Firing up the property

This year I am in search of finding new ways to spruce up my property.  There are many ways of doing so and the most recent piece of equipment I found was a portable outdoor firepit.  It is decorative yet functional.  And the absolute best part is the fuel is wood and I have plenty of that around my house.

Many of the stores are selling them this year and compared to last year they have come down in price.  I shopped several of the flyer’s before deciding upon one that had a tri-colored slate base.  There is some assembly required and since I have very little time I think I will recruit the high school kid next door to give me a hand.  He loves to put things together and I feel comfortable that he won’t mess this up.  Besides if he does he knows he won’t get paid!

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Ticket Troubles

I received a phone call the other day from a good friend of mine who needed to vent on a close call with a parking ticket.  Now, some might say a parking ticket, really?  Yes, it was almost a parking ticket - but the principle behind it was the real problem.

The city it was issued in apparently is “hard- up” for money because they start their parking tickets at $30 and if they are not paid within 30 days then it rises to $60.  I think that this is pretty darn steep.

The situation of the alleged violation boils down to a new city ordinance. My friend had taken five minutes to run into a store to pick up one item and came out with a yellow slip of paper on their windshield.  The ticket indicated that they were not allowed to park facing the wrong direction.  My friend was furious.  So, what they did was to go into the police department and asked to speak with the officer who issued the ticket.  Luckily, she was in and upon my friend entering the room she knew immediately what my friend was there for.  She actually offered to take back the ticket since it was a new city ordinance.  This was very nice of her but still does not explain why the cost of such violations is so high?

At any rate, my friend while flustered for a few minutes got out of the ticket and now they know not to park facing the wrong direction again in that city!

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My toy store

I went down to the local hardware store today and well, that  never good because I can usually never leave without spending a ton of money.  Today was a little different; I actually did have a few items on a list. OK, it was a mental list but still I was confident that I could walk out of there just with those few items.

About an hour into being at the store I started to laugh at myself because I had already filled a cart full of stuff that I thought was a “bargain.”  Now, I am not usually a bargain shopper but when I saw a set of socket wrenches that I didn’t have for$75, I thought this was a real deal.  Unfortunately, the bargains did not stop there I saw flashlights and screwdrivers that were also calling my name.  By the time I looked at my watch I saw that I had been in the store for almost three hours! My carts were showing I had spent that much time as well.  The kicker is I hadn’t even begun to check out the gas grills.  I guess that will be next time.  I think spending more than three times the cost of my original list’s worth is enough for today.

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SNOW

Posted on 3rd March 2011 in Life, Money and/or Finances, Opinion, weather

Another big snowstorm is hitting my area tomorrow.  I can’t believe it! There has been way too much snow for my liking.  I am really tired of shoveling and scraping.  I am also sick of people on the roads in these storms and driving like they have never been in snow before!

The snow has been good for those who rely upon it for financial security.  The snow we are predicted to receive is supposed to be mixed with sleet so that will make matter worse for all.  The plows tend to breakdown when the snow is extra heavy.  It is important for the plow drivers to keep up on their accounts so that the snow will not pile up as quickly which could lead to a breakdown for them.  I wish all the plow drivers the best of luck since the weather folks also mentioned up to 15 inches of accumulation.

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Fireplaces

Last year I invested in a portable fireplace.  It is one of those that plugs into the wall with a large wooden mantel.  Believe me, it looks better than I can describe it!  Anyway, I have to say it was one of the best investments I have ever made.  This fireplace gives off a great deal off heat and displays a “fake” flame.  The machine is pretty sweet.

This fireplace even has wheels!  I can move this fireplace to any room in my house and within a few minutes it actually heats it pretty well.  This also helps save on the oil.  I would highly recommend anyone looking to save oil or save your house from catching on fire from kerosene to invest in one of these great contraptions.

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