Who knew there was such a thing as a chook auction? Apparently there is, or at least in small town Australia – the couple I’m currently staying with went to one last Saturday morning. After an unfortunate run in between their last brood and their Irish Terrier, the chook pen was pining for some new feathered residents. Apparently the auction was quite the place to be (though that’s not saying much for a town of this size). A hullaballoo of people eagerly (and quite aggressively at times, so I hear) bidding for their new egg-laying-machines. S and B came home with five almost mature Hyline chickens pleased with their purchase, despite having only gone in with the intention of acquiring three. That’s always the case with shopping isn’t it? Each bird was $24 a pop. Was that expensive? I honestly don’t know. How much would one expect to pay for a bog-standard-yet-efficient-egg-laying-chook to cost? What price would you be prepared to pay? Continue reading

Boy, oh boy mister Qi do I have a bone to pick with you. Okay, I actually don’t know if you are a mister or not (are more tea companies run by men or women?) but for the sake of this post you will be. You see mister Qi I really like your green tea. (I swear that rhyming was unintentional). I happened upon it last week and have been a fan from the first sip. Spiced with blueberry, red-grape and pomegranate (also containing hawthorn fruit, whatever that is, and dandelion root), it’s pretty divine. What more could a girl want in the way of antioxidants? Fair-trade and organic? Thumbs up to you. Though by now all brands should be adopting those philosophies, but let’s not get too sidetracked. Up to this point I’m very happy with your product, but then you go and make a big blunder. With stupid, excessive, wasteful packaging. Why, oh why mister Qi does each individual tea bag need to be wrapped in paper? Sure I’ve heard all the arguments about easier transport, preventing flavours mixing, preserving them for longer, blah, blah blah. But when a girl really wants a cup of tea, and fast, it’s just a hassle to have to open the packet. Okay, that’s not exactly my main problem with the packaging, but a valid point none-the-less. 