New York Renovator

I guess you could say the week is “in the bag.”

Man, it’s been hot. They say there are only two seasons in Upstate New York: winter and July. I’m really hoping the summer cools off, come August.

When we came back from our day trip to New York City, I brought back a few goodies for the boys and for Livvy– she got the Macy’s bag.

Macy’s, by the way, was INSANE. I hadn’t been there in 25 years, and looks like I haven’t missed much. I needed a sweatshirt to keep warm on the train ride home– the train was FREEZING all the way down to the city, and horribly uncomfortable. I figured I could pop in and out of some clothing store and grab a cheap jacket, like I used to in the “olden days” when I lived here in the 1980s. Boy, was I wrong.

Macy’s was totally packed, totally packed. This was on a Tuesday, so I can’t imagine what the place must be like on the weekends. Additionally, the entire store was plastered with advertisements– blinking, flashing, noisy billboards and video screens filled with immodest slithering bodies. Girls were lined up all along the aisles, thrusting bottles of perfume and soaps into the faces of passers by. It was intolerable, really. We left the place as soon as we could, as soon as we could turn around in the swirling, sweating mass of humanity and noise. Yuk!

It was good to be home. And Livvy was so happy to see us come back. She hopped into the bag as soon as I set it down. She has no idea the great sacrifices we made to get it for her.

Happy weekend, friends. It’s SO GOOD to be back Upstate.

I have a home business. Somewhere in here, lol. It’s kind of in limbo right now, because of our ongoing renovations… but I DO actually have a home office here at home. I am realizing how very, very important it is to have a quiet, tidy, and organized home office, because mine is always dirty and chaotic right now. If it’s not filling up with plaster dust wafting in from the demolished kitchen, then it’s full of sneakers, dishes, boxes, pet supplies, and more…. wow I sure miss my tidy, organized space! I will have it, soon, once the kitchen and dining room are rebuilt and organized again.

I’m rethinking a lot of the organization here. My house has no storage space– there’s no attic (not for storage, anyway!) and the basement floods. So the only space I have is the attached garage… and the small bedroom closets.. and my office here in the living room. :-p Thank God that Buy.com has a special section for office storage and desk workstations. I’ve been looking into getting a corner desk (those are such great space savers), and other things like bookshelves and carts. This Kathy Ireland Huntington Club Executive Desk is absolutely gorgeous. Wow, this would look SO good in my living room. At $1300 and some change, it had better! It’s not in my budget right now, but it’s definitely what I’m looking for in a desk: warm wood tones, a furniture-like appearance, and lots of drawers.

If you;re inthe market for office supplies, or even school supplies since school is right around the corner, you should definitely check out Buy.com. They have loads and loads of stuff for the office and school: binders, storage boxes, desk organizers, pens and pencils and everything that goes with them, file cabinets, desk chairs, printers, tape, staplers, everything! The prices are very good, and Buy.com’s shipping is SUPERB bar none. When I order stuff from Buy.com, it is always here in a matter of a day or two, even with free shipping. They are just amazing with their customer service. I haven’t found anyone better than Buy.com, and I do a lot of online shopping, believe me.

Anyway, do check them out. Buy.com is renowned for their exceptional electronics deals– they have them every week and weekend– but they are also a great place to get everything else, like household goods, clothing, books, household supplies, and more.

All my kids love tools. One of the first “big kid” gifts I gave my daughter (years ago now!) was a hammer. She was SO happy! lol! I know the feeling– your very first HAMMER! Remember yours? Oooo the feel of that icy cold metal and the spunky rubber grip that fit so well in your hand; and remember the melodic clang of the hammer head as it hits your thumb the nail? Yes!! Brings back such memories!

I intend on getting all my kids their own tool kits when they are old enough. I still have two more to go! Here’s a really, really nice one– it’s the Trailworthy 25 Piece Tool Kit with Flashlight. Very nice! It’s on sale right now at Buy.com, 79% off for $10, with free shipping. It’s a perfect gift for a kid! They can fix their own bike, make their own birdhouse, take the set camping– and before you know it, they MAY even be renovating that horrible kitchen with the ikky orange laminate countertops!

The Trailworthy is nice– it has those small precision screwdrivers (that we are ALWAYS losing around here) and a very nice and sturdy plastic case. The flashlight takes 4 AA batteries. I love the pistol grip ratchet drive. The price is definitely right.

There’s more to be found at Buy.com! I love them. I’ve ordered quite a few things from them, and the shipping is incredible! Good service, good prices– Buy.com is a great place to shop. Right now they have some good deals going on for the holidays. You can shop by price, by item, by sale.

Quite a number of weeks ago, I signed up for a Brylane Home freebie; since then, I’ve been getting their catalogs in the mail regularly. I’m not very fond of shopping catalogs at all, but I took a peek at the Brylane Home, and I’m pretty impressed– impressed enough to mention it here! I think they have excellent prices. I’ve been in need of some new cookware (and my bread machine died and I STILL haven’t replaced it), so I’ve been keen on housewares stores. I’ve been very dissatisfied with WalMart’s stuff– the stuff breaks or the non-stick coating wears off after minimal use— and refuse to buy any housewares there anymore. So I really like Brylane Home’s stuff, and I think things are very well priced. They have not asked me to mention them; I’m doing so because I like what I see and I thought you might benefit from it, too. The Brylane Home website is here. The prices on the website are the same as in the catalogs I get. While the inventory is good, you won’t find car accessories and everything under the sun here– just cookware, housewares, linens, bedding and bath stuff, etc. With the holidays coming and everyone’s attention turning to cooking and decorating the home, you may like the deals!

Unbelievable. After a soggy spring, a frost in June, and a cold chilly July… now that it’s August, we’re sweltering under high 80F/ low 90F degree temperatures. Hey, I know it’s nothing compared to what you guys in the Philippines and Malaysia suffer, but I’m one of the Frozen Chosen up here in the frosty New York wildlands! And now that it’s August, the kids are gearing up for school… which means we are shopping for AUTUMN and WINTER clothing and shoes in sweltering hot weather. Ick. Now don’t get me wrong– I like shopping! But trying on sweaters for January when it’s 90F in August… not so hot.

But some stores do make the shopping experience fun. I try to shop as much as I can online, too. GREAT DEALS are online, people! Here’s a premier online store with some of the best outdoor clothing and school gear I’ve seen: Webtogs.co.uk. They are based in the UK, and are having an end of summer sale with great prices. Messenger bags are a very hot commodity (plus they are SO convenient). I saw this bag, here. Wouldn’t it be perfect for one of the girls? I love it! And I think messenger bags are better than backpacks– less strain on the back, they are big enough for books, and they are padded to hold netbooks and laptops.

If you’re looking for superior, quality clothing, footwear, camping equipment, backpacks and carrying bags, clothing accessories for active kids, and more, you really should look at what Webtogs.co.uk has to offer. And on top of their end of summer sale, they are offering free shipping across EU. They also have a 60-day ZERO Hassle Return policy. Their inventory is great– perfect for the active family, the outdoor family, or for those who just want to ooze style and coolness for school. Check out Webtogs.co.uk!

Well, it’s FINALLY getting to be good weather, people! After a soggy, cloudy winter and a soggy, cloudy spring, summer is finally here. And… it’s been soggy and cloudy! :-p I have very high hopes for July and August. And I have promised that I will take the kids camping sometime in the fall (maybe even late fall). I like the cooler weather (but not soggy cool weather) and for me, camping in October or November is the best time. I would even be willing to do some winter camping sometime (there’s a group here in Upstate New York that goes winter camping in the Adirondacks, all winter long).

Of course, camping in the fall or winter calls for better gear and clothing than the usual cheapo-Chinese made Walmart brand plastic pup tent and flip-flops. Some of the highest-rated yet still affordable gear I’ve seen is the North Face line. They have some outstanding travel and camping supplies. North Face offers one of the best and most popular hydration packs in the market (North Face is known for its quality). These are perfect accessories for hiking the high hills of Central Europe, or the Alps, or the lofty Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York (something we are going to accomplish sometime soon!). They are so stylish that I am sure I could get the kids to carry mine so I wouldn’t have to.

North Face also has some very nice fleece jackets. I love fleece during the cold months– quilted coats and laminated fabric coats are too restrictive to me. Fleece is great, because it’s soft and very flexible, but also very warm. North Face has those, too, for travelers and campers of all ages. Check out the Webtogs website where North Face is sold– I’m sure you’ll find something that makes you go “wow!” North Face is known for it’s versatile, athletic, high quality products. And right now, Webtogs is offering free shipping across the EU. And this is on top of the excellent deals and sales already going on. Check it out!

It’s hard to believe that it is JUNE already, people! Father’s Day is just several days away. If you’ve been scrambling for ideas for gifts for the Dad of the family, maybe I can lend some assistance. —> Men love their power tools. Take your pick:

-OR- [...]

AKA, “Tips For Guys.” Especially when it comes to jewelry. Guys, don’t just grope in the dark, finding fine frippery for your female. (hee hee, that was fun, typing that). Seriously, there’s a very nice website that just doesn’t throw expensive rings in your face– they give you advice on finding that perfect gem for your gal– BellaTrue.com. Look for the Tips for Guys section. They have a very enlightening (and very sweet) collection of short articles on what to get, when to get, how to get, and the best times to get those special keepsakes for your woman. I really liked the Anniversary Guide (OMG I’m coming up on the Yellow Diamond, Emerald year!!!). The What to Give, When article is so nice, too!

“Cultivate the power of the small gesture,” it says.
Isn’t that dreamy??

Forget all this winter stuff! I used to like winter! :-p  Well, at least I used to like winter into February; I guess I’m tired of it early this year! My eyes are STARVED for something green again!

What really happened was I made the mistake of browsing through my photos of last year’s gardens. Now I am discontent. :S

Anyway… winter can be a nice time to “chill.” haha. Can you believe I got a seed catalog in the mail already? (And can you believe I thoroughly combed through it already?! lol!). This year we are hoping to make a very nice patio outdoors in the backyard. I have to remove some asphalt and lay some concrete paving (with my trusty Quikrete concrete mold). I’m really looking forward to sitting outside on those warm summer evenings, sitting on my… my…. oh yeah, I have nothing to sit on! lol! How about you? Starved for summer gardens and outdoor living again? It’s never too early to plan ahead. I’m going to get some lovely, comfortable patio furniture this year (I’ve been saving up). We have that old Walmart plastic junk but I can’t sit in those chairs, due to my back (strains the herniated disk). I saw these and my jaw dropped ot the floor. Isn’t that set gorgeous?! It looks so cushy and comfy, too. It’s from TodaysSwimandPatio.com, an online store that covers everything we need for anything outdoors. Pool stuff, patio umbrellas, furniture covers, outdoor heating accessories, and a glorious selection of patio furniture, and more.  They even have artificial Christmas trees, if you want to be uber-prepared for next year! Just looking at the photos at the site gives me loads of ideas. Check them out! The company is based in Mesa, Arizona, and have been in the business since 1979. You can email them or call their toll-free number for a quote. Niiiice stuff!

Need some cool gift ideas? Lookie what I found– the MEGA Brands toy store! They have some really neat stuff! You can search by age category, toy brand, type of toy, and by price. The website is really cute and interactive, too. Kids would LOOOVE it. There are free games to play on the site, it’s amazing! There’s a terrific King Arthur game that my young son would love to play.. er, make that– he’s playing it now!

Hey, move over I have to write my post! (He’s pretty good– how do kids do that so well?!)

OK OK… this is an amazing and fun website. They have games, an activity center, articles and ideas for parents, a consumer services section, instruction manuals, and an area where you can browse some very cool toys. My pre-teen and teenage boys are into construction stuff, like MagNext stuff and the iCoaster, and at the MEGA Brands site they can browse through the different models.

MEGA Brand is well known for their toys for very young children, too. My kids have always had MEGA Brands toys; MEGA Brand stuff is very durable and very affordable.

Check out the site, it’s a great place for all ages. And you may want to bookmark it for when company arrives over the holidays- this site is kid-safe and will keep them busy for hours.

OK, I have to go now. My son wants to continue his game…. :S