Melanie is having some computer drama this week so Di has posted some questions “just in case”. Thanks Di. If Melanie does get a post out I’ll probably do those too.

Questions:

1.  When you go food shopping, do you go with a list or amble down the aisles putting things in your basket or cart that you fancy or think you need?

I actually order my groceries online so basically I make a list and have it delivered. Online shopping is such a boon for people who like to shop weekly or fortnightly and don’t drive. However, when I used to physically go to the supermarket I made lists. Mum taught me to do that when I was still a teenager and to calculate how much I was spending as I went along. We used to have little plastic shopping calculators. There are two reasons I like to make a list. The first, and this is more true as I get older, is so I don’t forget anything important. When you don’t drive and live some distance from the shops you don’t want to go home without important items. I can get milk, bread and a few staples at our local shop but they don’t have much and it’s expensive. The other reason, and it’s why these days I prefer to shop online, is to keep track of my spending. When I work from a list I know how much I’m going to need to spend. I do sometimes pop into Woolworths when I’m in Wynyard on Thursdays to pick up a few things but I don’t like doing a whole shop there. I have no idea how much I’m spending and I think I end up spending more. So it’s lists for me. It always helps even if I write one and leave it on the kitchen table. I usually remember what I wrote.

2.  When the temperatures drop for the colder months, is there a specific date you put the heating on or do you flick the switch when you start to feel cold?

This house does not have central heating. It’s not so common in older homes in Australia. I generally try not to start using the heater before April but if there is a cold snap I will. I’m not going to be a martyr and suffer because it’s not the official time for turning the heat on.

3. Keeping with the cold theme, do you prefer a hot water bottle or an electric blanket at night?

I don’t really like hot water bottles. They get cold too quickly. I loved my electric blanket in Geeveston. I used to turn it on an hour before bedtime and turn it off when I got into bed unless it was a really cold night. Here in Sisters Beach I find a warm doona and flannelette sheets are enough to keep me warm at night, providing I am warm when I get into bed. I’ve not used my electric blanket since I’ve been here.

4.  How do you feel about log burners? Do you think they are messy or cosy?

I guess this refers to wood heaters. In Geeveston we had a wood heater and an open fireplace. I love the way an open fire looks but it didn’t actually keep the room very warm and the room always seemed to get very dusty. In the end we stopped using it and got what Tasmanians call a heat pump, and everyone in the rest of Australia calls a reverse cycle air conditioner. The wood heater did warm up the room nicely and I liked it. Of course wood fires are a lot of work. We used to order our wood already cut but it still had to be stacked. That was my job because David couldn’t do it. I actually quite enjoyed stacking wood. The fire had to be made up every day and the grate cleaned. We didn’t let our fire burn 24/7 like some people did. The main downside of the wood heater for us was that David couldn’t always get it to light and I’d often come home from work to an icy cold house. That was the main reason we changed to the heat pump. He could stay warm during the day and I didn’t have to keep my coat on for an hour when I got home. This house does not have a working fireplace but I think I’m a bit past carrying firewood in every night now.

Gratitude:
When was the last time you laughed out loud?

I can’t remember exactly. That’s not because it’s been ages but because I never remember things like that. Naomi is away on holidays at present. Normally we make each other laugh at least once a day. We also laugh at the pets a lot so I’ve probably laughed at them since I’ve been home alone. I laugh out loud pretty often really.