Back to Basics Challenge

From November 12 (Friday):


Sowing seed or Planting

My husband was given some tomatoes plants and he planted those, yes, in the rose garden again.

Planning for The Future

This morning my husband and I were discussing our basic stuff ups. It is hard not to think of them isn't it?



Anyway, on thinking about this post, I was thinking about Independence Days and relating it back to the conversation. My car in particular. My car in the end we decided, like anything, you have to look after yourself. I was asking my husband if our garage was sorry I had to spend $1,600 for nothing to find out it is most likely the gas converter which is the problem. I think my husband has spent at least five conversations going over with me how we got to this point of spending the money, the bill came last Wednesday I think. The upshot is how you have to look after yourself. The garage and my husband decided that we should bypass the gas and use petrol. If no water goes into the fuel line, the gas place will be told to put a new converter in, when eventually we get the money. Twice we have been turned away, three times work has been done on the motor.

Working for the Future

The top coat for the paint in the dining room is on. I wish I could see it. Hog Bristle is mentioned in this forum post, with pictures.



The chimney has been taped up with heavy duty plastic we had, luckily. It has rained I think. We have put plans on hold to go and buy new cap etc. for the chimney.

Building Community I went to collect my daughter from Christmas Craft at the church hall. I was chatting to some lovely ladies. My highlight was a lady who had just come in from a shearing shed to pick up a girl, she did roustabout work there.

Learn a new Skill

Working at being better at looking after my own car, as in filling it up myself. My husband and I had a talk about it, and I should take it further sometime soon. It is a skill that has lapsed, just need to do it really.


This meme comes from Belinda's blog. I have been over there and noticed The Anyway Project on the blog I mentioned earlier called The Chatelaine's Keys. Here is Belinda's post about it. It sort of fits in with the start of my post.

The new categories for the Anyway Project are:

Domestic Infrastructure - these are the realities of home life, including making your home work better with less, getting organized, dealing with domestic life, etc…

Household Economy: Financial goals, making ends meet, saving, barter etc…

Resource Consumption : in which we use less of stuff, and strive to live in a way that has an actual future.

Cottage Industry and Subsistence:: The things we do that prevent us from needing to buy things, and the things we produce that go out into the world and provide for others. Not everyone will do both, but it is worth encouraging.

Family and Community: Pretty much what it sounds like. How do we enable those to take the place of collapsing infrastructure?

Outside Work: Finding a balance, doing good work, serving the larger community as much as we can, within our need to make a living.

Time and Happiness: Those things without which there’s really no point.