Need Some Help With Ant Problems In Your Home?

The weather is getting warmer here in Philadelphia and I noticed that one day recently - actually a few days ago - I noticed ants in my kitchen! So I was looking online for articles about how to get rid of ants in your kitchen and I found a great online blog post with comments from others who have various solutions.

Some of their solutions involve chemicals but some of them have more natural solutions and I'm definitely going to try some of them!

Since I work from home I HATE any kind of distractions or things going wrong!

I hope this blog post helps you because I surely hope that it will help me!

How To Get Rid Of Ants


Without Calling An Exterminator

Another Repair! Wooden Steps!

I was stepping down the steps (I only have 2) on my back porch when part of the wood gave way! Of course I attribute this to all the rain that we have been getting in the Philadelphia area - in fact we have gotten quite a bit of rain in the last few months!

I would guess that the back porch is at least 10 years old and the whole back porch is made of wood and I'm really thinking how grateful I am that it was just the steps and not another part of the porch that gave way! (I just thought about this as I was typing this blog post!)

So now I have another repair that has to be done! I wonder how much it is going to cost me? No matter though because it is a repair that has to be done!

Mentally I'm going to have to remind myself to step carefully when I use those steps!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Who would have thought it would be so cold outside during this day in May that I would have to put my windows down because the heat came on!

That is exactly what happened to me today! Here in Philly the temperatures were in the 50's - hard to believe but it got so chilly inside that the heat started to come on so I had to put down all the windows. Don't want a big heating bill anytime soon!

I'm sure the weather will get warmer tomorrow but for now my windows are closed and the heat is on!

Winter Weather / Drafty Windows!

I'm upstairs now where the computer is and the room is quite cold because the winds are making the room drafty!

I live in Philadelphia and we have had a major snowstorm in the last 24 hours. What makes it even worse is that there are gusty winds outside and the windchill is going to go down to zero!

The window in this room is quite old - in fact I think it is the original window and to make it worse there is a crack in the window and I think that is where most of the cool air is coming from. Also too, the top of the window sill is slightly lowered and everytime I try to raise it up, it goes back down again!

I really do hate change and there are a couple of things that I could do to make this situation a little bit better. Number 1 - I have heard that using heavier curtains would help. Right now I still have the "summer" curtains which are made of very light material.

I tried sealing up the window crack with some duct tape - it doesn't look too pleasing but it does seal out some of the air.

If I got the window fixed that would help a lot but oh I don't want anyone to see the room because it is basically my computer room where I have all of my stuff and that stuff is a LOT of stuff - LOL! - but I'm thinking I'm going to have to get this window repaired at least by NEXT winter!

It wouldn't be so bad if the temperature outside was warmer but like I said the wind chills are expected to be zero!

In the meantime, I'm at work at the computer and its cold!

Actually mu ultimate would be to have a fireplace in this room and that is definitely on my wishlist. Not so much to save on the heating bills, I just like the look and feel of fireplaces and I would love to have one in EVERY room!

$187 Heating Bill!

Don't get me wrong - I love my house - but oh the heating bill!

It's been colder than usual the past 2 months and my heating bill is surely reflecting that!

My home is an older home and the windows - I believe - are still the original windows. There is one window in particular upstairs where I can definitely feel a draft when it is cold and windy outside but I have yet to repair that window! The other windows are still working fine and the doors have those thingies on them - meaning a flap-like plastic that goes on the bottom of the door to keep the wind out.

I have already had my home assessed as to how to help save on my heating bill and I did recive a new boiler heating system courtesy of one of those government grants programs. I don't know if I'll get my home re-evaluated again because nothing has really changed as far as any improvements or repairs to the house is concerned.

I have a gas heater and my stove also runs on gas as well. Now when my home was assessed for energy efficiency I remember the man telling me that using the oven uses a lot of gas and to try and use it as less as possible but I just can't see not enjoying the use of my stove from time to time! I mean what's the point in having a stove if you don't use it?

During the summer I can't complain because my heating bill is sometimes less than $20! It's just during the winter months when the heating bill is much higher (much, much higher!)

I am grateful though to even be able to HAVE heat and it's such a nice feeling to be able to come into a warm house after being out in the cold!

I just have to compromise! I work at home so that gives me some "leeway" as far as my income is concerned - meaning that I don't have a fixed salary and I can earn as much as I want (and am able to). I just have to earn more money and budget my heating expenses!

I like coming home to a warm house!

By the way, I'm still working on that fireplace!

I Can Feel The Chilliness Of The Air!

I can't believe that it is getting so much more chillier than what seemed only a few days ago! The first official start of the autumn / fall season is next week but I just wasn't prepared for it to be coming so soon! Time is going by so quickly!

Once I found out that the temperature would drop to the 60's during the night I wondered about my thermostat! If the temperature dropped to the 60's then it would definitely come on and that would mark the first time that the thermostat would be coming on since last spring!

Of course I worry about my heating bill being too high (something I have to work on!) and I didn't want the heat to "kick" on too soon! But then again I don't want to freeze in my own house either!

Keeping in mind past records of my heating bills, the winter months are the most expensive - as my heating bill has been as high as $300! (There was a grant program that I applied for last year and got.) So I just want to delay the heat kicking in for as long as I can!

But this is the perfect time to do some reflecting though because after seeing the devastation that has occurred in Texas over Hurricane Gustav, I realize that I have a lot to be grateful for!

And I VOW to become a Millionaire!

Are You Ready For The Switch To Digital TV?

If you don't know it by now we all have to make the switch to digital tv by February 2009!

That means that if the television set(s) that you have are not digital-tv-ready then you will either have to get a converter for your tv or buy a new tv that is digital ready.

If you already have a satalite dish, a dish network subscription or you have cable then this does not apply to you.

The government is providing coupons for those that want to by a converter box to make their tv's digital-ready. You can request one coupon now, and one later, but no more than two per household. They expire 90 days after they are mailed.

Here is the information that you need to know in order to get your coupon(s) for the tv converter:

Order coupons on line at www.DTV2009.gov

Order by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009

Order by mail at PO Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208

Or order by fax at 1-877-DTV-4ME2

Daylight Savings Time Has Begun!

Well I hope that you remembered to turn your clocks ahead 1 hour early this morning!

With the recent power outtages that we have been having in my area I have been changing clocks all month!

My cellphone clock took a while to "kick in" with the daylight savings time thing but I'm glad because now I don't have to worry about figuring out how to change the clock on my cellphone!

My computer's clock already "kicked in" with the daylight savings thing so all I really have to worry about are the regular clocks that are ALL around the house! I did notice that I'm going to have to update the thermostat clock - although I'm toying with the idea of leaving it like it is - LOL!