In the Edge Household, frugality is once again the by-word.  As our firewood is free, I have taken to getting a big black pot and heating up the dishwater on the Rayburn.  I have resigned from my job, for more than a few reasons, and am looking forward to turning my hand at more serious hobby-farming (if that is not a contradiction in terms).

 

One of the first things to go was the excess 'phone calls.  I now do not telephone my beloved at work to let him know of each and every success and failure of my day, or how the sunset is a 9/10, and doesn't God do a wonderful job of painting the sky in such colours.  (I lived in Coober Pedy, the opal mining town, out in the desert, for a few years as a child.  It always amazed me that the same sunsets and sunrises could be seen in opal.  Purely beautiful)

 

The haircut will have to wait, as I no longer have to look so professionally groomed, and I can cut waaaay back on the ironing, and maybe even go back to heating the iron on top of the Rayburn.

 

I am cleaning out the garden shed, and our bin has been full for two weeks now, which is unusual as we have such a good recycling service here, but I will not burn plastic or other such stuff.

 

We are planning our trips to town very carefully, and I even checked out whether I could use the school bus, but no joy there.  I might go mad and see if I can take my bicycle into town, and leave that somewhere safe, to decrease the petrol usage further and get me fitter.  I have too much middle-age spread, which is uneconomic and unhealthy.  That is NOT where I want the spare tyre.

 

I am looking forward to sorting out the books in the shed, and pray that the white ants and the damp haven't wrecked too many of them.  They are a valuable resource.

 

Then comes the massive garage sale.  A long weekend, good advertising and lots of cheap prices should hopefully see us make a killing.  I have learned that the easiest way to carry change is the use of a fishing vest.  I can also keep marker pen and price stickers in it.  Very hard to steal, and not as heavy as a tum bag can be.

 

Despite the "worst drought in ten years" prices for meat in the supermarket had me openly questioning one of our checkout chicks as to where the security guard was.  Yet, reading one of the excellent self-sufficiency magazines, the editors complained they could only get $2/head for their cattle.  So why are we paying $15+ kilo for lamb chops, and I have seen top quality fillet steak going for $30/kilo.

 

On the way home from my final trip to Melbourne, I passed a farm that has prickly pear growing outside.  I did a hasty u-turn, and the very kind gentleman residing even let me use his secateurs to cut off the deep red fruit.  Very yummy.  I use a knife, fork and spoon for the joy of pigging out on what must be an incredibly healthy bite, so long as the bite does not bite me.

 

When your life becomes complicated beyond your endurance, or when you believe you have reached the end of your tether, and everything is just too, too difficult, look deeply into a flower.  Really look at it.  What can seem so simple has such complex beauty, each part Masterminded probably just so that you and you alone could witness this miracle.  Give thanks that in your life you have such things.  Give thanks that a sophisticated part of nature is yours.  Give thanks that you have eyes to see, ears to hear, a nose to smell and fingers and face to touch.  Remember: will it matter in ten years time.  Perhaps the detailed memory of that flower will.  I hope so.