Round Cucumbers...?

I went picking some fruits of my labor the other day, and found the strangest thing! Maybe I thought I knew it all, but now I realized I don't. I found the most interesting looking cucumber, it was round and instead of the usual sharp little bumps it had thin hair like around it. So I left it alone and let it go for a few days, but then I just couldn't resist myself and picked it. I googled and learned that there are round cucumbers called lemon cucumbers and boy they are so sweet. I was just amazed, and in my salad it went that night. The taste was excellent to say the least and we couldn't get enough of it. I wish I had let it grown a little longer, but I just can't help myself. Once again, I went inspecting my plants to see if there are any more growing and to my surprise there are more blooms.

Aside from cukes, I have been able to have my tomatoes nearly every day. The plants have turned out to be very productive, but now I feeling the summer nearing an end and I am hating it. But at the same time glad because the kids will be back to school :D and I've had the opportunity to learn a little more about planting and where I could get a better crop. I now know where I get the most out of the sun and so that is where my plants will be next spring. We also had a chance to build a raised bed, and hopefully we can get to work on a few more. It has taken a little longer than I wish but I also want to make sure that we use recycled materials. Wood that otherwise would have ended up in the trash, of course free of paint and chemicals untreated wood. 

In other topics, I haven't been updating my blogs for the past week and I feel so bad about it. But I have and excuse ;) I have been working on the Real Housewives of Bravo website and also completing the training for my interpreting job. I start working next weekend and my shift goes from 7 pm to 3:30 am. That promises to be exhausting for the first few weeks, but I suppose I will get used to it. If you are bilingual and are interested in working from home, I can hook you up! Just leave me a comment, and I'll give you all the info. You need to be very well spoken in both languages, and it helps if you have a cultural background in the target language. Learn more about interpreting here and what equipment is required here.

Tonight is the first part of the Reunion episode for The Real Housewives of NJ and I should have a post up tonight. I didn't get a chance to watch last weeks episode of The Real Housewives of DC, it is on my DVR to be recorded tonight and I should have a post on that tomorrow. And well, I think that is all the updating I wanted to do for today. Hope you all have a wonderful day today, it is sunny here so I know I will.

'Til next time,

Lina
xoxo

Real Housewives Blogging about The Real Housewives

It's been a few days since I've blogged here, but you know my other blog is giving me quite a bit of work ;). With all the Housewives craziness who can resist writing about it? It's worth mentioning that the housewives blogger community, while small is a really neat one! Everyone has their own outlook on The Real Housewives, each has their favorite, each has the one they hate, and it's nice to see how we all gather on twitter going bananas over the show. Wouldn't it be nice if we created a Real Housewives Blogger Club, and we can all gather bounce ideas around and create a new blogosphere revolution? Just a thought :D. Just wanted to give a warm shout out to one of my tweeps @HousewivesTalk she has her very own take on the housewives. Check out her blog and give her a shout out too!

The "Real" Housewives Blog

I have also been actively posting some articles on HubPages and will be moving The Real Housewives of Bravo to its own domain really soon! This is really exciting news because I really want to add new features and make it an inviting place to all the housewives fans. So stay tuned for that!

'Til later,

Lina
xoxo

Home Office Furniture from Craigslist

Who ever said you have to be well put to get nice furniture? In this day and age we can't afford to put money down the drain right? With an economy that continues to plummet  and businesses going bankrupt, Craigslist is the one stop shop to all your furnishing needs. It is very easy to find local people trying to sell their stuff, either because they are moving or simply because they need the money. With that in mind, you have a lot of room for negotiating and shopping around. So lets say you are on a tight budget, have a tight space and would like an antique look. Can you get your office going for about $200? I think it is doable. Here are some pictures of some items you can put together without breaking the wallet:

Here you have a really great parlor chair, with casters on the front legs and a very bright sunflower colored upholstery. This chair can be easily reupholster to suit the color scheme you want, and it is in very good shape. The asking price for this chair is $125, but I bet that a few emails back and forth you can get it down to $100. 


For desks, I have you 2 options. We have an antique secretary; it has 3 drawers, glass doors, and a roll up drawer for your laptop. This piece needs some TLC, but can be easily brought back to life and refinished to match the chair. Asking price $80, compare at $400 for a similar piece. The second desk is a nice mahogany color, it definitely needs some refinishing but for only $40 (I am sure this price is negotiable) you have plenty left on your budget to work on it. Also, always check the free section of craigslist. There is always something there to be gotten. It is a great way to recycle and keep more stuff from landing on our landfills. 

A few pointers to keep in mind when shopping from craigslist:

• If you are not familiar with the location or are afraid because you do not know the person, always go with a friend. I say better safe than sorry! 
• Be sure to inspect all furniture for bugs!!! Yep, the last thing you need is to bring new tenants in with the new furniture. Check small cracks and crevices, this is were they tend to hide. 
• Also inspect for damages. If the item seems in worser condition than you had in mind negotiate the price or walk away! 
• Be aware of scams out there! Stick to local listings to avoid these, and do not pay until you have inspected and agreed with the seller on the item.