I know it's difficult to imagine, but this is something that you really should spend some time thinking about. What would you do in the event of a house fire? Do you and your family know what to do in case you got up in the middle of the night and smelled smoke or saw fire and flames? If not, this is the time to review some life-saving tips and make sure you share them with your loved o... read more »

If you don't know anyone who already lives in San Francisco, your best resource for finding an apartment will be the housing section of Craigslist. Unfortunately, when you first look at Craigslist, most of the apartments available will either be out of your price range or in an undesirable area. Don't get discouraged--good deals on great apartments show up from time to time but they a... read more »

It seems that some folks are blessed each year with always being the visitor for Thanksgiving dinner and not the cook. It usually works out that those same people disappear when it comes time to clean up and do the dishes. At least that's how it worked as far back as I can remember. Nonetheless I think I can help make this years Thanksgiving dinner a little lighter on the wallet or purse ... read more »

GARDENING WITH BULBS The bulb is one of nature's greatest inventions. Bulbs enables the plants to lie dormant, withstanding long periods of harsh conditions until the plants bloom again. Generally, a bulb is an enlarged portion of root or stem that has a storehouse of energy that is released when favorable conditions cause it to break dormancy. The bulb then sprouts leaves, and produce... read more »

That you have somehow managed to use a computer and the internet to access this page and yet cannot manage to handwash your own dishes is truly extraordinary. Maybe you're a spoiled brat, accustomed to all of the modern conveniences, like dishwashers, but you've fallen on hard times and are now reduced to washing dishes in the kitchen of a mediocre Tex-Mex restaurant in exchange for you... read more »

Sometimes all we need in life is a little direction or information to make everyday life a little more enjoyable or less stressful. I once shared with a very busy mother of three that making a little more food on her Sunday night dinner could make Monday school lunches easier to manage. She could fix the lunches Sunday night while she cleaned up from dinner. Easy enough I know, but not if you nev... read more »

1. Collect Garbage Take an extra large kitchen garbage bag and do a walk-around of the apartment, collecting all the garbage you see on the floor, on tables, etc. You should also take all the garbage out of garbage cans while you're at it, since these tend to overflow when the apartment is in a messy state, drawing your guest's attention. Make sure to take the garbage bags out right ... read more »

One of the most popular vegetables you'll find growing in gardens (besides tomatoes) is zucchini. It's a great vegetable to plant, since they are usually tremendously prolific, and if given enough room, plant food and water, each zucchini will yield multiple large fruit. However, after a certain point, you may say "Enough already!" You will be up to your ears in zucchini, as... read more »

Perhaps you've taken a look around your yard and feel that some of your bushes would look better in other locations. How do you move the bush without killing it or without spending a fortune asking someone else to do it? Here are some tips that will help you successfully dig up and transplant a bush or small tree. Do it sooner rather than later This means, the younger the tree or bush, the... read more »

This is the season for pumpkins. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all synonymous with pumpkins, whether you're carving them for decorations or using them for your pies and desserts. Pound for pound, pumpkins are affordable, delicious and nutritious. But do you know how to pick a pumpkin? With so many from which to choose at the grocery store, how can you tell which pumpkin is the... read more »