Stainless Steel or Porcelain?

sinks are one of those elements of a house, both kitchen and bathroom that you don't really think about until they're not working, or need to be replaced. At least they are for me. For the most part they're simply utilitarian. It isn't all that much about looks although I've seen some very artful sinks. They are both simple and a pain to install but once in they usually last for a long, long time. I prefer stainless steel sinks over porcelain. I just think they look nicer and are easier to clean, at least in the kitchen. I don't mind porcelain in the bathrooms. I have a bathroom sink and a kitchen sink that need to be replaced. Having hard water is rough on them even though we have a softener. I think that's another reason I like the stainless better though. It handles the hard water better and is easier to remove the hard water stains from. If I could go with stainless steel in the bathroom and have it look right I would.

Wonderland?

Are we in for it or what? The temperatures started plumetting in mid-October and today, the end of November there was almost an inch of snow on the ground. I think this winter is going to be a heavy one. We had a pretty nasty winter last year with an early cold and snow, then the middle (Dec/Jan) wasn't very snowy but it was very cold, and after that in Feb and March we got hit with a lot of snow. What ever happened to global warming?

If you can't do it yourself

The Zoo

One of the big things I miss about living up in the suburbs is being close to the zoo. I miss going to Brookfield Zoo. It is such an amazing place. I went a lot when the kids were little and always had a great time. I even worked there as a temp for a little while one summer although it was in a back office it was a great chance to see what tedious tasks go on daily to make such a big and complex place work. It's what's on the outside that is really amazing though:

Zero Interest -- Big Difference

If you have ever gotten those letters in the mail asking you to apply for a zero balance credit card with the ability to transfer your existing credit to them like I have, and if you have been of legal age more than a year I'm sure you have, you probably wonder what that's all about. Why bother transfering from one credit card just to put it on another one? Saving money in interest is why. Using the balance transfer calculators on this page you can see how much money you will save every year by transfering to a low or no interest credit card. Up until now I've pretty much tossed all those offers away figuring the last thing I need right now is another credit card, but after seeing the numbers I think I will accept the next one.

Pros and Cons of Small Town Living

Life in a little town, and I do mean little, Donovan only has 400 people in it and most of that population is spread out across miles and miles of farmland, the actual 'town' is maybe 200 people tops, has it 's advantages and it's disadvantages. The advantages are that being so rural gives you a lot of leeway to do things how you want to on your own property. When i used to live in the suburbs of Chicago you needed a permit to take a '****'. Out here you can do whatever you want when you want. I remember up in Chicago when I wanted to put up a fence I had to have a permit, and even then it had to be so many feet from the property line, face the right direction (pretty side out) only be a certain height, a certain type... out here, anything goes and as long as it is on my property it doesn't matter how close to the property line it is. The downside is that even though it covers a lot of land with so few people in a 'town' if you sneeze they all say God Bless you.

What's In a Name?

I don't know about everyone else but when I'm cleaning out the medicine cabinet sometimes I don't know what to throw out and what not to. I forget what some things are after not using them for awhile. Mostly that goes for prescription drugs which I do toss out right off the bat. If I can't remember what they are then I don't need them anymore. Some things just make you giggle a little like a weight loss drug called Anoretix. The thing is it really works. It just kind of has a funny name. Having several people in the house who have medical problems means there are always tons of prescription bottles around and it is usually me that ends up keeping track of it all. Technically only one of the tossed out bottles was mine from earlier this year. I don't even have a really big family but between a MIL who was living here with cancer, and a hubby who had blood-pressure and pre-diabetes it was interesting. Nice to have a clean medicine cabint. The only thing left are the usual hygene items and the Anoretix. It may have a strange name for a weight loss drug but when it works, who cares what it's called?

Winter Fun?

I'm rejoicing a bit here. After all the complaining over cold weather the other day it is actually warm enough to send water through the hoses today. It's rainy and gloomy but I can handle that. Illinois is a lot of fun at most times of the year. If I liked snow it would be fun all year round. In fact, when I was younger I used to LOVE cross country skiing. I never liked downhill. I never saw the sense in throwing myself down an icy mountain. Cross country, however, while it could have it's 'moments' was generally safer and more fun. I was moaning about not being able to get out and 'walk' in the winter but hadn't even thought about skiing. Now maybe that's an idea. I should get a new pair of skis and re-learn that. It was harder up in the city but out here in the country with all of the open fields that are empty for the winter there is plenty of room to ski and have fun... hum... maybe.

Tim Arel Property Managment

When learning how to get ahead in life and being independant I like to look at how others manage to make their way in difficult waters. Tim Arel has taken the reigns of his own career as a property management specialist and learned the ins and outs of a complicated industry to work his way to the top.

As a property manager he has developed the means to keep ahead of the game even in the current housing atmosphere. Even before the difficulties that surround the housing industry now navigating the waters of condominium and homeowner's associations was extremely complex and required sensitive handling. Tim Arel has a gentle but firm manner that keeps everyone involved on an even keel and makes his property management system one of the most lucrative and appreciated methods in the industry.

Tim Arel is an inspiration to anyone who wants to get ahead in life. Hard work in school, and diligence in his career have made him an outstanding member of his community.

Andy Barkate Knows How to Retire

It's a complicated subject that most of us begin to think about after a certain age. For me it was at 40. I wondered how I was going to manage retirement. Andy Barkate is a talented public speaker who helps people understand what they need to know about investments, retirement, and their financial futures.

In these trying times it is even more important to think about the future. It helps to have someone guiding you who has their fingers on the pulse of the economic forefront and all the changes taking place there. Andy Barkate is the owner and president of California Retirement Plans LLC who has also written books on the subject of financial security and retirement along with his workshops that help others understand their personal finances.

Andy Barkate can help you understand your pension fund and how it can change in the unsteady economy. What you should know to help you avoid the pitfalls that prevent many seniors from enjoying their retirement, and many other important aspects that affect your financial future.

The feelings of many is that there is no such thing as security in these troubled times but it doesn't have to be that way. Careful planning and understanding will help keep your future steady and secure.

Impressive Show

This is an impressive show of strength. A tractor demonstration at a fairgrounds is also a good way to remember the pleasant times of warm weather.

Cabin Fever

Another thing I dread about winter is the fact that you are pretty much trapped indoors. If it was hard to lose weight during the summer it is practically impossible in the winter. Besides a reduced activity level there is also a 'winter blues' feeling that makes your whole system depressed. Using diet pills can be helpful but it is also necessary to find inventive ways to exercise and keep moral high. For me that's harder than ever in the winter. I get cabin fever easily.

Winter Farming

A funny take on winter farming--okay, it's good to laugh about things you hate.



Technically though, I wouldn't mind being inside a tractor, it's the hauling frozen water I hate.

Best Way to Lose Weight

I often obsess over what is the best diet pill. Lately I need help more than ever but have not had much luck with over-the-counter locally found diet aides. Having read the listings on the sybervision site and the consumer responses as well I think I might try online ordering to get some of the diet aides I can't find locally. What I really need is stress reduction not just weight reduction, but I don't think there's a pill for that.

Winter Farming

There are certain indisputable facts about farming in Illinois and one of them is that cold weather will come. It's here--already. Generally I do not care for blog posts that are basically weather reports. It's cold, it's rainy, it's a beautiful day... but this is more of a complaint post. Okay, I don't usually care for those either. Complaining about the weather won't do anything about it. I still hate winter. People who think cold weather is envigorating, or snow is beautiful get on my nerves. In some ways they're right but at the same time I bet they do not have to deal with frozen water tanks, hoses, hip deep snow to get to the feed bunkers. Winter is here and I'm not ready for it--again. I never am. I know it's coming and I do work to prepare for it but emotionally I am never ready for it.

Sit Down

I guess since I'm thinking about theater carpeting I should also redecorate with home theater seating. It makes sense but what is really surprising is how luxurious this furniture is. It isn't your run of the mill theater seat. They are more like the 'home of the stars' private theater seating, but a lot more affordable than you might think at first. It is very comparable to any type of furnishings and much more comfortable if you spend a lot of time watching movies and television, or even listening to stereos. I love deep cushioned furnishings and some of the offerings for home theater seating is better than any couch available. I think I'm going to be putting a real touch of 'rock star' in my house with all this soon.

Home Decorating

You have to love the Internet. I am checking out home decorating ideas and YouTube has to be the best place to learn about anything now. You can get tips, hints, and visual demonstrations on just about everything. I just found this:

Entertaining Carpet

I need new carpeting in my living room. We tore the carpet up last year and although there is decent tile that was under it that just doesn't feel comfortable. I'd like to get some home theater carpeting because it would be easy to clean, comfortable, and make it feel more like an entertainment room which is what it is. We never use our family room anymore. In fact it's probably going to be a bird room soon, so the living room is where all the tv, stereo, and other entertainment medias are. There are so many really lovely samples to choose from and amazing patterns and colors. Since our living room is so large it can handle the bright patterns well.