A Lighting Tip

Dusting out the cobwebs and returning … It’s been a while, I know. I’ve been busy with a variety of things both at work and at home. Lately, I can’t even keep up with the basics much less find time to jump back into house projects. (Stay tuned. That’s about to end soon. Very soon.)

That said, one of the things I recently had to do was buy new light bulbs for the over-the-sink kitchen light. It’s not the garden variety light anymore. This is the triple-light LED stainless steel version that Lawrence installed nearly 19 months ago. (Looks just like the photo minus one light.) One of the end bulbs had apparently burned out.


Though these are “long-life Xenon bulbs,” 19 months is a pretty good record considering that this light gets used CONSTANTLY. In its higher setting, it light up a good enough chunk of the kitchen that we don’t have to turn on the overhead to heat something in the microwave or wash a dish. In its lower setting, it keeps the kitchen lit overnight.

I wrote down the volts and did a typical stick-figure drawing of the bulb itself which is small, clear and has two protruding pins at the bottom. (It reminds me a little bit of the bulbs for one of my first cameras where you pulled the film out and waited for it to develop before peeling a layer of paper off to reveal the photo. But I digress.) Unfortunately, neither bit of information helped me. I found bulbs that looked similar but they looked stubbier. I finally scoured the shelves until I found a version of our actual fixture, though in white. I compared the packaged bulbs to the fixture’s. No. It still looked wrong.

During my search, I learned two things from a guy working in the lighting department at Lowe’s who finally appeared at the height of my frustration. “Do these bulbs fit this light?” I asked. “They look smaller.”

He assured me that they did fit though they were smaller. The first of my lessons: Go by the G rating. If it says it will take a G6, all G6 bulbs will fit. Same for G8. Good to know.

Secondly, since these are Xenon LED bulbs, it Is best to wear gloves or use a cloth while handling them. Apparently, body oils can interact with the Xenon in a not-so-good-way and significantly lessen their lifespan. (This is equally good to know because many cars, including Pearl, now use Xenon bulbs.)

And since these little suckers cost almost $4 each, I don’t think you want to do anything to jeopardize their working time!

Spring Into DIY Discounts

I’ve been watching with a little bit of envy as some of you have fully embraced your spring projects. I very much hope to rejoin the DIY brethren soon. This D*mn House is at that phase where something, anything, just has to get done – baby steps toward making it an actual house again!

While I don’t know when exactly that will be, I do know one thing that I will be armed with when it does happen: discounts. We love saving money at This D*mn House. (It’s that much more to put toward the next project!)

Fred and all our friends over at One Project Closer maintain a few posts with the most recent coupons from the major home improvement stores. The first two – courtesy of Home Depot and Lowes – include instructions for getting a 10% off coupon mailed directly to you from each of them. A third, this one for Sears, offers up their latest online deals (like when Kenmore appliances or all things Craftsman go on sale).

Go check it out:
Home Depot Coupons - 10% Off & More
Lowes Coupons - 10% Off & More
Sears Coupons - Appliance Discounts, etc...

These articles contain instructions on getting other deals from these places, too, both online and in-store. Bargainmasters Fred and Ethan do a great job of keeping on top of the lists. Thanks, guys, for making that DIY dollar go even farther!

The Contenders

To say that I was unhappy with Lowe’s on Saturday would be a gross understatement.

I went by there on a mission, amid a number of other tasks, to see just what they had in stock in the way of vanities. What greeted me upon entering the bath department was this sign, telling me that I could special order the dream vanity in seven days.

I know this to be BS. And after all the calls I’d had with a department manager less than 24 hours before, there that sign remained! Seriously, you'd think they could have found five seconds to take it down to help anyone avoid some of the upset that I've had the past few days over making the reality of inventory match what's shown as available.

Apparently not.

So, angry though I was, I took a look around. I'm really glad that I did.

I saw this vanity.

And this one, too.
I like that first one but both of these have vessel bowls atop the vanity. I’m not incredibly wild about that and neither is the godmother though she likes he first one, too. Documented details on both of these as potential contenders.

But, there was always this one.

It’s the bigger brother if you will of the dream vanity which has caused so much heartache.

Not only is this one still available there is one in stock IN THE STORE. It’s a little bigger (2ox31) and pushing the limits of the available space in this tiny room, but I think it will work.

The godmother loves it, of course, since it is the big brother of her first choice. Like me, she’s concerned about the additional size. Truth is, it’s an inch deeper than the smaller one. One inch. At 20 inches, that still leaves 25 inches of clearance to enter the room. If you can’t enter a 25-inch space, well, that vanity isn’t your problem.

So … I’m calling the manager this morning to ideally purchase that vanity and a different one for the men’s room that I was pleasantly surprised to find. (The manager, who was off for the weekend) promised to “work with me” on the price of a substitute because of all the upset and confustion over the dream vanity.

Let’s see just how good a deal he’s willing to make.

Healthy Competition

If you are doing a lot of DIY and you haven’t signed up for both Home Depot and Lowe’s Web sites, the bottom line is that you should.

Once you do that, you will start receiving regular “dollars off” coupons. Lowe’s is definitely the most generous of the two. Not only do they send their offers out more often (at least every other month, and sometimes every month) they give you more off and more options to use it. Case in point:

Last week, we received a Lowe’s offer with two cards. One gives you $10 off of $50, the other, $25 off of $250. When we get these, we always use the $10 one. And last time, we even used the $25 one because we’d bought the bathroom tile and the new microwave. We were going to buy these items anyway, so why not claim a free $35 in the process, right?

We’ll no doubt use them both again as the mother wants to buy crown molding for the hall in the basement landing and for the downstairs family room. (I’m hoping there’s going to be a molding sale soon. C’mon Lowe’s, work with me.) We also still need to buy beadboard and chair rail for my bedroom.

Yesterday, a coupon arrived from Home Depot. It offers $15 off a $125 purchase. See, not as generous as the competition. Even so, I may still use it. I’ve got backerboard, adhesive, and grout to buy for the kitchen tile and adhesive and grout for the bathroom tile and I’m not sure which of the two has the best price for what I need. It’s nice to have them competing against each other to get my DIY dollar.

Assuming that I use all three offers from both stores, that’s $50 – off things I have to buy anyway. Here’s another way the Web sites let you save: they’ll email you an offer for a percentage off an online purchase. This saved me $145 off the refrigerator! But it doesn’t always have to be a delivered item. I think I saved $12 last year by ordering bricks and mortar and picking it up in-store. Again, that was stuff I was buying anyway. It’s like getting to pick out your own merchandise to have on sale!

So do yourself a favor and sign up now.

My Friends Dig Me

Or, more accurately, my friends dig for me. CD met me at Lowe's as planned early this morning and we proceeded to load up her SUV with gravel and some boards for a future project.

The day got off to an awesome start. We were just talking about Home Depot vs. Lowe's and I was telling CD about how much more generous Lowe's is. Almost as if they heard me, I was handed a $10 off coupon as soon as we walked through the door! Then getting to chat over a brief breakfast with one of my nearest and dearest was a treat.

Unloading was fun. (A half-ton of gravel in total.) CD got to see the infamous cart and appreciate its infinite value. She came to love it even more when, after we unloaded, she was determined to pitch in on the mudpit. "I'm ready to work," she said. And work she did. We toted some of the dirt out back to fill in where the newly departed tree once stood. The rest was dump-bound. CD's plans before picking up her young'ns had included a trip to the Y. After hanging out with me, she didn't need it.

Following her efforts at helping me clear the second third of the mudpit, the ever adventurous CD asked: "So where's the dump?" We loaded up her SUV and headed across town. (That gave us another chance to visit, too. How is it that when friends come to my house, we inevitably end up at the dump?!)

If anyone had ever told me I'd live long enough to see CD dig dirt, much less head to a dump, I'd have said they were nuts. But hey, she's a DIYer in her own right. She's been busy at home with her own projects. I've even witnessed her using a drill -- but on a pumpkin. I've got the picture to prove it, too.

By the time Chris left, a massive debris pile was gone and the second third of the mudpit was nearly cleared! I shaved the edges to finish them out, added my landscape forms and began filling with gravel. I was nearly done filling it with gravel when the sky got really cloudy. So, we started putting things away, cleaning up, and covered the gravel pit. Done by 3:30, so it wasn't nearly as long of a day. But it was a very productive one. And one I can't thank CD enough for all the help with. You really did help move things along.

Surveying today's progress left me feeling pretty good.

I then got cleaned up and attempted to get the car headlight fixed. But that's for another post.

Right now, I'm a little sore. Yesterday and today's hefting are catching up with me. So, I'm going to do what any self-respecting DIYer would do: take a nap.

A Magical Visit to HardwareLand

It’s Friday. There will no doubt be lots of banter at some point today about everyone’s weekend plans. Barbecues. Pool parties. Out-of-town guests. Baseball games.

But me, I’ll have none of it. The mother is meeting me at the station tonight and we’ll head off to HardwareLand, that magical place that empties your wallet, loads your car, and hijacks your agenda for most of the year. How can you possibly compete with that, you say? I’ll give you a pointer. You, too, can visit HardwareLand at a discount, courtesy of One Project Closer.

A few weeks ago, I discovered their post on a Lowe’s project starter coupon which is good for $10 off a $25 purchase when you use your Visa card. The catch: It expires July 31. So print your coupon, plan your project, and save a few bucks in the process.

As for me, I’ll be buying the rest of the landscaping forms for the walkway, more gravel, and more mortar because my plan is to actually get the concrete removed tomorrow. I think my alternate plan will work now that the biggest piece is out already. (Emphasis on the word think.)

If it doesn’t, it’s going to be a loooooong weekend to be sure.

Amazon, You’re Killin’ Me

There aren’t many things that draw my attention like a moth to a flame. Pens come to mind. I’ve got hundreds of them. This is not an exaggeration. Ask my mother. (I’d buy a Mont Blanc if only Jonny Depp came with it.) I can’t walk by a pen display anywhere without at least looking. I think it might be a sickness.

Clothes – not so much. Occasionally, I’ll see something I just have to have but it’s rare. Shoes – pretty much the same story. (Well, there were those cute sandals last weekend ...) Sorry, Carole. I didn’t get the clotheshorse gene, much to her dismay. But somehow, I did seem to get an overabundance of the power tool gene. I’m a regular freak of nature, I am.

I can spend hours in Sears Hardware and get lost in a Harbor Freight store. So that’s why when Amazon recently sent me an email touting their latest power tool sale, I purposely avoided opening it. I’m not really in the market for anything right now, but once I start looking, you just never know. It's serious danger, Will Robinson. It's the equivalent of putting a loaded crack pipe down in front of a junkie.

I tried to get a fix by cruising and admiring tools at Lowe's last night. (I bought the first round of gravel and the metal edging for the walkway. ) I thought that reading a few boxes, parking my palms around some power would be sufficient. It wasn't.

I finally broke down and opened the email. In under a minute, I had a few things on my wish list. I looked at a Black and Decker cordless drill (something I don’t really need but would be nice to have) … or maybe I’d prefer something a little more powerful like a DeWalt. In any case, I don’t need either of them really. I checked out an assortment of handtools, some of which I do need. (I'm currently using an almost 30-year-old hammer, for instance.)

Then there was this fantastic little power cutter, “ideal for wallpaper.” Hmm ... there are two bedrooms waiting to be done.

Someone please stop me before I kill.

Ding, Dong The Shrubs Are Gone!!!

All I can say is WHAT a day! The only downside, no porch progress.

Most Excellent Friend Chele and Most Excellent Hubby Doug came in his truck before noon today and quickly vanquished the vicious vegetation that was our shrubs. The one that was planted last year to replace one that died is still here, as are the two smaller and more manageable of the shrubs. But the three monsters ... GONE!

I can't say thank-you enough. The absence of Hell's Shrubbery truly is a godsend.

After I came home from the dump, where they were kind enough to go and dispose of the evil trees, I finished digging out what roots remained and began filling in the gaping holes. It was blistering hot in the sun and by the time I'd finished, I was beat. Instead of calling it a day, we went to Home Depot and Lowe's.

At HD, I bought the fence. It is supposed to be delivered Tuesday. (Perfect, since I'll still be home on vacation.) Now, I have to get a hold of Lawrence, and call my cousin to remove the old fence. Things are happening -- and at a rapid pace, too! Makes my head spin.

At Lowe's, I bought some more mortar and 100 more bricks. I got to use my $10 off coupon AND even received another one, still good 'til the 14th. So, savings abound! They had quite a few bricks, and they were kind enough to put the pallet in the floor for me to pick through. Tonight, I even let them load them into the car, something I usually do myself.

That said, now home and having had dinner -- and not unloaded the car, I'm somewhere between exhausted and dead. But, unless they have changed the forecast, it will be dry tomorrow, so maybe I can make up for what I didn't do today. But it really was a good day with a mad dash of activity. I'm grateful for everything that was accomplished and for all the wonderful people who helped make it so.

Happy Birthday, America!

I'm not a flag-waver. I do have a T-shirt and a button that say "God Bless America." Both were given to me in the wake of 9-11. But today, I'm as big a patriot as anybody.

I showed the ultimate act of patriotism last night by going out and injecting a nice chunk of change into the economy. I bought groceries, household supplies, and take-out at The 54th Street Grill. And, of course, I went to Lowe's and bought more mortar. My DIY dedication was rewarded with a $10 off $50 at Lowe's that expires mid-month. I LOVE that!

These pictures are from our local fireworks display last year. It was part of my first attempt to shoot fireworks, having had my new digital camera a few months at that time. (If you look in the bottom right corner of the one photo, you'll see that Mother Nature was contributing her own fireworks, too. Adore that shot!)

I'm going to give it another try tonight. In fact, during my patriotic distribution of cash last night, I even purchased an impromptu early birthday gift to me: a tripod. It wasn't expensive, it weighs a pound, is 9 inches totally folded, and it extends to 42 inches. I'm hoping it will help me get even better shots this year. I have to develop a strategy though for parking the car. It took 40 minutes to get out of the traffic last year, and this is NOT a major municipality!

But first, Mother Nature has given me a gorgeous day. So, instead of sitting on my butt as I'd planned (when it was going to rain), I'm going to hit the bricks. I'll be contributing to the noise of the holiday, not with the pops and bangs, but with a completely different take on mortar fire. NEEEEEEEENNNNNNNUHHHH.

Mail Call!

I may be a newly converted computer geek, but I still love to get mail. Real, physical, take-it-out-of-the-mailbox, mail. Sadly, 95 percent of such correspondence is a bill, a solicitation for a donation, or addressed to "resident" or "occupant."

But Saturday was different. I actually got three pieces of bonafide mail, two of which were NOT in one of the above categories. Because I was zealously beginning the porch project, I barely looked at my mail until Saturday night and I didn't even read most of it until last night. But it was thrilling.

First, there was a birthday card from a family friend. Mom saw it first, noted the return address, and quizzically asked: "Did Chris send you a birthday card?" Ummm, haven't opened it, so I don't know. But yes, it was indeed a birthday card, with a Lowe's gift card to boot. (Does she know me or what?) There's just one problem: It's not my birthday. Well, not yet.

Apparently, Chris got June and July confused this year. But hey, five weeks early is better than five weeks late, right? I'll try not to kid her too much. Maybe this means I get a birthday season. Hmmm. Interesting concept.

Second, I got my copy of YorkieTalk Cooks, the official YT cookbook. I was so surprised by the quality. Much more than I anticipated. A really darling compilation of stuff I may have to try. (And Betty Crocker, I ain't.) Good food, cute Yorkie pictures, and something I had a small hand in helping to produce. (I did some recipe editing.) It will get favored status on ye old bookshelf.

Last, but certainly not least, I got the EOB from the insurance company. So, here it is in black and white, the final analysis of just how much the injured midigit will cost me. I opened the envelope slowly, pulled out the thick stack of paperwork, winced, and then jumped in to see the damage.

As I suspected, there were some pretty hefty "in-network discounts" applied, cutting the $1,800+ total by more than half. A little quick math going on before I continued to assess the page: 20 percent of $900 is $180. OK. Lots better than $475.

But wait. As I pan across the grid for each charge it says I have no charges that weren't covered. Good. I have no deductible. Right. That was the thing I liked best about this plan and why I pay a few bucks more each payday for it. Coinsurance, 0, copayment, $50. OK. The $50 I knew because I paid that at the ER before I left. Then, the bottom line kicker is the summary line.

YOUR TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR PROVIDER: $50. Translation: All I owe is the copay -- which is paid!

My insurance plan is even better than I thought. While I'm happy that I now owe nothing, it still doesn't change my initial thought that our healthcare system needs a lot of fixing.

Just don't send it to the ER.

A Day, Times Two

I ended the day, the way I started it: In a grocery store. Apparently, going to the store with just one eye open early this morning wasn't such a bright idea after all. So I got the joy of doing it again.

I also made not one, but two trips to Lowe's. And, the crazy man from last weekend made a second appearance earlier this evening. I hope it's not getting to stalker proportions. My neighbor said I should call the police if he comes back. (He may or may not be taking his medication. Nice. My psycho magnet is working overtime.)

All that aside, I did get something done. YAY! I started on the porch -- FINALLY! I got the one side of the rail removed, put done some concrete in the wayward corner and patched the holes from removing the rails. I had put a rectangle of bricks on the porch last year using sand and just mortaring the edges. I only meant for it to be temporary anyway, knowing this project was coming.

I pulled all those bricks up today. The sand was wet so I'll sweep it out tomorrow.

I bought concrete mix to put down beneath the bricks. I was told by someone who should know that if you put a light layer down, the bricks on top, the dampen and mortar in between, you should get good results. I trust his skills, so we'll see if it works for me.

I didn't really mind driving back to Lowe's. The last remnants of the sunset were in my rearview. Good tunes playing. (Although, the iPod was making me a little uneasy by playing nearly every song I have on it that has rain in the title. It's not supposed to rain 'til tomorrow night, but I've learned.) The temperature was dropping and a cool breeze was blowing. That made the drive both exhilarating and relaxing. Just what I needed.

Right now, what I need is about 90 minutes with a masseur named Sven. Since that's not likely, I guess I'll have to settle for some Tylenol Arthritis and another hot shower.

Working on the Weekend

The weekend is here and except for today, the forecast is dry. Or so they say. I've learned not to trust the forecast. But, assuming there's no rain, where do I begin?

I'm thinking I start with the porch. There's one corner against the house where the concrete is collapsed. While caulk and paint were fine for the aesthetics, when it comes to laying brick over it, it needs to be level.

I think Lowe's has concrete on sale, too. If it's going to be dry, I can mix a small batch and get that corner filled and drying. I also need to buy four new posts for the front porch railing. I already have railing and spindles to replace what's out there now.

During our conversation last weekend, Lawrence and I talked about moving the railing off the porch and into the landscaping. (Currently, two posts are and two posts aren't on the porch. The move would put all four out there.)

Sadly, while we had made a decision on the fence, the sale was off by the time we'd discovered it. It was one of those holiday weekend deals instead of a sale from Saturday to Saturday. I know now that Lowe's puts their fliers online, so I'll never miss another one. (Eight panels at a $19 difference in price each comes to $152, or enough of a savings to make me wait it out.) There will always be another sale though. Summer hasn't even officially started yet, despite the soaring temperatures.

And there's always Bedroom 1 to get started on. I have the wallpaper, crown molding, bead board and chair rail just waiting downstairs. Of course, there's at least a day's worth of prep work to be done, too.

So rain or shine, it's going to be a busy weekend.

WWW: Bric(k)-a-brac(k)ing

For this week's Weekend Warrior Wednesday feature, I think I've created a new word: brick-a-bracking. It's a verb that means brick-hoarding. Came home from The Home Depot with every Holland paver they had (71) in the trunk of the 'Bird.

I'm starting to prepare for the long dreaded and long postponed porch and walkway project. And since the Home Depot's version is nine cents per brick cheaper than their competitor, I figured I'd save a few bucks. Lowe's, however, will likely get the lion's share as I have two dollar-off cards (one for $10, the other for $25) that expire Sunday. I hope they will have enough supply that I can use them both.

I'm starting to hoard because even though I already had about 100 bricks before the latest trunkload, Memorial Day weekend is not that far off. I'll get off early on Friday, have the holiday weekend through Monday, and then tack on two days of vacation. So, I'll have plenty of work to do and a little extra time to do it in.

Mind you, we still haven't started Carole's bedroom yet. And, except for wallpaper paste, I already have all the materials for that. In fact, the basement family room more closely resembles a warehouse than a family room right now. I also have to disassemble the existing daybed and assemble the new one. And that's while trying to keep up with yard work, the one major downside to warmer weather.

I'm exhausted just thinking about it all. But it will all look good when I get done, right? Stay tuned ...

Neanderthal Humor

After yesterday's post on refrigerator shopping, I can't get past this self-generated imagery in my head: Two cavemen (sorry, Geico guys) are standing in the middle of an appliance department, laughing and pointing wildly at a female customer. They are bellowing: "Me neanderthal in big box hardware store. You WOOOO-MAN! You no come here. Bring husband."