Cockroach

(via Bits and Pieces)

Zucchini

(via Cracked)

The Plant Queen

That's life, isn't it? Actually, that's life when you're young and just starting out. I've been growing plant for around 40 years, and there have been plenty of mass extinction events along the way, but you learn, you try again, and eventually you amass a decent garden, whether its houseplants, flowers, or vegetables -or all three! The real secret to convincing people you have a green thumb is to quickly get rid of the failures. Never speak of them. That way, all your friends and neighbors will see are your successes. This comic is from Sarah Andersen at Sarah's Scribbles.

Just in Case

(via Pleated-Jeans)

Your Grandparents' Bathroom

I saw this comic and thought, "Uh-oh." But my bathroom has none of these things except for the bathtub with anti-slip everything. I don't want to slip and fall. And who has a shower AND a bathtub? This graphic is from Matt Shirley. 

6 Ways Brits and Americans Clean Very Differently

Laurence Brown goes through the differences between housecleaning in the US and Britain. The US has air conditioning, which means cleaning AC filters as well as filters for the heating, the dryer, the dishwasher, the vacuum cleaner, the car, the lawn mower, and the fish tank. Meanwhile in Britain, dishes are washed by hand and some people don't rinse the soap off of them! Does this mean they get a lot of soap buildup in their drying towels, or are you just eating detergent with your next meal?  

Personally, I am glad that wall-to-wall carpet is declining in the US. You can clean carpets all day, every day, and they are still nasty, especially if you have children or pets or a spouse or a garden. Note: Fairy washing up liquid is made by Proctor and Gamble, and it's the same formula as Dawn dish washing liquid in the US. This video has a one-minute skippable ad at 3:30. 

The Carpeted Bathroom

When I bought my house in 2008, both bathrooms had wall-to-wall carpet. It looked fairly new. It was the first thing to go, at least in the main bathroom (and the smaller one eventually). Sure, it looked good, and you did not slip on it, but the potential for mold and worse gave me the heebie-jeebies. Besides, you can avoid slipping with a small bath mat that you can throw in the washer. As soon as the last kid left for college, we got rid of all the carpet. (via Boing Boing) 

British Toilets vs. American Toilets

Most Americans aren't aware of how different toilets in Britain are, even those who have traveled to the UK. Oh yeah, there are places you have to pay to use them, but at least they are available. Laurence Brown, with years of experience living on both sides of the pond, is very aware of how our toilets are different. And our sinks and bathtubs, for that matter. The toilets actually use different mechanisms for flushing. He doesn't mention which system uses more water, but that's not really a concern in Britain, which is geographically consistent and it rains all the time. Now that I'm in the know for watching this, it's my opinion that American toilets are superior, with the exception of having to plunge or snake them occasionally, which is honestly not often enough to be a bother (your mileage may vary). American sinks and tubs seem to be better as well, even though I prefer a shower to a bath.   

It's somewhat amusing to hear how he talks about toilet efficiency without using any rude words. There's a skippable ad from 2:55 to 4:10. 

My Border Garden

There used to be a house between mine and my neighbor's house, back when no one had cars. It was crowded, and that house was eventually demolished. The lady next door owned that property, which went right up to my driveway. When she died, a couple of flippers bought her property. I made a deal to split that extra yard, because they needed some remodeling money. With a new property line drawn, I plowed a border garden on my side. A new family bought that house, and erected a fence. So I've been gradually widening the border garden and planting perennials. The garden begins with daffodils in February, but they are only impressive as a welcome sign of spring coming. The tulips shown above pop up in March. That's when I start going outside every day just to admire the garden, because if those flowers are going to bloom, I owe it to them to take a look every day. In April, the irises take over. 

Then in May, I have sweet Williams, but they aren't tall enough to dominate the border garden. That's okay, because I have roses blooming in front of the house. 

Day lilies bloom through June, and they are spectacular. 

Other lilies, pink, red, and yellow, join them in July. The year this picture was taken, the yellow ones dominated. 

Later in summer, I have four o'clocks, zinnias, and hollyhocks, but it's the morning glories climbing the fence that really stand out in August. 

By September, the sedum is blooming. Some years I am lucky to have marigolds, but they don't stand out much among the foliage. 

 

 

 

The sedum, morning glories, and marigolds may last through October if the weather is nice, but usually by then I am gathering seeds and planting more tulips for next year. 

Ew

(via reddit) 

Positive Affirmation

(via reddit) 

Doormat

(via Give Me a Sign)

Dream Bathroom

Let's hope it's temporary. (via Give Me a Sign)

Homeowner's Procrastination

When you buy a house within your means, the rest of your life will be spent dealing with time and money and priorities. You look at the place, as I did with my first house thirty-some years ago, and say, "The first thing that has to go is these drop ceilings." Then you move in and instantly need to build a shower, because your large husband displaces so much water in the small tub he can't get warm, much less clean. Then there's the heating problem, and the plumbing problems, and then the kids arrive and you need more bedrooms and bathrooms. When I moved out 14 years later, the drop ceilings were still there. Laurence Brown talks about this phenomena in his latest video about owning a Chicago home. There's a 90-second ad at 3:15.  

The Dumb Luxury Homes of Hawaii

Ryan George, who has several video channels, took some time off and came back blonde. But he hit the ground running, with a video that combines two things we enjoy very much: dreaming of a tropical paradise (nice when you're snowbound) and roasting mega-expensive real estate. If you're one of the few people who can afford multi-million dollar property in Hawaii, he's making fun of you, too. 

This video explores five homes on the market in Hawaii. They are gorgeous on the surface, but George focuses in on the details most people would miss, and constructs a complicated backstory to explain why they are so bizarre. The rich are not like you and me. But then again, someone is selling these homes, so maybe it's because they aren't that rich anymore. 

Mafia Garden

(via Bits and Pieces)

Why So Many People Are Struggling With Housing

No, it doesn't make any sense at all, but you have to know that landlords (including rental management companies) and mortgage lenders (banks) have different methods of extracting money from the masses. And the masses (meaning most of us) have little recourse.  

However, my mind keeps going back to a story I read on some large newspaper site a few years ago about a landlord who had awful housing somewhere near DC. No plumbing, no heat, lots of bugs, etc. The people who lived there didn't want any inspections from the authorities, because the properties would be condemned, and then they would be homeless because there was no other housing they could afford.   

The Haunted Toaster

June O'Brien tells the tale of her toaster possessed by the devil on the Today Show in 1985. (via The Daily What)

Antique

(via Bad Newspaper)

No Project Without Drama

It's a typical story. A bathroom leak leads to an emergency repair, and that's when you notice all the other parts of the room that are crumbling with age or not working as well as they should. This bathroom needs a complete remodel! Can you do it yourself? Maybe, but it's going to be a major learning experience. The video No Project Without Drama is described as "A bathroom renovation in five acts, with plenty of sweat, pain, and pride" (according to Google Translate). This is the way the emotions during such a project would be rendered on a theatrical stage.

Sure, it's ad, from German fixture company Hornbach. I'm planning a bathroom remodel myself, but it certainly won't be DIY, and I'm dreading taking the first steps. I know it will be highly dramatic, even when someone else is doing the work. (via Nag on the Lake)