pissed off now.  I just finished writing my first ever blog article and went to post it when my connection to the internet dropped out and I lost my work.

My so called article was really my muses and my intent to start writing on a daily basis even though I have no idea at this stage what I want to write about.  I just know I want to write.

I've made a commitment to myself to write for at least one hour every day.  One hour per day may not be much time to devote to writing but I have never  written anything  other than complaints and frustration in a diary while I was married to my first husband of thirteen years.  I don't need to do that now because I'm happy this  time round. Lucky me.  First husband was a sleeze, the second husband likes to please. Well most of the time.

I want a little dog a Malteese because they don't malt.  I don't like fur left all over the house, clothes or car seats.  It would be nice to have company at home. now I can no longer work and my girls have long ago left home.  Don my hubby doesn't  want a dog, he doesn't want to tread in doggie poo in the back garden. I wonder though is it that? or will he be a little put out by the attention my doggie would get.

One hour of writing seems quite a formidable task to me.  I see a blank screen and  my mind tends to freeze and I have a mild anxiety attack.  Why? I don't know, I certainly don't have any trouble talking, you name it I can comment on it  have an opinion on the subject or knowledge about it, unless it's completely alien to me then I listen and learn or joke and laugh about it.  Don my husband would agree, I'm sure he switches me off at times and I don't blame him I can waffle on a bit at times like right now.

Hmmmm what to write?  Autobiography, Fiction, non fiction,? may be a how to do book? or should it be a true story, I could write a romance novel or what about poetry?  Hmmmm, sorry just thinking out aloud but if I don't write these thoughts down I'll forget and I need to complete this hour of writing or I'll be here all night.

I might just keep a journal of my inspirational thoughts if and when I get them to help me with this task I've set myself.

My hour is up, it would have been up two hours ago if my crappy network provider wouldn't keep dropping my connection out.

I've enjoyed this writing session and I'll be back tomorrow hopefully with the begining of something riveting  to read.  Maybe I'll tell you about my freaky experiences.