Posted on by Cathy

Just recently….

I was pleased we were able to have our flu’ jab so now are up to date with our vaccinations. Flurona has become a real thing here in Australia

I discovered that Dragonflies are sometimes called the Devils Darning Needle (thank you quiz show) – so it seems are other things

I felt like Debby when I realised the four truss tomatoes I put in my shopping trolley cost over AU$4. Truss toms have a smell of their own, like homegrown fresh from your garden and these called to me from the fruit and veg section of the supermarket.

Someone got to the grapes before I snapped the tomatoes

https://lifesfunnylikethat.blogspot.com/2022/05/tomatoes.html

https://australiantrusstomatoes.com.au

I noticed the ’paper aisles’ (toilet paper/kitchen rolls/ tissues) in the supermarket were almost empty. Two weeks ago there was plenty of stock – now none. Perhaps the other chain is being supplied….the one whose shelves were empty in April

https://au.news.yahoo.com/aldi-shoppers-angered-by-constant-toilet-paper-shortage-034115019.html

I was thankful we have the wherewithal to pay for the increased power bills when they arrive yet still felt it was necessary to talk to the provider and negotiate a better plan than the new one they suggested. Sticker shock is being noticed everywhere these days. We might be able to afford it but it’s certainly not necessary to accept it.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-29/power-pain-as-bills-tipped-to-rise-40-per-cent-on-surging-prices/101023488

I declared Autumn has definitely arrived (Winter nearly as well) and even though the sun might shine and we do have extra clothes we could put on, contrary to my complaining about increased power costs, if it’s cold in the evening (or even during the day) the heater goes on. Anything under 15°c is not my cup of tea!

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/202205/html/IDCJDW3050.202205.shtml

~ ~ ~

And finally I seem to have become forgetful – I write it on the calendar – leave notes on the fridge – set reminders on the phone – just for the pleasure of hearing me say…..

Linking to Denyse’s ~ Life’s Stories. She is telling a revealing one today

36 Replies to “Just recently….”

  1. I buy that type of tomatoes all the time. We call them vine tomatoes here in California where they are grown, I believe in hothouses. Yes, expensive but they last longer and taste better. At least until I can get tomatoes at the farmers market that are locally grown.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. These are also greenhouse grown and yes they are slightly more expensive than ‘ordinary paddock grown’ tomatoes. They get a little more attention than those outside and aren’t affected by changes in the weather. I knew the price has been rising recently but didn’t realise how much until I looked at the till roll and realised each of them had cost me $1!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Toilet paper/paper towels are in short supply on supermarket shelves here too.
    And yes, winter is looming. On Saturday we barely made it to double digit temperatures.
    I hear you on the power bills. I do hope our recently installed solar panels (we are yet to get our first bill with them in place) makes a difference. And am grateful that we can afford to pay for comfort.

    Like

    1. EC, one of our daughters has a roof full of panels and says it’s the best thing they ever did….so hopefully yours will pay off for you also

      Like

  3. I am with you on the senior moments and they are coming more often each day… I have been paying 98 cents for a dozen eggs. today the cheapest ones were 3.78 usa dollars for one dozen. bob’s bread is 3:19 a loaf.. there is nothing in the store that is under those prices

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ooh that’s a big jump in price for eggs….but then the farmers are having to contend with price hikes in all their supplies as well and maybe can’t absorb as much as they’d like

      Like

    1. Lol – of course 15°c can vary depending on if the sun is shining or it’s wet and miserable. It’s that silly time of the year when the house is cooler than outside so there’s no stopping me sometimes – it doesn’t have to be on for long though.

      Like

  5. One of our main supermarkets just put 500 items on a price freeze… deemed to be “essential basic items” but some wiser readers have discovered that 5 different brands of tinned tomatoes have gotten on that list…only 3 types of vegetables, and things like jars of gerbils and olives!
    Kind of looks like much for those in middle to rich classes of society. If they even shop there.
    Then more insider information…they’ve been stockpiling AND they just raised a whole of prices like their own branded cheese…
    It’s not going to matter to me, as I’ve a tight budget…I buy according to my needs and a couple of wants.
    As a oldie, the gov’t dishes out extra heating costs between May and October but I’ve always budgeted for that…I hate getting anything that upsets my respiratory issues!
    As a home alone person, I have no one else eating more than their share…and large packets of non perishable goods … lasts well.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Oh, you made me laugh…those jars of gerbils…I’m thinking you mean a type of pickle–gherkins? But gerbils is just too good…thank you.

      Like

    2. Oh Catherine this is getting so hard for many people. We’ve had a similar price freeze on various goods and yes there were definite discrepancies over what was necessary and what was not. Hopefully those who are ‘money savvy’ will survive, the others will join the queue down at Centrelink looking for more handouts.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. In some ways I’m lucky…I have the govt super income which automatically arrives in my bank account, fortnightly. Yes, I’ve noticed the cost of groceries going up, but I can easily forego tiny luxuries if need be. My vices are the art store… At this moment I’m not living beyond my means.
        I follow a number of budget advice pages, interesting reading some of the comments…some of the replies have others up in arms. Particularly to with with basic food supplies.
        A huge number of people will be queuing at our nationwide food banks, especially if they’ve come to the end of our government handouts (here known as Work and Income)

        Liked by 1 person

  6. I love that cartoon. I wish I enjoyed any commercial tomato, but I don’t. Warm from the garden for em.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. These are the next best thing to homegrown- unlike the rock hard ones con sale elsewhere. And yes, that cartoon is very apt for the way my mind is working at the moment

      Like

  7. I’m enjoying the cooler weather although our summer didn’t really seem quite so hot and humid this year. I definitely need to write things down these days in my diary which I look at every morning – I forget sometimes why I walked into a room! The joys of ageing but we can still have fun and enjoy life can’t we? x

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I can tell you Sue that thanks to La Niña our summer here in Victoria was cooler and wetter….not to my liking at all. Hopefully FNQ will be nice and ‘warm’ – well warmer then Victoria when we get there in July.

      I’m not sure what’s going on with my brain at the moment…. I hear you on the ‘what did I come in here for’ but it’s the getting involved with something and forgetting about something else that’s annoying me. Oh yes if there was no fun in life it wouldn’t be worth living would it 😊

      Like

  8. I wondered if it was just our local Aldi, but clearly it isn’t. I just spent too long looking at matters about Aldi. Someone was complaining about the large and deep trolleys. Dan Murphy is opposite our Aldi, a few steps away, and Dan’s trolleys are quite shallow so we use them in Aldi.

    Are they the small tomatoes that come in a plastic tray with six to nine tomatoes in them? They are the best tomatoes and I get upset if Aldi runs out.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Now you mention it Andrew the little Aldi that shares the car park with a local woolies only has large trolleys as well. Not quite as big as Costco….they are enormous!

      No these truss toms are from Woolworths and aren’t contained like that. They are all in a cardboard box, some large trusses – some smaller and loose ones where shoppers break the vine to take the numbers they want.

      Like

  9. Nothing better than the taste of a proper tomato. Must be at room temperature, too.
    Denyse’s story was a fascinating inspiring read. Thank you for the link.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lydia I think the flooding rain in Qld might have affected late tomato crops especially Roma. As far as I know truss are all greenhouse grown, controlled temps and food then picked at the right time. Next best to homegrown I personally think.
      Thinking about them stops me thinking about what’s going on in politics at the moment

      Like

    1. The panic buying of paper goods seemed to have stopped Cathy and those shelves had been full to heaving when I was there a couple of weeks previously which is why I was surprised to see them empty. Obviously there hadn’t been any more deliveries, So much seems to be in short supply it’s not much fun trying to shop to a list and then having to find substitutes for no shows

      Like

  12. Those are the tomatoes I buy too – they’re good! I’ve also had my flu shot. Hoping I don’t get flurona or even just plain ‘ol rona or the flu! I’m too young for the 4th covid jab so my last & third one was on 28 December 2021. I’ve noticed lots of empty shelves at the supermarkets across all sorts of goods. I think its less panic buying and more a problem with staff shortages causing supply issues. What strange times we are living in! Hope you have a fabulous week!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. It’s terrible the way things go up everyday
    I’m finding it hard to source the cat food my cats eat. So when it is on the shelves I grab extras for safety
    I now come out with fewer bags but seem to spend way more
    I fear it will only worsen as the weeks and months go by

    Like

    1. Oh dear there’s nothing worse than trying to get a cat to eat different food. I’d rather not eat myself than cope with that

      Like

  14. Yes Cathy autumn with a touch of winter is well on the way for us – the main range has snow on it, which I can see from my front verandah and the fire is on here too. Love all your snippets 🙂

    Like

    1. Oh don’t want it that cold down here – I’ve not been a friend of snow (four lettered word for nasty white stuff) for a long time. But you are lucky to view it – at a distance from your front door ⛄️

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Truss tomatoes are my go-to if they are for me, husband likes less ripe ones…I am noticing price hikes everywhere but the petrol ones a few weeks back were shockers. Now, back under $2 per litre, we think it’s ‘cheaper’. Recently to stay renting in this house for our 5th year, we had to agree to a $90 week increase because of the value of housing up by around 40% and owners want market value. I got stressed about having to leave this place.,.nowhere else comparable so we are doing it…and staying on. Our fixed income continues so we are grateful for that but there is nothing left much at all. BUT having commemorated my 5 years since cancer diagnosis on the blog, I am very grateful for LIFE!! Thank you for joining in this Monday’s #LifesStories on Denyse Whelan Blogs. The community of bloggers here connects us wherever we are in the world. Looking forward to seeing you in two week’s time on Monday 23 May. Denyse.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I’ve always wondered why I never receive word that you’ve posted something on your blog. I looked and I’m subscribed. Any idea as to why I wouldn’t receive word??

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.

Website Built with WordPress.com.