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Friday, January 26, 2018

Minimizing winter heating bills

It doesn’t really matter if you are a homeowner or a renter,  if you are paying for your own heat; the cost of keeping warm has been rising for years. It has gotten to the point where some people, especially those on fixed incomes, have to make hard choices between being warm and being hungry. Here are some tips to help to minimize your heating bills.

Insulate

If you own your home you need to check your insulation. Losing heat around windows and through your walls and ceilings is a big waste of money. There are a variety of different types of insulation that you can lay down or have blown in to help keep the valuable heat you have to stay where you need it. If you rent, talk to your landlord if you are losing heat.

Cover your windows

If your windows are steaming or icing up you may be losing heat there. There are plastic sheets that you can see through that you place over your windows that help to keep the heat in. They are easy to install. Some of the sheets attach with tape and other have the tape already attached to the sheets and then you warm them up with a blow dryer and they fit very tight over the window. If this is not something you can or want to do then having insulated shades or drapes can help to keep the cold out and the heat in.

Caulk or weather stripping

If you are feeling a draft near your windows or door the first thing to do is to check the weather stripping or caulk. This is one of the least expensive fixes for heat loss. Doors are the main offenders. Check to see if there is light under or around your exterior doors. If there is, you are losing precious heat. Your local hardware store sells inexpensive weather stripping. You can also buy a draft snake which is a snake-shaped draft-blocker that fits on the bottom of your door. This requires no insulation it just slips on and can be removed when the cold weather is over. 

Install timed thermostat

When you are at work or sleeping, your home does not need to be as warm as it does when everyone is at home. By installing a thermostat that changes the temperature several times a day, you can really minimize your heating bill. When no one is at home you can lower your heat by 10 or 15 degrees. It is amazing the difference in the amount of fuel that is used to heat a home or apartment to 60 degrees and what it takes for 70 or 75.

Consider eco-friendly options

If you are willing to spend some money, you can help to reduce the amount of money you spend on heating and also the impact on the environment by introducing a geothermal system into your home. It uses the heat underground to help lower your costs and is a really good option if you can afford it.

Shop around

Call all the local fuel dealers and ask for price quotes. Negotiate if you can. Dealers want customers, you want a good price. Don't be afraid to ask for possible discounts.

Efficiency

It is important to make sure that whatever heating unit you are using is working at maximum efficiency. Changing filters and getting furnaces cleaned is important to get the most from your unit with the least amount of fuel.

No one wants to be cold. No one wants to be hungry. Using these tips, you should be able to minimize the amount of fuel you are using and the price you are paying for that fuel.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Romantic Quotes

As we get closer to Valentines Day, I thought that I would share this article I wrote a few years ago. If you are making a special something for your special Valentine, you may want to use one of these quotes to express your feelings. 

Love is the strongest emotion that humans feel. Putting those feelings into words is something that most people have trouble with. Thankfully these writers were able to give us the words we have come to love.

"Grow old along with me The best is yet to be" Robert Browning (1812-1889)

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight" Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

"I love you - those three words have my life in them". Tsarina Alexandra to Tsar Nicholas III (1872-1918)

"The courses of true love never did run smooth."William Shakespeare (1564 1616)

"The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved - loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. " St Paul 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (10-67)

"True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself. It is equal and pure, without violent demonstrations: it is seen with white hairs and is always young in the heart."Honore de Balzac (1799-1850)

"Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all."Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

"Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire." Francois de La Rouchefoucauld (1613-1680)

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." Aristotle (384BC-322BC)

"Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and more disciplined heart is as coals, deep burning and unquenchable." Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

"But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning." Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618)

"There is no remedy for love but to love more." Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862 )

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness." Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) 

"Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?"   Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)

"My love is like a red, red rose That's newly sprung in June. My love is like the melody , that's sweetly played in June". Robert Burns (1721-1784)

"And think not you can guide the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, shall guide your course." Khalil Gibran (1883-1931)

"As for me, to love you alone, to make you happy, to do nothing which would contradict your wishes, this is my destiny and the meaning of my life" Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1621)

"Come live with me, and be my love, And we will some new pleasures prove Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, With silken lines, and silver hooks." John Donne (1572-1631)

It is hard to image another four letter word that has inspired as many quotes or as much emotion as the word love. While all of these are heart felt, your words to your loved one hold as much if not more value in their eyes.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Decorating the church for a wedding

When you have decided that you are going to get married in a church, there are many things to think about. You will pick the celebrant, the music, and the ceremony. You will also want to decorate the church. Every church has different rules and regulations about what they will and will not allow. Be sure you understand all the restrictions before you begin to make your decorating plans.

Have a discussion

One of the things you will want to discuss with your minister or priest is what decorations they allow in their church. They will tell you what they allow and what is not allowed. In some Catholic Churches, the decorations are not allowed on the main altar but must be placed at the front or side of the altar. Some churches prefer fresh flowers over artificial and others won’t care either way. Just ask.

Flowers

Flowers are one of the main components of decorating the church for your wedding. You can start with the doors, will they be open or closed? You may want to have wreaths of fresh or artificial flowers for the doors. In the sanctuary of the church, there may be large vases that you can fill with fresh flowers or you can place an arrangement on the altar if it is allowed or in front of the altar. If there are side altars, some brides and grooms choose to place arrangements on them as well. Ask the celebrant if the flowers are to be left in the church for the weekly service or if they want you to remove them.

The runner

The aisle runner is also part of your decoration of the church. Most brides choose a white aisle runner. Before you rent or buy your runner be sure that the church allows them. Some churches with marble aisles don’t allow them because they are a hazard to guests. They can move when walked upon and cause people to fall down.

Greenery

One way to decorate the church for your wedding is with greenery. It can take the form of topiary plants at the entrance or green plants and vines. Especially during the Christmas season, greenery on the doors and on the pews is very appropriate and beautiful as well. Pomanders are also part of winter decor.

Pews

The pews are another blank canvas for a bride’s creativity. Some choose to use bows on the pews, others floral arrangements. These can take the form of a single flower such as a calla lily with green behind them or baby’s breath. Depending on your color scheme, there are hundreds of options. Some churches offer the option of candles in the aisles for the wedding. You can then also choose to decorate the candles poles with flowers or ribbons. Tulle, gauze, and pearls are also very wedding appropriate and add a touch of romance.

Whatever decorations you choose, should in no way overshadow the bride. She is the center of attention when she comes down the aisle, the decorations should enhance her, not take away any attention. Better to be understated than to take any of the shine from the bride.

Friday, January 12, 2018

Beginners guide to antique auctions

As a former antique dealer, I have made just about every mistake a beginner can make at an antique auction. Over the many years of attending weekly auctions, the transition was made from an amateur to a pro and a thing or two was learned along the way.

Going to your first antique auction is going to be very exciting. It may be in a barn, under a tent, or in an auction house. You will be trying to find a great deal on some wonderful antiques. Here are some simple steps that you can take to make sure that you don't have any regrets on your way home.


Preview

All auctions offer a preview time to look over the items for sale. This can be anytime from several days before the auction to the hour before. Whatever is offered, take advantage of it. "NEVER" buy anything without previewing it. This is your chance to look at an item, pick it up, pull out the drawers and check for condition, check for marks, don't be afraid to get on the floor and look underneath items. You don't want any surprises when you get the item home.

Research

Before you buy anything know "what" you are buying. Invest in some books on the particular type of antique you are interested in. Go to as many high-quality antique stores as you can or to art museums, galleries, or decorative arts museums. Get to know your particular favorite. You need to be able to spot the "real thing". You don't want to buy a Ming vase that was created by Joe Ming! Knowledge is power. Remember that it is always buyer beware and as-is.

Know the value

You are responsible for knowing what an item is worth. A secret all dealers know is that they can't compete with a collector. Dealers need to make a healthy profit so they are never going to be willing to spend what a collector will. Use this to your advantage. Know who the dealers are. If they are bidding on a particular item it is probably real and you can relax and know that you can afford to pay more than they can. You can be happy to know that you are still going to pay a lot less than you would if you wanted to buy the same item in a dealer’s shop.

Love your antique

Never buy anything unless you love it. Antiques don't make a great investment. That is not to say that some things may not appreciate and some very quickly, antiques are cyclical. What is in fashion this week may be impossible be sell next week. If you love the item it won't matter.

Know how to bid effectively

You have done your homework, previewed the offerings, and set a price in your head that you are willing to pay. Now what? You are going to register and get your bidding paddle. Use the time you have until your item(s) are offered to observe bidding etiquette. Don't be over-anxious. Don't open the bidding, let your competition get things started. You don't need to bid until it appears the end of the bidding is imminent. Keep in mind you will also be paying a buyer’s premium, at least 10 percent, and also tax.

One last thing, try not to get caught up in the moment; adrenalin will get your heart pumping and your paddle raising. If the bidding goes above what you want to pay unless you can't live without it, let it go!

All that is left is for you to do is to go out there and have a great time. Hopefully, you will buy some wonderful antiques at a great price. Attending your first auction will be an exciting time for you whether or not you decide to purchase an item or not. Just remember to relax and to keep control of your bidding paddle.

Friday, January 5, 2018

What to look for in a wood burning stove

Wood stoves are a good alternative source of heating for many reasons.  You may want to save on heating or you may want to go with an eco-friendly fuel source. No matter what your reason for choosing to burn wood, there are a lot of things to consider.

Before you decide if a wood stove is the right choice, you need to know the pros and cons of using a wood burning stove. You need to know what to look for in a wood burning stove.
The pros are that the wood is readily available, non-fossil and with the addition of wood pellets, can burn long and produce a reasonable amount of heat for the room they are placed in.
The cons are that wood does not burn as clean as gas and can result in respiratory difficulties if your family is prone to these types of problems. Pellets, on the other hand, are very clean burning. Another thing to consider is that unless you have a thermostat in every room, you may find that the rest of the house becomes colder than you would prefer.

If you have decided that a wood burning stove is right for your home, there are several different options that you can choose. In order to make an educated decision, you need to understand how much heat you are trying to generate. Heat is measured in BTU's and you need to know how many you need to produce to warm your home.

If you have a fireplace already and you want to up the efficiency, you can buy an insert which is basically a stove liner that fits in your fireplace. No matter what type of stove you decide to install, make sure that you have it installed by an NFI certified installer, your life can depend on it.

Do you want to burn pellets or wood? Depending on where you live the price of your wood can vary quite steep. Masonry stoves are one of the cleanest burning appliances. The drawback is that they take a long time to heat up but once they are going they require minimal time and effort to keep going and they are super-efficient. They can burn both wood or belts and almost any solid fuel. They are pricey but with up to 90 percent efficiency they will pay for themselves.

Pellet burning stoves come in a wide variety of models and while they are not as efficient as masonry stoves they are more efficient than traditional wood burning models. They are exempt from EPA standards, they are that clean burning. They cost less than half of what masonry stove costs and are only minimally less efficient making them a great option. They do require electricity to keep the stove fed with pellets so if there is a power outage you need a battery backup. They come in many styles and you can find one that will fit your decor.

Wood burning stoves have come a long way from the potbelly stoves that our grandparents used. They are stylish, colorful and have better efficiency than ever. No matter what type you choose be sure to schedule regular maintenance to keep your family safe and your home fire free.