Here it is ...finished

Before ...look how dull and lifeless it is

grey eggshell blue giving a dull reflection off the walls.

Now even with out doors the kitchen is brighter

These chaps cheered it up no end

The finished kitchen so bright and light

 I am over the moon with it have waited 8 yrs for this day

Everything is reflecting light

You don't have to have the light on now in the day time.

I am so so pleased with it.

I am so glad I got someone in to do it and did not attempt it myself.

Thanks Rob and Jarrad you did a fantastic job.

I have been thinking !!!

A few weeks ago I was talking to an elderly lady who had just been to have her toenails trimmed... now this may seem like a strange conversation but it was not so much that she told me where she had been as to how much she paid for this very small service... it seems it cost her $40.00 just for the trim and a little foot massage... I was flabbergasted I can tell you. I would not expect them to pay anymore than maybe $15 / $20.

It is not a manicure just a trim and maybe a little massage of the feet.

Most of the people who require this service are either elderly or disabled in some way which makes it quite a feat for them to trim their own nails... and they will be mainly on fixed incomes.... superannuation or benefits of some kind. 

This has been playing on my mind....

In a former life ( 1960's)  I was a hairdresser I did  my apprenticeship and qualified, but left the industry for a better paid job...  when I did my training we also learnt to do manicures and toenail trims.

So I have decided to start up and offer this service, here at home, or at the customers home charging a very very reasonable price, I am not looking to make a living just to offer a service where it is badly needed.
It must be something in my blood for I used to go around to the elderly house bound and do their hair, when my children were young ... may be I just like to give to people something that I have to share ....I know I would be grateful if or when I need this service in the future 
My Motto reads as follows:

'People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did.
But people will never forget how you made them feel'

and I would like to make people feel good.... there is nothing worse than having uncomfortable feet.
So I am just getting things sorted I have printed cards and collected the required items and hope to be up and running in the next couple of weeks.

I would be very interested in what is charged in other towns or countries for this service or even if it is available.

A Busy Few Days

A few blogs past I mentioned having the colour of the kitchen cabinets changed.  I got various quotes for doing the job, then decided may be I could do it myself...but after sensible thinking and a few other reasons thrown in...decided on the professional painter. So I arranged for them to do it.......Sorry,  will be March before we can start..okay say I no problem, whats a few more weeks I have been dreaming about this day for 8 years now.
So the eggshell blue is going ... wheee!!

So there I was tucked up in bed having a lie in on Thursday 8am when a telephone call came from the painter .
 " we have a job fallen over do you want your cabinets done starting in an hour?"

So a leap and bound out of bed and a quick cuppa...there they were ready to demolish my kitchen.
I had a picture that I had torn from a magazine many years ago of this beautiful cream kitchen...talk about a dreamer...when  Rob ( the painter ) saw it he said he could make the cabinets look like that but transforming the kitchen from a 15ft kitchen to a 25ft would take more than his expertise.
Good I thought we have a gent with a sense of humour, we were going to get along well.

So all the doors were removed and whipped away to be sprayed, and before I could make them a cup of tea the sanding of the frames was done and a "hold tight stuff" was painted on so the new top coats would adhere to the frames.

I am so impressed with these chaps Rob and his son Jarrad not a drip landed on the floor or the walls, and it would have shown as they are wood. They also said there was no need to empty the cupboards ...talk about clean workers I am again ultra impressed.
So I will empty each cupboard into the dishwasher after all is finished ...  cupboard by cupboard and replace ... great no packing up and living in the mess of crockery all over the living area.

Egg shell blue to Solitaire pearl sheen cream, in other words blue to cream.

So in 2 days we have the frames with 2 coats on and needing a 3rd and the doors will be back on Monday.   So watch this space for the transformation.

New Zealand Lamb

Over the years I have lived in NZ I have always complained about the fact that you can buy the best NZ Lamb overseas, cheaper than we can here at home, and we grow it.
In Dubai we were paying less that $7 a kilo, why!  was my question do we not get good lamb at home.?   of course the answer is  EXPORT it is all sent overseas...

Silver Fern Farms have now bought out this advert .... it has bought back my faith in human nature this company is  thinking about us at home...take a look at it.

Todays Smile

I just had to smile at this my Grandfather was Scottish and I could well believe this may have happened

Did you hear about the thoughtful Scotsman who was heading out to the pub? He turned to his wee wife before leaving and said, 'Margaret - put your hat and coat on lassie.'

she replied, ' Awe Jock that's nice - are you taking me tae the pub with you?'

'Nay, Jock replied, I'm switching the heat off while I'm out.'

First day Back

Today was the first day back after the long summer break for Embroidery Guild, although I must admit I only called in to the day part as life had caught up with me and I had numerous jobs to do and messages to run I decided I had to for go Guild this morning...was a great feeling to get all the things done though.

But I managed to get along to evening guild, we were a small number but it was fun to catch up with every one.

One thing we have decided to do was have a supper rota... we used to manage with biscuits but they were really uninviting and we deserve some thing nicer, so each week one person is in charge of supper does not matter what they do, it can be bought or home made I must admit mostly it is home made and always yummy..

Today's offering was Passion fruit tarts and Apricot fruit loaf.

Misplacing something

I have had a week this week, what with scans and xrays, and yesterday another  injection in the ever continuing shoulder saga, and things have just not gone  my way.....
But misplacing things really does annoy me I am usually in complete control of where things are and where I put things...I was always the one to find everything for the family when they lived at home, or  could tell them where to find it...typical Mum.
Bet you are all the same in your house my pet saying " If it had teeth it is so close it would bite you" while they held open the wardrobe door shouting " Mum I can't see it".....
The tables turned on me this last week...I borrowed a magazine from Sugi 

an Inspiration Magazine...not a cheap one of course.  I looked for it to take a copy of something and could not find it, I don't remember removing it from my bag in fact don't remember putting it in at her house...so we have both been on the hunt...
 In our group we all buy different magazines and share them as they are quite expensive to own them all...and who needs them all.

So I have been through this house with a fine tooth comb..... in fact I was begining to doubt my sanity...
Whee !!!! finally found it this morning I have a basket by the side of the sofa which has lids and someone had come for coffee while I was on the phone and they picked it up in the lounge and read it but thinking that was were I kept magazines popped it in there for me...there are a few in there I must admit,  then closed the lid.
I guess the reason they did this is because I am quite a tidy person when it comes to the lounge, (got this from my mother).....she always had to have somewhere tidy to sit unexpected visitors...so at night she would plump up cushions and remove all debris so the place was ready to receive anyone who came ..."guess old habits die hard "

This basket has quite a history I bought it in America when we were living there in 1980"s and it has travelled all over the world with me, I lined it myself and it  has held my hand sewing for ever and a day, so quite a dear old friend

Seven Irish Tenors

This evening Prue and I went to Hamilton to see these chaps... what an amazing performance they gave non stop singing.

The Seven Irish Tenors originated in Dublin more than a decade ago with the sole intent of showcasing to the world the finest young exponents of Irish singing. Although the cast changes as singers move on in their careers, there is always a minimum of seven singers on stage,  although the company sports twelve performers in all.

In this two hour concert performed entirely by The Seven Irish Tenors,  we heard  Irish favourites such as Danny Boy, The Rose Of Tralee, MacNamara’s Band, Phil The Fluter’s Ball, Galway Bay and When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, as well as more contemporary songs like You Raise Me Up, We Are The Champions, and favourites such as You’ll Never Walk Alone, The Rhythm Of Life and Bridge Over Troubled Water.

It was wonderful the way the interspersed opera and ballads. I am still singing and it is  midnight now and sleep eludes me at present

So if you have a chance to see this show I for one would thoroughly recommend it.