Flower Beds

Recently I was criticised for supporting replacing all but eleven of the cities bedding gardens containing flowering annuals.

Our bedding gardens are in a bad way.  Many are overgrown with oxalis and other weeds or fungus infestations.  Some are prone to flooding.  They may be situated badly with manhole covers or lampposts in the way, or behind parked cars.

On top of that, the council only has so much money to spend.  To improve the condition of the current gardens in some cases would require all the soil to be replaced every couple of years.  To do that just isn’t sustainable or financially sensible.  The increased cost would be an unreasonable burden to place on ratepayers.

A much better option is to replace those gardens that aren’t performing well or are poorly placed with flowering shrubs and trees.  This can give a better result with more colour and shape.  Flowering shrubs and trees are better able to hide manhole covers and be seen behind parked cars than low-lying annuals.

I believe that what was agreed will give us a better result with more colour, and will actually save the council money as well.

For more including see Hutt City’s Website

Day 5 – just because you can live on $2.25 a day doesn’t mean you should

Day 5, and I am glad it is almost over. Lesson for today, just because you can live on $2.25 a day, doesn’t mean you should. I have lost 3 kilos that I didn’t want to lose. I thought I had been eating relatively well, with a reasonably balanced, if bland, diet. But still, the weight has come off. I hate to think how difficult this would be living on this little for longer, or if I was doing a physical job, or if I was sick.  But I am not.  I’m going shopping this afternoon for some cheese, wine, eggs, garlic bread, pasta and a creamy mushroom sauce, a few treats for tomorrow. I am glad that I have the choice to be able to do that. Many in real poverty don’t have any choices.

The game is almost over for me. While I don’t intend to carry on living on this little from now on, I do plan on cutting back some. $2.25 may be too low for me, but if I cut back a little, I could help just one person. I already sponsor two children. Maybe I can afford to sponsor one more.

I challenge you to look at how much you are spending. Maybe you too could afford to donate a little more.

Warning – open at your own risk … may contain food porn and excessive salivating

Day 3.  Over half way there.  Thank you to all who have helped me get to the top 10 fundraisers in NZ

I know others are struggling giving up meat, or coffee or chocolate.  While that hasn’t been an issue for me, oh how I long for some butter.  Cheese.  Eggs.  Herbs and spices.  Oh and peanut butter.  Owww, I want to slather some butter and peanut butter on some bread and feel the butter melting in my mouth …. drwwwlll.

Excuse me for a second while I go wipe the dribble off my chin.

But at least while I am eating my 50 ways with cabbage, I am sitting in a warm and dry house.  I have cooked it on a modern stove with clean water.  I don’t have to sacrifice my food to make sure my children have enough to eat.  This has been a choice for me.  It is really just been a game. For millions of people in the world it is no game.  Thanks to all who have donated to help others improve their lot.

Day 2 – cabbage, cabbage and more cabbage

Dinner on day 1 filled a gap.  Had a pumpkin dahl with rice.  Added a couple of curry leaves out of the pantry that would have cost around 3c, so have added that to my total for the week.

I overestimated how much rice I would eat, so had left overs for today – yah.  They came in really handy for the day two and the mid-afternoon munchies.  Along with some dry roasted pumpkin seeds for snacks, today has been alot more filling.  But I am starting to get sick of the site of cabbage, and would love to have things with a bit more flavour, or a rich creamy sauce.

Ummm, cream.  Right, need to stop dreaming now, it’s making me hungry again.  So glad this is only for 5 days, and I don’t need to live like this everyday.

Yesterday I made the top 10 fundraisers, with $800 donated to Oxfam.  Thank you everyone who has donated so far, to make it easier for those who live below the line all the time.  If you haven’t got around to it yet, there is still time.  Just go to http://fundraise.livebelowtheline.co.nz/lisa_bridson.

Day 1 and hungry already

Porridge and apple

Breakfast wasn’t too bad.  I had porridge, with stewed apple and milk powder milk.  And at 29c, it might not taste as good as my usual porridge with cinnamon and yoghurt, but nice and cheap and it certainly filled me up for the morning.  The kids having left over chicken stew didn’t even make me jealous.

48 cent soup and bread

Lunch, on the other hand, while it tasted OK, and was cheap, “please sir, can I have some more?”.  Maybe it is just being on the challenge that I am food obsessed, although to be fair I am usually food obsessed, but still hungry this afternoon.  For lunch I made a cabbage soup with ¼ cabbage, ½ potato, ½ onion, ½ cup split peas, ½ t celery salt and some water.  It cost around 90c, but I only ate 1/3.  And with a couple of slices of my French stick, it wasn’t too bad.  It would have been nicer to have some butter on the bread, but that was a luxury I couldn’t afford this week.

Plans for dinner are a pumpkin dhal with rice, minus the spices.  And for snacks, dry roasted pumpkin seeds, and some slices of white bread minus the butter.  Bet you are all jealous!!  Not!!

Any last requests?

Final night before I cut back on my eating habits to #livebelow.

Have had a real good nosh up with a lovely, tasty, creamy sauce, and a glass of wine on the side.  Feels a bit like my last meal before I get hung.  Think I am all ready.

Shopping done.  Check.

Bread sliced and frozen.  Check.

Pumpkin seeds roasted.  Check.

Stomach full.  Check.

OK, now just need to wait now till the morning.  A bit apprehensive, but sure it will be fine … I hope.

Don’t forget to sponsor me, if you haven’t already. http://fundraise.livebelowtheline.co.nz/lisa_bridson.  It is for a great cause.

Below the line – shopping day

Shopping all done, and even have $2.15 left to spend!

First stop was the riverbank market to get my fruit and vege.  Rachel suggested I get a cabbage to make cabbage soup.  After all, that was what Charlie’s family ate, from Charlie and the chocolate factory.  And apparently the thing that goes best with cabbage soup is a cabbage.  Other bargains were some apples and potatoes that had blemishes, and pumpkin which is in abundance at this time of year.

Thanks Ana, for the suggestion of Bin Inn.  I was able to get small quantities of milk powder and celery salt, which should make the week more bearable.

Shopping

Bin Inn

Chickpeas  75g          $0.52

Rice             500g        $1.20

Oats             150g        $0.44

Milk Powder   20g       $0.26

Celery Salt      10g      $0.24

Market

Apples             550g     $0.50

Kiwifruit           300g    $0.25

Potato (past it’s best) $0.05

Cabbage                       $1.00

Pumpkin                         $0.90

Onion                               $0.10

New World

French Stick                   $1.79

Tin tomatoes                   $0.99

Split Peas     500g         $1.86

Total                              $10.10

Off now to slice and freeze my french stick.  Sure that will go great with my gruel.

L