K-Designers Style

I love thinking about, planning, and contracting home repairs. The home I have isn't even really old but there are always things to do, or things I wish it had to have done. I like going to websites like K-Designers to get ideas and learn what to look for in home improvement contractors. Their website is quite unique and promises even more features to come like a design tool.

I really appreciate sites like K-Designers that have videos showing projects from start to finish either in full or in segments. They are helpful in that they give me an idea of what to expect from my own home improvement projects.

I only have two projects of my own left indoors, the kitchen cabinet refinishing, and both kitchen and bathroom floors. I want them both replaced with tile. It always looks better when I have professionals like K-Designers do the work. No matter how hard I try I simply am not capable of the detail and perfection people who do the work everyday are. I know. I've tried. It's one of the reasons both the bathroom and kitchen floors need to be done... again. Although I didn't do tile, just linoleum. Still, if it had been done right the first time it would look better and I wouldn't be thinking about tile.

Well, lesson learned. I always was one to learn the hard way.

Birdie Mess

I love my birds but I have to be honest cleaning up after them gets to be tiring after awhile. It's not just cage cleaning, it's that they throw seed all over the place. I thought I had that conquered with hooded seed cups, and it did work for awhile, but now they have learned how to toss over the hoods. Why is that such a thrill for them?

Learning the Ins and Outs of Gold and Precious Metals with Andrew Wilshire

Andrew Wilshire is an interesting man. He is an investor who specializes in precious metal investments. That's a pretty solid investment even when things are scary in the economy. Investing has always interested and scared me all at the same time. I always think back to high school when we had an economics teacher who had us set up 'fake' accounts and track stock market trends and see if our choices could make or lose money. It was fun.

Playing with fake money is always fun though I suppose. It's not risky. I like how Andrew Wilshire takes his time to explain the ins and outs of trading metals on his blog. It takes some of the fear out of a complicated financial pastime.

Gold is, and probably always will be the most sought after precious metal. Whole economies are based on its value. Owing precious metals and investing in their value puts you at the heart of the very product that creates wealth. Andrew Wilshire uses his blog to explain the various types of gold and other metal investments and what makes them work, or not work for you.

Lovin' Spring

I love the weather here lately. Spring is really here. You can't always be sure about March even though it is technically spring after the 21st. And it's true we could still get some wild weather but with temperatures in the high 50s and 60s (even a few 70s) nothing bad at this point lasts. Plus even when it does get bad for a day or two the really nice days pay for it and it isn't as bothersome as when you get hit with severe weather in the middle of winter and it's been cold, dreary, and nasty for months with no end in sight.

Linus Gitahi Provides a Lesson In Life

I don't know how some successful people have the time to be so well-rounded. I can barely manage to get all my work done each day. At the moment my kitchen looks like it exploded. I have a great deal of respect for those like Linus Gitahi. Not only is he a successful journalist he is also a dedicated runner.

His blog helps others who want to improve their physical abilities and has some very insightful hints and tips. I enjoy reading blogs of entrepreneurs like Linus Gitahi because it inspires me to do and be better than I am at the moment.

Now mind you this is a very busy man. He is the CEO of Nation Media Group and his many duties keep him plenty busy. Nation Media Group has two divisions, Kenya's largest non-political newspaper, and a carrier service. Linus Gitahi is also busy with outside interests as a non-executive director of Equity Bank, and a full-time family man with a wife and two daughters living in Nairobi, Kenya.

That is simply enough to put anyone to shame if they think they just don't have the time to keep themselves in shape.

I Can Identify

This is so funny. I can identify with the lady in the minivan. I drive a huge truck and hold my breath every time I pull into a parking spot, and forget parallel parking if there is a car in front and behind the spot.

Sexy Fun

I've been buying a lot of new clothes lately. Just about every time I leave the house I've come home with some new shirts, pants, or shorts, but the one thing I haven't bought in awhile is sexy lingerie. I love sexy lingerie both for bed and for every day wear under clothes. It doesn't matter what I'm wearing or doing, knowing I have it on makes me feel good about myself. It makes me feel comfortable going to bed, and well, has other benefits too when hubby is around. I am in the mood to do some more shopping... ready, set... as Wilma and Betty used to say on the Flintstones: charge...it!

Michael Jackson's Last Hurrah?

He announced it earlier this month and when tickets went on sale his final 'this is it' concert series sold out so fast (in minutes) that they had to add an additional FORTY shows to the originally announced ten. It was unprecidented, unbelievable, and for anyone else on the planet it would be unheard of but this is Michael Jackson we're talking about. The most unbelieveable entertainer of our lifetime. He says this is it. That's the name of the tour in fact--This is IT, he said it over and over with air punches for emphasis... but is it?

I'm sitting here a week after the furor of sales that sold out a million tickets in 5 hours, and the 'Cosby Show' is on. It's from the 80's and they are talking about going to a... guess what... that's right... a Michael Jackson concert, and talking about how he (Michael) is saying it might be his last tour ever. Um... I guess that sort of sheds some light on the possibilities of this one too. How can a bright star turn out the lights? Is it possible? Maybe, but I'm not betting on the end of time coming quite so soon.

Home Away From Home

When my friend went to Texas for a relative's wedding last year she and her aunt had to stay in Dallas Texas hotels where the whole wedding reception was staying. It was a lot of fun for her and the area is just beautiful from the pictures she showed me. I travel a few times a year for work and always enjoy staying in hotels. There's a feeling of excitement, or maybe its just because it's not home it feels special. Then again, I travel with all the comforts of home from my own coffee packs (they never have enough of them in the rooms although it's nice that now most hotels have coffee makers, I used to have to bring that too) my own DVD player because some hotels don't have one, so better to be prepared, but hotels have really come a long way in the last decade or so. Most rooms have refrigerators and microwaves, that makes things great. I like traveling. I wish I had more of it to do every year.

Happy Anniversary Planning

I went out and bought a new wardrobe for spring. I'm excited. I'm going on a short 'honeymoon' anniversary trip next month and I wanted to be prepared. I'm excited it's the first time I've been to Geneva and I'm looking forward to it. The resort we're staying at is beautiful (well from the pictures but I'm sure it will live up to them). They have a spa where I plan on getting several massages (my shoulders are all excited about the prospect).

Sharp as a Doorknob

I was telling one of the people I freelance for the other day that my spring project is to refinish my kitchen cabinets. I have been looking at door hardware because while you can just refinish that too, it isn't that expensive just to buy new pieces and put them on and it gives a really finished look the job.

Door hardware is one of those things you tend not to think about unless its really falling apart but they are such a focal point, even on your entry doors. It's such an affordable, and easy to install way to keep things looking nice and new.

New Furniture

I bought some new living room furniture today. My favorite piece is the big extra large padded lazy-boy rocker. It has a vibrator too. Hubby thinks its too big and heavy looking in the room. He's more the Victorian style furniture type. Not me, the more padding and the plusher the better. Too bad, I like it, it stays. LOL I spent all morning traipsing around town looking for just the right set for the living room. I knew what I wanted and he sent me out, didn't ask, didn't lay down any ground rules (not that they would have helped).

Finding Jobs

With everyone worried about being able to keep their jobs, or where they'll be able to find a job if they lose the one they have it's nice to know the Internet is such an assistant. There are general job boards, websites, and want ads as well as job specific ones like the jobs in banking which are really helpful in pinpointing particular jobs. Things are tight now but I am hopeful that relief is just around the corner and everyone will be able to hold on, and maybe even make out better for the change in jobs that was forced upon them.

Garbage day?

Just as the winter is ending and spring rains set in Watseka has to deal with floods again. I suppose tornadoes will start up soon too, tis the season. I love spring but there are a lot of things to worry about when spring weather sets in. Then garbage pickup was delayed--for two days because of some weird 'salt law' prohibiting large trucks from being on the road when the city sprayed liquid salt on the streets. First of all since when? Secondly, what snow? No ice, no snow, no nothing... the garbage is still sitting out there.

Safety First

Working around large animals as much as I have, and having worked in several factories over the years I know how important good safety equipment is. I need to get some new safety goggles because I want to do some welding soon to fix the garbage carrier we use to move cans down the driveway (it's an 800 foot driveway so it's not fun to drag heavy loaded garbage cans down to the street). I can't find mine. I need a new dust mask too because this summer I am definitely going to get around to refinishing the kitchen cabinets that I've been planning on doing for two years now. (I procrastinate a bit, but I really am this year.) There are so many things that I take for granted and now that I'm thinking of these projects for the coming warm weather not being able to find my gear is making me realize how important it is and how I've haven't always given it proper consideration, or care.

Worth It All

I went shopping the other day and got a new keyboard (I go through them) and a new webcam (yeah, I'm tough on things) and just in general had a good time buying things. It's nice to be able to get new stuff even if they are just replacements for exiting things you've broke. Next weekend we are getting new washer and dryers... I'm so excited. (It doesn't take much.) Today I went to lunch and then did a little work and tonight I'm going to watch Burn Notice. I enjoy working from home. I can move my schedule around to suit me, go shopping, go to lunch, watch TV. It makes the longish hours I put in worth it.

Wireless Security

Look ma, no wires! Everything now is wireless so why not your security system? It only makes sense to get the top of the line and not deal with crazy wires. You can set up wireless security systems anywhere in your home and have instant access to it, walk about with it. They're cheap too. They install easily. My current system is limited. It is wired and because of that I had to stick with just one camera but with a wireless system I could easily set up multiple cameras for the barn, the drive, the front and back yards, and even some of the pastures. With such large property that would be a real benefit.

Hi and Bye

I had to laugh today. For the last few days there has been a constant clamoring on the Internet over a press conference to be given by Michael Jackson regarding an upcoming series of concerts at London's O2 Arena this summer. He turns up today (almost 2 hours late--Mike time lol) and stays on the stage about 2 minutes (such anticipation for 2 minutes of hey, how are ya, love ya, gonna be a show, bye now) and tells the world pretty much 'this is it' no more shows. This is my curtain call. Then leaves. All I can say is it is going to be some show. I mean he's really the best and it is the end of an Era. I wish him all the best. Gotta give a guy with the balls to get everybody on edge, make thousands of folks show up for an announcement, then show up hours late and stay 2 minutes the credit he deserves. LMAO

Spring Clothes--Not Ready

Spring is HERE... well not technically, but even technically in a few weeks. The weather has been very springlike for early March though and it has me thinking about warm weather and hating the fact that I've been bad about my diet for the entire winter. A lot of wasted time. I've tried a variety of weight loss pills but I have to get more research and decide on a better plan of action and diet aids. No way I am ready for summer clothes! That's not a good thing. I have a weekend getaway to go on in April too, and am angry I won't be able to wear some of the clothes I had planned on. Maybe if I start now I can just make it.

New Phone

I got my new phone! Well the other day but I've been so busy playing with it I haven't had a chance to post. It isn't the one I had for a first choice. I found out that had been discontinued. It is my second choice and at first while a little disappointed, I've come to be very happy with this phone and everything it does. It is a Samsung Propel. Here is a picture of it that came with the online manual for it.