Thursday, September 29, 2005
Serenity
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Storm update
Home design software
Better Homes and Gardens has design software for the home, landscaping, etc. And you can design online with Arrange-A-Room. Here's the website link: http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/ (Arrange-A-Room didn't load for me, even after I closed the pop-up ad. I'll try again later.)
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Rita afterword
A friend in Canada said they got a lot of rain yesterday from the rest of Hurricane Rita; there was flooding in Quebec City. I was glad to hear that friends in Houston and Arkansas (some rain and power outages) are fine.
My friend in Houston said: "I flew out the 2nd day of evacuations, but took all the backroads to the airport & went Very/Very early on Thursday - they closed the airport on Fri/Sat & then I came back Sun when it was back up again & the traffic was ghostly on the way back home...today [Monday] no work or school so everyone can get back into town & they can refill the gas stations!"
Later: Today [Tuesday], ... went out to the local post office [and] grocery [and] found the shelves were getting restocked ... Tomorrow/Wednesday ...it is Back to Work & Back to School, so it's time to beat the heat (another day of 100 degrees) & move on as best we can." [Btw, my friend wasn't evacuating; it was a planned trip...]
Monday, September 26, 2005
Wood flooring
House books
Concrete at Home
Concrete at Home by Fu-Tung Chen (The Taunton Press) is included in the Breaking Ground (ideas, facts, news & tips) section of Home Planning Ideas magazine (Fall/Winter 2005). Designer and author Chen describes the art and science of creating architectural elements with concrete. Lovely photos.
Good Green Homes
Another helpful book I found in the magazine--in Green Building, along with tips and web resources--is Good Green Homes by Jennifer Roberts.
Storm update: A respite
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Evacuation: What to take
After packing the essentials: pets, food, water, etc., what three non-essential items would I take?
1. Computer, disks, & CDs (my precious files!)
2. A few assorted books (my own and my favorites)
3. Family photos & scrapbooks
Tropical Storm Rita
Friday, September 23, 2005
Serenity lands September 30!
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Flooring basics (link)
"Flooring can be one of the biggest expenses in furnishing your interiors, making it well worth all the planning time and attention you give it. But before you even begin to decide among the colors and textures you would like to use, consider the basics." Link:
Decorating : Other : Flooring Basics : Home & Garden Television (From HGTV website)
Rita update
Protecting From Rain While Roof Is Open (link)
For new construction, it's not so much of a problem, but with remodelling...: Protecting house from rain while roof is open - Topic Powered by Groupee Community.:
From HGTVProFile newsletter
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Rita update
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Katrina Wreaks Havoc on Contractors' Future (link)
Hurricane Rita
Audiobooks (links)
Here are links to two columns about audiobooks by Kelley Hartsell:
Fresh Fiction: Kelley's Faves (part I)
Fresh Fiction: Kelley's Faves (part II: Readers' opinions)
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Tropical Storms Phillippe & Rita
Thursday, September 15, 2005
House Market Madness (link)
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Hurricane documentaries
House-building anecdote
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Katrina's Residential Impact
Washington, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire
The full extent of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the overall economy and on the housing market is still unclear. The immediate focus is properly on human life and health, but the number of homes destroyed by this catastrophe is almost certain to dwarf the losses from any previous U.S. natural disaster. Past experience, together with the visible devastation, provides some basis for projecting the effects on construction activity, the supply and cost of building materials and construction labor, and other implications for the housing market.
Loss of nearly 200,000 homes in New Orleans alone
The number of housing units destroyed (made uninhabitable and beyond economically justified repair) by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was estimated at over 28,000; the combined effect of Hurricanes Jeanne, Ivan, Frances, and Charley in 2004 was nearly 27,500, according to estimates by the American Red Cross. Most of that destruction was caused by winds or the immediate force of the storm surge. The number of homes with major but reparable damage was more than twice the number destroyed.
... the flooding in New Orleans, Mobile, and elsewhere is likely to translate into much larger numbers of homes destroyed. ...
For more: News : Industry News : NAHB Releases Study on Impact of Katrina : HGTVPro.com
Monday, September 12, 2005
Building a Cool House for Hot Times without Scorching the Pocketbook
Friday, September 9, 2005
I think I'm going to make my deadlines!
Storm updates
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
TD 16/TS Ophelia
Monday, September 5, 2005
Vampires of the Scarlet Order
David Summers is the editor of my audiobook, Sugar Time; and he's also a writer. His latest book is Vampires of the Scarlet Order. Check out the reviews of this intriguing book:
“We now have our very own Southwestern vampire lore and tradition thanks to the imagination and painstaking research of Summers...” S. Derrickson Moore, The Las Cruces Sun-News
“This is a fun book to sink your teeth into and a good addition to libraries of those readers with a taste for inventive vampire fiction.” Roy van der Aa, The Ink. You can read Roy’s complete review at: http://www.ink-artnews.com/august/art_news/vampires.html
Fred Cleaver of the Denver Post declares that Vampires of the Scarlet Order is a fine novel. Read his complete review at: http://www.denverpost.com/books/ci_2974094
Upcoming book signings:
Tuesday, September 20 from 5-8pm at Hastings in Las Cruces, NM
Saturday, October 8 from 1-4pm at Borders at Winrock Mall in Albuquerque, NM
Saturday, October 29 from 2-5pm at Borders on Zafarano Drive in Santa Fe, NM
Wabi-sabi
New storm news
Friday, September 2, 2005
Flipping houses
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Storm updates
Lee is back to a tropical depression; TD 14 may become Maria, but it should move away from the US; but the wave off Africa has the most potential.
High tech appliances
Oven that refrigerates
There are several “smart” ovens on the market that refrigerate food prior to cooking, then turn on at the specified time so it’s ready when you come home. Some have an Internet connection so you can use your cell phone to delay start time if you’re stuck in traffic; others go into warming mode after cooking is done.
Clothes-washing sink
If you wear a lot of handwashables, here’s a sink for you. Like a hot tub, a jetted sink has a deep-basin and agitates the water, so it takes less effort to clean your delicates and small loads.
From HomeOwner Tips e-newsletter (August 29 issue)