Basement window options

When we are ready to update the window coverings in the basement of our house, we will shop online for sure. The choices are so varied and the prices are less than what you would expect for custom sizes and materials.

One option for our basement that I am considering is wood venetian blinds. They are not as expensive as wide wooden blinds, but they hold up better than the aluminum blinds we have now and have a more cohesive look that matches the trim in our house. I was thinking of something like this:

Wild woods

Just when I've almost had it with living in the woods because of all the bugs, I am reminded why we love living here. Every day for the past week, we have had a family of 4 deer come to our yard to spend the afternoon. There are two adults and two fawns. No matter how many times we see them, they are still magical. We always stop what we are doing and just sit by the windows and watch them graze on grass and leaves. Of course, the kids get so excited by this and will follow the deer from inside the house going from one window to the next so they can watch as long as possible.

There is also a family of foxes that we have seen only twice about two blocks away and that is always a treat as well. We had a toad sitting on our front porch a couple of nights ago and the squirrels are a constant source of entertainment as usual. They always amaze us with their fearless diving from one tiny branch to another at heights of up to 75 feet. Oh well, I guess we can live with a few bugs if it means getting to experience all the enjoyable wildlife too.

Support the little guys

One movement I can really get behind is the Independent Film Movement. My husband and I have a close friend who is a filmmaker so we can appreciate all the work that goes into these ventures. My husband has done music for many soundtracks, been an actor in one film, and even had a video produced by his friend for an original song by his band.

It can take years to complete a full-length film, so these filmmakers who do it for the love of the process without funding from big film companies deserve a lot of credit. We should all support independent film makers and purchase their DVDs, soundtracks, or donate money to their causes so they may continue entertaining us with their art.

Yards and yards of yard sales

This weekend is the annual Eureka Springs event which we know as "Yards and Yards of Yard Sales" where lots of families have yard sales and they even give out sale maps at the city Visitor's Center. Last year the event drew hundreds, maybe even thousands of people to the area. We weren't prepared enough to put out anything for sale ourselves, but this year I am ready. It's just an easy way to sell stuff without the stress of planning your own sale. There is no advertisement needed since everyone is just going all over town looking for stuff for sale. Even though I don't have enough stuff to sell to go through all the trouble myself, since my neighbors are selling too, we should still be able to sell what little we do have. It's mostly kid's toys which usually sell well.

As for us, there isn't much we feel we need right now. The only major thing is a barbecue grill, which we have been putting off for quite some time. One luxury I wouldn't mind is an outdoor fireplace for our back deck. We would like to start entertaining friends and neighbors more and would be able to enjoy our outdoor spaces in the cooler months, as well as the added ambiance a fireplace lends.

Anyway, the yard sales start Friday, so wish me luck! I work all day Saturday at the library, so whatever doesn't sell on Friday will be donated to friends or charity.

Hell's Angels behaved themselves

As many people already know, last week from Wednesday to Sunday our little town of less than 3,000 residents was the chosen reunion spot for about 500 Hell's Angels. We were fully aware of the function for a few weeks before, and I must admit I was a bit nervous about it. There were plenty of additional state police and also FBI officers here the whole time, plus the Angels had their own security and "policed" themselves very well.

Today's Hell's Angels are not the same grungy, greasy men as they are portrayed in the movies. Most are clean, well kept, leather clad men with fancy accessories such as Wiley X motorcycle sunglasses. I mean, the club members own Harley Davidson motorcycles exclusively and with their high price tags, you know these people have money.

All in all the week went well. I felt sorry for the families who came to visit our sleepy little town that were surprised when they happened upon a restaurant with 200 bikers parked out front. We were actually more disturbed by the police helicopter that circled the town every night, all night. As if they would be able to see anything from the air anyway, since we are in a very wooded and hilly area.

The highlight of their visit was when the local Red Hat Ladies group marched on over to the Angel's hotel to chat and ended up riding around on the backs of the motorcycles. What a sight to see a big burly man on his bike with a little 93 year old lady sitting in the back dressed to the nines with her big red hat, purple fancy dress, a red feather boa and high heels! That one made the local papers.

Lowest bid wins

Many people play online games when they have some free time during the workday. Why not play one where you can win a cash prize or free gifts? Bid4Prizes is a reverse auction game where the lowest original bid wins the prize. The best part is, if you win you don't even have to pay what you bid, you win the sweepstake prize for free.

There are new winners everyday and the prizes range from $500 cash, to laptop computers, to an 8-foot outdoor widescreen theatre system, to a new BMW 3 Series automobile. Give Bid4Prizes a try and see what you can win!

Summer woes

There seems to be a much higher incidence of residents finding snakes in their yards this year. According to some, they have killed more Copperhead snakes in the last week than in the entire twenty years they have lived here combined! Speculations as to the reason point to two possible explanations. Either the late freeze we had in April caused the snakes' food supply to dwindle, driving them farther out to search for food - or, the abundance of rain we had in the spring caused the small rodents to climb to higher ground, and the snakes have followed their food supply.

So far, I haven't heard of any people sustaining snake bites this year, but plenty of dogs have gotten bit. A quick dose of Benadryl is reported to help the pet until you can get to the veterinarian, but small dogs are at a much higher risk for permanent damage or death from a copperhead snake bite. Since our dog is a jack russell terrier mix, we have been keeping her on a short leash in the front yard only when she must go outside. Otherwise, we keep her in at all times.

I tell you, between the hot weather, the bugs, the tourists, and now the snakes... Kind of makes me want to get a summer house and spend the summer months somewhere else. Not that we can afford that right now, but it is a future goal.

Convenience patch

I now have proof that mankind is too busy and over scheduled. More and more medications are becoming available in "patch" form, indicating that we can't even remember to take pills since our day is so jam packed with our jobs, meetings, phone calls, errands, and after-school activities.

Everything from the birth control patch, to the nicotine patch, and now even a diet patch is available. Before too long, our bodies will be covered with patches for all the various vitamins, minerals, and medicines we must take daily. I see this as a very profound comment on our society and what we rely on for "convenience" nowadays.

Suggest to sis

I found the perfect interracial dating site for my sister. Ever since we were kids, she was drawn to dark-skinned men, particularly Hispanic. Once she came of dating age, she only dated Hispanic boys, with only two or three exceptions.

On this website created especially for those seeking interracial singles, she can browse the profiles and find a Hispanic man looking for a blue-eyed Caucasian beauty. I've always told her that bars and nightclubs are not the right places to meet a quality guy and while I'm not a huge promoter of online dating, I have heard many stories of couples finding their soul mates through dating sites so I know it is possible.

Harry Potter celebration success

At the library, we hosted a Harry Potter event last Saturday to celebrate the release of the final book. This has been in the works for months now and I am relieved to say that it went very well indeed. Only a couple of snags occurred, and nothing really major. We were planning for about 150 children and although I don't know the final number, I know we ran out of Hogwarts bags in the first hour and we had 175 of those prepared. Also, we ran out of magic wands that the children could create and keep, so some children were upset about that.

Overall, things ran very smoothly. All the volunteers who helped by acting out characters from the book and movie series did an awesome job and everyone had a great time. Unfortunately, we forgot our camera, so I can't post any pictures at this time. But I know several newspaper photographers were there, so I will post those pictures when I get the papers this week.

Housing market discrepancies

There is some buzz around town that the housing prices are on the rise, but what I've seen is prices all over the board. Some houses seem to be priced too low and we're worried that we paid too much for our house or the neighborhood values will decrease. Then there are some houses that are priced way high for the square footage, but since most are historic homes there are many improvement dollars to be considered. Still, a buyer would be ridiculous to spend over $250K in this market on a tiny house, even if it is a restored Victorian.

Before putting a house up for sale, the seller would be wise to conduct lots of market research before listing their home. Check out other homes near by, what they have sold for and when, improvements to the house and neighborhood, percentage of asking price sold for, etc. If you use a real estate agent, they will give you an idea of what they think you should list your home for, but you still make the final decision. The more information you gather on your own, the better prepared you will be to put your home on the market, get the money you want to make, but not take years to sell your house.

Ongoing home improvements

One thing I really wish we could replace is our mini blinds. While they serve their purpose of blocking light and providing privacy, they lack any sense of beauty and style. They are out-dated and they are so hard to keep clean. I have put up curtains on most windows so that when the blinds are pulled up all the way, you can't see them at all. Since we live in the woods and the neighboring houses are a good distance away, we feel comfortable during the day with the blinds fully open. We only close them at night.

I would like to eventually replace all the mini-blinds with wood or faux wood blinds in white, to match our house's trim. I just entered a giveaway for one set of wood blinds, and it would be so great if I am chosen. New blinds aren't in our budget right now, so to get some for free would be truly amazing! Wish me luck and I'll let you know what happens.

One story, two sides

There is some controversy right now about a recent article published by the Chicago Tribune about a BP factory in Whiting, Indiana getting special permits by the state to allow higher limits on the amount of ammonia and sludge allowed to be dumped into Lake Michigan. BP has countered the Tribune article with their own Fact Sheet stating that even the higher levels granted by the state are still well within federal limits, that they are creating more jobs for the community, and that they are creating a modern technology to treat the crude oil that will have less impact on people and the environment.

While the Chicago Tribune article does seem like a bit of an attack on BP, their fact sheet is a clear rebuttal to the article, when they might have done better to sue the newspaper if they were misrepresenting facts about BP. The Fort Wayne Sentinal also printed an objective article on the topic, with much more factual data to support both sides of the story.

It seems that when it comes to the state environmental issues, the rules may be bent if there are positive impacts to the community, such as creating new jobs. While this project will create eighty new jobs and lessen our dependence on the Middle East for oil, it still seems like a Band-Aid solution. What we should be focusing on is research on alternative fuels because we all know that oil is a limited resource that will be completely used up eventually. No one knows exactly when, but it will happen in my lifetime I am sure. I know it is silly to think that a petroleum company would support such research, but there must be a way that those people can keep their jobs while changing their focus to alternative fuels. I can dream, can't I?

Let's talk about health

One particular annoying ailment I have been dealing with for over twenty years is migraine headaches. I've tried every over-the-counter product available, gone to doctors, tried prescription drugs, had a dental mouthpiece made for overnight use, herbal supplements, and chiropractic alignments, all to no avail.

Acupuncture is one thing I haven't tried which may work, but I am a bit scared to try it. I may try acupressure first and see if that works. The headaches are hard to pinpoint because I only get them once or twice a month, but when I do they are so debilitating I just have to go to sleep to get rid of them and avoid noises, light, and strong smells (all of which are difficult to avoid when you have two small children).

Another option is ordering stronger over-the-counter remedies online like Nurofen Plus. It is a combination of Ibuprofen and Codeine, which are very effective in eliminating pain when used together. The ibuprofen targets the pain locally, while the codeine works centrally to reduce the brain's perception of pain.

After my son was born, I had severe neck pain and my midwife prescribed Tylenol with codeine. I remember feeling very nauseous for a day and a half after only taking one dose, so I may actually be allergic to codeine. But it could have just been a strange reaction or I was just over-exerted after childbirth. I should probably give it another try before assuming I am allergic, but I am somewhat afraid to.

I know lots of people who use codeine for severe pain with no problems, so I'm sure this product would work great for most and maybe when the migraines get the better of me, I will be willing to try codeine again.

Pet peeves

This time, when I say "pet peeves", I am actually referring to people and their pets, so it truly is a "pet" peeve. Anyway, I get really nervous when I see people driving around in their pick-up trucks with dogs loose in the back. It's bad enough to stick them back there at all, but I see people driving fast on the curvy highway with the dogs running around all over in the back. This is just so unsafe for pets.

I have seen car accidents and I can just imagine what would happen to a dog in the back of a truck if it got in a wreck. The thought of this is unbearable. I don't understand why the dog can't either sit in front with the driver, or at least be in a crate tied down in the back, preferably shaded by a tonneau cover folded back halfway. Even riding in your car with a dog sticking its head out the window is unhealthy for their eyes and ears. I've had a dog with chronic ear infections and believe me, you don't want to aggravate ear problems with all that wind blowing in them.

Dogs live for such a short amount of time as it is, so all we can do is keep them safe and healthy for the time they are around and give them the life they deserve for being our companions.

A dating site worth checking out

Finally someone figured out how to cash in on the fact that everyone seems to be infatuated with "goth" girls. At least at the night clubs we used to frequent in college, it seemed like everyone from goth guys to jocks to gang bangers would come just to watch the goth girls dance. Now they don't even have to go out to clubs, they can just go to a goth dating site on the internet.

Don't be fooled by the cheesy models on the front page, most of the real people's profiles look legitimate. You will notice, however, that while all the girls look gothic, of all the men interested in gothic dating, only about 25% fit the profile of a "goth" in my book. Oh well, I suppose not everyone wants to date someone exactly like them, but this site is worth a look for singles who are into the goth culture.

Family activities in Eureka Springs

Many people complain that Eureka doesn't have enough things for families to do, but I have to disagree. We've lived here for a year now (has it been that long already??) and still haven't done everything. We still have to take the train ride, which is free for locals (awesome!), explore more trails, and get in the water. There are many beautiful, calm rivers and crystal clear blue lakes in this area, and the closest we have come to the water is collecting shells on the shore.

There are also some activities at the Fun Spot (family arcade) that we haven't tried because our kids are still very young. My husband has taken my daughter on the go-karts before, but I think our son is too small. They also have mini golf, which we have been skeptical to try, for fear that the golf clubs would go flying. We took our daughter when she was three and we had some runaway balls, flying clubs, and a very frustrated child. I think age five would be the youngest we will try it with our son.
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Here is a list of all the "family friendly" activities in Eureka Springs, with the free-for-locals listed first:

-Turpentine Creek Wildcat Reserve - they have many more animals than wildcats, (we just call it the zoo) including monkeys, bears, goats, a coyote, a sheep, a pig, a duck, and some parrots. Bonus - the whole reserve is fenced and there are two playground areas and picnic areas. You can make a day of it and don't have to worry about little kids escaping the park.

-Onyx Cave - self-guided tours through the 1/2 mile cave trail. The trail is fenced on both sides and safe for small children, and there is only one exit so they won't get lost if they run off.

-Blue Spring - beautiful walk to historic blue spring, lots of fish in the clear water and lots of wildlife to see.

-ES&NA Railway - daily (Tues - Sat) train excursions from April through October at 10:30, noon, 2:00 and 4:00 suitable for kids.

-Pivot Rock - nice walking trail, lots of wildlife, historic tourist attraction.

-Harmon Park - playground equipment, skate park, and picnic areas.

-Lake Leatherwood - official city park, huge lake with walking trails, lots of wildlife, camping, some playground equipment, and ball fields.

-Beaver Lake - boating, scuba diving, playground equipment, picnic areas, beach swimming areas

-Roaring River State Park - this one is about a 25 minute drive into Missouri, but well worth the trip. The fish hatchery is very exciting for kids, there are lots of playground and picnic areas, fishing, hiking, and free swimming in their pool during the summer months.

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Not free for locals, but still a good deal for the family:

-The Fun Spot - indoor video arcade, outdoor mini golf, go-karts, and seasonal water slide

-Roller Skating Rink - opening in August 2007

A little push

While I was ecstatic at my daughter's kindergarten graduation, I felt sad for the parents of three children in her class that will not be going on to first grade next year. Kindergarten is such an important year in school, where children experience many "firsts" and some find it hard to keep up. In addition to all the learning that happens, children are still becoming acclimated to school life in general and being away from home for the whole day. That is a lot of pressure for a five year old. And with the standardized testing starting in kindergarten, teachers must be brutally honest about which children should repeat the year until they are truly ready for the first grade.

Parents and students alike can benefit from reading tutors to give them the one on one attention that lacks in most public schools. Although tutors are an added cost, many parents find it worth the extra money for their children to feel more comfortable with learning and their school environment.

Switching back for now

With the scare of rat poison in dog foods made in China, I have been cooking my own dog food for a few months and it has been going fine. The dog enjoys it and I don't mind making it too much. The house stinks a little for a day after I make a batch, and it takes a bit of extra planning at the store. Once I ran out and had to substitute some items, which I know is bad for dogs. The main problem with making the dog food is the price. It's not too expensive, at about $1.00 a pound, but when you compare it to an 18 pound bag of food for $6.99, there is just no comparison.

Since the scare of the tainted dog food is over, I have been transitioning back to commercial dog food bought from a local store. I suppose another option is Organic dog food bought online, but again there is the price issue. I really wish I could afford to treat my dog to premium natural dog food and treats, but alas, she will probably have to wait a few years. At least I know I can make the food again if necessary, but for now we're back to regular dry food.

Woohoo good news!

My father-in-law called yesterday with good news about our trip to Disney World. He found someone to trade their Orlando rental home with his condo in Las Vegas. We are now scheduled for the week of January 18th to January 25th. Now that we have a vacation to look forward to, hopefully our lives will be a little less stressful.

We've been feeling like a vacation for a long time, but our finances wouldn't allow it. Since we will only have to pay for food and park tickets, this vacation won't be too hard on our pocketbook. Plus, we figure, our kids are only this age once and they still believe everything is "real". We get such a kick out of their reaction when they get to meet Mickey Mouse and all the other characters "in real life". Fun fun.

Disney World hopeful

We are still tentatively planning a trip to Disney World sometime early next year. My husband's parents are trading their timeshare week in Las Vegas Luxury Condos for a week in a Disney World condo.

No one has agreed to trade as of yet, but we are hopeful. Las Vegas is the number one tourist destination and the fastest growing city in the country, so I'm sure someone will be willing to trade condos for a week. Since the airline miles will be accumulated by credit card purchases, we won't have to pay for air travel. If this all works out, we will only have to pay for food and park tickets.

Outdoor improvements

As I have mentioned before, we have a list of all the home improvements we would like to make as we can afford them. In addition to the interior work, we also have improvements we would love for the exterior of our home as well. The biggest item would be the stone facade. We want to cover the lower three feet of our house with a stone veneer to give it a more "earthy" and cabin feel. Several houses in our neighborhood have done this and it looks great. Also, we want to freshen it up with a new paint color - currently, it is a peachy beige which is not very attractive.

Some smaller items would be a nifty address plaque, door knocker, and kick plate for the front door in satin nickel to match the other fixtures we have already updated. I found a website that has all these things, plus Mailboxes, personalized address planters, outdoor clocks, thermometers, and much more. I could definitely spend way too much money at a site like that!

The kindness of strangers

My husband has been selling some of his old record albums on Ebay over the last couple of weeks. One guy won an album on auction for only $.99, plus $3.99 shipping, which makes the total just under $5. Well, he paid us $10 via PayPal for it. We were very confused and wrote him a message about refunding the extra $5 he paid, figuring he meant to send an even $5, instead of $10.

He responded and said that he didn't want us to go through all the trouble of mailing a record for only $.99, so he wanted us to have the extra $5 for our trouble. We were shocked. You just don't see kindness like this today, which is unfortunate. So we put some "freebies" in the package to show our appreciation for his generosity.