HeidiLA's Profile

Sit on an exercise ball. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/jobs/working-out-inside-the-office.html

Poor thing. So sorry.

Fresh! I like it!

There are things we'd like to chuck even though we feel some emotional attachment to them. Consider taking a picture of those things. That helped me. A little later, my next step was to donate them.

It feels cozy and spacious--excellent!

I've been experimenting with oil-free salad dressing recipes lately and learned to add nutrional yeast and water (in equal parts) to cut the intense flavors of the other ingredients yet provide the consistency I'm used to.

I don't think I would touch a dead animal larger than a rat--I'll pay handsomely to have someone else deal with it, particularly if it's under the house. I'll retexture, prime, and paint inside, but I'll pay professionals to handle outside stucco and paint, the roof, plumbing, and electrical issues. I paid someone to refurbish the pool, but I maintain it myself. And I relandscaped my yard after paying someone to do the back. Apparently, much of this comes down to expertise (if I don't have enough, I'll pay for it to be done) and money (if I don't have enough, I'll try to do it myself). But the dead animals creep me out.

Really good soap, a box of beautiful blank cards, and cash.

I vote the "handmade Soho medallion light blue New Zealand wool rug." Anything resembling polka dots makes my heart soft.

Experience as the president of a homeowners' association taught me to make a list of what would need to be repaired our replaced. This included things that were in fine shape but I knew would need attention eventually. A brand-new roof, for example, will need to be replaced in another 20 years or so. I calculated each expense and about when I could expect to have the work done. I turned that into a monthly expense and committed myself to putting that much money aside. A homeowners' association will call this a reserve study, and it makes a lot of sense.