Green Piggies

In April two lovely baby Guinea Pigs joined our family.  We had done a couple of stints looking after our friends Guinea Pigs, so felt ready for the commitment.  I'd had Guinea Pigs as a kid, but it would seem things have changed a lot since then!  My childhood pets were kept outside, and the poor wee things often had to swim, as we had a backyard that flooded ankle deep when it rained.  Thankfully my pet keeping practices are better informed now, thanks to the internet and friends.  I consider my Guinea Pig keeping practices to be rather friendly to both the piggies and the planet, so wanted to share them here, along with links to those from who I have gleaned this knowledge.

1.  Guinea Pigs like to live inside and have lots of space to run around.

Our piggies have the best of both worlds, with an outdoor cage for fine day 'outdoor time', where they happily munch our lawn.  This is not for the lawn-proud as it ends up with an interesting checkerboard pattern. I've also made them an enclosure under the trampoline, which is handy for keeping the grass down under there.

2.  Pet shop cages are too small but you can make your own.

You'll find endless ideas online, have a look at the links below, especially my pinterest board.  Clever people have made good sized cages out of all sorts of things, in the true sense of recycling and reusing.  Above is the C&C (cubes are coroplast/corflute) cage we made.  I have some improvements in mind for it, but it is working well as is.  You can see the old pet shop cage below it, our guest suite.

3.  Lining our cage with hay and newspaper is not for me!

When guinea pig sitting I found out how quickly our compost bin was being overwhelmed by the waste bedding material from the guinea pigs cage.  So I was thrilled to find an alternative: cloth nappy style!  As a past user of cloth nappies (diapers) I was familiar with the concepts behind using a fleece layer on top of an absorbent layer, and not squeamish about the washing side of things.  I found instructions on line and varied them a bit.  When I built the bigger cage I made new ones, and kept the old small cage as guest piggy accommodation, and for when our piggies go on holiday.  I sourced my fleece (top layer) and mattress protectors/old towels/bath mats from the local op shops so feel I've ticked the 'reuse' box of my environmental mantra of 'reduce, reuse, recycle'.

4.  Daily room service is quick and keeps smells at bay

Our piggies love a fresh clean cage and reward it with lots of pop corning (that is cute little jumpy spins they do when they are excited).  Each day I try and give them some outside time, and strip the used bedding out of their cage.  I shake it into the recycle bin.  Their poos just shake off.  With some soapy water in a bucket (I just use a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid), I wash their food bowl, toilet, and hay-tray.  Then I rinse their bedding in the same water, and squeeze it out ready to go into the household washing.  For the bottom of their cage, I spray on some white vinegar and give it a quick wipe and dry.  The whole lot can be done in five minutes.  The small amount of newspaper, hay scraps, poop, etc is great for the compost and helps stop  it becoming too sludgy.  Ours mostly toilet in one corner of the cage, so they have a toilet there made of an old ice-cream container and lined with a single folded sheet of newspaper (I raid the neighbours recycling bin occasionally!).

5.  Piggies are actually friendly and interactive.

This was a big discovery for me, as I don't recall this about my childhood ones.  Probably because ours live inside with us, they are very friendly and interact with us.  They vocalise and we've learned what the different sounds mean, including purring when they are content and 'wheeking' when they want food.  When I start to prepare dinner they start wheeking for the veggie offcuts.  They will stand up  against the side of their cage, or on their hammock and call to us for attention.

6.  Piggies salad can be free!

I get our fruit and vegetables from a local saturday morning market.  I discovered the vendors put their offcuts (outer leaves, stems, too small, bruised etc) aside as rubbish to be disposed of.  They don't mind me taking a bag or two of it for my piggies.  This lasts them a week and gives them a great seasonal variety of produce.  It is their favourite by far and they call out for it at dinner time!  I also make hay and dried food available to them, as well as fruit and veggie scraps and our lawn!

So I hope that gives you some green ideas for your piggies keeping, or some inspiration if you are considering Guinea Pigs as pets.

Useful links:

Fleece bedding: http://www.calicavycollective.com/2013/10/how-fleece-bedding-works.html?m=1
http://www.calicavycollective.com/2014/03/guinea-pig-101-fleece-bedding-guide.html#more

C&C cages:
https://www.guineapigcages.com/howtometric.htm

Here is my Guinea Pig pinterest board with lots and lots of ideas on how to care for your piggies and create a fun and comfortable environment for them.

The Cycling Mum

I'm pretty noticeable around my local area, as I wear a high-vis vest with "mum" on it, and ride a long orange bike. Here I will answer some of the questions I am often asked.  

That is an unusual bike, did you make it?  Is it electric.

I didn’t make it.  It is a Yuba Mundo cargo or utility bike from the USA.  You can get electric ones, however my bike is chocolate-powered.  We call it ‘Rocket’.

Where did you get your bike?

Daryl, from Maungaraki imports them and sells them from a cycle store in Upper Hutt.  I found his website, cargobikesnz, on the internet when I was researching my options.

What do you use it for?

I originally got it because I was sick of pushing a buggy around! I’d been doing it for 6 years and would estimate I was covering over 1000 km a year.  That is because I prefer to use active transport, like cycling or walking, for short trips.  I didn’t expect my young children to cover the distances I was, so needed something for them that I could power.  We have also used a kiddy bike trailer, but I have found the cargo bike much easier to use and park.  My kids mostly cycle and scoot themselves now, but I still use my cargo bike and love the fact that I can put so much on it, and thus use my car even less.

Why did you choose that bike?

It has room for my youngest child plus cargo like bags, shopping, etc.  Or I can take two kids on it.  You can hear us coming when that happens, as my son gets very very excited!  It is easier to use, maneuver and park than a trailer, although we did like the trailer for safety of toddlers and adventures.

How far have you cycled?

On this bike I only really cycle around the Hutt because it is hard to manage a puncture on the rear wheel.  But on other bikes I have had many cycling adventures in NZ and overseas.  I’ve cycle toured in NZ, Australia, Slovenia, Scotland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Vietnam.  That was before kids!  With kids, we’ve done the Central Otago Rail Trail, and recently I did the Nelson Great Taste Trail on my folding bike.

Where do you cycle?

On this bike I cycle around the Hutt.  I use my bike for school runs, errands, appointments, library trips, and my market shopping.  On my own I use the road any river trail.  With kids I will often use the footpath, depending on traffic and destination.

Why do you cycle?

Because it is good for me and for the planet.  

Do you have a car?

Yes I do, but I prefer to keep it for longer trips and occasional use.  For short trips I like to use my feet or bike.  It is great not to have to bother with parking!  Plus I get fresh air, exercise and a greater sense of community.  I find it a bit sad when really little kids ask me “Don’t you have a car?”, it is like they have no concept of getting around other than driving/being driven.  

Is it safe?

I’ve certainly had my moments, but mostly it is fine.  It is important to cycle confidently and be visible.  I wish there were more cyclists and more facilities for cyclists.  Anytime a motorist gets angry, aggressive or impatient, I just wish they would vent their feelings by campaigning for more facilities for cyclists.  If they don’t want me on the road then get me a cycle path!  There is a six-times return on investment for any amount spent on cycling facilities, so we all win!

Do you cycle on the footpath?

When I am with my kids I often cycle on the footpath.  I really don’t like doing this, but must put their safety first.  I’d like to invite anyone who doesn’t like cyclists on the footpath to send a letter to the council requesting safe, connected, separated cycle paths, especially around schools, train stations and the CBD.

What would you say to anyone who wants to try cycling more often?

I’d say get the right gear and give it a go.  There are great ‘Cycle Ready’ skills courses you can do.  You have nothing to lose and so much to gain!  And if cycling doesn’t appeal, just try walking more.  It is so good for you and your whanau.  

Plastic Free July

Plastic free!… now that is an idea I love!  What is it? How do you do it?

“The challenge is quite simple...attempt to refuse single-use plastic during July.

Plastic Free July aims to raise awareness of the amount of single-use disposable plastic in our lives and challenges people to do something about it. You can sign up for a day, a week or the whole month and try to refuse ALL single-use plastic or try the TOP 4: plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups and straws.

Join thousands of people from over 70 countries saying NO to single-use plastic this July.”  From: Plastic Free July.  

"Think about it...why would you make something that you are going to use for a few minutes out of a material that's basically going to last forever. What's up with that?"  - Jeb Berrier, BagIt movie.

So why refuse, why not just recycle?

Currently only 5-10% of the plastics produced are recycled, 50% end up in landfill and a lot of the rest ends up in our waterways and oceans.  

“Every piece of plastic ever produced still remains somewhere in the earth today. In the last half of the 20th century over 1 billion tonnes of plastic was produced. This figure has already doubled in the first ten years of this century (Scientific American).”

But how? Here are some ideas I use in my own life.

1. Plastic Bags.  I use reusable shopping bags.  I have lots of them strategically located near my bike, near the car keys, in the car, in my bags.  I make sure I always have one with me by hanging one (which packs into it’s own little pocket) from the outside of my handbag.  That way it is ‘in sight and in mind’.  For grocery shopping I take my reusable bags with me.  For market/fresh produce shopping I take a stash of plastic fruit and vege bags with me and reuse them until they fall apart.  Once I’ve run out of those I will move to using lightweight fabric/net bags for my fruit and vege.  When I get home I unpack my fruit and vege and then put the bags back into the stash with my market basket, ready to use again.
2. Water Bottles.  I’m tight, I don’t like to buy water.  But I do like to drink a lot of it.  Solution: strategically located reusable water bottles: in my handbag, on my bikes, in the car, in my gym bag, in the kids lunchboxes, etc.
3. Takeaway coffee cups.  Drink mindfully! - try and make your coffee break a real break, sit in the cafe, take time to enjoy your coffee from a reusable cup.  If you have to grab and run, keep your own travel cup in the car (a stash of them if need be; you can nearly always find them at the salvos.  Many of them are thermal and will keep your hot drink warm too!  If you end up with disposable cups, then use them for planting seedlings ready for your spring garden.
4. Straws.  Yes these are fun, and my kids will tell you everything tastes better with a straw.  So here is how to kill two birds with one stone.  Get those reusable shaped crazy novelty straws.  Tell your kids the only way to keep them clean and healthy for reuse is to only drink water from them.  Voila, no plastic straw waste and kids are drinking the best drink of all!
5. ClingWrap, Food packets, Zip Lock Bags.  These often lurk in lunchboxes, then blow around the playground, then get washed down the drain, into the stream, then into the ocean.  But at least your kids get lunch treats that you missed out on right?  And you save at least two whole minutes every morning.  Yes, rant rant, I hate food in little packets, and next to that I hate glad wrap and plastic bags.  There is a whole world of ideas out there to help you achieve a rubbish free lunch box.  And whilst you are at it, you could knock a fair bit of sugar and salt out of their diets too.  Next year obesity is set to overtake smoking as the nation's biggest health problem.  Don’t set your kids up for a life of weight watching; get them used to healthy eating now!  Remember it was party/treat food for a reason - because it is lovely to have sometimes!  Check out this post for ideas.  And Eastern Hutt Schools EnviroKids have some great observations and suggestions also:

So whether it is islands of plastic trash in our oceans visible from space, beautiful sea creatures tangled in and poisoned by plastic, concern for renewable resources, or your own health concerns; you have plenty of reasons to nudge your comfort zone, stretch your convenience muscles and power up your positivity and try out a plastic free July.  And hopefully you will form a fabulous new habit or five!

And here is a school holiday idea: Grab some buckets or sacks and head for your local beach, park or riverbank.  Pick up us much rubbish as you can: maybe make it a race of contest with prizes.  Talk about where the rubbish comes from.  

Good with money? Money skills for kids

A friend recently told me of her frustration that her parents had not prepared her for handing her money as an adult.  “They figured I already knew about money so they thought they were doing the right thing just buying me everything”.  From her perspective, she was set up for failure as she never learned how to manage money, and she wishes her parents had taken a different approach.  I grew up as the child of a beneficiary, who was very good at making the benefit stretch so we usually had what we needed.  There were definitely tough times, and I missed out compared to my peers, however I learned to work for what I wanted, and a lot about managing money!  I want my kids to understand the value of money, the importance of working, earning and saving, and importantly not to take it for granted.  I want them to be ‘good with money’.

I don’t believe we do our kids any favours by taking the approach of making up for what we missed out on, or by trying to keep up with others.  I love the saying that we should indulge our kids with our time, but not with things/money.  Is it a vicious circle that we are short of time so buy happiness, but are short of time because we need the money to buy things to make us feel happier?  Affluenza?  So, how do we raise kids who will be good with money?  Here are some ideas:

1. Be generous with your time. Save gifts for birthdays and Christmas.  You might be in the position that you can afford to buy your child toys and other things they want any time.  However is getting what they want whenever they want it a reasonable expectation for a child to have?  How will than pan out when they are financially independent?  Or will it mean that they won’t be financially independent (and/or in debt) because they cannot wait to have whatever it is they desire this week?  When people reminisce about happy childhood memories it usually involves special time spent together rather than consumption.  
2. Encourage them to save for the things they want.  My daughter loves ‘My Little Pony’ and desperately wanted more of the toys.  She didn’t want to wait until her birthday or Christmas, so she decided to save for what she wanted.
3. Teach them the value of shopping round and buying second hand.  We compared the prices of new toys and ones on Trade Me.  She quickly decided for herself that she would get much more for her money buying second hand.  She has also become adept at rummaging in op shops to find treasures to add to her herd.
4. Encourage them to earn.  Develop a family approach to pocket money that you can all agree to.  Some families have chart systems where pocket money is paid according to chores completed.  We split ours into ‘save’ & ‘fun’, with ‘save’ going into the child’s bank account and ‘fun’ into their wallets.  Other families use the categories ‘save’, ‘spend’ and ‘share’.  ‘Share’ is for gifts and charity giving.
5. Teach them the value of money by using comparisons.  e.g. “that toy costs the same as the groceries to feed our family for a week”, or “you can get three of these for the price of one of those”.
6. Be a role model.  Talk about your money choices: things you want but don’t get because you have other priorities; things you are saving for; how you save for family holidays; why you shop around to save money; why you choose to shop at the supermarket rather than the dairy; how much it costs to fill up the car.  Of course you are not trying to create stress or guilt for your child, but instead trying to help them see you making responsible choices.
7. Give them the opportunity to manage a budget.  It could be as simple as the budget for a day out at the school fair; or more responsibility with managing their clothing budget for a year.  A friend with a mixture of primary, intermediate and secondary aged kids gave them each their clothing budget for the year to manage.  The fashion conscious teens and tweens soon learned that if they blew the majority of their budget on designer jeans they would be shopping at the op shop for the rest of the year.  The primary aged kid spent the minimum in budget shops and sales and saved the rest to use as spending money on the family’s holiday!  The key to giving kids a budget to manage is the lesson that ‘when it is gone it is gone’, so no bailing them out (unless you want to teach them about interest and debt!).

Here are some excellent resources if you want more ideas or information:

http://www.familytimes.co.nz/books/parenting-books/gold-start-teaching-child-money/

http://www.familytimes.co.nz/articles/teach-kids-save-money/

YouTube Vidoes from ASB: https://www.youtube.com/user/ASBBank/MoneyTips?x=savings_investment/202

Great ideas in the NZ Herald:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=11398262

Podcast from Radio New Zealand National

Setting kids up to avoid financial disasters as adults

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge - I did it!!!

With much pride and satisfaction I report that I completed the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge on Saturday 29 November 2014.  As a first timer he is some info about my approach on the day and what I learned.

Approach: My goal was to finish and feel good.  This meant I trained lots so that I would be physically and mentally ready for an endurance event.  But I didn't go hard out on the day or focus on a completion time.  On finishing I felt really great, which means I probably could have gone faster/harder but that was not my goal!  I approached it like this:
1.  I chose a suitable start group.  The woman's W2 start group was great for me, friendly and not crowded.
2.  I rode at my own pace, and kept in mind the advice to treat the first 80 km as a warm up.  This stopped me from going like the clappers and running out of steam.
3.  I took some brief breaks.  More than I did in training actually.
4.  I took plenty of food and ate and drank per my nutrition plan.
5.  I made an effort to chat with those around me, encouraging others, having a bit of a joke and being friendly.
6.  I expected the weather to be a mixed bag/unpredictable.  It was, and that was okay.

Main thing I learned.  The thing I had worried most about was bunch riding and being crowded.  By starting in a back of the pack start group, the vibe was really relaxed, I had plenty of space and bunch riding was purely optional.  I found myself with the same riders over time, although that changed if I took a break.  I found I was faster up hill, and then overtaken on the downhills.  So for my time goals and start group, bunch riding was purely optional.  The cycle skills on the course were mixed, so it definitely pays to have your wits about you and be comfortable with bunch riding and etiquette, but it is certainly not necessary to be a bunch expert.

Things I would do differently next time.
1.  Peak Fuel carb drink was supposed to be available at most aid stops, so I only took 500 ml of it in one bottle and water in my other.  However they ran out of it at most of the stops where I wanted to refill it, so I was left with water as my only option.  So next time I am not so sure if I will be loyal to the sponsor Peak Fuel, and will probably go for another product and carry enough to make up for the entire 160 km.  Poor sponsorship really.
2.  I might go harder now I know what to expect
3.  I would put some non cycling shoes in my drop bag to change into at the end.
4.  I would win the spa!!!!!! (if only!)

The event is well organised, the drop bag system works well, and overall the whole thing is an amazing feat of logistic management.  Well done to the organisers!

Taupo cycle challenge FAQ

Here are some questions I am frequently asked about my training for the Lake Taupo cycle challenge (LTCC).

1.  How many hours a week do you train?

This has varied because I am following a training plan, where the volume and intensity of my training increases over a 3-4 week period, followed by a recovery week, and then back to increasing.... And so forth.  But for example, in week 10 of my program I trained for 10 hours on the bike or RPM; add to that three non-bike gym sessions of between 30 mins and 2 hours.  Many would not bother with the gym sessions, but I needed to balance out my training with core and stretch work, and did not want to lose the gains I have made in strength training by giving it up altogether.

2.  Where did your training plan come from / have you got a coach?
I don't have a coach.  My training plan initially came from the LTCC website.  I then borrowed the book Taupo 101 by Matt Oliver from the library and pretty much adopted his beginners program with some variations.  I also referred to some other books to understand more about how I could effectively tweak the program to suit me, e.g. it was okay to split a longer ride into two rides on the same day, etc.

3.  Why are you doing it?
In 2008 heard about the challenge and thought it sounded good, so gamely stated that one day  I would do it.  What I didn't know was a) how long it was and b) how hilly it was.  When I discovered those two things my resolve faltered - I didn't know how I would be able to build back up to that level of fitness (as I had been before kids).  Allowing myself the space to train once my youngest started school took care of the time to train aspect, and I also allowed myself plenty  of time to build my fitness back up.  My husband has been unfailing in his conviction that I can and should do it, and his support of that goal.  I am so lucky!

4.  How long does it take you to cycle 160 km?
Good question! I don't know because I've never done it.  I know some people can do it in 4-5 hours but I am not one of those.  I know I can do 140 km in 6 hours moving time.  So my goal for Taupo is 7 hours.  More if I get a puncture or any other problem.

5.  Where do you ride?
It has been great fun finding training routes and discovering how close I live to lovely farm and bush land, great coastal roads and challenging hills.  You can see where I ride on strava.

6.  Who do you ride with?
I mostly ride on my own because I train mid week, during the schoolday, and don't know any other rider as lucky to have that opportunity.  I have also practiced group riding with a great group called 'The Hub' who ride from Petone fountain each Saturday morning.  

7.  What do you do for water/toilets/food whilst riding?
I carry two 750 ml bottles, one with carb-mix and another with water.  On a ride more than 4 hours I usually need to refill my water and go to the toilet.  Usually one facility will do for both.  If only water is needed, school bubblers can be handy (on weekends).

8.  How many weeks have you trained for?
I have a 12 week training program, but started early so I would have a week up my sleeve for illness or injury.  So it has been 13 weeks.  However prior to that I worked systematically tracking my cycling volume and adding to it as needed in order to build up a 'base' I could build on.  I did not want to risk injury by launching into week 1 of a training program if it was too big a leap from what my body was used to.

Cycle Training: Should Have, Could Have, Would Have....

Isn't hindsight an amazing thing.  So in that vain here are some quick hindsight learnings from my training for the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge.  The context here is that I am up to week 9 of my training and the body is starting to present a few niggles!

1.  Bike Fit
My road riding bike is a flat bar road bike, purchased about ten years ago.  It has had a great deal of 'time off' whilst I did my baby producing and rearing bit.  I did have it well fitted to me when I bought it, so figured I would not need to take the precaution of having a professional bike fit prior to starting serious training.  What I did not factor in was: 1.  Woman's bodies change with babies (e.g. my feet are a full size bigger), 2.  My husband had borrowed my bike and altered a few things, 3.  There was a different saddle added somewhere along the way.
Hindsight: If you bike or you have changed, go for a proper bike fit.

2.  Cycling shoes
My beloved ten year old, much travelled, cycling shoes were showing signs of age and wear.  I boldly denied the need for new ones, applied some glue and generally ignored reality.  The result: shoes literally falling apart 20 km into a 120 km training ride!  Some electrical tape got me through the ride, and I had  them repaired, but there was no denying the need for new shoes.  Being tight, I bought some on sale, and was assured they would stretch.   So far, not so good.
Hindsight: Buy the shoes that best fit your feet when needed.  Get repairs done professionally before they become urgent.

3.  Muscle balance assessment
As a regular gym goer whose training is broad and includes both strength and flexibility workouts, I figured I would be okay not not need a muscle balance assessment by a physiotherapist.  My current niggles would suggest otherwise.
Hindsight: if you are over 40 and/or have had previous injuries, prevention is better than cure.  Get an assessment done prior to the training season so you can work on any potential problem areas before they become real problems.