Cynthia's Chat

For all the inquiring minds who want to know - I did participate in the 5K race.  I walked the entire course and am fairly proud of myself.  Moreover, I am proud of my daughter who organized this event.  The last time I wrote, I was unaware that my daughter put the whole race in Cheyenne, Wyoming, together.  It was not an official "Race for the Cure" but an event that raised money, and was then donated to the same cause.  My daughter was the facilitator for the event.  She did an amazing job!

And  the grandkids are incredible!  Absolutely the smartest and cutest kids ever.  While I was there, I toured their school.  They go to a very innovative and forward thinking public school.

We are on the tail end of October.  Typically in Real Estate, this is a busy time as Buyers are trying to get into new homes before Christmas.  Statistically, Oklahoma has not seen the downturn in Real Estate activity as other areas have.  It has slowed a bit, but we seem to be in fairly good shape here.

Here are some tips for getting your home - your biggest investment - ready for winter. 

• Clean up and/or repair your outdoor furniture- just a little mild dish detergent in a bucket of water, a sponge or brush and a good rinse should do the trick. Plan to store or cover your furniture before the hardest cold of the winter.   Shop the summer sales for a new outdoor furniture set.   Make a fire in the fire pit or Chimenea and have a s'mores party!
• Check for loose or peeling paint on exterior walls - do any touch-ups needed. It is really too late in the season to repaint the entire house as temperatures (night and day) need to remain above 50 degrees.
• Service your heat and air system - It is always a good idea to have the heat and air conditioning systems checked each season.  Hose down your air conditioning unit to remove debris collected around the unit.
• Prepare the chimney - if you have a fireplace, have your chimney cleaned.  Besides creosote and soot, a chimney sweep may also find bird nests and other critters.   
• Weatherproof the house - Take a walk around the house to look for gaps or worn spots in weatherstripping around exterior doors and windows and replace as needed.  Inspect caulking around exterior windows and doors, where masonry and siding meet, at siding corner joints and where any pipes or wires enter the house.  Caulk keeps out the cold, moisture and dirt, so be sure to recaulk any gaps or problem areas as needed.
• Inspect the roof for any missing, loose or damaged shingles or tiles.  Replace them or arrange for repairs.  While you’re up there, inspect the caulk or seals around plumbing stacks, solar tubes, vents, etc.
• Clean and inspect gutters and downspouts - after most of the leaves have fallen, clean debris from your gutters and downspouts.  Turn on the hose to check for damaged, leaking or misaligned gutters.  Make sure they drain away from the house.   
• Inspect driveways, sidewalks and paths for damage or cracks.  Repair or seal as needed before extreme temperatures make matters worse.
• Yard and Lawn Maintenance - Trim tree branches hanging over the roof.  Prune flowering trees and shrubs once they have finished blooming.   Mulch around your bulbs, roses, trees, and shrubs to prevent sudden changes in soil temperature from destroying the root systems of tender plants.   Between now and Thanksgiving is a great time to plant your spring bulbs.Fall is a time to fertilize and overseed a fescue lawn.  Conversely, do not fertilize Bermuda now as it is preparing for dormancy through the winter.  Rake the leaves and remove from the lawn. 
• Take care of the lawn mower and garden tools - run the gas out of the mower for storage or add a stabilizer agent.  Change the oil, pull and inspect the spark plug and oil the engine.  Clean up the garden tools and give them a light coat of oil to protect them from rust.
• Drain the water. Drain the hose, coil it up and hang it where it won’t freeze and crack. If you have a sprinkler system, drain it too, and shut off the water to prevent pipes from freezing.  Protect your plumbing by wrapping lines with pipe jackets.

So now, if you have any energy left, enjoy the last few days of October.  Celebrate All Saints Day Eve, Halloween and the changing of the seasons.   I pray that each of you enjoy your blessings this fall season.