May 2021

Why Stay in Hotels When There Are Hostels?

Hostels are fun, hostels are cheap, and are so much more interesting than a hotel! A low tariff per night has a lot of attraction on a limited budget. Getting back in to traveling mode was not going to be easy for a single old person. Old is just a state of mind, and its perception, reality.

Having reached Christchurch in the South Island ” the Garden City ” and delivered safely by a bus driver, obviously concerned about a grey-haired someone looking just a bit lost, asked where I was staying? Giving him my destination he assured me, it was just an easy two-block walk. However, the easy two-block walk turned into a half hour struggle as total disorientation set in. Now having acquired a street map, things improved immediately and my hostel appeared. The handy takeaway and dairy likely to be very useful.

Check in completed easily, and directions given to go through the door and up the stairs. What no lift? Okay, so it is up the stairs, no problem, my suitcase and I climbed with difficulty up the stairs, but turning the corner there is another equally large number of steps to climb, by now it is a problem. Help is suddenly at hand from another backpacker, and I finally reached the top.

Down to the room allocated to me, it is a four-bed room, and the top bunk is mine. Leaving the trusty suitcase under the bunk, I sailed out to explore my home for the next three days. Oh joy, there are toilets and showers are directly opposite the room. Further down the hall a huge clean kitchen with storage, fridges and microwaves and all the essential cooking utensils for communal use. There were cubicles for bags containing people’s ingredients for their meals and stickers for attaching to food items in the fridges. A comfortable and pleasant lounge complete with a large television, a bookshelf with a swap books facility adjoined the kitchen-dining room.

Now it is time to go out and check what the Christchurch has to offer the traveler. The beautiful square with the Cathedral, street sellers with their arts and crafts. The beautifully restored trams and people enjoying life. Heading back to the hostel for the night I picked up takeaways for dinner. By now, the kitchen is full of young people all busy chopping up vegetables and generally preparing their evening meal. Some of it looked very interesting! The takeaway meal stood out like a sore thumb!

Those who were already eating their meals sat at the tables chatting, and laughing over the days adventures. From all corners of the world there were Canadians, Americans, Japanese,Austrians,Chinese, English just to name a few as well as Kiwis,of course! Fascinating to watch everything being cleared away by everyone using the kitchen Evening in the lounge was spent watching the movies on TV, those not interested in the movie wrote in obviously well traveled journals …

Cat Proof Fence For Outdoor Cat Containment

Many homeowners are distraught with their cat escaping the property and roaming outside. A simple wooden fence will not always keep your pet contained, you will need to cat proof your fence for true cat containment.

If you live in a residential area is not prone to cat predators such as coyotes and owls your cat proof fence can be made of simple netting material that can go on an existing fence or be put up even without a fence. The net bends in, which is why cats will not climb it, thereby serving as a type of cat enclosure.

Existing fences made of wooden planks or chain links should be repaired prior to beginning your cat enclosure DIY. Place guards around any trees that run alongside the fence to ensure there are no escape holes for your cats. Make sure there are no sharp edges or nails protruding to keep your cat safe.

To attach a simple garden net to your fence you will need a few garden poles, some fishing line and twist ties as well as a staple gun. All materials are very inexpensive and readily available at your local hardware store. Some cats learn to rip or push through the fence. A double layer of netting takes care of this problem.

Your cat may need to adjust to their new cat fence and may even be angry at first. This will usually pass as they become accustomed to their new outdoor enclosure. Spending time with your pets in the garden can help them feel more at home and less caged.

If you are worried whether your new cat containment area is escape proof, watch your pet closely for the first few days. They are sure to try to find escape routes. If they do you will have the opportunity to close them off until none are left.

Building a cat proof fence is an easy cat containment solution for private home owners that would like to keep their pets contained and avoid the dangers of the neighbourhood. Alternately you may choose to build an out door cat run or outdoor enclosure to better suit you needs.…

Kitchen Rugs

Although it may seem counterintuitive to place a rug in a kitchen, there are several distinct advantages to placing an area rug in this vital room! While rugs are often shunned in this work space because of the fear that they will “collect dirt,” people spend a tremendous amount of time in the kitchen-mostly standing on their feet! Not only does a kitchen rug add a delightful, inviting feel to the “heart of the home,” but a rug underfoot can help ease many of the common physical ailments that can result from prolonged periods of standing. If a kitchen has hard flooring, such as stone or ceramic tile, then it’s even more important that there’s some cushion in the work zones and prep areas.

While it is true that a kitchen floor receives a good deal of dirt and debris, simply selecting a washable or stain-resistant fiber will remove concerns about an area rug’s practicality in the kitchen. Indoor/Outdoor fibers are an excellent choice, as are synthetic blends, jute, sisal, and even wool! Any of these options will be either easy to clean or stain repellant.

In selecting a kitchen area rug, be sure to choose a low pile. Densely piled rugs, such as Berber, are good for kitchens. Area rugs constructed from woven natural fibers, such as jute or sisal, are also compatible with kitchen use. Cut pile or shag carpets are the only varieties that should be avoided; their deep, plush construction makes them likely to collect crumbs and increase kitchen cleaning duties. On the other hand, woven, looped, or low pile area rugs will need little more than a quick shake to clean and refresh them.

Whatever material is chosen for a kitchen area rug, it’s very important that the rug has a properly sized non-slip rug pad. Not only will the rug pad give a little extra padding for those working and walking in the kitchen, but it’s the best way to ensure that a kitchen accent rug provides both visual interest and sure footing.…

How to Make Eating Fun and Enjoyable in Your Dining Room

Decorating one’s dining room entails a lot of caution especially with the furniture that you will be using. Choosing the fixtures for this room much include factors such as the number of members in the household, the age and number of children (if any) as well as the regularity of having visitors. If children are within the household, then you certainly should have dining set that is strong enough, scratch resistant and with no sharp rims. Following are some tips on how to make eating fun and enjoyable in the dining room.

The central piece of furniture in a dining room is the table and chairs. Make sure that you have dining table and chairs that can seat a minimum number of 4-6 persons regardless if the household is not this big. The table must also depend on the size of the dining area. It should neither be too diminutive or too large so as not to ruin the room’s mood. Wooden or glass top dining tables would be great although wrought iron tables with matching sleek glass tops are in fashion. You can also opt to have the traditional or the antique fixtures. To give your dining area a different touch, you can choose the oriental or Japanese type of furniture to make your dining area chic.

Aside from the dining table and chairs, have a buffet cabinet where you can keep your cutlery and show off your collections. Buffet cabinets are not just meant for artistic and visual effect but they are very useful. They indispensable piece of furniture in the dining room especially when entertaining guests. Valuable pieces of art or a big flower arrangement can be put on top of it. You can also store candles in a noticeable and creative way and have them lighted to enjoy candlelight dinner with your family.

To further enhance the ambiance of the dining room, display nice paintings or mantelpieces. You can display your family’s pictures or old objects that you have inherited from your grandparents. Try not to put too much embellishment in the dining area. Remember to keep the dining room clean, inviting and must always be in order. These items are also good topics to talk about during meals.

The dining room must be well-lit. You can choose from the wide variety of overhead lights which range from the conventional to the contemporary ones. A lighting fixture or a modern chandelier that is hung above the dining table is also a superb scheme.

A ceiling fan would be a welcome treat during summer months. This will be helpful especially if the dining area is situated near an outdoor space.

The architectural structure of the dining room must be built in such a manner that it is free from any impurities. Carpets are not recommended as they invite dust. Tables and chairs must be in proportion.

Eating can be a whole lot of fun and enjoyable …

Geotextile Fabric 101: What You Must Know

This Geotextile Fabric 101 guide contains some tips that you should know before buying. When it’s time to do some landscaping or build an addition to your house, preparing the soil is an important first step. You don’t want weeds, vines or even excess water to get in and contaminate your project. One very popular way to solve this challenge is by using long sheets of geotextile fabric materials. They are made with special properties that will serve to protect the investment you make in your landscaping or construction project for many years. Geotextiles are fairly straightforward, but it is important to know what they are and what features they offer before making any kind of buying decision.

What is a Geotextile Fabric?

Geotextiles are simple and permeable sheets of fabric which come in rolls and can be rolled out on the ground when a barrier is needed. These sheets are made of a special fabric that has special characteristics for your landscaping or construction needs. For example, one feature is that they help separate sections of your soil by acting as a barrier between the deeper areas and the surface (where your plants or other project arrangements are located). They can block out unwanted weeds and growth from coming to the surface and still allow drainage of excess water that you don’t want in the area. The main benefits of such a fabric are that: i) your plants and landscaping won’t suffer from unfair competition posed by weeds and roots, and ii) the area won’t become inundated with water. It’s like an additional helpful hand for your garden or construction site. Geotextile fabrics can act in this way because they are typically composed of polypropylene or polyester materials.

How Much Do I Need?

Before going out to buy a geotextile fabric, you should determine exactly how much you need. Typically, it’s best to lay down enough sheets to cover the whole surface area. Remember that these sheets are rolled up. While a single roll will correctly cover all of your project’s length, you will need to use several rolls to cover the whole area. Also, it is a good rule of thumb to have about 15% of each sheet overlapping above the next sheet in order to prevent any holes or gaps in between. While small breaks or ruptures in the fabric aren’t a big deal, you definitely want to avoid the formation of large holes because that allows room for weeds to grow through. And that defeats the whole purpose of using the geotextile fabric.

Another good thing to keep in mind is how dense you want the sheets to be. A denser layer means less water will be able to pass through and there will be less risk of having unwanted plants come through as well. However, this will cost more and may not be needed if you have soil that is already in good condition. You should consider and …

How to Create Ambient Lighting in Your Dining Room

“Ambient lighting” refers to the diffuse light that fills a room generally, rather than lighting particular spaces. Of all rooms, the dining room is perhaps the most difficult in which to create ambient lighting. Many dining lighting fixtures are not diffuse, using beams of light rather than translucent shades. As a result, dining room light can often be fairly harsh. Unfortunately, it is also the room in which diffuse, softer light is the most important. In this article, I will discuss two important tips for generating ambience in your dining room. These tips will soften your light and make it more pleasant.

Tip #1 – Only Pretend to Light With Your Chandelier: Chandeliers are beautiful, but they are usually horrible sources of illumination. Many chandeliers have open bulbs that are unpleasant to look at, creating glare. Further, because your chandelier is usually directly above your dining room table, the chandelier will reflect glare off of the top of your dining room table. In addition, the beams from a chandelier come from above people’s faces, which creates shadows that make them look older.

Instead, only pretend to illuminate with your chandelier. Consider your chandelier more of a decorative fixture, rather than a functional one. In effect, it should be treated in the way that Christmas trees are treated: they are there as decoration. Instead, the actual, functional illumination for your dining room should come from other light sources.

Tip #2 – Use Walls and Ceilings to Reflect Light: The easiest way to generate ambient light is to reflect beams off of ceilings and walls. For example, you can use wall sconces that shine light upward onto the wall, and which then reflects into the room as a whole. Alternatively, you can use torchieres (floor lamps that shine upwards) to illuminate the ceiling, allowing the light to reflect downward. Don’t forget how powerful mirrors are, as they can provide even more ambient light from the reflected ceiling inside.

Using these two tips, you can easily generate quality ambient light for your dining room. It is just a matter of have the apparent sources of light be different from the actual sources.…

Round Dining Room Tables – What to Look For

When in the market for a new dining room table there are several features to look at. Matching your current dining rooms tone, look, and feel will be the first thing to consider. Once you have your color scheme figured out you’re going to want to decide what material it is going to be made out of. That will slightly coincide with what level of sturdiness do you want, depending on who is going to be using the table.

Matching your rooms current look is not too difficult. If the room has a darker tone with dark wood accented cabinets, such as a china cabinet, then that will be the tone to choose. You could even pick out a black metal as that would match fine as well. If you have a bright warm tone then you’re going to want to pick a lighter stained wood, or perhaps a white painted metal. If you don’t go with wood or go with metal you can always go with a marble table top. This will be a bit more expensive but it is a beautiful addition to a dining room and can accent any other color as well. There are many different shades and types of marble and it wouldn’t be too hard to find one that fits your dining rooms color scheme. Glass is also an option here but make sure you match its support accents with the color of your room, which can be made out of metal or glass.

Now that you have your proper material and color scheme you’re going to want to find a quality brand. Do some browsing on sites that carry round dining room tables and find out which brand comes up most often. Once you do so start looking into the customer ratings and find out what the people who have already bought the item really think about it. This is how you do proper research to find what’s best for you. Look for mostly 5 star ratings. A few 2 or 3 stars is not a problem because sometimes things happen in shipping or there are customer errors and miscommunications happen and the blame is then laid upon the manufacturer when sometimes it is not their fault.

Consider as well what type of durability you need for your household. If you have children who are going to be leaning on the table and horse-playing around it you will want to get something that is a little more sturdy and that can take some abuse. Fragile and delicate items would not be good for this. But then again if you don’t have children and you would like to save some money on your table you could buy something with a normal durability that wont be able to stand children playing on it, but it isn’t needed so the money doesn’t need to be spent here.

With the ability to pick out a proper color scheme …

Buying a home or other piece of real estate will be one of the most significant decisions of your life, so it’s vital that you go into this process with a solid understanding of what is involved. This article will lay out the basics and give you good advice on how to proceed.

Private or hard money loans from real estate investors may be your only option if you are planning on flipping a house in today’s real estate market. While they are costly, they are much more lenient in their terms and easier to obtain on short notice, keeping you from having to pass up on a good deal.

Remember that what is outside the property you want is just as important as what is inside. The perfect piece of real estate inside can quite easily be in a noisy area, far from where you need to be or near schools that are not right for you and your family. Not having the right location can cost you in the long run.

To find a new home, you should look on the internet for classified ads. You can also go to a local real estate agency and look at their selection of homes for sale. The more ads you look at, the more likely you are to find something you want.

First-time home buyers should consider not only the home they’re looking at, but also the neighborhood. What are the schools in your new neighborhood like? How convenient are shopping and entertainment sites? Questions like this are important to ask so you can establish or maintain a lifestyle that works for you.

Sleep on your decisions. Don’t tour a property and then decide you love it and want to put in an offer immediately. Always take a day or two to think about it. Once you are sure, go and look at the property again through fresh eyes to make certain.

Buying a home can be an experience that is exhilarating. As long as you find a reputable professional or two to walk you through the process, and do your research about the process, you are sure to have an enjoyable experience finding the home of your dreams and successfully keeping it for many years.

Research natural disasters in the area. Ask if the area is prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, floods, or earthquakes. All of these events can cause homeowner’s insurance to be very costly, so you will need to factor those expenses into your budget. It may also emotionally impact your decision knowing what could happen to you or your family in such a location.

Searching for real estate can be overwhelming, luckily there are many sources available. Many real estate companies list available properties on their websites, which you can browse through at your leisure. If you are just curious and do not want to commit to a real estate agent, Craigslist and the local newspaper, are also great places to start.

You don’t have …

What Style of Dining Room Furniture Best Suits You?

Finding the right kind of dining room furniture for your own home many not be as simple as others may think. More often you get to visit a furniture store, look at the furniture they offer, and don’t get to find what you are actually looking for. This can be a waste of your time and as well as your vehicle’s gas if you are to shop like this oftentimes. However, there is always a solution for this kind of issue.

The main question that you can be asking yourself is that if it is possible for you to get the kind of furniture that you want? But of course yes, with enough understanding on what your options are and considering the important things needed for you to get what suits you best, finding the right dining room furniture will not be that much of a challenge.

First thing that you should look into is what type of furniture do you fee comfortable with which you think matches the theme of your very own home. More often the color is one of the most important things to consider. This is basically what keeps the balance in whatever room you have at home. Balance is important because this is what keeps the impression for the room that other people will be looking at.

Next is the pattern as well as the texture of the dining room furniture is also essential. A much as possible you would like everything to match accordingly in your house. Of course you don’t want your guests getting confused just in case you have a big house and they couldn’t find the way to your dining area. The patterns and texture will definitely allow you to highlight the difference from one room to another.

Lastly, you may consider the original theme of your home to get an idea on what type of dining room furniture style will best suit you. If you opt to have a style that is closer to nature, it is recommendable that you go for wooden furniture. Aside from wood being strong and durable, you can definitely choose from a variety of wood to match the nature type them of your home.…