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Showing posts from 2016

Tiny House? NOT!

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Am I the only one who gets irritated at the TV shows about "TINY HOUSES"?  Irritated because most of the shows are REALLY all about custom made RECREATIONAL VEHICLES (RV's) NOT actual HOUSES. As far as I'm concerned the folks that put those shows together just aren't all that smart. Or maybe they just feel that it's "artistic license" and they can call an RV a house and since it's TV where nothing is "real" anyway, everyone expects definitions to be "stretched". So, does anyone else agree that if it's on a permanent foundation it's a HOUSE and if it's on wheels it ISN'T? This last house uses an idea that I particularly like, building with shipping containers. It actually could work as a custom RV as well. OK, no wheels, but definitely not on a foundation, a variation on the "portable" theme. As you might expect, my personal interest in tiny houses is findi

Who Died Here?

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WHO DIED HERE? There are online services that will dig up data on deaths that have occurred in your home! Some home buyers and homeowners recently received a head-turning come-on in their email inboxes: “Unlock Death in Home Information Today.” Intrigued? “Surely you would want to know if a violent murder or suicide took place in the home before you sign a contract,” reads the email, and readers are told that homes where a tragic death has occurred can fare much worse on the market than others. “Death in Home” data is the latest dirt that purveyors of “pre-diligence reports,” are making available to the public – for a fee, of course. Availability of this data is particularly notable because real estate agents and sellers in most states aren’t required to disclose home deaths or a property's violent crimes to buyers, even though the information could theoretically make or break a deal. Prospective homebuyers who pay the $10-12 fee get reports of individuals who have perishe

Secret Hiding Places -- Ways to foil thieves at home

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Secret Hiding Places Ways to foil thieves at home The Old Hollowed-Out-Book Trick There's not much room in one hollowed out book. Instead (or in addition to), use several books with a plywood box attached to the back. If you have a band saw for cutting out the pages, great. If not, you can use a jigsaw. If the sides of the books will be visible, fold back the covers of the books on the left and right sides of the assembly before cutting. Build a plywood box to fit the opening and glue the book parts to the box with construction adhesive. Keep in mind you can see inside the box on low shelves, so you need to display it so the opening is above eye level. Right Out in the Open It doesn't have to be an old vacuum cleaner. Any common household item that has a cavity will work. Think old printers, computer towers, children's toys, etc. (Just be sure family members know about it so your valuables don't get donated or tossed!) For ea

Is Your World Too Loud?

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Do you have any of these noise issues that bug you in your home? I mean, REALLY bug you?     Noisy neighbors o    Are they REALLY rock stars or just wannabes? o    Loud parties (that you weren’t invited to) o    Loud cars / motorcycles (don’t they know about Midas?) o    Really amazing sound systems with earth-shaking bass o    Kids (not your own) o    Barking dogs (not your own) o    Lawn mowers and other equipment o    Are they TRYING to come up with new ways to drive me up the wall?   Noisy things in your own house o    Kids (your own) o    Barking dogs (your own) o    TV o    Radio/stereo o    Game machines o    Phones ringing (no I don’t want to take your &*^&#%$^^&&$ survey!) o    Beeping notifications that ANOTHER Facebook friend has posted something (probably a cute kitty video) o    Appliances: fridge, icemaker, dishwasher, range hood, washer, dryer o    YOU know what else…    Environmental noise o    Stre

Man Cave? NO WAY!

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Who says HE gets a “special” macho room to himself and SHE just gets the kitchen?    An alternate you may never have heard about is the “She Shed”.  Why doesn’t that idea get as much press as the “Man Cave”? Beats me! The fact is, there seems to be way more variety to the She Shed concept than there is in Man Caves. So what is the typical Man Cave design theme for guy entertaining? Beer Big screen TV   Beer Billiards Beer Poker Beer   That’s pretty much it, isn’t it? So what about the Anti-Man-Cave, a She Shed for the lady of the house (Lady Lounge?) and her friends? Yoga Room (a place to relax and drink wine, more accurately) Tea Room Meditation Room (aka Nap Place) Pillow Place (one can never have too many pillows to read a book with, right?) Writer’s Hideout Garden Shed (greenhouse?) Craft / Sewing Center Painter’s Studio Tree house Collectibles Cottage What else?  Whatever YOU like to do dictates