We did it! I started on the garage, and just as I had hoped, the hubby came to help. We spent most of the day clearing everything out of the garage. I vacuumed, then we hosed it down. Ate a little food and then headed back to finish up.
Fortunately we have a large, paved and covered side yard. We put EVERYTHING there which worked out great, in fact, many things destined for the Vietnam Veterans of America are still hanging out there. The only items allowed back into the garage are items we need and want.
I've scheduled a pick-up for Tuesday, April 15. A truck and driver for the Vietnam Veterans of America will haul away all the items we no longer need.
Today was filled with lots of hard work, but at least it's done. And, upon finishing our neighbors were out waiting for us with beer! What better reward could we ask for? Well, a hot tub, but aside from that... what a great way to end a long weekend.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Don't mess with me
I have conquered the carpet ink splotches that Sassy hath bequeathed me! Ha ha, I rule.
Hopefully I'm as successful with the love seat. The cover is tumbling about in the wash as I write.
Now, onto the garage... good times. With any luck by the time I finish (or pass out, whichever comes first) the love seat cover will be not be singing the blues!
Hopefully I'm as successful with the love seat. The cover is tumbling about in the wash as I write.
Now, onto the garage... good times. With any luck by the time I finish (or pass out, whichever comes first) the love seat cover will be not be singing the blues!
Spots be gone!
Yesterday we purchased an outdoor Windex product to clean the windows via the garden hose - no drying with paper towels, rags, or cloths needed! It seemed to be working great, I was so pleased.
When I went indoors to clean I noticed a lot of spots and dirt splatters. Ugh, I was no longer pleased. I returned to the great outdoors with proper tools in hand, only to discover that the dirt and spots were between the glass panels!
Arg, oh what to do? I may be "handy" but I wouldn't dare trust myself to reseal our windows, and I honestly don't even know if that is an option. When this happens, what is the best course of action? Replacing the windows? Sure, if we win the lotto.
I did a little bit of The Price Is Right price checking and golly... windows are expensive. I already suspected as much, but yowsers! And, as if that weren't enough, last year when On The Spot Blinds provided us with an estimate to replace/update our window blinds he measured all 13 windows and hardly any of them seemed to be "standard". How lucky we are to have "special" windows! I can't only imagine the cost of replacing them.
The handsome fella at Lowes explained that I could replace the windows myself... yeah, like that's going to happen. I'll pay the extra $154 per window to have a professional install it, if it ever comes to that.
Is a big box home improvement store the best way to go, or someone who only does windows? How do I know whom I should trust if I were to get estimates? Is wood with aluminum clad exteriors the best option? Pella claims that wood insulates 1,100 times better than metal, which makes sense, and I really don't want all aluminum it looks cheap and ugly to me (and it's what we currently have). That leaves vinyl, which is low maintenance, and I'm all for that! Also, vinyl is the middle ground; a little more than aluminum and a lot less than wood.
Pella offers the "Vivid View" screen, which in the brochure looks amazing, but in real life... I haven't a clue. Superior, which I'm told is just that, superior, is the ideal way to go when money isn't an option (oh if only!). There's Peach Tree, but whenever I hear Peach Tree I think of Atlanta drivers and I'm plagued with horrible visions. And, the cute dude at Lowes said that Peach Tree's quality didn't justify the big price tag. I know there are many, many other options out there, but again, which is the best?
Superior does offer Full Lifetime Warranty for as long as we own and reside in our home. This includes labor, glass breakage, glass seals and vinyl - pretty much everything is covered. So, if the neighbor kids get carried away and a stray ball finds its way into our living room, I just call Superior and they make it all better. Of course, that peace of mind costs an arm and a leg. I happen to really like my arms and legs.
Years ago when my folks replaced all of their windows they took out a second mortgage to do it. Um, hmm, we've only lived in our home for about 6 months so a second mortgage probably not an option.
Sigh, hopefully I'm making this into more of a drama than it really is. Perhaps it's not as bad as I fear. I admit, my knowledge of all things windows is very limited. Maybe there is a very easy and inexpensive solution to my dirty, spotted windows.
When I went indoors to clean I noticed a lot of spots and dirt splatters. Ugh, I was no longer pleased. I returned to the great outdoors with proper tools in hand, only to discover that the dirt and spots were between the glass panels!
Arg, oh what to do? I may be "handy" but I wouldn't dare trust myself to reseal our windows, and I honestly don't even know if that is an option. When this happens, what is the best course of action? Replacing the windows? Sure, if we win the lotto.
I did a little bit of The Price Is Right price checking and golly... windows are expensive. I already suspected as much, but yowsers! And, as if that weren't enough, last year when On The Spot Blinds provided us with an estimate to replace/update our window blinds he measured all 13 windows and hardly any of them seemed to be "standard". How lucky we are to have "special" windows! I can't only imagine the cost of replacing them.
The handsome fella at Lowes explained that I could replace the windows myself... yeah, like that's going to happen. I'll pay the extra $154 per window to have a professional install it, if it ever comes to that.
Is a big box home improvement store the best way to go, or someone who only does windows? How do I know whom I should trust if I were to get estimates? Is wood with aluminum clad exteriors the best option? Pella claims that wood insulates 1,100 times better than metal, which makes sense, and I really don't want all aluminum it looks cheap and ugly to me (and it's what we currently have). That leaves vinyl, which is low maintenance, and I'm all for that! Also, vinyl is the middle ground; a little more than aluminum and a lot less than wood.
Pella offers the "Vivid View" screen, which in the brochure looks amazing, but in real life... I haven't a clue. Superior, which I'm told is just that, superior, is the ideal way to go when money isn't an option (oh if only!). There's Peach Tree, but whenever I hear Peach Tree I think of Atlanta drivers and I'm plagued with horrible visions. And, the cute dude at Lowes said that Peach Tree's quality didn't justify the big price tag. I know there are many, many other options out there, but again, which is the best?
Superior does offer Full Lifetime Warranty for as long as we own and reside in our home. This includes labor, glass breakage, glass seals and vinyl - pretty much everything is covered. So, if the neighbor kids get carried away and a stray ball finds its way into our living room, I just call Superior and they make it all better. Of course, that peace of mind costs an arm and a leg. I happen to really like my arms and legs.
Years ago when my folks replaced all of their windows they took out a second mortgage to do it. Um, hmm, we've only lived in our home for about 6 months so a second mortgage probably not an option.
Sigh, hopefully I'm making this into more of a drama than it really is. Perhaps it's not as bad as I fear. I admit, my knowledge of all things windows is very limited. Maybe there is a very easy and inexpensive solution to my dirty, spotted windows.
Friday, April 04, 2008
The pen is mightier than our carpet
My sweet Sassy decided that since she lacks opposable thumbs she would chew a pen. Her paws, the carpet in the guest room, and the fabric love seat in the office all have splotches of blue. Tomorrow I'll do my best to wash away the blue... tonight it's cheese and wine! A much more preferable activity than cleaning. I do fear, however, that the pen may be mightier than our carpet, guess I'll find out tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Priorities
Today after work I stopped off at CostCo. It's on my way home, in fact, I'd have to go out of my way to avoid it. I hate CostCo, it has inconvenient hours and long lines. These are things within CostCo's control. The small, screaming children... probably not, but all the same, they annoy me.
Today there was a child about 2 feet tall and certainly weighed less than a sack of bulk flour. This itty-bitty kid was wandering about. This can be dangerous as most customers pack and stack their carts so full as to not be able to see where they are going. The mother of the little girl seemed disinterested in her child's safety, understandably so when busy eating free food samples. It's good to have priorities in life, however messed up they may be!
This adventure was just another reminder of why I dislike CostHole. I'll continue to avoid it for the foreseeable future. That's my priority.
Today there was a child about 2 feet tall and certainly weighed less than a sack of bulk flour. This itty-bitty kid was wandering about. This can be dangerous as most customers pack and stack their carts so full as to not be able to see where they are going. The mother of the little girl seemed disinterested in her child's safety, understandably so when busy eating free food samples. It's good to have priorities in life, however messed up they may be!
This adventure was just another reminder of why I dislike CostHole. I'll continue to avoid it for the foreseeable future. That's my priority.
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