Update :0)

Its been a long time since my last post. In that time I got a part time job, my husband and I had a baby (after many years of trying :0D), and we moved into a bigger but older house (which needs a lot of work).
I'm a housewife again now that our bub is born, and I have a lot of new topics to talk about :0) I'm hoping to keep my blog updated a bit more now (in between feedings and nappy changes lol), so expect a fair few parenting based blogs in the future.

Here is our gorgeous daughter's first smile :0)

The Musings of a Housewife

At the wonderful suggestion of my husband I have decided to broaden the scope of my blog to be more then just my household hints and tips.  It is my hope that lighter pieces, that reflect my own interests; will flesh out my blog a little and add my own personality to it.  I will of course continue to write articles on cooking, cleaning, time management and organising; since that is my main interest :0)

DIY Dog Food

I recently decided to cook my own dog food to supplement their diet of dried biscuits.  To ensure they are getting everything they need from their diet I serve this on top of their commercial dog biscuits and just cut the amount of biscuits down by half.    As a quick warning, this recipe does use vegetables and some vegetables are not safe for dogs so please avoid adding onions, potatoes, unripe tomatoes, and whole corn cobs.  Please ensure any vegetables you do add are washed thoroughly and are safe for consumption :0)
This recipe does take a few hours to cook, thankfully though it only needs minimal supervision :0)

• 1 kg of soup bones or any other meat you wish to use (I use bones put aside by butchers especially for animals because they are meaty, inexpensive, and readily available from butcheries and supermarkets).
• Water, amount will vary depending on pan size and meat used.  
• 1/4 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.
• 1 small pinch of Garlic powder (granules, garlic mince and fresh garlic are also fine, just keep the quantities very small).
• 2 Cups of frozen veggies (I use peas, green beans, corn kernels, and carrots).
• 1 Cup Rice.
• 2 Teaspoons of tomato paste.
• 2 Tablespoons of flour or gravy powder.

Method:

1. In a large saucepan or stewing pot place the dog bones/meat, apple cider vinegar, and garlic.  Cover with water.
2. Cover and boil until the meat falls off the bones.
3. Remove from heat and separate the meat from the bones, it is very important to ensure that all bones are removed otherwise they will present a danger to your dog as cooked bones do splinter easily. 
4. Discard broth and rinse the pan. 
5. Put the meat back in the pan, cover with water and add a dash of apple cider vinegar.  Bring to the boil.
6. Add your vegetables, tomato paste and rice to the pot and lower the heat to a simmer, stir occasionally, leave uncovered. 
7. When rice is cooked mix the 2 tablespoons of flour or gravy powder in a small glass with cold water, once mixed into a paste add to the pot and stir until well combined. Continue to simmer until the broth has thickened.   More paste can be added if the mixture is still too runny, It should have a stew like consistency.
8.  Wait for it to cool then serve on a bed of Dog biscuits :0)

This Recipe makes a lot of dog food, and it can be frozen and thawed as needed. Small containers or Zip lock bags are perfect since they can hold a single serve :0)

Double Handling

Time Management is one of the most used tools in my arsenal :0)  I integrate it into cleaning, cooking, looking after the animals, shopping, and recreation.  Setting up a routine is vital to a successful household, especially for people who work a full time job.

Your responsibilities will dictate your routine, and to help you plan it is useful to write a list of things you do in an average day.  After you have your list compiled its time for triage :0)  The bones of your routine are obviously going to be the things that must be done in an average day; work, kids, animals, chores, and sleep are the most common.  Afterwards whatever time is left should go to making sure you are getting enough rest and relaxation to maintain your own peace of mind.  Planning is now very important to make sure you are making the most of your time. Being organised and thinking a head of every task will save you so much time in the long run :0)

Double handling is an expression I heard at one time in one of my earlier jobs, and its always stuck with me.  I try to make sure I'm not wasting time by handling things more often then I really need to.  For example if I am making dinner I get all my ingredients out and ready to go before I start to cook.  As soon as something is used rather then placing it back on the bench I put it away instead.  This has so many benefits :0)  I get to keep my work space clear, everything is put back before it can spoil, and I don't need to double handle anything (by putting it down on the bench, then picking it back up to put away).  I tidy up as I go, and wipe my bench space often, when the meal is cooked and served I rinse the pots and pans.  This makes cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes much easier and quicker.

The principal of double handling is applicable to so many things, and another that immediately jumps to mind is garbage.  A lot of people set aside their garbage rather then put it straight in the bin, this is a mistake!  It looks unsightly, attracts vermin and a lot of hassle can be avoided if it goes straight into the bin rather then left laying around.  I know it sounds really obvious, but you can save so much time by putting things directly in the garbage rather then having to handle it twice by hunting it down and picking it back up and into the bin later. 

I try to be organised and make sure everything has its own place, when buying something new I always try to decide where it will go, and if I actually do have the space for it. This makes organising much easier and saves me time searching for something I need later.  If I use something I make sure it is put away when I'm done, again to avoid double handling the item.  All these little things do add up and it does cut down on the time it takes to tidy up by a surprising amount.   Before bed each night I do a small tour of my house and make sure everything is put away properly.  It takes around 2 to 5 minutes and keeps everything well organised and tidy. 

Keeping on top of chores is the best way to save time and has the added benefit of keeping your house looking neat and tidy :0)  If you let your chores build up and get unmanageable then it will take longer to complete them, it will take longer to find anything and it will become more daunting to do; all of which can be very disruptive to a good routine.

Hi :0)

This is my very first blog post ever, so be patient with me. I mainly wanted to write this post to say Hi and Welcome :0)
The main purpose behind this Blog is to help others out with household matters, such as cooking and cleaning; organising and time management; and various other household concerns. I intend these posts to be informative, helpful, light and sometimes funny :0) There is no reason why household chores and responsibilities should be boring and dull.

I am more then open to ideas, suggestions and questions so please leave a comment :0) Thanks for reading, I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone better :0)