what education?

Obviously at my age nearly 50 my schooling was very different to todays technology schooling were some gadgit gets the answers for you, click a button and there you have it. There was no technology when i went to school so we did everything the hard way with our brains and a piece of paper and a pen…no calculaters or computers they didnt really exist back then showing my age now. I noticed changes and lack of scholastic skills firstly with my younger sister who is now 42,, yeah and it has become worse. Ask younger generations how to spell something or add and subtract they instantly turn to an electronic device. We are turning out illiterate young adults and have been for over 20 years, that scares me into wondering what happens if it continues and even worse what if technology shut down and our only resource was ourselves. Its a scenario that may never happen BUT what if it did what then?

scams frauds find the truth

most of us go through our days like robots…same thing day after day, even basic activities like grocery shopping by many is a timed routine…Do we ever stop and think about who we really are inside as individuals, what our own needs and wants are? We live life at a fast pace and yet true happiness seems to elude most of us and very few ever really think about it, they just go through the motions of the day.

mental math skills

one way I helped my children to improve math skills while shopping…good way to learn and bond with your kids.

near death or out of body experience

At the age of 11 I had my first blackout while visiting my brother in hospital, the blackouts became a regular occurance. At 15 another blackout and face first in to concrete left me with broken teeth and looking like I had been beaten, the blackouts became a part of my life but it wasnt until I got much older that i started wondering why. Over time I discovered it was due to very low blood pressure and being hypoglycemic [ blood sugar drops]. I was 36 at this point and it was a sunday afternoon, just had a lovely spa when the phone rang, I got out of the spa and quickly dried off and took the call, within minutes I felt very ill so I told my friend I had to go, as I hung up the phone I passed out fell backwards to the floor, I was out…at that moment I was in a strange white place, not clouds or curtains just white, my father who at the time had been dead for 6 years appeared through the haze, my mind was full of memories from my life both good and bad and those I loved but with a feeling of intense tranquility and happiness as my dad was calling me to go with him. I kept saying I cant your dead and off in the distance to my right a very faint voice was also calling my name, it became louder and louder as my dad faded into the white…as I came to I realised that the voice to my right was my husband who had me in a bear hug shaking me. He told me that I had turned blue in the face, my eyes were wide open and my body was life less. In his words “I thought you were dead”..and for that minute I believe I was very close. The near death or out of body experience call it what you will was the most at peace and relaxed I have ever felt.

choosing..my body or food

weight loss is difficult when food not only tastes good but we eat to cover other issues, usually emotional or lack of self confidence. I spent the first 30 years of my life fighting obesity, on the weight gain & loss rollercoaster, the lure of my favourite foods which was just about everything, especially chocolate, icecream and cakes was my downfall, I realised after quite some time that I needed incentive and a watchdog in other words someone to be there for support and keep me going. Having babies was the worst for weight gain because i used my pregnancy as an excuse to eat, baby no 1 was born and an extra 22kgs was left behind and I became an ozzie size 14…I was horrified and turned to the baggy clothes to hide my bulges…didnt work, I was still ridiculed by others for my size became embarrassed to eat in public or felt guilty knowing what those around me were thinking. I was a new mum and miserable so with the help of a friend who also wanted to lose weight we started our mission to remove the excess. We had accupuncture once a week and stuck to a very strict diet of calorie counting with an allowance of 700 calories a day. Somehow i managed to get into a routine and succeeded, I lost the 22kgs which is about 48 pounds. For the first time I found out what it was like to be whistled at or complimented for the way I looked, needless to say I liked my new look…A LOT..!!…but over the next couple of years i gained back half of that weight became pregnant again and off into the land of eat everything in sight…well baby comes along and left behind 33kgs if that wasnt bad enough the relief doctors first words to me were…Gee your very obese arent you…self image just crashed and burned as my thighs rolled past each other with every step, jump in size to an 18. I was promptly sent to a dietician with no success at all but I attented the appointments every month for nearly a year. My younger sister wanted to start going to an aerobics class and talked me into going with her. So of we went to do our first 1 hour class, I struggled under the burden of those extra kilos but made it to the end of the class. The next morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck, every inch of my body hurt. I kept going to the classes reluctantly at first but then after 6 weeks I was not only feeling energetic, i was getting muscle tone and losing inches. Within 3 months i was attending 5 classes a week and feeling more alive than ever. I became an exercise junkie and ended up losing 35kgs or around 77pounds…which is huge as I am only 5’4″ tall. My size 18 turned into a oz size 8 which I believe is US size 4. I have managed to keep it of and stay fit and at the age of 50 I still get called sexy….works for me.

planting seeds.. how deep?

 the biggest reasons seeds fail to germinate is usually they are planted to deep or the seed isnt moist enough. Basis rules for seed sowing is the size of the seed is how deep you sow it, for instance carrots, tomatoes, many herbs are very small seed so to prepare the ground fertilize [ except carrots] rough surface with a rake and sprinkle seed over soil then use the back of the rake to firm soil. By doing this the seed isnt buried to deep it is after all an embryo inside. Peas or beans can be presoaked in hot not boiling water to speed up germination and again planted the same depth as their size. Never fertilize carrots as you will end up with very distorted alien looking mutants which are still edible but very hard to peel with so many bits…

education make spelling cards

My daughters word recognition and spelling at the age of 7 were non existant, she had no idea plus having ross river virus at the same time meant she was unable to go to school so I starting saving cereal boxes, cut them up into into strips about 20cm x10cm and with a black felt pen I wrote all the words for her age group ending up with over 2 hundred word cards. Next I made it into a game with a small treat system to encourage her enthusiasum. I started with the most basic of the words to build up her skills then progressed to harder words. When we started she could barely recognise a few words, within 8 weeks she not only looked forward to the word cards but she was confident and able to recognise all words and spell them fluently. She loved the game. She went from the bottom of her class at school to the top…so easy and fun to do also builds the bond…one on one time.

gardening tips

Im here to help:

Over the years i have seen many people struggle to keep garden plants and lawns alive, not knowing the cause or how to fix it.The first and most important factor is soil type and climate, for example if your soil is sandy chances are it wont hold water successfully hence dead plants…Different soil types have different ph levels [alkaline or acidic] most plants require there ph to be between 6.5 and 7 in sandy soils this can be a 7.5 and over whereas loams tend to sit at ph level 5.5 to 6, clay tends to be lower. sandy soils dont have much nutrient base or organic  material in them, loams and clay tend to be very high in nutrient levels but are very heavy and sticky and dont release moisture well. So how do we fix this…quite simple sandy soils need organic material added to them soil conditioners are best and fastest to work, heavy soils like loam and clay need to be opened up, we do this by adding porus products like potting mix, course sand mulching straw, animal manures etc. Temperature also can do serious damage to greenlife, one frost is capable of turning your garden to black mush in one day if the wrong plants are used, they will also get sun burnt if its to hot. By understanding plant needs which are very much like humans we can keep them healthy….I am happy to share my vast knowledge on this subject….keep watch for more tips or have your garden questions answered

first step to gardening success

the first thing you need to do is figure out your soil type e.g is it sandy or clay. ph is different so by understanding this you can start to understand what your plants need. climate also plays a huge part in what happens to them, they can get frost bite as well as sunburn just like we do….a healthy plant is also more resistant to insect and fungal problems. So were to start…ok…soil is first on the list, moisture retention, correct plant species for your location, climate, fertilizers and mulch. These items can make all the difference to plant health e.g citrus trees wont friut or its dry inside.. leaves falling off, brown leaves, roses wont bloom etc. whatever your problem i can help you

gardening for beginners

understand plants and there needs for success

gardening for beginners

ever wondered why plants die, you dont know why well im here to help you, if you want to succeed and have a beautiful healthy garden i will take you through step by step just ask your questions.