In today’s housing market being the Buyer is the best of both worlds. The cards are all stacked in your favor. You can choose the best realty agency in your neighborhood and interview the agent you want to work with. You can determine the time and places you would like to visit as well as being firm on the price range you will pay. Don’t hesitate to ask all and every question that is of utmost importance to you, such as location and types of schools in the area, what the house originally sold for, taxes, maintenance expenses, association fees, all improvements done on the house, etc.  Read more...

It’s been quite a while since I posted on my Blog and it is mainly due to the fact I have been busy trying to sell our homes, one in Ohio, and our home in Florida. My husband George and I, now in our senior years, have decided to plan our retirement years in a smaller dwelling and one free of “stuff”. For many out there it must seem like such a luxury to have two homes. Yes, it may seem that way in today’s economic environment, but after many years of dedicating our lives to working and raising children, having a second home was more than just a luxury. It was something we worked towards to enjoy our retirement with family and friends.  Read more...

Have you checked lately how many kitchen gadgets you possess and how many you really use? Hello!

I never gave this much thought until I viewed Christopher Lowell’s latest Ask Christopher innovation on Too Many Gadgets. I have kitchen drawers filled with many gadgets that I probably can open a kitchen gadget store. Thanks to Mr. Lowell, I plan to become a more efficient cook in my kitchen.  Read more...

Need some suggestions for a gift to a family member who loves to cook, or for that special friend who has everything, well, how about a good cookbook?  I am always blown away by the huge selections of cookbooks available in the bookstores or online. It would take me days to go through all of them before I found the one that I feel will meet my needs. Today’s cookbooks are so well photographed and sometimes that alone would draw a novice to make a purchase only to find the recipes are not easy to follow.  Read more...

For most of my long years cooking for family and friends, I have used electric cooktops and electric ovens. I could not wait for the day when I would have a gas range. My dream finally was realized when we moved to our Florida home. My eyes could not believe the size and beauty of this popular brand gas stove in my kitchen. It was brand new and I would be the first to try it out. It’s been five years now that I have been cooking with gas and I have to admit I would go back to electric in a heart-beat. That statement probably has ruffled a lot of feathers of diehard gas oven cooks and chefs!  Read more...

The holidays will be here before we know it and this year I will give gifts that are used in the kitchen. It seems more and more people are cooking meals at home rather than going out to eat. This can be difficult for a cook who is not equipped with the right essentials.

Since I have been cooking for umpteen years, I have found some equipment that I cannot do without. Hopefully, this list will give you some ideas for those on your gift list. You can find many of these items in discount stores, or on sale, and even better on line. Searching the web gives you more opportunity to compare prices and many vendors offer free shipping.  Read more...

“This Is It” is an unforgettable documentary showing Michael Jackson in rehearsal for the show he was planning on taking on tour before his untimely death. Whether you are a fan of Michael’s or not, you will get to see the talent, genius, and dedication he had for his fans, his staff, and the talented young people who were chosen to appear with him on stage for a World tour of 50 shows entitled “This Is It”! Their devotion to him as well truly comes across in this film.  Read more...

It gives me great pleasure to post a film review by my son John:

Films based on children’s books can be a tricky proposition. Often kids’ books don’t contain enough plot to sustain a feature-length film. What works well on the page can translate poorly to the big screen. All the digital effects in Hollywood cannot make up for a thin plot that may otherwise work in short, illustrated book-form. Did we really need a big-budget version of The Cat in the Hat? For a children’s film to stand on its own merits, there has to be a journey that the audience is willing to take.  Read more...

ATTENTION ALL COOKS (beginners, intermediates, and experts)! A truly enjoyable movie based on a true story was released this weekend, Julie & Julia, which is well worth seeing, A+. It’s based on the lives of two women, Julia Child a legendary world-renowned chef, author, and television personality and Julie Powell, who wrote the original story.  Read more...