Archive for June, 2009
HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTORS – HOW TO MAKE INFORMED HIRING DECISIONS
When we talk of home improvement contractors we are referring to people qualified to undertake the smaller tasks, like installing new flooring, cabinets and windows or maybe revamping the landscaping. They are not to be confused with general contractors who undertake the bigger jobs like adding on rooms or remodeling an existing property. The reason I stress the difference is because many people tend to hire a general contractor when a home improvement one will do well enough. Knowing the difference can be a money saver!In order to avoid any confusion over when to hire home improvement contractors and when to hire general contractors, follow this simple rule of thumb: if your job is estimated to take over a week to complete; if the job requires several pros to complete and if your job will require application for a permit(s) then hire a general contractor. Simple once you know how! Don't forget to use the word residential, that way you don't waste time dealing with commercial or industrial specialists first before you find the right person.What is important is that you find the right home improvement contractors who will do the job honestly and not cheat you. How do you .. more »
THE SECRET GARDEN BY FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT – BOOK REVIEW
The natural order of life is for people to grow, evolve, and have the ability to adapt to change. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is really about the transformative power of finding "passion" which gives meaning to life. The author's writing is very vivid, and the words jump off the pages and transport readers into the story where they become a participant versus a passive observer.First published in 1911, The Secret Garden is a story about 10-year old Mary Lennox, a self-absorbed, sour and sickly girl who becomes an orphan when a cholera epidemic kills her parents and the staff at their home in India. Mary is sent to Misselthwaite Manor in the United Kingdom to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven who is still grieving 10 years after his wife's death. Shortly after Mary's arrival, Archibald leaves on a journey to heal his aching and grieving heart.At the Manor, chambermaid Martha is the only one who has time for Mary, and she regales the child with tales about living on the moor. Martha also talks about her brother Dickon Sowerby, a spirited lad with a kind disposition, who has a "green thumb" and the unique ability to .. more »