Ripped pool liner

While getting ready to open the pool, everything was nearly done but once it started filling with water I realized that the liner had a tear in it and I was loosing water faster than I could ever have imagined once the water got nearly three feet deep. I had once heck of a time draining the  pool and trying to find the leak. And standing in ice cold water up to my knees as it drained made my legs numb.

I was about ready to hang up this project and save it for another day, when my daughter called. She was using a service to open her pool, and since her husband is friends with the guy doing it, she said she was sending a pro to me!

The liner wasn’t as bad as I thought and the guy who came out, had some super good stuff to patch it up. He said it would last though the summer and even gave a guarantee, which surprised me. Now I hope that the ground will absorb all the water that leaked out, and it’s not so marshy out in the back yard. Still…I’m so happy I have a thoughtful daughter who’s husband knows people!

The gift of a Wedding DJ in Miami FL

My favorite niece is getting married at the end of summer and my oldest daughter who is very close to her cousin and I wanted to give a special wedding gift to the couple. We’ve been checking out Wedding DJ Miami FL and seem to have come up with the perfect gift. Both my niece and her soon to be husband are really into music of all kinds and since they were worried about what they would do for entertainment, since they are on a tight budget, my daughter and I wanted to help out any way we could. This seems like a special and logical gift for them.

After we looked at various sites and one we came across had the best services we had seen up to date, which included DJ Wedding Reception Packages. I liked that idea. We can put the music into the hands of the DJ and not worry about all the planning and the headache of making sure everything went smoothly. With the package, the DJ will put it all together according to what kind of music the couple want to have playing at the reception. Also lighting and the other extras that make a reception special would be included in the package. Can’t go wrong with that!

I think that the gift of music is something that I would like, and my daughter agreed that she would have liked the options a DJ can work with. I have a feeling that we are going to save a lot of time, money and also stress by hiring a professional that knows what they are doing.  There are a whole lot of options to choose from with these packages, and now all we have to decide which ones we know the couple would like!

Help from a home energy audit

After hearing how having a home energy audit could save me a whole lot of money on my heating and cooling bills, I’m seriously thinking about looking into having these professionals come in and take a look at how I could cut my bill costs down.  Right now, they are nearly unfordable especially during the winter months. Just thinking of saving even a little amount of money on these makes me want to find out more about it.

I’m told that there are home improvement grants to be had also, something I didn’t know and am curious to see if these folks could help me with applying for one. I noticed so much that needs repair and improvement in this house, when I was doing the little repair work I do while spring cleaning. A home improvement grant would help so much and also make our property value increase.

If I can get a insulation contractor to come in, that would be great and these home energy audit people can help with this, I believe. I know that during the winter it could be a whole lot warmer in the house if we had a professional come in to insulate properly, we would indeed save quite a bit of money on our heating bill.

Golf clubs for my birthday

Not being an avid golfer but being an interested fan, my best friend wants to take me to get new golf clubs. She highly recommends I’ll get good ones and I know she’s serious when she just practices in 101 degree weather! This woman is good and knows her equipment for the game.

Getting a set of clubs to me is a intimidating, but my life long friend told me that where we are going to get even hybrid golf clubs, is going to be fantastic and an adventurer, we can’t go wrong with going where the quality, value and also professionals are. Big plus to me, since I’m a brand new beginner and have no idea what I’m doing, but am willing to learn.

I feel by the end of the summer I may learn about the game and it will be fun plus great exercise. I may like this!

 

 

Home repair grants

Having written about home repair grants in the past, I am a firm believer that more people should take advantage of this service. I’m in the process of looking for a contractor to help with venting and also repairing the old pipes in the bathroom, and believe me when I say it can get very expensive. With the economy the way it is, any help with money situations is a big deal and it’s worth checking out to see if you are eligible. It only takes a bit of one’s time and it can make all the difference in the world.

A friend of mine moved back to where she had been renting out the home she owns. When she got there and was settled, she decided to check out assistance with home repairs as the old tenants had trashed her house, then skipped out on the rent and repair bills. My friend was in dire need of assistance to help with the repairs since she couldn’t afford it on her own.

I was told an insulation assistance in NJ was just the thing she needed, as my friend’s previous tenants had even run up a heating bill in the winter that was outrageous. The utilities had been included in the rent so she went into debt with that also. I’m glad she is using her head and checking out various grants and professionals to help with and do the work she needs to have done.

Attic renovation and organization

After spending the day upstairs in the attic yesterday, I’ve decided it is in dire need of some organization and in general a major overhaul. I’m seriously thinking about putting better flooring in and also drywall. I need a dumpster first to throw out junk I’ve sort of hoarded over the years, that I really don’t have any use for. I went shopping and got storage containers for clothes but I know that the boxes that are in the attic need replaced by something plastic, since the air despite of the vents in the attic, was a bit humid.

There are basically two rooms up in the attic, and I took measurements of the one side we don’t use. It could be made into another room, and I want to contact a contractor or even a few of my guy friends that know how to renovate rooms or “transform” attics to see what it would cost to make a useable room out of this room that is basically gutted.

I found a bunch of wall hangings and items I forgot I had and am switching the decor in my living room. Sort of swapping things. This will save money on redecorating also, since no one has seen this stuff. We’ll see what the professionals say about fixing the extra room up there and I’ll have another winter project!

Paving stone and other lawn improvement

Even though I have laid brick in my gardens by myself, I am older and a bit wiser now, so I’m thinking about hiring some professionals to come and tell me about paving stone for my West courtyard. I just don’t have the strength nor the knowledge to do such a great job as I have seen online. The stones are so beautifully installed on the ground and the designs are pretty for that yard.

While I was outside looking at all the possibility for that West side of the yard, I got the opinion of my son about landscape lighting installation. I think it would really look nice and compliment the courtyard I’d like to have built, and also it would keep trespassers off our property, hopefully. That or at least deter them. I’ve wanted lighting all around the house and in the gardens anyway, and to me any kind of landscaping or home improvement basically raises the property value in some cases. It’s a win, win situation.

While doing a really intense study of that West yard, I notice that there are bare spots in the lawn that have been there for nearly 20 years now. It’s in pretty sorry shape, despite of all the time and money I have sunk into grass seed and fertilizer. I think perhaps looking into installing artificial grass. I’ll have to find out more about the pros and cons of that from professionals.

 

More home improvement

The never ending home improvement bug has struck again. I’ve decided that I want to repaint the living room and leave one wall, so mirror tile can be put up. I’m not even going to try my had at this. I’m calling around for the professionals. I don’t want to get into the job of cutting glass, or dropping glass, hanging glass…none of it.

I’ve always wanted one wall of total mirrors though, that wasn’t a bathroom. I’ve been looking at various colors and styles and haven’t made a decision on what I want just yet. I’ve still got to pick out the colors I want to paint the living room. Then again, maybe I’ll pick the kind of mirror I love and then pick the paint. Which ever I do, I want this done right.

After the mirrored wall and new paint job, I’m gong to look for the perfect touches to go with both the antique furniture and the new furniture I plan on getting finally. I’m really looking forward to this renovation of sorts.

 

Finding the perfect Palm Beach Architects

One of my favorite cousins who I am very close to, called me last night and told me that she has found the perfect Palm Beach Architects to design her new home! The man Katie married is a wonderful husband and father to her two year old son. Not only that, he is very wealthy. I’m happy for my cousin, as she didn’t really have much growing up and even though she married into money, she kept her values and her roots intact. The only thing she has ever dreamed of is a beautiful house. Now she is getting one, and I’m so happy for her.

Her husband John recently was transferred to Palm Beach, and along with getting a generous raise in the corporation he works for, he also had been planning on giving the gift of a beautiful dream home to Katie as soon as they moved to where they would settle permanently. Katie sent me the link to the website of the architects she would like to use, and to be honest, I was blown away with the beauty of their work.

My dear cousin doesn’t know the ins and outs of architecture, but this firm she told me, is getting to know her and guiding her through her decisions while putting their own spin on things as well as hers. When Katie and I were growing up, she always had some awesome ideas for her dream house. Now she has help from awesome professionals and the money to turn those dreams into reality. I’m so thrilled for her.

 

Home energy audit to save money

Because of this past winter, and the amount that our energy bills were, we have decided to have a home energy audit. I know that this house is old and drafty, but it also can be fixed up to be a warm and cozy place, with the right assistance to show and tell us how we can save money on our energy bills.

I’ve always lived in older homes that were cold and drafty while I was in my 20’s. I loved each house, and it seemed rather “quaint” to have to use lap robes and haul in wood for the fire place, that wasn’t for ambiance, but for real heat. Now that I am older and know more about ways to save money in the long run with the heating bills, I want to hire a home insulation contractor, since I found out we have very little insulation in this house.

I’ve read that there are federal grants for home improvement, and that would help a great deal with the financial aspect of getting my home insulated and perhaps do even more improvement of the house, as I’m super tired of waiting for the money that I save, to be enough for these improvements. It would add to my peace of mind if I knew I could be able to fix this home up.