Fixing a Broken Vertical Blind Slat

There are times in life where you just need to get something fixed, quickly, simply and cheaply.  I ran into one of those times when we were renting in MI.  I swear that those cheap vertical blinds that they put in rentals are designed to break thereby giving them a reason to not give you your security deposit back.  Also to remind you that living is sad.  You’re left to stare at blinds with missing slats knowing you can’t replace them, sometimes you can’t even hide them with curtains.  Well no more!  Today we take back our happy!  We get back our security deposit!

Read on gentle viewer for the solution to your vertical blind dilemma.

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Planning A Fruit Orchard In The Woods

I have dreamed of having a yard filled with edible delights for years.  My vision was to have vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, grapes, and flowers all living together in a happy yard filled with the sound of birds and humming bees dappled in golden sunshine, sigh.  I think I might be a hobbit.

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Basement Lettuce Why We Grow It

It started upstairs.      In our bedroom.  Last year it moved to the basement.  As weather allowed the lettuce and spinach moved outside.

I think we are done with that.  The biggest reason?

We are much more likely to harvest and eat the lettuce if it’s inside.  The box we typically grow in sits in view of the kitchen window just across the driveway.  We have a cover over it and move plants outside by April.  The problem is we just don’t go out and harvest frequently.  Why?  I have no clue.  It might have something to do with the fact that Bill isn’t a big salad guy.  It might have something to do with the fact that when we bring it in we are pretty meticulous about cleaning it and that takes time.  Whatever the reason, inside works best for us.  Here is what we have learned:

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Food Forest Expansion – Fruit Tree and Grape Additions

More than 40 years ago I lived on land out in the country.  In the front yard were two very old apple trees.  One needed to be cut down, which made me sad, but the other flowered and fruited every year.  Come fall I had a brother-in-law who got very excited because he knew I was about to start baking apple pies and he was on the list of people to gift them to.  I have wanted fruit trees ever since then and this may be the year.

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Planning The 2026 Garden

Some things that have made gardening easier this year.  They cost money and you don’t need to spend a lot to get into gardening.  We have tried just about everything up here on the hill and at this point in our lives we have a pretty good idea of what has worked for us and what has not.  We fight the woods, meaning not having a lot of sunlight, leaves, trees/branches falling, and all the critters.  We fight bad dirt, it’s mostly rocks up here with some clay and landfill quality dirt.  We fight access to water, not as bad as what some have but enough to make keeping the garden well watered a chore. Continue reading

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Wall Repair

It all started with a tiny kitten, meet Scrubbrush. 

Aka Frisky, aka Wallace, aka Wally wall killer.  His mom showed up one day all alone. After deciding we would do, she brought this guy back with her.  Sick, hungry, crying the only choice was take them in, it was a trap.  The first indicator of trouble happened when he shredded the wallpaper in the master bedroom.  Our house was on the market, I had none of this 30 year old wallpaper to do a repair with so I took it down, sanded, patched, and painted.  This is known as foreshadowing.

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Reviving an Old Snow Blower

Gilson ST826

We found an old Gilson ST826 26 inch snow blower at the Purdue University salvage store, probably 10 years ago.  It only cost us $75.  They said it ran, but ran rough.  So I figured I’d tinker with it to see if I could get it running.

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Renter Friendly, Inexpensive, Easy Frame For Bathroom Mirror

We have lived here for around 18 or 19 years.  Our master bathroom has undergone some changes, different flooring, wall colors, wallpaper removal, and even painting the cabinets.  One thing that has never changed are the mirrors.  Unframed, large, blank canvas mirrors firmly fastened to the walls.  They didn’t “bother” me but they bothered me.

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Tote Scan Inventory Software Update

How has Tote Scan been working?  The answer is we love it! Continue reading

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ToteScan Inventory Software Review

totescan label software

It Rocks. You can find more information on their website here?

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