Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I think its because I associate thanksgiving with family. It has always been a holiday where my family gathers to spend quality time together. It is not very hard to decorate for Thanksgiving. You can place gourds, pumpkins, pinecones and colorful leaves throughout the house and it makes everything festive. Kathy Zengolewicz If you are using pinecones, be sure to get the scented ones, or better yet visit my blog here in the Home & Living section this Sunday.  I’ll be showing you exactly how to set your table. I always take special care with my table at the holidays. As a rule we’re not very formal, but at Thanksgiving I pull out all of the stops. I will give you a couple of hints... [Read more]

Every home and car should have a first aid kit in case of emergencies. I have a list of what should be included in your first aid kit. Kathy Zengolewicz Here is what you should have on hand: A first aid manual or guide sterile gauze adhesive tape and bandages in different sizes An elastic bandage A pair of goggles or other eye protection A manual aspirator or suction unit Antiseptic wipes Topical medications such as iodine, aloe vera gel, tea tree oil Anti-itch ointment Soap An antibiotic cream like triple-antibiotic ointment Hydrogen peroxide Hydrocortisone cream <Acetaminophen and ibuprofen A pair of tweezers A sharp pair of scissors Safety pins Instant cold packs (disposable) A bottle of calamine lotion Alcohol wipes or ethyl alcohol A... [Read more]

It is hard to believe that autumn is in full swing and the weather is turning colder by the day. It is that time of year when we need to think of winterizing our homes. Winterizing doesn’t have to be a big expensive production. There are lots of ways to weatherproof your home even if you are on a budget. sxc.hu Most weatherproofing can be done by you, no need to call a professional. Here are a couple of easy jobs that will make a big difference when the cold weather blows in. Clean all gutters and downspouts in early fall and check them again, to make sure they are clear, before winter. Clean or replace the filter in your house heater. Make sure to turn off all outside water spigots and turn the water flow off from the inside. Buy snow... [Read more]

Keeping your home and carpets fresh when you have a pet is a big job. I have had a cat and a dog for many years who are house trained, but there are times when one or both of them will have an accident on the floor. Of course, it is usually on the floor that is carpeted, not the tiled floor. Here are a few tips for getting and keeping your home free from pet odors and stains. sxc.hu It is not a good idea to use a commercial cleaner since most of them contain chemicals that can be harmful to pets and humans. Some of those chemicals contain ammonia or vinegar and those odors will probably encourage your pet to return to the same spot. Use a regular carpet soap on the area. Bissell makes a carpet shampoo especially for pet stained or soiled carpets.... [Read more]

sxc.hu Do you know what’s in your medicine cabinet? When was the last time you checked the expiration dates on any medications that you have? I can’t say that I ever thought about it before, but I took the time recently to to do just that and I was surprised to find that so many of my over the counter medications were expired. I don’t mean recently expired, I’m talking being expired for some time. Aside from any prescription medications you may be taking it is a good idea to have some of the following items on hand. Aspirin, for use as a painkiller and a fever reducer.  Although it is not wise to give aspirin to children, you should still keep some on hand for when it is needed. Ibuprofen like Advil and Motrin and naproxen... [Read more]