Change of garage door heart

I'll admit it, I got wrapped up into the thought of a squeaky clean new garage door. After some thinking and some people bringing me to my senses, I've decided it's not NECESSARY I get a whole new garage door. I'm such a sucker...

So, I've hired my handyman, Doug, to just replace the springs for now. In fact, he said my garage door is in good shape. Apparently Bill from Radio Control Garage just wanted some of my shoe money...

My next (maybe) project in my house: taking down the fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen and installing can lights. This is one of my very large pet peeves in the house - even more than my maroon office (that's another project). I really believe I would enjoy going in there more and cooking if the lighting was better. Although the current lighting is more energy efficient, aesthetics trump money and are more important to me, in this room anyway. I may even splurge and put can lighting in my dining room. Right now the lighting consists of a lovely ceiling fan with lights. I've gotten a bid from an electrician, so now all I have to do is bite the bullet.

Getting excited tax season is coming up...first-time buyer tax credit!!!

Exterior lift

The outside of my home is getting a mini facelift next month. Last night I met with Bill, a nice
man from Radio Controlled Garage, to get an estimate for a new garage door. I knew this issue would come up sooner rather than later because my home inspector identified my garage as a top 'hazard' in my house. In a very dramatic way, he told me my garage door springs could snap at any time and cause the door to come crashing down on either my car windshield or me.

Turns out the inspector wasn't just being dramatic - Bill the door guy said if a spring came shooting across my garage it could kill me. I wonder how he knows that...Anyway, since both of them scared the be-jesus out of me and the door is super old (original 1948), I decided to bite the bullet and replace the door. Better than getting killed by a wild spring, I suppose.

Like many home decisions, this wasn't a simple one. There are tons of garage doors to choose from. We narrowed the overall look (white with some simple panels/panes) and we discussed the quality of door. While I like nice quality things, I wasn't willing to fork over $100 extra for the premium door (steel on the outside and inside). So, I chose the one with steel on the outside and plastic on the inside. He tried to only show and quote me the premium one, but I knew better...there's always something less expensive. The good thing about the middle-range door I chose is that it is insulated. This is great because: a) It will keep the garage a little warmer in the winter and b) It qualifies for a 30% refund at tax time because it falls within the "Energy Efficiency" category.

I'll show the finished product once it's installed...hopefully it will look something like this one to the left (child not included).

Friday this and that

Happy Friday! It's been a long week - snow, snow and more snow! It's crazy how much we've gotten. Thank god for 4-wheel drive. It's times like these I'm glad I don't own a BMW sedan. I can't tell you how many I've seen on the roads struggling to get through the snow.

So, I'd thought I'd share some helpful information I received in an e-mail from my dad (surprise). Good tips for you girl homeowners. Check out the source at the bottom - can't get much better than that!

THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... And taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you kee p your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)

8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake.. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.

4. I'm not complaining, but why would you p ay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ;



Next up on my list of home improvements, a possible new garage door. Radio Controlled is coming next week to give me a bid. Can't wait.

I was on a beach

then I woke up and realized it was all a dream. This freezing weather has made me wish I was elsewhere - preferably on a beach in Mexico.

Despite the fact I live in a Kansas suburb, I've always gravitated toward beachy decor. I love lots of windows, light colors and the overall look of 'coastal' houses. A movie that I love, mostly because of the setting, is "Something's Gotta Give." The house, located in the Hamptons, has everything I love about coastal decor and it's amazing. I found this great Web site geared specifically toward movie houses - it's a good resource if you're looking to decorate your house a certain way. The Something's Gotta Give house is on it - it's been a great resource for reference and has shown me that not everything has to match. Another useful link showing decor is on this set decorator's Web site.

I'm visiting my grandparents in Sunny La Jolla, CA later this month and hoping to soak up as much coastal influence as possible. It doesn't hurt that my grandmother Connie, is a wonderfully talented interior designer. I'll brag for a moment and say her work has been featured in Veranda and other well-known interior design magazines. Look for a post of my La Jolla photos in February.