Hi Ho Hi Ho Its back to work we Go

Day 2 back in the saddle (oh I wish I was a jillaroo and my office was on the back of a horse) and it feels like the last 11 days never happened.  Like a big blurry nightmare dream!

Well apart from the following evidence:

• The beautiful Potting Bench (pics to follow) my darling Dad made for me that is still sitting on the front veranda with Mr K's tools on top (sorry Dad)
• Red and white table cloths, placemats and napkins washed but un-ironed all over my craft room, fighting for room with left-over wrapping paper, gift tags and ribbons.
• Half a very boozy Christmas cake in a tin on the dresser that I try hard to resist eating for breakfast (seems there is an unwritten rule that Christmas cake for breakfast is ok when you are 2-3 days past the Big Day, but after that you are just a greedy slob - kinda like the speedo's or undies debate)
• Getting to play with my very big surprise gift from Mr K - a zoom and fish eye lens
• Bowls of Quality Street still strategically placed around the house, taunting me, teasing me.
• A giant ham on the bone still taking up valuable fridge space when I need that for salads and fruit.
• 17 beach towels all scattered around the pool (well actually I am exaggerating there.  I washed them all today and folded them and put them back in the towel basket ready for the next guests to all pop over with bathers but no towels!)
• A bottle of Hendricks Gin, hidden in my secret stash, a much prized present from son #1
• Pants that I wore a month ago feeling rather snug, and more alarming, they were stretch!
• Odd things I need to find homes for - lovely gifts, but they need a home

May all my fellow Bloggers, Readers, Family and Friends have their dreams come true in 2013. 

And remember if they don't .... A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor!

What we did on the weekend - Outdoor Overhaul

Well, I lie.  This isn't just the result of one weekends work.  We have been working on this for the last 3 weekends, between social events, helping out Son#1 at his house, shopping; we have managed to get three quarters done on the outside area.  Which is pretty impressive for us - we have a deadline of 15 December when we will again have the staff Christmas party here (as we do every year) and we are ahead in the schedule!

In pictures, this is what we have so far.  It took me ages to get with the decorating groove on this one as I had no clear idea of a theme or colours.  This colour scheme kind of evolved.  I like it so far.

After we high pressure cleaned the decking, walls and rafters, we coated the decking in two coats of decking oil.  The new cane chairs look a little bland here.

 

Moved around the layout so that the table is near the BBQ and Buffet (that my Dad made).  I like the layout but it seems a little closed in.

 

 

Old jarrah table and chairs have stood the test of time but after 15 years need to be sanded back and re-oiled.  Colour scheme is mismatched and drab

 

By adding a red cushion from inside, we suddenly got the effect we were after.  I went and bought red cushions from BigW and put them on the cane chairs - made all the difference.  Mr K found the dining chair pads at Hardly Normal when he went to buy his mum a new TV!  They are perfect!

 

Loving this colour scheme now.  I think we have enough red now, so will leave it at that.  Maybe some palms and some darker wood furniture to give that Colonial East India look - think Passage to India.

 

Still some work to do on the furniture and some little tweaks but I am pretty happy with it all so far.

 

Being Kind Comes Back to You

Just a little lesson on how kindness does get noticed and repaid.  Not that I would ever be kind to get repaid for it, I get a buzz out of making people feel welcome and comfortable and cared for.  This is why I like to cook!

After our tenants 'left', the pool - our beautiful 12 month old pool, looked like, and was in fact, a duck pond.  It was completely black and needed to be emptied out and cleaned before we could even think of restoring it.  The guy who drew the short straw to do this job was the off-sider of our pool guy.  On the day of our busy bee, which was Easter Saturday, he started early and with buckets and a shovel moved the sludge and mud and muck from the bottom of the pool.  It was a warm day, and it would have been an awful job to do.  We tried to help as much as we could by emptying the buckets and wheelbarrow so he didn't have to get in and out of the pool. 

Before the clean-up

I also made sure he had cold drinks and morning tea.  When I got lunch for the volunteer workers ready, I invited Col to join us for some lunch too.  He left when the job was done and that was that.

Mr Kirsa gets a call from Mark, the owner of the pool restoration business, who employs Colin.  He thanked us very much for looking after Colin so well, Col had told Mark how nice we were to him that day.  All we really did was be a little bit 'country' and offer hospitality in the form of drinks and tea and some lunch.  Today we met with Col again as they were replacing the pumps and filter on the pool (yes more tenant damage).  The boys were going above and beyond what they really had to do, and I know it was because they liked us - Colin told us as much.  He said that he and Mark had discussed how it was not fair that nice people like us (awww) could be treated so badly by the tenants.

After - Part 1 of the cleanup

It was so nice to hear this, really made me feel that good people are still in the world and by being ourselves and treating others as we like to be treated was the best way.  I will admit I got very jaded and angry at what happened with the tenants, I was so tempted to be cold and hard and bitter.  Lesson learnt - being angry and holding a grudge only hurts you.  Opening up, rolling with the punches, getting back on track - all lead to a better and richer life than closing down. Being angry and bitter only allows the person who did you wrong to win.

New Pump, Chlorinator and Filter

Onwards and upwards ... At least we now have all new equipment!