These are a few of my favourite things...

According to my records, today is my 84th smoke free day and my 50th alcohol free day.  Which means according to my maths I have saved approximately $2,338.  Understandably I am stoked.  Not to mention more than a little bit shocked at how quickly that amount has added up but I am feeling over the moon to think that amount is money that I haven't spent.  Whilst my bank account isn't exactly overflowing as proof, I dread to think what sort of state we would be in if I HAD spent that money and I do admit to feeling that on the whole, we are doing better lately.

Another big reason for the lack of spending is of course having no car.  Since Mildred's demise we have only resorted to using a taxi once, due to genuinely horrendous weather, the rest of time we simply walk.  Gareth and I are a familiar sight these days walking along together and we often get offered lifts, although we rarely take them because on the whole, we like walking.  His workplace is around half an hour's walk away and we do the twice daily journey together.  Initially I did it mainly to keep him company and to get some exercise seeing as I spend a good part of the rest of the day sitting on my bum writing but as it turns out it's actually a really nice catch up time for both of us, to have a good old chinwag about our day and whatever else we have going on. It's a good way to start the day too, by the time we reach our destination we're wide awake and ready to put a good day's work in.  There's also the added bonus of the supermarket being right across the road from his workplace too, so forgetting things such as milk and bread is now no longer a problem!  Fresh air and companionship aside though, I am REALLY noticing the difference of no longer having to pay the finance company, registration, insurance, petrol... I don't think we realise how much money we throw at and into our cars until you don't have one any more.  It can be a bit of a pain sometimes but so far it's well worth it.  I might feel a bit of a hippie choosing not to have a car but I definitely don't feel deprived!

In case you haven't seen my Facebook posts, it's been a bit of a wonky week.  I have made the decision to list Nawtypoo Cottage with the lovely agent who sold her to me.  My heart was telling me from the start that this was the way to go but my head and other people were urging me to sell privately and save on commission.  Thing is, even though I'm finally getting all my ducks in a row I'm still pretty stressed.  We have a lot going on, not least my mum was recently diagnosed with bowel cancer and just yesterday underwent a huge operation to remove it.  As you can imagine, it's been on my mind rather a lot, as indeed it has for all of us and day after day I had people wanting to come and look at the house, yet day after day I was managing to achieve nothing but walking round and round in circles trying to decide where to start.  Left up to me the house would never have been immaculate enough in my eyes for me to take photos and plaster all over the Internet.  As mum told me just the other day, I am the world's biggest procrastinator!  I know my agent will do a wonderful job, just as she has done for me twice before.  Now I just have to take a deep breath and allow people to come and have a look.

When I'm not cleaning, or stressing about cleaning, I'm gleaning information and watching videos about living on the road and building tiny houses.  That's our ultimate dream at the moment, to live on the road and travel around until we find a perfect place to build a tiny house.  Just thinking about it fills me with so much joy!  One thing is for certain, the boys will be doing very well out of me when the time comes to move as we really won't be able to take anything more than the barest essentials and our very favourite things with us.  Even Gareth's beloved guitar amps will need to be rehomed!  I had to laugh recently when cancelling Mildred's insurance policy.  I thought I would check out of interest how much my house contents were insured for and couldn't believe it when I was told $125,000 - what was I thinking?!  I wouldn't even have $20,000 worth of stuff now!  I managed to knock my cover down to the princely sum of $8,000.

I think that would be one of the character traits I'm most proud of these days, the fact that I'm so minimalist.  Especially considering how I used to be so completely the opposite. I genuinely don't want or need stuff!  It kind of frustrates me that I still have to have all this stuff around until we move when my list of things I want to take with me is so small.  Just for fun and because I love them and want to share them, here are some of my most favourite things.  These are the things which will be coming with me.  I don't think any of them were bought new!

My gingerbread man cookie jar, $5 from St John's op shop.  

He always makes me happy and makes me want to bake yummy things to fill him up with!

My pot belly stove essential oil burner, $2.00 from Trade Me.  In a previous life I was studying to be

an aromatherapist and owned 22 oil burners.  This is the only one I have now, it's too cute

and unique to part with. 

My cherry cup and saucer, free from the local cat rescue charity shop.

I don't even drink tea but it makes me happy just to look at it!

My Union Jack cushions, $8 for the pair from St John's op shop.

Couldn't resist this cheery reminder of home!

My leopard print lamp, $15 from a local lady who repurposes and upcycles.

I'm a bit of a lamp nut, can never have too many but this is my favourite!

My fondue set, free from the local Koha Shed.  Told you I was a hippie!

Roger the writing desk.  This is the only piece of furniture I know of which is coming with me.  He was free from my local Buy and Sell Facebook page and I saved him from the dump!  Roger houses several of my favourite things such as my rose quartz crystal, my heart shaped salt lamp, the Jade Buddha my mum bought me from overseas, my favourite books (Mrs Beeton's Everyday Cookery and Housekeeping and The World of Pooh by AA Milne), my favourite photo, the mini herb and vegetable pots I'm collecting from a current supermarket promotion and sitting to my left is Tessie Bear, an adorable fully jointed, rubber-nosed teddy who is the same age as me.  I also have two favourite framed pictures, one is above Roger as you can see, which is a Maiko Ngaio print (which I bought brand new but still asked the artist herself for a discount and she gave me 20% off) and says 'She believed she could so she did' and the other is an original Love Lis print of a lioness wearing a tiara.  Sounds corny but I guess you could say both of them remind me of who I am and what I'm capable of.  Gareth always thinks I'm bonkers when I talk about the importance of Feng Shui and the art of placement but looking at that list I think I'm pretty good at the Japanese KonMari art of decluttering as well - keep only the things which bring you joy!