DIY Life

When I was a kid, my dad would routinely get out his pruning tools and ruthlessly cut back our lovely wisteria. This would always upset me greatly because the vine was so very beautiful when it bloomed in Spring. Would it ever come back and flower again? Yes, it always did. Always.

What I understand now is that wisteria is one tough and relentless vine once established. The form of wisteria I'm talking about is Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinesis), which actually belongs to the pea family. This big, sprawling deciduous vine has fast-growing branches that twine up and around anything it can get a hold on.

Wisteria was introduced to the US from China by gardening enthusiasts back in the early 1800s. If those folks were around today to see what they had wrought they'd probably say, "oops." That's because W. sinesis has become an invasive pest, wrapping it's vine-y arms around roadsides and woods up and down the east coast. As it spreads, wisteria chokes out native shrubs and trees with ease, and is known to climb as high as 65-feet. That's one powerful vine!

A few months back, the control knob on my clothes dryer broke. Since it involved only a minor DIY repair job, I thought this a fab opportunity to try shopping for spare parts online. Result? A 10 out of 10 experience. I used PartSelect and was really happy. Other likely-looking choices include PartStore and big box store sites like SearsPartsDirect, to name just two of the many sites out there.

I was thrilled with how easy it was to locate such a tiny and obscure plastic doo-dad via the Web. Thrilled because ordering it online was possible in the first place. Also thrilled because such sites make simple appliance repairs easier for the beginner DIY'er. Interested? After the break, I'll share what you should know before cracking out that credit card:

The Speed Factor. Buying spare parts online saves you lots of valuable time. In the olden days, you would have to flip through the phone book to find likely parts suppliers. Then you would have to make some phone calls. Next, you would waste at least an hour driving to and from the supplier.

The changing weather leaves mice looking for warmth and shelter any place they can find it. Your home might just be that safe place for a little mouse family. Personally, I'm not thrilled at the prospect of bunking with these creepy little creatures. If you suspect you have mice in the house it can be the most nerve-wracking obsession. Getting up every time you hear a noise, and tracking all the little "evidence" but never actually seeing the culprit. You don't need to call pest control. You can take care of this on your own. The first step is figuring out what you're actually dealing with. There are three ways to figure out if you have mice in your home.

1. Listen
   Mice will make noise in the walls and ceiling. Listen for them at night.
   
   
2. Look
   You might not actually see a mouse, but if you see little holes in bread bags or mouse droppings left around you can be sure they're near.
   
3. Confirm
   Spread some powder or flour where you think the mice are. Leave it for a few days and you'll notice tiny footprints if they are in-fact scurrying around there.
   

Once you know that you do have mice in the house you'll want to get rid of them. This article tells you how to get them out and keep them from taking up residence with you again.

For those who get cold sores or fever blisters, this is a dreaded season. Outbreaks are more common and dry uncomfortable skin seems to slow the healing process. Here are 9 ways to speed the healing and control the spread of these painful lesions.

1. Make sure you have a cold sore
   Confirm what you're dealing with so that you can treat it effectively.
   
2. Notice when an outbreak is pending
   The affected area will feel tender and sore. You will likely notice a small bump before an actual outbreak. If you catch the sore before it's completely erupted you'll have an easier time treating it.
   
3. Quarantine your sore
   Yes, that means no smooching. Keep the sore to yourself. Don't share drinks or dishes with people. Wash your hands well and avoid touching the sore.
   
4. Toss the toothbrush
   You could be reinfecting yourself, so get a new toothbrush and start fresh.
   
5. Take an antiviral medication
   Ask your doctor about medication that you can take to suppress outbreaks and stop from passing them on.
   
6. Take care of the fever
   Cold sores and fevers often go hand in hand, particularly in children. Monitor and treat the fever.
   
7. Ease the pain
   Over the counter creams and pain medication can help ease the pain. 10 minutes with an ice-pack or a whole milk compress will also do the trick.
   
8. Have patience
   Outbreaks typically take 2 weeks to subside. Picking at the sore will only agitate it and prolong the healing process.
   
9. Talk to your doctor
   If healing doesn't progress as you'd expect or if you are in particular pain, talk to your doctor. The doctor may recommend a vitamin B complex and amino acids.

That nasty looking cold sore is not going to compliment your new holiday outfit. Look your best and spare your date the awkward moment of rejecting your goodnight kiss by following these useful tips for quick healing and quarantine of the dreaded cold sore.

If you're into keeping that shed or garage side door under 'lock and key' (no pun intended), you'll love this hack. Using a cheap X10 remote key fob, a power source, and a simple solenoid, you too can create a remote-controlled deadbolt for that door that needs opening quite often, but also finds its key lost or misplaced frequently.

Building solenoids into things is pretty easy, as long as you have battery power or electricity nearby. These are the same devices that automatically pop that trunk or car door open from your keyfob, so why not use them from inside a garage or shed door so that you can have access to the door from outside while leaving no lock mechanism visible from the exterior, which can sometimes invite tampering?

For an estimated $30 or so, you can get a solenoid, a remote transmitter, a power source (hopefully, free), and an actual deadbolt, and have that shed pretty well secure from outside intrusion. Check out the video below to see the finished product in action.If you've got thousands of dollars in tools inside that shed, this one is calling your name.



[via Lifehacker]

Do you live in one of those neighborhoods where people seem to have nothing better to do than talk about crap they know nothing about? Are your neighbors consumed with story telling and passing on gossip which is founded upon facts which exist only in their own imaginations? Are you just plain tired of being the subject of baseless speculation and malicious lies? There's a solution you can employ to take the situation, have some fun with it and make your life a bit more interesting. This exercise may not put a lid on the story tellers, but it will definitely put you in more control of that gossip.

Have two or three of your tallest friends dress in black suits, white shirts, narrow black ties and very dark sunglasses. Have them arrive at your home during a time when there will be no doubt that the neighborhood meddlers are watching. Your friends should arrive in a late model, full size sedan of dark color. The affect is even better if they arrive in a black Chevy Suburban. Be ready to meet your friends on your driveway when they arrive. Wait until they exit the vehicle and then stroll out to meet them, carrying a silver briefcase out of the house with you.

When you meet on the driveway, set the brief case down and clasp your hands in front of you. Say a couple sentences to whoever looks the most commanding, shake hands with each of them and then casually walk back to the house. Your friends should take possession of the brief case, preferably handcuffing it to one of them. They should do one slow visual scan of the neighborhood, return to their vehicle and then slowly leave the area without laughing.

The whole exercise should take only a couple minutes, but the effect will last for years. Perhaps you won't ever get the gossipers, story tellers and liars to shut their mouths, but at least you can take charge of the situation and give them something really juicy to talk about while making them look like the total jackasses they are. It's fun and easy to play with the minds of gossipers because they'll believe almost anything. Give 'em something to talk about. You'll be glad you did!