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.