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So You Think You Can Cook? I Could Manage the Basics Or So I Thought!
Rose Mula writes: This morning, starting on yet another health kick, I figured I'd forego my usual breakfast of a humongous blueberry muffin dripping with butter or an automobile-tire-sized bagel slathered with cream cheese or a stack of pancakes swimming in syrup. Feeling noble, I decided to have a much less lethal boiled egg on whole wheat toast. But instead of simply boiling some water and tossing in an egg for three minutes, as I normally would have done, for some reason, I consulted Chef Google. Big mistake. more »
Finding a Dog at a Shelter: Berkeley Study Confirms That Identifying a Dog's Breed is Harder Than It Appears
The idea is to begin training potential adopters to think in terms of behavior and expectations of their pets, rather than a specific look. For example, an adopter might come in hoping to find a so-called Poodle or Doberman — and leave the building with an American Sofa Dog or a Sierra Stair Stepper. Whimsical, yes, but these new names will be rooted in observation, designed to conjure a distinct personality trait or two. more »
Return of House Flipping Eases Affordable Housing Crunch in Some States
The renovated homes are helping to bring downtrodden neighborhoods back to life, while making homeownership possible for some first-time and low-income buyers. "This flipping activity could be seen as a social good if it's bringing houses up to standards and putting them back on the market," said Steven Swidler, an Auburn University professor who has studied flipping. "In other areas it could be putting it beyond the price points for affordable housing for some people. It’s all about location, location, location." more »
The Upheaval of a Broken Bar Stool and a 70-Gallon Fish Tank
Roberta McReynolds writes: At one point Mike tripped over the hose I was using to siphon water. It jerked out of my hands and sprayed water on the carpet and ... (you guessed it) ... the end of the new sofa. My recliner, to be exact. Fortunately the fabric had been treated to repel spills, but it didn't repel the psychological trauma in my mind. Ick! Jerry, our neighbor, grabbed one of the many towels I had spread out and wiped the sofa as I grabbed the hose and speculated about how high my blood pressure had just spiked.
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