Alone with three at home

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September 9, 2014

Fathers Day — The girls with Jacob for Father's Day

Last week was Jacob’s first week back to work since having Phoebe. I thought I’d be anxious, but I wasn’t. Jacob had 7 weeks off work which seemed to fly by so fast. Esther and Magdalene loved having their daddy home to play with them. I was happy to have someone to watch the girls so I could focus on getting Phoebe into some sort of day routine.

The girls with Jacob for Father's Day — The girls with Jacob for Father’s Day

It took me a couple of weeks to get Phoebe to start sleeping during the night rather than all through the day. There were some nights where I got little sleep, but having Jacob home meant I could have a nap in the afternoon.

The house would be messy during the day, but by night Jacob would put it back to order as I fed Phoebe. Once the girls were fed, bathed and put to bed, I’d be back on the computer getting another blog post up.

Now that Jacob is at work, I’ve spent most of my days at home with the girls doing craft, playing tea parties, dressing up as princesses or watching TV. Phoebe is either in her swing, in her rocker chair or lying on her back under her play gym while I play with the older two. Sometimes she is in my arms because she gets sick of all three of my baby entertaining or holding apparatuses. If I get to the computer during the day, I’m lucky to read some emails before Phoebe wakes up because she seems to only cat nap during the day – unless she’s in her swing where she could be rocked to sleep all day.

Magdalene dressed up in one of Esther's dresses — Magdalene dressed up in one of Esther’s dresses

I’ve enjoyed being at home with the girls. The days go fast. Phoebe will be 2 months old this week and I’m surprised that we’ve reached this milestone so soon.

Of course there are moments where all hell breaks loose and Magdalene starts screaming at Esther because she won’t share her toys, or Esther cries because Magdalene has stolen her Jemima doll and won’t hand it back.

Phoebe competes over the noise because she either wants to be held or burped or fed or changed. I’ve been calm during those moments because I’ve anticipated them and I realized long ago that there’s no point in getting stressed. It doesn’t make for a happy home.

Anyway, I don’t get stressed over noise. I get stressed over mess. And this is something I’ve had to let go of because mess is something both Esther and Magdalene have been getting into the habit of creating every day. I’ve been teaching them to pack up their toys or craft once they’ve finished playing, but the message doesn’t always get through. So I leave it for when Jacob gets home from work. Not necessarily so he can clean it, but more so I have back up to enforce the girls to help me.

I can't get enough of this angelic face — I can’t get enough of this angelic face

The moments when Esther and Magdalene play together are beautiful to watch. Most times when this happens, I’m on the couch feeding Phoebe. Sometimes Phoebe just likes to lay on my lap and smile at me. She’s smiling so much more now and I intentionally stare at her little face, into her deep blue eyes. She is my last baby so I’m savouring each moment.

My first week alone with three at home was a success. I’m tired, but happy and content. I don’t take one moment with my girls at home for granted. Next year Esther will be going to Kindy so I will have two to entertain at home for the first half of the week. Thinking about this puts my day in perspective. Especially when I’m faced with a toddler that decides to do a Picasso with their yoghurt…

But in the next moment, go crazy cute by loving on her sister and leaning in to give her a big, wet, sloppy kiss.

Life with three girls is good. It’s very good.

If you’re a mum can you remember the first time you were alone all day with your baby? Were you anxious and how did you cope?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The Biggest Cause of Blocked Sewer Pipes

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 3, 2014

5

the biggest cause of blocked sewer pipes tree roots in broken pipe sewer

The biggest cause of blocked sewer pipes at a residential property are tree roots.

However, with an increased reliance on convenience, wet wipes and fat rinsing are becoming more common and troublesome to our sewer systems.

The humble baby wipe, hand wipe and ‘flushable’ wipe have been making their way into our waste management systems and it’s costing millions of dollars to remove.

The rinsing of fats has seen the rise in ‘fatbergs’ which are large masses, travelling through the sewer pipe, getting larger as they travel and congeal with other fats and wet wipes in the system.

These three threats to our sewers are detrimental to effective waste water management, but they can also incur extra cost to the homeowner through their water and sewer bill.

From a location matter, an unexpected blockage can cause a call out to a plumber to rectify.

When it comes to wipes and fats, these can be prevented from entering the sewer through behavioral changes. Tree roots, however, are an environmental blockage to a waste pipe.

Trees to avoid planting to prevent tree root invasion to a waste pipe

The trees to avoid planting in your garden or anywhere near your sewer line are Paperbarks, Bottlebrushes and Fig Trees.

Trees to plant instead are Gardenias and Lemon Myrtles. Look for plants with non-invasive roots.

Before you plant a new tree or plan your landscaping, check where your main sewer runs and check what type of root system your trees will have. If they have an invasive and strong root system, they have the potential to grow through your sewer pipe.

What causes tree roots to grow through sewer pipes?

I’ve heard mixed causes of how tree roots penetrate pipes. I’ve heard that the pipe needs to be already broken (due to movement in the ground) which allows roots to grow through the pipe.

But other experienced plumbers have advised tree roots can strangle a pipe and cause it to fracture allowing the roots to find their way through the pipe.

No matter how the pipe gets broken, it’s best to avoid running a house sewer line near large trees if you’re building in a new area where there are a lot of Paperbarks.

If your house is well established and you have a council tree that causes problems, it’s best to discuss the matter with the council about what you’re options are on removing it.

Most times, the trees are protected which can be frustrating as the roots can cause expense to to a home owner, let alone a health and safety issue if raw effluent backflows through the house. (It should overflow through the ORG though)

Trees also have the potential to cause damage to a home in a storm if they fall.

What to do if tree roots are causing pipe blockages to your property

Call a plumber every 18 months to 2 years to continually jet rod the roots inside the pipe. This is costly in the long run, and an inconvenience, but a cheaper short term option.
Excavate and dig up the main sewer and replace the broken section. This can be expensive and labour intensive. Once completed, you should have no issues with tree roots for a very long while – if ever.
Reline the inside of the sewer pipe with a sleeve. This avoids digging up the sewer. This option may not be viable for your property. Check with a approved and licensed tradesperson to get their opinion and expertise.

Have you experienced a pipe blockage due to tree roots? Were you surprised by the biggest cause of blocked sewer pipes in a home? Do you live in an area with a lot of trees?

The main image was sourced from Balkan Plumbing.

How to do Problogger Conference with a newborn

By

Rebecca Senyard

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September 2, 2014

42

Last Thursday, Jacob, Phoebe and I headed to the Gold Coast for this year’s Problogger Conference. For those that have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s an annual conference for bloggers around Australia where we learn how to be better bloggers. The speakers are always inspiring, the venue and food is always incredible and it’s a chance to interact with bloggers in real life as opposed to online. My favourite part is the networking. I love meeting new bloggers, catching up with bloggers who I diligently read all the time and it’s a chance to meet the big wheels in blogging who actually don’t think they’re big wheels at all.

Back when the dates were released for the Problogger Conference at the beginning of the year, I immediately went to my calendar and counted the weeks from my delivery date to the first day of the conference. I worked out that Phoebe would be 7 weeks old. It was a gamble purchasing my ticket and booking our accommodation because I didn’t know what kind of baby Phoebe would be. I still bought my ticket and prayed that she would be similar natured to her previous sisters. And she was and is.

My mum and dad offered to look after Esther and Magdalene for me which meant I could book a room at the QT as opposed to taking the whole family down and staying at a nearby apartment. Hotel rooms just don’t work for little kids who need their own separate rooms to sleep in.

These two loved staying at their Grandma's house while I went to Problogger — These two loved staying at their Grandma’s house while I went to Problogger

Having Jacob come with me to the conference meant that I could get him to look after Phoebe so I could concentrate on the sessions when she was sleeping. I also got Phoebe used to a bottle so that if I couldn’t tear myself away to breastfeed her, Jacob could feed her.

The great thing about Problogger is that the conference is very baby friendly. The voluteers were so helpful. Most of them were mothers themselves so knew how to make it easier for us mums to get in and out of the main room. There were other bloggers who had their babies (up to 1 year old) at the conference and we generally congregated at the back of the main auditorium or the side so that we could make a quick exit if our babe decided to cry or become unsettled. The other blogging mums with babies didn’t have partners with them (that I saw) at the conference, so they did an amazing job by themselves.

For me, I was glad to have Jacob there and it gave him the opportunity to meet the bloggers who would write comments on my blog. He would recognize blog names straight away and I really loved how everyone at the conference embraced him and made him feel welcome even though he wasn’t a blogger. Of course the number one question asked of him was ‘So when are you going to start a blog?’ And Jacob’s answer was always ‘I don’t know how to write’ which is the number one reason that stops most people from starting a blog. 🙂

I learned quite a bit at the conference. It will need another post just to write down everything I learned. I think the biggest lesson when choosing sessions is to work out which ones to go to before the conference. Having to work in with a feeding schedule for baby means working out which sessions you don’t want to miss and which ones you are happy to listen to the audio.

There was no way I was going to miss Nikki's session (from Styling You) at the Conference — There was no way I was going to miss Nikki’s session (from Styling You) at the Conference

At 3pm on the first day of the conference I booked an hour pedicure at the Spa Q. My feet needed a bit of TLC so it was nice to get away from the conference and have some time alone. I fell asleep during the treatment because it was done while I was lying down. Spa Q is definitely a must do when staying at the QT. I’d love to go back and indulge in more treatments.

The Saturday night networking event opened up some spaces for partners to come along. I paid for Jacob to come once I was given the all clear that Phoebe could attend. I dressed Phoebe in her own little “ahoy” outfit: a seahorse dress from Target. I’m really glad that I made the effort to go to the party because it gave everyone who wanted to, a chance to cuddle Phoebe.

I’m naming Mrs Woog as the baby whisperer because Phoebe looked straight into her eyes while she was being cuddled and wouldn’t stop smiling. She was passed around from blogger to blogger and finally Jo from Down to Earth Mother rocked Phoebe to sleep and placed her in her capsule.

A little while after, Phoebe woke up with a start and started to scream – not that anyone would have heard because the noise in the bar was so loud. As I cuddled Phoebe to my chest, with my hand firmly on her bottom, I felt a rumble and then my hand felt wet. I asked Jacob whether it was a number 1 or 2 that he could see through Phoebe’s white pants and it was a number 2… or should I say a number 3.

The worst place for a baby to do a number 3 is at a bar where there are no change table facilities. I headed to the toilets, trying to avoid bloggers stopping me to cuddle Phoebe.

Thankfully the women’s toilets had vanity tables that you could sit at and do your make up so it was the perfect surface to change Phoebe’s nappy and outfit. She was a bit unsettled after I changed her so I got her on the boob and networked in the ladies toilets, as you do when you’re a female plumber who blogs about plumbing.

I was on toilet door duty because one of the cubicle doors wouldn’t lock. I got to catch up with so many bloggers in the ladies bathroom as they waited in line and watched me feed Phoebe. Once Phoebe was happy, I came out of the toilets and saw Jacob standing by the pram by himself. He said he figured I must have been alright because every woman that left the bathroom had a smile on their face. Whether it was because they were relieved after a few drinks or had seen Phoebe, I’m not sure.

By this stage it was 9:50pm and we had to leave by 10pm because the bar would open to the public. This suited us fine because we were both tired and didn’t want a late night anyway.

I guess the one thing about having a baby at a conference is that you can miss fun parts. I didn’t get my photo taken in the Olympus Photo Booth, but I got to have one on one interactions with well known bloggers.

I went with the flow for the conference, not putting pressure on myself or Jacob on having to stick to a strict routine. I didn’t get to network much during the meal times because I would spend them eating with Jacob in the reception lounge area, breastfeeding Phoebe at the same time. Most bloggers would come up to me during this time anyway to talk as they walked by.

In a nutshell my tips on How to do Problogger Conference with a newborn is

Get you older children cared for by a family member so it’s just you and the baby going
Bring your partner or blogging buddy along so they can help with the baby juggle
Book a room at the conference location so that bub can always be nearby
Choose which sessions to attend to before arriving at the venue
Try and schedule feeds during the meal breaks
Don’t put pressure on yourself to attend every session

You can definitely still get a lot out of going to Problogger Conference with a baby, it just takes a bit more organization and little expectation of being able to do everything that is available at the Conference.

Have you ever taken a baby along to a Conference? How did you find Problogger Conference? If you went, did you get to meet Phoebe?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

The Proverbs 31 Man

By

Rebecca Senyard

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August 28, 2014

13

Congratulations to Lauren Broadbent, winner of the $50 Best Restaurant Voucher

Did my title catch you off guard? Isn’t Proverbs 31 about a noble woman? It certainly is and it’s one of my favourite passages in the bible, but I read these passages recently with new eyes and I wanted to share my insight with you.

You see, there is more than one character in these verses that many Christian women aspire to be like. There in the background is the husband who I’ve named the Proverbs 31 man. The focus of these verses is always on the woman, and rightly so because she runs an efficient household and small business. The Proverbs 31 woman sounds too good to be true. But the easiest way for women to imitate this noble woman is to have a heart that loves Jesus and desires to bless others with the gifts and abilities God has given her.

This is what I try to do in my life. To the online and outside world I look busy. I write two blogs, I’ve just had a newborn, I have two little girls and a husband to connect with as well as the day to day running of our household. Life is busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What the outside world doesn’t see is my husband who believes in my talents, encourages me to pursue my dreams and supports me with the housework and the raising of our daughters. He’s not the perfect husband and I’m certainly not the perfect wife. But we are perfect for each other and make a perfect team together.

In Proverbs 31:11 the verses read

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good and not harm, all the days of her life.

And verse 23

Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

And verse 28

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her;

A husband and wife that encourage and support each other in their life’s pursuits are given incredible favour. This positive and beautiful respect for each other, lifts each one up in their God given roles.

Appreciation shouldn’t be a one way street, it should be infinite in family life.

I wouldn’t be the woman I am now without Jacob. As an example of his good character, these last 7 weeks he has cared for me, taken over the cooking of the evening meals, played with our girls, washed and hung out loads of washing, done the housework and he has helped me with my blog post ideas. Today we are heading to the Problogger Conference on the Gold Coast where he will look after Phoebe in between feeds so I can learn more about the craft of blogging.

For me, blogging and writing online is the best way for me to be the stay at home mum that I want to be. Jacob knows my heart and he wants me to pursue this area because this working arrangement will benefit our family.

Jacob is an example of a Proverbs 31 man. So is my dad. If you look around, there are Proverbs 31 men everywhere. Sadly there are also men who live like authoritarians and domestic violence against women is at an all time high. This is unacceptable behavior. If only these men realized the favour they would receive by treating the women in their lives well. There would be more happy families and loving homes.

With Fathers Day coming up, I believe it is the perfect time to say thank you to the Proverbs 31 men in our lives. Thank you for being an example to our sons on how to treat women with respect. And thank you for showing our daughters how they should be valued.

To celebrate Father’s Day I have a $50 Best Restaurants Gift Card to giveaway. To enter, leave a comment below stating what you appreciate the most about your dad or husband. The gift voucher will not be received in time for Fathers Day so keep this in mind when entering.

It would be nice if you followed The Plumbette on Facebook or Twitter, but it is not essential to enter the giveaway.

Terms and Conditions

These terms shall apply to all giveaways and competitions run on this site, www.theplumbette.com.au

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 $50 Best Restaurants Gift Card.

3. Entries open from Thursday 28th August 2014 6am Brisbane Time to Friday 5th September 2014 6pm Brisbane Time.

4. Prize is not transferable or changeable

5. Prize sent out by Menulog 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 anytime without notice

All Bible verses have been taken from the NIV version.

My Favourite Family #myfamilylens

By

Rebecca Senyard

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August 26, 2014

34

A fundamental part of one’s wellbeing is their sense of belonging. The moment I arrived, I knew I was going to be a part of a special family. They were my favourite family to capture during the #myfamilylens challenge organized by Kidspot Voices 2014.

They welcomed me with open arms. My mum, Rebecca, also known as The Plumbette, introduced me to my dad. We had a mutual affection for one another and I knew where I belonged and what my role would be in this family. It was an important role: to capture memories of a busy and growing family.

When I first met my mum she was glowing and overflowing. She was anticipating the arrival of another member to her family. I love this candid shot of her against the pantry door while she was cleaning up the kitchen. My inbuilt art filters were used to make the expectant mum look her best when she felt like she was looking her worst. This is where I’m different to all other cameras. I can give more or less light and produce a beautiful memory. Yes, this memory is grainy, but in it’s rawness, it is still a poignant memory.

Before the arrival of baby Phoebe, I got to interact with siblings, Esther and Magdalene. There was no need for filters when shooting these beauties. Their smile and contagious laugh was a joy to capture. It was fun to capture their not so happy interactive moments too.

Sometimes my dad and I would have to go on an adventure to find where the girls would go hiding. One afternoon we found them hidden from view in the garden. Naturally my dad started to point me in their direction. Being light and portable, my dad could tread carefully through the garden forest so we would not be seen or heard. The moment the girls realized they had been found I was able to capture this shot.

On the morning of Phoebe’s arrival, I had the privilege of being invited behind the scenes during the birth. I’m happy to be passed around as long as the person holding me knows how to press my buttons. I was passed to a midwife who complimented me on how easy I was to use and how cute I looked. I may have blushed.

I could tell the midwife knew what she was doing as she snapped away. I could feel she had done this many times before. But not on a camera like myself. She was impressed on how well I could capture a shot. My mum gave her my number, OM-D E-M10.

After the birth, I stayed at the hospital. I shared in the most intimate of moments between mother and daughter. I was even there when the older sisters and extended family came to visit. I was made welcome and put to use at every moment. I was living my dream.

Back at home, I got to shoot another member of the family, Bentley. Bentley is very protective of his family. He was protective of getting his photo taken too, but I was able to sneak this shot in a rare moment where he stood still long enough for me to zoom into his face.

Flowers started to arrive at the doorstep to congratulate on the arrival of Phoebe. I got to capture their beauty before they wilted and had to be put to rest.

My mum indulged on chocolate in the liquid and solid form. She wasn’t the only one interested in eating a sweet treat.

I feel like I fit in nicely with this family. I made the most of my time with them and impressed my mum and dad with my artistic capablilities. There really isn’t a camera like me elsewhere on the market. See the evidence of my ability for yourself in the following images.

My favourite memory of all is this one, with all members of the family in the one photo. I don’t have long enough legs or arms to ensure everyone is captured in a photo. But I can talk to my colleague, the iPhone, who can happily assist by being pressed as a remote to ensure a family portait can be taken with ease through the Olympus Share Application. Of course while I can guarantee cooperation of myself and the iPhone, the kids are another story.

I have been able to witness celebrations and milestones, laughter and joy between sisters who are best friends.

I’m grateful for the time I have spent with my family and my time with them is coming to an end.

I will miss them dearly. It would be a delight to be gifted back to this family who has shown me utmost care and kindness. I hope I am returned back to them soon.

This is the last post of 3 blogposts as part of the Kidspot Voices of 2014 Olympus Blog Challenge. I have been loaned an Olympus OM-D E-M10 camera as part of the #myfamilylens challenge to take photos and write three blogposts choosing 3 of 10 prompts supplied. Thank you to Kidspot and Olympus for giving me the opportunity to use the camera for a couple of months and to be in the running for some great prizes. The camera has been put to use at a very special time in our family’s life.

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Five ways to protect your health as a tradesperson

By

Rebecca Senyard

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August 22, 2014

6

Sponsored Post

One of the drawbacks of becoming a tradesperson is the strain it can put on one’s body. Tradespeople suffer from workplace-related injuries in almost 1 in 5 cases.

August is Tradies National Health Month and the campaign is designed to encourage tradies to take better care of their health and work life habits. Adopting safe working practices like correct lifting methods and not pushing through to get a job done when their body is in pain are ways to prevent musculoskeletal problems both now and in the future.

As a plumber, I had to ensure that I wouldn’t push myself to ‘keep up with the boys’. The times when I did (like overfilling a wheelbarrow with mortar sand), my back paid for it that night and the following week.

Here are five ways to protect your health as a tradesperson

Get regular deep tissue massages. When I’d strain my back digging trenches or barrowing sand, my back and shoulders would ache so much. I’d try to get relief from booking a massage. My therapist was able to pinpoint areas of my body that needed to be worked on and showed me stretches that could help ease tightness and pain in problem areas. I had to have weekly appointments at first because my back was so bad. Eventually my appointments lengthened out to fortnightly and finally monthly visits.
Exercise and stretch regularly. The more fit you are, the better your body is able to handle physical work.
Eat healthy food. Tradespersons are notorious for eating unhealthy takeaway or taking short breaks to have quick fix hits that offer very little nutrition. The body needs healthy food to perform well.
Get adequate sleep on a quality mattress. Latex Mattress offer the best posture and lumbar support to assist with quality sleep. No point sleeping on a poor quality mattress because it will only add to your back pain problems.
See a doctor as soon as pain is noticed. Intervention is better than cure in this instance and a doctor may prescribe a visit to the physiotherapist. Leaving it too long to seek treatment can mean an early retirement from the trade industry.

Ignoring aches and pain as a tradesperson is one of the worst things a tradie can do. Not seeking treatment or practicing healthy habits, can result not only in early retirement, but can also cause lifelong debilitation. Don’t put your musculoskeletal health at risk, it’s not worth the pain.

Have you ever experienced back or neck pain from work? What did you do to treat it?

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

How to add colour to a grey bathroom

By

Rebecca Senyard

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August 19, 2014

27

Thank goodness The Block came back on TV. It’s great viewing when you’re feeding a baby!

When the bathroom reveals were shown two weeks ago, there was mixed reviews on Twitter. All of the bathrooms were grey and white. There was no colour to be seen and some fans of the show tweeted their disappointment that the bathrooms were ‘fifty shades of grey’.

I defended the bathroom colour choices because whenever I have done maintenance in a bathroom that incorporated a trending colour of the time, it looks dated. A neutral colour scheme can help a bathroom remain modern as well as make it look bigger than what it is.

I have a grey and white bathroom. I love it. I find it easy to clean and it still looks on trend despite the fact the bathrooms were designed and installed nearly ten years ago.

The key to adding colour and interest into a grey bathroom can be as simple as including coloured taps, accessories and towels. Accessories and towels are the easiest to incorporate as they can be changed depending your mood and current trends. Plus there is no need to hire a licensed plumber to install new tapware.

For the purpose of this post I bought these fabulous teal and pink hand towels from Ikea which is from their Spring/Summer 2015 range. The mini coloured glass vessels are from Ikea and were a bargain at $1.99 each.

When it comes to accessories, coloured vases can add interest . A bunch of bright flowers in a glass vase can make a nice welcome when you greet the bathroom first thing in the morning.

If you have young children like me, keep the glass accessories in the ensuite rather than the main bathroom or keep them away from both, if your kids use both bathrooms. Opt for plastic vases and vessels instead.

I have put a board together of coloured accessories and towels that can work well with a grey tiled bathroom.

1. Ingeborg Towel Range from Ikea starting from $1.49

2. Losjon Toothbrush Holder from Ikea $2.99

3. Svartsjon Soap Dispenser from Ikea $5.99

4. Svartsjon Soap Dish from Ikea $3.99

5. Losjon Soap Dish from Ikea $2.99

6. Crosses Hand Towel from Aura by Tracie Ellis $19.95

7. Medium Resin Seaweed Dish by Dinosaur Designs $75.00

8. Ziporah Hand Towel from The Block Shop $35.00

9. Svartsjon Tumbler from Ikea $3.99

For me, colour lifts my mood, but a clean bathroom is really what floats my boat. I rarely have time to appreciate a colourful bathroom when looking after little children, but it’s still an interior of the home that gets viewed and used the most.

What colour is your bathroom and how do you add colour if it’s grey like mine?

Linking up with Essentially Jess for I blog on Tuesdays.

This is not a sponsored post, just sharing items I love.

Oh the places you’ll go

By

Rebecca Senyard

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August 17, 2014

4

I just finished doing a radio interview with James O’Loghlin from the ABC about being a female plumber.

I was asked how I got into plumbing and I explained that my dad was a plumber and he was looking for someone to take over his business. James commented that I didn’t experience discrimination applying for my job and that in essence I had it easy to get into the field.

It’s not the first time I have had that comment. But just because I didn’t get discriminated getting into the trade, doesn’t mean I didn’t experience it while doing it.

However, this post has nothing to do with discrimination. I wanted to encourage you about taking a risk and seeing where it will take you.

When my dad offered me a job in our family business 8 years ago, I was in a well-paid Sales Executive job with a courier company. I didn’t love it but I was getting great results. My new customers were giving positive and unexpected feedback to my Sales Manager about how I had helped them. The day I told my Sales Manager that I was quitting my job to learn how to run a plumbing business, he was in shock because I had been doing so well in a short amount of time.

I remember the churning in my stomach about putting in my notice. I hated the feeling of letting my Sales Manager down by quitting my job. I also fretted about the huge risk of working for my dad and whether I could handle running a medium sized business as well as fulfil my desire of having children.

Sometimes you just have to jump in the deep end and see whether you will sink or swim. I didn’t know how my job would evolve. Yet 8 years later, I’m still swimming. I’m not in the ocean I expected to be paddling in but I’m stroking through new waters that will ultimately be for the greater good for myself and my family.

The Plumbette has opened up amazing opportunities for me in the short while that I have been blogging. My hope is to see that increase as I continue to work hard coming up with new and interesting content each week.

I LOVE writing my blog. And I thank God that He’s been revealing the steps I need to take to create a career out of something I had no idea could be possible.

I questioned whether I was on the right path all throughout my apprenticeship. I would get prayer some Sunday’s at church about clarification and direction. And every time I thought of quitting, there was a mustard seed of faith and a little voice that told me to keep going. And keep going I did.

Sometimes we question our decisions or whether we’re on the right path when the going gets tough, but anything worthwhile doing is never easy. There’s always a battle before the triumph.

So take a risk. Take that leap of faith and see where the waters will take you. Oh the places you’ll go if you do. You will probably have wished you’d done it sooner.

And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. Eric Jong

When was the last time you took a risk?

An Interview with The Blue Water Group

By

Rebecca Senyard

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August 14, 2014

15

Sponsored Post

When I started this blog, I would wonder if other plumbers could relate to what I would share. I wondered if they agreed with the advice I would write here. I didn’t care if they did or didn’t, but blogging can be lonely if no one leaves comments and it’s always nice to get feedback. Today’s post is a bit different because I have asked some questions of a successful plumber in Sydney, John Ezzy who is the founder and owner of The Blue Water Group which is based in Sydney. I was quite nostalgic with John’s answers as it made me reflect on the interior fit out work my dad and I did together a few years ago. I love getting to know other trades and bringing attention to quality tradespeople, so I hope you enjoy reading what John has to say.

How long have you been a plumber and when did you start your plumbing business?

I started my first year apprenticeship in 1985 and then started my business in 1991. So I have been running my own business for 23 years!

What kind of work does the Blue Water Group specialize in? What areas/suburbs do you service?

We don’t really specialise in any particular area, we offer a vast range of services instead. For example, we carry out new installations on high rise commercial and residential projects, we tend to shopping centres and formulate various custom services for homes. We work on Sydney Water infrastructure, plus our maintenance division looks after a range of clients from your typical building managers to your local mum and dad who require hot water replacement. We also look after the hydraulic design component as well. It really is vast, we are a one stop shop! We service the Sydney area, from the Central Coast, to Katoomba to Wollongong. We have also begun works in the Brisbane CBD area. And as our business continues to grow we will continue to expand.

What is the best part of running a plumbing business?

I work with a great team and enjoy building relationships with my colleagues and clients. I am very passionate about helping others and making each day interesting, so running a plumbing business allows me to explore my capabilities and to assist others. There is great joy in knowing that you have made someone’s day easier or more enjoyable. There is also great enjoyment in delivering a project with a top quality standard. Especially where the tasks involve working within a strong team and the customer appreciates our work.

What are the drawbacks to running your own plumbing business?

Timing. It is all about time. I love what I do, but there aren’t enough hours in a day to explore other opportunities. I am a big believer in ‘giving back’ to the community and I wish I had more time to be able to build on that. Luckily, part of this has become a reality as our group travelled to Cambodia to a remote village made up of kids that were either abandoned, sick, or had nowhere to go. We carried out a variety of tasks such as supplying them with fresh water, sewer treatment solutions, hot water and a general upgrade of the current facilities. If I had more time, I would devote a lot more attention to this area. I am currently working on this project and moving forward will focus more energy and time on promoting the need and awareness of helping others.

What is your advice for apprentice plumbers who want to start their own business?

You need to consider whether or not you have the right amount of experience and expertise before you jump into starting your own business. But it is also important to note that being a good plumber does not qualify you to run your own business, as entrepreneurial skills are learnt over time. Having experience, expertise and entrepreneurial skills are considerations at the top of the list for customers. As an apprentice you may not fulfil those requirements to the extent that you should and you may be better off furthering your education and experience before you jump into something. This way when you do branch out, you minimise the risk of potential customers crossing you off their list as there are better qualified or more experienced plumbers. Plumbing is very competitive and operates heavily on word of mouth, so ensuring that your customers are satisfied with your quality of work is key!

What advice would you give a young person who wishes to start a career in plumbing?

Firstly, like any industry, you should enjoy what you do. If you are passionate and keen on absorbing as much as you can, then you will make a career out of any path you choose. In regards to plumbing, you should want to help others, be comfortable with getting dirty and happily tackle projects with a hands on approach.

What tips can you give people when looking for a reliable plumber?

Research. It is so important to ensure that the plumber you need is qualified, experienced and has a great work ethic so I would jump online then pick up the phone. Generally, as a safeguard, I encourage people to follow the below tips: –

Request and check their plumbing license (this would mean that they have insurance and you could in fact confirm that they are qualified).
Ask how long they have been operating for as it indicates a strong customer base and that they are less likely to disappear.
Compare quotes for the same job to ensure that they aren’t charging you too much. Note that cheaper isn’t always better but by utilising this tip you can ask for an explanation as to why company A charges more than company B.
Ask the plumber if they have any current promotions or guarantees. A plumber with great performance will generally be confident enough to ‘put their money where their mouth is’.
Jump online and read their reviews or examine their online media. This is great as you can view how these plumbers interact with their customers (ie facebook reviews, answer queries etc)
Ask friends of neighbours about their plumbing experience, if you ask a trusted person and they give you a good referral then that plumber will more likely have built a good reputation on their skill and work ethic.

I cannot stress how important this list is, I understand that plumbing is usually a ‘fix it right now’ field, but it is so important to safeguard yourself. Don’t skim on this checklist because you have an emergency, your priority should be making sure that the job is fixed properly the first time!

If you weren’t a plumber, what career would you have chosen?

My other greatest passion is trading within the stock market, so I guess if I didn’t have the option of working within the plumbing industry I would have gone down that road.

John Ezzy, Founder and Owner of Blue Water Group with his daughter.

Thanks John for your answers and allowing me to share your insight about running a plumbing business.

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

A Time Saving Smart Beauty Solution for one’s Vanity

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 12, 2014

23

What would a plumber know about beauty products? Do plumbers even care?

Plumbers around Australia know a thing or two about a woman’s love affair with beauty products. It’s as simple as opening up the vanity cupboard.

Can any plumbers relate? Any husbands?

You’re called to fix a leaking vanity basin.

You walk into the bathroom and lay the tools on the vanity bench.

You open the door and…

BAM!

You’re greeted by a million beauty products, jam packed under the vanity basin, requiring methodic removal and a good memory to restore the chaos to the same position.

But I have a time saving, smart beauty solution for one’s vanity.

Introducing the Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 Wash, Exfoliant and Mask in ONE bottle. That’s right, one product replaces three individual bottles. You can gain some much needed space under the vanity!

As a service to both women and plumbers around Australia, I have put the product to the test. The results are going to declutter your vanity cupboard and unblock your pores.

My face prior to using Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1

Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Active 3 in 1 is most suited to oily/combination skin types. I suffer from the combination sort, with an oil runway from my forehead to my chin.

Used as a daily wash, it’s easy to massage on a damp face. The wash includes zinc to eliminate impurities and minimize excess sebum by up to 97%. Oily T Zone, be gone!

When used as an exfoliant, the cleanser is enriched with minerals to assist in removing dead skin cells and help remove oil trapped in blocked pores. I could feel the pumice stone beads polish the surface of my nose to help dislodge stubborn impurities like blackheads and pimples.

The mask was my favourite because I felt the full power of the salicylic acid which created a strong, tingling sensation. I applied a thick amount of Pure 3 in 1 to create a mask. It was left on for 3 minutes and when washed off, my skin felt smooth and refreshed.

And this is what my faced looked like after.

Women around Australia will be thanking me for this time saving #smartbeauty solution and plumbers will be patting me on the back for creating space underneath the vanity. Garnier Skin Naturals Pure 3 in 1 is available at supermarkets, pharmacies and independent variety stores and retails for $10.95.

Does your vanity cupboard resemble the one as above? Do you have a #smartbeauty solution to save your vanity?

Disclosure: This is my entry into the Kidspot Voices of 2014 #smartbeauty challenge. The prizes are pretty awesome with the winner receiving $1000 cash and a year’s worth of Garnier products. As part of the challenge, I was sent two products to try and I was prompted to review just one. If you want to check out another smart beauty secret, why not check out my blogging friend Kirsten & Co’s post about a cleansing water you’re not meant to drink. As a side note I don’t recommend replacing your deodorant, moisturiser or sunscreen with this product alone as shown in the above pictures. I had to be bold in this post and needed to prove my point. 🙂

Focusing on the eternal

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 11, 2014

6

During my early morning feeds with Phoebe I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed. It hasn’t been full of happy news or pretty pictures. It’s been full of the tragedies happening in the Middle East. There are articles being shared of Christians being persecuted and beheaded in north Iraq. Pictures of families fleeing their homes to the safety of a mountain where there is no food or water. Chilling pictures of masked militants with guns aimed at ordinary men, bent over waiting to be executed.

I can’t imagine what the families are feeling as they make their way towards Turkey to find a safe refuge.

Their life and death situation is one that I can’t relate to. The kind of persecution I’ve received here in Australia about my faith is sticks and stones compared to the bullets and blades Christians in the Middle East are experiencing.

My heart fills with fear as I watch Phoebe peacefully nuzzle at my breast and wonder what the world will be like when she is my age. What kind of wars will she witness? How can I protect her?

I can’t.

But my God can.

It’s in these tragedies that I forget about my momentary troubles and pray for the petrifying circumstances in north Iraq.

I question God about His involvement. Where is He when His own are being slaughtered because of His name?

He is there. Not in the violence, but with those that are being persecuted.

I take comfort from these verses from the NIV Bible in Romans 8, from verse 35:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship, or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels, nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depth will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My prayer for the refugees in Iraq is that they would feel and know God’s love in this horrifying time. That they would feel peace and that the humanitarian efforts on the ground and in the air in those areas will be able to provide necessary food, water and supplies to meet their needs.

In circumstances like these, we can feel helpless, but prayer can break through the spiritual warfare that is reigning in the Middle East. This is a great article that explains 5 things you can do to help with the crisis in Iraq.

If you’re not the praying or God fearing type, maybe it’s time to really think about what you believe and whether your life aligns to your beliefs. There is more to life than work, paying a mortgage and building your own empire. Tragically people live life with this perspective in mind and have nothing eternal to show for their life’s effort.

Focusing on the eternal is how one overcomes persecution in terrible times.

What is your reaction to what is happening in Iraq?

A Tip Top Selection of Tapware

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 8, 2014

12

Sponsored Post

The way we shop has changed a lot in the last decade. Online shopping is becoming more popular due to convenience and the ability to research brands and get the best price.

Plumbing fixtures and taps are slowly becoming more widely available for online purchase. Not all plumbing items can be purchased online, but I believe there will be a stage where plumbing suppliers and retailers will need to offer online shopping as part of their service. Construction projects and renovations are having tighter deadlines thanks to unrealistic expectations shown on shows like The Block and House Rules. Many consumers and tradespersons will be forced to purchase their fixtures and taps online to save time researching show room to show room.

One such business that is following the tide of change is Tip Top Select (TTS). TTS is an online business that offers a range of quality branded tap-ware, shower fittings and plumbing components at competitive prices.

The business was established by Rafaela Giebler-Wijegooneratne who has over 30 years experience working in the plumbing industry. She has extensive knowledge of plumbing brands and has used her expertise to offer customers a niche range of well-established Australian and New Zealand tapware.

The brands that TTS offer online include Ramtaps, Aquatica, Felton, LaVita, Meco and Disflex. Rafaela intends to invite more companies to show their product ranges on her site as well.

When I worked in the commercial plumbing niche, I was either dictated by a specification or could use my own spec if the client wasn’t fussed. If I used my own specification, I had to find taps and fixtures that were middle of the range to meet the budget. In situations like this, TTS is great because of their excellent prices and the ability to ‘browse’ online in the comfort of an office, rather than flip through a tap and fixture manual and then wait for prices to be emailed the next day from the plumbing supplier.

The key point of difference with TTS is that the online specifications of each listed item on the site is detailed so that the customer knows exactly what they are purchasing. The site will be very beneficial for builders, plumbers and architects who often need this information during the design and installation process.

TTS is not just inclusive for tradespeople, its easy navigation is beneficial for the renovator and domestic consumer who desire to purchase and supply their own tap-ware for their building project.

One aspect of TTS’s business model that I’m impressed with is Rafaela’s desire to support her community. Rafaela is a firm believer in corporate social responsibility and it is her aspiration to offer support to Destiny Rescue which is an internationally recognized, non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing children from human trafficking and sexual exploitation. All purchases made on TTS will enable Rafaela to fulfill her goal of supporting this cause.

If you are looking for a one-stop shop that offers tapware and components from Australian and New Zealand manufacturers, make sure you stop by at Tip Top Select. Rafaela and her team are passionate about helping you get the best product for your budget.

If you’ve purchased taps, where have you usually gone to purchase them?

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

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

Menulog: How to order Indian delivery online (Review & Giveaway)

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 7, 2014

10

And the winner is Catherine Kate Ivory. Enjoy!

Having a newborn can be a busy time for a family. I’m grateful that Jacob has been able to have time off work to help me as we adjust to a new routine.

Despite having Jacob home, dinner hasn’t been an easy task to get on the table. He has done well and we have had friends deliver meals which has been a blessing. But there have been days where we haven’t been organized to defrost meat from the freezer or it is 4pm and dinner is the last thing we want to do after a hectic day.

Tuesday was one of those days, so I went to the Menulog website for some online food delivery and decided to try Indian Takeaway. I found two Indian restaurants that delivered in our area. Unfortunately the closest restaurant and one we usually order from wouldn’t accept orders on Tuesdays, but the other Indian restaurant had a good review and even offered 10% discount on our first order online. I decided to give them a go. I’m so glad I did.

I forgot to tell them online how hot I wanted our dishes, so I had a call 5 minutes after placing the order requesting how we would like our curries to be prepared. After the phone call I received a text message stating the delivery would be at 5.56pm.

The delivery arrived at 5:45pm – earlier than expected and we received 3 round tubs of rice and a butter chicken curry FREE with our order. There was enough food left over for Jacob and I to have lunch the next day.

I was super impressed with the service and extra attention to detail with our order. I will be using Menulog in future to purchase future takeaway meals.

If you’d like to try the service for yourself, I have one $25 Menulog voucher to giveaway to one of my readers.

To enter all you need to do is tell me what is your favourite takeaway dish and why?

It would be great if you followed The Plumbette via Facebook or Twitter or Subscribe to the Newsletter on the side of this post – but this is not essential.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I received a voucher to try the Menulog service online. All opinions are my own.

Terms and Conditions

These terms shall apply to all giveaways and competitions run on this site, www.theplumbette.com.au

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 $25 Menulog online voucher.

3. Entries open from Thursday 7th August 2014 6am Brisbane Time to Friday 15th August 2014 6pm Brisbane Time.

4. Prize is not transferable or changeable

5. Prize sent out by Menulog 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 anytime without notice

Celebrate Frozen Style

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 5, 2014

24

Esther turned 4 on Saturday and like every young girl her age, wanted to celebrate by having a Frozen party. I knew organizing and having a party 3 weeks after having a newborn was going to be a big task so my mum stepped in and helped. She organized the decorations, table settings, some of the food, the cake and an outfit for the Birthday girl. We were able to capture special moments during the day using our on loan Olympus OM-DE-M10 camera as part of the #myfamilylens challenge. It was put to the test taking shots during what can be a chaotic time! But the photos don’t disappoint and we were able to experiment with the filters to create some great pictures.

The morning started at 6am when Esther came into our bedroom and we got her to open her presents while Magdalene slept in. I won a Frozen prize pack at the beginning of the year and kept the prizes as presents for Esther’s birthday. She got an Ana doll, Frozen Stickers, two Frozen books, a Frozen watch and a Frozen diary. The other part of her present was a Jemima doll from Playschool which she had been wanting for a while. As there was little light so early in the morning, Jacob was able to capture this shot with my lamp on which created a soft yellow light.

Photo taken using the Olympus OM-D E-M10 using filter — Photo taken using the Olympus OM-D E-M10 using Pin Hole filter

Photo taken using filter. — Photo taken using Dramatic Tone filter

The party started at 9:30am and I only invited 4 of her closest friends and their siblings. The smaller the party, the more relaxed I feel and it’s less stress for me.

The food was all Frozen inspired. I made Sven and Sleigh gingerbreads, shortbread snowflakes and a blue slice while Jacob turned cheese sticks into Olaf’s and cut and sprinkled castle fairy bread. My mum baked up a storm by making cupcakes frosted with snowflakes, white chocolate rice pops and the Birthday Cake which had blue and purple layers.

Esther dressed as Elsa. Photo taken using filter. — Esther dressed as Elsa, photo taken using Soft Focus filter

My mum also organized the craft where the kids could make their own snowman using marshmallows and pretzels, and their own crowns using glitter pens. The food was a hit with the kids and adults alike. After the craft, it was time for Esther to blow out the candles on her cake.

Magdalene and Esther making crowns with my mum.

This caption was added using the signature feature inside the Olympus App

Everyone enjoyed themselves. Even I got to sit and relax! I had one mum tell me when she left that it was the most relaxing 4 year old party she’d been too and Phoebe seemed to agree because she pretty much slept through the whole thing!

This is the second of 3 blogposts as part of the Kidspot Voices of 2014 Olympus Blog Challenge. I have been loaned an Olympus OM-D E-M10 camera as part of the #myfamilylens challenge to take photos and write three blogposts choosing 3 of 10 prompts supplied. I will detail even more features about the camera in my third post as part of this challenge.

The number 3

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 4, 2014

19

Phoebe is just over three weeks old. She is my third girl. I recently had my 30th Birthday so I feel like 3 is the number for me this year.

Here is my gorgeous girl just after her bath, eyes open, looking at her world… or in this case my on loan Olympus camera.

It was ironic that while I was reflecting on the number 3, my sweet baby girl decided to do a number 3 on me!!

It was a very nasty nappy. The nappy was full from front to back.

Her wondersuit is being soaked as I type.

Have you experienced the number 3 nappy explosion?

I’m linking up for Laugh Link.

Storage solutions while renovating

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

August 1, 2014

6

Sponsored Post

In order for a house renovation to go smoothly, it’s important for the trades onsite to have a good clearway so they don’t have to work around barriers and to prevent them damaging your furniture.

If you are looking to renovate your home, storage of personal items and furniture while the works take place needs to be considered. This week I shared an article on my Facebook page written by another blogger about how to survive living in a house when your kitchen gets renovated. Today, I’m sharing my top 6 storage solutions while renovating.

The first storage solution that comes to mind is to cart furniture and personal items offsite to a storage facility like Fort Knox Storage. I’ve discussed before how Fort Knox Storage can be used for business storage, but it is more commonly used for personal storage and in this circumstance a great short or long term option.

Store furniture and personal items at a friend or family member’s home. If the items need to be stored for a short period of time, this might be the better solution to go with. If the renovation is going to take a few months or longer, I suggest doing tip 1.

If you have a small amount of furniture that needs storing and you don’t require the space offered by a storage facility, search the internet and paper for locals in your area who are happy to hire space in their own home for your items.

Move the furniture to another part of the house that isn’t getting renovated. This could be in a spare bedroom, laundry or garage. Keep in mind that the trades onsite will also need an area for their materials and tools to be stored while they work.

Donate furniture and unwanted items to charity that will come and pick the items up for free. If you are renovating your home, you may want to upgrade the furniture to suit the new interior so rather than spend money on storing furniture you’re not going to use, donate it to charity.

Sell the furniture. Some charities choose not to pick up certain items of furniture or you may not be in a position to donate. Selling the furniture means the buyer has to pick up from your premises and you get money to put towards the renovation or to buy new furniture.

If you’ve renovated a home, where did you store your furniture and personal items? Can you offer any other suggestions?

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

Be wary of quick turnaround renovators

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 29, 2014

15

I’ve been watching a lot of television since having Phoebe. Breastfeeding gives me time to sit on the couch and watch a fair amount of day time television. I rarely take notice of advertisements until this week I saw one that made me cringe and sigh in exasperation.

The advertisement was a trade company promoting they can renovate a bathroom in 1 week.

Any tradesperson that promises a quick turnaround like that should be looked at thoroughly. If the bathroom has a cosmetic face lift, it may have a chance of being done in a week, but a quality bathroom renovation usually takes a minimum of 2 to 4 weeks to complete. Sometimes more if there are unforeseen issues.

The project time is dependent on a number of factors including availability of materials, availability of tradespersons, ensuring existing structures don’t need replacing once walls are pulled down and minimum time needed for applications like water sealing membranes and tiling grout to dry before works can proceed.

A bathroom is a small space to work in and can only have 1-2 tradespersons working at once. Often this is not shown on shows like House Rules or The Block who consistently have weekly turnarounds to compete their bathrooms. Unfortunately it can give false hope to homeowners wanting a quick completion.

It’s very tempting to use a renovator that promises a quick turnaround but I would be asking questions about what is included in the renovation for example:

Will the water and waste pipes be replaced?

Are the existing tiles going to be removed or will the new tiles be laid over the existing ones?

What fixtures are included? Is a new bath included or is the old one going to be recycled and repainted for new?

The answers to those questions will determine the time needed for the completion of the renovation as well as the cost.

A cosmetic upgrade to a bathroom can be a good option if you don’t have a lot of money in the budget and you want the project to take place quickly.

My advice though would be to avoid doing a cosmetic upgrade and save a bit more money to do a full renovation. Cosmetic upgrades are only temporary and can often disguise problems in the bathroom that would be rectified had a full renovation taken place.

My advice for all home owners who are looking to renovate is to be wary of quick turnaround renovators. You may get less than what you bargained for.

Have you ever had your bathroom renovated and how long did it take to be completed?

I’m linking up with Essentially Jess for I Blog On Tuesdays.

Working at heights

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 28, 2014

4

Sponsored Post

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t do heights very well. I’m not sure how this came to be because when my dad would take me to work with him on school holidays, I’d love nothing more than to stand close to the window in a high rise building to see the amazing view outside. I had no fear. But 20 years later, I could only stand a meter away from the windows. It might have something to do with windows falling out of Waterfront Place a couple of years ago which was a building we did a lot of plumbing work in whose windows I got up close to so I could watch boats go up and down the Brisbane River!

No matter my fear, I had a log book to fill out when I was completing my plumbing apprenticeship and I had to write down when I had installed a roof flashing, or gutters or erect a scaffold.

Working at heights needs to be done with upmost safety in mind. To receive the best guidance on working at heights, you should consult height safety specialists, such as Safe at Heights and access quality information and resources, such as those available by visiting here.

The majority of tradespersons in the construction industry know how important it is to use a safety specialist when working at heights, but home owners and DIY renovators can often have little clue and their attempts at working on illegal extension ladders can end with terrible consequences.

Renovating or doing maintenance to a two storey home can bring about height safety issues.

I once had a lady ring me to replace guttering around her two level home and she was unaware that a scaffold would need to be erected in order to reach the gutter safely. Even removing leaf matter from gutters or replacing down pipes may need height safety equipment to ensure the work can be done carefully.

If work needs to be done on the roof of a single storey house (or any roof), a safety harness will need to be used in order for the work to be completed. Again this is another workplace health and safety practice that many homeowners would have little knowledge about, but a height safety specialist would.

Working up high is not something to be afraid of providing you have the right resources and equipment to safely do so.

How are you at heights? Do you fear them or love them?

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

Building an orphanage in Uganda

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 25, 2014

12

This is the follow up post from my trip to Africa that I went on with my fiancé (now husband) 10 years ago. To catch up, read this post and then follow on reading Building an orphanage in Uganda.

I wish I had kept a daily diary of what actually happened in that week when we were in Uganda. I am pretty sure I can remember most details of what I did each day but it’s a bit jumbled so if you came with me on that trip and I’ve written an incorrect sequence, let me know.

Our first full day in Uganda was an orientation day where we piled into the mini bus and we were taken to a finished Watoto site with complete houses and a school. We got to meet the children who were part of the Watoto program. The scenery we drove past as we went to each site was eye opening. This was the third world. There were no road rules, or if there were they were ignored. We had to keep the windows closed on the bus because when we’d stop, children would reach their hands through the windows begging for money and food. It was very confronting and sometimes scary.

The children were beautiful. The people were gracious and had pride in their appearance and would be well dressed despite having slept in a mud hut or tent.

I didn’t get to go into the slums. Only a small part of our group was given that opportunity and I don’t regret not wandering through. I saw enough from the outside to know it would be appalling. It wasn’t high on my agenda to walk through a slum. The emotions that our team members expressed when they shared what they saw and experienced confirmed that I had made the right decision. My focus was on building and leaving a legacy for these children in need. What I didn’t expect was that they would leave a legacy in my life and they would change the way I looked at the world.

This was a common site in Uganda. — This was a common sight in Uganda.

The second day of our trip was when we started building. Our team was taken to the site where a new village was in the process of being built. We were assigned to build the teacher’s quarters which was going to be a two-level building. The teacher’s quarters housed the teachers onsite who taught at the school. In essence we didn’t build a house that would house the orphans, but our building was an important part of the infrastructure of the Watoto site that would look after a new arrival of orphans. We arrived at 7am and didn’t finish until late in the afternoon. It was back breaking work. The bricks that we used were hand poured and their width was longer that what I could hold in my hand so I had to either use two hands to carry a brick or get someone to pile a few bricks using my hands as a base so that I could deliver them to the team members that were mortaring the bricks to make the outside walls. I can’t recall if there was a wheelbarrow.

Rows of handmade mud bricks ready for building with.

My husband taking a break from building.

There was no scaffolding and we only built the first floor of the two storey building.

We assigned ourselves jobs and most of us girls delivered bricks to the guys (and some girls) in our team who were mortaring in the bricks. At lunch I was happy to sit down. We were given loaves of bread and were told to bring our own spreads from home to make sandwiches. The bread was revolting. It was so sweet. It was packed with a lot of sugar or preservatives to keep it from going mouldy. Even when I spread vegemite on it I nearly gagged which is weird because I have a sweet tooth. I didn’t think to pack any food from home because food wasn’t on my radar. Our bags had been packed with essential hospital supplies, school stationery and children’s clothes to be given to the kids. I packed the bare essentials when it came to clothes and toiletries.

I was thankful to one team member who had packed a shopping bag full of muesli bars and he gave me a few to tide me over. The other frustration I had with the food provided was the lack of bottled water. I drink water over soft drink any day. We would always be supplied with milk carts full of bottled Coke. It wasn’t until just last year I was sharing my experience of being in Africa with a work client and he explained I should have just drunk the Coke because who knew where the bottled water came from? I’d never thought of that before! Coke was probably the safest beverage to drink in Uganda!

Terrible photo of me, but proof that I helped build. I'm even wearing a plumbing t-shirt and this was two years before I started my apprenticeship! — Terrible photo of me, but proof that I helped build. I’m even wearing a plumbing t-shirt and this was two years before I started my apprenticeship!

After our first building day, all the women on our team were to go to a local orphanage home that looked after orphans from newborn to three years old. A lot of the children from this orphanage went on to be part of Watoto. There were three options for these children once they reached 3 years of age. They could apply to be a part of Watoto and hope to be selected out of the hundreds and thousands of orphans wanting to be a part of the program (there was a thorough interview process as many children would apply despite not being orphans), or they could be adopted overseas OR they were sent to another orphanage that looked after their age and beyond.

I was thrown into the deep end when our team arrived at the Sanyu babies home. It was one of the better run orphanages, but there were not enough helpers and the ratio of kids to helpers was more than what it should have been. Sadly some babies would die from dehydration or other medical conditions. Two babies died when I was at the orphanage. I was sad but not as emotional as the mums who were on the trip. My maternal instinct hadn’t come into play while I was on that trip. If I went back now, I would have been an emotional wreck. In fact now as I reflect, having given birth to Phoebe, I feel emotional about those babies that didn’t get a chance to live. This confirms my belief that Heaven is full of babies.

Playing with the orphans in the Sanyu Babies Home.

I played with the kids. I remember having two infants sitting in front of me wanting to sit on my lap. The moment I had one child on my lap the other would cry so I would swap and give each one a turn on my lap. These kids just wanted cuddles and to be loved. They were very underdeveloped with their milestones. They had no one else in the world because some of them had been found with their umbilical cords still attached after their mum had given birth and left them in banana plantations or rubbish bins. It would be a miracle for the babies to be found and once they were they would be delivered naked to the orphanage to be looked after. It was heartbreaking hearing how some of the babies were found and when they had been taken into the home. Their birth dates were non-existent as who knew how long they had been left where they had been found. Their birthdays were celebrated on the day they entered the Sanyu home.

The cots where the orphans slept with their names and stories beside each cot.

Back at home, I can’t reveal the extent of what happened to my family but the ramifications are still in effect today. It doesn’t matter what side of the world we live on, family and relationships are one of the most important parts of life and Satan delights when a family falls apart.

That’s why the best case scenarios for orphans in Africa are to be adopted by a family or adopted into the Watoto program. Education can teach a child how to be a leader and how to earn a living, but a family is the foundation that delivers a sense of belonging and security into a child’s life.

I’m linking up With Some Grace for Flog Your Blog Friday.

Our new arrival

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 22, 2014

75

Ten days ago our hearts expanded with the arrival of our third baby girl, Phoebe Grace. Her birth was a planned c-section delivery. I was the first booking of the day which meant Jacob and I had to be up at 4am to get to the hospital for 5:30am for a 7:30am delivery.

It sounds too planned when I explain it that way, and I know a lot of women prefer birth to progress naturally, but for me, knowing the day of delivery (and time) has always been part of my mental birthing plan. I’ve never felt guilty about delivering by c-section although I have noticed that when I’m asked about my labour I explain why I had to have a c-section. It’s a fear of being judged I think.

When Jacob and I arrived at the maternity ward, two of the midwives recognized me and were intrigued that I’d be back so soon. I had only given birth to Magdalene 17 months ago. Jacob and I were the lucky 1% that conceived using contraception. Our Phoebe was meant to be and her smooth sailing delivery proved her existence was part of God’s plan.

I was calm while Jacob and I waited in the delivery room. Jacob took a before photo of me using the Olympus OM-D E-M10 camera that I have been loaned as part of the Kidspot Voices of 2014 Olympus #myfamilylens Challenge. It was the perfect camera to use during the delivery because of its ease of use and compactible size. I know very little about cameras and photography as I’m a point and shoot kind of girl, but I’ve been really impressed with the quality of images this camera takes. Even the midwife who offered to take pictures during delivery commented on what a great camera we had. If only we owned it.

When I went into theatre, I couldn’t stop shaking. I was nervous about the epidural and worried about my reaction to the morphine. My anesthetist was great and he remembered my allergic reaction when I delivered Magdalene. He was reassuring that with a few changes to what he would give me, that there would be little reaction.

There were no issues with the epidural and once I was lying on the bed, I was excited to meet my little girl. I had no reactions other than a little bit of itchiness on the first night. The anesthetist did well.

As Jacob and I waited patiently for Phoebe to arrive, I heard the snipping. I’m so glad the sheet was up so I couldn’t see what was going on down south. Once Phoebe was pulled out, her cry was soft, not loud like her older sister’s was. That first cry is the best sound in the world don’t you think?

Jacob promptly cut Phoebe’s cord and she was gently placed on my chest. For some reason, my gown wasn’t opened for me to have skin on skin contact but I knew there would be plenty of time for that after I was stitched up and back in my room.

Jacob and I admired our beautiful Phoebe, and of course, she looked very similar to her sister’s when they were born. She had traits that she inherited from her mum. A cute button nose, full red lips, a perfectly shaped head with a soft covering of dark hair.

I was anxious about Magdalene’s reaction to her new sister, but my worry subsided the moment she walked into my hospital room and pointed to Phoebe, with a smile on her face saying ‘Bubby’.

Esther was smitten and said, ‘Phoebe is gorgeous mummy’. Yes, yes she is.

The five nights I stayed in hospital were exhausting. I got little sleep at night and the midwives were busy with a nursery full of babies with special needs which meant I persevered with my happy, wide-eyed baby girl who wanted to feed all night and snuggle on my bare chest to sleep. I couldn’t wait to get home because I knew Jacob’s extra set of hands would help with the cuddling so I could get some extra sleep.

Phoebe has settled well at home. Esther and Magdalene love their baby sister. I’m managing on a couple of hours sleep at night. Usually those couple of hours are from 9pm-11pm and from 5:30am to 7amish. I’m looking forward to when Phoebe learns to sleep more at night than during the day!

Despite the lack of sleep, I’m enjoying the snuggles and I’m grateful for Phoebe’s existence. I’m cherishing every moment as I know the time will fly fast. Her birth has been a sweet blessing to my life and I didn’t realize our family was incomplete until she arrived.

This is the first of 3 blogposts as part of the Kidspot Voices of 2014 Olympus Blog Challenge. I have been loaned an Olympus OM-D E-M10 camera as part of the #myfamilylens challenge to take photos and write three blogposts choosing 3 of 10 prompts supplied. I will detail more features about the camera in my next post as part of this challenge.

Roof Plumbing is specialised

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 17, 2014

10

Sponsored Post

Every job has an area that isn’t enjoyable or tedious to do. For me, the two main areas of plumbing that I wasn’t keen on was drain cleaning and roof plumbing. During my time doing commercial and domestic work, our business rarely came across this kind of work, and if we were rung for a quote or a job, we would pass the details onto another plumber who was experienced or keen to do it. Sometimes we would do a little bit of roofing work, but only if work was slow. And it had to be really slow for us to do roof plumbing.

When I did my apprenticeship, the teachers were adamant to us apprentices that plumbers should be experienced in all areas of the trade to maximize the variety of work they could do if work was slow. I agreed, but I also believe plumbers should have a niche that they stick to so that they become known for their expertise in that area.

I remember going to one roofing job with my dad at The Gap in Brisbane. It was a local retail shopping precinct and the property owner had had a number of plumbers out to fix a leaking roof over a takeaway store, but after a couple of months, the roof would leak again. The tenants were getting upset by the damage from the water, so the property manager asked my dad whether he was interested in doing a thorough investigation on why the roof continually leaked.

The roof wasn’t too steep, but we had to use an extension ladder to reach the top. I’ve never been great with heights and I was really nervous hauling myself over the gutter onto the roof. Once on the roof, dad and I discovered that the previous plumbers had just siliconed around a flashing (a metal cover that protects a penetration through the roof) and the flashing was severely rusted and in need of replacing. I was surprised that the roof leaked with the amount of silicone that had been smeared around the flashing. There were streaks of black, grey, white and clear silicone plastered every which way on the roof. It looked like a Picasso picture!!

We measured the penetration to get a new flashing manufactured to replace the existing one. Once a diagram had been drawn with measurements in place, we went to a local steel workshop to get the flashing made.

The size of the flashing required two experienced roof plumbers to install it in place. It was not a job for a plumber with little roof experience.

It’s a common misconception that plumbers can do any type of plumbing work, and in reality they should be able to, but roof problems are not as easy to fix as plumbers would like you to think. The temporary silicone solution that the previous plumbers had done in the above situation is a classic example of inexperienced plumbers not doing the right thing by the client.

That’s why when it comes to roof plumbing, I suggest using a plumber that specializes in roofs like Roofmasters. Their plumbers know what to look for when fixing leaks and installing roofs. Their daily hands on experience means the installation can be done a lot quicker so your bill doesn’t skyrocket from hours of labour incurred from a plumber with little experience.

Back at Tafe, whenever there was sheet metal work involved the roof apprentices would have the projects knocked up quicker than the rest of the plumbing apprentices because of their experience.

So the next time you have an issue with your roof, ring a roof plumber. Your roof and bank account will be better for it.

Did you realize that roof plumbing is specialised? Have you had any problems with a leaking roof?

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

We’re Home

By

Rebecca Senyard

-

July 16, 2014

26

We’re home! After staying five nights in hospital, Phoebe and I got to go home today. It’s so nice being in your own home isn’t it?

This is really a quick post to say that we are doing well. I am really tired. Actually I’m deliriously exhausted because I can count on two hands how many hours of sleep I have had over the last five days since being in hospital. Phoebe likes to stay awake all night and has made herself well accustomed to my bosoms, sometimes wanting to stay attached for hours on end. Last night was the first time she slept for 3 consecutive hours from 1am to 4am and while I felt good getting those 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, I am still catching up on the previous nights that I’ve missed.

Esther and Magdalene meeting Phoebe for the first time. Magdalene is captivated by her new baby sister.

But it is what it is and I am loving the snuggles on the chest and I am cherishing each moment. I thought I’d share a few snaps of the girls meeting their sister for the first time and Jacob and I getting Phoebe ready in her new Safety 1st Infant Carrier (gifted) that arrived late yesterday afternoon in time for our departure from hospital. Who says the youngest gets the hand-me-downs?

Getting Phoebe fitted into her Safety1st Infant Carrier.

I might be a little quiet on the blog over the next couple of days and possibly weeks. I may not post anything to do with plumbing because the only plumbing I’ve been thinking about lately is my own. 😉

I do have a sponsored post that I wrote before Phoebe’s birth that will be up tomorrow. And I am taking part in the Family Lens Challenge using a loaned Olympus Camera. I can’t wait to share the photos with you.

Thank you to all of you for your wonderful messages of congratulations on Phoebe’s birth. You are a beautiful community and I loved reading each message before and after Phoebe’s arrival.

Don’t forget that I am still running a give away where you can win a $100 Red Balloon Voucher.

Tell me, has anything exciting happened to you in the last week? Any tips on getting a newborn to sleep at night rather than through the day?

Alone with three at home

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Storage solutions while renovating

Be wary of quick turnaround renovators

Working at heights

Building an orphanage in Uganda

Our new arrival

Roof Plumbing is specialised

We’re Home

Rebecca Senyard

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