Powering Down

Other than acquiring some new and whacky hobbies over iso, I've also used the opportunity to pay more attention to that fun, family activity - finances!!

Top of the list was the electricity bill. 

I'm with a supplier that nattily tracks our expenditure and compares it to our average. Now I appreciate that we've all been home and winter is upon us, but dear god, how could we spend so much?? In March and April, it was $30-40 a week, but in June, it just kept going up until we cracked $100. Now there's a PB no-one should be proud of.

The real mystery was why were the weekends less painful than weekdays when given our routine, every day is pretty much the same. Here's an example.

The obvious culprits when the weather turns are heating, hot water and the dryer - but to add to the mystery, in our house, those three are gas. 

I rang the energy company and discovered that the price of electricity during 'peak demand' costs more than DOUBLE off-peak. Added to the explanation is that 'peak' runs from 7am until 11pm. That's not PEAK - that's pretty much all of my waking hours!!

I believe some companies also have a 'shoulder' but I'm guessing when it's all said and done, it evens out to be the same; ridiculous!

And we might even pay higher rates in winter. I Googled that and couldn't find a clear answer. 

Can I just point out this is only electricity and that our solar is currently putting almost zip back into the grid.

In an attempt to stem this hemorrhaging of money, I:

• Reprogrammed the bathroom floor heating and pond filter to go hard between 5am and 6.50am
• Ran the dishwasher from 11pm
• Used the 'delay' button on the washing machine to run during the night (I'd wondered what that was for! Poor Gary the cat sleeps in the laundry and may not appreciate it - but as he's making no financial contribution to the household, tough luck!)

I have also attempted to get people to turn off lights as they leave a room - but that's still a work in progress.

Anyway, just with those changes, here's what happened! We've whittled $20 off it. And saved some carbon.

Not exactly a holiday but better in my pocket than theirs!

The Gold Plated Cat

Gary is ginger - sort of gold - which makes sense given how much he's about to cost me.

In fairness, so far he's been a cheap ride. He was gifted to us by neighbours heading OS, he's happy to eat Aldi cat food and aside from immunisations and a bit of arthritis, his medical expenses have been minimal; until now.

He was looking very ordinary after the recent heatwave. In truth, over the last few months, he's been eating like a horse but getting skinnier and skinnier. 

Geoff: Do you think the cat has cancer?

Me: Maybe. But he seems happy enough. 

His lack of health on the weekend could not be ignored. I wasn't even convinced he'd see Monday.

Anyway, I did take him to the vet who ran through the options - including euthanising him. But if it was just a thyroid problem, that could be fixed and apparently we'd get a few more years out of him. To determine that he needed to be admitted and popped on a drip and have blood and urine samples taken. How much, I asked. I'd already decided if it was hundreds, I'd say yes but if it was more, goodbye Gary. Naturally it was something like $965. Damn it!! 

The vet added if he needed to stay longer, it's $3-400 a day. $3-400??!! The most expensive hotel I can find on LastMinute.com is only $338 a night - and that's at the fancy-pants casino - not in a very small cage at the suburban vet next to a big dog.

Sass and I visited him this morning and he has perked up considerably. She was so relieved. Here they are.

The vet rang before with news. I can't even decide if it's good or bad. I'm torn. It is his thyroid and possibly a little something else - but treatable with a tablet or two a day. Great, I said, should we pick him up? Of course it's not that simple. They need to keep him in for a few days and monitor him while they get the right level of medication - at $3-400 a day!!!! And if he has to take a tablet every day, we'll have to take him to South Australia with us - an 8 hour drive. 

Yep - the joy of Christmas.

The Thief

A strange thing happened today.

I'd worked at home during the morning and arranged to collect my colleagues on the way to a client meeting. I parked on the main road near the office, which is lined with cafes, antique shops and fancy-pants boutiques.

I was a little early so shot them a text to say where I was - no hurry.

It was about then than I noticed a women pulling a dress off a coat hanger, calmly placing the hanger in the bin right at the front of my car and then stuffing the dress, along with some other garment, into her very large, very full, very expensive Mimco bag.

My immediate reaction was that she'd nicked the dress.

She was smartly dressed with nice clothes, groomed hair, good make up and painted nails. She was also of sub-Continental ethnicity. I chastised myself - was I being racist? Perhaps she just doesn't want her husband to know she's bought more thing... she looked like she could afford it.

I kept an eye on her as did the older gentleman, probably from the antique shop, catching some sun near the bin. She casually walked up the street and I noticed the gentleman 'subtely' taking photos of her. He'd obviously had the same thought as me.

She then strolled to the tram stop and looked up the street for a bus or tram.

It was too much for me. I jumped out of the car and looked in the bin. Yep - coat hanger with fancy brand - the kind of brand where you don't get much chance from a $1000 for a dress. I ran the few doors down to the boutique looking for a sales assistant. I found her - up the back on the phone - just as the bus was pulling up.

Excuse me... I pleaded in desperation.
Hang on darl, I'll need to call you back, she said with clear annoyance and hung up. Yes?
Did you sell that woman a dress? Otherwise she just stole it.
That got her attention.

We ran outside and the woman was in clear vision on the bus which was stopped at the red light.

Which woman? The girl asked.
That one right there in front of us, I said.
The woman started gesticulating to the effect of 'I'm coming back' - cool as a cucumber!
I think I know that woman, the girl said.
So did you sell her a dress - if not, run to the front door and stop the bus.
Panic. Silence. Nothing. Light green - bus gone.
Fuck me that girl was useless.

Meanwhile, the gentleman arrives on the scene with the coat hanger and tag in his hand and photos of the thief on his phone.

My colleagues arrive and we head off to the meeting. Nothing to see here.

I really want to ring the head office of this brand. I think I'm more appalled by the the slackness of the staff than the theft itself!! One was out the back - fair enough - but the muppet I was dealing with was at the very back of the shop on the phone and looking the wrong way!! I could have grabbed a few frocks myself had I been so inclined.

I'll think about it. But if it were my business, I think I'd hope someone would tell me.

PS My proofreader Penny is a little under the pump this week - so I've not bothered her with this. Please excuse typos!!!