I can remember when I was a child and visited my Grandmother during the winter, I would always go to her cedar trunk to pull out one of her absolutely beautiful hand-made quilts to keep me warm. She treasured her quilts and always took special care of them. Since that time, I've always known that I would someday have a cedar trunk for my special items. Well, I've taken it a step further. I recently converted two of my walk-in closets from standard closets to cedar closets and to do that I used a product called CedarSafe.

In one closet I used the planks and in the other I used the panels. It was so simple to do, in fact I finished both of them in 2-days. Now all of the contents of the closets are protected from mildew, moths and other insects and the aroma from the cedar is always so refreshing.

Click on the photo to learn more about CedarSafe.

One of the latest projects here at my home was the installation of the Invisible Fence System. Mack (my Golden Retriever) and I, made the decision to give it a try.

Previously, Mack was restricted to my fenced-in backyard and all the area along the back side of my property. He had plenty of running and playing room, but he still wanted to follow me around...where ever I went. I was familiar with the Invisible Fence Company, had seen their advertisements, and have bumped into them at several of the home shows I attend. I figured this to be the perfect opportunity to try their product.

Invisible Fence sent out one of their field managers to completely install the system. (It only took 4-hours and cost a fraction of what standard fencing costs.) Then he spent time with Mack and me to put us through some very simple training steps to become familiar with the system. He said at the end of a few weeks, Mack's training should be complete, and if there was any problem during the training process to give him a call.

Well, it only took Mack a week to realize how the system works and now he has FULL RUN of my property! He absolutely loves it!!...and so do I. Now he can shadow me wherever I go on the property and I'm not worried about him wandering out into the road.

Invisible Fence is a product that I am completely comfortable in recommending. Click on their logo for more info.

Home maintenance made simple. Written by authors with decades of hands-on building and maintenance experience, The National Home Maintenance Manual, now in its third printing, is an easy-to-read full-color manual published by the non-profit Building Standards Institute as a practical guide for homeowners and homeowner associations. This manual presents guidelines for construction and maintenance of homes, and walks the reader through specific aspects of home ownership and maintenance. It contains a glossary of terms, lists of common mistakes for homeowners to avoid, and seasonal maintenance advice.

$24.95 plus $3.95 S&H. CA residents include 8.25% sales tax
Click here to order!

I'm working on two projects right now on which I'm using Trex Accents. One project is a deck and the other is a dock with a boat-slip. So far, I'm really excited about it. I'll give you a full report when I'm finished. So far, SO GOOD!

All done with the projects now and I'm crazy about it!! No splinters!!!, no cupping, no warping, no splitting...and that's a good thing!

I went by the showroom in the beautiful small town of Locust Grove, Georgia, and from the moment I walked in, my chin was on the floor!

Soooo much good lookin' plank flooring under one roof. If you're remodeling or building new, wide-plank pine flooring should be something for you to consider. Hardwood floors are still great, but pine floors certainly give you another option.

Personally, I prefer the wide plank pine because I like the cabin, cottage, or bungalow style home. It seems warm and comfortable and says "home".

Click on the Authentic Pine Floors logo and visit their website to see the many beautiful options.

If you're looking for a great alternative to wood to use on the exterior of your home, you really need to check this stuff out. It's not just lap siding... it's trim, corner board, vented soffits, shake shingles, and panels. It comes in smooth or wood-grain textures. I've used it in many different regions and climates, including coastal properties I'm building right now. In four hurricanes last year, it came out virtually untouched. I like their warranty, too. One tip for you though...I like to set up fans at my cutting areas to blow the dust away from me or my saw guys. Because it's cement based, it can be dusty to cut...but well worth it.

Click here to go to their Web site and then click on Siding Products to see what I mean!

I've just received some Simonton windows that I ordered for a remodel that I'm doing on an old lake cabin... Stay tuned to this section of the Web site and I'll let you know what I think when we get them installed!

Well I got 'em in and they fit like a glove. They're solid and they seem to be pretty tough. Double sash locks, low-e, grid between glass...everything I ordered. Each window took only minutes (literally) to install. They trued up easily and the nailing flange was great. I will definately use them again...in fact I'm placing another order now.

Click on their logo and visit their website.

I installed Fabral metal roofing on my lake home and I couldn't be happier. No leaks, no color fading, no dents from falling limbs, and easy to keep clean from debris. Plus, there's no better sleeping than when rain is falling on a metal roof system. Check out the Fabral website to see some great roofing options.

I decided that I never want to be without power in my home again! I took over control of my electricity and got a standby power unit, or, what's commonly known as a generator. You know what...they're not just for the jobsite anymore.

No more thawed, ruined foods, no flooded basements due to sump pumps being down, no more freezing temperatures in my home. A Briggs & Stratton generator will operate what ever I have it connected to inside my house.

A 5,500 watt will operate all the necessities on those stormy nights! The best part about the Briggs & Stratton units is that they are very affordable.

Check out their website for more info!