How to Get the Best Deal for Your Auto Insurance

Auto insurance is a necessary thing, something that we're all required to have if we're going to drive. It can also get expensive, especially if you stick with one company and never shop around. One of the best ways we've found to save money on our auto insurance - besides paying for the policy annually instead of monthly (or even every 6 months) - is to find an agency that represents multiple insurance companies. Every year, they review our policies and select the ones that give us the best deal.

Below are a few things to keep in mind when searching for the best deal on your car insurance rates.

• See If You Qualify for Good Driver Discounts
  Take full advantage of any type of discount that is offered, whether it's a good student, good driver, military, or any other savings plan. Saving a few dollars each month can add up over the calendar year. Make sure you add the information about low mileage use if you are only taking your car around the local area.
• Only Purchase the Coverage You Need
  Don't opt for coverage that you might never use. Adding excessive amounts of property and medical coverage can hurt your wallet in the long run. Weigh out carefully whether your car is worth enough to carry full coverage insurance. It might be better to stick with liability only if your car is older and in less-than-perfect condition. (this is one area that could possibly save us some money because our vehicles are several years old, and should something happen, the amount the insurance will pay will be far from enough to purchase a new vehicle)

• Do you qualify for multiple vehicle savings?
  Including more than one vehicle on your insurance policy will get you automatic savings with most companies. Adding two or more vehicles will reduce the price you would pay for each one separately. Also consider insuring your home and your vehicles with the same company for multi-policy discounts.
• Get Quotes from Several Companies
  Not all companies charge the same rates. Gather up several quotes to make a comparison. Take the time to investigate how people review the quality of each company. It might be worth paying a few extra dollars if you have faster claims and better customer service.

Find the auto insurance Orlando FL residents count on to give the best rates and top service in the area. Don't get caught without the right type of insurance for your vehicles.

The Importance of Roof Maintenance

Your roof is the most important system in your home. This is one of the reasons why when people talk about their home, they refer to it as a roof over their head. The roof is designed to protect your home from damage, protect your property from damage, and provide shelter to the home’s occupants.

There are a wide range of roofing materials that you can use on your home. They include things like asphalt, slate, concrete, and granite. The type of roofing material you will select depends on the style of your home and the structural strength of your roof. Certain materials, like slate and concrete, are very heavy. If your roof is not properly reinforced, it might not be able to support the weight.

Most roofing material does an excellent job protecting your home from storm damage. However, during severe storms, your roof is liable to sustain to damage. There are certain things that you can do to give your roof the extra support it needs to endure a severe storm.

One of the best things that you can do for your roof is to stay up-to-date with the repair and maintenance of your roof. If there is a small defect or a small amount of damage on your roof and you do nothing about it, the damage is going to get worse. When a storm comes, the area of damage will be a weak point that could lead to the complete collapse of your roofing system.


Roof repair Beaverton Oregon professionals understand that giving your roof the maintenance it needs requires vigilance on your part as a homeowner. A small leak may go unnoticed for some time. Then it can explode into a large leak that causes serious damage, especially when a storm hits. This underscores the importance of being vigilant and monitoring your roof for signs of damage, such as missing shingles, missing granules, and signs of leaks. The better you take care of your roof, the better your roof will take care of you.

I Just LIKE to be Barefoot

But it looks like there are plenty of benefits too!


I'd heard that walking barefoot outside is very beneficial, but this video shows much more than I was aware of. I'm going to have to make a point of walking barefoot on earth more often. Though, with winter fast approaching - it was 18° this morning - I may have to wait a bit. Unless I want cold toes.

I have been known to put my bare toes into the snow... (though that was a warm and sunny day and most of the snow had melted except for this little pile right here)

An Online Resource for Your Favorite Hobby

A model railroad can offer hours of amusement and intrigue. People who are fascinated by model railroads may want to devote hours to their hobby and have everything on hand they need to make their models look and sound like the real thing.

When you live in a city that has few if any hobby stores, you might lack the resources you need to transform your model railroad from a beginner's set into one that is more sophisticated and impressive. However, model parts, tracks, city layouts, and model railroading tutorials are available online so you can build and enjoy your model railroad no matter where you live.

If you are just beginning with this hobby, tutorials for how to build the perfect set will give you all the information you need. Learn how to lay out your tracks, what kinds of model trains are best, and what it takes to make your set as sophisticated as possible. The website offers dozens of tutorials that you can read that will help you make your train set all the better. The tutorials are written by people who have sets of their own and have devoted hours to perfecting what theirs look and sound like.

Depending on where you live, you might not have a lot of fellow hobbyists with whom to network. You may not actually know anyone else who builds and has model train sets. The website is a great place to find people who are just as enthusiastic about model railroads as you are.

You also may want to know where you can take your model train set if it breaks down and needs to be repaired. The website can offer you locations near you where you can find repair services for your set. Many of these locations are also hobby stores where you can find new items to add to your model train. You can also add new items by ordering them directly from the website and through the merchants that advertise there.

What is Your Definition of Church?

Most of my life I've attended churches that met in rented halls. School gyms, community centers, hotel meeting rooms, and even some church buildings belonging to other churches. We'd show up on Sabbath, set up the sound system and the chairs, and hold church services. Pretty simple, really though it often meant a lot of work for the guys who hauled and set up the sound system every week. There were many times we thought it really would be nice to have a permanent place of our own, if only to avoid that extra work.

I'm reading the book Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna right now. I've had it for years; just finally got around to reading it. I have to be honest - I really don't know much about the trappings such as you can get from boerboomchurchsupplies.com, ceremonies, and meanings behind most things in traditional churches - and I'm not just talking about the pagan origins, which are really eye-opening. Those I'm pretty sure most people don't know about...

The churches we meet with most of the time now do have their own buildings. And most of the time the order of services looks pretty much like it always has - songs, prayers, announcements, a sermon. There are people who don't think it's 'church' unless we have something very close to that. That's pretty basic compared to churches where the minister wears special clothing, candles are lit, and incense is burned. Really, do they actually do that? Too much singing bothers me - yes, I know, some people think that is the best part of the whole service, but I just don't get it - so I can't imagine how all that extra stuff would make me feel. Does it add to the service? Or does it just distract?


Personally, I think the most important part of 'church' is the fellowship, the gathering together, the building of relationships. If your church doesn't eat together, can you really call it a church? Candles, altar tables, and incense notwithstanding.

'On-Trend' for Fall

I happened to turn Good Morning America yesterday right as they started talking about putting together a capsule wardrobe for fall. I've heard the term - capsule wardrobe - but I wasn't really clear on what it is, so I settled in to watch.

They took six basic pieces, mixed them and matched them, and created an entire wardrobe good for everything from work to a casual night out with friends to date night. Overall it was quite interesting and has me thinking of going through my closet - which has way more than six basic pieces - to see what I can mix, match, and coordinate. It would be extremely handy when it comes to packing for a trip. (We just traveled to Utah at the end of September, and even though I packed quite a bit less than I normally do when we drive, I still took way too many clothes.)

I can't say that I was a huge fan of the outfits they came up with for the GMA story. I really did not like that sweater (especially not belted over the dress) or the robe coat (and I would never pay even close to the price these pieces all sell for), but it did have me thinking of some of the pieces I already have in my closet and how I can combine them. Of course, I have a pair of black pants (or 2 or 3 or 4, who's counting?), a white blouse, and I even have a red blazer - 3 of the pieces used in the story. The one outfit I did like was the first one that combined those 3, except I think those pants are too short. But, I can do that! (with the pants I have that are actually long enough)

Apparently, red blazers are 'on-trend' this fall so I really should pull mine out and see if I can wear it at least once.  (with my leopard print shoes, which are 'on-trend' too - wow, I am going to be so stylin'!) Of course, since I spend most of my time at home and don't go out if I can help it, I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to be rocking my 'on-trend' outfits - but it will still be fun to see what I can come up with.

Not that I usually worry about fashion or what's 'in style'... In fact, there are many times I look at the clothes in magazines or even the weekly store ads and wonder who decided that looked good. Nobody is dumb enough to wear that, are they? But if you ever go out in public you know there are people who will apparently wear absolutely anything.  I find myself wanting to ask them if they have a mirror in their house - because they could not have looked into a mirror and believed for one minute that they looked good enough to go out in public...

Perhaps they just went shopping and picked up some of these new fashions available at your local Target. Oh my, what in the world are they thinking?

Who's ready to be 'on-trend' for fall?

Rely on Experienced Professionals to Keep Your Lake or Pond Healthy

If you have a pond or lake on your property, you know it's important to take care of it. In addition to keeping it free of insects and other pests, you want to keep the water fresh and healthy. Stagnant water can end up attracting the very pests you're attempting to keep away. If you're not experienced in dealing with ponds or lakes this can become a frustrating experience.

Fortunately, there are companies who specifically deal with these kinds of environmental concerns. When you enlist their help, they will take over care for your body of water, ensuring it remains in good condition. Since the lake, or pond, is an important part of the area ecosystem, hiring professionals to care for it can help ensure you're doing your part to help the environment.

To keep your pond safe and thriving, the technicians may conduct tests for pond algae identification . This can help them recommend the best methods for algae control and the elimination of aquatic weeds. Once the water has been cleared and refreshed, you may even consider having the water stocked with freshwater fish. This can help control the population of insects and other pests that the fish may eat.

Another service provided by an aquatic solutions company is the installation of a fountain or aeration system. This will likely be recommended because it helps to keep the water circulating. Water that stands still attracts mosquitoes and gnats more readily, so incorporating some method of keeping the water active can help keep those pests away.

Whatever your specific concerns, pond and lake care specialists can treat the water on your property with the services you need. Having the water and shoreline cared for by professionals means it will remain visually appealing, while also helping to nurture the environment. You may be able to bundle your services, or customize treatments, to suit your needs and your budget. Best of all, utilizing a professional service will spare you the aggravation of having to do it yourself.

But It's Not November...

Last week we had temperatures in the 80s. It was still feeling quite a bit like summer. They told us on the TV weather that it was going to cool down, but I don't think we really paid that much attention. I mean, the weather forecast is pretty much always wrong...

    - Are you wearing a hoodie, pants, socks?

    - Is it November?

    - Do you pay the gas bill?

Or maybe we just expected it to be a bit cooler - not a lot colder.  But we've had quite an extreme temperature change, and it's really starting to feel like fall now. It's been cool enough when we crawl into bed at night that I've wished quite a few times that I had put some warmer sheets on the bed last time I changed them - maybe not the flannels yet, but perhaps the t-shirt material ones instead of the regular cotton sheets. But, it was 80° when I changed those sheets, and I wasn't ready for warmer sheets...

Jeffrey's also mentioned at least once that maybe we should think about turning the furnace on. It's not bad during the day - I've even been able to open up the door to the sunroom the last few days and let the cats out there - but climbing out of bed in the early morning (while it's still dark. WHY is it still dark?) is a bit chilly. A little heat might be nice, but it's not even November yet! Like a date on the calendar really makes a difference.

Honestly, the most important question on the thermostat in the pic is - "Are you wearing a hoodie, pants, and socks?" If you're not dressed properly, you really can't complain about being cold. Or hot, for that matter. There used to be a commercial showing a guy in jeans, socks, and a long sleeve flannel shirt always trying to adjust the thermostat to make the air conditioning colder. Seriously, buddy? Dress for the weather!  Apparently, you can save quite a bit on your energy bill just by adjusting your thermostat a couple degrees up or down (depending on season).

So, now that the weather has cooled down, we're wearing the long pants and putting on socks - and holding out for November. How about you? Have you turned on the heat yet?

A Local Moving Company Can Take the Stress Out of Your Move

Moving is always a stressful experience, whether you're moving across the country or just across town. There are dozens of details to be taken care of before you even get to packing up all those boxes and transporting them to your new neighborhood. The process is especially complicated when you have pets and children. Fortunately, you can get help to make the move easier.

Most people don't even consider hiring movers when they're just relocating to a different neighborhood in the same city.  You may borrow a friend's pickup truck and recruit every available friend to help, but it still takes multiple trips back and forth and is a thoroughly exhausting process.

What if you could get the help you need without breaking the budget? Many smaller, local moving companies provide the same services as nationwide movers, but at a lower cost. You can get the help you need, while still staying within your budget, which alleviates much of the stress. This leaves you to take care of other concerns, like filing a change of address with the post office, switching utility services to your new home, and cleaning the property to prepare it for your family.

When you hire local movers in Clearwater, FL, be sure to check references, licenses, and insurance. This can help you ensure you're working with a respected and reputable business. Once you feel confident in the service and accept the estimate they offer, you can leave the rest in their hands. Simply make the arrangements and the movers will make sure your belongings get to their destination safely and on time.

Many local movers will also pack your boxes for you. If you've ever watched professional movers pack boxes, you know they can do it much faster and better than you or I ever could! The movers also label everything clearly so they know where each box goes when they get to your new house.

Even a short move means taking on a dozen tasks, while still dealing with the everyday aggravations of work, taking care of the family, and meeting other obligations. A local move can be even more emotionally draining than a long distance move. Hiring local movers with a good reputation can help alleviate some of those frustrations and make your move a little easier.

Oh, By the Way, They Have Books

I just finished reading The Library Book by Susan Orlean. I loved the book, which reminded me of how much I love the library. Sadly, I haven't been spending nearly as much time there as I used to...

While the book was primarily about the Los Angeles Public Library, it could also serve as a love letter to libraries everywhere. Yes, libraries are places where you can check out books - and who doesn't love taking home a whole stack of books? But libraries are so much more, always adapting and changing to meet the needs of their communities.

This morning on Good Morning America, one of those libraries was featured as a finalist in the Reader's Digest "Nicest Places in America" search.


I would have enjoyed the story anyway, but I just thought the timing was perfect, having just finished reading The Library Book yesterday. (which, by the way, was not a library book but an advance copy I got from NetGalley, which pretty much explains why I'm not in the library as much - ebooks!)

I'd like to believe that all libraries are among the nicest places in America...

and it's really time to get back into the habit of going regularly.