THE END!!

Did I make you think we'd moved in already? Well, unfortunately not but I have finished painting. There will be final touch up and I do have to touch up the kids bathroom one more time but other than that painting is finished. It was a big job but I'm can't say I wouldn't do it again. We're over budget and over time. I can't do much about the time but what money I can save, without compromising quality, I will save.
 
 


In other progress. Trim is almost completely in and the trim painter will start tomorrow.
Countertops and sinks have been installed and window seals have been put in so they can be painted. The garage door was put in Saturday so now I can clean the garage and it will stay clean for a little bit. I guess I have one more painting project, stairs. I think I'll wait a week to start painting that.




This week: Paint Trim and doors, railings on stairs, install crown molding in kitchen, build window seat, install deck railing, clean up. Who knows what will actually happen this week but those things are on the list.

In other exciting news: My Christmas books are here and I'm really hoping to donate as much money as possible to Autism Speaks in honor of the holidays, so if you'd like to donate books are $12 a piece or $10 for 5 or more. Just let me know and I'll make arrangements to get them it/them to you. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Trimming more than the Christmas tree

My excitement for Christmas this year has come early. Maybe it's because I've been writing the story for next year's anthology or because we'll have moved into our new house by then. My husband and I have argued about where to put the tree this year. That has never happened before since there was only one real option.

The trim has started going up, and I'm not talking about the tree here. Some of the doors are completely installed others just part so a day a two for that then the painter can get started.

Trim around entry door

As far as my painting...I'm sad to admit...I didn't finish...BUT THE GOOD NEWS. Following an impromptu trip midweek we have shelving for our storage room. That took up an entire evening and some time cleaning it yesterday so I still have a second coat with the edger in the hall and bedrooms upstairs and the bonus room. Barring any unforeseen events, I will be all finished this week. Do you have any idea how happy that makes me? I can't wait to move on to the next project. I don't see an end to those until we've moved in.

All the flooring has been finished the gray of my entry way is gorgeous! Tile has started and I'm eager to see how that will all look as it is finished. All the lights and most of the outlets have been installed. There are only a few left to go and some have to wait until granite, which should be here this week as well. I hope now that it's going it will go strong. Let's see how this week goes.

As far as my Christmas anthology, it should be here this next week so if you'd like to donate to Autism Speaks and get a truly original story, let me know.

My entryway

Let there be light

"Let there be light." Gen. 1:3
I'm not just quoting scripture because it's Sunday and well, most of us could use a little more spiritual guidance. But this week...we have lights on a switch, no extension cord needed. YAY!! To be honest, there are only 2 of them right now but by the end of the week. I'm hoping the finish work for both electrical and HVAC will be finished. The granite may be in this week as well. I'm very excited to see it all come together. There has been a lot of finish work going on in the kitchen with the skins on the cabinets and the range hood installed. I've finished much of the painting and with a little extra time will have finished all but touch up this week.

In other exciting news I've ordered my Christmas book. All proceeds from sales go to Autism Speaks. I'm very excited about the story included in this book. It is Entitled "Where are you Christmas" It's a companion story to last year's but if you didn't read that story this one does stand alone. I haven't ordered any additional copies of last year's but it can be purchased online at: https://www.createspace.com/3988322 (proceeds go to National Down Syndrome Society)

This year's can be purchased here: https://www.createspace.com/4102014

Or, even better. Let me know you want a copy (or more for gifts) and I'll set them aside for you as soon as they arrive. It is an advent anthology with my story on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I'm going to pretend that it's a prestigious place in the book because my story is so inspirational and awesome and (insert here any adjective that makes you want to read it). Tune in next week to see how this week went.

Look...stairs

Riley stands looking over a room full of more treasure than anyone in this lifetime has ever seen. Gold glitters around him, not to mention the untold stores of knowledge held in the ancient writings. He looks up, moisture pools in his eyes. "Look, stairs." With all the majesty before him the stairs are what he most appreciates.

Can you name that movie?

Look, I have stairs. I may not be as excited as Riley was but I am still excited. I now have stairs, doors, cabinets, and a driveway.
Finish work should start this week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Caution tape around my house

Caution Tape surrounds the front of my house! Whatever will I do now?

Before you start worrying too much, it's to mark the wet cement. The cement has set now but since we haven't been able to decorate for Halloween at all that will have to do.

The doors have been put in and the kitchen is starting to come together. The soffit and fascia is all installed. The gutters and downspouts are the only things missing from that. Still waiting on brick for the front columns then the entire exterior will be done.

Watch for my next blog (probably tomorrow) for pictures and more updates.

Look what is finished now!

Look, the brick is all finished. Well, almost. The columns on my porch will be brick as well. But other than that the rest of it is done. The soffit and fascia (metal stuff that goes around the brick under the eves, that I really need on my old house so the birds will quit building nests there and waking me up so darn early.)  has been started so the outside will look finished in not very long. The inside is struggling a little but will soon be making great progress. The cabinets are here and should be installed soon.

Outside, we are prepared for cement. Maybe this week, then we will have a driveway, walkway and....stairs. The paint bucket we have used for a step will feel so badly about that. I'll have to find another use for it. The basement floor will be finished soon. It will have a different finish than upstairs but look awesome as well, not to mention being easy to clean. I'm only a little biased on my opinion of the appearance.

The deck has been framed in and barring any unforeseen issues it may be finished this week, except for the railing so I can go on it but won't let anyone who may wander too closely to the edge.

Well the suspense to see what will happen this week has begun. Will it look more like a house? Will I still have any hair in my head when we've finished...only time will tell.

Soffit and Fascia over the garage Brandon chose the color. I think he did okay.

Can you guess?

Can you guess what this picture is?


No, really try...


Don't scowl down yet.


I'll give you a hint. It isn't yet finished, this is a work in progress.


No, it's not an error with the camera I took this picture on purpose.


And it will soon look like this:

If you guessed my floors you were right. You win a FREE tour when the house is finished.

We're still painting, and probably will be until we move in, maybe even after that but we will finish, eventually. Most of the bedrooms are just waiting for touch ups with much of the living area and ceiling just needing a second coat.

See the final floor next week (I hope). This will be in the kitchen and bathrooms. The basement solid surface will be a little different. I'll have to wait and see how it turns out. Brick may be finished by then as well. With only a small part left above the garage.
  

Paint, Paint go away!

I didn't dare post last week. My hands were so covered in paint I feared for the safety of the computer. I still have a little paint on me but we are about 85% finished. A few ceilings and touch up before we can call it DONE! I started with my children's bedrooms, mostly because they had their color picked out. Just a warning. The stripes, harder than you might think, but it did turn out cute.

The brick is also at about 80%. Three sides and a 1/3 of the front. When the brick first arrived I pulled a few out and looked at them, unsure if I liked them I was hesitant but wasn't willing to wait another three weeks to start. After a few rows were up, I felt a little better. With it mostly complete now, I AM VERY pleased. The color lends its self to the design of my house.
What comes next? I think it's my floor, then doors, trim, final electrical, final plumbing....and...and...When does it end?
I'm really looking forward to it coming together and even more, Moving IN!! I can't wait to show you my floors.

My hair isn't that gray...yet

Our brick guy is awesome! He finished the north side of our house this week. I really like how the door looks with the lintel over it. What do you think?

Monday being a holiday I didn't have work so I applied primer to our storage room. We purchased a tinted primer and I was surprised at how dark it was but it made applying it much easier. I finished the storage room and the closet under the stairs and had just enough time to make dinner that night.

When I arrived home from work on Wednesday it was confirmed that the sheet rockers were finished. My husband had Friday off so we asked our contractor if we could start painting. After a phone conversation regarding our doors being back-ordered we rolled out the roller. Thursday night we wiped down the walls. Friday the fun began. In the time I'd spent on two rooms (technically 1.5) we'd put primer on most of the upstairs walls, thanks to our friend Scott Seely, of Dax Welding, who loaned us a sprayer.

Saturday I had some commitments in the morning but we started up again and were able to finish all but a few walls in the basement when night forced us to quit. I'm hoping we can finish both paint and primer this week but with work schedules, who knows.

Bonus room above the garage, just needs the ceiling sprayed.

I am amazed how well the paint washed out of my hair. It's back to it's natural color again. This process may cause my hair to become gray prematurely.

WOW!! Need I say more

 

Front view (do you like the Transom over my door? Who knew I'd learn a whole new vocabulary?)

Sorry I didn't report last week. School started and I didn't make the time. There wasn't a whole lot to report anyway. The plumping was still a work in progress. The electrical was finished and we have now passed the 4 way inspection (HVAC, plumbing, electrical and gas?).

On to this past week. While my children and I headed back to school/work many obvious strides were made. All the windows and doors have been installed. We ordered our cabinets. (Side note: our cabinet guy sold Karl Malone the cabinets for his house. I learned that last week.)

The brick started going up on the back wall. Then Friday morning I went to work and returned home to see that almost all the sheetrock had been hung. They came back Saturday for a few hours and are ready to tape and mud. I guess there was another inspection today and that can start tomorrow. I'm amazed at how quickly that went up. Good work guys!

Sheetrock all ready for tape.

Anticipated progress for this week: More brick, mud and tape sheetrock...then what??? I'll have to wait and see.

Thanks everyone for your support! And extra thanks to all the awesome workers we've had. Our brick guys is great often the first here and last to leave.



Our brick. The gray over the top is called a lentil. The word brings to mind split peas and the like.
THANKS Capstone in MANTI UT for making them so nice (and quickly).

Cleaning can be painful

When my contractor started with my house they often worked 10 to 12 hour days. After such a day one of the framers started cleaning up scraps and such. It was eight in the evening. So I started cleaning up. Since then We've voluntarily cleaned up. Sometimes not getting to it until the weekend but I'd rather my workers use the time they are here to work. With all the drilling for the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC we didn't clean this week. The floor was littered with sawdust, metal clippings, pieces of pipe, and the like. It was past time to clean. We pulled out the broom, shovel and buckets. It took much longer than ever before and I now have two large blisters on my hand. I can't complain much. If I'd kept up with it I wouldn't have had to sweep the entire house top to bottom in one evening.

The good news...It's all clean. Much of the electrical, plumping and HVAC is run. Windows and doors hopefully this week, then brick next week. Soon it will look all complete on the outside and the tedious work begins. I'm still pleased with the progress and I hope it will continue without major delays.

 

coming soon..."I can't sleep it's too dark"

Dreams do come true

Without too much more rain. We have a roof. It looks really nice even though I had no say in the planning. The roofer stopped by while I was in the shower and my husband picked out the color. My contractor had them add a good looking ridge liner (I can't remember what he called it). And the best part...from start to finish done in a week. It isn't a huge or complicated roof so no surprise that they were so efficient but I really appreciate it.
          
Custom Electric is doing a great job with wiring and have been very understanding of my requests. I want what I want and they seem to be able to handle that. My goal is to not be the worst homeowner they've ever worked with.
        
Hill Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC guys) have also complied to my wishes even after running things differently than approved they moved them without complaint (at least to me).

Of course rain can still come in the holes that are our windows and doors. those are being ordered and will be in within a couple weeks. All in all we are still going rather well. As far as I know still on schedule and should be moving in by our deadline.

YAY! Roof!  YAY!! Progress!

Good ol' fashion barn...er deck raising

As hoped, here is the deck lifting video. The sound is really cool. It creaks like a haunted house door. My contractor lifted it with a cable attached to the back of his truck. I'm sad we didn't get to see it since we weren't home. We missed most of the crane lifting the trusses as well. Man, life gets in the way of watching my house be built.

The roof has been sheeted and the electrical is being run. I have finally been up into my bonus room. The extra space that may have been filled with insulation and used for nothing else has changed a lot of the rest of the house. AND made it more efficient. In the walls will be built in bookshelves and some closets for exercise stuff. I think we'll have a window seat so we can sit up there and read. It sounds so cozy. I can't wait to see it completed.

The HVAC (heating and air conditioning) guys will be starting soon. The electricians have placed most of the boxes and will start running wire soon. We took the time to draw out the kitchen on the floor with chalk. It really helped me have a feel for how things would look. I get more excited everyday!

Updated pictures next week. Who knows what they will do this week.

Honesty isn't dead

 

Front View

The trusses went up this week, even though the birth of a baby prevented our crew from working the entire week. CONGRATS Garrett!

I have to say I'm VERY pleased to report that honesty is NOT dead. The crane operator we hired to assist with placing the trusses came back shortly after leaving to inform us that he had miscalculated his time and we'd over paid him. I must thank AAA Crane from Richfield Utah for the excellent job and honesty!

Side view of the back. My deck framing. The lifting of it was a great process. I might be able to post a video. We'll see next week.

Rain, Rain, go away, don't come back until we have a roof.

 

Despite the rain delay we're all framed. When I walk someone through the house it actually means something now. The statement: "My room will be to about this 2x4" will be no more. Now I can say "This is my room, look at my awesome view."

We also have the deck supports put in. It may have seemed too small on the plans but now it's just right. We're ready for the Trusses. I hope we don't have to wait long. The progress is great I want to keep the momentum going. I never want to stall out but if we must I'd rather it be after we have a roof, especially during the rain storms.

 
That being said. I do like the rain and know we need it so I'm not complaining, just being impatient. I don't want to wait for my house to be build. I can wait WHILE it's being built.

For clarification, I'm not actually doing the work. It's all our contractor and his dedicated workers! Thanks Guys!

2.75 walls a week equals...

 

Even with the holiday a lot has been done. The garage floor has been poured, along with the supports for my deck. The forms for the porch cap are in place. The very obvious part we have 2.75 walls. I can now see where the windows and doors will be. Walls fill the view from the north windows in my current house, exciting to me but not as nice a view as it boasted before we started this project. I have little remorse since the view from my new house is glorious. From my bedroom window I can see the glow of the Manti Temple. That's right. I have a temple view thanks to my walk out basement.

And more good news. I've found some time to write. Not as much as I'd like but it will improve. With the summer half over I still have several things to finish up before the school bell rings heralding in another year. If I work during the day I can write at night. It's my reward for budgeting my time. Wouldn't it be nice if I could store some time and use it on the days when I run out? What would you do with some extra time

Will the roof or interior walls be next?

I have walls...well kind of.

front view

looking down

In a little over a week my basement is framed, the floor joists are on, and the garage is ready for cement. I'm sure there are a billion other little things they had to do to accomplish all the obvious tasks.


This week they tell me they will start on the upstairs. The temporary stairs they installed are great. Very solid and sturdy. Maybe they were planning for my klutziness by making a safe way for me to climb to the top and look at the wonderful progress. I haven't jumped up and down on the stairs, I save my happy dance for when I'm back on dusty ground. I'll let you know how well it goes this next week. With the holiday it may slow down, I guess we'll see.

 Through all this my neighbors have been awesome about all the noise, dust and extra traffic. I'd make them all cookies but I'm afraid I'd eat too many myself, not to mention the unbearable heat.

 In writing news, I watched a clip by Caroline Clooney that instructed to write. Writing builds on itself and gives you momentum. I can say amen to that. I haven't been writing as much and I can tell, it's harder to put aside work, reading, or just staring at my beautiful house-in-progress to sit my butt down and write. But I will!

Happy Heat Wave!

My awesome temporary stairs.

And so it begins

A rumbling sound came from down the street. It wasn't even eight AM on a summer morning. What could it be? The excavator for our house! YAY! Now the dead tree is gone and the footings have been poured.

 

Four days after the rumble the walls are cocooned inside their forms. A few days later the basement has plumbing and the cement floor is silky smooth.

 

We have some awesome people working on our house!! THANKS Barton Excavating, Parkside Concrete, and Layton Homes. I'm amazed at how quickly it's going but I know it will slow down with the interior. Thinking of, I have to look at my kitchen design again...can we just levitate the microwave?

 

This has all been great fun to watch. My son sat in his camp chair for hours watching them dig and pour, longing to put handprints in the wet cement. I've assured him that he can but not in all the walls. Are we really doing this? The process is so exciting and terrifying. The decisions I make now I will have to live with for the rest of my life.

 

The fascination with this once-in-a-lifetime event hasn't left me a lot of time to write, but I will get on it. HAPPY SUMMER!

Beautiful Dirt

I'm not an extreme gardener. I like to eat fresh food to I grow it. I have a few flowers in my yard and some struggling strawberry plants. But when a dump truck brought dirt last week I stood on the porch and jumped for joy. What am I so excited about if not to grow things. What else is dirt good for?

To answer, a history lesson. Once upon a time in Ephraim there was a railroad. The railroad track ran right in front of my house. In order to build up the track the railroad bought up dirt from our side of the road leaving is several feet below road level. Now for the answer: In planning to build a house our contractor looked at the lot and said the words I wanted to hear. "We could do a walk out basement." But for it to be a basement I have to have dirt in the front part. That is where the joy regarding the delivery of dirt. One less thing we have to buy in the long and expensive process of building a house.

 YAY Dirt!!

 

A house by any other name...

Nine years ago my husband and I bought a 3 bedroom 1 bath fixer-upper that was built in 1905. (Yes 1905, not a typo). Many people would say this house is not without it's charms. I would like to ask them what they are? No, really it's been the perfect house. Except for potty training, or trying to hang a dress in my closet, or when my husband nearly knocked himself out as he went into my son's bedroom. There is only one bathroom, which is also a hallway. My closet is so short that my dresses touch the floor. The doorway into my son's room is less than 6 feet tall. But it isn't all bad. I can clean the entire thing in one day and still have time to watch a movie. My children's rooms are really close to mine making the first year of each of their lives very convenient. I only had to stumble about 15 feet in the night. It really is a great house for small children. My children aren't that small anymore.

AND for the good news. We are about to build a new house. The city council approved the building permit. Now just a few more weeks of waiting and HOPEFULLY, we'll be ready to build in June. So this house was sweet but I am really looking forward to more space.

 

If you have any suggestions please offer them now. I don't want to ever have to build again so your help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks to everyone who has given me advice so far. Much of it has been VERY helpful.

 

Coming up...The value of dirt.

Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam

I've made more jam this year than any other. My family LOVES strawberry jam. I am not a heath nut but every recipe I've ever seen has as much or more sugar than fruit. I challenge this. A few years ago my sister shared with me a recipe her mother-in-law had shared with her. Instead of pectin Jell-o was used as a thickener. I tried it. It worked great. The recipe was for apricot jam but why wouldn't it work with any other fruit? So since cooking is an experiment, I did.

I like a looser jam so I often didn't use as much pectin as a recipe indicated anyway. This recipe works great for me giving me the consistency I desire with a lot less sugar.

This is also easy to make in a sugar free variety using a sugar substitute and sugar free Jell-o.

Adjust it as you like. If you like a really sweet thick jam this is not for you but it is for me!

Happy summer!!

 

Reduced sugar Strawberry jam (with Jell-O)

8 pounds strawberries hulled and washed

4 C. Sugar (or less to taste)

1 package (4 servings) Strawberry flavored gelatin

Cut strawberries into small pieces.  (I put mine in the food processor but you can just cut them if you like a chunkier jam. They do break down some while cooking.) Put in a large pot and stir in sugar. (This is where I taste it for sweetness. Remember that once the sugar and fruit cook together it will be sweeter.) Cook over high heat until boiling then turn to medium heat stirring occasionally. (use a really large pot or watch that it doesn't boil over. Big mess!)

The value of an appendage

While away on a work trip my town received about seven inches of snow. By the time I arrived home the following day the only evidence of the white blanket were the mounds that had been pushed in a parking lot. But in my yard (and a few others) the storm left more on the ground than snow. A branch about 18 inches in diameter had fallen from a massive tree in my yard.

The blessing in this: The tree has to come down so we can build a house in that location. My husband had planned to take it down last summer...As you know things don't always happen when anticipated.

So Saturday, limb by limb, we cut down the tree. It was bittersweet since the tree was a perfect tree house tree but with each "timber" we see the rotten center. How the tree stood as long as it did with that weak center surprised me.

In these adventures I hurt my thumb. Just a small gouge, no big deal. I didn't even stop to get a bandage. I just let it bleed. Monday at work I sat at a computer. Ouch, another word, another ouch. Man, who know such a small injury could cause such discomfort? I use that spot on my thumb to hit the space bar.

What does this have to do with writing? There are several things, symbolism, the huge tree had a dead center. You don't always know what you'll get. Even the smallest things can have large consequences. But me, I think I'll say that you can find an excuse to do (or not do) just about anything. Do you want it bad enough to push through the pain? (All that from a dying tree.)

Now, the wound has healed. I'd love to tell you that is why I haven't spent as much time writing as I should. Or maybe it's work, with only 20 school days left in the year, I am busy. But really, I'm just being a slacker. On a positive note, I'm making strawberry jam. Next time, if I'm not being a slacker, I'll share with you my low sugar recipe.

A word of praise

Think back to high school. Who won prom royalty the year(s) you attended? Were they good looking? Popular? Vain? Selfish? Many high school movies would lead you to believe that this is the kind of person peers nominate for the prestigious title of prom king or queen.

 This is not the case at all schools. I must praise the students who nominate and vote for those who need this positive recognition. The students who are brave enough to stand up and declare that people are people and have something to offer, even if they aren't "typical." I know a school where this has happened not just once but multiple times. When I hear of events like this I have hope for a great future, with leaders who not only think of themselves but of others. This VERY simple act may change the course of a lifetime. Not only for those who receive the crown, not even just those who award it but for people everywhere who struggle with some limitation. Which really describes all of us. Even with weaknesses, disabilities or inabilities we all have value!

In writing news, this is the cover for the Christmas anthology with my story in it. If you read last years story this one is a companion. If you didn't, it won't affect your understanding or enjoyment. With the support of  wonderful friends I sent $500 to the National Down Syndrome Society last year. This year all profits will be donated to Autism Speaks. Since I've worked in special education for the last seven years I can fully support anything that provides knowledge of how to help those with limitations. Our goal in special ed is to help all students reach their full potential. Their abilities are often greater than their disabilities.

Tragedy is inspirational

A follow-up post to the last one regarding Elam Jones. While entering his funeral I was asked by a news person for a quote. Caught on the spot I didn't have one but after thinking about it for a while I came up with a great one. Of course the news crews were gone by the time I left the funeral so my brilliant quote remained unsaid. But I think you deserve to hear it.

"The way Elam's family is handling this tragedy is inspirational. Where hatred and bitterness could grow they are cultivating love and faith."

My father worked in a coal mine for 27 years and I never thought about how he risked his life to support his family. The dangers are real in any job. Some offer a larger chance for accidents. So count your blessings. You have lived another day. No one knows when their time will come, so make the most of it!

One Man Dead Another Injured

            Not a great title for a writing blog but what do you think when you read it? How sad. What happened? But if you stop and really think about it you will speculate on this man's life. Who did this man leave behind to mourn his lost? A wife, children, maybe parents or siblings? So back to the real question, why did I start this way? Simple. This was the headline that reported the lost of a friend. A brother, son, husband and father has been reclaimed by heaven. Much like the victims of September 11th he probably kissed his wife and two young boys goodbye and went to work. Just another day. No one suspected that he wouldn't come home. He was killed in the line of duty. Will people see him as a hero? He only mined coal. That is not a hero's job. Or is it? Is the light on above you? What is powering the device on which you are reading this? So my opinion is he was a hero and should live in our heart as such.

            Now if you're reading this for writing information there are several things you could take away but I'll give you this one. Now that I've told you a little about the man from the headline you may feel sorrow or sympathy at a greater level. Did you think of someone you lost? If so, did that ache renew in your heart. I'm sorry for causing you pain, wait, no I'm not. Isn't that why we read? To allow us to feel emotions, escape our reality for someone else's if only for a while. As a writer you need your readers to like your character enough to sympathize with him or her.

            With that I dedicate this post to the memory of Elam Jones. May his dear sweet family know that they are not alone in mourning his loss. Who will join me?

Can editing be fun?

Another week and I've almost finished editing one of the books I've written. It is a just for fun about a student developing a crush on a substitute teacher. Don't worry, the teacher resists his advances. When I first started writing I didn't think editing could be any fun but as I edit this book it's like Christmas. Each night brings a little surprise. I wrote this story three years ago and some of the finer points of plot have been forgotten, so it's like a new story. Now that I've been writing for a few more years I also see an increase in my skill. So can editing be fun? Can rereading a book be enjoyable? What do you think? How often do you reread?

Must I blog?

Spending a day at a writing conference can be both invigorating and frustrating. A big thank you to Shirley Bahlmann and all the authors who taught at WRITE HERE IN EPHRAIM. Everyone says that a blog is a must. I don't take time to "follow" a blog, meaning to read it everyday/week. I look up information and have found some VERY helpful blogs created by writers, agents, publishers, etc. but to read one EVERY day seems unrealic. Maybe once a week but I've never done it.
So I pose to you a this question. Did you read this? Do you read blogs? How often, and what type?  Please help out a curious author.
Happy reading!