A stormy start

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December 3, 2014

I have so much to write, but I don’t know where to start. So I may as well start from last Thursday when everything kind of went a bit stir crazy.

Jacob and I were so excited by our weekend away to Melbourne. Esther and Magdalene were excited about their two night sleepover at Grandma’s house. The house sitter had been organized and given keys to the house. Thursday morning I vacuumed, washed the floor, cleaned the bathrooms, and packed all our bags in anticipation of our Friday lunch time departure. The last thing I had to do on Thursday was take Esther to a late make-up swimming lesson at 5pm. I arranged my mum to come and look after Magdalene because she would want to get in the pool with Esther and I didn’t want temper tantrums late in the afternoon.

At around 4pm I looked out of our front window and could see the storm coming towards our house. It looked scary and had a peculiar green colour. I knew it was going to be a bad storm. As I was about to turn to get my mobile and ring mum to tell her not to come over, she rang me instead and told me that she was in her car, turning back home because the storm didn’t look good and taking Esther to her swimming lesson would be a bad idea. I agreed.

As soon as I hung up, the storm was above us. All four of us girls huddled on the couch as the hail pelted down our roof. I was too scared to lay Phoebe on her baby mat because of the lightning. It felt like the strikes hit all around us. I squeezed the girls closer as each lightning strike hit. We lost power almost instantly. I was praying our solar panels wouldn’t be smashed from the hail but it was only little pelts and I knew our panels could withstand 25mm stones. Thankfully we didn’t get the soft ball sized hail the inner city got.

Our veggie garden got saturated with hail.

The wind blew all out wheelie bins over in the street.

Jacob messaged me to say he would catch the later bus home because the storm was still going where he was which is 10 minutes away from our house. If the storm was still going where he was, we were still in for more of the storm.

Thankfully the night before I had the foresight to buy two hot chickens from Red Rooster because they had this 2 for $20 deal. I had planned to organise a quick dinner for Thursday night so I could prepare my blogposts for this week because I usually get my blogposts done on a weekend. I have been trying since Problogger to get at least one week ahead, but the two times I’ve been able to do this, the poop has hit the fan and I’ve gone back to square one writing each week as it goes!

Well no one can blog with no power. So it was an early night for everyone, with cold baths and cold showers. I was crossing my fingers that the power would come back on in the morning. My hair was a sweaty mess from cleaning the house. I didn’t want to fly to Melbourne with a birds nest on my head!

The power didn’t come on Friday morning and I had a sponsored post that had to be published. So we packed up the car and headed to my mum’s who cooked us breakfast and let me use her computer to check in to our flight and put up my blog post. I washed my hair in cold water that morning and was able to straighten it at mum’s. You don’t realize how much you rely on power until you lose it!

A lot of the trees in our street and estate were like this from the storm.

I was astounded to hear the damage from the storm. So many cars written off. Roofs ripped from homes. Smashed windows. Fallen trees. The storm was pretty huge. At the same time we were also reeling from the news of Phillip Hughes passing.

Checking into the airport was seamless. I had booked business class flights for Jacob and I using our frequent flyers. It was only 20,000 more points so I thought why not? The extra room would be great with Phoebe on my lap.

And wasn’t she the best little traveler? She slept the whole two hour flight. There and back.

My gorgeous Phoebe asleep on my chest. Made it difficult to eat my soup... — My gorgeous Phoebe asleep on my chest. Made it difficult to eat my soup…

The moment we were up in the air, I forgot about the storm and that we didn’t have any power for our house sitter.

The power didn’t come on until Saturday which meant when we came home from Melbourne, we had to get rid of the food from the fridge and freezer. $300 later the fridge and freezer were restocked.

Our house sitter wasn’t able to stay at our house to look after our dog, but she made sure he had fresh water and was fed each time she visited. But Bentley didn’t take it too well because he went into every room of our house, took each pillow and cushion and made himself a pillow bed at the front door of our house. All the cushion covers smelled like dog so we had a mammoth cushion and pillow washing session upon our arrival home too.

By Monday morning, I was EXHAUSTED and could feel my glands were up. I was able to get the girls to nap at the same time so I could sleep myself and when I awoke I was shaking, breaking out in hot and cold sweats, had a throbbing migraine and every muscle in my body ached. I rang Jacob to ask if he could come home from work early. I lay on the couch not able to move. The girls decided to create havoc but I was too ill to notice. Phoebe was content to play in her washing basket.

Can't remember when I took this photo. Not on Monday, but it's a recent one. — Can’t remember when I took this photo. Not on Monday, but it’s a recent one.

The moment Jacob arrived home, I had a shower straight away and went to bed. I couldn’t keep anything down. I don’t know whether the big weekend plus the adrenaline I’ve been living off since having Phoebe to keep my blog/s going caught up with me. It was a big wake-up call because I was so sick. Thankfully I was able to keep food down yesterday and Jacob took a day off work so I could rest. My mum dropped over some soups and electrolyte drinks to help boost my energy because I’ve been light headed and dizzy since Monday night.

I know you would like to know what happened at the Kidspot Voices Awards. Most of you know already what I won, but what you don’t know is how incredibly surprised I was to receive what I did and how the prizes have answered my prayers in ways I didn’t expect.

Life can be stormy one moment, and full of surprise and elevation the next. I’ve learned to be positive in both seasons of life because they rarely last for long which means when wonderful things happen to you, you need to take the time to enjoy the moment.

It was a stormy start to our weekend away, but I will share the good stuff in my next blog post. I need to head to bed so I don’t find myself in the state I was in on Monday.

If you live in Brisbane, were you affected by the storm? Ever looked forward to something and have everything turn to crap before and after the anticipated event?

Why Plumbers need Public Liability Insurance

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 28, 2014

5

Collaborative Post

If a sub-contractor plumber wanted to get work from our plumbing business, they had to provide two certificates. One to say they had workers compensation insurance and the other public liability.

While tradies are expected to work safely and provide a safe environment for others to work in, sometimes their work can tragically cause injury to others due to negligence.

All tradespeople that work as sub-contractors need public liability insurance. A lot of businesses and tradies see this as an ‘optional’ insurance. But in this day and age you can be sued at the drop of a hat for something that would have been passed over as a simple accident a couple of decades ago.

If the work you do can cause death, injury, loss or damage to a property or loss of income resulting from your negligence, public liability insurance is a must because it will protect you from the financial risk if you are found to be liable.

Plumbers make mistakes. Or they can cut corners which can have drastic consequences. That is why plumbers need public liability insurance.

If you’re a home owner, it’s reassuring to know that your plumber has public liability insurance.

Compensation may be claimed for the following incidents

Burn injuries from a hot water unit – by law plumbers MUST install a tempering valve on hot water units and have them set to 50 degrees Celsius, negligence to do this can not only incur plumbing fines but also compensation claims from the victim
Illnesses and injuries caused by drinking the wrong water supply. There was the true story of a plumber on the Gold Coast who hooked up the sewer line to the water supply.
Illness or death caused from not having the right valves on water lines to prevent contamination. For example all hose taps should have a vacuum breaker to avoid sprinklers siphoning contaminated water (from fertlisers) back into drinking water supply
Installing a non-approved fitting to cause water damage or flood to a property
Incorrect gas appliance installations or not enough ventilation causing occupants in a home to suffocate

I’m sure plumbers can think of plenty more scenarios that deem public liability insurance a must as part of their business expenses.

The third party involved in the incident will need to make a claim using a lawyer like Patinos Personal Lawyers who have experience with public liability claims.

While Public Liability Insurance is another business expense for a plumber, it also provides peace of mind for customers and is a form of protection from large financial loss for the plumber.

Do you have public liability insurance if you have your own business? Ever had to make a public liability claim?

This post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

I’m linking with With Some Grace for Flog Yo blog Friday.

Dreams are like Buildings

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 27, 2014

7

I’ve been getting a bit sentimental lately. Whether it’s reflecting back on when Jacob and I first got together or putting up my grandma’s silver Christmas tree, I’ve had some interesting memories surface this week.

One memory I thought I’d share with you has an analogy that encouraged me. I hope you find encouragement from what I’m about to share. The memory was triggered from a family day out.

Last Saturday, we all headed into Southbank for brunch to catch up with close friends before Christmas. After brunch all the kids headed into pool and I sat at the beach side, with Phoebe asleep in the pram. I could see the building landscape of Brisbane.

In between looking at my iPhone and the high rise buildings across the river, I thought about all my working years in the CBD. So many memories were created in the Brisbane CBD for me as a child through to my adult years as a plumber.

My first memory of having to go to the city alone was when I was 16. I was in grade 11 and I had to organise a week of work experience for myself in an area of work that I would want to pursue when I graduated.

At that time I was thinking of being a journalist and then decided to pursue a job in public relations and marketing.

Ironically when I had to organise my work experience, my dad had just finished the plumbing in a tenancy at Waterfront Place for the advertising company Mojo Partners. Dad had had meetings with the managers of the company when fitting off their tenancy. He was able to ask if I could do work experience with them and they said yes.

My dad was the foot in the door for my week of work experience. I was so excited to be working in the city at an advertising company. I wondered what campaigns I’d work on and would they use my ideas?

But I was also quite scared. Although I had driven with Dad into the city many times before , I was fearful about navigating my way from the bus stop to Waterfront Place.

To calm my anxiety, Dad drove me into the city and we walked from the Myer Centre to Waterfront Place. I made a note of the streets to walk down and visualized the buildings on each corner.

When I started to panic about not remembering the names of the streets, my dad gave me this reassuring advice. Look up and head towards Waterfront Place. All streets will lead into another street that will eventually get you to Waterfront Place. Don’t lose sight of the building, keep heading towards it and you won’t get lost.

Dreams are like buildings

My dad’s advice could be easily relayed to our dreams. Last week I shared my dream with Lisa from Random Acts of Zen. My dream of getting my book out of my computer and into the hands of a publisher to be published. The reason I started my blog was to build readers. And yet the book has been put on the backburner while I have been busy realizing other dreams like becoming a mum.

But that dream is still there and if I look up and ahead I can see where I’m headed and what I want to achieve. The road isn’t straight. There are streets that lead into streets that will eventually lead to my dream. There are a few different routes I can take to get there, but if I keep my eye on the dream, I know I will eventually get there. Dreams are like buildings. They don’t move, but we have to in order to reach them.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed about trying to achieve a dream or you’ve had to put a dream on the backburner while life throws a curve ball or two at you, remember to look up and ahead. Whatever route you decide to take, your dream will always be there, but you may have to settle with a few detours or scenic routes to reach your destination.

Do you like the analogy that dreams are like buildings? Are you good at reaching your dreams? Are you living your dream?

How to save money using your dishwasher Plus a Giveaway

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 26, 2014

20

This post has been written in collaboration with Finish

Most modern kitchens allow a space under the sink for a dishwasher. What used to be a luxury appliance, is now common place in most family kitchens.

But there are some people like my dad who don’t own a dishwasher. He’s installed hundreds of dishwashers as a plumber but has never installed one in his own home. I used to think like my dad until I embraced the other side of living and now I don’t know what we would do without our dishwasher.

Jacob is the chief stacker in our house. Once the dishwasher is full (after a couple of days), I put the dishwashing tablet in and I get Esther to press the buttons to turn it on. Either Jacob or I unstack it depending on who’s not busy at the time.

Running a dishwasher can be classed as an unnecessary expense but here are some ways on how to save money using your dishwasher.

Rinse plates and cutlery in a sink full of water, rather than rinsing under the tap. Not only will you save water, but you will prevent food build up in the dishwasher.
Always put the dishwasher on when it is full.
Use the most economic cycle with a good quality detergent or tablet like Finish Quantum.
Buy your dishwasher tablets in bulk. We buy our Finish Quantum tablets in bulk from Big W.
Use a dishwasher cleaner once every couple of months. You are meant to clean your dishwasher every month, but I have found if you rinse your plates and use a good quality dishwashing tablet, your dishwasher won’t require to be cleaned as often. If it starts to smell a little off and you want to prolong using the next dishwasher cleaner, place a 2 tablespoons of bicarb soda and 1 tea spoon of eucalyptus oil in the tablet dispenser and pour half a cup of vinegar into the rinse aid and run on a full wash, obviously with the dishwasher empty. This doesn’t replace the use of commercial cleaners. This method is to be used in conjunction with them.
Use a gel protector to protect plates and cups from fading after being in the dishwasher. This saves having to buy new patterned crockery and cups.

To help you get most out of your dishwasher this Christmas, Finish are giving away one pack of Quantum tablets and two Dishwasher Protector Gels.

In order for you to enter the giveaway, answer this question. Using my dishwasher gives me more time to….? The most creative and interesting answer will win the giveaway. You could also follow The Plumbette on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. This is not essential though.

This is post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy. I was sent 1 pack of Finish Quantum dishwashing tablets for the purpose of this post.

Terms and Conditions

1.This is a game of skill. Each valid entry to be judged on creativity and originality, not by chance.

2. There is one prize: One Pack of Finish Quantum Dishwashing Tablets and Two Finish Dishwasher Get Protectors.

3.Entries open from 6am Brisbane time Wednesday 26th November to Wednesday 3rd December 2014 6pm Brisbane Time.

4.Prize is not transferable or changeable

5.Prize sent out by the third party will not be replaced in the event it is stolen, lost or damaged in transit or virtually.

6.Entry is via leaving a comment or sending an email to answer the question.

7. A valid email address must be included in your entry.

8.Entry into any giveaway or competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions

9.Entrants must be Australian residents and aged 18 or over

10. The winner will be notified by email and has 3 days to reply and claim the prize. The winner will also be announced on Facebook. This giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.

11.The decision on the winner is final and no dialogue will be entered into otherwise.

12. These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.

My Reading Style

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 25, 2014

26

Last week Janet from Middle Aged Mama tagged me to answer some questions about my reading style.

If I’m honest, I rarely read for myself these days. I read more books in a week than I did when I was at school because I am reading story books to my girls every day. While it can be monotonous reading Poo Bum and Where’s the green sheep all the time, I enjoy snuggling with my girls to read a book. I know I will get more time when they are older to read for myself again. Here are my answers to Janet’s questions.

Do you snack while you read?

No, because I don’t like to have sticky fingers when flicking pages to read a book. Having said that I do remember reading a book about the life of Mary Bryant (a female convict that escaped the colony) and the stories about the convicts starving sent me into snack overdrive. I couldn’t stop eating to counteract what I was reading. I may have gone through a whole packet of chips while reading one chapter!!

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

No I don’t mark my books. I used to fold over the corner of the page, but these days I use a bookmark or a random piece of paper to mark where I’m up to. Sometimes I memorise the page number.

As for writing in books, the only writing I like is a personal message and autograph on the inside cover from the author.

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?

Both. I like to mix up what I read. I love reading biographies and when it comes to fiction, I enjoy romance or drama. I also enjoy any children’s books that have adult humour in them.

Hard copy or ebooks?

Hard copies. Easier on the eyes and I love the smell of the pages. The only ebooks I like to read are compilations or recipes or cookbooks.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

If I’m really drawn into the story and really eager to know how the story is going to go, sometimes I will read the last chapter and then go back to reading where I was. Most days, I will finish where I can before I fall asleep.

What are you currently reading?

I have a few books that I am reading at the moment. Yes, I’m one of those people who has a few books going at once. The books I mainly do this to are the self-help type books.

Currently I am at page 40 on the book Sleep by Positive Parenting which gives the secret of problem-free nights with a baby. I borrowed the book from a friend because Phoebe has been waking more than usual at night and I’m a sucker for buying or borrowing baby sleep books.

The other book I’m halfway through is the one I was given at Problogger – Life in Half a second by Matthew Michalewicz.

What is the last book you bought?

The last books I bought were for my kids. A smurfs book and a Lazytown book because they were at one of those book stores where all the books at $5.

The next book I would like to get and will most likely wrap and place under the Christmas tree is Absolutely Beautiful Things by Anna Spiro.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

I have a pile of books I’m trying to read on my bedside. I will have a couple going at one time. 🙂

Do you have a favourite time of day and/or place to read?

At the moment there is no favourite time. I fit in reading when I can which is usually at night once my girls are in bed. I like to read in bed or on the couch.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

For romance novels I recommend Nicholas Sparks. I came across him after watching The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and Dear John. I also like Paullina Simons and Jodi Picoult.

Three bloggers I would like to nominate are

Yin Yang Mother

Debbish

Jodi Gibson

Are you like me and read more kids books than novels? I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

My hand cream nearly flooded a laboratory

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 24, 2014

17

This post has been written in collaboration with Vaseline Australia

Plumbing work is hard on the hands. They can get covered in filth which thankfully can be washed away, but it’s the repetitive nature of plumbing work that causes the most damage. Callouses, burn scars and dry skin are key traits of a plumber’s hands.

The time my hands received the most harm was from laying concrete over a drainage site at Goodna. I can’t remember why I wasn’t wearing gloves or why I decided to use my hand as the trowel, but I did and my hands that night at home were in a shocking state. The lime in the concrete basically burned my hands and they were very dry.

That night at home I constantly rubbed Vaseline Hand Cream into my hands and topped it with Vaseline Petroleum Jelly to keep the moisture in. Vaseline Australia was what kept my hands in good shape as a plumber. I still keep some with me in my baby bag.

The next day I was scheduled to do some maintenance jobs with Dad. In between jobs, after cleaning my hands with sanitizer, I would rub in some hand cream.

The third job for the day, dad and I had to disconnect a laboratory at Griffith University. I filled our bucket with the necessary brass caps for the different water lines. As dad disconnected each water line from the taps, I would hand over the taped union and brass cap.

On one of the water lines, the ball valve which had been turned off, was faulty which meant water was running through the line as dad unscrewed a hose attached to this line. Water gushed out everywhere and the ¾ inch union and cap that I handed dad wasn’t the right size.

In a panic dad butted his thumb over the opening but yelled at me to find a 25mm cap that he had chucked into the bucket ‘just in case’ we needed it.

The problem was the cap was attached to another fitting which we didn’t need and my hands were slippery from the water that had splashed on my hands. Water and hand cream don’t mix well!

My hands kept slipping down the multi-grips as I attempted to unscrew the cap. Dad’s hand kept flying off the water opening because of the pressure inside the pipe and the builder just stood and watched as I struggled.

I was so embarrassed by my clumsiness and didn’t have time to explain why I couldn’t do the most basic of tasks. In the end I had to ask the builder watching me to undo the cap from the fitting because my hands were too slippery from my cream laden hands.

The fitting was unscrewed and the cap was given to dad. The hardest part was getting the cap screwed onto the gushing line because the pressure was pretty intense. We went through all our towels to mop up the water. Thankfully the laboratory was getting refurbished so any water damage to the walls wasn’t a big deal.

I learned two lessons as an apprentice that week. Always wear gloves when pouring and smoothing concrete and never to use hand cream until all plumbing jobs were finished for the day. My hand cream nearly flooded a laboratory! Thankfully I learned this lesson on a refurb job because people’s homes aren’t so forgiving.

Do you suffer from dry hands? Ever experienced a mishap because you couldn’t perform the most basic of tasks ?

I’m linking with Laugh Link.

This is post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

My formal was my first date with my husband

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 21, 2014

14

This time thirteen years ago I had my first date with my husband. I took him to my school formal knowing his name, where he lived and he had the same faith as me.

We attended the same church but because of the age difference we were in different friendship circles. I had crush on Jacob for 4 months before I gathered the courage to ask him to take me to my formal.

When I think about it now I had real guts to ask a guy to my formal who I barely knew. But in my heart I knew the best possible way to stage our ‘meet cute’ ( if you’ve watched The Holiday, you’ll get it) was to ask Jacob to my formal. So I did. And his response was…

Can I get back to you?

It wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a yes.

When I asked Jacob later why he said it, it was because he had to check his ‘diary’ to see if had any plans.

I had a friend who also asked a guy from our church to take her to our formal and so we organized the suits hire together.

And this is where the lead up to my formal became a little stressful.

Jacob had no car so he organized for his suit to be picked up. Unfortunately, Jacob wasn’t home for the suit to be delivered back to his apartment so it was dropped off to a friend that lived around the corner.

Jacob decided to leave it to the afternoon of my formal to pick up his suit, only to find that no one was at his friend’s house and none of them were answering their mobile phones. He had to get to my house for photos and my mum was going to drive us to the golf course where the formal was going to be held.

It was getting late in the afternoon and Jacob still had no suit. He finally called my home to let my mum know his predicament.

Jacob remembers my mum yelling the news to me which echoed down the receiver at his end.

I couldn’t believe it, and part of me was frustrated that he hadn’t bothered to pick up his suit sooner and it was a sign he didn’t want to go with me. I was very melodramatic in my head.

Jacob tried to call his friend one last time to get access to their house to retrieve his suit. He finally got one of the occupants in the house who told Jacob they were on a boat and there was no way they could come to open the house, but one of the siblings had finished a job interview and would come promptly to open the house.

Jacob finally got his suit.

Mum and I had a bit of time up our sleeve before the formal because we couldn’t take photos without the date! So mum drove me past my grandparent’s house to show off how I looked.

My Grandma Jones (my dad’s mum) told me I looked beautiful and was very interested in my ‘date’. She asked if he would give me a corsage and I sarcastically replied, ‘if he couldn’t organise his suit and get to my house in time for photos, there’s no way he would have organised a corsage.’

But my Jacob did.

He was sheepish when we arrived to pick him up but he made up for it with the beautiful corsage. Fresh red roses to match my designer Tim Lindgren dress. It was perfect.

That night at the dinner table Jacob and I talked about our dreams and plans for the future. I was 17, and he was 20.

We held hands once as I led him through the crowd of my high school friends.

When I went to the ladies room to apply more lipstick, I exclaimed to all the girls crowded around the vanity mirrors that Jacob and I held hands. Omigosh. It was like so awesome.

And then the night was over. I didn’t go to the after party. I didn’t care.

My mum dropped Jacob home and then brought me home.

My dad didn’t get to see me in the formal dress he had bought for me because he had to work. The client threatened liquidated damages if the job didn’t get completed that night of my formal. That client went broke a couple of months later. My dad says that is one of his regrets in life missing my formal. But I didn’t see it as a failure on his part. And I still don’t.

13 years later I still have that formal dress (one day I hope to fit back into it) and the corsage Jacob gave me. It’s dried up beautifully and it has travelled with me all these years from when I left home to marry Jacob, to when we moved into our first house, then packed to settle into our new forever family home which is where we live now.

There are a lot of school formals happening tonight. So many 17 and 18 year olds excited about what the future will hold for them. For some the formal is the end of an era and it was for me to, but it also started a love story that is still going strong. I love that my formal was my first date with my husband.

Have you ever kept something from your past that you couldn’t bear to throw away because of it’s sentimental value? Do you remember your school formal? Any high school sweetheart stories you want to share?

Are solar panels worth the investment?

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

November 21, 2014

20

Collaborative Post

I remember back in December 2011, I opened up our electricity bill and nearly died in shock at the amount. I knew it was going to be a big bill after having the air conditioning on throughout the start of summer, but I didn’t expect to nearly fork out $1000 when the previous year we were only been charged $700.

It was that shock that got me motivated to research solar panels and it gave me a headache.

I had solar panel reps come out to give me quotes and design plans on where the solar panels would be installed on our roof.

None of the reps quoted on the same solar panels or inverters and I was frustrated at the difference in price and the diverse information I was getting from one company to the other. I couldn’t compare apples with apples and I had to do a lot of research online to find out whether the panels I was being quoted on were actually good panels to install. I also got online quotes from various different companies that offered quotes online once I knew what size system I was looking for. I would have halved my research time if I had used Australian Solar Quotes. They have an online calculator (click here) to assist with working out the best prices for the system you are after.

In the end I made a decision to go with a middle of the range, chinese manufactured panel with the best inverter. I also had word of mouth knowledge from a friend that they were a good company.

At the time, I knew the government was looking to take away the solar rebates. Without warning the State government pulled the pin on Solar Hot water rebates which left a lot of hot water companies and plumbers out of pocket with unwanted solar hot water units.

We got our solar panels installed in April 2012 before the government took away the rebates in June 2012. Jacob and I decided to install a 5 kilowatt system because we wanted to try and eliminate our electricity bill. We were told that a 5KW system would do this.

Once the decision was made and the panels were installed on our roof, I sighed with relief. We were lucky enough to get paid the highest rate for the electricity we generated back to the grid.

One question that is commonly asked is are solar panels worth the investment now that the rebates have been taken away? It’s a hard question to answer because it depends on your electricity usage and what you want to achieve with your solar system in place. It may take you many many years to get your full investment back. It also depends on what feed-in tariff rate you negotiate with your electricity provider.

Our decision to install panels was to save money on electricity bills while my income was a bit all over the place after starting a family. Thankfully we had enough money in savings to pay the panels off outright but it will take another couple of years before we break even from our investment.

We are also doing our bit to offset our high energy use during summer. Some households make the decision to go solar to make their home more environmentally friendly, not to save money.

Do you have solar panels installed on your home? Have you found it to be a good investment?

This is post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

How to give when you have nothing to give

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 18, 2014

23

This last year has been our toughest year financially yet. I would say even tougher than when Jacob and I had our first year living together when we got married.

This time last year I found out that I was pregnant with Phoebe and I had fear well up at the core of my being on how Jacob and I were going to afford to have another baby. I had rejigged the budget and worked out how much of a deficit we would have each week if I weren’t to work.

Adding another baby meant medical expenses if we chose to go private health like I had done with our first two pregnancies. We needed a new car and it had to fit three car seats across the back. Our Honda Civic was nearing the 100,000km mark and we had outgrown it with two kids.

Our saving grace was our savings. Thank goodness for savings. But they have taken a huge hit to make ends meet. But if we didn’t have those savings, I’m not sure how we would have survived.

One thing that Jacob and I agreed on as we maneuvered through this time in our lives was our commitment to give and be consistent with giving. We give a tithe and offering to our church. This is not forced by our church as the media likes to portray. We give because it’s our act of worship to God.

We continued to support our two sponsor children in Africa. Usually when budgets are tight, supporting children overseas or donating to charities is the first expense to be deleted. We chose to keep supporting because our sponsored children are like our own kids.

We also chose to give to organisations that requested funds because of unexpected needs around the world. These direct mail letters were a reminder of how blessed we were despite our circumstances.

I believe everyone goes through a time when finances are tight. It’s an incredibly fruitful season despite it not being so plentiful in the bank account. You learn to be resourceful. You learn to live without and you learn to appreciate what you have.

I know that there have been a lot of plumbers that have suffered from loss of income due to contracts not being renewed or clients going bankrupt. Thank you to those plumbers who have written to me to tell me their story and to encourage me when I’ve opened up about my life online. Your encouragement has made me smile and I hope that when you read my blog you can find encouragement for yourself to keep going no matter what situation you find yourself in.

There is so much judgment about people who have financial difficulties and not enough compassion. And most people who end up in a hard financial position want to genuinely find a way out.

With Christmas coming up, it’s an opportunity to give to others that are in need. But how do you give when your own barrel looks barren?

Everyone has something to give. It may not be financial. It could be practical.

Giving shouldn’t be a once off Christmas event. If we genuinely looked at ways of helping others each week, the world would be a happier place.

Here are some ideas on how to give when you have nothing to give.

Donate a small amount like $2 to a cause that stirs your heart. Don’t think that a small amount won’t make a difference. If every financially able person gave $1, imagine what good that money could be used for.
Donate unused goods to charities like St Vinnies. They appreciate items in good working order than can be resold so that the funds made can help those less fortunate. Please don’t donate your rubbish or items that are broken.
Donate your time helping in causes that help the needy in your community. The needy aren’t necessarily people living on the streets. They could be neighbors who are having a hard time because of illness or loss of job for example. Mow their lawn, drop a meal or two around, invite the kids over for playtime or a sleepover to give the parents a break.
Find local charities or churches in your area and see what ways you can be involved in the work they do. Our church has street teams that visit families going through difficult times by doing simple things like cleaning their house, delivering presents at Christmas time and etc. These teams are always looking for extra hands to help more people in the community.
Donate your skills. Whatever job you work in, you can offer your skills for free. As a plumber, I would discern when we would not bill a client. My parents have done this all their life. They are great examples for Jacob and I to follow.
Donate an item that you’ve made for auction. Or bid on an item where the funds raised go to a cause. I recently bid on a cushion cover that I had been wanting to purchase on Instagram and I not only won the cushion cover, but my payment went to help girls rescued from sexual abuse in Kenya.
If you win a prize or get given something that you don’t wish to own, give it to someone else who will appreciate it. As a blogger I occasionally receive items (taps and fittings) that I review and then can give to someone else who would use them.
Pray for those in need. Praying is free and I appreciate any prayer that is sent my way. Just thinking about someone and praying for them helps turn your mind away from your own circumstances.
Write a note or card to someone who is going through a hard time. Sending letters is a lost art form so to receive a random card or letter in the mail can be a beautiful gift in itself.

Being generous has helped my wellbeing and it releases me from being stingy which is the first reaction when finances are tight: to hold tight to the little I have.

Have you ever gone through a hard time financially? Can you think of any other ways of giving to others that I haven’t listed?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

Help, I have poo coming out of my ceiling

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 17, 2014

13

This is not the type of phone call any plumber wants to receive. But it does happen. Usually it’s caused by a blockage in a sewer pipe and it’s backed up so much that it’s found an opening to burst through to release the pressure in the pipe. The opening could be a vent or a cracked PVC pipe or the shallowest waist point on that level.

It’s rare to hear help, I have poo coming out of my ceiling from house owners. Usually it’s in high rise buildings and apartments. The waste pipes for each floor run in the ceiling of the level below and connect to a common stack (large waste pipe) which runs the full length of the building. When an apartment has sewerage dripping from their ceiling, it’s usually not the occupant’s sewerage. It’s from the apartment or occupants who live above because their waste pipes run through the ceiling of the apartment below.

If you live in an apartment and find yourself in this awful predicament, RUN! Call a plumber as soon as possible. Stay safe if you choose to remain inside because the ceiling could collapse from the weight of the water and sewerage. In this case I don’t suggest cutting a hole in the ceiling and placing a bucket under the leak. The bucket may become full in a matter of seconds.

A plumber will need to investigate why the sewer backed up and fix any broken waste pipes. You will most likely need to take pictures and organise a visit from your insurance company to inspect the damage.

Earlier this year, a man from Chicago took footage of a ceiling shower of poo caused by a burst pipe. His office was on the 15^th floor of a skyscraper in Chicago and the overflowing sewerage rained on cubicles and desks where he worked. Luckily he and his colleagues were able to run before their work area was showered with brown water. That office would have been a shocker to clean up afterwards and I wouldn’t want to know how they dealt with the aftermath of the smell. Most skyscrapers don’t have open windows.

Have your waste pipes ever backed up? Are you put off living in an apartment now?

I’m linking up with Laugh Link.

Have a break, have a Potato Stix break #snackosphere Healtheries & Voices of 2014

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 13, 2014

13

I am a chocoholic. Esther and Magdalene have also inherited my love of chocolate. It’s a treat that I indulge in daily, and one they get given weekly.

When it’s time for a break from craft activities or playing outside, my daughter’s do tend to crave savoury snacks over sweet ones.

Me – I could go either. Sometimes both at the same time.

I’ve mentioned before my love of convenience foods for my girls and it has been even more imperative to have packaged food on hand while looking after a baby. These last few months have seen me sitting on the couch breastfeeding Phoebe, which has meant I have needed to be organized with morning tea. Sometimes I do great and offer a selection of foods, but on the days that I’m not so organized, a snack that is already portion controlled and has no need to be prepared is what saves me.

You can bet that as soon as I’ve sat down to feed Phoebe, Esther will complain she is hungry. I tell her to wait until morning tea or lunch depending on how close either meal is.

But Magdalene at 21 months doesn’t have the best of patience. I caught her helping herself to the Healtheries Potato Sticks that were easily accessible from the middle shelf of my pantry.

Esther would have gravitated to the fridge for an apple, but Magdalene loves her savoury snacks and will opt for the pantry. She prefers her apples cut up anyway as opposed to trying to eat one whole.

At home, it’s important to teach my girls to choose the healthy foods over the sugary and fat laden ones. The only way to do this is to eat a healthy diet myself and only have nutritious food at arms length in the pantry and in the fridge. I learned this the hard way when a packet of Cadbury Favourites disappeared and were devoured by my two little princesses. The evidence could be seen on their lips and by their sugary high behavior at dinner that night.

Out of all the Healtheries snacks, the Potato Stix would have to be my favourite. They’re the texture of a cruskit, with a light seasoning in a stick form. They are moreish but I limited myself to one pack because I am trying to lose my baby weight.

For me, it’s been great to find a snack that I can eat and not feel guilty about. The chocolate is still one of my favourite, unhealthy go to snacks, but while I’m trying to lose some weight, when I have a break, I choose to have a Potato Stix Break.

What foods do you like to eat when on a break? Do you prefer savoury or sweet?

Disclosure: This is my third entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #snackosphere challenge. You can read my first post here and my second post here. As part of the challenge, I was sent a box of Healtheries chips to try and review. All opinions are my own.

How to stay humble

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 12, 2014

2

I invited two highly regarded bloggers to my house for a catch up a few weeks ago and I felt like I was catching up with good friends. I can actually call them good friends because we catch up each week via our Facebook page to discuss all things blogging and our lives in between.

Our group was initiated after hearing Nikki speak at Problogger Conference about forming a support group as a blogger. I knew which two bloggers I wanted to be in my support group and I hoped that they would want me to be a part of theirs. Thankfully they did and our little group of three was created. If you don’t have a support network as a blogger, you really should find two other bloggers that you can keep in touch with and offer each other support. I’ve learned so much from my blogging friends and I’m thankful for our little group.

Anyway, what blew me away from catching up with them the other night was our admiration for each other. I look at these two bloggers and see them creating fantastic blogs online. They write great posts and as a result have a good following on Facebook and online. Much higher than I have and I look at them as bloggers to aspire to.

They in turn told me how they admired ME, talking up The Plumbette as if I was a high profile blogger. I don’t see myself as this. I never have and I pray that I never will.

I always want to stay humble in this game no matter how successful I become. Which got me thinking how does one stay humble? How can you avoid allowing success get to your head?

It’s important to realize what humble actually means. It doesn’t mean brushing off success. It means embracing it, and recognizing how the success was achieved without allowing it to propel your view on yourself as higher than everyone else.

The first strategy of remaining humble is remembering where I started. Thinking back 2.5 years ago, I am amazed at what I’ve learned and how far I’ve come as a blogger. It’s been a fabulous journey and I know that if I keep investing time into my blog, I can see some of my professional dreams coming true. As a plumber I remained humble because I wasn’t the best at Tafe. I knew my weaknesses and they were easily recognizable. Having colleagues that could install fixtures quicker than me forced me to stay humble. There is no pride gained for coming last.

The other way I try to remain humble is by looking at others the same as myself. I don’t put anyone on a pedestal and I don’t diss someone as below me. Looking at everyone as equal means I don’t entertain thoughts that I’m better than someone else.

Watching reality tv shows with contestants that are full of pride and no humility is another way of remaining humble. I don’t want to carry on and produce negative feelings in others because I think too highly of myself. I sometimes wonder if those contestants re-watch their air time with shame?

The final strategy I use is prayer. The Bible is pretty clear about the need to remain humble. It’s even clearer about what the benefits are when you practice being humble. Being humble towards God means I acknowledge that my life is in His hands and that He is God. This means I’m more intuitive to His leading. If I was full of myself, I would have no need to listen to God and would miss incredible opportunities to serve or allow God to use me for His purposes.

I know some of you have no belief in God and my last paragraph reads like gobbly goo but I often wonder what messages we’re missing hearing from God because we’ve been so focused on the demands of our immediate life. The great thing about God is that He is patient and He will keep repeating himself until we obey or tune our ears and heart towards Him.

How do you stay humble? Can you relate to any of my strategies?

Ephesians 4: 2 “Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

My Week of Crap

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 11, 2014

33

We have had a good run this year from avoiding getting sick. I’m so careful to wash hands and not hold playdates with sick kids and mums. Which sounds awful when you read it but when you have a little baby and surviving on little sleep, sickness is not something you want to add to the equation.

But for the last week and a half we’ve been hit from all sides. All three of my girls got conjunctivitis a week and a bit ago so we went straight to the doctor to get eye drops. I ended up getting it in my right eye so I was glad we got two scripts for the eye drops.

And then last Sunday, Esther didn’t look too well but she was keen to go to church and connect group which is held in an indoor playground just for our exclusive use. Esther didn’t last long and wanted to go home.

Last Monday morning she clutched her ear and told me her ear was hurting. So I booked another doctor’s appointment only to forget that Jacob had taken the car for the day to work to do some Christmas errands.

My mum came to the rescue and picked Esther up and took her up to the appointment. The prognosis was tonsillitis. Mum did a round trip dropping Esther back home to me and then going out to get her medicine.

Esther is getting better, but now Magdalene has snail trails down her nose. And Phoebe is teething and has her molars coming through! It’s usually the front teeth that come through first I thought, but Phoebe, like her conception, keeps us surprised. In a good way of course.

Last week I saw a lot of vomit, green boogers, snail trails, runny poo and nuggets of poo. Every day there was some sort of sickness drama which has kept me on my toes.

Take Tuesday or Wednesday for example. The days seem to run into each other at the moment so to be accurate let’s just say a day last week.

It was 1pm and I put Magdalene to bed for her sleep. Then Esther threw up and covered herself and the immediate floor with the contents of her stomach. She had just eaten cheese. The smell was not pretty. So I plonked Phoebe in to the baby walker where she happily watched the commotion of me cleaning up the mess and getting Esther into new clothes. As I put Esther to bed for a sleep, I could hear Magdalene cry ‘mummy, mummy’ so went to check in on her and she had projectile vomited over the cot railing, the mattress and the wall next to the cot. She too was covered in her vomit and it was in her hair. I ended up chucking her in the bath with a very small amount of water. I then went to clean the walls, cot and change the sheets on the cot.

The next thing I hear is ‘Poo, Poo’ and Magdalene had done a code brown in the bath and on the side shelf of the bath where she climbs when avoiding to poo in the bath. I may have sworn at this point. So I scooped out the floaties, emptied the bath and cleaned the shelf. I re-ran the bath, scrubbed Magdalene from head to toe, dressed her, gave her a drink and put her back to bed.

By this time Phoebe was getting over the walker so I picked her up and my hand was immediately wet with… you guessed it POO! The seat of the walker had pushed her runny poo from her nappy, up her back and it reached her neck. For the love of gouda!!!

Once I cleaned her up and got her to sleep with a feed, I was exhausted. I don’t remember having to deal with that amount of crap in one day as a plumber.

Anyway, everyone is now on the mend and I got my hair done on Saturday. It’s amazing how great you can feel after taking some time out.

I’m also coming down to Melbourne for the Kidspot Gala Awards at the end of the month which I’m really, really looking forward to. Esther and Magdalene will be babysat by my parents and Jacob, Phoebe and I will head down to Melbourne. I used frequent flyer points and a free night on my Accor card to secure the weekend away. I can’t wait. Just thinking about it is what got me through my week of crap and sick kids. Don’t be surprised if my next sponsored post is from Napisan. I went through a whole canister of the stuff to clean the stained clothes.

Have you ever experienced a week of crap like me? Got an epic tale about sick kids you want to share?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The Taste Test #snackosphere Healtheries & Voices of 2014

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 5, 2014

29

I try to offer an array of foods to my girls when it comes to their meal times. Though sometimes their fussiness has me reaching for the basics of the food chain because I know they will eat it and it won’t go to waste. I know that those foods pass their taste test.

I don’t know how many times I have bought something new from the supermarket thinking my girls will love it and they don’t so it sits in the pantry cupboard for a long while before being tossed into the bin.

I hate wasting food. And I’m especially more aware of it after visiting a third world country like Africa.

Fresh food is always best but sometimes it’s easier to grab a pre-packaged food because I know it won’t go off in the heat of the day and there’s no preparation which is a win on those mornings when rushing out the door.

When we are at home (which is most days now that Phoebe has arrived) Esther asks for a ‘selection’ which is a divided Tupperware plate with a selection of different foods which include fruit, biscuits (either Jatz or Tiny Teddies) and cheese. On rare occasions for a treat I also add Cadbury’s chocolate chips. When we have playdates, I usually make the ‘selection’ into a platter arrangement like below.

I was fortunate enough to add Healtheries Rice Wheels to the selection with some hummus dip.

My girls loved the Rice Wheels. They’re a mini rice cake with a delicious flavouring that had my girls asking for more. The Rice Wheels were the first of the packets to be completely consumed. They are 65% less fat than regular potato chips, are wheat and gluten free, low sugar, no added MSG or Palm Oil and no artificial colours and flavours.

I find most healthy food packaged options bland because by the time they take away all the nasty stuff, what’s left behind doesn’t taste that good.

But the Healtheries range – especially the Rice Wheels won the taste test for myself and my kids and they will definitely be making a regular rotation on the morning and afternoon tea snack roster.

What foods do you give your kids for morning tea? Are they fussy about what they eat?

Disclosure: This is my second entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #snackosphere challenge. You can read my first post here. As part of the challenge, I was sent a box of Healtheries chips to try and review. I have one more product post to share. All opinions are my own.

21 Challenges Plumbers have to face

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 4, 2014

20

I’ve told you why you should consider plumbing as a career but every job has it’s challenges. I’ve found 21 challenges plumbers have to face both physically and mentally.

Your boots, clothes, hands and sometimes your face will come into contact with other people’s bodily fluids and solids. Whether plunging and jetting a blocked toilet or cutting into an existing sewer pipe that is unbeknownst to you partially blocked… sometimes you get a shower of the dirty kind.
You get drenched wet from water sprays from faulty tap hoses or gushing water from a burst pipe. Sometimes you cause a flood without meaning to.
You can get injured if you don’t wear the right safety protection. Sometimes another trade has done the wrong thing, creating a hazard onsite that you accidentally find out for yourself the hard way.
You can get stuck in small spaces without meaning too.
You have to crawl or climb into tight or high areas to get a job done.
You can get burnt using the oxy-torch. You learn once picking up a hot piece of copper after welding it without using gloves or cooling it down with water. Melted silver solder down your sock isn’t an enlightening experience either.
Work can be irregular. There are times when the phone is quiet and other times where you don’t have enough time to get to all jobs.
Some trades make it difficult to work alongside with.
Building managers think they’re the bees knees and make it difficult to get anything done in their building. Inductions are nearly all the same but you have to do them for every building you work in and do them once a year to keep your induction certificate current.
You have to have a large wallet to keep all the licensing cards – BSA, Plumbing & Drainage License, Fire Rating Card, Blue Card, White Card – any I’ve missed?
Often there is no parking onsite which means having to carry tools from a local car park to avoid a parking ticket.
Clients won’t pay their bills on time or worse go into administration and you’re out of pocket for labour and materials done on their job.
Being up to date with Workplace Health and Safety is like doing your apprenticeship again. It’s same same but different.
Having to be up at all hours to make a connection into a sewer pipe before the early risers make their first dump for the day.
Having to work late because the cabinetmaker took their time installing the kitchen bench which holds the sink you need to hook up for the job to be complete.
Threats of liquidated damages when projects don’t meet their finished deadline and often it’s out of your control (I’m speaking to you tilers and cabinet makers)
Installing a fixture or tap that fails its warranty period and having the client blame you because you were the plumber that installed it.
Being called back to a job because there’s a small drip or leak on something you’ve installed despite testing for leaks before leaving the job.
Walking in to do maintenance on a toilet when someone has just done a number 2.
Not being able to eat with your fingers after touching or handling something grotty.
Getting asked advice to fix a problem or design a job, only to have it hawked to a cheaper plumber to do despite you spending time to help the client out.

What have I missed? I’m, sure these can apply to many other jobs in the trade too. Tell me what challenges you’ve faced in your job or trade.

Nice will always trump Nasty

By

Rebecca Senyard

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November 3, 2014

33

Have you noticed the amount of negativity online recently? I’ve come across some antsy comments lately and I know I’m not the only blogger that has noticed it.

I sometimes think that people decide to leave their manners behind the moment they turn on their computer screen. Or when they thumb a comment using their iPhone or iPad.

I’ve been reading a fair few articles online lately and when I go to read the comments either on Facebook or the article itself all I see is a trail of bad mouthing the writer or the media site.

If you could publish a book with all your comments and interactions online, would it be a nice book to read?

I don’t think many of us realize the permanent footmark a bad comment can leave on a site. That’s why I choose my words wisely when leaving a comment on a blog post or article that I don’t agree with. We can all agree to disagree and there is a civil way of expressing your point of view without hurting the writer.

I got my first bad comment while I was away at Ballina last week. The comment was made on an article I wrote at the beginning of the year. It was an attack on a member of my family and I chose my words wisely to respond but didn’t give it the time of day to play with my emotions. The person didn’t use their real name but used their personal Hotmail account to register with Disqus.

I know some of you read my posts and would like to comment, but don’t because of Disqus, but I have this commenting system for a reason – to make it harder for spammers and haters to leave a comment.

I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea and there are plenty of blogs online to be someone’s right brew, but don’t leave a nasty comment because you don’t like what you read.

It says more about you, than it says about me or the writer writing the article.

Nice will always trump Nasty. It’s a universal principle that we reap what we sow, so if we are only sowing nasty comments, it sows negativity in your heart and mind and it’s a cycle that doesn’t create a pleasant frame of mind and this in effect, affects your life and the lives you encounter. One bad word can ruin someone’s day. Why not trump it and be the nice instead?

With the busyness of Christmas on our doorsteps let’s try to remember to be nice to each other even if we don’t agree with each other.

Have you noticed an increase in antsy comment’s lately? Ever experienced it on your blog?

How to keep your shower screens clean – Vileda Magical Review

By

Rebecca Senyard

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October 30, 2014

10

Whenever dad and I changed washers in a shower for a client, I would always be asked

‘Do you know what can get rid of those watermark stains on my shower screen?’

Dad would offer suggestions like CLR or Windex.

I’d tried these myself with not much success on deep watermark stains.

It was a question I wanted to know the answer to because when Jacob and I bought our new home 5 years ago, I wanted to keep our shower screens as clear as possible. I wanted something that I could spray on the shower screens to prevent the buildup of lime scale and water film over time. Any kind of marks on a shower screen ages the bathroom and makes it look dirty.

When I saw that Nuffnang offered the opportunity to review a product that could prevent watermarks on my shower screens, I wanted in not just for my interest, but for yours and my clients’ as well.

Vileda Magical is a water repellant spray that prevents dirt and water marks in your bathroom and stops fog building up on glass, showers and mirrors. The spray creates a clear film on the glass so when the bathroom becomes steamy, no fog will form on the glass and it allows the water to drip off easily in the shower.

I put Vileda Magical to the test by spraying it on my shower screens and mirrors. To apply it, you need to clean the screens and mirror first to get rid of any marks. I usually use Windex. I found Windex to be the best window cleaner when it comes to removing basic smears and soap scum marks. I am slowly getting through a bulk bottle of it. Vinegar is also great on shower screens and will remove most marks. Some shower screens get a heavy buildup of lime scale and calcium and it can be difficult to get rid of these. Your local hardware store may offer a commercial cleaning solution that may be able to get rid of these marks.

Once the screens and mirrors are clean, spray Vileda Magical all over the surface and wipe away using the magical cloth that is provided with the bottle. The spray is wiped easily and doesn’t leave a residue. To prolong the duration of the water repelling effect, increase the amount of spray on the surface.

When it came time to shower, my shower screen stayed completely fog free – as did the mirror. The only water that was on the shower screen was what was splashed from me. After two days though, the shower screens did start to fog up but not as heavy as before I used Vileda Magical. I only lightly sprayed the shower screens, so this may be why the fog repelling effect didn’t last for longer. The mirror didn’t fog at all after each and every shower.

One week later, the shower screens were looking fairly clear. When I went to clean them in my weekly bathroom cleaning routine, they were so easy to clean. No scrubbing and no need for much Windex to remove any soap marks as there were none. It made cleaning the bathroom easier. The mirrors didn’t need touching.

I’ve sprayed the shower screens in our main bathroom (which hardly gets used) to protect them from future use. The spray can also be used on tiles and taps to prevent them going cloudy with watermarks and dirt.

To see Vileda Magical in action, check out this clip to see how it is applied and how it works. Of course if you want to keep your shower screens fogged up for privacy… don’t use Vileda Magical.

If you have a new shower screen, I would be spraying it with Vileda Magical to prolong the life and visibility through the screen.

The spray is available at Woolworths and Big W for $9.99. For occasional giveaways and new information, check out the Vileda Magical Facebook page.

Do you have trouble keeping your shower screens clean? What do you use to clean your showers and mirrors?

I was sent a bottle of Vileda Magical for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own and this post has been written in accordance with my disclosure policy.

Wordless Wednesday – Sunset

By

Rebecca Senyard

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October 29, 2014

9

When Jacob and Magdalene took the rubbish to the bin while staying at the Ballina Lakeside Holiday Park, Jacob noticed the sunset and took our camera with him to take a few shots of the stunning view. I was inside feeding Phoebe on the couch, but I was able to admire the sunset with these photos. All photos were taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M10 that I was given the opportunity to purchase after having it on loan for Kidspot Voices 2014.

When was the last time you saw a sunset? I’m linking up with Trish from My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday.

Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina For Big or Small Families

By

Rebecca Senyard

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October 28, 2014

36

family friendly accommodation in Ballina for big or small families

Looking for family friendly accommodation in Ballina? Here’s where I recommend families stay.

On the weekend, we had a family friendly getaway to Ballina. The main reason for our trip was to introduce Phoebe to Jacob’s side of the family. It was a chance for Jacob’s grandparents to see all three of our girls and for Jacob’s parents to meet Phoebe for the first time. Because of the family structure, and room availability with our family, it’s easier for us to arrange our own accommodation.

Over the years since Jacob and I have been married we have stayed at a number of hotels in Ballina. As a couple we would stay at The Ballina Manor or The Ramada but as we introduced children to our little family, we needed an apartment as opposed to a hotel room because babies and toddlers don’t sleep well in the one room I’ve found.

Ballina Lakeside Holiday Park

I had seen a bit of online promotion about the Ballina Lakeside Holiday Park on Facebook and decided to book a 3 bedroom Holiday House for our weekend stay.

Reception and Entrance to Ballina Lakeside Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Reception and Entrance to Ballina Lakeside

After staying in many resort and holiday parks around Australia, I would say hands down that it is one of the best. It is family friendly accommodation that is suitable for big or small families.

Our three bedroom holiday house had been refurbished and could sleep up 12 people. The size was perfect for our family of 5 because the girls could play in the big open plan area and there was a gated courtyard where they could throw a ball around.

Our 3 bedroom house Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Our 3 bedroom house

Despite the weekend being time spent with family, we were able to invite Jacob’s parents back to the park to interact with the girls while they had fun in the water play area.

Facilities at Ballina Lakeside Holiday Park

The holiday park has a fantastic water play park area that is suitable for toddlers and up. The pools aren’t too deep but of course Jacob was always watching our girls as they took on each part of the water zones.

Fantastic pool area for kids Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Fantastic pool area for kids

Another angle of the water park area for kids Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Another angle of the water park area for kids

Tunnels for kids to swim through and buckets of water that toppled water over Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Tunnels for kids to swim through and buckets of water that toppled water over

Next to the water play area is a playground and a huge jumping pillow. I had a go on the pillow to satisfy my inner child but decided not to stay on for long remembering I had just had baby and would need to be cautious of putting strain on my lower regions.

The girls enjoyed this plaground Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — The girls enjoyed this plaground

Magdalene having a ball down the slide Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Magdalene having a ball down the slide

Esther enjoying the slide too Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Esther enjoying the slide too

Me and the kids jumping on the Jumping Pillow Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Me and the kids jumping on the Jumping Pillow

The holiday park also has a mini putt putt course and a great kids games room with one side of the room dedicated to kids under 5 with a range of toys to play with, and the other side dedicated to games for older kids. Right next to our holiday house was a bird Avery that the girls enjoyed looking into.

Other side of the games room Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina — Other side of the games room

Ballina Lakeside offers camping/caravanning sites, cabins, villas, cottages, bungalows and holiday houses to suit larger families or friendly gatherings.

I was impressed with the onsite facilities. There was even a large catering room with tables and chairs so you could cook inside as opposed to cooking outside if the weather isn’t particularly accommodating.

We stayed only for two nights but I know we will be back again. It cost us $465 for the whole weekend to stay in the holiday house. There is a house rate and then a rate per person over the age of 2 added to the room rate cost. All those details can be found on the Ballina Lakeside website.

For us, the accommodation was perfect for our family and the girls enjoyed their stay immensely. It certainly is the best family friendly accommodation in Ballina for big or small families.

How could I not include a picture of Phoebe and I?

When was the last time you went away for a family friendly weekend? Where did you stay? What family friendly accommodation in Ballina do you recommend?

The difference between Commercial Plumbers and Domestic

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

October 27, 2014

4

Sponsored Post

When I started working for my dad, I spent a lot of time learning how to put together plumbing estimates for tenders. I had little plumbing knowledge, but there were key things dad taught me to look for when it came to quoting jobs for a new tenancy fit out.

Was the tenancy on the ground or on a level in a building?

Was the ceiling fixed or ceiling tiles? If the ceiling was fixed were there man holes available to get into the ceiling cavity?

Where was the closest sewer stack?

Where was the closest water supply?

In those early days I would take pictures with my digital camera to show dad the answers to those questions.

As I did my apprenticeship I became more proficient in knowing what fittings to allow for in my quote and how to scale off a plan to work out how much pipe would be required.

The estimate would never lie. Our estimating program had formulas that were so accurate it worked out how much primer and sealer would be needed on a job. This was helpful when builders came back to us to negotiate on price. We could see the bare minimum of what we could drop to before we would break even or start to lose money.

Some plumbers have little idea of how to estimate or use an estimating program properly to ensure they make money on every job. It’s a skill that is not taught at Tafe and is learned on the job or taken up blindly by counting pipes and guessing how many fittings might be needed to do the job.

Our clients were Design and Shopfitting companies like Tu Projects who would run the tenancy fitout project from start to finish. They would win the tender as the project manager and shopfitter for the new tenancy, and then they would send out purchase orders to the trades whose prices they had used to win the tender.

Before the 2008 Global Crisis, dad had secured a niche area of plumbing in the tenancy fit out sector. We had a number of tenancy fitout companies that we worked with and we knew who our competitors were. We were all commercial plumbers, but occasionally we would see a new plumber join the scene to give the commercial side a crack.

Design and Shopfitting companies would love the pricing they received from these inexperienced commercial plumbers because they would offer cheap prices. But with cheap prices came unexpected headaches.

Specifications would be ignored and the fit off would be rough. And getting the necessary paperwork after job completion like manuals and as builts would be a nightmare for the project manager. It was a hard lesson, but one that needed to be learned.

Tenancy and shopfitting work would generally be clean work. The dirtiest part of shopfitting is disconnecting the old fixtures. The hardest part is dealing with other tenants in the same building.

After heading into the city on Friday, I noticed so many new buildings and I thought about the potential work Dad and I could have had with all the new tenancies available.

But then I thought about the stress of meeting tight deadlines and dealing with all the extra Occupational Health and Safety laws that have flooded the trade industry. I’m glad we’ve retired from that era in our lives.

My advice when looking to lease a tenancy is to use a Design and Shopfitting company to look after the project for you. Shopfitting companies have extensive experience when it comes to fitting out new tenancies.

The same can be said of plumbers. Don’t use a domestic or residential plumber in a commercial area unless they have had experience in the commercial sector. Domestic plumbing is different to commercial plumbing and while both areas are governed by the same plumbing standards, there is expected protocol to be followed when doing tenancy fit out work.

Have you ever hired a tradie only to find that they weren’t right for the job?

This is post has been written in accordance to my disclosure policy.

Ten reasons why you should become a plumber

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

October 23, 2014

9

It’s this time of year when Year 12 students are figuring out what career they want to pursue. Some have it figured out while others have no idea. There’s nothing wrong with either scenario.

Or maybe you finished school years ago and you are thinking of changing careers in 2015. Whatever your background, I thought I’d give ten reasons why you should consider plumbing as a career. Now is the time to start researching for plumbing apprenticeship opportunities. Many firms start their apprentices before Christmas because that is when work really ramps up and it’s always good to have an extra hand in the form of an apprentice to help get those jobs completed before the holidays.

Ten reasons why you should become a plumber

There’s a change of scenery every day. Even if you are working in the same building, there is always a different floor or area that will need to be worked in. In maintenance plumbing there is a change of scenery at every job making no day the same.
You get to work with your hands. If you like building things together, you will enjoy running pipes and connecting them together. Plumbing is a hands-on job.
You get fit while you work. The hands on part means you do work up a sweat and some muscle when completing jobs.
You can choose to work in a team environment or independently. Not many jobs can offer that choice.
There are early morning starts which might sound like a bad thing, but you get to finish earlier in the afternoon meaning you’ve got more sunlight hours to enjoy as opposed the 8am to 5pm workers.
Becoming a plumber is a bit safer than becoming an electrician. Electricity kills once. Water and sewerage just gets you wet and sometimes sick if you’re not careful.
Plumbing (and electrical) is a licensed trade so the only competition is from other licensed plumbers, not DIY tradies. The law protects you when doing your work.
You get to meet new people all the time. No construction site will always have the same workers and clients are always different.
You get to help people in a practical way. You can be someone’s hero, despite having their shite on your hands.
There are unlimited job opportunities. Many see plumbing as a one way career, but there is so much more that can be achieved once you’ve finished your apprenticeship. You could become a Hydraulic Engineer, Plumbing Inspector, Workplace Health and Safety Officer, Project Manager, Plumbing Tafe Teacher, Business owner or a plumbing blogger like myself. 🙂

Other benefits can be a high earning potential but I didn’t include that in the list because a job shouldn’t be pursued for money.

If you were given the opportunity to learn a trade, would plumbing be on your radar? Can you think of any other good reasons to become a plumber?

Enhance your hair colour with Garnier Olia #innovativebeauty

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

October 22, 2014

22

Naturally, my hair is dark brown but I get it dyed a deep shade of red every couple of months with my hairdresser. I find colouring my own hair a hassle and enjoy the pampered experience by my hair stylist, but sometimes when I’m really busy or funds are a bit tight, I will dye my own hair.

I’ve never had a go-to brand when it comes to colouring my hair, but I do choose a colour that is easy to apply and doesn’t contain ammonia. Garnier Olia is the first permanent home hair colour powered by oils and not ammonia.

I was sent a Garnier Olia Hair colour pack to trial at home. Before my pack was sent, I went online to the Garnier website and used the Find Your Match tool to work out which colour was right for my hair.

My colour was Deep Red 4.6.

As you can see my roots are a lifeless brown and there is one stray grey hair which definitely needs to be coloured over.

When colouring my hair I always wear my white robe. I know it’s crazy but the colour does wash out. I then empty the contents of the box onto my vanity bench and read the instructions. I then put on the black gloves, mix the colourant and developer together and clip the top off the bottle to add the colour to my hair. I start at my roots and spread the colour throughout my hair.

I’m pretty messy with my application. Once the bottle is used up I clip my hair back and use the Garnier Micellar water to remove any colour on my forehead and arms.

I left the colour in for 30 minutes and then washed it out in the shower. The key to washing the colour out in the shower is arching your back to avoid the colour running down your body and make sure you keep the gloves on. My shower looked like a crime scene after washing it out but the colour didn’t stain the white tiles and I clean my bathroom after a home hair colour application rather than before.

My hair felt lush and silky after the application and I was happy with the result. Another great thing about this home hair colour is that it has a floral scent which makes hair colouring a much more pleasurable experience.

If you’re looking for a new beauty change this Spring, why not enhance your hair colour with Garnier Olia?

Do you go to a hair dresser or use a home hair colour pack to dye your hair?

Disclosure: This is my third entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #innovativebeauty challenge. As part of the challenge, I was sent four Garnier Products to try and review. You can read my previous entries here and here. All opinions are my own.

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Family Friendly Accommodation in Ballina For Big or Small Families

Ballina Lakeside Holiday Park

Facilities at Ballina Lakeside Holiday Park

When was the last time you went away for a family friendly weekend? Where did you stay? What family friendly accommodation in Ballina do you recommend?

The difference between Commercial Plumbers and Domestic

Ten reasons why you should become a plumber

Enhance your hair colour with Garnier Olia #innovativebeauty

Rebecca Senyard

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