Tuscany. New this year, is a mid-range comfortable outdoor set with so many configurations, there isn’t a deck it won’t fit. Pieces include right and left love seats, a corner piece, armless chairs, coffee and end tables and an ottoman. Put together one way, it is a sectional; another way it is a lounger and another way, it is a sofa, love seat or chair. The foam is the same high quality as more expensive sets and the fabric is Sunbrella, the best in the outdoor industry. What sets the Tuscany apart from department store sets is…aluminum frames, (not powder coated metal) which will provide years of exceptional service and no rust. The wide modern resin strands have a generous amount of UV inhibitors to prevent fading, peeling and cracking. The Tuscany is featured in the latest must-have color, Saffron Taupe. Clean up is easy with a garden hose. Charter House will have Tuscany in-store soon. We are taking pre-orders at 20% off regular price with your choice of fabric until April 30. Free storage. To keep any outdoor furniture looking like new, we recommend purchasing a reasonably priced cover.
SHARING: I do not claim all posts to be my own…I post the sites they are from if the source is known.
TIP OF THE DAY: How to Keep Brown Sugar Soft ~ Toss a couple of marshmallows in the bag or container…
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: The best sign of a healthy relationship is no sign of it on Facebook.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 27 BIRTHDAY TO: Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011), Jennifer JWOWW Farley 28, Chelsea Clinton 33, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would have been 108, Kate Mara 31, Ralph Nader 80, Howard Hessman 74, Timothy Spall 57, Mitch Mustain 26, Joanne Woodward 84, Ariel Sharon 86, and Hugo Black (1886-1971).
Bacon Pancake Dippers
So easy and insanely, ridiculously yummy.
Crisp up your favorite bacon. Make your favorite pancake batter from scratch or a mix.
Pour strips of batter on a griddle. Top with a piece of cooked bacon. Drizzle more batter over top to cover. Cook until golden on one side. Flip. Cook until golden on the other side. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.
SHARING: I do not claim all posts to be my own…I post the sites they are from if the source is known.
FEBRUARY 26 IS “PINK SHIRT DAY”: in support of bullying prevention in North America.
JOKE OF THE DAY: I’d rather be fat and warm than cold and fit.
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT: Good music doesn’t have an expiration date.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 26 BIRTHDAY TO: , Michael Boulton 61, Darius Hayward-Bey 27, Fats Domino 86, William Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917), Levi Strauss (1829-1902), Jackie Gleason (1915-`1987), Victor ‘Les Miserables’ Hugo (1802-1885), William Crawley (1887-1996), Tony Randall (1920-2004), and Johnny Cash (1932-2003),
The blog today is compliments of Houzz. Think you’re out of storage space in your kitchen? Think again. Toe kicks, the baseboards of your cabinets, conceal unused space big enough to hold slim drawers. Of course, the narrow space doesn’t fit everything, but I have four toe kick drawers in my own kitchen that hold less frequently used kitchen tools, such as a cherry pitter and a candy thermometer; emergency supplies, such as candles, batteries and flashlights; appliance manuals; service receipts; and pet bowls. Think of all that storage you may be missing out on! Here’s how to get toe kick storage in your own kitchen.
Make sure you don’t exceed the weight limits of your drawer hardware.
Also, plan where the seams will fall. You may not want seams on your baseboards that don’t line up with your cabinets. In this case the drawer fronts can be extended to help visually balance the seams.
Linens, dish towels and placemats can also fit neatly in a toe kick drawer.
JOKE OF THE DAY: (One man says to his friend) “You know, my wife’s female intuition is so highly developed, she sometimes knows I’m wrong before I’ve opened my mouth.”
HAPPY FEBRUARY 25 BIRTHDAY TO: Rashida Jones 37, Isabelle Furman 17, Sean Astin 43, James Phelps 28, Oliver Phelps 28, George Harrison (1943-2001), James Backus (1913-1989), Tea Leoni 48, and Sally Jesse Raphael 79.
Prevent your dog from becoming destructive by giving him something to do.
The following tips were found on Facebook but the photo is our own ‘George’. This mess was not staged…one little dog did all this damage when we left him alone for a couple of hours. There was a foam topper for a bed, various Christmas presents, two different shoes, a mitt and just out of range…an oval coffee table that was once rectangular. As this photo was taken, we giving him heck for the damage and he was giving it right back to us for leaving him.
Inclement weather can make exercising your dog a chore or even impossible. When your best friend can’t get outside, pent up energy can lead to destructive behaviors like chewing, zooming through the house, getting into the garbage, etc. So how do you tire out your dog when you can’t go outside? Here are a few ideas to help get your dog’s energy out, without destroying your home.
1. Indoor Obstacle Course. Clear out a space in a room (be sure to move lamps, cords, anything that could trip your dog or break) and set up an indoor obstacle course. Books or chairs with a broom stick can make a jump; a dining room table covered on two sides with sheets can form a tunnel as can the couch pulled away from the wall; chairs can be used as cones to run around. Be imaginative and you can create a safe way to exercise your dog without damaging your furniture.
2. Forage for Food. Instead of just feeding your dog out of his bowl, hide his kibble in a room, or throughout the house for him to find. Not only will it keep him busy, but he will exert energy and tire himself out while getting his meal.
3. Teach a New Trick. Training uses brain energy which can tire a dog out just as well as a run can. Do a few 20 minute sessions during the day and your dog will be a lot less likely to get into trouble. Remember, it doesn’t have to be something hard or even obedience related. Take the opportunity to work on something fun like a high five, pick up your toys, or roll over.
4. Hide and Seek. This old childhood game for rainy days is great for pups too. Distract your dog with some food or a toy and then go and hide. Wait a few seconds and call their name. Depending on your dog’s level of expertise at finding you, you can continue to encourage them to come, or be silent and wait for them to find you. This is a great game that will entertain you both.
SHARING: I do not claim all posts to be my own…I post the sites they are from if the source is known.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Never underestimate the therapeutic power of driving and listening to very loud music.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 24 BIRTHDAY TO: George Thorogood 64, Abe Vigoda 93, Kristin Davis 48, Steven Jobs (1955-2011), Phil Knight (co-founder of Nike) 76, Billy Zane 48, Edward James Olmos 67, Sammy Kershaw 56, Barry Bostwick 67, Debra Jo Rupp 63, and Mark Moses 56.
Yesterday’s blog was about incredible cat condos and today it is the dog’s turn to have gorgeous spaces dedicated to their every level of comfort. Most human homes don’t look this posh. Have a look at these spaces and if you have an awkward space in your home that is nearly impossible to decorate, then turn it into a room for your very best fur baby.
Beautiful doggy corner, don’t you think?
What a cozy doggy room! So pretty!
Not only does the doggy have a space of his own, he has his own room with air conditioning!
Such a lovely doggy space! Love the decorations too!
These doggies have their very own doggy hide-out under the stairs!
SHARING: I do not claim all posts to be my own…I post the sites they are from if the source is known.
JOKE OF THE DAY: I have the body of a god. Unfortunately, it’s Budda.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 23 BIRTHDAY TO: Peter Fonda 74, Victor Flemming (1889-1949), Michael Dell 49, Patricia Richardson 63, Johnny Winter 70, Emily Blunt 31, Kristin Davis 49, Perez Hilton 36, Niecy Nash 44, and Dakota Fanning 20.
Walkways and tunnels custom built to the tune of about $35,000 keep a homeowner’s 18 cats on cloud nine
Catwalks crisscross the main bathroom. The shark’s mouth is the opening of a tunnel. The yellow platform beneath the skylight is a favorite spot for naps.
“Cats are very calming,” he says. “It’s hard to stay mad when a cat sits in your lap and purrs.”
The cats now have two ways to get in and out of each location. In places where he originally had just a single tunnel, Cohen found that one cat would sit in the tunnel and not let the others pass. He also designed the tunnels so the cats are never more than an arm’s length away in the tunnels, and so he can clean the spaces out easily by hand.
The home is also a smart home, with 25 security cameras (one can be seen here on the ceiling above the door) so that Cohen can check on his cats when he’s traveling for business. From his iPhone he can also control the window shades, temperature, door locks, fireplace, music, lighting and more.
All told, Cohen says he spent about $30,000 to $40,000 since 1995 to build the catwalks. “Way more expensive than a sane person would build, but I didn’t care,” he says. “I love my cats, my house and art, so I designed it to be beautiful to me.”
The interiors were off-white when Cohen moved in. When he decided to change up the home, he added his favorite colors — yellow, green and blue.
While Cohen says he’s done adopting cats for now, the catwalk project is ongoing. “We’ll never stop,” he says.
This is something you may want to make shortly before serving to avoid a watery dessert. It is low calorie, tasty and nutritious…and pretty.
Ingredients:
Whipped cream or Coconut Whipped cream
1 Large Watermelon cut in a circle like a cake
Blueberries
Raspberries
Almonds
Instructions:
Cut your watermelon based on the photo tutorial in the post.
Pat the watermelon down with wipes to dry it.
Frost it with whipped cream
Add Almonds to the side
Decorate the top with fresh fruit of your choice. I like raspberries and blueberries.
SHARING: I do not claim all posts to be my own…I post the sites they are from if the source is known.
JOKE OF THE DAY: As a trucker stops at a red light, a woman catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door. The trucker lowers the window, and she says “Hi, my name is Heather and you’re losing some of your load.”
The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the woman catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door. Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they’ve never spoken, the blonde says brightly, “Hi my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!”
Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street. At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All out of breath, the woman gets out of her car, runs up, knocks on the truck door. The trucker lowers the window. Again she says “Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!”
When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde’s car. He knocks on her window, and as she lowers it, he says “Hi, my name is Kevin, it’s winter in Saskatchewan and I’m driving the SALT TRUCK!”
SAYING OF THE DAY: Coffee in hand, Big girl (or boy) panties pulled up, sparkle in my eye and a smile on my face. Yep, I am ready for the day…bring it on.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 21 BIRTHDAY TO: William Peterson 61, Ashley Greene 27, Jennifer Love Hewitt 36, Corbin Bleu 25, Kelsey Grammer 58, Tyne Daly 68, William Baldwin 51, Anthony (C-3PO) Daniels 68, Mary Chapin Carpenter 56, Christopher Atkins 53, Sara Blakely 43 (self made billionaire-founder of Spanx), Rue McClanahan (1934-2010), and Erma Bombeck (1927-1996).
GUTTER GARDEN! It is way too early to be thinking about something like gutter gardens, with Saskatoon heading into another -32 deep freeze but…this is so clever an idea, it is too good to pass up blogging about.
Materials
1 – 8′ PVC white rain gutter cut into 3 32″ sections
6 – PVC white gutter end caps
2 – 1/8″diameter steel cables cut to desired length
6 – Feeney Cross Clamps (see image below)
6 – 1/8″ diameter Feeney steel rods
2 – Galvanized eye hooks
Potting soil and Plants
Tools
Cordless Drill with drill bit set
Hand saw or hack saw
T-square or straight edge
Tape measure
Permanent marker
Level
Eye protection
1. Determine the center of your gutters and draw a reference line (otherwise your gutter won’t hang right).
2. Mark and drill the holes for the steel cable rods. Find a drill bit the same diameter as the cable to minimize the wiggle room.
3. Space drill holes a few sizes larger to make sure you get good drainage (plant roots hate sitting in water for long periods of time).
4. Locate a spot that gets at least 4 hours of sun.
5. Drill pilot holes (a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the screw diameter) to make screwing in the eye hook a lot easier. Make sure the holes are the same distance as the steel cable so they hang straight down.
6. Slide the gutters through the holes and secure them with the cross clamps at your desired heights. TIP: Place mesh tape (normally used for drywall joints), over the drainage holes to keep the soil from seeping. However, if the holes are small enough, this step is not necessary.
7. Secure the gutter with the cross clamps and half circle steel rods.
Now you’re ready to fill it with organic potting soil and plant them with your choice of shallow rooted plants. These will dry out quickly so keep up with watering.
SHARING: I do not claim all posts to be my own…I post the sites they are from if the source is known.
JOKE OF THE DAY: Compliments of Maxine… I once caught a Peeping Tom watching me undress. I was going to call the police but I figured he’d suffered enough.
THIS DAY IN BUSINESS: 1959 Canada’s Avro Aircraft supersonic jet program is cancelled-the decision is highly controversial and puts Avro Aircraft Limited out of business.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 20 BIRTHDAY TO: Cindy Crawford 48, Sidney Poitier 87, Curt Cobain (1967-1994), Ansel Adams ( 1902-1984), Anthony Head 60, Sandy Duncan 68, Ivana Trump 65, Jeremy Foley 41, Patty Hearst 60, Buffy St. Marie 73, Phil Esposito 72, Lauren Ambrose 36 and Rihanna 26.
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup strawberries, sliced thin
4 ripe bananas
2 cups cold Milk
1 large box instant Vanilla Pudding
2 cups heavy whipping cream (or 8 oz. carton Cool Whip thawed)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
JOKE OF THE DAY: I am excited to have four days to hear about your three day weekend.
THIS DAY IN ENTERTAINMENT: 1976 George Harrison was fined for plagiarism with “My Sweet Lord” song’s similarity to “He’s So Fine”.
HAPPY FEBRUARY 19 BIRTHDAY TO: Jeff Daniels 60, Smokey Robinson 75, Seal 52, Lee Marvin (1924-1987), Justine Bateman 49, Benicio Del Toro 48, Eric Lange 42, Sanya Richards 30, Leslie David Baker 57, and Scott Paulin 65.
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