Archives for 2009

Thinking about getting a home security system

January 20, 2009 by Tricia

Back in 2001 when Chris and I first bought our house I remember that our insurance company told us that if we installed a home security system they would take a percentage off the cost of insuring our home.

At the time we were just about to start doing major renovations on our home – knocking down walls etc so it didn’t make sense to have a security system installed. (We still have some home reno projects (stalled ones) on the go too) Plus we live in a pretty safe neighborhood.

Even though our neighborhood has few break ins it’s always possible that something could happen. In fact there was a home invasion just a few blocks from us last year!

Earlier today I decided to take a look a the home security systems offered by ADT. They are offering discounts on some of the packages installation fees (one package is as low as $99 installation after a $200 mail in rebate!) and all of their monthly monitoring fees seem reasonable at a range from $33.99 to $48.99 per month.

I can’t remember exactly what the discount was that our insurance company was offering if we got a home security system, but I believe it was something like 10% off the monthly insurance payment. That discount would likely pay a large chunk of the monthly security system monitoring fee. Sounds like a win win situation to me!

Obviously a security system will help prevent a house from being broken into, or if it is broken into alarms will go off and the police will be sent to the house quickly likely preventing a large robbery. However, did you know that there are a number of other services that come with a home security system? Well … depending upon which one and which service you use of course …

You can get security systems that monitor your house for fire, carbon monoxide, flood detection and ones that you can push a button on the installed system or a hand held device to alert the police, fire department or ambulance in an emergency. Some home security systems even have a voice system where you can talk to someone directly at the monitoring service during an emergency.

I certainly like the idea of a security system that not only protects my house from burglars but that also monitors for fire and carbon monoxide! My parents had a security system that did all of that plus was able to contact the various emergency services and they were very pleased with it.

Chris has always like the idea of use having a security system so I guess we’ll look into it further over the next week or so and perhaps have one installed soon.

Do you have a security system in your home? Are you happy with the system and the monitoring service?

Even dead flowers can be pretty

January 18, 2009 by Tricia

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If you occasionally visit some of my other blogs – particularly my gardening blog or my photo blog, you’ve probably realized that I love plants, flowers, gardening and of course photography.

I’ve always been interested in all stages of plant growth, from that first little sprout that comes up after you’ve planted a seed, to the first leaf, first flower buds, flowers in bloom and even dying flowers and the seed heads that develop once the flower has died down.

One of my flowers that produces lovely seed heads in the Maltese Cross. Now, since I don’t have any winter pictures (ie frozen flowers, snow covered garden etc) because I’ve been hiding from the cold and snow, I decided to go back one season and show you what the Maltese cross seed head looks like in Autumn or late summer when the flowers die down.

Aren’t they lovely? To me, even dead flowers can be beautiful. In this photograph it almost looks like I’ve caught the reflection of the one seed head, but that seed head in the background is actually a different one no matter how much it looks like I’ve done some kind of mirror technique.

Do you also enjoy the look of dried flowers, seed heads, trees without leaves and other similar sights?

I just bought a Wii Fit on eBay!

January 12, 2009 by Tricia

I just made my first ever eBay purchase! Yep, I won the bid, waited ’till the last minute to make a bid too. I bought a brand new, never been opened Wii Fit!

I’ve been thinking about getting a Wii Fit for a while. I had even joined some contests that a few bloggers did in late November, early December in an attempt to win a Wii Fit, but luck wasn’t with me.

Actually when I entered the other bloggers contests that was the first time my husband learned of my desire to get a Wii Fit. Of course he wished me luck because of course if I won one it wouldn’t have cost us a cent.

I didn’t mention Wii Fit again to my husband until yesterday when we were out shopping at Costco (that’s like Sam’s Club) and grocery shopping. He knows that I’ve been looking for a way to get more active, however, ever since I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency I’ve been a little worried about slipping on ice outside (in case my bones are weak), so until I find out exactly what my health status is – ie how low my vitamin D really is and if it’s affected my bones, I’m not about to start jogging outside or doing anything that might make me fall and break a bone. So safe exercise indoors is looking better and better, for now anyway.

So while we were out shopping I mentioned to him again that I’d like to get a Wii Fit and that I’d looked online at Best Buy and the Future Shop, but they were sold out (thanks to Boxing week and New Year’s sales). He was agreeable to us getting a Wii, he almost never says no to me, so we did go to Best Buy just to see if they had any in stock, but as I suspected they didn’t.

Last night I thought about looking on eBay, but I didn’t get around to it until today when my brother sent a link to some dog boots that were on sale on eBay … so of course while I was on the site I did a search for Wii Fit and I found one that was still at a decent price and the auction was about to end. By about to end I mean it only had about 3 and a half minutes left! So I had a very quick discussion with Chris and placed a bid and Ta Da! I won!

We don’t have much extra money right now, so this is a splurge that I’d better use! However I’m becoming less fit by the day so I need to start doing something to get into better shape, so I think this was a good purchase.

The eBay seller is in Canada as well so I won’t have to pay duty or any other fees when it arrives. Now I just have to sit back and see just how fast Canada Posts expedited Parcel delivery really is. I was told it would be 1 to 7 days, and considering the seller is on the East Coast I expect it will be at least two or three days before I get my Wii Fit. Surely it will be here by Friday (crossing fingers, toes, legs, arms … getting harder to type!).

So for those of you who have used Wii Fit …

Which games are the most fun? Am I going to be happy with the Wii Fit?
Where should I start as a beginner – Yoga? Pilates? or something else?
Any tips for a new Wii Fit user?
Are there any “must have” accessories that I should consider getting?

I’m certain that using the Wii Fit will drive my dog nuts for the first while. She’ll want to play when I’m trying to use it. Maybe I’ll have to keep her in her crate?

Anyway .. any tips from those who have or who have used a Wii Fit would be helpful! I’m so excited that I won my bid and can’t wait for it to get here!

Ok stupid question … do I need the Wii console to use Wii Fit? If so I’m screwed ’cause we don’t have Wii.

January snow blues

January 11, 2009 by Tricia

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I look outside and everything is a blanket of white. While it’s nice to see a fresh blanket of snow on the ground (I mean rather than old slushy dirty snow), to be frank I’m getting darn tired of it.

I don’t hate winter. Heck, I live in Canada – born and raised in Ottawa (tied for coldest capital with Moscow) so there’s no way I’d survive here if I hated winter. However, here in Toronto the snow usually doesn’t stay.

It snows, lasts for a day or two and then melts away, or that’s the way it’s been for most of the time I’ve lived here … however the last two years have been snow, snow and more snow and to top it off it rained most of last summer. Hopefully you can’t blame me for being more than a little tired of dull grey skies and all the white stuff.

What I need is some color and I thought that some of my readers who are going through the same thing I am (snow, snow and more snow) might also appreciate a cheery flower.

So here’s a lovely daylily that I grow in my garden. it’s called Bonanza. I think the name suits this vibrant yellow flower – don’t you?

Now how’s that for some color?

BTW if you want to see another summer flower I have a great picture of my Clematis growing over a birdhouse on my gardening blog.

Ok snow, you can stop now

January 7, 2009 by Tricia

It’s been snowing here in Toronto since last night. Steadily!

We’ve had everything from snow flurries to freezing rain to ice pellets. It’s only snowing at the moment, but it’s going to keep laying down the fluffy stuff until sometime tomorrow. (Actually it looks like it’s going to snow on and off until Tuesday!)

I shoveled last night when the snow on the ground was light, and a few times today when it was heavy and wet. Now my back is aching. Plus, with that slippery layer of ice underneath the snow in some areas you just about need to have safety equipment on while you’re shoveling! LOL Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but still … enough already!

I was saving the end of the driveway for when my husband came home from work. With my back already aching that heavy slushy snow that the snow plows leave at the end of the driveway was just too much for my back to handle.

Our new neighbors weren’t out there shoveling the driveway at all either. That ticked me off a bit since they now own half the driveway. However they managed to redeem themselves by early evening. You see the new neighbor has a snow plow business (pickup trucks with shovels on the front) and he brought one of his trucks over to clear out a parking space for his car in front of their house … which of course meant that he also scooped up that big heavy ridge of slushy snow at the end of the driveway.

So that took away the worst shoveling job and Chris had much less snow to remove when he got home from work. It only took him about ten minutes and since he wasn’t all that tired from shoveling we both took the dog on a long walk through the snow streets. Now that made us all tired!

I just hope that the snow that’s falling now and into tomorrow is the light fluffy kind. I don’t mind shoveling that – even if the shoveling does get to my back, I can still usually get the job done before my back is really bad.

Is it snowing in your area too? How are you coping with all the shoveling? No … don’t tell me you have a snow blower or that you live in a warm climate! Arghhh!

Thinking about getting a home security system

Even dead flowers can be pretty

I just bought a Wii Fit on eBay!

January snow blues

Ok snow, you can stop now

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