Time For A Change Or Two

This is a little chart I prepared this evening upon receiving our gas bill. The gaps are the bills that are in the tax archives (need to retrieve and add to the total picture) but you get the general idea...

Partially this upward movement has been the result of price hikes, particularly the electricity component which has been affected by our soon to be late-lamented carbon tax. The gas bill on the other hand relates to two significant 'improvements' in lifestyle.

At the end of winter 2011 we installed a gas heater. Bliss! Joy!! No longer was one knee roasting and the other ice cold as we huddled against an electric bar heater.

Now let us examine the gargantuan LEAP in gas usage as we hit 2013:
Exhibit A.

When the spa was installed, the technician assured us that it cost around 16c per hour to heat.
I am now of the belief that he is probably delusional.

So that is change number one for Himself. No more gratuitous heating of the spa, for his own hedonistic wallowing, every third night, without the benefit of some form of insulation.
If he does wish to continue this extravagant practice, he can consider doing it on a single income.
I'm actually not kidding here.

The second big change for all of us is the result of last Saturday's General Distraction, I mean Election.  We have a new Prime Minister and a new Government. Most interestingly we have a bunch of total nutcase losers holding the balance of power in the Senate! Three cheers for democracy and the stupidity of the general population.

This could be the reason.....

That's our Senate ballot paper. Trees died for this farcical attempt at proportional representation. In the polling booth it extended up one wall, across the desk area and up the next wall. No, really, it did. There were 73 candidates who hailed from parties as revered as: The Australian Motor Enthusiasts Party, The Shooters and Fishers Party, The Help End Marijuana Prohibition Party (HEMP),  The Climate Sceptics Party, The Smokers Rights Party and the Australian Sex Party. Not only did a kangaroo poo flinging representative from the Australian Motor Enthusiasts Party get himself elected with no less than 11390 votes (0.5% of the primary), but this gentleman was elected because his Party (The Liberal Democrats) was the first Liberal type party on the paper and were thus, seemingly, mistaken for the major mainstream Liberal Party by large numbers of punters in a hurry to get out of the polling booth and into the beautiful spring sunshine.

As one clever pundit quipped, "He was elected on a platform of 'people not looking very closely at their voting papers'!"

The gentleman in question, who is also a card carrying member of the Outdoor Recreation Party (??? having visions of nudists frolicking around a BBQ here!!), managed a massive 283,000 votes which is probably 280,000 more than he deserved - but there you go, he will be one of possibly 8 cross bench representatives controlling the balance of power in the Senate. Not surprisingly, there has been a general frothing at the mouth and gnashing of teeth - along with cries of 'electoral reform!' ringing around the halls of power (ie the bars where all the media types enjoy their communal talkfests). But really, you've got to wonder....I mean....The Brick With Eyes for goodness sakes????

On a cheerful note, those of us who felt that neither of the major parties had anything resembling a compassionate, humanitarian approach to the problem of refugees being exploited by people smugglers, mounted a minor protest by 'folding our votes like a boat'. No mean feat considering the size of that Senate Ballot paper!

Prune Days (and Nights)

Well, getting this spa re-furbished was one thing, getting Himself out of it is another!

I thought the idea was that he would fire it up once a week after sailing but so far he's been in and out of it all Saturday (sailing cancelled due to gale force winds), Sunday and as I returned home from work on Monday night, it appears Monday as well! To his credit however, he did come home early form work to install the electric garden lighting you see in the background. He also weeded and refurbished the river stones up on the back retaining wall so I can't really begrudge him his wallowing. Oh, and he discovered where the European wasps are coming from, by disturbing their nest!

Apparently he was up in the back corner, behind his beloved gumtree (IF YOU CUT THAT DOWN IT WILL BE DIVORCE!!!), clearing up some of the accumulated bark, gumnuts and dropped limbs, when there was a tremendous buzzing and a cloud of wasps flew up at him! He ran for the pool and by some miracle managed to sustain only one sting to the face. Unfortunately he didn't actually see where they came from, so all we know is there's a nest up behind the gumtree somewhere. Muggins will have to get up there in daylight and a scarf and hat to locate it and spray.

But the other exciting news is that our application to build a pergola/verandah has been approved by council and work should commence in 3 weeks. Oh and the lads (No 2 Son and step brother) have started lifting the old pavers in preparation for the new...photos to follow.

Progress Report

 Just a flying post amidst the busy-ness. The backyard has kind of stalled as we wait for council approval on the pergola. Everything is covered in dust and I am having constant discussions with
No 2 Son about the need to take off one's shoes when re-entering the house after working (yes, I know...working!) in the back yard.
"But I DID take of my shoes," he exclaimed,"and my socks left an even bigger brown mark on the carpet...!!"
*sigh*

So this is the spa 'before'. It has been out of action for some time and the poor function of our old pool equipment has meant a build up of calcium on the walls.

Four hours, some steel wool, a bucket and a mop later.....much more presentable.

Ready to be filled and heated! Except we have now found out the switches for the jets don't work. Apparently we will be getting a little remote control device instead!


 We have the new solar heating in place now.

And the gate is back on, so we are legal again! We decided to leave the alcatraz fencing going up the side of the pool as having custom made glass panels installed on a gradient would cost the equivalent of the GDP of a small African nation.


 So, just a reminder of the 'before' :

And partway through the 'after':

You can just see our very nice English pool man beavering away in the 36C heat WITHOUT A HAT!!! He will not be told! He had to go home with heat stoke after putting the solar heating mats on the roof!!

So I had a lovely day on Saturday, swimming and lounging. I could almost forget the dustbowl on the lower level. The BA is away with her boyfriend (more of that later), Himself was sailing, and it was kind of like being on a tropical holiday.

And then there was Monday.

Still, the glass fence got a rinse......