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Saving for a Rainy Day
03/04/2009 10:01 pmLast time 3rd April was on a Friday it was way back in 1998 and Izzie had officially become a slave to a bunch of house goblins. Did not get the keys until the Sunday or move in until Tuesday 7th but it was still a significant day in the life of the serpent and one well worth celebrating some 11 years later
But what did the serpent do to mark the occasion. Bugger all really. No champers and not even a grand autumn cleaning blitz. But all is not totally lost
This week, the mean nasty goblin infested state liberal government announced that they would be discontinuing the present scheme of Waterwise rebates where the government pays out cash for things like drip irrigation, pool covers and water efficient washing machines.
But what particularly interests the Izzie is rainwater tanks. A measly 50 silver sickles for just a tank but it goes up to $$600 if you get 2,500 litres or more and connected by a registered plumber to your toilet or laundry. And then there's also a federal government rebate too.
So we figures it's time to finally get into action and get this thing done before the big juicy freebies are all gone.
So finally rang the company whose brochure has been sitting around for the best part of 6 months or so. They'll be sending out quotes and stuff next week.
With a bit of luck, the present state of gloom and doom will mean that it is no longer too difficult to get a plumber.
If things go according to plan, maybe everything will be all installed and up and running by the end of this month just in time for the rainy season and most importantly that big fat juicy prezzie from the Prime Minister. Izzie qualifies for the $$950 bonus being tossed around to tax payers who earned less than $$80,000 in the last financial year so with a bit of luck, after all those government freebies, will be no more than 300 or so out of pocket for our very own personal independent water supplies
Just because the government is trying to bribe voters to spend and revive the economy rather than doing sensible stuff like investing in long term infrastructure is no reason for Izzie not to do the same. Certainly beats big fat plasma TVs made in China that do nothing but gobble electricity and waste precious time and space.
Funny how no one ever asks what the payback time is for televisions and suburban assault vehicles.
Last November - dearest Dudley was visiting and sneering about what a waste of time and money our pretty silver panels on the roof were. A bit rich from a cheap little git who had a piece of shit sitting in the ma and pa's garage doing nothing for the last 12 years and costing around $$440 per annum in vehicle registration fees. Not only did he take them for granted and never paid a penny the whole time but the silly old fart let him away with it. Petunia was furious that he let the filthy freeloader get away with and in effect rewarded him for such disgusting disrespectful behaviour
And then in June we can put the paws out for more freebies when they start giving out free insulation installation.
Was originally intending just to use the water for the garden and get only the itsie bitsie teenie weenie $$50 rebate. But got to thinking that it was sort of pointless in that each time it rains you could easily get half a full tank but that is precisely the time of year when you are not using the stuff on the garden so it really does get wasted. Is much more sensible to use it for the laundry and loo all year long instead of wasting precious mains water on such things. Then we could water the weeds in the long hot summer without feeling so bad about using all that precious drinking water.
It hasn't rained since 25th February and even in crisp and crunchy March, it is still a struggle to keep the weeds alive.
Did finally plant some caulis, celery and broccoli seedlings and the odd clove of garlic today but keeping seeds alive is too damned difficult even at this time of year. Until the regular rains arrive, it's just a total waste of time.
So here's hoping that by this time next year, will not only be self sufficient in water and electricity but also have a pantry full of garlic to keep the vampires away, lots of juicy grapes - this year's harvest was a disaster and all sorts of herbs and weeds and a very large pumpkin patch
If the Izzie really wants to be green and greedy, could go all the way and get a proper grey water recycling system too. But it makes more sense to go for the low hanging fruit on our mission for self sufficiency and grey water just does not make the grade
But what did the serpent do to mark the occasion. Bugger all really. No champers and not even a grand autumn cleaning blitz. But all is not totally lost
This week, the mean nasty goblin infested state liberal government announced that they would be discontinuing the present scheme of Waterwise rebates where the government pays out cash for things like drip irrigation, pool covers and water efficient washing machines.
But what particularly interests the Izzie is rainwater tanks. A measly 50 silver sickles for just a tank but it goes up to $$600 if you get 2,500 litres or more and connected by a registered plumber to your toilet or laundry. And then there's also a federal government rebate too.
So we figures it's time to finally get into action and get this thing done before the big juicy freebies are all gone.
So finally rang the company whose brochure has been sitting around for the best part of 6 months or so. They'll be sending out quotes and stuff next week.
With a bit of luck, the present state of gloom and doom will mean that it is no longer too difficult to get a plumber.
If things go according to plan, maybe everything will be all installed and up and running by the end of this month just in time for the rainy season and most importantly that big fat juicy prezzie from the Prime Minister. Izzie qualifies for the $$950 bonus being tossed around to tax payers who earned less than $$80,000 in the last financial year so with a bit of luck, after all those government freebies, will be no more than 300 or so out of pocket for our very own personal independent water supplies
Just because the government is trying to bribe voters to spend and revive the economy rather than doing sensible stuff like investing in long term infrastructure is no reason for Izzie not to do the same. Certainly beats big fat plasma TVs made in China that do nothing but gobble electricity and waste precious time and space.
Funny how no one ever asks what the payback time is for televisions and suburban assault vehicles.
Last November - dearest Dudley was visiting and sneering about what a waste of time and money our pretty silver panels on the roof were. A bit rich from a cheap little git who had a piece of shit sitting in the ma and pa's garage doing nothing for the last 12 years and costing around $$440 per annum in vehicle registration fees. Not only did he take them for granted and never paid a penny the whole time but the silly old fart let him away with it. Petunia was furious that he let the filthy freeloader get away with and in effect rewarded him for such disgusting disrespectful behaviour
And then in June we can put the paws out for more freebies when they start giving out free insulation installation.
Was originally intending just to use the water for the garden and get only the itsie bitsie teenie weenie $$50 rebate. But got to thinking that it was sort of pointless in that each time it rains you could easily get half a full tank but that is precisely the time of year when you are not using the stuff on the garden so it really does get wasted. Is much more sensible to use it for the laundry and loo all year long instead of wasting precious mains water on such things. Then we could water the weeds in the long hot summer without feeling so bad about using all that precious drinking water.
It hasn't rained since 25th February and even in crisp and crunchy March, it is still a struggle to keep the weeds alive.
Did finally plant some caulis, celery and broccoli seedlings and the odd clove of garlic today but keeping seeds alive is too damned difficult even at this time of year. Until the regular rains arrive, it's just a total waste of time.
So here's hoping that by this time next year, will not only be self sufficient in water and electricity but also have a pantry full of garlic to keep the vampires away, lots of juicy grapes - this year's harvest was a disaster and all sorts of herbs and weeds and a very large pumpkin patch
If the Izzie really wants to be green and greedy, could go all the way and get a proper grey water recycling system too. But it makes more sense to go for the low hanging fruit on our mission for self sufficiency and grey water just does not make the grade
