Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Hindsight - Part Four

This is a sponsored post.


Remember when we talked about problem gambling?  No, well then you need to go here, here and here.  It’s OK. I can wait while you read them.  You're back?  Great, let's carry on.

It wasn’t uncommon for me to wake up early in the morning and find Fred gone.  He’d come back hours later.  It turns out he was up all night waiting for money to land in our account so he could take it out straight away, catch a taxi to the casino and put it through the pokies.  Always confident of a big win that never came.  I did try and explain that the machines are designed so that you never actually win, but he refused to believe me.  In the end I got sick of the arguing, so I stopped complaining.

I really wish I had known about Gambler’s Help back then.  I wish I could’ve called them and got some advice as to how to handle the whole situation.  I tried to talk directly to Fred  about it, but it always ended in tears from me and him disappearing to gamble some more.  We had so many people chasing us for money it was beyond a joke, and yet he still refused to listen.
 

Gambler’s Help is a free service.  They’re available all the time.  You can call them on 1800 858 858 or email them.  They even have a super amazing live chat feature and public forum on their website


Gambler’s Help offers counselling.  Over the phone, in person, with or without your partner.  They can help with financial counselling too.  One in four people that contact them are actually not gamblers themselves, but they have someone in their life who is struggling with a gambling problem.  You need to know you are not alone.  There are many people that have walked down this road before you and they can help with practical and emotional support. 


To speak to someone directly, contact Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858, or to find out some more info and check out the live chat or email counselling, just go the website.
 

Wordless Wednesday



















Thursday, January 24, 2013

This Time

This time I don’t want to be the bigger person.
This time it’s your turn.
I’m just going to wait and see how long it takes.
Harsh?  Maybe.  But in this case? Fair.


Monday, January 21, 2013

Listmania - Part One

Deb at Home Life Simplified has started up a new linky. 

http://www.homelifesimplified.com.au/launching-listmania-number-one/
You should get on board!

Currently I am...

Reading: I just finally finished the third Hunger Games book (it took me ageeees to read the last one) and am embarking on The Life Of Pi after completely loving the movie.
Listening to:  Doing fair amount of time listening to podcasts as my usual radio stations have the shows I like on holidays.  Loving ‘The Shelf’ and anything where Richard Fidler is interviewing people.
Laughing at: My kittehs.  Always the kittehs.  Last night they thought it would be super fun to have races around the house.  I was in bed and I think I was in the steeplechase section.



Swooning over: Eddie Perfect and Tripod doing beautiful, simple acapella arrangements of Aussie songs last week at the Arts Centre.
Planning: The annual Australia Day BBQ at our house this weekend.  And also a Magical Mystery Tour for a visiting Kiwi in April.
Feeling: Tired.  And let down again by people that really shouldn’t be letting me down.  But that’s another post for another day.
Discovering: Max Brenner.  I went for the first time on the weekend and I believe it will be the start of a very passionate affair.


 

Looking at: Re-financing our home loan and consolidating our debt.  It’s so time consuming.  I’ve also learned that I really need to start actually filing our paperwork away so I can find it again.
Wearing: My new uniform for work.  It’s totally unflattering, but it means I don’t have to think about what to wear in the morning and I also don’t need to buy new clothes for work anymore.
Cooking: I’ve been baking a bit lately.  Nothing fancy, but I’m realising how much I truly love it.  If only I didn’t also truly love eating it!


Wondering: If there will be room in the new finances to finally get a cleaning person.  I hate cleaning more than almost anything else in the entire world.
Trying out: The eleventy billion samples and packets of yummy meal bases I was given by McCormicks at the Kids Business Social Mum’s Say event on Saturday.

So what are you currently...

Saturday, January 5, 2013

How To - Afghan Biscuits



My Mum used to make these when I was a kid.  They are really nommy and super easy to make.


Here's how you make them!



First, preheat your oven to 180 C (160 c for fan-forced)


Ingredients

220 grams of butter
1/3 cup of caster sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla (essence or extract or whatever is in your cupboard)
1.5 tablespoons of cocoa
1 & 1/2 cups of plain flour
2 & 1/2 cups of Cornflakes (slightly crushed)


Cream the softened butter, caster sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy.


Then sift the flour and cocoa together.  I always sift things three times, because that's how mum does it.  I sifted it twice and then once more straight into the bowl.


Add the Cornflakes and mix it all together.  Gently though, or all that time you spend putting air in by creaming and sifting things will be a waste of time.


When it is pretty much combined, put globs of mixture (these are about 2 teaspoons each) on a tray.  Flatten them a bit with your fingers.


Cook them for about 15-20 minutes.  Depending on your oven I would even check them after 12 minutes, they burn pretty easily.

Top them with chocolate icing (mine is just icing sugar, cocoa, a bit of butter and some hot water) and get your nom on!




Related Posts with Thumbnails