PRIZE DRAW WINNERS

It gives us enormous pleasure to announce the winners of our Big Birthday Party Bash Prize Draw, who we will - of course - be contacting personally over the next couple of days to arrange the collection or delivery of their respective prizes.  Here goes...

1st PRIZE (Professional Advanced Supagard Care Care Treatment, worth £299.99 from Richard Sanders of Kettering) - Mr & Mrs Patterson, Kettering

2nd PRIZE (£50 OFF Voucher from Apollo Blinds of Northampton) - Mr Sweeney, Corby

3rd PRIZE (BOSCH TWK6831GB Cordless Kettle, worth £49.99 from IKD Kitchens of Kettering) - Mr T. Marlowe, Irthlingborough

4.  Scented Candle (from Mitcheldean Soap) - Miss Doyle, Kettering

5.  Soap & Soap Dish (from Mitcheldean Soap) - Mrs Dawson, Northampton

6.  Black Rabbit Wine Bottle Opener - Mrs Plant, Kettering

7.  Kitchen Apron - Mr Bland, Kettering

8.  Bottle of White Wine - Mrs Mains, Northampton

9.  Bottle of White Wine - Mrs Holgate, Kettering

10. Bottle of Red Wine - Mrs Cooper, Naseby

11. Bottle of Red Wine - Mrs Tubb, Rothwell

12. Bone China Coffee Mug  - Mrs Davis, Corby

13. Glass Worktop Protector - Miss Holland, Desborough

14. Thorntons Chocolates - Mrs Rogers, Corby

15. Union Jack Coffee Mug & Coaster Set - Mrs Clutton, Kettering

Congratulations to all of our winners and thank you to everyone who took part and attended our Big Birthday Party Bash over the weekend.  Ian and I both enjoyed ourselves immensely and it was wonderful to catch up with old friends, as well as making a wealth of new ones.

BIG BIRTHDAY BASH (PART 1)

[Karan]:  We had the most brilliant and amazing day yesterday.  As you are probably already aware, IKD is celebrating its 18th birthday tomorrow, and we're hosting the Big Birthday Party Bash at our place - all are welcome, and we hope to see YOU there.

However, we thought it would be a good idea to host a pre-launch event for some of our all time favourite and most local customers, so that if we had any teething problems we could iron them out before our guests of honour arrive tomorrow: always best to hit your snags with a sympathetic audience, don't you think?  A pre-launch event would also serve as a huge personal "THANK YOU!" from Ian and I, for the many years of loyal custom and support we have received from these lovely, lovely existing VIP customers. And so out went the personal invitations.  And then we waited.  As we hadn't asked for a RSVP, we had no idea who would accept and who wouldn't.  It was a bit high risk as we could have been drumming our fingers on the table listening to the deafening silence, however...

From the moment we decided upon a date to launch the showroom fully to the public - it was Thursday 1st April, I remember it clearly - business has been brisk, to say the least.  Now, I'm not complaining that business has been brisk, I'm well aware there are plenty of people willing to trade places with us, but it has meant the showroom has been designed and installed during weekends only, and the odd evening after work.  This has proved to be a challenging and delicate balancing act, particularly when you consider Ian and I have two very young children, as well as a brisk business.  We have met ourselves coming back on many, many occasions.

We worked on the showroom until 2.30am Saturday morning, went home, got a couple of hours sleep and were up again with the kids at 5.30am.  Ian threw some water on his face and completed a basic set of ablutions, before dashing back off down to the showroom to polish and tidy - promising himself faithfully that he'd pop back home to shower, shave and change, once the preparations had been completed.  None of us involved really believed we'd see a soul until mid-morning at the earliest - there'd be plenty of time for Ian to shower, shave and change.  Or so we thought.

At 9.55am three of our dearest and kindest customers (friends really) stepped through the doors, at which point IKD became the official venue for the Mutual Appreciation Society as people just kept stepping through the door until it was time to go home and rest our weary feet and voice boxes.  Ian never did shower, change or shave, and no one seemed to care.  Everyone who stepped through the doors just seemed to be delighted to hear good, positive news about a strong thriving local family business, and Ian's attire or facial hair status seemed irrelevant.  Of course his embarrassment and predicament was hilarious to those of us who know how particular he can be, but it didn't detract from the joy he has given people - or the value he has added to their homes over the years!

Yesterday was a complete pleasure and education for me too.  I have an almost encyclopedic memory for who our customers are, what work we've completed for them, when and where etc, but I hardly ever get to meet them - I'm always lurking in the background.  It's not unreasonable for me to suggest that I know some of our customers almost as well as Ian does, but I'd walk past them in the street, not having the foggiest who they are. Well, yesterday I was introduced to a great many of them, and it was such a joy to finally put faces to a names - I loved it. 

And so now we await tomorrow with much anticipation.  Some of our VIP existing customers who couldn't make it yesterday have promised to attend tomorrow, but tomorrow is all about the new people who have been invited by leaflet, Facebook, Twitter, The Best of Kettering, and word-of-mouth, and Ian and I are beside ourselves with excitement.  Who are these new people?  What will they think to our brand new kitchen showroom?  Will they become our friends like so many in the past have done?  And, more importantly, will Ian be showered, shaved and changed this time?  Why not come and find out, click here for more information including a map and directions - we'd love to meet you.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

[Karan]:  My friend Tracey loves sending me humourous emails and has just emailed me this, which I think you will find amusing too, particularly so from the woman's perspective. 

Don't worry though fellas as we don't get off entirely scott free.  Here we have eight words that have two meanings, entirely dependant upon your gender...

1. THINGY (thing-ee) n.

Female: Any part under a car's bonnet

Male: The strap fastener on a woman's bra

2. VULNERABLE (vul-ne-ra-bel) adj.

Female: Fully opening up one's self emotionally to another

Male: Playing football with only three defenders

3. COMMUNICATION (ko-myoo-ni-kay-shon) n.
Female: The open sharing of thoughts and feelings with one's partner
Male: Leaving a note before taking off on a fishing trip with the boys

4. COMMITMENT (ko-mit-ment) n.
Female: A desire to get married and raise a family
Male: Trying not to hit on other women whilst going out with this one

5. ENTERTAINMENT (en-ter-tayn-ment) n.
Female: A good movie, concert, play or book
Male: Anything that can be done whilst drinking beer

6. FLATULENCE (flach-u-lens) n.
Female: An embarrassing by product of indigestion
Male: A source of entertainment, self-expression, male bonding

7. MAKING LOVE (may-king luv) n.
Female: The greatest expression of intimacy a couple can achieve
Male: Call it whatever you want, just as long as we do it

8. REMOTE CONTROL (ri-moht kon-trohl) n.
Female: A device for changing from one TV channel to another
Male: A device for scanning through all 375 channels every 5 minutes

AND THE NERVES HAVE KICKED IN!

[Karan]:  We have only five days to go until our Big Birthday Bash and I'm working from home today, leaving Ian and the boys (i.e.: Eddie the electrician and Simon, Ian's glamorous assistant) installing all of the electrical wizardry.  I'm also taking this opportunity to revel in the company of our children, as their Nanny has been hogging them somewhat recently, and I need to catch up on some kisses and cuddles, as my reserves are low.

I have to admit to becoming more than a little nervous about the weekend, which initially didn't make any sense to me.  As I was an Events Organiser in a previous life, I had assumed I would take all the pressure and demands in my stride, but there's one significant difference about this weekend: this is our event, for our business and ultimately for our future - all of the events I have planned in the past have been for other people and their businesses and futures.

Progress is being made at an impressive rate, thanks mainly to us working with only the best in their respective businesses, but I can't help wishing it was all ready and completed, leaving us only to fling the doors open on Monday morning and uncork the wine.  No stone is being left unturned, and Ian and I have both exceeded the Perfectionism Limiter on more than one occasion, but we have to keep reminding ourselves that whilst the pursuit of excellence is motivating, the pursuit of perfection can be demoralising.

There is such an excited air about the place.  Ian and I are really looking forward to catching up with clients who have been with us from the very beginning. Every now and then Ian will ask if I've remembered to invite Mr & Mrs X, Mr Y and Miss Z, and of course I have as I've been working from an 18 year-old customer database that has been lovingly maintained, updated and nurtured.  As IKD has been trading almost entirely on word-of-mouth recommendations, I think Ian is hoping for something of a reunion amongst our customers, as they all know each other one way or another, and it's spooky how small the world sometimes appears to be.

We're also excited about the possibility of meeting new friends. colleagues and customers, and the prospect of a whole new chapter this event may offer IKD Kitchens and the future.  One thing's for sure, we are certainly blessed with great friends, unbelievably supportive family, and the energy and enthusiasm to get it all done on time, on budget and on spec, as ever.

Please come and say "hi", it promises to be a great event with lots of laughs and great kitchen gadgets and gizmos to look at - we'd love to catch up with you, and it really won't be the same without YOU!  See you soon x

THE SIX PHASES OF A PROJECT

[Karan]:  They say - whoever "they" are - that there are six phases to a project, and as we're only 16 days away from our Big Birthday Bash to celebrate 18 years of trading, I'm beginning to agree.  I had not heard of the Six Phases before last week, when one of our Twitter Followers was kind enough to send a Tweet listing them, but I'm amused to see the extent to which they pan out.  Here are the Six Phases of a Project:

1) ENTHUSIASM: Well, I can definitely agree with this one wholeheartedly and, in truth, Ian and I are both still hugely enthusiastic about our new kitchen showroom, and the celebrations surrounding its launch.  We're really excited about catching up with all of our VIP existing customers, some of which we perhaps haven't seen in a while, as well as meeting new people we may be able to help in the future.  Some of our VIP existing customers go way, way, WAY back to the beginnings of IKD in 1992, so it'll be our pleasure to pour them a glass of wine as we chat. 

Even though our enthusiasm is still high, that does not mean we haven't gone through deep, dark bouts of...

2) DISILLUSIONMENT: We've all been there.  You think up something exciting to do, ie: a party, a wedding, a night out with the girls/boys and it all seems like a good idea at the time.  Then things start to go awry and you start hearing yourself saying "whose bloody stupid idea was this anyway?!", only to realise it was yours!  I uttered these immortal words last weekend when Ian and I were working late - again! - putting the finishing touches to the showroom.  The odd thing didn't go according to plan and I threw my toys out of the pram demanding to know whose idea it was to open a new kitchen showroom during a Bank Holiday weekend, following weeks of school summer holidays.  Ian quietly reminded me it was, in fact, my idea.  So I shut the hell up after that and continued with what I was doing.

3) PANIC:  We're not there yet, but I do accept that we might be, the closer we get to the launch date and time.  Ian and I share the philosophy of proper preparation prevents a poor performance, and we always plan for the worst and hope for the best.  Whilst it's sometimes tempting to believe that life and/or the universe is out to get you when things go wrong, you just have to do the best you can in every given moment, as it sets you up to be in the best possible position for the next moment.  Panic is a waste of energy and thinking and reaction time - but feel free to remind me of this when and if you see me running around like my hair's on fire on the morning of the launch!

4) SEARCH FOR THE GUILTY:  If something has gone wrong, or someone hasn't fulfilled a promise, then it's probably a wiser use of energy and resources to overcome the problem.  There's always after the project to rip someone a new one!  Seemples.

5) PUNISHMENT OF THE INNOCENT:  As this is considered a humorous (?) list, I'll let this point pass as I don't agree with it at all.  It is true though, sadly.  I've seen it happen many times in previous workplaces, and it stinks.  Rest assured that IKD neither operates nor condones this crap; we prefer carrots to sticks.

6) PRAISE & HONOURS FOR THE NON-PARTICIPANTS:  How true is THIS?!  There's always someone - with very sharp elbows - pushing themselves forward for a share of the limelight - they know no shame.  Best to pity the fools, for theirs is an insecure existence, riding on the backs of the true achievers.  I once knew a woman who systematically married her way up into a life of money, global travel and success by association, discarding the spent husbands as she aged: she now attends her (current) husband's award ceremonies as though she'd been there through the early and lean years.  I often wonder who she's going to marry next.

It's therefore hugely important to us to ensure that the truly deserving receive their thanks and high praise and, in respect of the kitchen showroom opening, Ian and I are very clear about who has supported us above and beyond the call of duty; and equally, who hasn't.  I will write a Big Thank You Blog following the Big Birthday Bash so everyone can see who has been the most marvellous of eggs, how and why.  Watch this space....

WITTERING: A LOVE STORY

[Karan]:  I have been catching up on Twitter today, having been working on the showroom with Ian all day yesterday, and I noticed a Tweet from @ScarlettaMedia that said: "At the beach at Wittering glorious feels like summer! Well just for 1 day..." @ScarlettaMedia was kind enough to Tweet a Twitpic of the beach just for me, and then the envy just overtook me! 

You see, it all started way back in June 1989 when I first met Ian.  Ian and his family had been holidaying in the little village of Wittering since he was a boy, and he took me there shortly after we met; and a love story began; in more ways than one.  The Witterings (ie: East and West Wittering) are about 8 miles south of our equally beloved Chichester, and are kind of quaint but, above all, they're quiet!  Ian and I try very hard to get down there as often as possible for a "Wittering Fix" because it's so calm and beautiful.  We also have family who live down that way, and it's always a blast when we get together - which is never often enough or for long enough for our liking.

We have camped many, many times in Scotts Holiday Village in either a static caravan or - dammit! - under canvas with the bugs and critters, but it's always been fun and glorious.  We have hijacked West Wittering beach en masse for extended family days and BBQ's many, many times.  We've had the kids' lips turn blue when the sea wasn't quite as warm as we'd have liked.  We've had family members (you know who you are) running into the sea - fully made-up - but in their bra and knickers, as they'd forgotten their swimsuit.  I've fallen asleep sunbathing on the beach and woken up like a rock lobster, but only on the one side as no one thought to, at least, turn me over!  We've hiked all the way around East Head (about 2 miles of sand dunes) in flip flops, but it's all worth it because West Wittering beach is stunning, and on a glorious sunny day, you could be anywhere else in the world.

As you may have gathered by now, Ian and I love - LOVE - Wittering, and we have successfully brainwashed our children into appreciating the glory that is West Wittering beach.  Can you tell that I'm ever so slightly jealous that @ScarlettaMedia is there, and I - regrettably - am not.  Once our new kitchen showroom has been officially launched and opened to the public however, we shall make a point of returning to recharge our batteries, before too long!  Brace yourself Chichester, we're on our way....