Month: March 2012

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Help with Home Energy

I always thought the words home energy auditors, meant something really terrible, because of hearing about other kinds of auditors. Mainly like in the IRS kind.  As a matter of fact, after talking to my friend Destiny who lives in New Jersey, it is a wonderful and helpful idea to save on home energy bills and receiving help with getting your home to be fuel efficient and cozy, while saving a bunch of money in the process. We sure could use this up here in the North.

My friend is now in the process of getting estimates and then choosing home insulation contractors. Spring I would imagine, (at least for me) would be the perfect time to do this and the work, since it’s beginning to get warm outside and means that contractors wouldn’t be tracking snow into the house, or I wouldn’t be cooped up in the house and be in the way while the contractors did their work.

After doing some “homework,” I’ve decide to start looking into solar thermal system installation. I have always wanted to have this type of system in my home and we sure could save a lot of money on lower heating bills. Plus using solar, to me makes perfect sense. It’s clean, efficient, plentiful and beside that, I just really like the idea. Every time I think of solar, I think of the sun. That in it’s self makes me warm and happy. I’m glad my friend Destiny will be warm in New Jersey come winter and I might even find the same kind of services and help up here in the North. It sure would help.

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Getting away from it all

My daughter and I are at other place that we both love, and have left the guys to fend for themselves over the weekend. It’s good to go a bit South for awhile, to get away as there has been a bit of turmoil going on over stupid stuff that I just didn’t feel like dealing with this weekend. My daughter and I just needed to get away. My daughter Iris, is a sensitive young lady and she is the kind that likes and wants to keep the peace, but I could tell she needed the break as much as I Having my two sons stay with their dad for a time might be a wake up call for them, and it might be a good one…I don’t know. He lets them get away with basically anything, and I’m kind of tired of being the bad guy all the time. Of course, they will indeed take full advantage of the fact that their father when home, tends to get lost into the sofa and television and doesn’t have a clue what is happening around him. Yes, I am a bit worried, but I’m leaving that worry to fate. What happens if anything, will.

In the mean time, once we got here it was like we breathed a deep one and then relaxed. It’s so peaceful here.  I am however a Mom first and foremost, and indeed want to call to see if everything is going alright. BUT, I have to have Faith it is and then let it go.

Tomorrow I think Ris and I are going to go shopping. I need to try and find some film for my old camera and also want to get more acrylics to finish a painting I’ve been working on here. I’ll also take Ris out to lunch and to any shops or stores she would like to go to also. We’ll go to mass on Sunday and it’ll give me a chance to get updated on what is happening in the community and the congregation. It’s Lent and I’m anxious to catch up on what is happening and if there is any volunteer work that needed to be done, that Ris and I usually sign up for if we know for sure we can get down here. Other than that, we have plans to do things around the house and in general…relax a bit.

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Survival tips and information

Lately a few of my blogging buddies and I have started talking about what would happen if something like a natural disaster struck us, or even something worse. How we would live. We are all into gardening and all of us are actually really self sufficient and handy when it comes to making something we need. A rig type deal, perhaps…but it’s the kinds of things “That will do in a pinch.”

My friend Lindsay who is really into it, will be a big help. She out of all of us, is more nature minded, and a live off the land type lady, than most in our little group. I have a feeling she is going to give us a lot of tips, since I know at one time, she lived up in the hills in Virginia for a two years, as sort of a “test” to herself and also out of necessity at the time. Something I never asked about and she never has told. I value her privacy as she is a very wide open type person, except for about certain things in her past. When she lived up in the hills,  she didn’t have electricity or even any running water. Bless her heart…she liked it like that. I personally need more civilization, but if need be I could indeed do without a lot of things if I had to, to keep alive and keep my family alive and sheltered.

To be honest,  I’m looking forward to the books recommended, along with the links and videos to learn what I can, but I think I’m going to leave the real hard core living off the land to my little friend. And yes…she indeed is a very small person, but can chop wood with the rest of them!

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Dependable generators for every need

We usually just have to use our generator in the winter when we have a bad storm and the power goes out. I decided to check out a company called, Generators AtoZ, when our power went out then, because the one we had only powered a few lights and one of our refrigerators. I had just bought a small chest freezer full of meat and the other two refrigerator freezers were stocked full with other freezable grocery items. We didn’t loose much, but I decided with grocery and meat prices as high as they are now, and rising quite steadily all the time, that I wasn’t going to take any changes. We live in a section of the state where it seems that the power will go out even during a slight breeze. Okay, I am exaggerating a little…but not all THAT much, since our power company isn’t all that bright. (pun intended) A few weeks ago, the wind caused a power outage and the generator didn’t kick in. I needed a new one, I knew.

While looking for a  generators, I have to say that I picked Generators AtoZ, because I liked the name.  I’m like that. I figured with a name like this, I would find what I was looking for. I mean, AtoZ about covers it all, right? At least in my way of thinking.

I ended up buying a bigger generator, since my job is writing and I work at home. I have two computers, plus the three that the kids use,  and my telephone, that I need and use all day or sometimes in my case into the night, for work also. Not to mention my freezers have to have power. Generators AtoZ pretty much helped me find what I was looking for that would be in my price range also. It’s amazing how many brands and variety’s they carry for every need.  Now, I feel a lot better about the power going out, though I still worry about the weather and what it may bring.

 

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March Winds

March winds around here get bothersome and scary at times. Today it was so windy that two of my wind chimes went East. Yes, literally. The wind is coming in for the West. It was warm and sunny today but the wind made it quite a bit colder. Had the wind not been blowing so hard, it no doubt would have been in the high 60’s.

Because of the wind, one of my neighbor’s big tree branches cracked and I heard it while in my house. I went outside in time to see the whole middle branch of the tree, crack again and fall. The neighbor wasn’t home, and had he been…his car would have been toast. The HUGH branch came down in the exact spot he always parks his car. Talk about a fortunate person, eh?

I found three bird’s nests that fell and also all kinds of debris kept blowing by. I sort of felt like I was in Kansas with Dorthy and Toto, for awhile. There indeed was a lot of damage caused by this wind and it is supposed to be windy tomorrow also, but temps won’t be so warm and rain is called for also. Wonder what the weekend will bring. I see a great deal of our shingles have blown away. More property damage, that isn’t the up to the deductible rate, with our insurance, so we’ll have to shell out more money to fix it. *deep sigh*

 

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A new telephone

The telephone I had, wasn’t working well and I have known for awhile I’ve needed a new one. I wanted to get one with two handsets so I didn’t have to keep the phone off the charger when I wanted it near me. Unfortunately we only have two phone jacks in this house, and one doesn’t work. I was told by the telephone company that I would have to pay at least 400.00 (this may not include labor) to get it fixed. I personally have never heard of such a thing, paying THAT much just to fix a phone jack, but this is what I was told by our little local telephone company.

Delaying buying a new telephone wasn’t an option as of last night, when the older one got totally demolished. I’m not going to go into how, but lets just say…I’ve got a kid that is grounded for life. Anyway, my husband went out and got a new telephone. I have to say, being techno challenged, it is going to take some time for me to figure this one out. All the buttons it has on the phone and answering machine, look like it is a control panel for NASA use.

While talking to my daughter, I accidentally hit a button that turned out to be speaker phone and nearly dropped the phone because it freaked me out. My oldest son is the one who hooked up and set all the buttons on this thing…I have to find the manual he put someplace and read it well.

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Thinking vessel sinks and faucets

When looking at sinks online, I saw a lot of models that were very nice, but I wanted something that was not ordinary and then I started looking at vessel sinks. I really like the look of them. Right now, I have a nice sink that is sort of like a vanity, but it takes up so much space, that despite of the extra storage, I’d rather have the bathroom look more spacious. Right now, our bathroom is under construction, and slowly but surely I am getting the look I want. But I also want more room.

I saw a vessel sink that was stone and fell in total love with it, right on the spot. I collect stones of all kinds, shapes and sizes. Rare stones, stones that are nearly fossilized, some that indeed are. I have stones and rocks in my gardens as not only ornaments, but also as a divider between my plants. The stone vessel sink was perfect for my personality. I’d have a beautiful big stone in my bathroom!!

Of course what vessel sink would be complete without vessel sink faucets? Not MINE! I found some that would match and compliment my sink perfectly! So, now all I have to do is sort of sweet talk my husband for a few days, and keep showing him the pictures of what I really want. I have a feeling he’ll like them as much as I do!

 

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Summer fix ups and recreation

Opening the pool is a big deal when May comes. Along with uncovering the flowers and plants around it, adding more flowers and bringing out the pool floaties, as we call them. I have to fix a part of the deck rail that a storm damaged in the winter, and then the cleaning of the pool begins. After the liner is clean and the water we keep in it during the winter is crystal clear, we of course add more water which is going to cost a mint…as well as ordering everything we need to maintain the pool will, as I ran out of a lot of items last fall since it was still warm enough the first part of October to swim. I’m so looking forward to doing these improvements and having pool parties for the kids and of course my husband and I relaxing in the evenings on the pool deck. I love the Summer.

So here I am, waiting impatiently for May to come. Not only to open the pool, but to start gardening and doing all the Summer recreations we do. It’s a tradition that the whole family does every year, even the kids that have moved away and have husbands and my grand kids come. After we are finished with the repair work, cleaning and getting the gardens ready, we have a big cook out. Everyone jumps in the pool at the same time before we eat, and all in all…it’s a wonderful time for me to sit and watch my whole family together enjoying our first get together of the Summer!

I let my youngest son cheat a little and jump in first when no one is looking. 😉

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Router cords and computer stuff

While I’m blogging and also working on my computer, my son needed to run a long ethernet cord from my office to his bedroom, because he needs internet access to activate Windows 7. In other words…he doesn’t have a long enough cord to reach from the office router to the bedroom, so he is using two routers all together to connect the computer in his room to the internet.

Actually that sounded pretty good for a person who is totally techno challenged, didn’t it? LOL! Okay, my son told me what he was doing, since there are now cords looped all over my computer desk and the other desk I have in the room, as well as an antique barrel that I use as a plant stand, then across the floor, out the door, into the kitchen and into is bedroom. Say that all in one breath!

While I was writing a different blog post, I was into my zone and didn’t notice anything he was doing until I finished and got up to get a cup of tea. I tripped over a cord he was laying out. My son the computer whiz, actually can catch a person really well. All the time apologizing, explaining and smiling since he had found a way to do what he had to do and also caught me from falling on my face. My fault…he had been telling me what he was doing and I actually didn’t care at the moment, since I was in writing mode. He helps me all the time with my computers and the upkeep…I don’t care if cords are all over for a little while. Maybe he’ll find a way to put Windows whatever on my old faithful!

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From Picture Frames to Elephant Lamps

Recently I was looking though photographs and realized that I wanted picture frames that say family. I have so many pictures that are awesome of our whole family together that I wanted personalized frames for our family photos.  Since I am remodeling the den with all of the family’s collections, I decided to do all the walls after we panel, with photos of the family, their hobbies, sports they are into, school pictures and even their awards. So I indeed need lots of frames. I want them to be unique, and found a link that led me to exactly what I was looking for. Everything to help with the den make over in one place!

The den is a very large room that we use as a family room. Each person in the family has their own space. I’m making sure the things that they collect are in each of their “space,” to make it personal. In the middle of the den, is a common sitting place for the whole family. Like I said this room is very large. Actually, it is HUGH! My daughter’s space is nearly finished. Since she likes to sleep in that room sometimes because of the fireplace, and one of the things she collects are elephants, I found two awesome elephant night stand lamps that I can put on the two night tables on either side of her futon. They are going to look awesome!

I have a ways to go to finish this room, but it’s going to look like a welcoming room,  and personalized for each member of the family. I love home improvement like this! Everyone will be happy. I still would like to get an electric wall heater, since this house is very old and besides the fireplace, there is no other form of heat. A big room like this, needs a bit more heat to keep it cozy and everyone warm and happy!