The Lighter Side
Managing the unmanageable: Our ever-growing abundance of cords and cables
Recently I was FaceTiming with my son Nick who was showing me his new apartment. When he got to his desk area he said, “Ignore my cable management. I haven’t done that yet.” What? Cable management? This is a thing? And indeed, it is a thing.
The Lighter Side: That amazing moment when your child volunteers to do housework
Life transitions: Sometimes you see them coming, sometimes you don’t. The last time our youngest son Nick, 25, stayed with us, he volunteered to clean the house.
Thinking of selling your home? Here are the things Realtors want to say but are too polite
Along with spring, the start of the big home selling season is here. Thus I’d like to give homeowners some advice to help sell their properties quickly while maximizing profit.
The Lighter Side: Pandemic homestretch – Time to finish up those small home projects
With this end in sight I have a new found enthusiasm to finish up home projects, some of which I began when we initially quarantined.
Ask ML: Answers to your tough home-related relationship questions
As the world and relationships become increasingly complex, more than ever people are turning to advice columns for answers.
Gardeners beware: Spring fever is on the rise
I’ve been very focused on not getting COVID-19 during this pandemic which is probably why I recently fell prey to another affliction: spring fever.
Are you ready to move to another home? Take this quiz
Are you just COVID-cranky or are you really ready to load the moving van come spring? Take this quiz to see if it’s time to start packing:
Working from home: Is our house becoming corporate headquarters?
I bought some printer paper recently and told my husband I bought the cheapest brand. He replied, “That’s okay since most our printing is for internal use only.”
Valentine’s Day: The holiday I kind of hate, kind of love
All that being said, there are several things about Valentine’s Day I really do like. In terms of Valentine’s celebrations, the city of Loveland, Colorado rocks it.
Tips for choosing carpeting you won’t regret
Choosing new carpeting for your home is a big deal. Not only does it have a big impact on your décor, its ease of maintenance (or lack thereof) affects your everyday living.
The Lighter Side – Quarantining at home: Even international spies get the blues
I don’t even know what month we’re now on in this pandemic and quarantining. Eleven? Twenty-seven? All I do know is it’s dragging on and wearing us down.
The Lighter Side: Surprise, surprise: Quarantining for months makes people want luxurious home features
If we’re lucky enough to have a home during these troubling times, many of us are spending 24/7 quarantining in them. Apparently this has led to an increased desire for snazzy home features.
The Lighter Side: More on choosing paint colors (and reducing visual torture)
Apparently, based on reader feedback from a recent column, choosing paint colors is even more torturous for homeowners than even I imagined.
The Lighter Side: New year organizing, stuffing our stuff into other stuff
It’s January, which means some of us feel a biological imperative to organize our mass amounts of stuff.
The Lighter Side : 2020 year end check-in: How are you doing?
Let’s be honest: 2021 could not have gotten here soon enough. How are you faring during this pandemic? Here’s a test to check the level of your well being.
The Lighter Side: The 2020 holiday letter of gloom, doom and gratitude
Every year my husband and his siblings look though my mother-in-law’s holiday cards and letters to catch up on the lives of extended family and old friends. She used to get these truly amazing holiday letters from a former neighbor who has since passed away. These...
The Lighter Side: Ghost in the house? Could be nice, but maybe not
This is the time of year – when the heat is cranked up – that one hears all kinds of creaks and groans in old houses, which I always live in. One time a woman said to me, “I could never live in an old house. I mean someone probably died there.” I thought, so what?...
The Lighter Side: Selling during the holidays? Perhaps your house but not ours
Many homes look especially appealing this time of year with decorations creating a charming holiday scene. Our house, however, is not in selling form this time of year.
The Lighter Side: Unwanted houseguests: Mice and squirrels
It’s that special time of year. It’s the time of year when temperatures drop and snow falls. It’s the time of year to snuggle up in front of the fireplace (if you’re lucky) with some hot tea and a good book (okay, Netflix). It’s the time of year to watch a field mouse...
The Lighter Side: Time to create some cheer and decorate for the holidays
Now that you’ve gotten through your turkey meat induced coma, it’s time to drag out the holiday decorations.
The Lighter Side: Choosing Good Paint Colors Takes Wacky Effort
While we’re hunkered down at home, many people are using the time to spruce up the joint, including painting. To start, a color must be selected.
The Lighter Side: Thanksgiving Planning in the Time of COVID-19
I heard Christmas music in a store recently which made me realize that Thanksgiving is right around the corner.
The Lighter Side: Quarantining At Home: Are We Sliding into Hibernation?
Our old cat Poppy has taken to sleeping even more than usual lately. I think she’s going into semi-hibernation from the lack of activity in our house. She’s a social critter (orange tabbies are people lovers), and is use to my husband and me having family and friends...
The Lighter Side: Evacuation Planning: What Stuff Do We Take?
The night the CalWood Fire started, my husband and I stood at a second story window and watched in horror as the bright flames burned on the north end of Boulder. I wish I could say this was an unusual surreal experience, the first of its kind. But, no. Actually, it...
The Lighter Side: Best Color Names: House Paint Verses Nail Polish
Like most couples that have been together a long time, my husband and I like to play the game “Who is Right,” just good old-fashioned we-spend-way-too-much-time-together fun. Some fact will arise where we have a differing opinion of the answer, like who the actor is...
