I've got the kitchen blues

I am fed up to the point that I am ready to order my kitchen cabinets online. I have had several people come out to measure up and send me a quote. I received two quotes out of five and I am now waiting on another two cabinet makers to come by and give me their quotes. It is hit and miss when doing business on this island. It is very important to do a background check on these people because you really don't know who you are getting. Some of them are very good and have a long waiting list. I am not prepared to go that way. Some are very expensive even in these lean times they are not flexible, and some are just pure jokers looking to make a quick dollar.

Whenever I mention about buying my kitchen on line, I get responses like" those kitchens are no good" and that "they are not made from wood". I know that they do not know what they are talking about. I am not saying that there are no online scammers but what am I to do? Build them myself? That idea sounds really good to me at this point in time.

I really like the shaker look for my cabinets and am trying to decide whether to go with light coloured wood or medium coloured wood or whether to paint them. I don't want to make a rash decision cause am afraid of having to live with it for the rest of my life. What am I to do? HELP SOS

Have any of you had any experience buying online kitchen cabinets? I have to prepare myself that they will cost me approximately 2.5 to 3 times more by the time I get it. This will be because the sea freight and our customs duties. I am sooo fed up!

Dry season

the crotons and golden crinums seem to be thriving in this dry spell.

The dry season has started with a ferocity that tells me we are in for a severe drought. Last year this time we were experiencing an unusual amount of rain at the start of the dry season. I was over the moon for the extra moisture and my garden thrived. This week the grass has turned brown in many areas and I am forced to water many of my plants. Some plants are more drought tolerant like the crotons and the golden crinums you see in the second photo from the top. The water rates have been raised by a whopping sixty percent so I may just have to let some plants fend for themselves. This month is also the official start of the sugar cane harvest that will continue into the next few months until June or July.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

My snow on the mountain(euphorbia leucocephala) is churning up a snow storm. The last photo a few posts down seems tame because it was partially in bloom. It is a joy to walk pass this shrub that looks like billowing white clouds. In a few weeks time it will loose all its blooms and set seed. I will then cut it back and let it grow again for Christmas 2010.

I just love this email

Throughout the year 2010

May you always make the right moves.

May your cup runneth over with love.

May you always find shelter from any storm.

May you remain good looking and looking good !

May you find the perfect diet for your soul.
(If this face doesn't make you want to stop
eating sausage, nothing will.)

May you find perfect balance

in the company you keep.

May you have as much fun as you can
before someone makes you stop.

May the worst thing that happens to you

come in slobberry pink and furry tan.

May all the new folks you meet
be interesting and kind.

May you manage to MAKE time for siesta.

May your accessories always harmonize
with your natural beauty!

Should your mouth ever be bigger
than your stomach,
may you have a chewing good time!

May you always know when to walk away and know when to run. And may your friends always bring you joy! Wishing You All the Very Best For 2010 A friend sent me this and I loved it so much I wanted to share it with you. The author is unknown to me and kudos to whosoever did this. P.S. I have had some problems formatting this but now I think I've got it! By George I think I've got it!

My new year wishes

As the year 2009 comes to an end, I am reflecting how it has changed me as a person. As I look towards 2010 I can say that I am more aware of life and that we do not have tomorrow packaged.
I am more aware of how difficult it is to change one's perception about people and things. Before the information highway was opened, we all lived in our own small worlds. Now that world has become connected and I realize that we are more alike than we are different. Many of us face the same challenges in our day to day existence, many of us share the same hopes and dreams.
Often I wonder if I can make a difference, by doing instead of talking, by giving instead of thinking. At times, I can be described the world's greatest procrastinator and it is indeed the thief of time. Time passes very quickly and before we know it is too late. So my resolution for 2010 is to just do it!

My wish for the world....... may there be some peaceful resolution to the conflicts that seem to be engulfing nations. May we all see each other as family that spans the globe ignoring race, creed and station in life. May we throw out all prejudices and start with a blank page. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?........Just do it!

Wishing a happy and healthy 2010 to all !

Seasons Greetings

This euphorbia is locally called snow on the mountain and it only flowers at Christmas time.

The poinsettia whose humble roots began Mexico, is now a symbolic plant at Christmas

I was passing through the famous Sandy Lane Estates where I couldn't help admire this display and gardens.

Christmas is now upon us and everyone is dashing and dancing, and also shopping for the last minute presents and food. My kitchen is not finished however I am not going to loose any sleep over that. I will now take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and brighter 2010.

Yikes it a bloomin' Friday

My hibiscus hedge at the front consists of red, cream with a red throat and pink with a red throat (not shown). However I am now seeing variations or mutations of the red and cream on the red plants. They are quite beautiful and I wonder if this is normal? For more blooming Friday please skip over to Katerina at roses and stuff . Have a great weekend folks!

It's annuder bloomin' Friday

white mandevilla

white cane begonia

these dendrobiums are having a fun time in this sunny spot.

Hi folks it has been some time since I have posted for blooming Friday. I have been a bit subdued and in deep thoughts on two of my friends who passed away last month. Work on the kitchen is progressing amidst all the dust and confusion. For more blooming Friday blooms please scoot on over to Katerina from roses and stuff. Have a great weekend !

Blooming Saturday

Dwarf Alamanda

Bougainvillea

white dendrobium orchid

I have been very busy lately, been on the road looking at materials and supplies for the kitchen that I hadn't the time to make the post today Friday. So I have decided to do it for Saturday. We have been getting some frequent showers this month so the plants are loving it. The grass is growing by the second so every weekend now I am mowing it. On Monday my island will be celebrating its 43rd year of independence. Prior to that the island was under British rule like most of the other English speaking islands.

Kitchen renovations

We found a sandy earth tone tile for the back wall of the arch/hearth. This is where the stove and refrigerator will remain. I hope to find a hood/extractor fan for the chimney.

I have been thinking of redoing the kitchen for sometime, so hubby just decided recently that we better get it done asap. Termites were eating away at the base cabinets and when they were removed, we found a huge colony. The walls will have to be treated before any work is done. My kitchen was 13 years old so that is not too bad. Now my house is a few hundred years old, made of cut limestone and field stone and had many surprises when we peeled away the old and recent plaster off the walls. After closer examination the roof has to be replaced and a new ring beam had to be built. It is a small kitchen 10 ft by 14 ft so we hope to have it finished by Christmas. There is dust everywhere. We had chosen a sandy coloured quartzite counter top with a stacked slate back splash. For the cabinets I planned to reuse the oak ones that were hung above the base since they are in good condition and I will also reuse the doors from the base cabinets. I will have two more storage units built and I am looking at quotes from the cabinet makers. I plan to put two skylights in the roof since the kitchen is quite dark (my mother's in law recommendation) . The floors will be tiled with a limestone coloured porcelain tiles with royal blue inserts like the rest of the house. I hope to get a country look/farmhouse kitchen when I am finished or something near that.
Happy thanksgiving to my fellow bloggers around the world.