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Rain, Rain, Go Away…

Tish — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:00:03 +0000

A storm system rolled in through Knoxville yesterday, and according to KnoxNews.com, we’ve already received 3.29 inches of rain from it! The flooding is unbelievable, with dozens of traffic accidents reported around town. Blount County Schools have canceled classes for tomorrow. No word yet on Knox and surrounding counties.

When I got home from work today, I was shocked to find a lake in my front yard.

It’s too dark to tell right now, but I’m afraid that Lake Chattie has grown to monstrous proportions. With any luck, I’ll be able to make it down the driveway tomorrow morning. Rest assured that I’ll have my emergency kit in tow.

Beautiful Paintings at Discount Prices

Tish — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:19:41 +0000

The following is a sponsored post.

I’ve always had a fondness for art, especially that of the French Impressionist era. My favorite artist is Claude Monet. I have several of his prints hanging in my living room. And whenever I’m near a home decor shop, I can’t resist checking out the selection for more.

I just found a collection of Monet paintings at OverstockArt.com. These aren’t your typical prints. They are handmade oil paintings, reproduced by talented artists. Each piece of work is on artist grade canvas, and museum quality frames are available for purchase. And the best part is the price – up to 70% off gallery prices! Furthermore, each order receives free FedEx shipping! And if you hurry, you can use coupon code DREAMS10 to receive an extra 10% off your entire order. The coupon expires tomorrow at 11:59 PM PST.

I browsed through OverstockArt’s collection and found my favorite Monet piece that I don’t already own – Sunflowers. Most people are familiar with Van Gogh’s piece of the same name, but I think Monet’s work is even more beautiful. And at just $89 for a 20×24 canvas, it’s very affordable. OverstockArt offers selections from a number of other artists as well, so be sure to check for your favorites.

One Year Later

Tish — Sat, 24 May 2008 21:10:41 +0000

I’ve been in my house for barely over a year now, and I still love it just as much as the first day. The community is nice, the neighbors are just as friendly as can be, and my drive to work is a quick and easy one. The house is about 40 years old, but a number of improvements were made just before I moved in. There are still a few cosmetic issues I’d like to address though. There’s the doorbell, which works like a charm but chimes from a big box hanging on the dining room wall. It reminds me of one of those old timey cuckoo clocks. Definitely time for an upgrade! There are still a few light fixtures that date back to 1968 and are in dire need of replacement. Time to shop for some new Hinkley lighting! And perhaps the most serious of issues is the need for bathroom remodeling. It’s not that the bathrooms are in bad shape, but one is pink and the other is blue. The pink one has pink ceramic fixtures and even a pink bathtub! The blue one isn’t quite so bad, but there’s still way too much blue. I plan to eventually have them renovated, but since it’s only a cosmetic issue at this time, I’ll hold off until I get all the crazy vet bills paid off. And then I’ll look for some handsome young stud reputable home improvement company to do all the remodeling!

Please Recycle

Tish — Sat, 24 May 2008 03:13:41 +0000

I’ve been recycling for years, but I’ve taken a closer look at my recycling habits in recent months. In the past, I had only recycled plastic, glass, aluminum, and cardboard. A few months ago, I started recycling steel cans and mixed paper as well. I am actually amazed at how quickly the mixed paper accumulates. I have large plastic totes for each material in my garage. I get a ton of junk mail, which quickly gets filed into the mixed paper tote. Other items that are recyclable as mixed paper include catalogs, magazines, books, and paperboard such as cereal boxes and tissue boxes.

In an effort to do my part to protect the environment, I also began using compact fluorescent bulbs for all the indoor lighting. I haven’t really been using it long enough to tell, but it should greatly decrease the home’s energy consumption. And with the price of gasoline right now, I’ll take all the cost savings I can find!

If you’re not recycling and using CFL bulbs, it’s easy to get started with both. The City of Knoxville has a great recycling website that includes information on specific items that can and cannot be recycled. Compact fluorescent bulbs can be found nearly anywhere that regular light bulbs are sold. They may seem a bit expensive, but many of them are guaranteed to last from 5-10 years and save hundreds of dollars in energy.

Memory Foam Rocks!

Tish — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:20:20 +0000

I bought a new mattress and box springs for my bed last year. The old mattress was one of the firm ones, and it was about 8 years old. It had seen better days. In fact, it was almost impossible for me to get a good night’s sleep, because it felt like I was laying on a slab of concrete. When I bought the new house and started moving, I threw the old mattress out to the curb for the garbage man to pick up. I figured it would be easy enough to just go buy a new one.

I went to The Bed Store and just fell in love with a memory foam mattress by Valor. Unfortunately, there were none in stock, and I had to wait several days for it to be delivered. So there I was in a new house – sleeping on the floor! But man oh man, was that mattress worth the wait! It’s so thick that it requires oversized sheets. And it’s like sleeping on a cloud!

Off My Rocker

Tish — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:19:54 +0000

I’ve been in my “new” house for almost a year, and I still don’t have any furniture for my porch. Don’t laugh, but I’ve had my eye on those beautiful rocking chairs at Cracker Barrel for a long while now. I’m not quite ready to retire yet, but there’s just something I love about those rockers. With a price tag of $200 each, though, I guess I’ll be buying them one at a time. It’s a good thing no one ever comes to visit, eh?

Some of my neighbors have those old fashioned porch swings, and those are nice too – especially if you have a special someone to snuggle up to. But since I’m more likely to be struck by lightning than to find a guy I want to snuggle up with, I may be better off choosing something a little more practical – like some nice teak furniture. Maybe I can find a rocker made out of this stuff!

Moving Sucks!

Tish — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:18:22 +0000

I hate moving. I sold my old house and bought a new one nearly a year ago, and I really hope that’s the last time I ever have to move. I did it the hard way – loaded up my car and made about a thousand trips back and forth between the old house and the new. Thankfully, only a few miles separated them. I saved all the large and heavy items for last, and my parents and brother helped me move those.

A friend of mine in New York is now moving into a new home, and my heart goes out to him. I just don’t think I could do it – especially in such a populous location. Given the crazy traffic he’s probably dealing with, I think I’d just hire some New York movers to take care of it for me!

They’re Back!

Tish — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:43:21 +0000

You know how I said I rarely see a spider in the house now? I must have jinxed myself. I got up yesterday morning and saw a huge spider running across the kitchen floor. Orkin has definitely helped with the problem, but they haven’t addressed the real source. I’ve been telling them for a year now that the spiders live in my flower beds and manage to come in through the sliding glass doors. The Orkin man comes out and sprays inside my house – around all the doors and windows, and in the cracks and crevices. And yes, it helps. But there are still spiders living in the flower beds, and a few of them are still going to make it inside the house.

I have one treatment left to finish out my contract – in about two weeks. Yesterday I called around to try to find a better option, and I think I may have found it. I talked to Cook’s Pest Control. They charge $35 per month, but they treat EVERY MONTH! Orkin charges $71 per treatment and treats every other month. Of course, both services will come out between regular visits if you notice a problem, and there’s no additional cost. The biggest difference is that Cook’s told me that they guarantee a 10 foot perimeter around your house! No pests within 10 feet! That would take care of the spider problem. On their first visit, they spray both the inside to flush any pests out, and then they take care of the outside. Subsequent visits focus only on the outside to make sure that it remains pest free. Of course, they will also treat inside if you notice any problems.

I talked at great length to the Cook’s technician, explaining the problem I have. And I was quite impressed. I told him that I’d call him after I get that last treatment from Orkin. The price is still about the same, but I’ll have twice as many treatments – and they will focus on eliminating the spiders instead of just keeping them out of my house!

Protecting the Environment

Tish — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:25:26 +0000

I’m definitely not the world’s most eco-friendly person, but I do what I can to help the environment. I’ve been recycling for years. I collect aluminum, other metals, glass, plastic, cardboard, and mixed paper. Each Saturday morning, I drop everything off at the recycle center. I’m always amazed at just how much has accumulated in one week’s time. If you don’t recycle, please consider doing so. For those of you in the Knoxville area, there are recycle centers located at the county dump sites, as well as a few stand-alone centers around town. You can find more information on the City of Knoxville website.

I have also replaced all of my regular light bulbs with the compact fluorescent bulbs, which typically last between 5 and 10 years and can drastically reduce your power bill.

I know that there’s a lot more I can do than just recycling and using CFL bulbs, so I recently subscribed to Ideal Bite, a free email newsletter full of green living tips. It is delivered to my inbox five days a week and contains all sorts of interesting tidbits and simple ways to help preserve the environment. If you’d like to find out how you can help, be sure to check it out.

Attack of the Killer Mosquitoes

Tish — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:45:50 +0000

When I moved into this house last year, there was a serious spider infestation. I signed a one year contract with Orkin, and now I rarely see a spider. But as luck would have it, my contract is coming to a close – and my property has been invaded by swarms of gigantic mosquitoes! These aren’t your ordinary mosquitoes at all. They’re the size of dragonflies, and when I step out into the yard, it sounds as if an army of helicopters is coming in to land. I guess this means I’ll have to continue to pay that $71 pest control fee every other month. I’m starting to think that the Orkin man is the real blood sucker here.