I’ve been painting houses for a living my entire adult life and it has always struck me how paint and kids are so much alike. For example, just like a kid who comes through for you against all odds, sometimes paint will seemingly last forever even though you remember that it was raining the day you rolled out the side of your house. Kids are just like wet paint in that dirt sticks so easily to them-dirt that can do damage later when you try to fix it after the paint dries. Kids will rarely volunteer the crazy reasons they have for doing things and often the reason a painted finish fails is not obvious at all.

This year spring arrived about a week after Christmas. That’s not to say that a nor-easter won’t drop two feet of snow the day this article comes out. My garden, though, is busting out with mojito grass, more boringly known as spearmint. For my money spring is here. I don’t care what the calendar says.

The Real Estate Market is better than you believe! In 2011, the buzz about the housing market was that it is extremely slow, sellers can’t sell, buyers won’t purchase, and banks won’t lend mortgage money.  The reality is... sellers are selling, buyers are buying and banks are providing mortgages.  With consumer price inflation rising, consumers are looking to lock-in steady payments by taking long-term fixed –rate mortgages, however obtaining a mortgage has gotten a bit more stringent. Some qualified buyers have been denied the opportunity to buy in today’s market due to the banks overly restrictive mortgage underwriting situation.  Banks require excellent credit scores and a down payment toward the purchase price.  So if you have what the banks require then go for it, as there is no better time to purchase a home with such historic low mortgage rates making your purchasing power even greater.

I have been married for 22 years and my husband still reacts to wasps in the house by trying to swat them.  Just recently he nearly tore apart the bathroom trying to get one. Hearing the commotion I chased him, my husband, out and within a minute had captured and removed the wasp from my house - intact and alive.

Install smoke detectors on every floor of your home and carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas. If already installed, test them. Replace batteries every daylight savings time change.

1. Avoid Overload:

Check for over-loaded extension cords.

1. Don’t Get Tippy:

If young children are in the home, bookshelves and other furniture should be secure with wall brackets to prevent tipping.

1)Install programmable heating/cooling thermostats  (You will save an average of 20% heating costs).

2)Replace regular incandescent bulbs with “energy star” compact fluorescent bulbs (Save up to 75% on your electricity usage).