Heritage Day Amble

Saturday 24th September was Heritage Day in South Africa.

We decided to go for an

 amble in the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve.

Lovely way to spend part of the holiday!

Tom - and The Chair Project

When we moved here from Westville we chose to bring 

the smaller wooden table and four chairs with us for inside the flat.

We didn't sit on them there, the table had bags of our stuff on it.

We decided not to unpack too many things because we knew we would be moving soon.

Two of the chairs were out, but we didn't sit on them.

Two of the chairs were stacked in a storage area.

When we got here and wanted to use the chairs...

To our dismay, the two in the storage area had broken seats!

We are sure the Durban Mission didn't know about the broken chairs

or they would have told us.

Then I noticed that one of the stored chairs was also a different design 

and had a different seat padding pattern, and one of the legs was broken.

Darn I like the design of the chairs!

I feel quite fondly towards the different one too!  

At home I would have taken the seats to the upholsterer I use often.

Glenn would have sorted the broken leg.

Our project manager authorised the purchase of four new chairs.

Darn!  And thank you too... I like these chairs!

In my sorting out the curtains for the flat I found the name of

an upholsterer.

I sent him and another person I saw advertising in the newspaper

details of what I needed and asked for a quote.

No response from either of them!

In our Berea Ward we have a generous lady who knows many people in the area.

 I sent her an sms asking if she knew a good and reasonable upholsterer.

Yes, she did.  She gave me his phone number.

I sent him and sms asking where and when I could meet him to discuss the 

restoring and recovering of the four chair seats.

Tom phoned back in the morning.

Lovely voice!

We made an arrangement to meet at his premises.

I went there with the chair seats.

After chatting a while while he calculated, I thought

"This is my type of guy!  I like to do business with his sort of person."

He gave me a quote for four new wooden bases,

new sponge and recovering.

I was thankful and relieved.  It was affordable.

I went and selected the fabric, took it to him and today we fetched the seats.

I like Tom.  Eccentric, genuine, no frills, knows his value.

I will recommend him to all around here who need re-upholstery.

I am delighted with my four new chair seats!

They are more comfortable than they were before since

the sponge layer is thicker.

I'm so glad I could keep my three and one different chairs!

My heart is happy!

Thank you Tina!

Thank you Tom!

Before:

After - We have three of these chairs.

And my dear different one!

As one visitor said "If you hadn't told me, I would not have noticed it is different."

Indeed, not many people would notice..

So now the patio chairs are out on the patio again.

They served us well while we sorted this problem.

Sunday Afternoon Cabin Fever...

Sunday was rainy and cold.

After lunch and attending to the things we needed to we took a drive to our Spot.

We sat and soaked in the loveliness and talked and sat.

I wiped the windscreen every now and again.

Lovely leaden sky and grey-turquoise sea...

We drove down a little along the road

and repeated the quietness again in the new Spot

where we found a space!

The first one has a few parking spaces

so we often find place to be there,

the second one at the end of the road has only three

and this is the first time we have been able to park there. 

I came back feeling like a new woman,

a chilly new woman...

Cold enough for a heater!  Which we don't have!

I put on extra clothes instead and felt comfortable enough.

Doug helped Glenn sort out internet challenges late in the evening.

We have got a 'new' device - again, which we don't understand either...

Thank you Douglas for helping us so expertly!

Perhaps the end of our internet uncertainty is in sight?

Temple Site Progress

The Temple excavation is between the white tanker and the white and red cement truck

The Missionary Housing area is between the far left whitish truck and the white tanker.

The slopes almost ready for hydro-seeding due this week.

Tina Carvalho visited and took this of the two of us.

We had a fun visit viewing the site from various vantage points.

For more description google "Durban South Africa Temple Construction"

Enjoy!

It rained the whole weekend.
The site is muddy and slippery today.
I have a little gap of time to catch up some blogging...

Dustbin Created

The search for a suitable dustbin for the space I wanted to put it!

I needed the bin to be unobtrustive, neat and functional.

I wanted it to not shout "I am a dustbin!"

This is the bin for recycling sort of waste.

I have another little bin on the counter for wet and smelly sort of waste.

The little one is emptied more often, before it smells.

You can see my counter bin (waste-paper bin actually) beyond the dish drying rack,

I line it with old smaller plastic bags.

It is also very convenient and unobtrusive.

After MUCH exploring

I found one that 'sort of' would do the job, 

but I didn't want to pay the price for it -

double the price of regular large utility dustbins.

So I began to figure out how I could create

what I had in my mind for my space.

When our gas braai was delivered in a sturdy cardboard box.

I thought

"This is tall enough, but too deep."

I cut and stuck together with packing tape.

"Now, what to cover the whole lots with?"

I explored wallpaper, contact paper, vinyl wallpaper.

Didn't feel right.

Then I thought of fabric.

I went to the wonderful fabric shop close by I have discovered. 

After a couple of trips there thinking and planning

I decided on vinyl upholstery 'fabric'.

Most is stuck on with heavy-duty wallpaper paste,

and the finishing edges secured with  contact adhesive.

In the end... I paid a lot more than the one I initially turned down,

and got myself a dustbin that does what I want it to.

I put the lid on when we have visitors, but otherwise

it is fine to just stand there and do its job.

 

A niggling irritant attended to!

Happy Day!

Happy me!

Now to get the dining table chairs re-upholstered...

One thing at a time!

Lunch at the Salt Rock Hotel

"You've got to try the Mutton Curry at the Salt Rock Hotel!" enthused Brenda.

We went today on this cloudy and rainy day to find out for ourselves.

We parked our car next to this grand old tree with its lovely trunk.

The view from near our table.

We walked down the the pools and the lookout dugout.

Some campers next door are serious about their TV viewing.

Walking to the lookout point.

From the lookout to the gorgeous greeny-grey sea.

On our walk back I noticed the frond wrapped and plaited trunk-pillars.

Goodbye Salt Rock Hotel!

The venue was wonderful!

Though tasty... Glenn prefers my curry...

We'll come again and have something else.

It's a therapeutic and rejuvenating place to eat.

Progress at the Temple Site

A drone picture sent to us by the quantity surveyor.

left basin is the missionary housing area

right basin is the Temple area

and to the right of the photo, the flat areas,

are the parking areas.

I would love to show you more photos,

and I am not at liberty to do so.

I created a facebook page "Durban South Africa Temple Construction"

on which I can put photos from outside the boundaries.

Please go there periodically and see how things are going.

We have had a very busy couple of weeks settling in, 

sourcing things we need, and ironing out inconveniences.

The lift in the building is still not working

so we think lots before we leave the flat or come back!

Our Little Home

We started today very early.

Our Ward gathered at the beach opposite

Moses Mabhida stadium for a sunrise testimony meeting and breakfast.

Today has been cloudy and cool - beautiful.

The surfers gather.

Apparently the surf was not all that good today.

Surfers gather anyway!

We had our very dusty and dirty cars cleaned,

then went home for lunch.

We also took a trip to Alan's home the other end of the estate and

assembled his braai for him.

He is due back sometime this week we think.

So - this is our home...

This past two weeks
I have been sewing extra blockout linings to our blockout curtains
with a sewing machine borrowed from Brenda.
Hard work!  Not for the faint-hearted.

The spare bedroom and view outside from the balcony to the West.

We see the sun set each day.

It is a lovely view.

Then there are two bathrooms between the spare room and ours.

Later in the list of photos...

This is our bedroom with an en suite shower bathroom.

We have a sliding door out onto the front balcony.

The black cover is over our braai delivered this past week.

Through our door onto the balcony.

You can see the roof ready for doing on the building just left of centre in the picture.

My tumble drier and clothes drier area.

When I want to use the tumble drier I sling a cord through the window 

to the left of the clothes drier. 

Shower bathroom en suite.

Other bathroom to right of ensuite bathroom.

We will be getting towel rails and toilet roll holders on Monday.

Kitchen and dining area.

We had a new washing machine delivered this last week.

When Glenn got to install it today, we discovered it is dented.

We will get the replacement on Monday.

That's the pile of plastic in the middle beyond the hob island.

Lounge and computer area with door to the balcony.

Another view of the kitchen area.

On the left side of picture is the door to the spare room.

Convenient living.

I must still figure out how best I will care for the tiled floors...

I have had an entirely carpeted house for the last thirty years

including carpets in bathrooms and kitchen.

Any ideas welcome!

So now you know where we live...