Category: HOME

Welcome New Puppy After the Holidays

Q: Our daughter, who recently bought her first house, has been talking about getting a puppy. She will be hosting Hanukkah this year, and we’d love to see her face when a cute little puppy sporting a big blue bow springs from the box we give her. However, we’re nervous about giving her a pet…


Install Brass Water Faucets That Don’t Tarnish

Dear James: My brass kitchen faucet works, but after only two years, the finish is tarnished. How do I install a new one and what types are tarnish-resistant? — Tea S. Dear Tea: Try cleaning the tarnished brass surfaces before running out to buy a new faucet. There are many brass cleaners available that are…


More Gift Ideas for Gardeners

If you have been reading this Greener View column for a while, you know I have a “glove” affair with warm clothes. However, gardening is mostly done in the hot and sunny summer, so clothes that keep us protected from the sun are also very useful gift ideas. In the past few months, several people…


Ask Me Anything: Cost of Ice, DIY Whipped Butter, Elderly Turkey, EC en Espanol

Dear Mary: My husband says that it costs more to make ice in the freezer than to buy it in bags. I find that hard to believe. Do you know the answer? — J.M. Dear J.M.: Let’s say a 10-pound bag of ice at the store costs $2. Two dollars’ worth of water from your…


The 6 Most Common Holiday Stains and How to Remove Them

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — until a guest at your holiday party spills red wine all over your living room carpet. Or sloshes their coffee across your best table linens. Holiday mishaps happen, but there’s no need to panic. You can remove many of the most common stains with a few…


The Difference Between Mediation and Litigation

Dear Monty: We recently sold our home. Everything went smoothly from beginning to end. A week ago, we received a letter from the buyer. They want us to write a substantial check because they discovered a problem they claim we failed to disclose. The reason for contacting you is that they are requesting that we…


The Secret to Better Oatmeal Is Your Rice Cooker

It’s not that cooking oatmeal the regular way is hard — but rice cooker oatmeal is so much easier. And who wants to spend the time standing over a stove stirring a pot anyways? Plus, most rice cookers also have the benefit of easy-to-clean nonstick pots. That’s right — no more scraping scorched oats off…


Reader Needs Help With Kitchen Faucet Confusion

By Ed Del Grande From Tribune News Service Q: Ed: We need a new kitchen faucet but I’m confused with my pullout or pull-down choices. I never had either type before and I want to make the right move. To help me decide, what are some advantages with each pull-style kitchen faucet? — Liz, Texas…


What Are Winter Rooftop Risks?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi Your roof is one of the most highly visible and important elements of your home. It works every hour of every day to protect your home from the elements, including heat, driving wind and snow. It’s easy to think of your roof as a stalwart defender, but…


The Secret for a Debt-Free Holiday Season in a Single Word

It’s not exactly a new word to me. But I’m pretty sure I’d never actually used the word “pre-determine” in a sentence until my pastor referred to it recently — and in a way that turned on a bright light in my noggin. To pre-determine is to make a decision in advance. That describes perfectly…