In our search for an easy and relatively painless way to strip the paint from the wood trim and brick fireplace, we stumbled upon Dumond’s Peel Away paint remover. We were dubious about Peel Away’s purported ability to remove up to 30 coats of paint in one application, so we ordered a sample from the company and gave it a try. We tested the product on our brick fireplace as well as on woodwork and had mixed results…
I wish there was a scratch and sniff option for blogs. For only then could you know how this little vase of Lily of the Valley flowers on the bedside table has been such a treat. As I lay my head down on the pillow last night, I breathed in the sweet smell of the flowers and drifted off to a dreamland populated with wildflowers and overgrown prairies. Even as the cat roused me from my sleep with incessant imploring meows at sunrise (“Give me tuna!”) I breathed in deep and was once again at peace.
Thanks, Mother Nature, for your abundant spring treats. And a special thanks to our friend Joan for pointing out the Lily of the Valley plants growing in our front yard!
Image: This American House
Back in the city apartment, I could plug this vacuum cleaner into the outlet in the hallway and clean every single room and surface in the place. I never had to unplug it and switch to another outlet to get the whole apartment. It’s not that this vacuum has an incredibly long cord, mind you. Our apartment is just that small!
Here at the house as I move from room to room, I have to stop to unplug the vacuum and plug it in again closer to where I’m working. Admittedly, this totally belongs in the #firstworldproblems category. Still, it’s annoying and it slows me down when I’m trying to bust out some frantic cleaning.
I started using an extension cord to afford myself a longer reach when vacuuming. The first time I plugged the vacuum cleaner’s cord into an extension cord, I unplugged it when I finished and stashed the two separately. I did this three more times before it occurred to me to just keep the two cords attached. Hey, I never said I was the sharpest knife in the drawer!
Now that I keep a cord on board, I can vacuum the entire first floor of the house without unplugging the machine. I can do the same upstairs, too. Hooray for streamlining cleaning!
Image: This American House
Finding some of the original cabinetry in the garage felt like quite an accomplishment but it’s only half the battle. Maybe even less than half. It’s probably only a quarter of the battle. In order to re-install the original cabinetry in the kitchen, we’ll need to change the floor plan back to the original layout … except, of course, we’ll want to keep the mod cons that were added when the kitchen was rehabbed back in the 1970’s. And therein lies the problem.
With Memorial Day right around the corner, it’s officially outdoor entertaining time! We’ve been looking forward to grilling at the house all winter. With the garden planted, I’m envisioning wonderful later summer meals with homegrown veggies grilled in the backyard. But, first, we’ll need a grill. Which of these six will it be?
With 1,104-square-inches of cooking area, this grill is big enough to prep food for a whole herd of folks! Perhaps that’s why it’s called “The Ranch.” ($1,129)
This egg shaped grill doubles as a smoker. And it’s adorable to boot. I love adorable. ($354.13)
With its aluminized steel exterior and beer barrel shape, this grill would be perfect for tailgating. Measuring 22 x 22 x 28 inches, the Old Smokey is small enough to be easily transported but still offers plenty of grilling surface. ($63.95)
Perfect for a small space, the Stok includes a storage compartment that’s perfect for stashing a bag of charcoal and grilling tools. ($143)MORE GRILL POSTS FROM AROUND THE WEB
Images: Linked above
