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There's a particularly infamous event in my life that comes only once every year. Waking up on this glorious springtime morning has many participants feeling like little kids on Christmas. For it is on this day that a group of friends…aka, "Good Times Group" round up troops and partake in one festive and downright delectable day of food, friends, and fun. St. Petersburg's official and yet, delightfully unofficial Crawfish Festival has been going strong for a solid 10 years and counting.
I'm no licensed "Good Times" member but today, I'll consider myself a spokesperson for the thirty-somethings who'll never, ever grow up in the name of merry-making. You see, I'm the younger (and better looking) sibling to a guy who makes it his duty to eat 70 crawfish on this much-anticipated day. Best of buds with the certified crawfish hosts, he introduced me to this Cajun celebration several years back. I've only missed one of the annual fests in six years and will forever blame my beau for that one…
So how might one even attempt in recreating this backyard bash? How do you throw a Louisiana revelry that draws in over 100 giddy guests every year? I'll dish up some tips…but I must warn you that your get-together won't hold a…crawfish to the Good Times' decade of bug boiling and Louisiana libation concocting.
Crawfish Shipped Live and Squirming
There's just no other way to do it! The guys and gals of Good Times insist on only the freshest and meatiest crawfish around. That means one thing: getting the little bugs shipped from the state that claims their name. This year they boasted an insane (and standard) 450 pounds of the creatures. They rely on the trusty, Louisiana Crawfish Co. to fly the bugs over to Tampa for an airport pick-up.
All The Fixings For This Irresistible Messy Fare
It's all about the accessories when it comes to the boil. Generously shaking on the crawfish boil seasoning will produce a mixture that's full of flavor. A batch of classic and a batch of kicked-up for the heat-seekers, the crawfish are swarming with loads of corn on the cob, new red potatoes, and Andouille sausage. Be sure to turn off the flame/heat source once they're shiny and red to let 'em soak in the boil for a while.
Spicy Sides Contributed By All In Attendance
Though it shouldn't be required for entry, having your friends support the culinary cause is the quickest way to ensure an array of Cajun fare for all. Oddly enough, not everyone who attends these parties will be interested in sucking on crawfish tail so they'll need some less intimidating refreshments. Staples like Jambalaya, Red beans and rice, Jalapeno cornbread and Cajun Corn Pudding are known to make appearances every year at the Good Times Crawfish Fest. Other ideas to give friends are: Bread Pudding, Grit cakes, Cajun Fried Chicken, Muffalettas, and spicy seafood dip.
Decorations, Music and Eating Necessities
Do what you may at your own fest but just know that there's no better "plate" for crawfish than some handy, elegant, and eco-friendly, "Redneck China." Let me clarify. Redneck china is the cardboard from cases of water, juices, and beer. With two inch sides all around for optimum cuisine protection, those beer and liquor loving friends won't have to worry about spilling their goods after they've had one too many.
For Decorations, there's no need to stress but integrating Louisiana's state colors (purple, green, and gold) will catch some eyes. Any extra crawfish flair won't hurt but it's not essential to the big day. Jam out to some New Orleans Jazz Band tunes and your guests will quickly be in good spirits.
Cajun Cocktails and Brewskies Galore
Since you've just spent a pretty penny on the crawfish, you may want to consider "letting" your pals bring their own stash of inhibitors. Though I've never shown up empty handed to a Good Times Crawfish Fest, I can always depend on a generous keg offering of Louisiana's own, Abita beer as well as a flowing fountain of spiked punch. Without fail, I dash straight to the cooler of "Cruise Without a Ship" or the New Orleans famed "Hand Grenade" mixture to begin my day. Words from the wise: these fruity and refreshing punches creep up on you fast…like real fast.
***The much-loved punch recipes are easy to find online. If you're planning on hosting a shindig of your own, you can ask a few friends to help with the cost and concocting of the sweet adult beverages.
You're probably feeling rather intrigued and impatient for a Crawfish Fest of your own. You might want to start preparing today. Crawfish season runs from March through June so you don't have long. Wondering how you'll foot the bill? It's rather pricey and you'll only want to order what you actually think will be eaten. Most crawfish eaters will consume around 2-3 pounds of the bugs along with a couple potatoes and half an ear of corn. Plan your party with an official invitation at least a week in advance to get an estimated head count. Then, happily accept donations with a jar for cash in plain sight at the fest. Also, ask that guests share what dish they'll bring on a Facebook invite or e-mail thread so that no one doubles up.
If you've successfully enticed tons of friends with your party promotion, then you, my friend, are in for a day of unforgettable eating and drinking excitement. Beware…much like owning a boat; you'll soon have friends you never knew existed…


text: By the leading of a star, God made known to all nations the revelation of Jesus, the Savior of the world. God invites all who know Jesus by faith, to follow the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was set apart by God as a light to the world revealing God's salvation. All of God's revelations through Israel were ultimately filled in Jesus – God's promised Messiah.

subset: commoncrawl


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Photo from WRVS Heritage Plus Archive
Here is Barbara's story as recounted by her loving husband Peter Curtin.
Barbara Joan Curtin was born in the Aylesbury District in a cold and snowy March 1925. In the two years or so before her tragic death from Cancer she often reminisced with her two brothers and her sister. I was as her husband a privileged listener.
She recounted of her early days living at Leys Hill the way in which many families existed going into the woods to collect kindling wood for the stove so that hot water would be available on bath nights to fill up the bath and for similar heating arrangements for Mother on washing day. Of her mother using a cast iron smoothing iron heated over an open fire to facilitate removal of creases on sheets and shirts.
The local school was in Chesham and she would cycle with her brother leaving him there and going by bus to work as a domestic in a large country house to the west of Chesham. At this house ( as in many at the time) the servants were not allowed to use the main stair case only the rear stairs, of this hierarchical set up it was necessary for one to progress through if you wished to stay. In May 1938 Barbara appeared in her school choir representing Buckinmshire in the festival of Music held at the Royal Albert Hall before the Queen.
The war came in September 1939 and Barbara elected to work on the farm in preference to the home and later in 1942 became a member of the Timber Corps assisting in the woodland timber stores and felling and lopping trees for telephone poles and pit props. She often drove a tractor with trailer from the Sandhurst College Woods to the rail head at Sandhurst Station loading and unloading the processed timber. She spoke of how they were accommodated in loft rooms lit only by candle light. She also spoke of her love of books and reading. Saturday came round and the girls would go to the local village and township for the weekend dance, If lucky returning by a lift in army or RAF Lorries.
The work they carried out was hard and tiring and they often, to meet targets worked through bad weather returning at nightfall soaked through to the skin. During the blitz they witnessed a bright glow in the sky over London but only experienced the odd bomb jettisoned by over flying German bombers. Throughout the service in the corps Barbara emphasised the great spirit of camaraderie which existed amongst the girls and the male district organisation very reminiscent of the in the armed forces.
With the ending of the war, Barbara married producing a family of two boys and two girls whilst also looking after other junior members of the family she found her hands full. Having moved first to Cambridge and later to Horley. She became a care assistant in the local home for senior citizens in Horley. Unfortunately her husband died in 1976 of a massive heart attack. In 1979 she remarried Peter and with the family involved in aviation was able to travel on holidays to Canada, USA, Portugal, Malta and Crete also visiting various locations in South and south West of England. Unfortunately with the death of her Mother who was living with us Cancer was detected and successfully operated on. This reoccurred in 2005 being detected subsequently to a multiple by-pass operation for her heart. She was a fighter in the last and never happier than entertaining her family with the happiness that they in turn reflected.
One would wish to reflect on the invaluable contribution the ladies made on the home front bringing up families keeping the home going and invariably doing a war job as well. This contribution was made not only by those serving in the armed forces but also the civilians.
I believe Barbara's love of the country the birds and nature have been reflected in her life and love of the garden.
As told by Peter Curtin in 2008
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Maurice White: Tribute To A Soul Master
The pedigree and legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire's funky auteur, by MOJO soul expert Geoff Brown.
Maurice White, [PICTURED ABOVE, CENTRE], founder of and driving force behind Earth, Wind & Fire, one of the most musicianly yet commercial bands of the '70s and '80s in any genre, died on February 3 after a long fight against disease. He leaves behind a distinctive trademark sound – sharp horn arrangements, crisp, snappy rhythm sections, uplifting melodies – that even the nascent Chic imitated.
"White depped for an ailing Elvin Jones with John Coltrane – a pivotal meeting."
Music was in Maurice White's blood. Born in Memphis in 1941, he sang gospel between the ages of six and 12, switched to drums and was playing with Bobby Bland, among others, while deciding that a career in medicine was not for him. (His father was a doctor). Enrolling at the Chicago Music Conservatory, White was soon working at the city's Chess studios as drummer, writer or producer, notably on tracks by Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and the Ramsey Lewis Trio, when the pianist's rhythm section quit to form Young-Holt Unlimited. White depped for an ailing Elvin Jones with John Coltrane – a pivotal meeting, as was his friendship with Chicago arranger/writer Charles Stepney.
In the late '60s White was ready to put into practice all he'd learned, moving to Los Angeles and forming Earth, Wind & Fire with brothers Verdine (bass) and Freddie (drums), singer Philip Bailey and a mighty horn section. After a hesitant start with Warner Bros, the band blossomed at CBS and from 1975's That's The Way Of The World, with its US Number 1 pop hit Shining Star, through Gratitude (Sing A Song), Spirit (Saturday Nite, Getaway), All 'N All (Serpentine Fire, Fantasy) to 1979's mighty I Am their albums were consistent funky and melody-strewn delights.
Boogie Wonderland and Let's Groove continued the singles run, and White's Kalimba Productions began working with others – notably The Emotions. As White eased off EWF's live work he began producing others – Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond among the big hitters – but in the early '90s he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his band in 2000 and honoured as a songwriter in 2010, White leaves a rare and distinctive body of work.
PHOTO: Getty Images


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Cemeteries Of Calhoun County, Illinois - 1978
Hardin, IL: Calhoun County Historical Society, 1978. First edition. Hardcover. Fine. As new. This copy has been custom bound with the original binders instruction tipped in on a front free endpaper. Now bound in blue buckram with spine lettering in white. A fine copy in all respects.


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TAHIRA Productions
Small business owners often operate in a silo and sometimes need an impartial third party with a business acumen and skill set to help them navigate through a business challenge or identify an area of opportunity. We provide aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners:
"I am glad I came across your services because I really had no clue what direction to go in when it came to branding and expanding my services i.e. public speaking and writing for other publications. Fast forward, I have two published articles.., and a speaking engagement set."
Jakia Muhammed
Owner of Sole Organizer


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Summer Camp 2012
This year Troop 168 attended camp at our Council owned camp, Slippery Falls Scout Ranch. The last time we were there was 2010. Before that it had been 9 years since our Scouts had chosen to go to Slip. This was my sixth Boy Scout summer camp as an adult leader. Of all the camps I have attended I have to say that this is the best camp we have attended since I have been in the Troop.
One of the things (and there are many) that I will always remember about this summer camp is this was the first summer camp for my youngest son, Cameron. Another is that he earned Tenderfoot on the last night camp along with the rest of his patrol that were there. Many of the Scouts in his "new Scout" patrol were ready to advance with the exception of making a Patrol Flag. They created that at camp and then had Scoutmaster conferences and Boards of Review.
This was also the first time I had to go to camp without my oldest son, Drew. My wife and him left on Wednesday of camp for their own adventure to the Florida National Sea Base. They got to spend the week on a 71′ schooner called Pirates Lady. They spent the week with other members of our Troop and District, snorkeling, fishing and sailing in the Florida Keys.
I had a great time at camp with Cameron but I really missed not having Drew there. Next year will be the last opportunity I get to go to camp with my sons btoh still a youth in the program. I am looking forward to it and have been since 2007.
Posted on June 17, 2012, in Advancement, Boy Scouts, Camping, Florida Sea Base, High Adventure, Scouting, Summer Camp and tagged Advancement, Boy Scouts, Florida Sea Base, High Adventure, Scouting, scouts, Summer Camp. Bookmark the permalink. Comments Off on Summer Camp 2012.


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The Stogie Chronicles: An Evening At The Carnegie Club
When I sent out a bat call for Mastermind Connect members to join me for The Stogie Chronicles Scotch and Cigars series I'm doing for the Cigar Casa project, our members answered the call at the ready!
We had a blast at The Carnegie Club, a very classy joint in midtown Manhattan, learning about cigar etiquette while sipping on aged Scotch Whiskey, listening to lively jazz music in the background, and smoking delicious stogies from the folks at Hispaniola Cigars.
Like before, we had our laughs, and moments where the fellas would show their pride in their individual accomplishments, showing the best version of themselves, but we also had moments where the depth of the conversations brought to light more insightful and heartfelt commentary.
As I prepare to launch Cigar Casa; a place for craft cigar enthusiasts to celebrate in its counter-culture elements, along with a highly curated, membership-based cigar tasting club, having a group of gentlemen to support you with their time and honest opinion is priceless.
The group got to try the Hispaniola Cigars El Trabuco 1844. A Dominican Puro featuring a Havano Rosado Vuelta Arriba wrapper. Few things give me more pleasure than smoking a fine cigar such as El Trabuco. Being among the gentlemen of the Mastermind Connect is one of them.
There's only a few things that allow men like me to bond with other men. To connect (no pun intended). Cigars are one of them. With stogie in hand, not only do these fellow men provide me with feedback and constructive criticism about my business and personal endeavors, but they allow me to do the same for them in return. Reciprocity is, in fact, one of the pillars of the Mastermind Connect.
I took this opportunity for us to celebrate a year since Michael McConnell asked me to join him in taking a leap of faith and offer a Cigars and Scotch 101 event we did in Brooklyn, NY, as buy-in for an impressive group of about twenty outstanding gentlemen, who for the most part never met before.
Since then, we had our official launch at Mezlan, a luxury boutique on Madison Avenue, we've had countless meetings, high intensity training exercises, Hip Hop Yoga, and meditation sessions, as well as opportunities to network, do business, break bread, counsel each other, and even baby sit, and dog sit for one another. We've also worked with mentoring the youth through our Young Masterminds Initiative, and continue to do so through our partnership with the NYC Department of Education and their NYC Urban Ambassadors program.
This is, in fact, a very active group. And as it grows, the opportunities to bond with one another will be plenty. We've gone from camping in Upstate, NY one month, to a 26 miles group cycling ride in Brooklyn the next. But, for me, an old time cigar enthusiast, having engaging conversations while putting fire to tightly wrapped, aged leaves its where is at. And the ones we collectively burned on a crisp November night at The Carnegie Club where of the highest caliber. Just like the men who lit the fire with me.
Find out more about our group and how to join our community here. You won't regret it!


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Peter Chow
Peter Chow is a partner of Squire Patton Boggs, a US international law firm with offices in 21 countries. He leads the firm's world-ranked International Dispute Resolution and Arbitration practice in Asia-Pacific. He handles disputes related to oil and gas, energy and natural resources, infrastructure and construction projects, international trade, and general commerce. Peter has acted as counsel in numerous cases, including those involving ICC, HKIAC, SIAC, CIETAC, ICDR, AAA and UNCITRAL arbitration rules. He has been involved in some of the largest arbitrations in Asia, involving multi-billion dollar claims.
Peter is a Chartered Arbitrator and is on the panels of arbitrators in a number of countries. He is the Chair of the IPBA Energy & Resources Committee and was Vice-President of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators. He is on the Editorial Board of LexisNexis Practical Guidance publication and a Member of ICC (Hong Kong) Arbitrator Nomination Sub-Committee and Member to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR. Peter is a contributing author of several authoritative books on arbitration and litigation and is active in the international speaking circuit on the subjects of arbitration and construction.
Peter has been recognized as a "litigation star" by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific, by Euromoney Guide to the World's Leading Experts in Commercial Arbitration and by Asia-Pacific Legal 500 in the area of international arbitration. Under Peter's leadership, Squire Patton Boggs was awarded Acquisition International Oil & Gas Disputes Law Firm of the Year, Hong Kong and Lawyer Monthly Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year, Hong Kong and appointed to the Chinese government (MOFCOM) inaugural law firm panels for international investment and trade disputes.
Education and Bar Admissions: LLB (Hons), National University of Singapore; Advocate & Solicitor, Singapore; Solicitor, England and Wales (non-practising); Solicitor, Hong Kong; Barrister & Solicitor, New South Wales & Victoria; Fellow of CIArb; SIArb; HKIArb; ACICA; IAMA.
Books: Contributing author ofArbitration in Hong Kong – A Practical Guide, (Sweet & Maxwell, 2011 and 2014); The Hong Kong Arbitration Ordinance: Commentary and Annotations, (Sweet & Maxwell, 2011 and 2015); Commercial Litigation in Hong Kong – A Practical Guide (Sweet & Maxwell, 2012); Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance on Arbitration, Chapters on "ICSID Arbitration", "Costs" and "Interim Measures", 2014; "Managing and Resolving Business Disputes in China: Strategies, Pitfalls, and Practical Tips," Inside the Minds: Best Practices for International Business Transactions in China, 2009; and many articles on arbitration issues.


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Excerpt: The Duke's Deception
The corridor was quiet, empty, and absolutely perfect for sneaking back to his rooms. Larkin stumbled along, forcing himself to stay alert for any sound. He couldn't afford to get caught, not given the shape he was in. There was no way to explain any of his injuries that wouldn't bring more attention than Larkin could afford to have focused on him.
If he could reach his room, he could take the healing potion he had tucked away. This wasn't the emergency he'd thought he'd need it for, but given his choices were take it or go to the healers…
Larkin froze, listening carefully. Had he imagined that soft scuff of a footstep? He shuffled sideways, into the shadows of a slightly protruding support beam. It wouldn't stand up to more than a cursory look, but anyone sneaking around this late would hopefully, like him, be more inclined to secrecy than finding out who else lurked in the palace hallways.
Unfortunately, it appeared he really had run out of luck. Larkin bit back a curse as Prince Garnett Beringer appeared out of the connecting corridor a few doors down the hallway. Between his unyielding, stiff posture and the slightly out-of-fashion, high-collared jackets he preferred, he was unmistakable even in the low light provided by the mage lights lining the corridors. Garnett glanced to the left, away from where Larkin stood, and then, of course, looked down towards where Larkin leaned against the wall, half-hidden behind the corridor.
If it had been anyone else, they would have taken Larkin's attempt to conceal himself as the hint that it was. Anyone else should have been sneaking around as much as Larkin was. Not Garnett, however. He was as straight-laced and boring as the position of Chief Financier to the Crown suggested. He was also annoyingly persistent, even in the face of dozens of brush offs.
He was heading straight for Larkin, swift, sure steps closing the space between them. A frown marred his face, as though he already disapproved of whomever lurked in the hallway. Normally Larkin wouldn't hesitate to tease and play at where Garnett had been and why he was sneaking around, but he didn't have the time tonight. His arm was going numb, which Larkin was fairly certain was a bad sign. At least his jacket seemed to be absorbing most of the blood and the low light should conceal the stains.
Rallying what little energy he had left, Larkin pasted a smile on his face as Garnett reached him. "Good evening, your highness."
"Are you all right?" Garnett asked. He made an aborted movement, as though he wanted to physically reassure himself that Larkin was, in fact, whole.
"I'm more than all right, highness," Larkin said. "I had a lovely evening with a lovely woman—"
Garnett cut him off with a frustrated noise, and Larkin fell silent, startled by the uncharacteristic display of emotion. Garnett was usually much more collected even when he dealt with Larkin, who went out of his way to annoy Garnett. He couldn't have Garnett getting too close, after all. That would ruin everything he was working for.
"You don't have to lie to me," Garnett said. His voice was quiet, but it sounded far too loud in the dark, silent hallway. "Are you all right?"
Larkin swallowed because the answer was no, but he couldn't say it. Garnett would ruin everything. "I'm fine, highness. I appreciate the ill-placed concern. If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with my bed."
Steeling himself, Larkin forced himself into motion. He couldn't afford to show weakness, but affecting his normal stride nearly took all the energy he had left. Garnett stepped forward, reaching towards him again. Larkin tried to sidestep, but not only did he not manage it, Garnett succeeded in grabbing his injured arm.
Pain lanced up his arm, white-hot and sharp, almost as terrible as the spell that had inflicted the injury. A cry of pain slipped free before Larkin could smother it, and Garnett let go as if he'd been burned.


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Clarins Garden Escape Collection
Clarins Garden Escape collection is a fresh collection that evokes elements of nature with its choice of botanical and rosy shades. I tried the Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour in a new, limited shade called Sweet Rose and the Crayon Kohl Eyeliner in Intense Green, which is also a limited edition shade. The Blush Prodige comes in a luxurious gold compact case, complete with an interior mirror, brush, and signature red velvet pouch. The inside mirror is of a very high-quality, showing you everything, even the imperfections you didn't know existed. The mirror serves to add convenience despite the exterior surfaces fulfilling the role perfectly.
The compact is light but its opening mechanism possesses a satisfying, sturdy click. The bristles of the flat, rectangular brush are soft and apply the blush quite well, despite compact brushes usually being subpar compared to their full size counterparts.
I really like the actual blush, too. It has two shades- the main one being a matte, medium mauve rose, and the complementary shade being a shimmery pink which is slightly lighter in colour and also lesser in pigment. Sweet Rose is in keeping with the Garden Escape theme and looks youthful and fresh on the cheeks.
You can mix both shades together or can use the matte shade to sculpt cheeks, and the iridescent shade to add luminosity and to highlight. I think this shade suits my skin well and would suit nearly everyone. The Blush Prodige is silky and lightweight, lasting a solid five hours (the matte shade on its own lasted slightly longer) before I considered touching up.
The intense green Eyeliner mirrors the greenery of the Garden Escape theme quite well. The shade is a lovely medium to dark green. The pencil has a fine, flat brush at the end, rather than the sponge applicators you tend to get, and having compared both I think the brush does a better job at blending. You have to work quickly because the kohl does set in place quite rapidly and doesn't fade or run during the day. What I like the most about this eyeliner is that it can produce very precise lines yet can be smudged to act as an eyeshadow too.
Overall, I really like these two products from the Garden Escape collection. I think it's especially great that Clarins have diverged from having a nude or pastel theme for Spring, which is becoming a bit predictable in the makeup industry. These products are available for purchase now.
Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour is priced at £26 and the Crayon Kohl is £17.
For more information please visit the website.


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Happy Cinco de Mayo! Tomorrow's the 5th of May, which is also the fifth month, so I'm gonna throw five flatbread recipes at you just to keep things even. I'm always late to the Cinqo de Mayo party, but this year it's on a Friday, so nothing is going to stop me.
Most people think of Cinco de Mayo as Mexico's Independence Day, but it's not. It's the date the the Mexican army defeated French forces in battle in 1862. Since then, Cinco de Mayo has become a way to celebrate Mexican American culture, two countries living harmoniously side by side.
So let's celebrate! Hmmm, what to make, and how can we keep it healthy?
Few things do the job better than flatbread when you're trying to keep your carbs down, and these recipes still allow you to celebrate all your favorite food without sacrificing flavor. So whip up a batch of margaritas and let's do this!
Be a "Nacho mama": kids and adults love nachos, and since these very veggie nachos are packed with every vegetable under the sun, they make a fabulous snack. Wrangle up the little guys and let them help out in the kitchen; you can be sure they'll help you eat them when you pull them out of the oven.
Our flatbreads work baked, stuffed, grilled, rolled, or folded. Take our Artisanal Thin Crust pizza, cut it in pieces, and you can make these delicious spicy mango salmon soft tacos. Or brush whole flatbreads with your favorite hot sauce, cut them into chips, and bake them until crispy. Make some guacamole or even our new Texas caviar for a little tex-mex fun. Chips and dip win every single time.
Flatbread takes the place of tortillas in our chicken and veggie fajitas, which can be adapted to feed a huge crowd of revelers in style. It also can be baked crisp and made into tostadas for our cozy little dinner for two, the skirt steak tostadas (one of my weekend favorites!)
Whatever you do, make it fresh and make it your own. And viva México!
-Amy at Flatout


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The Adams // A Family Session at Holden Beach
Happy Friday you guys! Have anything fun planned for the weekend? A trip to a museum or the farmer's market, staying at home with a good book, or perhaps a trip to the mountains or the beach?
I had a fantastic time with the Adams a while back during their annual family trip to the beach! You might recognize them from Lauren and David's wedding we filmed quite a while ago! I got to spend the day playing with sand between my toes and salty air in my hair, capturing memories for this sweet family. It was so special to hear their stories throughout the day – especially the legacy of the grandparents (now great-grandparents) and the sweet, enduring love they have for one another. It truly was a joy for me to capture four generations of this family, to be there for nap time and snack time, to experience the ebbs and flows of the day, to walk and sit on the beach together and share stories, and even to stay for dinner and chat late into the evening while munching on copious amounts of homemade popcorn.
Thank you, friends, for inviting me into your family for a day to capture these moments for you.


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Fish & Ski Boat Seats (51" Rear Bench)
Bass Boat Seats
Fish & Ski Boat Seats w/ 51" Rear Bench Seat
- Driver and passenger side bass boat bucket seats
- 58" (3) piece rear bench seat
- Rear bench includes (2) 17" high back folding seats and (1) 17" center bench seat
- High back fold seats can be used as fishing seats
- All mounting hardware is included
Factory Grade Replacement Seats
- 6 year full replacement warranty on upholstery
- 30oz soft to the touch, marine grade seat vinyl
- Custom molded foam cushions won't break down
- Pinchless hinges are powder coated aluminum
- Heavy duty hold down straps will not stretch or fail
- Plastic frames with 100% stainless steel hardware
- All mounting hardware is included (stainless)
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This past week, CJ and I had the opportunity to visit Ireland. It was absolutely gorgeous, and it did not even rain on us too much. We definitely lucked out with the weather. While in Ireland, we stayed in Dublin, Galway, and Killarney. If you are looking for some beautiful hiking and biking areas, I would definitely suggest the west side of Ireland. On the other hand, if you are just looking to enjoy a Guinness or glass of Jameson, it does not matter where you stay. The Irish are very proud of their Guinness Beer, and will be happy to tell you exactly how to pour and drink a Guinness. That is, of course, if you can understand them. We did run into a few with very heavy accents and wondered if they were really speaking English.
The first couple of days, CJ and I stayed in Dublin and learned quite a few things. First and foremost, Irish transportation is nothing like that of Germany's. Even after being there a week, I do not think either of us feel very confident on how exactly their transportation system works. However, we did talk to some Irish-men and -women who admitted that their public transportation system is not great at all. My personal suggestion if you ever come to Ireland: either prepare for a lot of walking or rent a car. On the west coast, I would definitely rent a car because there is so much to do and see! Just keep in mind that driving on the "wrong" side of the road is harder than you may imagine.
The second thing we learned was that the Irish take walking signs to be suggestions. The sign may be flashing red but, if someone believes they can beat the car coming, they walk. It was rather interesting watching everyone cross no matter what the traffic light said. Also, water is free in Ireland. We had a slightly odd encounter when a waiter asked us if we wanted water and we responded with "Is it free?" His response was "Yes, why wouldn't it be?". We apologized and told him we came from Germany, where you have to pay for water.
Lastly, if an Irish person asks "Are you okay?" they do not intend to imply something is wrong. Rather, they use this phrase more as a "May I help you?" while in a restaurant or while in a store. This was harder for us to figure out, but now it makes more sense.
Dublin itself is really nice (minus the public transportation). We had the opportunity to tour the Kilmainham Jail and learned quite a bit of Irish history that I never knew. What I found interesting is that, before the Great Famine in the 1850s, Ireland had a little over 8 million people. After the famine, and still to this day, Ireland only has a population around 4 million. Dublin also has two very popular tours: the Guinness Storehouse or the Jameson Distillery. We chose the Jameson Distillery and the tour itself was very well done. We did not have time to do the Guinness Tour, but we heard that it is also a really neat tour. It is one of the top attractions in Dublin so I guess we might have to take the tour the next time we are in Ireland. We also walked up Grafton Street which, if you love to shop, would be a good destination for you. At the end of the street is a really cute and peaceful park! If it is warm, I would recommend walking around it and maybe even having a little picnic. Lastly, I would suggest walking around the Temple Bar area. There are a lot of fun pubs, live music, and great food!
Our second stop was in Galway! This town was a lot of fun and there was plenty to do and see. It would probably be easier to explore Galway with a car, but they do have quite a few busses around. We spent a day biking around the Aran Islands. CJ and I would both highly recommend this. We had a blast, and even made a few hairy friends (pictured to the right). 😊 If you have heard of Aran sweaters, they take their name from the Aran Islands. These sweaters are very Irish, have unique stitch patterns, and are extremely warm. Naturally, we purchased one as everyone knows how cold Minnesota and Colorado can get! However, neither of us were super thrilled to learn that Ireland has a 22.5% tax rate. Also in Galway, we spent a day seeing Dunguaire Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Aillwee Caves. The Cliffs of Moher were beautiful and extremely windy! It is a very touristy place, but I would still suggest going there as the view is worth it.
Our last stop was in Killarney. I felt a little closer to home in this town. Although the mountains only range from 72 ft to 2,762ft (nothing compared to Colorado's 14ners), it was nice to see lakes and waterfalls and hiking trails. As for the town of Killarney itself, it was probably the cutest place we stayed in. There were plenty of pubs, ice cream shops, and stores. If you are looking for a day or two outside of the town, just head on down to Killarney National Park like CJ and I did. We rented bikes for the day, biked around Muckross Lake, and saw Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, Muckross Abbey, and Old Weir Bridge (where the three Killarney Lakes meet). There are also several hiking trails along there which are not too strenuous. This is definitely a must-see area of Ireland if you ask me. We did not get to go over to the Gap of Dunloe or drive the Ring of Kerry, but it just means we have ideas for when we come back! 😊
Ireland was amazing, and overall, I would say we had a very successful spring break! We enjoyed the beautiful scenery including: the oceans and coasts, the mountains and lakes, and of course the horses, donkeys, and sheep! I hope you all also had wonderful spring breaks and have a very Happy Easter. Rather, I should say Frohe Ostern since we are back in fabulous Germany!


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Originally from Brazil, Ruth is a talented artist who uses vibrant color and exquisite detail to create pieces that delight the eye and set her watercolors apart. Now you can view her work right here throughout our tasting rooms. Come by, see her work, and let it take you back to a warm summer day as the temperatures outside grow colder.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: October 28Live Music: Dos Amigos Band
Later Event: November 4Freedom Day 2017


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With any good luck and a good quantity of arduous work, you are having the identical problem many enterprise homeowners right now are going through. Your enterprise is rising quickly and also you're having problems controlling your finances. Time and time again, that Microsoft Excel spreadsheet you've got been using just isn't getting the job done for you. Seneca's Enterprise Administration – Monetary Planning three-12 months superior diploma puts you in demand with the monetary planning experience that employers demand. Develop in-depth data of non-public and monetary planning that features: private taxation, estate planning, retirement planning, insurance coverage, funding methods and danger management. On the Newnham campus you may have access to the CPA Ontario Studying Centre – a space devoted to students in accounting and finance disciplines. Get the academic support it's good to succeed. During the program you'll have the opportunity to jot down professional certifications to provide you that extra edge to be competitive within the marketplace.
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12 juin 2014
Jolin attends Lala Hsu's press conference for her new album!
Lala Hsu has a new album coming tomorrow called 尋人啟事 Missing, Jolin attended her press conference as a special guest! It turns out that she is Lala Hsu's idol! Jolin revealed that last year at the Golden Melody Awards, the young singer sat next to her and said "Excuse me, I really like you". Lala Hsu gave Jolin a signed album, and Jolin gave her shoes! Click on the picture below to access the photo album in the gallery! Videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/nagootv/search?query=20140612+徐佳瑩《尋人啟事》


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Mondays 7:00 – 9:00
A Catholic priest, Henri presented spiritual realities in a nondenominational way that defined spirituality for the modern era. His core insight that, like Jesus, we are the beloved sons and daughters of God, permeates his writing. Henri's particular gift was his rare ability to simply, yet profoundly, share his own spiritual struggles in a way that helps others to live a spiritual life and grow in relationship with Jesus. the two Nouwen texts for this course are: A Spirituality of Living and Here and Now: Living in The Spirit.
Ray Glennon is a board member of the Henri Nouwen Society and a facilitator of many Nouwen book discussions. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (B.S.) and George Washington University (M.S.A.), he is active in lay ministry and religious education in his Catholic parish.


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How To Choose A Landscaper
How to choose a landscaper. A short guide with downloadable checklist to point you in the right direction as to who to employ to landscape your garden.
You have made your mind up to have your garden landscaped but who do you choose? Google landscapers in your area and there will be many pages of landscapers offering their services to be the right people to take on your project. Finding a landscaper is very much like finding any other company person to do a job for you. The main difference is that getting someone in to fit a boiler or lay a carpet may take just an hour or two. You will be dealing with a landscaper for a number of weeks or even months.
Below is a list of considerations that you may wish to have in mind if you are in the position of hiring a landscaper. There are many points here which I would be personally consider important enough on their own merit to choose whether I would employ a landscaper but it is for you to decide what you are looking for from a professional landscaper. It may not an easy job but and takes a bit of time, but it is worth the small investment in time for the amount of money you are going to spend.
Do your homework and check the landscaper out online before you approach them in person.
2: What are your first impressions of the company?
3: Are they members of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL)?
4: Are they members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI)?
5: Are they 'Trustmarked'?
6: What are their reviews like?
7: Consider the depth and breadth of their work.
8: Have the company got an office?
9: Have they won any awards?
10: Do they have a good reputation?
11: Do they interact professionally with social media?
You have committed to contact a select number from the list above. How can I decide who to choose from there?
13: Are they perceptive and interested in your project?
14: Have you been given a full written quotation or estimate on company letterheaded paper?
15: Is the quote or estimate clear as to exactly what it is actually for?
16: Which specifications have been used to price the works?
17: Have you been offered a schedule of payments or are you asked for all the money up front?
18: Have you been supplied with a client brief?
19: Have you been supplied with a scaled plan of the works detailed on the estimate?
20: Do the company have the correct insurance to complete the job they have quoted for?
21: Do they have a Waste Carriers' Licence?
22: Have you been offered you got a contract for the works?
23: Have Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) regulations been discussed?
24: Has health and safety of the job been thought about?
25: Do the company work from a mobile number or are they working with a fixed landline?
26: Do the company provide welfare facilities for their staff?
27: Can they supply you with references?
28: Is the company VAT registered?
29: Is the landscaper a one-man band or company with employees?
30: Can they do the job 'Straight away'?
31: Are the landscapers responsive to your needs?
32: Are you collecting bids from different landscapers?
33: Do you like them?
34: Have they done what they said they were going to do?
35: Do they have exceptional customer service?
36: Have you checked the company out on www.gov.uk?
37: Are they reliable?
38: Are you falling for the dream or are you getting what you want?
39: Who will actually do doing the works?
40: What's your gut feeling?
That's a long list of questions but remember, you are not spending £5, £25 or even £225 on a purchase here. This is going to be a spend of thousands of pounds. If you were buying a car would you just buy the first car you saw in the first garage you looked in?
To expand on the questions above, here are a few of our thoughts and pointers for you to consider.
The very first thing you do is Google the term 'landscaper' in their area. Great start. Check what you are looking at however and whether you are happy with the options from Google page 1. Many will be sponsored, and the rest are probably good at getting their web site to the top of the rest of the list, not necessarily great at landscaping. Whilst on the site, check out if the web address is http:// rather than https:// . If you are entering your name and address onto a site without the 's' it is probably not secure as the data is not data encrypted
Kirman Design: You are looking at our web site right now and we hope you like it.
Looking at company web sites gives a good indication of what you are going to get from the company themselves. Does the site look good, work well, have lots of photographs of their own (not somebody else's) work on? This is difficult to check at this point, but worth bearing in mind.
Kirman Design: We are professional, enjoy what we do and seek to do the best job we can with any given project and budget.
Being a member of a trade organisation is a great start to choosing if the landscaper is trying to show they are different, better or want to set themselves apart from other companies competing for your business. The Association of Professional Landscapers) is one of the two trade organisations which landscapers can apply to be members of. Although any landscapers can apply to be members, traditionally APL landscapers undertake work for domestic clients and are smaller in size although now this is becoming less the case. To become a member, the landscaper:
Must have been trading for a minimum of 2 years.
Must go through a rigorous inspection process.
Must get at least six client references from previous clients.
Must be inspected both on site and in the office yearly.
Must adhere to a high level of health and safety standards.
Must prove that the business is being professionally run, so they must prove they have the correct insurance etc.
Nothing is fool proof. Ask the landscaper when their last inspection was, and maybe even what mark they received. Members are marked with a percentage and the nearer they get to100%, the better/more they are compliant with the assessment. There is a minimum mark to achieve to pass but this is a pretty elusive figure to get your hands on, even for members!
More information: https://www.landscaper.org.uk
Kirman Design: Kirman Design are members of the Association of Professional Landscapers.
BALI is the other trade organisation that landscapers can apply to be members of. Traditionally, BALI members tend to be larger companies with a larger turnover and tend to deal mainly with commercial clients and maintenance contracts although again, the boundaries are blurring somewhat with this. To become a member, the landscaper:
Must have been trading for a minimum of 2 years.
Must be a business, section of a business or a division of a business that sells landscape construction or maintenance /design products.
Must pass the organisations vetting procedure.
Agree to abide by the associations Code of conduct and Terms and Conditions.
More information: https://www.bali.org.uk
Kirman Design: We are currently in the application process of becoming BALI members.
TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme covering work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. When a consumer uses a TrustMark Registered Business, they know they are engaging an organisation that has been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards and has made a considerable commitment to good customer service, technical competence and tradingpractices.
Key Consumer Benefits
Delivering confidence with consumers, and choice through Government Endorsed Quality.
TrustMark provides a level playing field of quality and assurance, regardless of the type of trade you are seeking to engage.
Enhanced protection through their network of Scheme Providers and Trading Standards integration, in the event that things do go wrong.
TrustMark provides a range of free advice and information to homeowners, empowering them with the knowledge and choice to make the best decisions when it comes to improving their homes and gardens.
APL members (above) are automatically members of the TrustMark scheme but you do not need to be members of the APL to become a TrustMark member.
More information: https://www.trustmark.org.uk
Kirman Design: Kirman Design are a TrustMarked Company.
Looking at Google, Facebook and other web sites may give you an indication of what the company are like. Most have a comparatively small number of reviews and that is because landscapers are not selling lots and lots of things to lots of people. They undertake small quantities of jobs per year, sometimes in single figures if they are large jobs. The odd poor review should not put you off but look for reviews written by friends and family and look for the genuine reviews which are helpful. Do check that any reviews sound genuine and not formulaic?
More information: https://www.google.com/maps
Kirman Design: We are more than happy for you to look at our reviews on all the review sites. Here is the Google's site.
Does the company's web site show a wide range of work represented? For example, if you are looking for a Koi carp pond being built, then it would probably not be the best plan to look at company that have lots of driveway photographs on the site. It's also worth looking at the detail in the projects too; materials which are used and the way they have been finished. If you have a project which is unusual or awkward or different in some way, then you might not find the same project represented online but you will be able to see if the company are capable of adapting to clients' needs and briefs.
Kirman Design: At Kirman Design, the client is the focus of everything we do. This is why we have a design process to get to the bottom of what the client's actually need and what is possible, physically and within any given budget. We have a wide variety of work we can show you from tiny gardens, driveways and traditional gardens through to contemporary and experimental show gardens. Please feel free to browse our landscaping and garden design portfolio. We have many of our other projects we can show you if you give us more information about what you are looking for.
Not imperative but really good to be able to go in, have a chat with the people that you are potentially going to employ. At that point you can see how they present themselves and ask lots of questions about your project. It would be helpful if you take in some photographs of the site and also think about a realistic budget for your garden.
Kirman Design: We have an office located at Bents Garden & Home in Glazebury, Cheshire. We do work across the northwest but being located at 'Garden Centre of the Year' does help us be accessible to our clientele across a wider range of hours. We open at 8:30am and close at 4pm, 7 days per week. Just give us a quick call if you are coming specifically just so we can make sure we are not on a site visit.
Again, not imperative but useful to know if they have. The pinnacle of awards in the horticultural industry is an RHS Gold medal. These are hard fought for and generally well-deserved medals which are achieved from exhibiting in RHS shows. Some say they are 'RHS medal winners' and generally this means they are Bronze, Silver or Silver-Gilt awards rather than gold. Southport Flower Show is an independent show obviously based in Southport. It also has categories for show gardens. Show gardens can be built in a variety of styles and funded by various sources so you may see gardens with sponsors products strategically placed or you may see way out gardens which you would never build for a client but show gardens are about ideas and pushing the boundaries
More information: The RHS: https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events Southport Flower Show: http://www.southportflowershow.co.uk/
Kirman Design: Kirman Design have won many awards for both our design and landscape construction including RHS Gold. A full list can be viewed here.
All companies permanently seek to have a great reputation as this is the foundation of business success but it is for you to see what is important to you with regards to a company's reputation, through all the points that are covered here.
Kirman Design: Have a look at our web site, come in and talk to us, speak to our previous clients if you wish. We have been located at Bents Garden & Home for the past 13 years and members of the Association of Professional Landscapers for over 10 years. We offer a bespoke service, deliver great customer service, have staff that are respected and happy in their jobs and we take a holistic approach to all aspects of the business.
Not a deal breaker, but it is a good indicator of the company of the way the company operates. A company that interacts with other professionals and clients says one thing whilst another that shares family photographs, political views or cat videos says something different.
Kirman Design: Please feel free to view out social media accounts. The links are located below:
You have taken the plunge and chosen to call or go and see a landscaper. What do I need to look for at this point?
Second impressions? Yes, that's right. You are meeting them in person for the first time rather than through the anonymity of the web so it's a good chance to see if they are smart in appearance and turn up on time.
Kirman Design: All the company wear shirts with logos and names on their shirts. Our vans are not sign written as it tends to be a magnet for thieves unfortunately, but we do try our best to keep them clean!
If they just give you a blank look then there is something wrong. Whilst chatting to you about what you want, they should give you some advice, ask lots of questions and at least stay long enough to get to grips with the tasks in hand. Ask them how many years they have been operating.
Kirman Design: Kirman Design have been operating since 2006, so we have many years of experience to tackle anything that a client asks us to do. We will spend as long as it takes to get all the information we need from you. If you are coming into the office, it will help if you bring photographs of the space. We will also make you a brew if you want to get warm or refresh your thirst!
You should have been given either a detailed quotation or estimate which lists all the works in detail, or a simple quotation or estimate with a cost on which links to a detailed specification. All this should be printed on company letterheaded notepaper.
Kirman Design: We give a full written estimate for all projects which are dated and detail the works that we have actually incorporated. If appropriate, this will include drawing(s) and specifications.
Any paperwork involving the cost of a project should include all relevant sizes, material types and as necessary, method of construction.
Kirman Design: We will provide a detailed estimate with all materials, sizes and dimensions where appropriate, specifications used to base the estimate on.
This is one of the most contentious issues of all when getting estimates, especially when you are getting like for like estimates or quotes. The trade organisations don't want to touch this issue with a barge pole and in fairness, this is because each construction project is different, so the specifications will be different. This is sometimes used as a fob off however as there are basic minimum specifications that should be in place no matter what the job. A really common question should be "How deep are the foundations for my patio?" People very rarely ask they question as you can't see these at the end of the day. The issue is that this is really important, in fact fundamental to how your patio, wall or other structure is going to perform in years to come. Your estimate should clearly say the minimum depth that is being dug out. This is even more important when you are getting like for like estimates. If one company dig out half the amount as the other, they save on skips to dig out, material to put back and plant hire and labour to do both. This can add up to thousands of pounds over a big area and if you don't know what both estimates are based upon, how are you going to know if one is cheap and one is expensive? It's like comparing apples with pears! So where do you find out such information? Well, there is a distinct lack of information available about specifications in the industry generally but Paving Expert (see below) is a good place to start. Manufacturers brochures like Marshalls or Bradstone also would be a good place to look. It's boing but worth it.
More information: Short of any national or common agreement on what specifications should be, a good start to look at what the specifications should look like can be found on the 'Paving Expert' website: http://www.pavingexpert.com/
Kirman Design: Kirman Design have a full set of specifications which are based either on industry best practice, British Standards (BS) or manufacturers guidelines. These are given out with estimates and are available from Kirman Design. If you have any questions about industry specifications, please give us a call on 01942 604976.
If there is no schedule of payments listed in the estimate or otherwise on offer, then why not? Landscapers have to fund a great deal of materials, sometimes up front so asking for a deposit and staged payments is standard practice. There should be a payment at the end too which is only payable after the works have been completed and snagged.
Kirman Design: We will always give out a schedule of payments with any contract acceptance. The deposit is usually due two or three weeks before the works are due to start. We have staged weekly payments from then on until the end of the project with a final payment due when the works are completed. Sometimes this gets broken up if for example we are waiting to plant the garden due to the season or due to weather. This is fair as there could be a point where we are owed thousands of pounds for the sake of planting a few plants or a snag something which we are waiting for the weather for and costs very little. Like most companies, we are quite small and our cashflow is really important.
A client brief should have all the pertinent details about what you require within your garden. It will list all the things which you are needing which will fall within the scope of the works which are being quoted or estimated for.
Kirman Design: We will complete a client brief after discussing your project and will be given to you nearer to the beginning of the project. This gives us our direction with regards to the design and scope of works.
Having a scaled plan is really important for you to know exactly what you you are actually going to get and where everything is going to go. There is little point thinking later that your patio is not big enough to fit your furniture onto when the build is nearly finished!
Kirman Design: We will always produce a plan for the works we have quoted for with the exception of a few jobs which it is not necessary.
What insurance do landscapers need?
• Vehicle insurance. (This will cover their vehicles and damage done to client's vehicles or property).
• Public liability insurance (Not a legal requirement but essential if companies are interacting with members of the public. It covers clients and their property if they are damaged or injured as a result of the works undertaken on site).
• Product liability insurance. (This will cover personal injury or property damage caused by products sold or supplied through a business).
• Plant insurance (This covers machinery for example diggers and dumpers etc. Theft and damage caused from them on site).
Kirman Design: We have all the above insurance in place for our and our client's peace of mind.
You must register for a waste carriers' licence if you transport waste, buy, sell or dispose of waste or arrange for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste. This includes garden waste and companies can be fined up to £5,000 if they do the any of the above and don't register.
More information: The Environment Agency register for waste carriers licences.
Kirman Design: See our waste carriers licence here.
Where you are having a few plants installed or taking on a large garden transformation, all projects are covered with a contract. If you do not have a piece of paper, then there is still a legal agreement between yourselves and the company carrying out the works. In order to iron out all the potential if's buts and wherefores, you should receive a written contract from the company. Don't be afraid of this. It is as much for your sake as it is for theirs. Don't just sign it without looking at it. It might be dry in content but read it as there maybe things in there you do not agree with!
More information: Citizen's Advice
Kirman Design: Kirman Design contracts are based on the Federation of Small Business contracts with various additions to make it specific to our business.
Whatever your role in construction, and that includes the person commissioning the works (the client), CDM aims to improve health and safety in the industry by helping you to:
Sensibly plan the work so the risks involved are managed from start to finish.
Have the right people for the right job at the right time.
Cooperate and coordinate your work with others.
Have the right information about the risks and how they are being managed.
Communicate this information effectively to those who need to know.
Consult and engage with workers about the risks and how they are being managed.
A domestic client is any individual who has construction work carried out on their home, or the home of a family member, that is not done as part of any business. While CDM 2015 places client duties on commercial clients in full, such duties for domestic clients normally pass to:
The contractor, if it is a single contractor project, who must take on the legal duties of the client in addition to their own as contractor. In practice, this should involve little more than what they normally do in managing health and safety risks.
The principal contractor, for projects with more than one contractor, who must take on the legal duties of the client in addition to their own as principal contractor. If the domestic client has not appointed a principal contractor, the client duties must be carried out by the contractor in control of the construction work.
If a domestic client has appointed an architect (or other designer) on a project involving more than one contractor, they can ask them to manage the project and take on the client duties instead of the principal contractor. The designer then takes on the responsibilities of principal designer and must have a written agreement with the domestic client, confirming they have agreed (as principal designer) to take on the client duties as well as their own responsibilities.
Any designer in charge of coordinating and managing a project is assumed to be the principal designer. However, if they do not have a written agreement with the domestic client to confirm they are taking on the client duties, those duties automatically pass to the principal contractor.
More information: The Health & Safety Executive guide to CDM regulations for the domestic consumer.
Kirman Design: CDM duties are taken on by Kirman Design as the principle contractor or by Kirman Design as the principle designer if Kirman Design have designed the garden also.
Before the job starts, the company needs to think through each part of the job and work out what the risks are going to be when the job is undertaken. This should be covered with risk assessments. Companies of less than 5 employees don't have to write any risk assessments down on paper but they still need to do the assessments non-the-less. The risk assessments are not just about staff on site doing the work, they cover everyone on that site including clients, children, delivery drivers and other people coming onto the site so it is important that it is done.
More information: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/controlling-risks.htm
Kirman Design: Kirman Design complete a set of risk assessments before the works commence and site/job specific assessments are stored in the site van.
Using a mobile number for a business is not in itself wrong, it just doesn't instil much confidence with the fact that the company may not be around for long or indeed exists at all. There maybe problems if you contact them in case of a problem with a guarantee in years to come? Check the company has a physical location advertised.
Kirman Design: Our office number is 01942 604976.
All employers must provide welfare facilities for their staff however short the employment period is). They must 'so far as reasonably practicable' provide appropriate welfare facilities for staff whilst at work. Welfare facilities are those that are necessary for the well-being of their employees, such as washing, toilet, rest and changing facilities, and somewhere clean to eat and drink during breaks. There are 3 or 4 people working on building your back garden. Ask yourself this question: Where will they be going to the toilet? Why not ask your prospective landscaper the same question as you really don't want them weeing in the shrubbery…
More information: The Health and Safety Executive
Kirman Design: Kirman Design will provide an on-site toilet on site for all employees for any works of 4 or more days or less if the client agrees. Toilets have sinks in them which can be used for washing their hands. This included in the estimate you will be given. On smaller jobs where a client does not want us to have a toilet on site, the staff on site will use a local public toilet or supermarket. They will not wee on your Rhododendrens!
This is sometimes really important for a client to go and talk to people that have had work done with them in the past. Going and looking at work is great as you get a first-hand look at what the company's handiwork. Don't be surprised if this is more difficult to a company than it sounds as not everyone wants prospective clients turning up on their doorstep each week. The other issue is that clients sometimes don't look after the gardens that are built quite as well as the companies either would like or how they left them so they may not be that keen on passing on details for that reason either. The other issue is that they are hardly going to send you around to clients that they built a poor job for either so it's a little more complicated as to what would be achieved with this.
Kirman Design: We can always put you in touch with people that we have done work for if you really want. We may not be able to find clients with a garden perfectly like the one you have. If you look at our reputation with being members of the APL, BALI and the Society of Garden Designers then that goes a good way in explaining the way we are proud of what we do and the fact that we proud of the work we do.
Not strictly speaking a method of checking whether the landscapers are any good but… with half to two thirds of the cost of a job taken up with materials then assuming that the current UK VAT limit is £85,000, this threshold is reached very quickly. Assume for example, that a landscaper works all year, this means they will hit the VAT limit at around week 35 out of 52. The question is then, what happens for the remainder of the 17 weeks? Do they just work part of the year then holiday in Barbados, or is there something fishy going on with their tax arrangements? There may be nothing wrong with what they are doing but good to know what is going on to ensure you are not embroiled in any HMRC tax investigations. May also be worth checking that their VAT number is valid. It won't be the first time a false VAT number has been added to an invoice and the 20% is pocketed by the owners.
More information: European VAT number checker
Kirman Design: Kirman Design are VAT registered. Our VAT number is: 983832969.
Nothing wrong with 'One-man bands', in fact some of the best landscapers we know are one man bands. Most of the time, this is a commercial choice as it is rarely simple to grow a business successfully with all the necessary skills needed in one person. The problem starts when you have a one-man band and they are about to start on Monday and have gone down with flu and the job gets delayed by a week or two as it's just them. They also have to do everything on site, ordering, dealing with customer enquiries, problems with deliveries, taking them away from the main business at hand: your garden!
Kirman Design: We are a company operating with between 4 and 6 people and bring specialist skilled contractors in when necessary. The office runs the administration of the jobs whilst the landscapers on site get on with what they are skilled and skilled at: landscaping.
The landscaping industry have peaks and troughs as with other outdoor based industries. With the best will in the world we cannot just jump at the drop of a hat and get on with the work the day after it has been agreed. Well, most cannot as they plan their work out ahead of them and generally, we are pretty busy. If a landscaper can actually do the work pretty much immediately then you need to think carefully why this is the case as it does not happy that often to professional landscapers!
Kirman Design: We are busy all year round and have a queuing system so everyone waits in turn. We find this the fairest way of approaching the problem. We still have peaks and troughs so if you came to us in October, you would only have a shorter than in April/May onwards.
Have they listened to what you want, or are they just delivering the same plants, the same stone, the same design as all the other jobs they have done? If they have listened, your garden should look excactly how you want it, not how they want to build it!
Kirman Design: Every job is unique. We build a wide variety of landscaping works for the wide variety of people that want us to work for them. Have a look at our landscaping portfolio and design portfolio to see how we tailor each build to the space and to the client. Look at your prospective landscaper's portfolio and see if they show a wide variety of skills, work and planting styles and see how they compare.
Have you got other landscapers giving you estimates/quotes? This can be a good way to check the amounts of money you are being told that it is going to cost is not just pie in the sky.
Kirman Design: If you are getting other quotes that is good. Just make sure you are comparing like with like. You need a full specification with drawings in order to get like for like costings. There is little point getting quotes from two separate companies for 'exactly the same jobs' when one is for example digging a drive out to put a foundation in of say 300mm when the exact same drive material is quoted at 20% cheaper from another company and they are putting in a foundation which is 150mm. Quality of workmanship apart, of course it will be cheaper. The second is saving money on skips to remove waste, material to fill in the hole, labour to complete these tasks and of course the VAT element which is part of these costings. Know what the specification is first, then getting prices for that specification the key.
Simple… do they smile, are they happy, can you get on with them. "I don't need to get on with them" I hear you say. Well, maybe not, but you will have them around for weeks, maybe months so we think it's really important that both parties get on.
Kirman Design: I'd like to think we are pretty amiable company and are and want to
Did they turn up on time? Did they call you back when they said they would do? Did you have to chase them all the time for information or an estimate? If the answer to these questions is 'Yes' then do they really want your work?
Kirman Design: We get very busy, especially in spring so it may not be a reply in minutes if it's not a straightforward question or a complicated job to price, but we will tell you at the time when we will aim to get back to you so you are not wondering if we have forgotten you. We are not perfect, but we do try to get back to you as soon as possible, even if sometimes that is difficult. We will always keep you informed as to where we are with things however if we are not going to get back to you when we said we would.
If you don't feel you are getting great customer service now, you certainly won't get great customer service when the job starts to go wrong and things aren't quite as rosy as they looked on the web site…
Kirman Design: We are based at Bents Garden & Home. Bents are renowned for great customer service and this carries through to all the concessions on the Bents site.
Companies House is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. You can get some information for free about companies that are incorporated here. Incorporating a business means turning your sole proprietorship or general partnership into a company formally recognised by your state of incorporation. When a company incorporates, it becomes its own legal business structure set apart from the individuals who founded the business.
The information available includes:
Company information, for example registered address and date of incorporation.
Current and resigned officers
Some document images
Mortgage charge data
Previous company names
Insolvency information
You can also set up free email alerts to tell you when a company updates its details (for example, a change of director or address).
More information: https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company
Kirman Design: Kirman Design do not appear on this search as the company legal entity is 'Sole Trader'. This does not mean there is just one person in the company, it's just a legal term for a company not incorporated.
Difficult to tell this information from a web site or just by talking to them. References of other people they have worked with might help
Kirman Design: 99.9% of the time we do what we say we are going to do. We are not perfect though and do have 'senior moments' occasionally for which we apologise for right now! The rest of the time we do what we plan on doing, after all, it really isn't in our interest to not to!
Have you ever bought into a dream and at the end of the process, were still not quite sure whether you got what you want? It can be really easy to get sucked into a dream whilst discussing the joys of sipping glasses of prosecco on the patio on endless sunny summer afternoons by the pool!
Kirman Design: We are not salesmen. We will tell you what we think, warts and all. Sometimes it's not what people want to hear but at least you will get the truth about how it is from us, like it or not.
You have bought into the company's ideas, and sales chatter. You have checked out their insurance documents and feel you want to contract them to build your garden project. Are the people actually building the garden, the same people that you have just checked out? Ask the question. If they are not then you need to find out who they are and do due diligence with these companies too, after all, they might have no qualifications, insurance and could be nothing like the glossy web site promised. There are a couple of reasons for this. Either the company is really busy, and they are sub-contacting work out to others or they are acting as a go between client and landscaper. If this is the case, then it may be worth asking the question about commission and who is paying what to whom. This can be legitimate but worth checking as sometimes financial agreements have been made behind clients backs which are at best ethically questionable and worst, illegal.
Kirman Design: On occasion, we do sub-contract work to other companies. The guarantee is still a Kirman Design guarantee however and Kirman Design will always project manage the works to make sure the standard of works is just as high as it would be as if we had done it ourselves. Kirman Design generally only use APL or BALI registered companies to undertake such works. No additional fees are paid either way by us for whatever reason under these circumstances.
Lastly, how do you feel about them? It's a simple question. Did you like them? What is your gut feel? Do you get a warm feeling inside that they will probably do a good job or are your alarm bells ringing not to touch them with a barge pole?
Kirman Design: We hope you do like us. Pop into the office and we can discuss your project over coffee, and you can see for yourself what you think.
Other information: Citizen's Advice - "Before you get building work done."
To help you with your choices, we have produced a simple checklist that you can download and print to use with the notes above. The file is in pdf format. If you need a viewer then please click here.


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Friday: Direct from Cambodia, the Khmer Arts Ensemble makes its Minnesota debut with a world premiere, "A Bend in the River." Created by choreographer and McKnight International Fellow Sophiline Cheam Shapiro in collaboration with sculptor Sopheap Pich and composer Him Sophy, the work draws upon a village tale to explore themes of love and loss as well as magic and courage. Traditional and contemporary influences — not to mention two oversized crocodile puppets— enliven this evening of fantasy-inspired work propelled by the music of a pin peat ensemble featuring gong and xylophone. A pre-show conversation starts at 6:45 p.m. at Solera Restaurant, 900 Hennepin Av. S. (7:30 p.m. Fri., $37-$59, plus fees), State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-625-6600, www.northrop.umn.edu.) CAROLINE PALMER
Five Lesbians eating a quiche
Continuing: Five members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein gather for their annual quiche breakfast in 1956, amid worries that Communists are afoot in their tidy town. The show was a cult hit at the New York Fringe Festival and has since dropped in on a number of cities. It features a Twin Cities cast of Andrea Wollenberg, Dawn Brodey, Beth Desotelle, Anna Hickey and Erin Mae Johnson. (8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Thu.; 7:30 p.m. Sun., ends April 14 with reprise May 2-12, Intermedia Arts, 2821 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., $25, 651-321-8840 or www.theaternow.org.) Graydon Royce


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State Of The Art, Newly Renovated
As our company continues to flourish, we find that it is essential to upgrade our facility as well as our equipment. Located on the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx, NY, we have invested in E. Armata's future with facility acquisitions, renovations, technology upgrades and fleet additions. Our newly renovated facility consists of over 60,000 square feet of temperature controlled storage. We have a dedicated warehouse and repacking facility in a separate building at one end of the market which will organize our racking system to have every item a click away. This new upgrade enables us to offer a large variety of produce that can be picked up simpler than ever, at our Hunts Point facility, or delivered by our fleet of trucks.
We are fully committed to our customers, growers, and shippers and are always striving to better them and ourselves. Following the completion of the total renovation of our warehouses, salesroom, and corporate offices with the latest technology, equipment, and processes, we have gained our GMP and HACCP certifications, in which it has scored a 100 percent Superior rating. We are in full compliance with the City of New York's sanitation laws and our next step in our food-safety initiatives is working toward SQF certification. We are proud to say our facility is known for its cleanliness and our ongoing effort to recycle as much as possible. We are excited to announce this upgrade and know it will help us strive for excellence to benefit not only our customers but our growers and shippers as well.


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Gamble Responsibly


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Elizabeth (Liz) Bozzo
Master Artist – Atelier Studio
10+ years: Joined Atelier October 2008
Liz began her Atelier career as an Apprentice to the owner, and she quickly grew into her position as one of Atelier's Educators.
As a Master Artist on the floor at Atelier Studio, Liz can be found creating transformative looks with color and cut. She loves a good precision cut, as well as special occasion styling and makeup,
which is how she entered the beauty industry–doing makeup for music videos in Hollywood.
When she's not in the salon she's on the beach!


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Giving Online
AccessACS is the church management software used by First Presbyterian Church, Oxford. Members can log in to update their personal information, search our member directory, and review stewardship contributions to date.
Click here to open up AccessACS on a new tab. Need help? Download our ACS help sheet or call the church office.
Why is it good to pledge?
The church requires money to exist, to continue our education programs, and to do important mission work in our community and beyond. The church functions more efficiently when our financial officers know how much money they can expect to receive so they can budget more accurately. Think of it this way: to make a family budget, you need to know what your income will be. Your church is no different. To plan effectively, our leaders need to know what our income will be.
Can we count on you?
As always, our pledge goal is 100% by church members. Remember, it is not how much you pledge but that you show your commitment to this church by pledging. A commitment card and self-addressed envelope are enclosed for your prayerful consideration. Or you can bring your card to the church on Commitment Sunday, November 11. No pledge is too small to be thankfully received. Pledges are confidential, known only to our financial leaders and the office administrator, and can be adjusted simply by calling the church office. No questions will be asked.
Can the church count on you?
Special Offering
The four church-wide Special Offerings of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are a collective witness to Jesus Christ's love for the whole church. One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost Offering, Peace & Global Witness Offering, and Christmas Joy Offering play an important role in defining what it means to be a connectional church. Over the years these offerings have provided ways for individuals and congregations to join together with each other and in partnership with other Christians in responding to a variety of concerns.
- One Great Hour of Sharing enables our church to share with neighbors in need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disaster, providing food for the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and the oppressed. Recipients of this offering include Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), the Presbyterian Hunger Program and Self-Development of People. This offering is received at Easter.
- A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and also address the needs of at-risk children. 40% of the Pentecost offering can be retained by individual congregations wanting to make an impact in the lives of young people within their own community. The remaining 60% is used to support ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency including Young Adult Volunteers, Ministries for Youth, and Children-at-Risk.
- Gifts to the Peace & Global Witness Offering enable the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of injustice across the world. Individual congregations are encouraged to utilize up to 25% of this Offering to connect with the global witness of Christ's peace. Mid councils retain an additional 25% for ministries of peace and reconciliation. The remaining 50% is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.
- Each year during the Advent and Christmas season, we turn our eyes to Bethlehem and celebrate the wondrous gift of Jesus Christ, our Savior. By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, you honor this gift by providing assistance to current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.


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While Xamarin Forms has evolved greatly, and more and more plugins are created for us to be able to use native functionality directly from the .NET Standard Library, there will be from time to time a specific functionality that is not yet available through shared code.
This doesn't mean that you must think of an alternative, say native Xamarin. Xamarin Forms after all still has those native projects. So what do you do? You code the native functionality and inject it over to the .NET Standard Library using Dependency Injection.


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Museum staff have found some suspicious prints in the mornings when they open up the museum. Who could be leaving these prints when the museum is closed and locked up for the night? See if you can track all the 'evidence' and identify the main suspect!
Free, available Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, suitable for ages 3 to 6 years.


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The London Baby party, is being hosted at the opulent Café de Paris located next to Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square: www.cafedeparis.com.
2018 marks the 7th edition of this highly anticipated event, and this year the London Baby party promises to be bigger and better than before, with an expected 900 in attendance.
The party takes pride in its reputation for being renowned for providing post-show networking opportunities and FREE DRINKS throughout the night, courtesy of our sponsors. You are guaranteed to network and do business with like minded igaming and sports betting professionals.


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Stuart is an experienced musician who plays guitar and piano to accompany his wide ranging voice. His first instrument is guitar and he can adapt his style from Indie favourites to rock classics and more chilled sounds.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: February 3Live Music - Scott McWatt
Later Event: February 9Live Music - Mic Clark, The Acoustic Butterfly & Guest