Get Your Home Fall Ready

The calendar now says October so that means cozy sweaters, stylish boots and pumpkin yummies. It also means so much needs to be done outside your home to get it ready for the upcoming winter. This week evening temperatures may dip down to the low 20's here in Missoula, that's cold. Here is a To-Do list of what needs to be done before the snow arrives. *Make sure your hoses are removed from all the outside spickets, believe me when I tell you this can save you a homeowners insurance claim. *Have your sprinklers blown out, as this prevents pipes from freezing and ruining your sprinkler system. *Clean out your gutters and remove leaves and other debris as this can clog up and keep water in there which will eventually go under your shingles and cause water damage. *Rake up the leaves as dead leaves sitting on your grass all winter may kill the grass. *Caulk cracks in wood base windows and other entry points to help seal in the heat for this winter. *Trim trees and bushes as heavy snow and ice can cause them to crash into your home if they are not taken care of now. *Don't forget to add some cornstalks, hay bales, pumpkins and other fall items to spruce up your outside.

What SUP?

What SUP? Say that fast and you may get "not much" as a response as it sounds like what's up? What's up is the Clark Fork River will be hosting Missoula's first competitive paddleboard race July 21st. The Windermere SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) cup is a fundraiser for Missoula's river projects. The paddlers will race 5.3 miles downriver of the Clark Fork starting at the Sha-Ron fishing access all the way to Riverside Park area. It is open to elite and recreational paddlers. And will end with a Montana luau in Caras Park. Registration started last week and costs $80 for Elite and $50 for recreational racers before July 2nd. After then the fees go up to $100 and $70 for late registrars (July 3rd-July 20th). Register at supcupmt.com. Proceeds will benefit the Clark Fork River rehabilitation projects, including Brennan's Wave and watershed education. A $5,000 prize purse will be shared equally among the elite men and women’s divisions, and the recreational division will compete for trophies, prizes and laughter!

Keeping Up With the Joneses

Summertime is usually a time when you start thinking of outside chores. If this is the summer you plan to paint the outside of your home here are some hints and ideas to help you pick what's best to complement your home's style, curb appeal and your neighborhood! *Go outside your home and take a looksie around. Write down all the colors you see surrounding your home - green bushes, brown roof, red brick - you get the idea. You will want a color that will complement what you already have going on. *If your home receives lots of sunlight it is suggested that you choose a lighter color to paint as the sun will bleach out a darker color. Also, smaller homes look bigger and better with light colors, darker make them seem smaller. *I always drive around town and take notes of the homes I like and their color combos. *Don't forget about accent colors! You can add a lot with a little color around windows or painting the door. Happy Painting!

5 Easy Steps to Not Make Mom Mad

It's Earth week and what better time to remind you of a few easy steps you can easily do to help keep old Mother Earth happy and to make a better world for the next generation. Here are 5 easy steps to follow: #1. Must have your caffeine fix every day? Make sure if you are purchasing the fix that you are bringing your own travel mug. Most coffee shops paper cups are not recycable! #2. WALK. Walking is so much better for our environment and helps you feel a little better too. It's a win-win. #3. Buy local - you help local folks and it cuts down on fuel and shipping costs. #4. Read online. Reading the paper online reduces the land fills! and #5. Unplug - unplugging your appliances saves energy. Did you know if something is plugged in and even if it is turned off it is still draining power and electricity? May cut down your monthly bill as well. Come on. You know the old saying, if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Let's be happy.

Can you afford a home?

Real Estate Market Is Back!

Real Estate Is Back – 2013 ActiveRain Survey

Home ReSource - What a resource!

You've heard the name but have you actually been to Home ReSource or actually know what they do?  I had the pleasure of visiting there a few weeks back in need of a door. Didn't want to spend a lot of money so I thought I would check them out.

Wow! What an amazing place! It is a building materials re-use center and this place has everything from screws, a box tile or a full kitchen remodel. And can you save some bank! If you have a project that you are getting ready to start I would highly recommend visiting them at 1515 Wyoming before you get too deep and see what they have to offer for you next project/remodel.

Here are a few facts about Home ReSource -


     *Rates are competitive
     *If you donate materials you can receive a tax deduction
     *Saves about 95% of the energy that would be used to produce the same materials new
     *Helps people of all income levels improve their homes and neighborhoods
     *Did you know that lumber from earlier decades is more dense, drier and even stronger then     recent lumber? Even with nail holes!
     *They also work with local agencies to train men and women who have barriers to employment and teach them skills and get them into level entry positions.


Check them out :  http://www.homeresource.org/

And exactly who is this St. Valentine?

 

 

February - oh, the month of love. What do you think of? Hearts? Roses? Chocolate? Everybody has bought into this commercialized holiday but do we even know where it came from? Why do we spend money (and hopefully time) on this day to show the ones we love, that we, well, love them?

 

One legend exists that Valentine was a Catholic priest who served in ancient Roman times. When Emperor Claudius declared that single men where not able to marry because they made better soldiers than husbands, Valentine continued to marry these young men in secret. Valentine was sentenced to death when the emperor realized what he was doing. Not really the happy ending we all hope for, huh?

 

The holiday is celebrated in the US, Canada, the UK, Mexico and Australia to name a few.  Americans began exchanging and celebrating in the 1700's. In 1840 the first commercialized valentine card (with lace and all) was sold.

 

It is also the second largest day for card giving, Christmas ranks first. I would like to note that 85% of the card purchasers are women. Women? Oh wait, men purchase 73% of the flowers. So, it pretty much equals out.

 

Interesting Valentine Facts:

 

• Most cards are purchased in the week of Valentine's making it a Procrastinator's holiday.
• 220,000 is the average number of wedding proposals on Valentine's Day each year. (I wonder how many babies are born 9 months later)
• About 3 percent of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.
• Teachers will receive the most Valentine's Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.
• AND, more than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shining Waters, Montana?

Missoula is a beautiful, little town that over 68,000 of us call home, but do you know any of the history of our awesome town?

Missoula is a Salish Indian word meaning "by the shining waters".

*Founded in 1860 and originally called the Hell Gate Village.

*Lewis & Clark were in the area twice during their expedition

*In 1883 Northern Pacific Railway arrived to help booster the economy and lifestyle.

*1893 brought the first university in Montana to Missoula - University of Montana.

*The second largest city in Montana.

*In 1908 the US Forest Service came to town and in 1942 started training smokejumpers.

*Approximately 45 miles from the Idaho border.

*13,000 years ago Missoula was the bottom of a lake.

*Home to the International Heart Institute - St. Patrick's Hospital.

*The Norman Maclean book "A River Runs Through It" is based on the Missoula area.

 

Flags at Half Staff

 

When I see the flag at half staff I am immediately sadden. Sometimes I have to question why but sometimes it is obvious why it is there.  This made me realize I don't know where this tradition came from and talking to others they don't either. Here are some facts about the ritual that began in the 17th century. 

     *The term is half mast and not half mass

     *Half mast is the term describing flying a flag below the summit of the flagpole (mast). This is done in many countries as a symbol of respect and mourning.

     *Only flags on ships are flown at half mast, on land they are at half staff (interesting tid bit)

     *The US code establishes when they flag should be flown at half staff. See website       http://halfstaff.org/ for the whens and whys.

     *On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff

     *By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory

     *The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President

     *10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives

     *Federal law requires the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15), unless that day is also Armed Forces Day

     *New legislation was signed into effect on June 29, 2007, by President Bush, requiring any federal facility within a region, which proclaims half-staff to honor a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who died during active duty.

     * The United States of America is not the only country to observe this tradition. Other countries include; the UK, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Russia, New Zealand and Israel, just to name a few.

Oh Christmas Tree

It's that time of year again where you either pull your tree out of a box in your garage, find a local lot or cut your own Christmas tree down.  Whether you let the kids put up all their homemade ornaments or you decorate a tree Martha Stewart would be proud of, most US homes will be going through the process of putting up the perfect tree in the next few weeks.

Here are a few local places to start if you are in need -

• The Missoula Lions annual tree sale at the Fairgrounds. Profits go towards sight conservation and related projects are heavily emphasized for needy children and adults.
• The tree lot next Jokers Wild on North Reserve is using their profits to support local youth sports.  They offer delivery and pick up - 406-241-1450
• To cut your own down you need to get a permit. Permits are $5 a piece with a limit of 3 per family. They can be attained at the Lolo National Forest Rangers office located at Fort Missoula.

Can the Cats: A win, win for all

 

The 13th annual "Can the Cat" food drive starts tomorrow, November 3rd in Missoula.  The competition between UM Grizzlies and MSU Bobcats benefits the Missoula Food Bank.  The winner will be announced during the Brawl of the Wild, November 17th, 2012.

The Cats "claim" to have won most of the food drives, but, really the needy families in the Missoula and Bozeman areas are the real winners. We could always remind the Cats we have more wins on the football field!

The competition is based on weight, so heavier items like canned goods are best.  Cash donations are accepted and rated at $1.60 = 1 lb of food.  In the past over 40,000 pounds of food has been collected and every year they like to add to the last years numbers by at least 10,000+. The most requested items are tuna fish and peanut butter.

Albertsons will again have prepacked donation bags that can be purchased at the check out.  And this year, you can text NOURISH to 20222 and a one-time donation of $10.00 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance.  How easy is that? Boy, I love technology! There are no excuses not to get involved.

We would like to encourage businesses to challenge each other to competitions to see who can collect the most.  Let's give local families food on their tables AND Can the Cats!!!

Some local donation drop offs are: Missoula Food Bank, Karl Tyler Chevrolet, all Missoula Federal Credit Union locations, Noon stores, Orange Street Food, Mansfield Library, Worden's, Grizzly Grocery and Good Food Store just to name a few. To find out more "like" Can the Cats Canned Food Drive on Facebook or visit www.missoulafoodbank.org.

So what are you waiting for? There are no excuses to not get involved and Can those Cats!

U of M by the numbers

With a new school year beginning here is some interesting info on the local college in our little college town:

Total Applicants for 2011: 6092 with a 94% acceptance rate

In State Tuition: $5,476                                       Out of State Tuition: $17,764 (yikes!)

Student Faculty Ratio: 19:1                                  Graduation Rate: 44% (yikes again!)

Programs/Majors Offered: 108                             Out of State Students: 30%

Student Population by age: 18-19: 26%  20-21: 26% 22-24: 21% 25+: 26%

Campus Housing capacity: 3,425 with 79% being freshman

Current capacity of Washington-Grizzly Stadium: 25,217 with 49 private boxes

Grizzly Football players: 97 with 13 coaches

And let's hope at least 11 wins for the 2012 season! Up with Montana boys!

12 Olympic Facts You May Not Have Known

*The five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world – Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and every national flag in the world includes one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.

*Three continents – Africa, South America, and Antarctica – have never hosted an Olympics.

*Up until 1994 the Olympics were held every four years. Since then, the Winter and Summer games have alternated every two years.

*The last Olympic gold medals that were made entirely out of gold were awarded in 1912.

*Badminton, table tennis, and handball are the only official sports in which the U.S. has never won a medal.

*It wasn't until 1900 that women were allowed to participate in the Olympic Games.

*The earliest Olympic athlete was 10 and the oldest 60.

*The 1936 Berlin Olympics (also known as the ‘Nazi’ Olympics) were the first Olympic games to be televised.

*The Olympic games have been cancelled three times due to war; 1916, 1940 & 1944.

* London is the first city to ever host a modern Olympics three times.

*For the London 2012 Games, each medal is approximately 3.35 inches (85 mm) in diameter, about a quarter inch (.28 inches or 7 mm) in thickness, and weighs between 375-400 grams (13.2 to 14.1 ounces). The medals will be the heaviest and largest medals in Olympic history.

*Also more than $193,250 will be used to plate the medals that will be given out in the 2012 London Olympic games.

* And one last fact that I am sure you are now aware of, Michael Phelps, is the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals, 18 being gold.  Did I mention he is an American? Go USA!!!!

Floating Fun But Safety First

Floating is one of the favorite past times of Missoula residents. There is nothing better on a hot, sunny day to park your butt in a tube and work on floating your cares away.  But with this carefree activity also comes some planning and safety issues.

First of all, if you are not a strong swimmer please consider wearing a life jacket. What? You don't look cool in a life jacket? Do you look cool in a casket? I didn't think so.  You just never know what the river has to offer.  Children under 12 especially should always wear a life jacket when anywhere near a river. Heck, even your dog should have one! Safety first for all God's creatures!

I've come across some rapids in the smoothest sailing areas so you just never know. Try to avoid these areas as you can flip and the current can drag you down.  Stay away from logs and logjams as you can become entangled and even the strongest swimmer can't get out of.

So besides tubes what else should you bring for a float?

*Sunscreen - always practice skin safety!
*A rope or tie that can help get the tubes to the river but also to tie you and your friends together.
*I prefer to always wear water shoes or at least my Tevas securely fastened.
*An experienced floater familiar with the river and area.
*Two vehicles as you park one at the take out and one at the put in location.
*A plan of where you are headed and make sure you let someone know that plan so they know where to look if you aren't home in a timely manner.
*If you must partake in alcoholic beverages, be smart about it. As you are sitting in the sun all day you will need to re-hydrate with plenty of water and remember any garbage you take in - take out. We only have one earth!
*And have a blast!

The Dog Days of Summer

*Did you know "Dog Days" is a Latin term meaning sultry days of summer.  The Dog Days of Summer are typically in July and August. Actually the Old Farmer's Almanac lists them from July 3 - August 11.

*The average temp in Missoula for the "Dog Days" is the mid 80's. How great is that? Warm enough but not too hot. And the evening temps range about mid 50's - perfect sleeping weather. Especially if you are sleeping in a tent or under the stars.

*Missoula in the summer is the best! Osprey baseball games, floating rivers, hikes, Big Dipper ice cream, Caras park activities including watching the kayakers at Brennan's Wave - just to list a few fun things that summer brings to Zootown.
*The hottest Missoula temperature was 105 degrees recorded in 1951 both in July and August of that year. I'm thinking they didn't have air conditioning then or even Splash Montana to cool down with. Yikes!

*Summer of 2012 temperatures in Northwest Montana are supposed to be 30% above average so grab your coolers, intertubes and I'll meet you in Bonner. Let's float this summer away!

** Also, don't forget your furry friends and  keep them cool and out of vehicles these Dog Days of summer. Or else!!!!

Who Loves Your Daddy?

Father's Day is coming up this Sunday. That one Sunday a year we let Dad lay around and we cut the grass and grill the meat.  If you happen to have some money to spend on the old man, I have some ideas for you.

* Do you have a Dad that likes to fish? The summer in Montana, on the water,  aw man, there is nothing better.  Missoula is filled with some of the best fishing shops in the country.  Stop by Grizzly Hackle (www.grizzlyhackle.com) or Blackfoot River Outfitters (http://www.blackfootriver.com/) to name a few and pick up some supplies or a gift card.

*How about a hunter? Bob Ward's (http://www.bobwards.com/) at the Southgate Mall or Sportsman's Warehouse  out Reserve can help you find Dad the newest and greatest hunting gear.

*Does Dad like to yell?  I mean, does your Dad like to yell FORE?? Missoula is the home of one of the greatest golf bag companies in the world - Sun Mountain Sports (http://www.sunmountain.com/).  You can purchase these bags at nearly every golf course here in town. While stopping at Larchmont Golf Course, the Ranch Club or Canyon River Golf Course why not grab him a punch card for some golf outings.

*Is your Dad a toolman? Montana Ace Hardware (http://www.montanaace.com/) has everything and anything Dad may desire for his tool addiction.

*How about eating? What Dad doesn't like to eat? Missoula has some new yummy places to grab some serious grub at. Has Dad tried the new Tom Dooley's Grilled Gourmet Hot Dogs (http://tomdooleyshotdogs.com/) located in the Campus Inn? They got some of the best dogs or brats on a pretzel roll.  Yum! Or what about The Burger Shack (http://www.burgershackmt.com/)in the Holiday Village Center? Massive burgers at a great price. Is dad more a pizza or sandwich kinda guy? Try Philly West (http://phillywestmissoula.com/) downtown. Some of the best food ever.  


Now that you are all full of ideas get on out there and get Dad something great. He taught you how to catch a ball, drive a car and be a stand up citizen - it's the least you can do. 

A Handful of Things You Gotta Do With Your Kids This Summer

Want to have fun with your kids this summer? Want to be considered the greatest parent ever?  To accomplish this you must do this handful of things at least once this summer. Just five measly days you gotta give them out of the next ten weeks.  You totally got this.

#1.  Splash Montana.  http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/index.aspx?NID=169

You haven't spent a fun day in the Montana sun until you spent some time floating in the Lazy River.  Splash Montana is a great, inexpensive water park right in the heart of town.  There are three different water slides, a floating river, The Lake (a 50 meter pool), spray features and a mini Grizzly slide for the kiddos.  Prices are just right at $3.50 for under 11 and $5.75 for adults, there is also a Resident Discount Card to sign up for to save about 20% on each visit. Punch cards are also available.  Don't forget some extra cash to purchase some Dippin Dots - kids love them!

#2.  A Downtown Adventure.  http://www.carrousel.com/acfm/

Downtown Missoula has so much fun things to keep every one busy, doesn't matter your age.  A trip downtown with the kiddos won't be complete without a trip to the Carousel for Missoula, one of the fastest carousels in the country.  Next door you will find Dragon Hallow - a great outdoor play area.  While in the area you can easily walk to the Missoula County Public Library to get out of the heat and grab some summer reading.  They MCPL has a great summer reading program to reward and encourage everyone to read! (http://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/)

#3.  Out To Lunch &/or Downtown Tonight.  http://www.missouladowntown.com/

Live music, food and activities for the kids - Oh My!  Out to Lunch is an event every Wednesday in the summer. Head on down to Caras park 11-2 for lunch and entertainment.  Plus for a bigger adventure you can take the Mountain Line downtown for FREE.

Downtown Tonight is every Thursday and offers all the same amenities and fun, plus beer! 

#4.  Splash Decks & Spray Pools!!!!  http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/index.aspx?nid=172

The city of Missoula revamped most of their city parks a few years back and added some great water activities for the kiddos.  Need to cool down on a hot summer evening? Grab a picnic dinner and head to one of the listed above parks and have a great time keeping cool.  Plan it right and on Wedneday evenings at Bonner Park you usually can hear the Missoula City Band bring their band music in an open air venue.

and #5. Float the Clark Fork River.   http://www.kingfisherflyshop.com/clarkfork-float-maps

There is nothing better on a hot day then to stick your bum in an intertube and float your troubles away.  This is not an activity to do with the younger kids but the older ones will love it.  Stop by Les Schwab or the Army/Navy store and rent a tube for the day or better yet purchase one for a few dollars more.  Floating around I have seen a bald eagle fly by, deer on the side of the banks and fish flying out of the water. It is so relaxing and something they won't ever forget.

I hope these ideas help you earn your Greatest Parent Badge this summer! Don't forget the sunscreen!

Selling everything but the kitchen sink

What is the old saying - "one man's junk is another man's treasure?" Perhaps you like to spend your Saturday checking out everyone elses junk and seeing if you must have it but most of us could probably honestly have a yard sale every spring/summer to clear out some unused/unwanted items just laying around. And why not? You could make a few hundred dollars. Here are some tips to get the most bang out your stuff for sale.

1) Plan. Plan. Plan. Honestly, you can't throw it together the day before. Look at your calendar now and see what weekend works for you and your family. If you do this right you can be on your way to the lake by 1:00pm at the latest, so it doesn't have to throw a wrench in your WHOLE weekend. Ask neighbors or friends if they want to get in on the action too. In the yard sale world the more is merrier!

2) Gather your bearings. You will need some extra card tables to set up so ask friends if you can borrow them in advance. I have a friend that has a clothes rack and that works super if you have some nicer clothes to showcase them. But ask ahead. That clothes rack is busy almost all summer. Stop by the dollar store and grab some price stickers and bright colored paper for signs. Make sure you have change. I usually have a few dollars in quarters and 20 $1 bills with a few fives. If you can get a few tens too. You would be amazed at the people that show up and buy something for $2 in the beginning of your sale with a $20 bill - grrrrr people!

3) Price items before hand. The most time saving idea is when you place something in a "yard sale" pile in your garage, price it then. This will save so much time but not always do-able. The Friday before your sale try to set up tables in your garage and lay items out and price them then.

4)Advertise! Make your signs. Just the basics. Make sure they at least have the address and times. Arrows help also.  Also, place an ad in the Missoulian (http://tinyurl.com/7eb6rvm)  or on Craigslist (http://missoula.craigslist.org/). In your ads I would put a little description of what you have. Obviously list bigger priced items or furniture and certain sized kids or women's clothes. In the Missoulian you pay by line so you may not want to list everything but on craigslist? List away. It's FREE!

5) The night before make sure signs are made, ads are placed, items are priced and you got a little change in your pocket. Plan where you will keep your money during the sale. If you have a little money apron wear that. And if you place an ad in the Missoulian they will give you one in your packet. I personally hang signs in the morning. I am always afraid of the weather ruining my signs or those early birds finding me too easy when I am not ready for them just yet. Try to go to bed as early as possible and set the coffee to start brewing first thing.

6) The morning of, get your things out there and sell, sell, sell. Be cheerful and be willing to bend a bit on your prices. I always have a few items that I won't "give away" and already plan to sell on Craigslist if they don't sell that day. If I advertise my sale to go till noon then around 11 am I make everything half priced except for those few exceptions. You want to get the stuff out. When all done DO NOT put the items back in your garage or worse yet your house - pack it in the car to take to a drop off center. I usually separate items at that point. Any kids clothes or items are something they love at the the Watson's Children Center (http://watsonchildrensshelter.org/ ). Especially swimsuits during the summer! I may have books that I plan on taking to The Book Exchange (http://www.booksmontana.com/). The rest of the items I drop off at Goodwill, Secret Seconds or the Salvation Army.

7) Last but not least, add up those earnings. Wasn't it worth it? And now go take down all those signs you hung up. You don't want to advertise that you don't care about the earth!

Happy Selling!

Spring Cleaning List

http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/maintenance-repair/spring-cleaning-list/