Are you ready for the white fluffy stuff?
We all have opinions on the existence of snow, but few of us know how and when to react to it coming down. Now is the time to think about it, before it's too late.
The leaves are falling and some trees are all but totally bare. The ground is not cold yet, but it surely is full of leaves. The views that this gives us are spectacular, especially in this part of the country. Virginia is beautiful anytime of year, but when the leaves fall, the views of mountains and valleys are simply amazing.
Now that the leaves are all but off their branches, it's almost time for the snow to bless us with its' presence. Some places get more snow than others, but one thing is true about anywhere in this country when the cold hits - water doesn't flow if it's too cold. Why does this matter? It matters, because the valves that currently have hoses hooked up to them need to be shut off and shut off from a valve inside if possible. If the only thing you can do is shut the water off outside, make sure to take the hose disconnected from the valve. This will help prevent damage to the valve. One other thing to do here is go to a hardware store and buy a cover for the valve. This will keep the temperature from getting too cold and may even prevent cracked pipes.
The next thing to do just before the snow comes is to clean up the yard. The kids, no doubt, have left some small surprises for you to find. The last thing you want to do is twist an ankle on a toy when you have to walk through the snow to find the newspaper or just to enjoy the quiet sound of falling snow.
Lastly, please find the snow shovel and put it in a place where it can actually be useful. I am amazed at the amount of people who find themselves needing to buy a new shovel every year, because they lost the old one.
Now you're ready for the days of 16"-24", only to see the same thing two days later.
Is is time to move into your new home, just before the winter hits? Follow the guide below and check out the listings as well.
We love the regular season, right?
The fans of the St. Louis Blues know very well what I'm talking about. This team thrives in the regular season. They have not been horrible in the regular season for a long time. There was actually a period of time that they made the playoffs for 26 straight seasons. Why, then haven't they hoisted the cup?
Well, I don't presume to know the exact answer to this question that has plagued the fans and team of this great franchise. I do, however have a possible reason why they are so good before the playoffs.
This reason shined brightly the other day against the Chicago Blackhawks, who are in the midst of a dynasty. The Blackhawks seem to know how to finish the season, when the Blues do not. The other day, this past Wednesday to be exact, the game got off to a very sloppy start. The score was 3-1 Hawks before the first ten minutes of the game were in the books.
Before they knew what hit them, the Blues were down 5-2 and all hope seemed to be fading away. A victory was just not in the cards for that night. Then something happened that keeps this team together all season (regular season) long - they didn't give up. The Blues scored the next 3 goals and sent the contest into overtime. David Backes ended the night in the overtime period and the Blues celebrated on the ice.
This is a perfect example of what we've seen for years from this team. The 'never say die' attitude they display only has one flaw - it goes into hibernation come playoff time. The Cardinals have figured out how to finish the deal and now it's the Blues' turn. Keep up the good work boys and bring home the hardware at the end of the season. Just a little tweak in mindset is all it takes.
Still need that perfect place to watch the next game? Maybe the guide below and the listings here can help out.
Are you feeling frustrated at any time on the road? Do you have unpleasant thoughts behind the wheel? Would you be happy to never have to drive anywhere ever again?
If any of these questions were answered by you with an emphatic 'yes', you may want to read on. Normally, I would reserve Fridays for my thoughts on a dining experience, but today I need to throw out a few words about a drive I had on the road the other day.
I am feeling more and more like I need to have a five point harness and maybe the same HANS device that Jeff Gordon wears to work. Why would I say this, you inquire? Well, it's pretty simple - people are taking their mundane or frustrating lives to the roadways. I experienced one of these people the other day and I wish I hadn't. I did learn though, to simply take a different route when trying to get to a certain part of Rte 1.
It is much easier, trust me, to drive the speed limit and not get mad if others are driving like fools. The destination will be reached with less stress and the sane driving may even allow one to avoid a ticket from Mr. law man/law woman. The simple truth is that this life is so much better when we can just put ourselves in one another's shoes for a bit and think about how we should really be conducting ourselves in any given situation.
The aforementioned alteration of demeanor and attitude will for sure rub off on others and make this life a better place to exist. Love is all around us. It sometimes is our job to not only find it, but spread it around also.
Need a new place to dine in, off the roadway? Follow the guide below and look into some of the listings just underneath.
View from Arlington Ridge toward Crystal CityArlington Ridge is bordered on the north by the The Pentagon, on the west by the Army Navy Country Club, and on the south the City of Alexandria. The main thoroughfare is the eponymous Arlington Ridge Road. Arlington Ridge Road is lined with manors and fine homes, many of which offer picturesque view of the Potomac valley and Washington DC. Arlington Ridge has two historical points of interest: the Hume School (currently the site of the Arlington Country Historical Society and Museum) and Fort Scott (the site of Fort Scott Park). Together with the established neighborhoods of Aurora Hills and Addison Hieghts, Arlington Ridge provides some of the finest homes in Arlington County.
Are you tired of whatever it is that you do as means of entertainment? Do you live in the Washington DC area? Are you willing to drive a little ways if you aren't? Do you know what a basketball is?
If you answered yes to any one of the above questions, I have a short story for you. I have been dreaming for a long time of having basketball (NBA) in St. Louis, where I formerly resided. That never came true and then I came out east again. This past week I had the chance to go to opening night at Verizon Center to see the game between the New York Knicks and the DC Wizards.
I was very excited indeed to finally have a chance to see pro basketball live, instead of in a stinky bar with a hundred of my closest friends. The first time for any sport is a cool thing, but here in the twilight of my life, I was really looking forward to it.
I began the evening by getting downtown a little more than two hours before the game. I walked around a bit, then went into the team store and checked out some merchandise. I was helped out by a very nice lady in the store who gave me some study material on the Wizards and Capitals. I took these booklets next door to The Green Turtle and began familiarizing myself with the teams.
The time came to go into the Verizon Center and I walked quickly to my seat. Every seat in the facility had a Wizards give-away
Give away shirts at Verizon Center
shirt draped on it. My section had white shirts, but there were blue and red sections as well. The closer we got to tip off, the more it hit me that this place isn't going to be full. There were no big montages on the big screen and no hoopla at all, to speak of. I was expecting a lot more Opening Night build up, but it didn't happen. There wasn't even a crazy amount of traffic outside and I just now realized this as I looked around the arena.
The game commenced and it was entertaining indeed. Both teams had comfortable leads at different points, but the Knicks ended up winning. I am very happy to have this experience behind me and I look forward to more games very soon. The thing I learned is that I think this team needs more support. I will be back to the Verizon Center and if you like basketball, you should as well. It is a good and safe way to enjoy an evening and it is well worth the money. The tickets were a fraction of what I thought they would be for a DC sport.
If you are still looking for that dream home to hang up your Wizards cap after the game, refer to the guide below and the listings that follow.
View from Arlington Ridge toward Crystal CityArlington Ridge is bordered on the north by the The Pentagon, on the west by the Army Navy Country Club, and on the south the City of Alexandria. The main thoroughfare is the eponymous Arlington Ridge Road. Arlington Ridge Road is lined with manors and fine homes, many of which offer picturesque view of the Potomac valley and Washington DC. Arlington Ridge has two historical points of interest: the Hume School (currently the site of the Arlington Country Historical Society and Museum) and Fort Scott (the site of Fort Scott Park). Together with the established neighborhoods of Aurora Hills and Addison Hieghts, Arlington Ridge provides some of the finest homes in Arlington County.
Are you bored with the look of your yard, now that the weather is getting colder?
Sometimes at the end of the summer, things are a bit bland in the area of landscaping, then fall arrives. The fall season is magic, what with the addition of colorful leaves, trees strutting their stuff, then dumping it on our lawns. This commonly makes things a bit bland out in the yard. We have only two things to do at this point: accept a banal looking yard or fight back with some fun color.
With the onset of winter, how can this be done, without throwing money down the drain, you ask? Well, there are many cool weather choices to add to the landscape of your yard, but one sticks out to me and with good reason.
Several years ago, I was living in Godfrey, a small town in the state of Illinois. I was just finishing up another entertaining outing of shoveling 13" of snow off the long driveway, leading to the garage in the backyard. On my way to the back door, shovel working overtime, I hit something with the shovel that sprang back. I bent down to uncover what it was and this something was a grouping of purple and yellow pansies.
These colorful and vibrant colors jumped out at me like the headlight of an oncoming vehicle just revealing itself over the next hill. I just laughed there in the snowy silence, looking at these awesome flowers. How did they do it?
I proceeded to look into it and asked a lot of questions. It turns out that they really like cold weather. The best part of this is that they come in so many color combinations. For anyone looking to add color this time of year, even with winter heading our way very soon, try some pansies out. You just may realize that they aren't so wimpy after all.
Time for a new place to plant your feet? Look at the guide below and check out the listings.
that this gives us are spectacular, especially in this part of the country. Virginia is beautiful anytime of year, but when the leaves fall, the views of mountains and valleys are simply amazing.
Now that the leaves are all but off their branches, it's almost time for the snow to bless us with its' presence. Some places get more snow than others, but one thing is true about anywhere in this country when the cold hits - water doesn't flow if it's too cold. Why does this matter? It matters, because the valves that currently have hoses hooked up to them need to be shut off and shut off from a valve inside if possible. If the only thing you can do is shut the water off outside, make sure to take the hose disconnected from the valve. This will help prevent damage to the valve. One other thing to do here is go to a hardware store and buy a cover for the valve. This will keep the temperature from getting too cold and may even prevent cracked pipes.
The next thing to do just before the snow comes is to clean up the yard. The kids, no doubt, have left some small surprises for you to find. The last thing you want to do is twist an ankle on a toy when you have to walk through the snow to find the newspaper or just to enjoy the quiet sound of falling snow.
Lastly, please find the snow shovel and put it in a place where it can actually be useful. I am amazed at the amount of people who find themselves needing to buy a new shovel every year, because they lost the old one.
Now you're ready for the days of 16"-24", only to see the same thing two days later.
Is is time to move into your new home, just before the winter hits? Follow the guide below and check out the listings as well.
