Friday

tip-o-day

For those of us who don't water their lawns, this dry, hot summer has wreaked havoc on our grass. Large portions of my lawn look brown and dead.

This is fine, the lawn will spring back - but its also an opportunity for crabgrass to move in quickly.
Normally, I am not so concerned with crabgrass because it is an annual weed and can be controlled as such. However, there are steps you can take to prevent it from taking over your lawn.

While most people are familiar with putting down a crabgrass preventative in the spring, it can also be a good idea to reapply during these hazy days of summer.
For this second application, use a crabacide with no fertilizer. The formulations we use early in the season would simply stress the grass at this time of year.

This is an easy application and can be put down any time of the day with no worries about rain.
I suggest doing it on an afternoon just prior to cocktail hour.

Friday

tip-o-day

Have you had occasion to have a service/repair person over to the house who gave you such great service that you just wanted to run up and hug them?

I like to keep a couple *bucks cards in small denominations tucked in a drawer.
That way - I can thank such a person instantly (without the hugging).

Instead of tipping with money I can say:
Hey - thanks so much... can I buy you a cup of coffee.

Friday

tip-o-day

Don't forget to clean your washer and dryer as you do your other appliances.

Just because your machines may be tucked away in a closet or the basement is no reason to let grime and lint build up.

You don't want your home laundry to look like an unkempt public laundry mat. Any place were cleaning is the primary purpose (such as your bathroom and kitchens) should be maintained to the highest of standards.

An excellent example of this is when Ferris comes home from his college apartment* and says "Why do I feel so much cleaner when I get out of our shower here at home."

For top loading washers - wipe the area around the tub and up under the lid. Any dirt left here can be transferred to your clean clothes. For front loaders - be sure to occasionally wipe the inside of the glass door and all around and under the door gasket. Mold and mildew can develop here if left moist. Also with front loaders be sure to run bleach loads regularly. Clean the top and around the dials of both types of machines to keep them looking new and shiny.

For the dryer - lint is really the enemy. To keep lint at a minimum, be sure not to use too much detergent. Clean the lint after EVERY load. And every so often vacuum out any areas you can reach where lint may collect. You can even buy a special attachment for the vacuum to reach way in under the lint screen.
Remember excess lint in the dryer is a fire hazard.

The outside of the dryer should only require the occasional wiping off. If you have laundry detergent spills there ...for goodness sakes - wipe them up immediately.

Your laundry machines take very little exterior abuse, and can look like new even after a decade of use with minimal care.

* a most tidy college apartment I might add

Friday

tip-o-day

If you work on a computer all day like I do, and find yourself experiencing neck, shoulder or back pain you may want to readjust your seating vs. keyboard position.
Try a keyboard tray, or raising your chair height. Be sure your shoulders are not hunched.

In all cases, typing all day is a rather unnatural position to hold your arms and torso in... so do try to get up often, stretch... maybe take a little stroll around the office.