Wednesday 2 October 2024

A hole in the side of the house

I may have been a little quiet on the blog recently, but it hasn't been at all quiet in our house!

We are currently carrying out a project which we have been planning for a long time - we are adding an orangery extension. We've been half thinking about it since we moved in, and so we never did any other work to the house in case it would turn out to be a waste of time and money. 

Finally at the beginning of the year we started to plan more seriously and began to put some ideas together. We had to wait for it to go through planning permission because we are joining to the garage, but fortunately it was accepted with no problems. 

It's the first time that we've been involved in a project like this and we haven't really known what to expect. We've been watching time lapse videos of similar projects on YouTube to get a feel for the order in which things will happen. This also inspired my husband to buy his own time lapse camera to record the progress which is fantastic to watch back and I'll definitely be sharing it when it's all done!

It seemed to take a while to really get going - we had problems with unexpected pipes in the wrong places and then the weather was atrocious. For a long time all we had to look at was a muddy back garden full of holes. But then the beautiful red brick walls went up, and this week the wooden structure is being built, and that has really given us a feel for how it's going to look. 

Halfway through an orangery extension build

Currently most of the back of the house is missing, with wooden boards and tarpaulin the only protection from the elements. It was fine at first, but as the weather has got colder and windier it has felt a little bit as though I'm preparing food outdoors! Luckily the front of the house has escaped unscathed so we have the living room to retreat to, and we've not suffered at all with any dust or mess.

We are a couple of weeks away from having a sealed structure, and then the work will move indoors with plastering, tiling and a new kitchen. It should all be complete well before the end of the year, and I'm really looking forward to a Christmas at home with a new kitchen to cook in and stars to gaze at through the ceiling!

The pros and cons of using a property management company

This is a collaborative post

Buying a second property and renting it out can be a great idea if you've got spare cash you're looking to invest and want to create a nest egg for the future. Many new landlords though worry about the responsibility that comes with having tenants and choose to use a property management company instead to manage the day-to-day work that comes with being a landlord such as keeping on top of repairs and inspections.

In their article, we'll look at some of the pros and cons of using a property management company versus doing it yourself to help you decide which might be the right option for you.

House keys and money
Photo credit Jakub Żerdzicki via Unsplash

The pros of hiring property managers

Time-saving

Let’s face it, managing rental properties is a time-consuming task - it's one of those jobs that ends up taking up way more of your time than you bargained for, especially if you have issues such as unreliable tenants, tenants leaving unexpectedly or emergency maintenance issues. 

Expertise and experience

Property management companies have a wealth of experience and specialised knowledge and if you're a new landlord it might be safest from a legal perspective to hand this over to someone in the know. They'll know the ins and outs of tenant laws, and the rules around selling properties with tenants and will have established relationships with trusted contractors. 

Help to find reliable tenants

Finding reliable tenants is one of the biggest challenges for landlords, so property management companies have robust screening processes to ensure you get quality tenants who pay rent on time and take good care of your property. They also handle tenant relations, so you won’t have to deal with complaints or disputes directly.

The cons of hiring property managers

The cost

A property management company will normally charge you either a fixed fee, a percentage of the rent, or a mix of both, and if you're close to break even as it is then this could be prohibitive. You've still got to factor in tax on your rental income and repair costs, so for some landlords, especially those with a single property, this extra expense might outweigh the benefits.

Minimalist living room area
Photo credit Alexandra Gorn via Unsplash

Loss of control

When you hire a property management company, you’re entrusting them with the day-to-day operations of your property. This means you’ll have less direct control over decisions and tenant interactions, meaning it's not the ideal choice for people who find it hard to delegate decision-making.

Variable quality

Unfortunately, not all property management companies are created equal and the quality of service can vary hugely between different companies. One of the best ways to choose an agency to work with is via a personal recommendation from someone you trust who has direct experience working with them in a professional capacity. 

Deciding whether or not using a property management company is the right decision for you will depend on lots of factors, including your level of experience, the amount of time you have available and how much you can afford to give away from your monthly rental income. We hope this has given you a starting point though to help you make the right choice for you.

Monday 23 September 2024

My favourite quotes about books and reading

Today I'm sharing some of my favourite quotes about books and reading!

"Wear the old coat and buy the new book." - Austin Phelps

"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?" - Henry Ward Beecher

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." - Joseph Addison

"Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." – Mason Cooley

"I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life." - W. Somerset Maugham

"That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet." - Jhumpa Lahiri

Selecting a book from the shelf
Photo credit Christin Hume via Unsplash

"Once you've read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you." – Louis L'Amour

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." – Marcus Tullius Cicero

"Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while." – Malorie Blackman

"Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again." – Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

"The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours." - Alan Bennett

"Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new after all." - Abraham Lincoln

Woman reading a book
Photo credit Joel Muniz via Unsplash


"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R.Martin

"There is nothing more luxurious than eating while you read—unless it be reading while you eat." - E. Nesbit

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." - P.J. O’Rourke

"Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and all the nooks." - Dr. Seuss

"The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library." - Albert Einstein

"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them." - Lemony Snicket

Shelves of colourful books
Photo credit Nick Fewings via Unsplash

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all." - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

"So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install a lovely bookshelf on the wall." - Roald Dahl

"Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world." - Jeanette Winterson

"Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all." - Henry David Thoreau

"A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." - Italo Calvino

"I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in." - Robert Louis Stevenson

Friday 20 September 2024

Five top road trips from Wellington

This is a collaborative post

Wellington is a brilliant destination to visit in its own right. But New Zealand’s capital, near the southernmost point of Te Ika-a-Māui, is also the gateway to a number of fantastic road trips across both the North and South Islands.

Incorporating everything from geothermal wonders and international wine regions to soaring mountains and magnificent beaches, there are plenty of places you can visit to satisfy your wanderlust.

In this post, we’ll highlight five of the best road trips you can take from Wellington. Whichever one(s) you decide to do, you are sure to experience the magic of Aotearoa.

Wellington to Napier

If you’ve got one to three days spare, a Wellington to Napier self drive road trip is a must. 

It will take you about 4 hours and 15 minutes to cover the 323 km distance, but once you are there, you’ll discover a fabulous 1930s Art-Deco city that is well known for being the epicentre of the famous Hawkes Bay wine-growing region.

The quickest way to get to Napier from Wellington is to go on State Highway 50 via the Port City of Porirua. However, it’s well worth investing an extra 10 minutes of driving time to embark on the scenic journey through the Hutt Valley.

The highlight of doing so is undoubtedly Cape Kidnappers, which might sound like a foreboding place to visit but actually showcases tremendous views of jagged cliffs.

Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
Photo credit Leonie Clough via Unsplash

Wellington to Cape Palliser

For those who are short on time, the drive from Wellington to Cape Palliser is a good option. It will only take two hours, which means you can easily cover the 121 km distance there and back in the space of an afternoon. 

This part of the country, which takes you along spectacular coastal roads, is renowned for its fascinating colonial and Maori heritage sites. It is also home to the wonderful Cape Palliser Lighthouse which dates back to 1897 and showcases incredible panoramic views of the dangerous waters of Pallier Bay. Although you will have to climb 250 steps to take it all in.

Cape Palliser Lighthouse, New Zealand
Photo credit Joshua Bayliss via Unsplash

If you’d rather do something a little less strenuous, nearby Martinborough has some of New Zealand’s best vineyards.

Wellington to Nelson

Nelson has a reputation for being the sunniest city in New Zealand. So, if the inclement weather is getting you down, why not drive the 212 km distance to top up your tan?

You’ll take around six hours to get there if you drive non-stop, but most people complete this journey within 3 to 5 days, partly because it also involves taking the ferry over from the North Island.

Nelson buzzes with personality as a city. It is home to several art galleries, botanic gardens, farmers markets, and a notable food scene, which provides plenty to see and do.

However, if you have time, make a point of driving about an hour south of the CBD to Nelson Lakes National Park. This park represents the gateway to the Southern Alps, which will blow you away with its stunning glaciers, rugged mountains and dense beech forests. 

Wellington to the South Island West Coast

If you fancy embarking on a longer road trip from Wellington, take the Great Coast Road down the west coast of the South Island.

Many travel experts regard this drive as one of the best in the world as it includes the jaw-dropping Paparoa National Park, which accommodates the iconic Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowhole.

Most people take around 3 to 5 days to complete the 719 km distance, although the more days you can spare the better.

During this drive you’ll take in the incredible Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. Both of which can be easily accessed by road. These glaciers can be walked on, but they are dangerous. So, make sure you hire a local tour guide if you want to do this.

Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Photo credit Jackman Chiu via Unsplash

If your budget allows, hire a helicopter for a once-in-a-lifetime ride over the glaciers. Make sure you have your cameras at the ready!

Wellington to Queenstown (via Christchurch) 

Another road trip for adventurous souls takes you from New Zealand’s capital via Christchurch to Queenstown. You can even do it from Nelson, too.

Ideally, you should set aside about a week to do this 912km trip as both destinations have plenty to keep you occupied. Again, it will involve taking the ferry to the South Island. However, once you have done this, stop by Kaikoura, which is one of the country’s best spots for whale-watching.

Christchurch is the second-biggest city in New Zealand. While there, you can check out fabulous attractions like the International Antarctic Centre and Quake City. You should also devote a day to visiting Arthur’s Pass National Park, one of the most scenic and highest routes within the Southern Alps.

To get to Queenstown, take Highway 8, a scenic drive that passes some of New Zealand’s main landscape highlights, including Aoraki Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, and Lindis Pass.

Queenstown is also the ‘Adventure Capital of the World’. So, once you arrive, why not take the opportunity to go bungee jumping, jet boating or skydiving?

Wednesday 18 September 2024

Well in to my forties and still collecting stickers

One of my prized possessions from childhood is my sticker album. Sticker collecting and swapping was a huge craze back when I was in Year 8 - over thirty years ago! 

Vintage 90s sticker album

I loved collecting stickers. There was a gift shop in my Grandma's town that had a wall filled with rolls of stickers with individual sheets to tear off for pennies. I used to make special trips and spend ages choosing which ones to buy. Then I enjoyed swapping them with friends and arranging them on the pages of my album by type and design. 

Vintage 90s sticker collection

Recently my daughter became interested in stickers, and of course there are so many more sticker options around now. Until now I've been watching from the side lines, but on her most recent order from Stationery Pal I couldn't resist adding a few packs in for myself. Then we did a joint order from AliExpress and added some more stickers to the collection. They are so cheap, there are so many varied designs, and really good quality!

As a teenager I favoured the felt and glittery stickers, particularly of animals. Now I find myself drawn to florals, botanicals and vintage designs like postage stamps or old pieces of writing.

Vintage floral and postage stamp stickers

I love anything related to travel...

Travel poster stickers

...and I particularly adore stickers that come in little boxes or are bound into tiny books.

Tiny vintage book themed stickers

What do I do with all these stickers? Well I must admit that many of my purchases are purely for the joy of collecting them. I have some free pages in my album, and I've been filling those up with my absolute favourites! 

I also use them to decorate my bullet journal and as accents in my illustrated journal. I add them to cards that I'm sending and to letters that I'm writing. I have one on my water bottle, my phone case and on the fronts of notebooks. My daughter and I also have fun laying them out to admire together and to swap with each other. 

I think it's a harmless and cheap hobby!

Thursday 12 September 2024

What I've been up to lately - September 2024

I know I've been a bit quiet here recently - here are some of the things that I've been up to:

Reading

I am reading loads at the moment! The other day I shared a list of books that I've enjoyed recently, and I've read several more since then. I have a big stash of books by the side of my bed to get through but I couldn't resist a trip to the library earlier this week when my daughter had an after school rehearsal. I was really pleased to find a copy of Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey which has been on my radar for some time, so that will be my next read. 

Shopping

I don't shop a great deal, but I have had some treats this month. My daughter recently introduced me to Stationery Pal which is an online stationery shop and it's amazing. It's based in China so there is a hefty charge for shipping, usually around £8-10. But if you are putting together a reasonably large order then the prices are so good and the products so unique that it makes up for it. As an example, I bought a pack of five excellent gel pens for just 8p! In the past I've just purchased things for my daughter but this time we did a joint shop and I got myself some lovely stickers, pens and washi tape. You can see a short Instagram story of the things we bought here - Stationery Pal Mum and Daughter Haul.

Stationery Pal sticker and pen haul

Watching 

We are working our way through The Rings of Power which isn't bad, it's quite watchable. But I just keep thinking that it's nowhere close to being as good as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I can watch over and over and never get bored! I do like the lovely scenery and costumes, especially the parts with the elves.

Listening to

It's back to the school run which means plenty of time to listen to Spotify in the car. I have a few Zoe Science and Nutrition podcasts to catch up on from over the summer and I'm also enjoying listening to Pulp at the moment. I also have a great playlist called 'Jen's car singing playlist' which is songs that I know all the words to and can belt out as I'm driving along, I probably get some funny looks from other drivers!

Learning

Our school has set up a Duolingo challenge for parents and students which promises prizes, so I have downloaded the app and got stuck in. It has become very competitive! I've decided to learn German which some might say is a bit of a cheat as I do have a degree in German. But that was a long, long time ago, and I'm really enjoying refreshing my skills. I've also not started from scratch, I've gone in at Section 4 which is quite advanced. I'm pretty good at the listening, speaking and reading, but my written German definitely needs some work. All that grammar has been long forgotten!

Duolingo German screenshot

Crafting

I've taken out my Olde World Map cross stitch project again this week. I'm finding it really difficult! Especially at this time of year when the light isn't as good, many of the colours are very similar. I'm also enjoying working on my journal, especially with all my lovely new stationery. I enjoy setting up pages with washi tape and stickers and using a coloured pen to write. I get inspired by seeing journal spreads on social media, even though I know that they've been created purely as shareable content!

Planning

At the moment we are partway through a large building project, an orangery extension. It's something that we've been thinking about since we moved in over 12 years ago, and it's very exciting. We've never done any work to the house so it's all new to us, luckily we have a project manager to help us. But there has been so much planning required. We are having a new kitchen too and we are quite picky so we designed it all ourselves which took many hours. There are just so many decisions to be made! 

We are a few weeks in now and in the middle of the chaos, but hopefully it will be completed by the end of the year. 

Cement mixer in the front garden

Eating

I've been busy trying to eat up as much food as I can before we have to empty the kitchen, so lots of tinned tomatoes and beans. I really changed my eating habits at the beginning of the year, and I'm pleased to say that I've managed to keep up with it really well. I cut way down on my intake of ultra-processed foods and I just generally try to be a bit more mindful with what I'm eating. I did lose quite a bit of weight in the early months although I've noticed it creeping back on over the summer - I still eat quite a lot of calories even though they are healthier ones! I'm not too worried though because I think that my diet is generally pretty good.

So we have a busy couple of months ahead with all the work going on, I'm hoping that I can find some peace and quiet and time to relax!

Monday 9 September 2024

Review - Sakuraco monthly Japanese snack subscription box

I received this snack box in exchange for a review

Recently I was given the opportunity to try out a Sakuraco monthly Japanese subscription box. The boxes support local Japanese snack makers, and each box contains twenty traditional, authentic and artisan Japanese snacks and teas. The box also includes a lovely piece of special Japanese tableware which you can use to display and serve the snacks. 

Japanese snack box subscription review

I received the September 2024 box, which is themed around the Autumn Moon Festival. The box celebrates the Japanese tradition of viewing and embracing the serene beauty of the autumn moon, when people will often gather with friends and family to celebrate the changing seasons and connect with nature's rhythm. Several items in the box depict rabbits under the moonlight that represent the Moon Rabbit, a popular Japanese legend.

Sakuraco subscription box review contents

I love Japanese culture but I'm not very familiar with the food, so I was eager to try some different treats! All of the packaging is in Japanese, but the box comes with a booklet which contains detailed descriptions of the snacks alongside information about the makers and some cultural insights. There is also allergy information.

Japanese treats for September moon festival

I had a lovely time trying out all the different treats and serving them to myself on the gorgeous rabbit plate! The portions were just the right size - small enough to be able to try several in one sitting, and large enough to give you a good impression of the treat. I particularly loved the Lemon Baked Chocolate in the paper case in the photograph above, it had a really crumbly texture and a sweet lemon flavour.

Japanese snack box subsciption

I also really enjoyed the Tsukimi Mikan Cream Cookie with a printed rabbit design, and the Custard Taiyaki sweet fish-shaped pastry which is sold on street stalls at this time of year. They were the ideal size to leave you satisfied and they paired perfectly with the Tsukimi Ryokucha green tea.

Japanese artisan sweet treats

The box contained a great selection of savoury treats too, like these Black Sesame Miso Arare. They were satisfyingly crunchy and had an interesting mix of umami and sweet flavour. 

Japanese Black Sesame Miso Arare snack

I really enjoyed the opportunity to try out this range of Japanese snacks and treats. I also loved the theming, and the snippets of information about Japanese culture that accompanied the various items. It was a really fun way to sample some Japanese flavours. The selection of snacks was varied and interesting and it felt as though there was plenty included.

You can find out more about the boxes here - Sakuraco Japanese snacks subscription boxes.

Sakuraco Japanese monthly snack subscription box