The problem:

Dishes still have food particles on them and glasses are CLOUDY almost opaque!

Since the government banned phosphates in detergent (a good thing for lakes and the environment) dishes and clothes are not as clean as we are used to!

We got tired of these problems at our house. We used a brand name detergent, pre-washed the dishes, then hand washed the glassware once a month, but no good. Same problems kept occurring.

I did some research and found the solution that worked for us.

Wipe off food debris from the dishes into the trash, but you don’t have to rinse
Place in dishwasher
Use Finish Power Ball Tabs detergent and
Use Lemi-Shine, (never heard of this stuff before), found in the ...

Well, it’s pretty exciting, it seems people are reading this blog!!

Does this mean I am famous?

Well, at least in my own mind!!!

I received this email from the inventor of Snaprays night light I wrote about on an older blog, shown below (Cool LED Nightlight).

(My understanding of KickStarter, is a way for new inventors to fund their start-up costs/capital through people like you and me, in small increments. It really is pretty cool.)

Hi Stuart,

My name is Sean Watkins and I am a creator of the SnapRays Guidelight. I wanted to thank you for writing about the SnapRays Guidelight on your website!! As you already know, this type of coverage is very valuable for a new product and we are extremely...

When remodeling or doing other work at your home, be sure to have the proper permits!

Reasons for obtaining various permits:
• A permit is required for anything structural, electrical, plumbing or HVAC related as well as outside work. Before doing any work, call the Building Permit office to see what you need. Your contractor will get them.
• The permit process looks at zoning, setbacks, safety concerns, and that a licensed contractor will be doing the work. (We had a neighbor finish building a big shed in the wrong place. He had to take it down, move it, then build it again)
• The inspector is a double check for work done by licensed trade workers.
• In some of our remodeli...

Hey everybody!

I am starting my blog which should be helpful to our past and future clients. Feel free to share this blog w/ your friends.

It will be a mix of:

building insight
typical home owner problems and resolutions
my occasional good recipe (yes, I enjoy cooking quite a bit, thank you very much! Which Ruthie gets the benefit of since the kids are on their own)
and our trips in the RV.
I went to the National Builder Show in Vegas last week. It is the largest residential building show in the country. It has both seminars, as well as 200,000+sf of exhibits.

One cool thing I saw was a new product. It is a LED nightlight that replaces the standard or Décor style receptacle plate. No wirin...

4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths | 3602 heated sq ft

The Craftsman
This striking craftsman style home is loaded with some very unique features AND is an Energy Star certified new home.
Features
Striking Craftsman architecture
3-car garage w/mechanic car lift – honest!
Inviting breakfast nook banquette
Large chef’s pantry with auto-LED lighting
Spacious kitchen w/ 2 islands – yes, TWO!
Relaxing covered patio
Private master bedroom balcony
Master bath barrier-free shower
Handsome drop-zone mud room – great for keeping clutter contained
Portion of proceeds to Food Bank – giving a little help to folks in our community that are in need