It is the end of June here...can you believe that we are half wy through the year already...geez the last couple of years just seem to be flying by. It is payday this weekend but probably won't pay bills till monday....non need to be paid right now...I haven't really saved much this month, we have blught a bunch of things that we "wanted" such as 2 new water bottles for me..mine was old and needed replacing (2nd one was almost free and it won't go to waste), we have bought more soil ready for spring, I ordered a new 10 tray dehydrator....we will dehydrate fruits and vegetable, we are also buying jars so we can learn how to preserve food in jars as well this year (have always wanted to do it but never known how...always scared that I will kill people doing it the wrong way) so going to try that as well. I oredered a years supply of our clothes washing sheets....cheaper buying them in bulk...many of these do cost a little more because they are made from natural materials...I am all about natural things when we can use them as I have sensitivities to many chemicals but it is also better for the environment. 

We find out monday if our daughter is pregnant, it isn't looking good right now but we are still hopeful until they tell us otherwise....if she isn't not sure what they will do as it is her 3rd time trying and she won't do ivf due to all the hormones etc, it will affect her bipolar to much she thinks and it is her choice...but we know she will have children one way or another...we haven't ruled this one out yet. 

I think we are going to raise our food budget in july, it just doesn't seem to be working out right now with the prices of things....although we are going to try and go to the markets this week and start buying things in bulk so we can start drying things that we eat a lot of and see how we go..and of course it is all locally grown so cheaper its just a 45 min drive....unless my daughter and I go and we catch the train and walk there. 

I am hoping next month to put a good chunk of money onto the CC and hopefully have it paid off in a couple of months.

Called the IRS the other day and they informed me that they sent us a check, which I wasn't happy with as our country will no longer be accepting overseas checks, we talked to the bank and it hasn't come into effect yet but will in a couple of months but they said it could take weeks to clear, because it has to go back to the states and clear before it is available in our account...I am just hoping that when they do this years taxes (yes we sent them in jan) they do the right thing and put it into our account...just glad this saga is over...it has been a long time and quite the saga.

Well as an australian I can't believe what I am hearing from the US...I have read so much and who knows how much of it is true or not as there is so much to research but my question is and I would like honest opinions, or tell me if I am wrong (but don't be negative teach and inform..don't tear people down) but these are y thoughts.

Women in some states can't have abortions, so they will need to travel to get one, who pays for that? if they can't get them who is going to pay their medical costs, doctors visits, childcare, formula (which there is a shortage), clothes, education etc? Where are the men in all of this are they going to have their names put on the birth certificates and are they paying half for all of these bills from the beginning of the pregnancy as that seems fair. If not and these women put their kids into the foser system then isn't the govt paying for them and what little care they get in foster care anyways....what happens when all these kids have no foster care places to go it is an already burdened sysytem. 

Most rape and children that are molested are done so by people they know and made to have these children, if they have an abortion in a different state and then return home they can get up to 10 years jail...where a rapist prison term can start at a year...so an already burdened jail system is going to be overrun by women going into jail for sometimes lifesaving medical care or just for not wanting to put them and the child through a really tough life...and if they have other kids who knows where they will end up and then getting a job after prison will damn near be impossible as they have been to prison.....the scenarios for the financial of not only individuals but the US just seems to keep going on and on.....what are your thoughts? 

Also if a doctor was to do a medical procedure like an abortion how would anyone know thought they couldnt discuss a patients medical history? isn't that breaking the law as well so how would the police or anyone know?? If you just deny it they have no reason to open your records right? I know we have a couple medical people on here so thought I would ask

Finally got through to the IRS again..after 2 hours waiting on a cell phone..can't imagine what the phone bill will be...but thats another story.

So I tell them it has been 4 weeks and the money still hasn't hit our account, he looks through our account and says that they sent a check...I said why I specifically stated that our country no longer accepts overseas checks and the guy last month was told this when he said it would be processed, I also put sticky notes on our taxes (yes we have to do paper copy) on the front and where the bank details are stating this. Then they say it should take us around 9 weeks to get it so when we do write a letter and send it back stating that we want to add it to this years taxes so it can be put in the bank....we we sent our 2021 taxes in mid jan and still haven't heard anything so I'm like "what if you process this years taxes why you wait...if it takes 9 weeks to get here then it will probably be the same getting back" he said then hopefully they will add to the next years taxes...I am beyond frustrated at this point...told him they have to do better when it comes to overseas people doing taxes...he said he will bing it up at the next meeting...who knows if they will but damn I have never seen such incompetent people in a business, it seems like no-one knows what they are doing there...okay rant over!!

On the upside only 10 days till we find out if our daughter iui worked...fingers and toes crossed!!

we cut up a bunch of celery a few days ago and it has started growing in a glass so we are going to plant in a pot soon and see if we can get it to grow...love growing fruit and veg from produce we already have..and it tastes so much better...

have a great weekend everyone...we have another cold wet one

We have a sunny day today so finally took the dog for a walk, he was so excited we have had constant rain for a week so haven't taken him out, also was able to meditate outside today in the sun, so that was really nice, haven't been able to that in weeks...next week we have I think 4 days that are cloudy/sunny so will hopefully get out much more. Although it is still cold but I have opened the whole house up to air it out..I just love fresh air in the house and it has been weeks being able to open it up as well as hubby gets real cold now.

Our garlic is growing so well yesterday we have 34 growing and more keep popping up each day...can't wait to harvest it in nov...and can't wait to start growing some vegies in spring

My DD was inseminated on the 17th..so fingers crossed...she had to do a trigger shot and I was reading that it can show a positive test after a couple weeks so we took a test yesterday with had a slight positive...not to see if she was pregnant but to see if the line gets darker or lighter in a week or so if it is lighter it means she probably isn't pregnant if it gets darker then she probably is but she gets a blood test on the 4th july to find out for sure...we all have a good feeling so hopefully she is and she has no issues...I have been doing a lot of research as I am finding out so much on this journey with her...glad to be included in this process with her and be there every step of the way that she needs or wants me to be there...I feel very blessed.

I bought some potato chips the other day and they had about 8 dark brown ones in it so I contacted the manufacturer to let them know as it is abnormal, I had the batch number and all and they sent me a gift certificate for $6 to replace the chips with...so that was a bonus..wasn't expecting it.

Today I am going to try and call the irs again they said it would take 2-4 weeks for my money to hit our account and its been 4 weeks and still not there so not sure what is going on....hopefully will get some answers!!

The news hardly mentions covid anymore...our country is now over 8,000 deaths...I know that doesn't sound like a lot to people but it for us....but we only have 25.6 million people here.....over 250 in hospital...which worries me as we are going into flu season here and our hospital have been so short staffed over the last few years....we still wear masks and sanitize whenever we go anywhere as we can't risk covid....although the prices of things have gone up it's good that our stores have remained stocked with things throughout the pandemic and afterwards...this year is going to be bad with flu i think and my doc said the same thing...as we have had 3 years with almost no flu due to all of our protocold that we had in place and many children have not been exposed to the flu since they were born....but now we don't have any mandates in places for wearing masks/sanatizing etc...it will be bad...we will keep wearing then and doing what we need to do.

My DD should be inseminated this week she is so excited...I'm hoping to be well enough to go with her (I have the other 2 times) as her support person it is an interesting road to be travelling with her....we are learning a lot as well...I am just hoping it works this time...fingers and toes crossed.

We are looking for a new phone company our cell service provider just sent us a new bill and it had 43 pages and it had that my hubby had sent 2990 text messages in a month and 1996 MMS, he doesn't even have photos or anything on his fone...and they never picked up on anything...luckily with our plan it didn't cost us anything so not sure how they did it but guessing someone spoofed his fone at some point mid may....doesn't surprise me as all the politicians were texting individuals and thats when all these random messages started coming through on everyones fone....we weren't happy with their response when it came to the phone and then not even mentioning anything and pretty much blaming us saying we did it...so I was not so polite told them where they could stick their service and that we would be leaving them...so now looking for a new carrier.

Tomorrow is payday...

I am a minimalist, I like having what we use and thats it...I like thing clean and organised....my hubby and daughter are not minimalists at all...they aren't hoarders but they have a lot of stuff...my hubby mainly tools (they both build furniture together at times), his prospecting and camping things, his leather work and sewing...just a lot of it....my daughter makes jewellry and also likes to do sewing...so she has a lot as well as all her baby stuff...not only do they have 2 rooms each and the shed, but we also have a storage unit....I just want to go through it and get rid of it all...but I won't its not my stuff and they usually keep it neat and tidy so that isn't an issue...does anyone else deal with this? do you live with someone who likes their stuff and they have a lot of it??

Well got the yard mowed and the dog likes it better..he doesn't get so cold...our neighbour quite often when he is doing his yard work will mow and edge our yard...without asking...he is great like that...and quite often I will make banana bread so always end up with 2 or 3 so will always take them 1-2 of them..they have 3 girls...they came over yesterday to say thankyou for the banana bread...and to let us know they will be going away for a month at the end of june they are going to greece and netherlands...they are going to visit family...they are hoping their renovations will be done by there...they have family staying there for the month to look after their animals so we have told them if they need anything to let us know...its great to have neighbors like that...our last 3 neighbourhoods have been like that..so nice.

Our garlic is starting to come through the soil now so I know it's growing so that is great...hubby had his last covid booster..its his 4th shot and they just want the elderly and those with really compromised immune systems to have them...shouldn't need anymore....we didn't need them so that was nice.

I did a sensitivity test using my hair and they test it for foods/non food (chemicals etc)/metals etc....that was interesting so going to write up a list of what I can/can't eat and find some new recipies to make so will probably start beginning of july this week will be busy with our daughters tests and hopefully insemination...they are a lot stricter here then in the US, they track ovulation and if there are to many eggs they won't inseminate you as they don't the risk of multiples....if they can help it.....so all that should happen this week all going well so will be busy.

Working on our budget some more just figured to get our ice acct back to $2000 and then pay of the CC again (should be done end of august) and then will focus on saving for  a house...when we have around $20,000 will talk with some people and see what are options are and what kind of savings we actually need and what we can borrow...so have a while before that happens...other than that not much else happening...both my hubby and daughter are both sleeping the day away as they haven't been sleeping much...so I don't care...I'm just resting up and pottering around the house cleaning as quietly as I can...enjoy your weekend

It has rained here everyday for 2.5 weeks...don't ever remember it raining like this here before...tomorrow we are suppose to have a cloudy day but no rain so hopefully I can mow the grass...its almost up to ur knees...and the dog hates it as he is little and it makes him cold and wet..I'm just hoping it's not to wet to cut but its the only dry day till wednesday then more rain for another week...which is great we need rain..but on the other hand it makes everything grow really well then bushfire season hits and it wreaks havoc at least we are not having the floods that other states are having...I am just hoping winter comes and goes quickly...I despise the cold 

I have been doing our budget for 2023...we are trying to save for a house deposit but housing prices are sky rocketing...seriously I don't know how anyone here will be able to buy a house again...rents have sky rocketed..we pay a high rent already for a house that isn't worth it...we have been looking at other rentals but they are worth the money or the moving expenses either. We want to stay within 30 mins of this area as it has all our specialists/doctors etc. Most houses here for a basic 3-4 bedroom home...less than 500m2 for land size is around $700,000 and most of these houses need some work...I'm not talking nice houses either....that means we need a deposit of around $70,000 most of that is upfront fees and when you take out a loan here you can't get extra to do any upgrades...you have to save that yourself....sometimes I wish we lived in the US so easy to get a loan, nicer houses and you get more for your money than what we do....

So thinking of ways that we can make extra money, I don't think we can cut anything back as prices have gone up and I am trying to figure out how we can fit all the stuff in storage into this house and save there....not sure what else to do at this point but we will keep chugging along...if you have any ideas drop them below...Cheers

OMG we have had rain everyday for 2 weeks and still have another week to go...it is such weird weather...its cold and it down pours for like an hour then it is sunny for a half hour then down pouring again...been 2 weeks like that...we are over it. Although the garlic has been growing well didn't think it would with all the rain but it is..should have some more in this week to plant...and my daughter has grown some seeds from her bell pepper seeds so she wants to start putting them into egg cartons to grow them a little bigger before planting them in the garden...

It is pay week so we will go and get some meat...don't really need much else so can put some money back into savings...my hubby had a doona which was quite weird...it is new but it sounds like paper when he moves...it was driving me nuts..so I asked my daughter to get another one and she found this super soft one..it is amazing and so warm...she loved it so I got her to buy herself one (my treat) as she deserves it...she does so much for us....and she loves it...so an expense we didn't plan on but it is worth it....my hubby has 2 beds..one in our room and one in the lounge...they are beds where the head and feet move up and down...with his cancer treatments he has nights he can't sleep so he will move to the lounge on those nights so I can sleep better....it's weird for some but it works for us.

My daughter has started her fertility treatment she needs to get another med she hasn't had before and it costs over $300 so hopefully it will work this time...only time will tell she will have a scan and then bloods done every day next week ready to be inseminated